User manual

Chapter 3 | Creating databases 67
6. Click OK to close the Options for Field dialog box, or click another tab to set additional field
options.
Defining field validation
You can select field validation options to ensure that data is entered into the field correctly.
FileMaker
Pro displays a message if you enter data incorrectly.
Important To avoid confusion when using dates in FileMaker Pro, set date field validation
options to make sure dates are always entered with four-digit years.
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 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 you want to define.
5. In the Options for Field dialog box, click the Validation tab.
6. Specify how FileMaker Pro handles an invalid entry.
For Validation options for this field, select Always for ongoing field validation, or Only
during data entry to limit validation to instances when data is being entered. Deselect Allow
user to override during data entry if you want to prevent users from entering invalid data.
7. Select validation options for the field.
To require that the entered value Select
Contains only numbers Strict data type, then choose Numeric Only from the
list
Is a date containing numeric values for the month and
day, and four digits for the year (for example, 5/12/2014)
Strict data type, then choose 4-Digit Year Date from
the list
Select options for
entering default
data in the field
Click Auto-Enter