Lesson 1

In Microsoft Access (Office 365 / Microsoft 365), forms and controls are critical for building user-friendly interfaces for data entry, updates, navigation, and reporting. Below is a list of the most popular forms and controls used in Access, along with their typical use cases:
🔶 Most Popular Forms in Microsoft Access 365

Form Type	Purpose
Single Form	Displays one record at a time; used for detailed data entry.
Continuous Form	Shows multiple records in a list; great for Browse/searching.
Split Form	Combines a Single Form (top) and Datasheet View (bottom); allows selecting and editing records simultaneously.
Datasheet Form	Similar to Excel-style grid; used for quick tabular data entry.
Navigation Form	Acts as a dashboard or main menu; lets users switch between forms, reports, and queries.
Modal Dialog Form	Pops up and forces user interaction before proceeding; used for search, login, or confirmation tasks.
Subform	Embedded inside another form; useful for displaying child records (e.g., Order Items within an Order).

Control	Description	Use Case
Text Box	For displaying/editing text, numbers, or dates.	Name, Address, Notes
Combo Box (Drop-down)	Lets users select from a list or type a new value.	Select Country, Category
List Box	Allows selection of one or more items from a list.	Assign roles, pick multiple tags
Command Button	Executes actions like Save, Close, Print, Run Macro.	Submit form, navigate to another form
Label	Displays static text (non-editable).	Field names, instructions
Check Box	For Yes/No or True/False values.	IsActive, Subscribe
Option Group (with Option Buttons)	Radio buttons grouped together for mutually exclusive choices.	Select Gender, Payment Method
Tab Control	Adds tabs to organize form into multiple sections.	Customer Details on one tab, Orders on another
Subform/Subreport Control	Used to nest another form or report.	Show all orders for a customer
Image Control	Displays logos, product images, or user photos.	Profile pictures, barcodes
Calendar Picker (Date/Time Picker)	Attached to date fields for easy date selection.	Order Date, Due Date

🔁 Integrated Automation

Feature	Description
Macros	Automate tasks like opening forms, applying filters, or validating data.
VBA (Visual Basic for Applications)	Used for complex logic or interacting with other Office apps like Outlook or Excel.

🧩 Example: Typical Access Form Setup
A "Customer Entry Form" might include:

• Text Boxes: FirstName, LastName, Email
• Combo Box: Country
• Check Box: IsActive
• Subform: List of Orders
• Buttons: Save, Cancel, View Orders
• Tabs: Contact Info | Orders | Notes

We are going to discuss some features dealing with controls that can really add some interesting features to your forms. Not only can they make your forms more attractive, but they can also save you time and energy when working with information. By the end of this module, you will know how to:

1. Work with controls that display data from other record sources
2. Use the Option Group Wizard to create an Option Group control
3. Create a Subform control to display data from a related table
4. Use Access’s Tab control to create a simple multipage form
5. Use the Chart Wizard to add a chart to a form
6. Add the Calendar control to a form, binding it to a data source

Microsoft has been actively moving away from ActiveX due to significant security concerns. While there is not a single direct "replacement" technology that perfectly mirrors ActiveX's capabilities across all scenarios, Microsoft has focused on more secure alternatives for different use cases within Microsoft 365 and Office.
Here's a breakdown of the situation:

• ActiveX being disabled by default: As of April 2025 (and for Office 2024 since October 2024), ActiveX controls are disabled by default in Microsoft 365 applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Visio). This is a strong move by Microsoft to mitigate security risks associated with ActiveX, which allows for deep system access and has been a frequent vector for malware.
• Emphasis on security: Microsoft's primary motivation for deprecating and disabling ActiveX is security. ActiveX's ability to interact directly with the operating system without a strong sandbox made it a major vulnerability.
• No single direct replacement: ActiveX was a broad technology used for various purposes, from web browser enhancements to custom controls within Office documents. There isn't one technology that replaces all of its functionalities. Instead, Microsoft has promoted:
  • Office Add-ins (Web Add-ins): For extending Office applications with custom functionality, Microsoft strongly recommends using Office Add-ins. These are built using web technologies (HTML, CSS, JavaScript) and run in a sandboxed environment, making them significantly more secure than ActiveX. They offer a modern and cross-platform way to integrate external services and create custom UI within Office.
  • VBA (Visual Basic for Applications) with tightened security: While VBA is still present in Office for macro functionality, Microsoft has also tightened security around VBA macros, particularly those downloaded from the internet. They are increasingly blocked by default, with users needing to explicitly enable them. This pushes developers towards more secure solutions where possible.
  • Modern web standards: For web-related functionalities that ActiveX once provided in Internet Explorer, modern web browsers (like Microsoft Edge) rely on open web standards (HTML5, JavaScript, CSS) which offer more secure and interoperable ways to create interactive web experiences. Edge also has an "IE mode" for compatibility with very old, legacy sites that still rely on ActiveX, but this is a backward-compatibility feature, not a forward-looking replacement.

In summary, while ActiveX is being phased out for security reasons, Microsoft is guiding developers and users towards more secure and modern alternatives like Office Add-ins (Web Add-ins) and relying on the robust capabilities of modern web standards.