Cannot edit or update a record on an Access form (209571)

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Access 2000
Microsoft Access 2002
Microsoft Office Access 2003

This article was previously published under Q209571

Novice: Requires knowledge of the user interface on single-user computers.

This article applies only to a Microsoft Access database (.mdb).

SYMPTOMS

You may not be able to edit a record on a form even though the AllowEdits property of the form is set to Yes. When you try to update data on the form, you may receive the following error message:

This Recordset is not updateable.

CAUSE

If the form is based on a query that is not updateable, you cannot modify data on the form.

MORE INFORMATION

Steps to reproduce behavior

Create the following new query based on the Order Details table in the sample database Northwind.mdb.

   Query: qryOrders
   -------------------
   Type:  Select Query
   Join:  None
   Field: Quantity
      Total: Group By
   Field: UnitPrice
      Total: Group By

Save and close the query.
While you have the qryOrders query selected, on the Insert menu, click AutoForm.
Try to change the unit price in any record.

Notice that you receive the error message that is mentioned in the "Symptoms" section.

REFERENCES

For additional information about how to troubleshoot errors that may occur when you update data in Access queries and in Access forms, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

328828 How to troubleshoot errors that may occur when you update data in Access queries and in Access forms

For more information about when queries are updateable, click Microsoft Access Help on the Help menu, type when can I update data from a query in the Office Assistant or the Answer Wizard, and then click Search to view the topic.

Modification Type:	Minor	Last Reviewed:	11/24/2004
Keywords:	kbtshoot kberrmsg kbprb kbusage KB209571 kbAudDeveloper