Adding Form Headers and Footers


Forms are made of three sections. The Details section is the middle part of the form that contains the controls. This is where all of the data entry takes place. The Form Header is above the Details section, and the Form Footer is below it. The form header and footer display the same information for every record in the form. Although you can leave the form header and footer empty, utilizing these sections can enhance the visual appeal and usability of your form.



To add information to the form header and footer:

  1. Make sure the form is open in Design View.
  2. From the View menu, select Form Header/Footer.
  3. Click the Toolbox Label button to add text. Click the Toolbox Image button to add an image.
  4. Click the area of the Form Header or Footer where you want your control to appear.
  5. If you inserted a Label control, type the text you want, then click Enter. If you inserted a Picture control, use the Insert Picture dialog box to navigate to the image you want. Double-click the name of the graphic.
  6. Switch to Form View to see your changes.


Usually, the form header is used to display the form title. You can add a company logo or other graphic to make the form visually appealing. The form footer can be used for instructions or to display a copyright statement.

To change the height of the Form Header, move your mouse to the top of the border between the Form Header and the Details section. Your mouse changes to a double-arrow shape. Hold down the mouse button, and drag up or down to change the height of the Form Header. If you add a large graphic, the section will enlarge automatically.

You can use the same technique to change the height of the Form Footer.

You can hide a section (Form Header, Details, or Form Footer) by changing its "visible" property. To open the Properties for the Form Header or Form Footer:

  1. Double-click the section title.
  2. Click the Section Selector button.
  3. Right-click in the section, and select Properties from the shortcut menu.
  4. Click in the section, then click the Properties toolbar button.

Click the Format tab if necessary. Click in the Visible field. Click the arrow and select No. This will hide the section when in Form View.