Using two fields in a form to generate a third field

[redekopp]

Hey there, i'm sorry if this is a rookie question i'm still pretty new, but I hope that's what these forums are for! I am using Access 2010.

I've got a form where I want to add an employee and I have three fields (EmpFirstName), (EmpLastName), and (EmpCode).

They all have their own control source from a table but what I want is EmpCode to automatically fill in after they type a first name and last name and not be editable.
Example being. Smith, John and the empcode will fill in with smijo (3 of last and 2 of first). I understand this is probably completed using Expression Builder (not sure on the command) and how do I make it so Empcode still receives the data entered??

Thanks in advance!

[CJ_London]

use the left function e.g.

left(lastname,3) & left(firstname,2)

however your proposal is potentially flawed because you could end up with duplicates

Smith, John
Smith, Joe
Smiley, Joanna

Also - what happens if Joanna gets married and changes her last name to Brown?

so before expending energy working out how to do it, consider all the implications and how they will be handled

[redekopp]

use the left function e.g.

left(lastname,3) & left(firstname,2)

however your proposal is potentially flawed because you could end up with duplicates

Smith, John
Smith, Joe
Smiley, Joanna

Also - what happens if Joanna gets married and changes her last name to Brown?

so before expending energy working out how to do it, consider all the implications and how they will be handled

Thanks for your response. That makes sense, I didn't think through the possibilities like that. Will have to revise what im doing. But its good to know how to use that function generally.