Interactive Tutorial
Expression Builder Access
Simplify formulas and automate calculations using the Expression Builder in Access
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Every control on a form—every text box, every label, and every check box—has a set of properties that you can modify. A property is an attribute that defines an object's appearance, behavior, or characteristics. For example, the properties of a house would be its color, square footage, and shape. A property for a field on a form might be the number of decimal places displayed or the default value for the field. Because you can almost always change an object's properties, you can think of them as the object's settings.
- In Design View, select the control that you want to edit.
You can also work with properties in Layout View.
- Click the Property Sheet button on the ribbon.
The Property Sheet pane appears and the properties for the control you selected are displayed.
- In the Property Sheet pane, click the appropriate property box and make the changes.
Some property boxes will display one of the following buttons when clicked:
Click to display a list of options to change the settings for the selected property. 
Click to invoke a Wizard or display a dialog box that you use to change the settings for the selected property.
Most controls have dozens and dozens of properties. You will often have to click the appropriate tab and then do some scrolling to find the property box that you're looking for.
Tabs in the Property Sheet Format Properties that determine the object’s appearance, such as color, text formatting, line and border color/thickness, and special effects. The purpose of many Formatting properties should be pretty obvious—for example, Font Size determines the font size of the control. Data Properties that determine where a control get its data, its default value (if any), and data validation rules for the control. Event Actions to which you can assign a macro or Visual Basic procedure. For example, clicking a button or entering information in a particular field could trigger a macro to run. Other Miscellaneous but important properties, such as the name of the control, if tabbing to the control is allowed, and if a message should appear in the Status bar when the control is selected. All Displays all the properties for the control. - In the Property Sheet pane, click the appropriate property box and make the changes.