Duplicates in Query

[EinsteinProj]

I've been researching and reading about how to eliminate duplicates in my Query, but all the suggestions don't seem to work. Here is my problem:

I want to create a Query with information from 2 Tables. Ultimately, I want my Query to be a malining list that I will be sending requests to. But, I want only the names, addesses, etc. of the people who fit certain criteria (info. stored in several different fields of the two tables). So, if a person matches two of my specified criteria, they appear twice in my query. Or if they fit all the criteria, they might appear 5 or 6 times. I want each name and address to show up once, even though the person may fit into several criteria. Does this makes sense?

I've tried typing "DISTINCT" after "SELECT" in SQL, but that didn't do anything. I've also tried changing the "Unique Values" to YES, but that didn't work either.

Sorry if it's unclear, but I am very new to Access!

 

[Kinger43]

DISTINCT will work only if all fields are EXACTLY the same in two different records. If you can limit the information that you want the query to return to one table, and merely use the other table for criteria purposes this should work for you. The fields that you use for criteria purposes make sure that you uncheck the display box.

 

[EinsteinProj]

I don't understand what you mean. Sorry! Could you explain more? Are you saying that I should only useinformation from one of the Tables in my Query. Or just that I should hide the fields that are causing the duplicates?

...remember I am very new to Access, so please be patient with my questions!

 

[Kinger43]

I think if you hide the fields that are causing the duplicates then DISTINCT should work.

 

[EinsteinProj]

OH MY GOSH!! I think that solved it!!! My company has been hand deleting the duplicates for years!!! This is going to save us SO much work!! THANK YOU!

 

[Kinger43]

You are welcome.

 

[neileg]

I don't understand how you're getting duplicates in the first place. If there's only one record per person then you should only get one result regardless of how many criteria there are.

 

[EinsteinProj]

I don't understand why either. It could've been the way it was set-up years ago (before ! worked here). But the process above worked to fix it. No more duplicates!!!