I have finally cracked it. No dummy databinds required or anything other than the findcontrol method. The key is purely down to using the method at the correct time in the page life cycle. I used the following to set a textbox to the current date and time. where: Formview ID = "Details" Formview child Textbox to change ID = "Date_AddedTextBox" (Textbox is in the insert template) Protected Sub Details_DataBound(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Details.DataBound If Details.CurrentMode = FormViewMode.Insert Then Dim Test As TextBox = CType(Details.Row.FindControl("Date_AddedTextBox"), TextBox) Test.Text = Now() End If End Sub So ... if like me you have been to hell and back via the entire internet trying to do what seems like the simplest thing, trust your code as it is probably correct and try it at a time where the items have definitely been created and and data definitely bound (such as the event I used above) and you should have success.