Access 2016: Create a Query with User Input

<!DOCTYPE html> <html lang="en"> <head> <meta charset="utf-8"> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"> <meta name="keywords" content="create a query with user input, queries, wizard, design, sql view, microsoft access 2016, free tutorial"> <meta name="Description" content="How to create a query with user input in Microsoft Access 2016. Use the query wizard or go straight to query design."> <link rel="canonical" href="https://www.quackit.com/microsoft_access/microsoft_access_2016/tutorial/create_a_query_with_user_input_in_microsoft_access.cfm"> <title>Access 2016: Create a Query with User Input</title> <script src="//ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/3.1.1/jquery.min.js"></script> <link rel="shortcut icon" href="/pix/favicon96.png"> <link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="/pix/apple-touch-icon.png"> <link rel="preconnect" href="https://fonts.googleapis.com"> <link rel="preconnect" href="https://fonts.gstatic.com" crossorigin> <link href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Lato:ital,wght@0,400;0,700;1,400&display=swap" rel="stylesheet"> <link href="/common/css/master.45.min.css" rel="stylesheet"> <script async src="https://cdn.fuseplatform.net/publift/tags/2/3499/fuse.js"></script>  <script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=G-Q3H025ZKLN"></script> <script> window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} gtag('js', new Date()); gtag('config', 'G-Q3H025ZKLN'); </script> </head> <body> <header class="site-header"> <div class="site-header-base"> <div class="site-logo"> <a title="Quackit Homepage" target="_top" href="/"><img src="/pix/quackit_logo_watermark.png" width="87" height="33" alt="Quackit Logo"></a> </div> <button id="site-nav-toggler" class="site-nav-toggler" aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="site-nav"> <span class="sr-only">Toggle navigation</span> ☰ </button> </div> <nav id="site-nav" class="site-nav"> <div class="site-links"> <ul> <li><a href="/"><i class="fa fa-home"></i> <span class="sr-only">Home</span></a></li> <li><a href="/html/">HTML</a></li> <li><a href="/css/">CSS</a></li> <li><a href="/scripting/">Scripting</a></li> <li><a href="/database/">Database</a></li> </ul> </div> <div class="site-search-top"> <form action="/search/" id="cse-search-box-bottom" class="site-search"> <div> <input type="hidden" name="cx" value="partner-pub-6331358926293806:98x0fk-bbgi"> <input type="hidden" name="cof" value="FORID:10"> <input type="hidden" name="ie" value="ISO-8859-1"> <input type="text" name="q" size="20" class="site-search-input"> <button type="submit" name="sa" class="site-search-button"><i class="fa fa-search"></i></button> </div> </form> </div> </nav> </header> <div class="main"> <article class="content"> <h1 class="page-title">Access 2016: Create a Query with User Input</h1> <div class="ad ad-top">  <div data-fuse="23059883623"></div> </div> <ul class="pager"> <li><a href="/microsoft_access/microsoft_access_2016/tutorial/create_a_query_in_microsoft_access.cfm"><i class="fa fa-long-arrow-left" aria-hidden="true"></i> Create a Query</a></li> <li><a href="/microsoft_access/microsoft_access_2016/tutorial/use_the_expression_builder_in_microsoft_access.cfm">The Expression Builder <i class="fa fa-long-arrow-right" aria-hidden="true"></i></a></li> </ul> <p class="lead">You can create a query that relies on user input. The value that the user provides determines the result set.</p> <p>In Access, queries can accept parameters that can be used to determine the results of the query. When the query is run, the user is first prompted to enter a parameter (or multiple parameters). Once the parameter has been supplied, the query can return the results, based on the parameter provided.</p> <p>For example, we previously created a query that returns all albums from Iron Maiden. This query could be modified so that it returns all albums from a given artist. The artist can be specified by the user.</p> <p>Access makes this extremely easy to do. In fact, all you need to do is replace <samp>"Iron Maiden"</samp> with some text enclosed in square brackets.</p> <p>So let's take a copy of the above query, and modify it so that the user gets prompted to enter an artist name when running the query.</p> <div class="ad">  <div data-fuse="23059883629"></div> </div> <h2>Make a Copy of the Existing Query</h2> <p>Our new query is going to be almost the same as the <a href="/microsoft_access/microsoft_access_2016/tutorial/create_a_query_in_microsoft_access.cfm">previous one</a>. So we can save some time and start with a copy of the existing one.