Document Editing Problems

Fix Access Field Value Changes When Using a Search Combo Box

Maira Mehtab Sep 21, 2026 869 views

Question details

Selecting a supplier in a form's search combo box accidentally overwrites the Leverancier (supplier) field for the displayed part instead of just filtering the records.

Product: Microsoft Access
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Filtering database records in an Access form using a search combo box.
Observed behavior: The search combo box alters the underlying table record's field values rather than functioning strictly as a search filter.

Before you start

Before adjusting the form's design, check your records to identify which fields were accidentally altered so you can manually restore the correct data after applying the fix.

Solution 1Recommended

Remove the Combo Box Control Source

By clearing the Control Source property, you make the combo box unbound so it can safely act as a search parameter without editing your data.

When a combo box is bound to a table field, making a selection automatically updates that field for the active record. To use a combo box strictly for searching, it must be unbound and only used as query criteria.

Open Design View

Right-click your form in the Access navigation pane and select Design View.

Select the Combo Box

Click on the search combo box that is causing the field values to change.

Access the Property Sheet

Press F4 to open the Property Sheet on the right side of the screen and navigate to the Data tab.

Clear the Control Source

Locate the 'Control Source' field and delete its contents entirely so that it remains blank.

Update Form Query

Ensure your form's filtering query references this unbound combo box in its criteria, then save your form layout.

Check Multiple Combo Boxes: If your form uses several combo boxes for searching, inspect all of them to ensure their Control Source properties are also cleared.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my search combo box change data instead of filtering it?

This occurs because the combo box's Control Source is bound to a specific table field. Instead of applying a filter, Access interprets your selection as an instruction to update the current record's data. Unbinding the control resolves this issue.

How do I use an unbound combo box to filter records in Access?

Leave the Control Source blank, and reference the combo box in your form's underlying query. In the query design criteria, you can use the syntax '[Forms]![YourFormName]![YourComboBoxName]' to effectively filter the results.

How can I restore data that was accidentally changed by a bound combo box?

You will need to manually locate the affected records in Datasheet view or your raw tables and input the correct values. Setting the search combo box to unbound will prevent further accidental overwrites moving forward.

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