Adding new records with the data form
To add a new record to the data list with the data form, follow these steps:
- Either move to the end of the data list (by dragging the scroll box to the very bottom of the scroll bar or by pressing Ctrl+↓ or Ctrl+Page
Down) or simply click the New button on the data form.
Excel then displays a blank data form (marked New Record at the right side the dialog box), which you can then fill in. - Fill in the information in the data form.
After entering the information for a field, press the Tab key to advance to the next field in the record. (Be careful not to press the Enter key yet because this inserts the new record into the data list.)
You can copy the entry from the same field in the previous record into the current field by pressing Ctrl+" (double quotation mark). You would use this keystroke shortcut, for example, to carry forward entries for the State field when you're entering a bunch of records that all have the same state. - After you've entered all the information you have for the new record, press the ↓ or Enter key or click the New button again.
Excel then inserts the new record as the last record in the data list and displays a blank data form where you can enter the next record. - Insert additional records to the data list, as desired.
- When you finish adding records, press the Esc key or click the Close button to close the data form dialog box.
Some fields require you to enter their numbers as text rather than as values. For example, if you're entering part numbers or other identification numbers that use leading zeros, you need to preface the field entries with an apostrophe (') as in '00210. Note that Excel does not copy this very important punctuation from the previous entry when you press Ctrl+" to copy into the current field, so you must do it manually. For zip code fields, assign the Special Zip Code number format to retain leading zeros.
