U.M. (Windows)

2-2 FileMaker Pro User’s Guide
4. Determine relationships between your file and other files whose data
you can use.
For example, if data you want already exists in another file, you can
use it in the current file by defining a relationship to the other file and
then defining lookups or adding fields from that file on a layout of the
current file.
5. Decide what layouts you need, and plan a separate layout for
each task.
For example, plan layouts for data entry, order entry, printing mailing
labels, printing form letters, and for each type of report you produce.
6. If others will use your database, think about who can use the file and
which tasks they can perform.
If security is important to your data, you can restrict who can do
which tasks by assigning passwords and access privileges to the file.
7. Put your ideas on paper, listing the files you need and the fields for each
file. Also list the forms and reports you will generate from each file.
After you have all the basic parts in place, you can begin creating your
database, as described in “Defining database fields” on page 2-3. Start
with a simple design and use it for a while. You can change it as needed.
Keep these points in mind as you plan database fields:
1 Use separate fields for first name and last name so you can search or
sort records based on either.