Defining automatic data entry

Contents > Creating a database > Setting options for fields > Defining automatic data entry

Defining automatic data entry

To save time and ensure accuracy, you can set FileMaker Pro to automatically enter data in text, number, date, time, and container fields. For example, FileMaker Pro can enter the current user's name into a field.

To set options for automatic data entry:

1.	With the database open, choose File menu > Manage > Database.

2.	In the Manage Database dialog box, click the Fields tab.

3.	If your database contains more than one table, select the appropriate table from the Table list.

4.	Select a text, number, date, time, or container field from the list of existing fields, or define a new one.

5.	Click Options (or double-click the field name).

6.	In the Options for Field dialog box, click the Auto-Enter tab, then select options for the field.

To

Do this

Enter the record creation date or time

Select Creation, then choose Date or Time from the list.

Enter the record creation date and time (timestamp)

Select Creation, then choose Timestamp from the list.

Enter the name of the person who creates the record

Select Creation, then choose Name from the list.

Enter the account name that creates the record

Select Creation, then choose Account Name from the list.

Enter the record modification date or time

Select Modification, then choose Date or Time from the list.

Enter the record modification date and time (timestamp)

Select Modification, then choose Timestamp from the list.

Enter the name of the person who modifies the record

Select Modification, then choose Name from the list.

Enter the account name that modifies the record

Select Modification, then choose Account Name from the list.

Assign a serialized number to the field in each record

Select Serial number.

For Generate, choose On creation to generate serial numbers when records are created.

For Generate, choose On commit to generate serial numbers when records are committed.

For next value, type a starting value (like 100), then type the increment in increment by.

Enter the value from the same field of the last record you accessed

Select Value from last visited record.

Note This value will be from the last record accessed in the table in which this options has been set.

Enter data that you specify

Select Data, then type up to 255 characters. Use the keyboard arrow keys to scroll through the text box, if needed.

Enter the result of a calculation

Select Calculated value (or click Specify), then enter a calculation.

See Defining calculation fields for information about the dialog box.

Select Do not replace existing value for field (if any) to prevent overwriting data already present.

Enter a value that's copied from a field in a related record

Select Looked-up value (or click Specify), then define the lookup. See About lookups for more information.

Prohibit a user from modifying a value that you have defined to be auto-entered

Select Prohibit modification of value.

Turn off automatic data entry

Clear all selected checkboxes.

7.	Click OK to close the Options for Field dialog box, or click another tab to set additional field options.

Notes

You can also define value lists to save time and ensure accuracy during data entry.

Alternatively, you can specify the auto-complete option for text fields to help ensure accuracy for data entry. For more information, see Setting up a field to auto-complete during data entry.

Your choices in the Options for Field dialog box are limited by the type of field you are defining. For example, you can't choose Creation Date for a time field.

If Creation Name or Modification Name is selected, FileMaker Pro enters the user name shown in the General tab of the Preferences dialog box.

If you select Calculated value, you can edit the field value in Browse mode (if Prohibit modification of value isn't selected). The value is calculated when you create a record, or when one of the referenced fields changes and the destination field is empty.

However, if you select Do not evaluate if all referenced fields are empty in the Specify Calculation dialog box, the value isn't calculated when you create a record and all fields referenced by the calculation are empty. Instead, the value is calculated when one of the referenced fields contains a value.

Auto-enter calculations can be self-referencing.

To make an auto-enter calculation self-modifying, leave the Do not replace existing value for field (if any) option unchecked.

To auto-enter a calculated value that's automatically updated and can't be changed by entering data in the field, define a calculation field.

For information about auto-entered data and FileMaker Pro web publishing, see the online manual, FileMaker Instant Web Publishing Guide, which you can download by choosing Help menu > Product Documentation > Instant Web Publishing Guide.

You can set auto-enter and validation options for external fields for ODBC tables. These field options only affect how you work with these external fields in FileMaker Pro. The options are independent of any options that might be set in the ODBC data source. <add link to appropriate ESS topic when available>

Related topics

Working with formulas and functions

About choosing a field type

Inserting the current date or other variables into a field

Defining a value list for data entry

Entering preset data from a value list

Contents > Creating a database > Setting options for fields > Defining automatic data entry