Modifying Field Properties in Design View

When designing a table, you specify what type of data can be entered in each field by selecting the Data Type. You can also define specific properties such as field size, default values, and required fields. Other field properties are covered in depth in other tasks.

To modify field properties:

1. In table Design View, select the field you want to modify.
2. In the Field Properties pane, click the property that you want to change. For Field Size, click the Field Size box.
3. To change the default value of a field, click the Default Value box.
4. To make data entry in a field required, change the Required property to Yes.

Field Size: The default field size is always 50. Limiting the field size can ensure that data is entered properly. For example, if you want entries in the State field to always use the two-letter state abbreviation, limit the field size to 2.
Default Value: Entering a value in the Default Value property can save time during data entry. For example, if most of your employees live in Ohio, use OH as the default value for the State field.

Other tasks cover specific properties such as Format, Input Masks, and Validation Rules.

In Access, you can press the F6 key to switch back and forth between panes. In this program, click with the mouse to switch between panes.