How to bring a subtotal from a Subform to a main form in Access 2002

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This article was previously published under Q324587

SUMMARY

This article shows you how to reference a subtotal control on a subform from a main form.

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More Information

If you try to sum a subform field by using a calculated control on a main form, you may receive an error message in the main form control. For example, the following expression in a main form control generates a "#Name?" error message:

=Sum([MySubForm].Form![ExtendedPrice])

To avoid an error, you can sum the subform field by using a calculated control in the form footer of the subform. You can then reference the calculated control from the main form to display the summed value.

There is an example of this method in the Orders form of the Northwind sample database (Northwind.mdb). First, a calculated control in the footer of the Orders Subform sums the Extended Price field of the subform to create a subtotal. The calculated control uses the following syntax:

   Text Box Control
   ----------------
   Name: OrderSubtotal
   ControlSource: =Sum([ExtendedPrice])

Because the DefaultView property of the subform is set to Datasheet, you do not see the calculated control in the form footer of the subform when you open the Orders form in Form view. However, a text box control on the main Orders form refers to the calculated control of the subform and makes its value display. The main form control is called Subtotal. Subtotal references the calculated control of the subform. Subtotal uses the following syntax:

   Text Box Control
   ----------------
   Name: Subtotal
   ControlSource: =[Orders Subform].[Form]![OrderSubtotal]

This reference permits the main form to display a subtotal of a subform control while the actual totaling of subform values is performed by using a calculated control in the form footer of the subform.

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REFERENCES

For more information about referencing subform controls, click Microsoft Access Help on the Help menu, type calculating a total in a subform in the Office Assistant or the Answer Wizard, and then click Search to view the topic.

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