>I have IIF(thisform.OPTIONGROUP1.value=1,zyear="2006",zyear="2007")
>
>When the optiongroup.value equals 1, zyear is blank rather then '2006', I am troubled by this or do I have it backwards?

If you set your option group value to a character value, it will return the caption of the button as the OptionGroup.Value.

So if you set your OptionGroup.Value="", then you'll initially have no option button selected. If you set it to one of your captions, then that button will be initially selected.