Other than creating a programmed retrieve...

In a quick test here, the following worked for me.

1. Enter "/=" into a subform field (one which would normally always have a value). Then, select "Inverted Search" from the command area on the left side.
2. Press F7 to get back to the search screen, and clear the specs with F3.
3. Enter the date specs on the parent form, and select "Search in Current Results" from the command area.

It does not work if you try to enter the date specs on the parent while doing step 1 above.

- Carl

Carl, What I fail to understand that in step one, it gives the records that does not have any subform record by using inverted  search but when we use the same logic by filling the value in the main form, say the date and then retrieve the records, it does not give the desired results in just one step. It seems like the inverted search just works on one (subform here) form at a time but not on the both at the same time. Just wondering, why?

It works because we have three conditions in a sub form element: blank, not blank, and non-existent. When you test for not-blank, the element must also exist.

But when you test for not not-blank (inverse search of not-blank), the element can meet two conditions: blank or non-existent. This is because Sesame does an inverse search by doing a regular search first and then returning all the records that were not found.