How to Create Multiple Nested Continuous Subforms in Microsoft Access

How to Create Multiple Nested Continuous Subforms in Microsoft Access
In this video, I'll show you how to create multiple continuous (list) subforms inside of each other. We'll track data for a fictional college and store departments, courses, and classes. So if you want to know in which courses you'll find classes like "Neil DeGrasse Tyson's Favorite Hits" or "Which Captain is Your Favorite, and Why is it Picard?" then you'll be able to quickly locate them with these forms.
Elaine from Sante Fe, NM (an Access Expert student) asks: I have someone who wants to enter info for each of the four tables in the database in one giant form. I've created four different forms with continuous subforms. I'm stumped as to how to get them to work together, flowing from the top table selection and then related data showing through the other three tables. How do you set this up?
LINKS:
Subform in a Continuous Form: 599cd.com/SubformInContForm
Many to Many: 599cd.com/ManyToMany
BONUS FOR CHANNEL MEMBERS:
Silver Members and up get access to a 37-minute long EXTENDED CUT of this video which covers additional examples. That video will show you how to create another subform that has a list of students enrolled in each class. You will create a student table and subform, a junction table to hold a many-to-many relationship with the class table, and a combo box on that student form to select each student. Plus the Extended Cut shows how all of the initial tables and forms were built from scratch.
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KEYWORDS
microsoft access subform
ms access subform
ms access multiple subforms example
ms access filter subform
ms access create subform
ms access continuous form with subform
QUESTIONS:
Please feel free to post your questions or comments below. Thanks.

[@georgec3821]

Thank you! I had a problem understanding how to do this. Now it's crystal clear.

[@599CD]

Glad it helped!

[@nandakumarr6969]

Thank you great video. Cleared doubts on Multiple Continuous Subforms.

[@599CD]

Glad it was helpful!

[@sarahbliss1330]

I did it! Thank you, I'm really getting into this, adapting your teaching to my needs and GETTING there! Yay!!!

[@599CD]

Wonderful!

[@NimishP]

Excellent work. Very nicely explained.

[@599CD]

Glad you liked it

[@kamleshjain6872]

Beautiful .. excellent... As usual 🏆✔️

[@599CD]

Thank you so much 😀

[@padmavelaga6327]

This is so good, you are the best

[@599CD]

Thanks!

[@Zpilot001]

Thanks for the tip. Was close but just couldn't quite get it. This video helped. FYI. For the fields used to link the subform to the parent, you don't need hide the controls and keep them on form. You can remove them altogether. Access actually links on the fields behind the form that make up the forms recordset. :)

[@599CD]

Thanks for the tip. Sometimes you need them. Sometimes you don't. :)

[@angelikasenn2990]

Well explained ! Thanks!

[@599CD]

You're welcome!

[@moodkn]

Thanks Sir! Nice Technic

[@599CD]

Thanks

[@edgardomachado2704]

Thank for all your clases I already set up my income and expenses

[@599CD]

Keep it up

[@dougkimzey4518]

This is extremely useful! I wish there was a way to change the height of a detail section on a continuous form. My embedded subform does not show up. I'm guessing it is due to the Detail Section being too tall.

[@599CD]

Yeah, there's no easy way to automatically do that. You could code it for the number of records and then resize it in VBA, but that would be a bit of a pain.

[@florianjritter]

I love your videos. They are amazing and help me a lot. Thank you so much! PROBLEM: if I try to put the continuous sub form right under the continuous main form I get the same error after i try to change it back to continuous form again. Access won’t let me change it. Can this be done or must it be in the form footer? Please help. Thank you PS: My error says “You can’t view a form as a continuous form if it contains a subform, an ActiveX control, a bound chart or a Web browser control.”

[@599CD]

Yes, it needs to go in the Form Header or Footer. You can't put it in the Detail section.

