Set the default format options for datasheets

You can change the default format settings so that all the datasheets in your Access desktop databases automatically appear with specific formatting.

1. Click File, and then click Options.

   The Access Options dialog box appears.

2. Click Datasheet and select the options that you want to change. Be sure to close and reopen the datasheets to apply the changes.

Change gridlines and cell effects

Default gridlines showing

Each cell on your datasheets appears by default with a horizontal and a vertical border or gridline, but you can change the option so that no gridlines are visible or only the horizontal or vertical gridlines are visible:

• Under Default gridlines showing, clear the Horizontal check box to hide the horizontal gridlines or clear the Vertical check box to hide the vertical gridlines. If both the options are cleared, your datasheets will display without gridlines.

Note: To change the format of gridlines for a table in an existing database, open the table in Datasheet view click Home, and in the Text Formatting group click Gridlines. 

Set default cell effects

The cell effect describes the style of individual cells. The default setting is Flat, but you can change it to either Raised or Sunken appearance.

Set the default column width

Select a default width for columns in all the datasheets in your Access database. Type a measurement in inches or centimeters, depending on the system of measurement specified in your Windows settings.

Set default font

By using the settings in this section, you can customize the size, weight, and style of text in datasheets.

• Size: Select a suitable size for the text in your datasheets.

• Weight: Select from the list to determine how thin or heavy you want the text to appear. For example, you can choose a font display such as Thin, Extra Light, Light, Normal, Medium, Semi-bold, Bold, or Heavy weight.

  You can set the text option to Underline or to Italic if you want all the text in all the datasheets to be underlined or italicized automatically.

For more information about setting options for a current database, see Set user options for the current database.

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