format date field on certain entries

try using the afterupdate event of the textbox

private sub text0_afterupdate()
if instr(me.text0,"/")=0 then
   me.text0=format(me.text0, "00/00/0000")
end if

end sub

Thanks rey,
for 222017
gave me
00/22/2017
fordraiders

There is really no safe way around this, as five digits can be read in so many ways that you can only guess the intention and probably make the wrong guess.

So set the Format property of the textbox to a date format, and an error will pop up if in invalid string is entered. And do educate the users to not use sloppy entry methods for entering important data.

/gustav

One cannot force access to think on his behalf.
To satisfy your specific example assuming:
t=ddmmyyyy 22032017
t=ddmyyyy  2232017
t=dmyyyy  232017

d=format (iif(len(t)=8,format(t,"00/00/0000"),iif(len(t)=7,format(t,"00/0/0000"),format(t,"0/0/0000"))),"dd/mm/yyyy")

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You can also train your people to take advantage of Access (and Excel's) ability to expand on what you type.  For example, typing 3/31 will expand to 3/31/2017

typing 2/1 will expand to 2/1/17 which is either February 1st or January 2nd depending on what side of the pond you are on.

thnx to all