RE: Forms

Dear Fiona

Thank you for attending Access Intermediate course!! I hope you enjoyed the course and benefited from it.


I have created a database based on your requirement and created some fields to do some calculations.

Please refer to the database that I have uploaded. Following is the step by step instruction how I managed to create this database.


1. I created a database called VAT calculation

2. I created a new table called Expenses and entered three fields i.e. Exp ID, Exp Description and Net_Cost

3. I created a Form based on this Table.

4. In the Form Design view I create a Label to mention that the VAT is 15 %.

5. Then I created a Text box from the Tool Box and named the label of it as VAT and in the white box( text box) entered the following formula:

=[net_cost]*0.15

6. Because we created this control (text box) therefore I right clicked on the white box of the VAT and then chose Properties.

7. In the Properties dialog box I clicked on the Other tab and then typed in VAT in the name box

8. Then I created another text box and typed Gross Cost in the label and entered the following formula in the white box:

=[net_cost]+[vat]

In the form view you should be able to see the results.

I also wanted to change the decimal places of the new controls which should be the answer to your second question in the post I simply went back to my design view and right clicked on the text box ( white box) of the VAT and chose Properties and chose the Format tab. I chose Currency from the format dialog box and also left the decimal place to Auto which should be two decimal places by default. I repeated the same for Gross Cost text box.

I hope this has answered your query.

If this has answered your query then I would request you to please mark the question as resolved!! If not and you have a specific question related to this then please post it as a new question and we should be able to provide you the solution for it!!

Kindest Regards


Rajeev Rawat
MOS Master Instructor 2000 and 2003
MCAS Master Instructor 2007

Attached files...

VAT Calculation.mdb