Make Field Names Easier to Understand in Queries
Easy Tip
Why this is important to your office.
Have you ever done a query where there was a formula and the resulting query had a column heading titled Expr1 and you didn’t remember what you had put there?
Have you used the Totals features in Queries and ended up with headings such as about SumOfAdults?
Have you hijacked a field for a different use or would like the Spcode1 field to state display what you actually use it for?
A simple change when designing a query can fix this.
Example
Let’s say you did a query and wanted to show the family size. You cases where the families had over 5 members. In the Query you put the ClientsW table
In the first column you put:
Casenum
In the second column you put:
[Adults] + [Children]
On the Criteria line underneath this column you put:
>4
When you run the query you get something like:
Casenum Expr1:
09-1241 6
09-2356 8
etc.
Make it Easier to Understand!
Go back into the design mode.
Go to the column that says:
Expr1: [Adults] + [Children]
Change it to read
Family Size 5 and Above: [Adults] + [Children]
Now run the query and you’ll get:
Casenum Family Size 5 and Above
09-1241 6
09-2356 8
etc.
Also change Existing Fields
You can also use this feature for existing fields where you use them for different reasons. For example, you could change a query heading for Spcode1 to read Case Status by putting in:
Case Status: Spcode1
for the column heading.
Instead of
Casenum Spode1
09-1241 Appeal
09-2356 County Commission
You get
Casenum Case Status
09-1241 Appeal
09-2356 County Commission
Careful
There are certain characters that can’t be used in the title.
I wouldn’t use dots, back slashes, quotes, apostrophes, etc. since they can confuse the query.