User manual

Chapter 3 | Creating databases 66
Some field options help ensure the accuracy and consistency of your data. For example, if you
type Frnc instead of France into the Country field, you won’t find that record when you later search
for all customers from France. To be sure that all country names are entered correctly, you can
define a value list containing the names, then select the Member of value list validation option
for the Country field. When you enter data into the field, the data must match a value in the list.
You can set field options while you’re working in Table View, Form View, or List View.
For more information on value lists, see “Setting up checkbox sets and other controls on a layout”
on page 87. To set options for summary fields, see “Creating summary fields” on page 63. To se t
storage options for container fields, see Help.
Defining automatic data entry
To automatically enter a default value into a field for each record:
1. With the database open, do one of these:
1 If you’re working in Table View, right-click the field name, then choose Field > Field Options.
Then skip to step
5.
1 Choose File menu > Manage > Database.
2. In the Manage Database dialog box, click the Fields tab.
3. If your file contains more than one table, select the appropriate table from the Table list.
4. In the fields list, double-click a field that you want to define.
5. In the Options for Field dialog box, click the Auto-Enter tab and select options. (The available
options depend on the field type.)
To Do this
Enter a date, time, timestamp, user name, or
account name when the record is created or
modified
Select Creation or Modification, then choose an option from
the list.
Assign a sequential number to the field in
each record
Select Serial number. Select On creation to assign the number
when a record is created. Select On commit to assign the
number when the record is committed. For next value, type a
starting value (for example, 1001), then type the number to
increment by.
Enter the value from the previously accessed
record
Select Value from last visited record.
Enter data you specify Select Data, then type up to 255 characters.
Enter the result of a calculation in the field Select Calculated value, define the formula in the Specify
Calculation dialog box, then click OK. For more information
about the Specify Calculation dialog box, see
“Creating
calculation fields” on page 61.
Select Do not replace existing value of field (if any) to
prevent overwriting data already present.
Enter a value that’s copied from a field in the
same or a different table or file
Select Looked-up value, define the lookup, then click OK. See
“Creating lookups” on page 113.
Prevent users from changing an automatically
entered value
Select Prohibit modification of value during data entry.
Turn off automatically entered data Clear all selected checkboxes.