[@bernie5412]

@@599CD I had this issue and put the 2nd form in the footer of the first form and got rid of the error. But I have a huge space between the bottom of the 1st form and the top of the other form. I tried changing sizes of everyting and nothing helped

[@dolittlediehard1670]

This is nice, almost what i needed but i also have to have calculated fields in the sub-subform and that value must show up in the outer form. Example: sub-subform contains order-lines with an order line total and in the form footer there is grand total for that order. That grand total must be visible on the outermost form. The subform contains the orderID and date whereas the outermost form is the customer details form.

[@599CD]

599cd.com/Formname

[@italktoo983]

I love your videos, thank you sir. I have a problem sir I want to display an image 'in another form' based on a selection from a combobox for example: if "ClassA" was selected in cbo then I would want to display that image in "ClassA" form.

[@599CD]

Submit your question at 599cd.com/TH

[@michelacosta9886]

Hi!! Very good video!!! Could you please tell how to change the nested subform type?

[@599CD]

What do you mean "type?"

[@DouglasOosthuizen-IPD]

I have tried this and Access simply will not allow me to have a Continuous Form with a form containing a subform. The online forum all agree that it cannot be done. What am I doing incorrectly please?

[@Shadow.Dragon]

Great video! Just what I needed. I see only one correction that needs to be made...obviously Kirk is the better Captain! LOL!

[@599CD]

I can accept a healthy debate between who is better: Kirk or Picard. Both have their strengths. Now if you said Sisko, I'd have to ban you from my channel. :)

[@andyrobinson2192]

Thankyou for the video. I learnt a lot. However for some reason when I drag the subform in to the main form (and link master and child fields), and view, I get a '+' in each row which opens up the data related below. How can i get it to work like the video. Not sure what i've done wrong

[@599CD]

Sounds like you have global relationships set up. I don't use those for a couple of reasons. Usually you only see those + marks in tables, not forms.

[@andrewrobinson8609]

@@599CDthank you for your reply! What do you mean by global relationships? I don't have any links in the Database Tools/Relationships if thats what you mean? My links are in the master/child link section in the subform properties.

[@deepashreepitrekale]

displayed records in my subform in the footer do not change as and when I click a record in the parent form. I have established relationships. What am I missing here? Could someone please help me out?

[@robwardlow2856]

Similar situation, but slightly more complicated. Looking to how to create a BIll of Materials system (BOM). This is where a part (assembly) contains other parts and/or sub-assemblies, which may contain their own parts or sub-assemblies, which can contain their own . . . So, any part may be a child of another part with a certain quantity, and be a child of another part with a different quantity, and may have several levels of hierarchy. How do you set that up with tables and nested forms to show the full list of parts, regardless of numbers of levels?

[@599CD]

That would definitely be a good topic for one of my advanced Developer classes. It will involve nested recordsets. I'll add it to the list. 599cd.com/Developer

[@kimberlyv3283]

Hi, just wanted to let you know that I figured this out. You just keep nesting. Make your parent form (P) & use the wizard to add your 1st subform (A). Then, to get the wizard to show up for the next subform (B) - don't open (P). Open (A) only & then the wizard will pop up when you attempt to nest your next subform (B). Note: I was getting errors because I was not putting the relevant primary key & the foreign key fields on each subform. You can set the Visibility option to No. Then, they are hidden. But they need to be there, so your subforms can keep track of what they are supposed to do.

[@heartworks3314]

I’m new to using sub forms. I have created a database to link clients with properties and then properties with quotes. I need to be able to both read and edit and add data only in form view. I do not allow data sheet view. I have gotten the edit to work, but it won’t let me add new records to sub forms. I am using AllowEdits true and false for editing and DataEntry true false for adding. The GoTo acNewRec throws a form not opened error.

[@599CD]

599cd.com/ask

[@fdnyfish]

can nested subforms be in single form view instead of continuous forms?

[@599CD]

Yep. That's how they usually are.

