Group records by each value in a grouping field on a data access page

Learn about grouping records on a data access page.

1. Open the data access page in Design view.
   
   
2. If the fields you want to display aren't in the section already, either add the fields to the page as bound HTML controls, or add the fields as bound text boxes.

   Notes

   • The page will load faster in Page view and in Microsoft Internet Explorer if you use bound HTML controls.
     
     
   • If there is no section on the page, you can add an unbound section.
3. Make sure the control you want to group on is selected.
   
   
4. Do one of the following:
   • To group on one field from a table or query, click Promote on the toolbar.
     
     
   • To group on a table or query, click Group By Table on the toolbar.

   Microsoft Access adds a group header that contains an expand control and a record navigation section that contains a record navigation control. If you grouped on one field, Access moves the control you grouped on to the group header. If you grouped on a table or query, Access moves all the controls, including controls bound to fields that are in that table or query and controls bound to Lookup fields to the group header.

5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until you have as many group levels as you need.

Notes

• Use the Promote button when you want to group on a control that contains values shared by many records. For example, in the Orders table, group on ShipCountry. If you add other controls to the group header, Microsoft Access groups on every control in the group header. For example, if you add a control bound to the ShipRegion field to the Orders-ShipCountry header, Access uses the values in both the ShipCountry and ShipRegion controls to group the records.
  
  
• Use the Group By Table button when the page contains fields from two tables or queries that have a one-to-many relationship and you want to group on the table or query on the one side of the relationship. For example, in a page that contains fields from the Orders and Order Details tables, group on the Orders table. When you use Group By Table to group records, Access groups and sorts records using the table's primary key — in this case, OrderID.
  
  
• When you group on a control, Access creates an alias for the control by adding the prefix "GroupOf" to the control's name in the ControlSource property; for example, GroupOfShippedDate: ShippedDate. When you refer to this control in an expression or in a property, you must use the alias.
  
  
• You can specify a different default sort order for each group level.
  
  
• When you have two or more group levels on a page, you will be able only to view data in Page view or in Internet Explorer. You won't be able to add, edit, or delete data.