A snake-columned report creates a tidy, compact layout for your reports, one that includes many more records on each page and saves paper.

The solution is to create additional columns on the page so that your records print on much more of the available space. In this tutorial, you’ll create a multicolumn, or snaked column, report, as shown in Figure 2. (And why it is called "snaked" will soon become apparent.) Along the way, you’ll also learn techniques for creating a report from scratch as well as modifying report properties.

 The Creation Process.

Navigate to the Northwind.mdb database in the Samples subfolder of your Microsoft Office folder (sometimes within the Office10 subfolder). Copy Northwind.mdb to the Clipboard and paste it into another folder. Rename the file CopyOfNorthwind.mdb, so you can now open and use it without worrying about changing the original file. If you prefer to work with the original Northwind database, open Access and click Help, Sample Databases, and Northwind Sample Database.

We’ll create a simple report of key product information. In the Database window, open the Products table, review its fields, and close it. Click Reports and click New. In the New Report window, you should see Design View selected. Open the drop-down menu at the bottom and choose Products. Click OK.

The Products field list should be in view; if not, click View and choose Field List. From the Products field list, click ProductName. Drag and drop it 1 inch from the left and two rows of dots from the top in the Detail section. Drag and drop UnitPrice 1 inch from the left and two rows of dots below ProductName. Drag and drop ReorderLevel 1 inch from the left and two rows of dots below UnitPrice.

Note that the ProductName text box (the control on the right) is about 1 inch wide. Let’s make it wider so we can see most (or all) of the product name. Right-click it and choose Properties. On the Format tab, edit the Width field from 1" to 1.3" and then close that dialog box (also known as a property sheet).

With ProductName currently selected, press SHIFT and click the UnitPrice and ReorderLevel text boxes. Press F4 to open the Multiple Selection dialog box (property sheet). On the Format tab, click in the Text Align field, open the drop-down menu, and select Left to align all fields. Close the dialog box.

We won’t be using the Page Header, so we can eliminate it. Move your pointer to the Detail bar. When it becomes a single bar with double arrows, drag it up to the Page Header bar to eliminate the extra space. Using the same technique, move the Page Footer bar up to the 1-inch mark on the vertical ruler (on the left side).

Let’s sort the records by ProductName. From the View menu, click Sorting And Grouping. Click in the first row of the Field/Expression column, open the drop-down menu, and choose ProductName. Leave the Sort Order field listed as Ascending so Access alphabetizes the records. Close the Sorting And Grouping dialog box.

Click the View button on the main toolbar. When the new window displays, the Zoom drop-down menu on the toolbar should be set at 100% so you can see the records at actual size. .

 Snake It.

Now we’ll add columns. From the File menu, click Page Setup. On the Margins tab, make sure all margins are set at 1 (inches).

Click the Columns tab. Its various elements are fairly self-explanatory, but note that Row Spacing refers to the amount of space between rows, and Column Spacing refers to the amount of space between columns. If you want more (or less) empty space on the page, you can increase (or decrease) their settings.

In the Grid Settings area, change the Number Of Columns field to 3. Then, change the fields next to Row Spacing to 0.2" and Column Spacing to 0.75".

In the Column Size area, change the Width field to 1.5" and make sure the Height field is set at 1". Also, make sure there isn’t a check mark in the Same As Detail checkbox.

The Column Layout area lists two choices. The "Down, Then Across" option begins placing records on the upper-left side of the page, and then it proceeds to the bottom and jumps to the top of the column on the immediate right. The "Across, Then Down" option starts at the upper-left side, places records across the row, and then jumps down to the left column of the next row. Select the "Down, Then Across" option and click OK to close the Page Setup dialog box.

Press the PAGE DOWN key on your keyboard to view the report. Note that the records are alphabetized in the first column and then "snake" to the top of the second column.

 Refine The Report.

Assuming you give the report a descriptive title (for example, Product Unit Prices and Reorder Levels), the field labels become unnecessary, so let’s eliminate them. Click the View button on the main toolbar.

Move your pointer to the 0.5-inch mark of the horizontal ruler (at the top of the window). When the pointer becomes a down arrow, click to select the three labels and press DELETE.

Click the ProductName text box, press SHIFT and select UnitPrice and ReorderLevel. Move your pointer toward any of the three controls. When it becomes an open hand, drag the controls so they are two rows of dots from the left side. Click the View button on the main toolbar. Your report should look like Figure 2.