User manual

Chapter 5
Creating a database
This chapter explains how to:
1 plan a database
1 create a FileMaker Pro database file
1 define, modify, or delete fields in your database
Planning a database file
Plan a database before you create it to save time and effort later on.
Although you can change the design later, the more you plan ahead,
the fewer changes you’ll need to make. Start with a simple design,
use it for a while, then change it as needed.
Follow these general steps to plan a database:
1. Determine the problem you want to solve, or the reason for
creating a database.
If other people will use the database, be sure to talk with them about
the data they need.
2. Decide which categories of information you work with, and plan
a separate database file for each major category.
For example, for a small business, you might need one database file
for products, one for customers, and another for employees.
3. Analyze your current information management system to
determine the tasks you perform.
For example, do you print mailing labels and invoices? What reports
do you produce? Are there new tasks you want to do?
4. Decide what data you want the file to contain, and plan the fields
to hold the data.
For example, to print invoices, you need fields for a billing address,
shipping address, quantity, product code, and so on. You also need
calculated fields for subtotal, sales tax, shipping charge, and invoice
total.
To make it easy to search and sort records, create separate fields for
first and last name, titles such as Mr. or Dr., and items in addresses
(city, state, province, country, and postal code).
5. Determine relationships between your file and other files whose
data you can use.
For example, if data you want already exists in another
FileMaker Pro file, you can use it in the current file.
6. 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.
7. Determine whether you need to share your database with other
users, and how they will access the file.
You can design layouts that work well in FileMaker Pro for
Windows or for Mac OS, or when viewed in a web browser.
8. 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.
9. Put your ideas on paper, listing the files you need and the fields for
each file. Also list the forms and reports (layouts) you will generate
from each file.Start with a simple design and use it for a while. You
can change it as needed.