Help

Saving, importing, and exporting data
F
ILEMAKER PRO HELP 509
Updating existing records
With this option, you replace data in your file with data from the source file. For each field you import
into, data from the first importable record (or row of data) in the source file overwrites fields in the
first record in the target file. Data from the second importable record (or row of data) in the source
file overwrites fields in the second record in the target file, and so on. When you replace data,
FileMaker
Pro doesn’t examine or compare the data in the files.
You can choose whether to replace or not replace data on a field-by-field basis.
Records in the target file are replaced with the same number of records from the source file. If there
are more importable records in the source file, data from the extra records in the source file will not
be imported unless you also choose Add remaining data as new records. If there are more
records in the target file, data in the extra records in the target file will not be replaced.
Updating matching records
You can update matching records and fields in your target file with data from another file. For
example, you might have a copy of a database on your desktop computer and another copy on your
laptop computer. You can update the file in your office with the changes you make on the road.
You determine which records in the source file update which records in the target file by choosing
one or more
match fields in each file. If data in the match field(s) of a record in the target file
matches data in the match field(s) of a record in the source file, the record in the target file will be
updated with data from the source file.
Match fields must uniquely identify each entity in your database. For example, in a database of
people, you could use one match field such as an Employee Number, or multiple match fields such
as Last Name, First Name, and Phone Number. (Using Last Name alone might identify more than
one person, so it isn’t a good match field to use by itself.)
You also specify the fields you want to import. The contents of all fields you select to import, in all
matching records, will overwrite data in the target file, even if the field in the source file is blank.
When the target file contains a found set, only the found records are updated. (If the source file is
another FileMaker Pro file, you can also import only from a found set. See FileMaker Pro format.)
The following table shows an example of how a record in a target file appears before and after being
updated by a matching record in a source file. In the Mapping column,
(Windows) or (OS X)
indicates a match field, indicates to import the field, and (Windows) or (OS X) indicates
not to import the field.
Source file Mapping Target file Result
123-456-7890
or
123-456-7890 123-456-7890
John
or
John John
Q Q
Smith Smith Smith
456 New Rd. 123 Main St. 456 New Rd.
Newtown Anytown Newtown
USA USA USA
3/3/1960 3/3/1960
[phone]