User manual

Chapter 4
Working with related
tables
and files
This chapter explains the basics of how to:
1 plan a relational database
1 create and edit relationships
1 create and edit lookups
FileMaker Pro uses related tables as the basis for relational databases and
lookups. Relational databases allow you to work with data from other tables
dynamically, so that you can change data in one place and your changes are
reflected in all places where the related data appears. Lookups let you copy and
paste data from one table to another; once looked-up data has been inserted, it
does not change unless you edit it or tell FileMaker Pro to look it up again.
Use relational databases to:
1 See and work with data from another (or the current) table in its most up-
to-date state. For example, display data in related fields when you need
current data from a related table, such as the current price of an item. As
data changes in the related records, you see those changes in the current
table.
1 Set up and manage data efficiently and with flexibility. Instead of creating
many database tables or files with duplicate values, you store single
occurrences of values and use relationships to make those values available.
You can then make changes to data in only one place, which eliminates data
duplication and promotes data accuracy.
1 Save disk space, because data is stored in only one place.
φμπ10_υσερσ_γυιδε.βοοκ Παγε 131 Μονδαψ, Αυγυστ 25, 2008 3:59 ΠΜ