Thanks for this information and the coding. I actually have two forms, the data entry form and then the log book form. The data entry form does exactly what you say, it allows me to look up an individual record and/or add and delete records. But we also need to see the whole log book and then I use multi-select list boxes to allow the user to quickly isolate all records based upon 5 different choices, with multiple options per each choice. So or example I can see all patients from the 3rd quarter of 2021, in Histopathology, who were diagnosed with Colon Cance and Rectal Cancer, and whose Physician was Dr. Smith and the Pathologist that did the review was Dr. Jones. I just needed to be able to clear the filters and reset the select boxes. I was able to find a solution and it all works very nicely now.
To be clear, loading the entire recordset is not the best practice for forms. You are indeed applying filters, but only after dragging every record from the table into the form's recordsource. This isn't such a problem with smaller Access relational database applications, but you'll find it to be a problem as the number of records grows, or if you upsize to a server based database back end.
Here's the alternative:
SELECT Field1, Field2, Field3, Field4
FROM tblYourTableNameGoesHERE
WHERE 1=0
That loads no records at all initially; it's very fast.
Then, as you apply filters for the various attributes you mention: time period, diagnoses, physicians, etc. you rewrite the SQL, or apply new filters to it, to allow the recordset to GROW, not SHRINK.
SELECT Field1, Field2, Field3, Field4
FROM tblYourTableNameGoesHERE
WHERE TimePeriod = "3rd Quarter, 2021"
And so on. This approach ensures loading times are as quick as possible, both initially and as you conduct additional searches. There are never more records in the form's recordsource than allowed by the widest filter applied.
And, if you really, really, want the user to see all of the records, the filter can be changed to
SELECT Field1, Field2, Field3, Field4
FROM tblYourTableNameGoesHERE
WHERE 1=1