My joins don't give me the records I expect.

Microsoft Query

Show All Show All

My joins don't give me the records I expect.

Query uses inner joins by default The default join that Microsoft Query uses when it joins tables automatically is an inner join (option 1 in the Joins dialog box). When two tables are joined with an inner join, records from the second table that don't have corresponding records in the first table are not included in the result set.

Create an outer join To retrieve all of the records from both tables when one table contains records not present in the other table, you can use an outer join (options 2 and 3 in the Joins dialog box). For information about using outer joins to combine records, click Button image.

Check multiple joins between the same tables An outer join between two tables sometimes does not return any records from the second table. If you then add an inner join between the two tables, Microsoft Query will not retrieve any records from either table. To display records, delete one of the joins.

Information about joins For more information about joins, click Button image.