</p> <ol class="steps"> <li> <figure> <a target="_blank" data-lightbox="query_designer" href="/pix/microsoft_access/microsoft_access_2016/tutorial/create_a_query_with_user_input_in_microsoft_access_1.png"><img src="/pix/microsoft_access/microsoft_access_2016/tutorial/create_a_query_with_user_input_in_microsoft_access_1.png" class="screenshot steps" alt="Screenshot of copying the existing query"></a> <figcaption> <h3>Copy the Existing Query</h3> <p>In the left navigation pane, right-click on the <kbd>Iron Maiden Albums</kbd> query and select <kbd>Copy</kbd> from the contextual menu.</p> </figcaption> </figure> </li> <li> <figure> <a target="_blank" data-lightbox="query_designer" href="/pix/microsoft_access/microsoft_access_2016/tutorial/create_a_query_with_user_input_in_microsoft_access_2.png"><img src="/pix/microsoft_access/microsoft_access_2016/tutorial/create_a_query_with_user_input_in_microsoft_access_2.png" class="screenshot steps" alt="Screenshot of pasting the existing query"></a> <figcaption> <h3>Paste the Query</h3> <p>Now right-click again inside the navigation pane and select <kbd>Paste</kbd>.</p> </figcaption> </figure> </li> <li> <figure> <a target="_blank" data-lightbox="query_designer" href="/pix/microsoft_access/microsoft_access_2016/tutorial/create_a_query_with_user_input_in_microsoft_access_3.png"><img src="/pix/microsoft_access/microsoft_access_2016/tutorial/create_a_query_with_user_input_in_microsoft_access_3.png" class="screenshot steps" alt="Screenshot of naming the Query"></a> <figcaption> <h3>Name the new Query</h3> <p>Name the query at the prompt and click <kbd>OK</kbd>.</p> </figcaption> </figure> </li> <h2>Modify the Query</h2> <p>Now we can modify the copied query to prompt the user for a parameter.</p> <ol class="steps"> <li> <figure> <a target="_blank" data-lightbox="query_designer" href="/pix/microsoft_access/microsoft_access_2016/tutorial/create_a_query_with_user_input_in_microsoft_access_4.png"><img src="/pix/microsoft_access/microsoft_access_2016/tutorial/create_a_query_with_user_input_in_microsoft_access_4.png" class="screenshot steps" alt="Screenshot of right-clicking on the Query in the navigation pane"></a> <figcaption> <h3>Open the Query in Design View</h3> <p>In the left navigation pane, right-click the query and select <kbd>Design View</kbd>.</p> </figcaption> </figure> </li> <li> <figure> <a target="_blank" data-lightbox="query_designer" href="/pix/microsoft_access/microsoft_access_2016/tutorial/create_a_query_with_user_input_in_microsoft_access_5.png"><img src="/pix/microsoft_access/microsoft_access_2016/tutorial/create_a_query_with_user_input_in_microsoft_access_5.png" class="screenshot steps" alt="Screenshot of the Query in Design View"></a> <a target="_blank" data-lightbox="query_designer" href="/pix/microsoft_access/microsoft_access_2016/tutorial/create_a_query_with_user_input_in_microsoft_access_5a.png"><img src="/pix/microsoft_access/microsoft_access_2016/tutorial/create_a_query_with_user_input_in_microsoft_access_5a.png" class="screenshot steps" alt="Closeup of the Query in Design View"></a> <figcaption> <h3>The Query Design</h3> <p>Replace <samp>Iron Maiden</samp> with <samp>[Which Artist?]</samp>.</p> <p>The square brackets will cause a parameter dialog box to open when the user runs the query. The text inside the square brackets will be displayed to the user, and an input field will be displayed for their input. </p> </figcaption> </figure> </li> <li> <figure> <a target="_blank" data-lightbox="query_designer" href="/pix/microsoft_access/microsoft_access_2016/tutorial/create_a_query_with_user_input_in_microsoft_access_6.png"><img src="/pix/microsoft_access/microsoft_access_2016/tutorial/create_a_query_with_user_input_in_microsoft_access_6.png" class="screenshot steps" alt="Screenshot of the user prompt"></a> <figcaption> <h3>Run the Query</h3> <p>Now run the query (either by clicking <kbd>Run</kbd> or <kbd>View</kbd> in the Ribbon, or clicking the Datasheet View icon in the bottom right corner of the screen).</p> <p>A prompt will display, asking for an artist. Enter an artist.</p> </figcaption> </figure> </li> <li> <figure> <a target="_blank" data-lightbox="query_designer" href="/pix/microsoft_access/microsoft_access_2016/tutorial/create_a_query_with_user_input_in_microsoft_access_7.png"><img src="/pix/microsoft_access/microsoft_access_2016/tutorial/create_a_query_with_user_input_in_microsoft_access_7.png" class="screenshot steps" alt="Screenshot of the Query results"></a> <figcaption> <h3>The Query Results</h3> <p>And if the artist you provide has albums in the database, those albums will be displayed.</p> </figcaption> </figure> </li> </ol> <ul class="pager"> <li><a href="/microsoft_access/microsoft_access_2016/tutorial/create_a_query_in_microsoft_access.cfm"><i class="fa fa-long-arrow-left" aria-hidden="true"></i> Create a Query</a></li> <li><a href="/microsoft_access/microsoft_access_2016/tutorial/use_the_expression_builder_in_microsoft_access.cfm">The Expression Builder <i class="fa fa-long-arrow-right" aria-hidden="true"></i></a></li> 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Access 2016: Create a Query with User Input