Call me stupid (im only a newbie)

heres my problem. im createing a phone message database in access xp and what i need to know is how do i make it so that when i select say a person thats already in my data base that it brings up there phone number and stuff like that as well. Because what i want to do is have it so if a regular customer rings that all i have to do is start typing there name (while on the phone to them)that it puts there reply phone number in the return phone number spot so i dont have to keep tying there details and and i can start type there message in. Sorry if this sounds confusing or stupid but ive been trying to get it to work for the past 3 days straight. I looked at the setup on how they have it in the northwind example but cant seem to get it. Any help would be great.

Thanks

Gumboot

I don’t get what you want, and I’m only a noob myself, but it kind of sounds like you want to have a form with the customer info in it (displaying the record from a table of customers) with a sub form that has all their messages and the date they're received? (from another table)

if you make the clients name the PK in the first table and a FK in the second, the rest of their info should pop up once you write in their name...

hmm it got me wondering so I tried it, I figured out you need to have three tables, one for the customers, one for the messages, and one to tie them together on the form. On the tie together table link the customer field to the customer table PK, and link the message no to the PK on the message form.
Make a form of the joiner table, have only the customer name on it, then add sub forms for the rest of the customer info and the messages. Then you only need to enter the customers name and the rest of the data pops up.

Se example:

Ok i just posted a big reply and my machine froze and it didnt post.
Thanks so much for your help Wibber, you sort of have got the idaer that i want but i dont really want to use sub forms.
Have done some playing around myself and think i might have it.
Will upload it later.

Thanks so much for your help (may need it later)

Gumboot