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Editing Table Data

You can change the data in a table any time that you are in Datasheet view of a table, the result of a query, or Form view of a form. Access saves changes you make to a record as soon as you move off the record.

Modifying Table Data

One task you might want to perform is to simply modify table data. Here's the process:

  1. Select the record you want to change by using any of the techniques listed in Table 2.1.

  2. Select the field you want to change by clicking the field or using the arrow keys.

  3. Type to make the necessary changes to the data. When you move off the record, Access saves your changes.

Deleting Field Contents

Now that you know how to modify the contents of a field, let's talk about how to delete the contents of a field. The process is simple:

  1. Select the field contents you want to delete.

  2. Press the Delete key. Access deletes the contents of the field.

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It's important to note that Access saves changes to the current record as soon as you move off the current record. If you want to cancel all the changes you made to a record, you simply press the Esc key twice. Access cancels all changes you made to that record.


Undoing Changes

There are different options available when you're undoing changes to a field or to a record. The options differ, depending on whether you are still within a field, have left the field, or have left the record. The sections that follow explore the various options that are available.

Undoing Changes Made to the Current Field

When you are in the process of making changes to a field, you might realize that you really didn't want to make changes to that field or to that record. To undo changes to the current field, you can either click the Undo tool on the toolbar, select Edit | Undo Typing, or press the Esc key once. For example, if you meant to change the contact first name from Alison to Sue but realized that you were accidentally typing Sue in the Customer field, you could press the Esc key once, click the Undo tool on the toolbar, or select Edit | Undo Typing to undo your change.

Undoing Changes After You Move to Another Field

The process of undoing changes after you move to another field is slightly different from the process of undoing changes made to the current field. You can either click the Undo tool on the toolbar, select Edit | Undo Current Field/Record, or press the Esc key once. For example, if you meant to change the contact first name from Alison to Sue but realized that you accidentally typed Sue in the Customer field, and then you moved to another field, you could click the Undo tool on the toolbar, press the Esc key once, or select Edit | Undo Current Field/Record to undo your change.

Undoing Changes After You Save a Record

When you make changes to a field and then move to another record, Access saves all changes to the modified record. As long as you do not begin making changes to another record, you can still undo the changes you made to the most recently modified record. To do this, you can either click the Undo tool on the toolbar, select Edit | Undo Saved Record, or press the Esc key twice. For example, if you meant to change the contact first name from Alison to Sue but realized that you accidentally typed Sue in the Customer field, and you then moved to another record, you could click the Undo tool on the toolbar, select Edit | Undo Saved Record, or press the Esc key twice to undo your change.

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If Access is unable to undo a change, the Undo tool appears dimmed.


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After you have made changes to a record and then have gone on to make changes to another record, you cannot undo the changes that you made to the first record.


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