.You can use the Format property to specify the data display format for a field or a control. For example, you can choose to have all dates formatted using the month/day/year format or some other format. You can choose from a list of predefined formats for fields with the AutoNumber, Number, Currency, Date/Time, and Yes/No data types, or you can create your own custom format. You can create a custom format for any field data type other than OLE Object.
You can set the Format property in table Design view, query Design view, form Design view, or report Design view. In most cases, you'll want to set the property for the field in table Design view. That way, the setting is automatically applied to the field in query Design view and to controls on a form or report bound to that field (as long as you create the controls after setting the property in table Design view). In certain cases, however, you may want to set the property in query Design view, form Design view, or report Design view. For example, you may want to display a different format in a table datasheet than in a report. You could set the Format property for the field in query Design view and then base your report on the query. If you're using an unbound control, you'll need to set the Format property in form Design view or report Design view.
Note If you want to create literal display characters that help you enter data in a predefined format, you may want to use an input mask instead of a format. For information on the differences between a format and an input mask, click .
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