Best way to accomplish bulk add to a table

[GingGangGoo]

In my Office 365 Access app, I have a table Activities, a table Contacts and a join table for activities/participants (contacts).
In my form for entering/editing an activity, the related item control would be the contacts assigned to that activity, all fine. Now when I pop up a form to assign the contacts to an activity, I would like to not have to add them one at a time. Often times, I have a signup sheet for the activity, and I would like to enter them all at once from that. So that's the first piece. Best practice for this? Do I use a datasheet form and if so how do I write a macro to add all the records to the table after update.
The second part is, some of these contacts will already exist, but some won't. so I would need to be able to take a side-step so to speak, if a contact is not in the contact table, and add him or her and then return to my task.
Help is greatly appreciated. I can write simple macros, but the data macros are so confusing, and I need very simple instructions for those.
Thanks

 

[CJ_London]

I can write simple macros, but the data macros are so confusing, and I need very simple instructions for those.

Not sure you need data macros, but I think you are going to have to man up and learn VBA That is a lot to do 'simply' and I'm not sure some is doable with a macro

I would like to not have to add them one at a time. Often times, I have a signup sheet for the activity, and I would like to enter them all at once from that.
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how do I write a macro to add all the records to the table after update

google ' Access transactions' - take a look at these links

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb243806(v=office.12).aspxhttps://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb243806(v=office.12).aspxhttps://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb243806(v=office.12).aspx
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/1117155/can-i-wrap-an-access-form-with-a-transaction
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/248011/
http://www.access-programmers.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=261029

Do I use a datasheet form

probably, or a continuous form, all depends on what you are entering and how

some of these contacts will already exist, but some won't. so I would need to be able to take a side-step so to speak, if a contact is not in the contact table, and add him or her and then return to my task.

put a button on the activities form which opens the customer form

 

[GingGangGoo]

Not sure you need data macros, but I think you are going to have to man up and learn VBA That is a lot to do 'simply' and I'm not sure some is doable with a macro

google ' Access transactions' - take a look at these links

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb243806(v=office.12).aspxhttps://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb243806(v=office.12).aspxhttps://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb243806(v=office.12).aspx
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/1117155/can-i-wrap-an-access-form-with-a-transaction
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/248011/
http://www.access-programmers.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=261029

probably, or a continuous form, all depends on what you are entering and how

put a button on the activities form which opens the customer form

I only wish I could use vba but alas this is the Web app and it is not allowed.

 

[CJ_London]

well, I can't help with macros - suggest you look at some of the examples and see if you can find a macro equivalent for each of the commands.

Only other suggestion is to create a temporary table or tables for the user to complete and then copy all that data into the 'proper' tables when the user is done.

I know the web apps are much more limited than 'normal' access so it may be this is one of the things you can't do, or have to really go round the houses to do it