VBA & Macro Problems

Fix Access Duplicate Record Button Not Working in Microsoft 365

Maira Mehtab Sep 27, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to fix an Access form button designed to duplicate records that has stopped working after moving to Microsoft 365.

Product: Microsoft Access
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Migrating or using an existing Access database in Microsoft 365 where a macro or VBA button is expected to duplicate records, but fails.
Observed behavior: The duplicate record button fails to execute in Microsoft 365 despite properly configured security settings and trusted locations, whereas it works perfectly in Office 2021.

Before you start

Before modifying your form's event properties or editing the VBA code, ensure you have created a backup of your Access database file (.accdb) to prevent any accidental data loss.

Solution 1Recommended

Verify and Debug the On Click Event Procedure in Design View

Check the button's properties to ensure it is properly linked to the VBA event and review the code for compatibility errors in Microsoft 365.

Often, version updates or migrations to Microsoft 365 can cause form controls to lose their event bindings or expose missing library references in the VBA code.

Open Form in Design View

Open your Microsoft Access database, right-click the specific form containing the broken button in the navigation pane, and select 'Design View'.

Access Button Properties

Click on the 'Duplicate Record' button to select it, then right-click it and choose 'Properties' to open the Property Sheet.

Check Event Tab

In the Property Sheet, navigate to the 'Event' tab. Find the 'On Click' property and verify that it is set exactly to '[Event Procedure]'.

Open VBA Editor

Click the ellipsis (...) button located next to the 'On Click' field. This will open the Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) editor directly to the button's code block.

Debug the VBA Code

Review the associated VBA code. Look for any highlighted syntax errors or go to 'Debug' > 'Compile' on the top menu to identify missing references or errors that might cause failures specifically in Microsoft 365.

Community Support: If the VBA code appears correct but the issue persists, consider asking for advanced troubleshooting in the Microsoft Tech Community for Access.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Discover WPS Office as Your Lightweight Productivity Suite

While WPS Office does not include a direct database replacement for Microsoft Access, it serves as an exceptional, free alternative for your daily document, spreadsheet, and presentation needs. If you regularly encounter compatibility and macro issues across different Microsoft Office versions, WPS Office provides a highly compatible and stable environment for handling Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files without the heavy resource requirements.

1. Download WPS Office: Visit the official WPS website to download and install the free productivity suite.
2. Manage Data with Spreadsheets: Open WPS Spreadsheets as a reliable alternative for organizing, filtering, and analyzing tabular data.
3. Save and Share Seamlessly: Save your work in standard Microsoft formats like .xlsx or .docx to ensure seamless sharing with colleagues.

Free, lightweight, and fast installation compared to Microsoft 365.Seamless compatibility with Microsoft Excel (.xlsx), Word (.docx), and PowerPoint (.pptx) formats.Familiar tabbed user interface, ensuring a zero learning curve for Office users.Supports advanced spreadsheet data processing for robust data management tasks.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do Access VBA macros work in Office 2021 but break in Microsoft 365?

Microsoft 365 receives continuous updates which can introduce stricter security policies, deprecate certain object library references, or alter how VBA interacts with form controls compared to the static release version of Office 2021.

How do I fix a missing VBA reference error in Microsoft Access?

Open the VBA editor by pressing Alt + F11, go to the top menu and select Tools > References. Look for any checked items marked as 'MISSING', uncheck them, or browse for the updated library file required by Microsoft 365.

Can I use standard macros instead of VBA for duplicating records in Access?

Yes, you can use the built-in Macro Builder. In the button's properties under the Event tab, set the On Click event to a Macro that uses the RunMenuCommand action with the DuplicateRecord argument, which is often more stable across version updates.

Excel & Data Problems