Create an input mask for entering alphanumeric telephone numbers in Access

by Mary Ann Richardson | May 22, 2007 5:59:00 PM

Tags: Telecom & Utilities, Microsoft Office, Mary Ann Richardson, input mask, phone, mask, Microsoft Access, telephone number, Microsoft Office Suite Access Tips Newsletter

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Takeaway: It may be catchy to use an alphanumeric phone number of your business, but Access data entry comes to a grinding halt when you or your users convert the numbers from the nearest telephone keypad. Here's how you can make Access automatically convert lettered phone numbers to digits.

Access provides a convenient input mask for entering phone numbers that consist of all numbers. But what if you enter telephone numbers that consist of numbers and letters? For example, say you sell software to the local football team, whose telephone number is (800) GO BIRDS. You cannot enter this if you use the built-in mask; you will have to create a custom input mask for inputting alphanumeric telephone numbers. Follow these steps:

Open the table in Design View.
Click the Telephone Number field.
Under Field Properties, click the Triple Dot button in the Input Mask property box.
In the Input Mask Wizard, click Edit List.
Click the New Record button.
In Description, enter Alphanumeric Phone Number.
In the Input Mask box, enter !(999) AAAAAAA.
In the Sample Data box, enter (800) GoBirds.
Click Close.
Click Finish.

You now have an input mask that you can use for telephone numbers that consist of both numbers and letters.

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