ACC2000: Field and Record Validation Rule Enforced at Table Level (209089)

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In Microsoft Access, the validation rules for both the field and table record are enforced at the engine level. The validation rules are enforced whenever you add or edit data, whether through a table's datasheet, a form based on the table, an append query, an update query, Visual Basic or Access Basic code, or by importing data from another table.

The expression for a field validation rule cannot refer to other fields or controls, user-defined functions, Microsoft Access domain functions, aggregate functions, or the CurrentUser() or Eval() functions. The expression for a record validation rule cannot contain user-defined functions, Microsoft Access domain functions, aggregate functions, or references to forms, queries, or tables. Expressions can include only references to fields in the table.

If you try to create a field validation rule that includes a reference to another field, you receive the following error message: If you use a function in your validation rule, you receive the following error message: The table below identifies the interactions between the field and form validation rules:

   Field Validation
   Rule Defined       Form Validation
   (Table Level)      Rule Defined      Behavior
   ----------------------------------------------------------------------
   No                 No                No validation is performed
                                        at any level.

   Yes                No                Validation is enforced
                                        regardless of method used
                                        to insert data.

   No                 Yes               Validation enforced at form level
                                        only. User can bypass the form
                                        validation rule when editing data
                                        outside the form.
                                        
   Yes                Yes               When editing data in a form, form
                                        validation rules are enforced
                                        first. If the value passes form
                                        validation, the field validation 
                                        rule is enforced. For data to
                                        be accepted, it must pass
                                        both rules.