User manual

Sharing and exchanging data 77
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.
About 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
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.)
The following example shows how a record in a target file appears
before and after being updated by a matching record in a source file.
About the importing process
The basic steps for importing records are:
1. Make a backup copy of the target file you’re importing into.
2. If the source file is a FileMaker Pro file, perform a find so that the
found set in the current window contains only the records you want
to import.
3. Open the target file, and if it has multiple tables, select a layout
that shows records from the table you want to import data into.
4. If you’re updating existing or matching records, make sure the
found set in the target file contains only the records you want to
change or update.
5. Choose File menu > Import Records > File, and choose the name of
the file that contains the data you want to import (the source file).
6. In the Import Field Mapping dialog box, if the file you’re
importing from is a FileMaker Pro file and it contains multiple
tables, select the table you want to import from.
7. Select the type of import to perform. See “Methods of importing
data into an existing file” on page 76.
8. Map the fields in the target file to the fields in the source file.
= indicates a match field
–> indicates to import the field
– indicates to not import the field
123-456-7890
Source file
John
Q
Smith
456 New Rd.
Newtown
USA
123-456-7890
Target file
John
Smith
123 Main St.
Anytown
USA
3/3/1960
408-555-6789
123-456-7890
After updating
John
Q
Smith
456 New Rd.
Newtown
USA
3/3/1960
Before updating matching records
Target file
=
–
–>
–>
–>
–
–>
–>
–