[@rehanakhter1975]

Thanks

[@599CD]

Welcome

[@punknotdead261]

How do I gain access to the extended cut ? I am already a Platinum member but can't figure out how to "Login". Thanks

[@599CD]

Well I can see that you're not a member here on KZbin since you don't have a little icon next to your name so you must be signed up on my website but I can't tell who you are from just your KZbin username so go to this page and follow the instructions: 599cd.com/YFU

[@NaserAhmed173]

Thanks for the video. I have two issues. One is I couldn't establish relationship among forms though I have created relationship among the tables. The second is I do not see the 'Join' button under the video to join as a member. Please take of of these two. Thanks.

[@599CD]

You don't create relationships in forms. Relationships are between tables. 599cd.com/Relationship. As far as joining goes, KZbin doesn't allow members from certain countries. I have no control over this. You can try signing up on my web site 599cd.com/Members.

[@NaserAhmed173]

@@599CD Thanks. I didn’t created relationship within forms. Actually I wanted to mean in my case the relationship doesn’t work in the forms. I double checked I have followed everything that you’ve shown.

[@raymondspornhauer5397]

A subform cannot go into the 'Details' section of a Continuous Form. It can only go into the Header for Footer section, which is why you can change it back to 'Continuous'. If you put a subform into the details section, it will not allow you to change it back to a Continuous Form.

[@599CD]

Yep. :)

[@wesleybrison9587]

Hello, I am trying this trick but I am getting the error message when I try to change it back to a continuous form. Do you know if this trick has been fixed or if their is another work around?

[@599CD]

Still works as far as I know

[@achojoe4818]

My name is Joseph Acho, this is my first time looking up your channel. I hope you can assist me to solve this complex issue. I have someone who wants to enter info for each of the supply datas for seven different stores but same company in one form. Not related in any way but as to be fitted in one form in each individual table or form can be called up, anytime.

[@599CD]

Just use a field to pick which store it is

[@mesfinabebe8617]

Hi Mr Richar I want reduce these three contineous forms in to two Department and Courses table in one form and Class as a subform after selecting of a department and a course on one form to get related records in a subfor class thank you

[@mesfinabebe8617]

how can i reduce into two? Thank you

[@shooter505]

Can you achieve the same result with tabbed subforms? In other words, can I make an overarching "Assessment" form and make a "Master" subform that has tabs; Issues, Corrective Action Plans, Milestones Each "Assessment" can have any number of "Issues" associated with the assessment Each "Issue" can have any number of "Corrective Action Plans" Each "Corrective Action Plan" can have any number of "Milestones" I would suppose that the tabbed "Master" subform would make the overall "Assessment" record look more compact rather than have 3 or 4 nested/indented subforms on the "Master."

[@599CD]

I don't use tabs. They're evil. However I don't see why not. Did you try it?

[@599CD]

599cd.com/TryIt

[@shooter505]

@@599CD Yes, but I can't seem to get the relationships to kick in like they do in the nested subforms. I haven't given up yet though.

[@dougkimzey4518]

Is a "List Form" the same as a "Datasheet Form"?

[@599CD]

No. A "list form" is my name for a "continuous form." Datasheet is something I never use.

[@ksam2237]

Your home page is hard to find pliz

[@599CD]

Look in the description text below the video. There are dozens of links to my home page. 599cd.com

[@bawarmawlod8869]

Hello 👋 brother I have an error in access vba code you have little time for help me

[@599CD]

Nope. Sorry. I get so many emails a day that I don't have time to diagnose everyone's code. You can submit questions at 599cd.com/TH and if it will make a good video, I might cover it. Otherwise if you're a student of mine, you can post your question in my Access Developer Network: 599cd.com/DevNet

[@wsitech]

Nice video but it brings up bad memories for me. I got a D in Gandalf's Hat once because I wanted to make it a baseball cap.

[@599CD]

Hahahaha

[@marmalsofia6985]

Can some one share contact no. I need a clarification

[@streetlawyer8423]

Kirk was a way better captain than Picard.

[@599CD]

Them's fightin' words... :)