Troubleshoot data access pages

The designer of the data access page either removed the buttons or customized their look. Look for custom instructions on the page or contact the designer.

Possible reasons include:

• The data access page that you are displaying might be a data-entry form. You can enter your data in the blank fields.

• The data access page contains a drop-down list that determines which records to display. Select a value from the list to see a specific group or subset of records.

• The data access page lost its connection to the underlying database. Refresh the page to reconnect to the underlying database.

• The database is locked by another user.

There are several kinds of fields that you can't edit on a data access page. The following fields might display values just as regular fields do, but if you try to enter data into them, nothing happens:

• Fields that automatically enter a number   The database automatically assigns a number to this field for each record that you add. This type of field is often used as a record ID number. The database automatically fills in the field's value for you.

• Fields that automatically calculate   This type of field displays values that the database automatically calculates. These fields are usually based on other fields in the database, but are not stored in the database.

• Read-only or disabled controls   A control might be read-only or disabled for data entry.

• Fields in a locked record   If the database that you are accessing is shared by many users, and a record is locked by another user, you can't edit the data in the record until the other user is finished editing the record.

• Read-only field   The underlying data in the database is read-only.

• Fields in a read-only group   Records at a certain group level might be read-only.

• A read-only PivotTable list   A PivotTable list might be intended only to display data, not to edit data.

Note   You might be having problems entering dates in a field that stores dates and times. If you are entering dates by using the slash mark (/) format, don't enter a trailing slash mark. For example, 1/3 is valid, but 1/3/ is not valid.

When you try to move out of a field after changing data, the database validates the data, making sure that the value you entered is allowed in that field. If the value isn't allowed, the database alerts you. In order to leave the field, you must either change the data to an acceptable value or undo your changes.

A value might not be allowed in a field for the following reasons:

• The value isn't compatible with the type of data that is allowed in the field. If you enter a value that isn't correct, the database attempts to convert the entry for you. However, some data can't be automatically converted. For example, you can't store a name in a field that accepts only numbers.

• The data breaks a validation rule for the field. For example, a reorder level field might require a minimum value of 10, and you entered a value of 5.

• Data is required in the field, and you've left it blank. For example, a unit price field might require a value greater than 0, and you didn't enter anything in the field.

The database also validates data when you move out of a record. Before it saves a record, the database makes sure that your changes don't break any record validation rules. Additionally, the database usually makes sure that the record you are editing doesn't have the same value for a record ID field as another record in the table. If the record can't be saved, you must either make any necessary corrections or undo all changes you made to the record.

To view a data access page that was sent as an e-mail message, the mail recipient must read the e-mail message by using one of the following:

• Microsoft Outlook 2000 or later

• Microsoft Outlook Express 5.0 or later

• The combination of Microsoft Outlook 98 or later and Microsoft Internet Explorer 5 or later

• The combination of Outlook Express 5.0 or later and Internet Explorer 5 or later

Mail recipients can contact their system administrator for more information about installing or upgrading this software.

You might have the wrong browser settings   Although all browser versions support the same language (HTML), there are some differences among versions. Some support different versions of HTML and different HTML extensions. Custom options can be set in browsers, such as the default text and background colors, and whether or not graphics are displayed. Consider testing your data access page in different browsers — some of which are available for downloading on the Web — and with different monitor settings, to see if all of your page elements appear.

You might have used the wrong picture format   If you link a graphic to a data access page, and the graphic format isn't supported by your version of the browser, your graphics won't be visible. Make sure that the linked picture is in a graphic format that is compatible with your browser. The JPEG and GIF graphic formats are compatible with most browsers.

Check the browser settings. Although all Web browsers support the same language (HTML), there are some differences between browsers. Some support different versions of HTML and different HTML extensions. Custom options can be set in browsers, such as the default text and background colors, and whether or not graphics are displayed. Consider testing your page in different browsers — some of which are available for downloading on the Web — and with different monitor settings, to see whether all of the page elements appear.

• You might not have the correct Web browser.

  To view or interact with a data access page, you must have Microsoft Internet Explorer 5 or later installed on your computer. A page can also contain additional controls, including spreadsheets, PivotTable lists, and charts.

• Another user might have exclusive access to the Microsoft Access database or Microsoft SQL Server database that the page is connected to.

  This situation can occur when a database administrator is maintaining an Access database or SQL Server database and needs to temporarily prevent users from accessing the database, or when someone is designing objects in a shared Access database. Wait a few minutes and try to view the page again, or contact your database administrator.

• The page, or a PivotTable list on the page, is connected to an unsupported OLE DB data source. Contact the designer of the page for more information.