Criteria for a query with an input mask

[Liv064]

I am doing a query on a table with a field called phone number. The input mask on the field makes it look like (123) 456-7890, I want the query to give me all results that don't begin with (123), so my criteria is
not like "(123)*" but it doesn't seem to work. I think the brackets are causing problems, any ideas?

 

[Joe4]

What if you just try:
Not Like "123*"

 

[Liv064]

That is exactly what I did, my only concern is the 123 can show up in other parts of the phone number not just the beginning but it did work. Does that mean that because the input mask adds the () do they exist in the data?

 

[Joe4]

It should work out the way you want.

First, you are correct in saying that the "(" and ")" only appear in the mask and are not part of the actual data. That is why "123*" works and "(123)*" doesn't.

Second, you shouldn't have any problems accidentally picking up numbers with "123" in the middle of the phone number. The "*" is a wildcard, so:
"123*" only picks up numbers that begin with "123",
"*123" only picks up numbers that end with "123", and
"*123*" would pick up numbers that have "123" anywhere in them.