User manual

Chapter 3
Working with related tables and files
This chapter explains the basics of how to:
1 plan a relational database
1 create and edit relationships
1 create and edit lookups
FileMaker Pro uses related tables as the basis for relational databases
and
lookups. Relational databases allow you to work with data from
other tables dynamically, so that you can change data in one place and
your changes are reflected in all places where the related data appears.
Lookups let you copy and paste data from one table to another; once
looked-up data has been inserted, it does not change unless you edit it
or tell FileMaker Pro to look it up again.
Use relational databases to:
1 See and work with data from another (or the current) table in its
most up-to-date state. For example, display data in related fields when
you need current data from a related table, such as the current price of
an item. As data changes in the related records, you see those changes
in the current table.
1 Set up and manage data efficiently and with flexibility. Instead of
creating many database tables or files with duplicate values, you store
single occurrences of values and use relationships to make those
values available. You can then make changes to data in only one
place, which eliminates data duplication and promotes data accuracy.
1 Save disk space, because data is stored in only one place.
Use lookups to:
1 Copy data from a related table and keep it as copied, even when the
related data changes. For example, use a lookup to copy the price of
an item at the time of purchase into an Invoices table. Even if the price
in the related table changes, the price in the Invoices table stays the
same.
Note See Help for detailed, comprehensive information and step-by-
step procedures about using FileMaker Pro.
About relationships
A relationship is a powerful method for organizing your data. Using a
relationship, you can join data in one or more tables based on common
field values, different field values, or a comparison of values in two or
more fields.
After you create a relationship, you can do either of the following to
display the data from the related table:
1 Design a relational database, which is one or more tables that, when
used together, contain all the data you need for your work. Each
occurrence of data is stored in only one table at a time, but can be
accessed and displayed from any related table. You can change any
occurrence of your related data, and the changes appear in all places
where that related data is used.
1 Define a lookup to copy data from a related table into a field in the
target table. The copied data is now stored in two places, just as if it
were copied and pasted into a target field. Looked up data is current
at the time it is copied, but once copied it remains static unless it is re-
looked up or the lookup is triggered again.