Operation must use an updatable query. (Error 3073)

Applies to: Access 2013 | Access 2016

You tried to run, open, or modify a query that is not updatable.

Possible causes:

• You attempted to run a query that tried to update a field that cannot be updated. For example, you may have created the query in such a way that you tried to update a field on the one side of a one-to-many relationship.

• You tried to use the obsolete OpenQueryDef method on a query that is in a database opened for read-only access.

The database is read-only for one of the following reasons:

• You used the OpenDatabase method or the Visual Basic Data control, and opened the database for read-only access.

• The database file has been defined as read-only in your network operating system.

• In a network environment, you don't have write privileges for the database file.

Close the database, resolve the read-only condition, and then reopen it for read/write access.

• You don't have permission to make changes to the query. To change your permission assignments, see your system administrator or the query's creator.

See also

• Access for developers forum
• Access help on support.office.com
• Access help on answers.microsoft.com
• Access forums on UtterAccess
• Access developer and VBA programming help center (FMS)
• Access posts on StackOverflow

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