I require a form which permits the user to input text as well as numbers into the same field of different records. I then need to perform calculations on this field – but I’m not sure whether Access ’97 permits this due to data type rules.

I’d be grateful for any help on this matter.

Mixing data of different types in the same column is a NO-NO! Use two different columns in the table. You can allow the user to enter the data in a single field if you use an unbound field and in its AfterUpdate event move the data to the numeric column if it is numeric and the text column if it is text. You'll have to do something similar in the OnCurrent event to take data from the two table fields and populate the unbound field from which ever one is not null.