Hands-On Microsoft Access: A Practical Guide to Improving Your Access Skills

Case Example

It would certainly be nice if Access offered a wider selection of predefined masks in the Input Mask Wizard. However, you can create customized masks.

Currently, the telephone number in the Shippers table can accommodate only numbers, as in [phone]. You want an input mask in which the last four characters can be either numbers or letters, as in (212) 555-FAST. Here's how to add the mask:

NOTE The following example adds a custom input mask that will be available whenever you use Access. You can edit the mask, but I don't know of a way to eliminate all traces of it if you need to delete it. If for some reason you need to keep your copy of Access pristine, don't add this mask.

1.	Close any open objects.
2.	Open the tblShippers ...