MS Access: Change the tab order on a form with VBA code in Access 2003/XP/2000/97

We've created a sample Access database that you can download that demonstrates how to change the tab order on a form.

Let's take a look at the example. Below, we have a form where the user can change the tab order by selecting a radio button.

If the user selects the "Order tabs down and then across" radio button, the tab order will be as follows: Supplier ID, Company Name, Contact Name, Contact Title, Phone, Fax, and Home Page.

If the user selects the "Order tabs across and then down" radio button, the tab order will be as follows: Supplier ID, Phone, Company Name, Fax, Contact Name, Home Page, and Contact Title.

This tab reordering is done by the following code:

Private Sub frameTabOrder_Click()

'Order tabs down and then across was chosen
If frameTabOrder.Value = 1 Then
[SupplierID].TabIndex = 0
[CompanyName].TabIndex = 1
[ContactName].TabIndex = 2
[ContactTitle].TabIndex = 3
[Phone].TabIndex = 4
[Fax].TabIndex = 5
[HomePage].TabIndex = 6

'Order tabs across and then down was chosen
Else
[SupplierID].TabIndex = 0
[Phone].TabIndex = 1
[CompanyName].TabIndex = 2;
[Fax].TabIndex = 3
[ContactName].TabIndex = 4
[HomePage].TabIndex = 5
[ContactTitle].TabIndex = 6

End If

End Sub