Modify Forms in Layout View: Live Editing Without Breaking the Layout
The Modify forms in Layout view domain checks whether you know what Layout view can do - edit a bound form while seeing real data - and, just as importantly, what it cannot do.
Capabilities of Layout view
You can drag fields from the Field List onto the form, move and resize controls, switch a control group between stacked and tabular layouts, remove a layout to position controls freely, apply themes and Quick Styles, set fonts and colors, add a title or logo, insert header and footer content, and open the Group, Sort, and Total pane. Conditional formatting is fully available here.
Limits of Layout view
Layout view exposes only format-related properties. You cannot add unbound controls from the toolbox, edit Control Source or event properties, change tab order, insert VBA, or alter section behavior such as visible or can-grow - those require Design view.
Control layouts
Controls placed in a layout resize as a group, which keeps alignment consistent but can cause unexpected shifting when a field is added. Arrange > Remove Layout unlocks free positioning; Tabular and Stacked reapply structure.
Conditional formatting
Select the controls to affect, open Format > Conditional Formatting, and add a rule using Expression Is, for example [ShipCountry]="Canada", then choose the font or background fill. Rules apply per record as the form renders.
Worked example
Every record with ShipCountry equal to Canada must show a red background. Reasoning: in Layout view select the detail controls (or the whole row), add a conditional formatting rule with the expression [ShipCountry]="Canada", and set the fill. Changing the Back Color property directly would color every record identically.
Traps
- Hunting for the Control Source property in Layout view - it is not shown.
- Adding a field that lands inside a layout and displaces other controls.
- Writing the rule as a fixed value instead of a field expression.
- Trying to add a command button without switching to Design view.