Force Column Order on Query Output

[Debbee]

The order of columns on the output of my query is not the
same as the order designated in the Design of the query.
How do you 'force' the output order of columns in an
Access query?

 

[Tom Ellison]

Dear Debbee:

I do not know any way you can do this directly. But rather, here's what I
think is happening.

When you create a query, the columns displayed in the datasheet will be in
the same order as in the Query Design Grid.

As you view the datasheet, you can move columns around. Highlight the
column by clicking on the column heading and drag it to where you want it.
You can similarly change column widths.

If you have made such changes to the datasheet, then when you close the
query it will ask if you want to save changes to the query's format. If you
say yes, then it is changed. This is separate from changing the query
itself, as you designed it. Any user could change the order and widths of
columns and save those changes. And you can change them back.