"How" depends on which version of Access you are using...

Regards

Jeff Boyce
Microsoft Office/Access MVP

Joe, the below code is in the subform.  The users can change all they want,
but every time the current record changes it goes back to this!  As you see,
you can permanantly hide a column by setting its width to zero.

HTH, UpRider

Private Sub Form_Current()
   Me.ILast.ColumnHidden = False
   Me.IFirst.ColumnHidden = False
   Me.ICARD.ColumnHidden = False
   Me.chkInactive.ColumnHidden = False
   Me.IYOB.ColumnHidden = False
   Me.LastID.ColumnHidden = True
   Me.ILast.ColumnWidth = 3375
   Me.IFirst.ColumnWidth = 2760
   Me.IYOB.ColumnWidth = 700
   Me.ICARD.ColumnWidth = 765
   Me.chkInactive.ColumnWidth = 880
   Me.LastID.ColumnWidth = 0
'    Debug.Print ILast.ColumnWidth
'    Debug.Print IFirst.ColumnWidth
'    Debug.Print ICARD.ColumnWidth
'    Debug.Print LastID.ColumnWidth
End Sub

Actually what I would suggest you use in this case is a continuous sub form.

A continuous form an MS access looks very much like a datasheet, but the
users cannot resize it in any way at all.

Here's some screen shots of some continuous forms, and several of them who
have some forms, they should give you some ideas of layout and what I mean
by continuous forms.

http://www.members.shaw.ca/AlbertKallal/Articles/Grid.htm