Designing a Database as the Pros Do
Traditional database programs, whether they run on personal computers, minicomputers or mainframes, are designed to create and manipulate lists of information. A name and address list is a classic example. So is an inventory list.
FileMaker Pro from Claris Corp., which runs on Apple Macintosh computers, goes way beyond tradition, mixing color and graphics with any information list to create a powerful and sophisticated tool capable of handling just about any database requirement. The program is an enhanced version of FileMaker II.
The software itself is merely a tool with which a database application can be designed to keep track of particular types of information.
Designing the application involves first determining the structure of the lists in which you would store the data. Then you have to design the format of the various forms that will appear on your screen in which to enter and view the data. Next, you design the way you want the information to look when it is printed out, which is typically known as a report.
Only after all of that work is done--and it can take weeks to finish a comprehensive set of database applications for a small business--can the work of entering the actual data begin.
If that sounds daunting, you’re right. Most businesses buy ready-made database applications tailored to their line of business or contract with consultants to write custom applications. And they often end up buying at the same time a computer system that is configured to run the application.
FileMaker Pro comes about as close as you can get to providing the tools that a competent amateur needs to design a database application rivaling those of the pros.
It gives you a big head start with six business-oriented application templates that can be used virtually as is or modified as needed to meet your requirements.
They include “contacts,” a database on people such as your customers or suppliers, “lead tracking” to keep track of phone calls, meetings, mailings and the like, and “products & services,” a database for your product line.
Then there is “expenses” to track expenses and income, “orders & invoices” for creating those forms and “project tracking” to record resources, status and milestones on large or small projects.
The core of a FileMaker Pro database, as with more traditional database programs, is the individual data record composed of various fields of information to be stored, such as name, address and city.
An individual sales invoice can be an example of a single data record, while separate fields store the customer name, address, item purchased, quantity, amount and total. Each individual field has to be defined according to the kind of information it will contain. For example, the name, address and product are text fields, quantity and price are numerical fields and amount is a calculated field.
In addition to the typical text and numerical fields, FileMaker Pro also allows you to define fields for dates, time and pictures. A picture field can contain any picture you can import into the program, such as scanned photographs or drawings made with other Macintosh programs.
There are two kinds of fields for making math computations. Calculation fields are based on data from other fields in a single data record. For example, a calculation field is one that can compute sales tax on an order. The other kind is a summary field, which performs computations on data from a group of records. For example, a summary field can total up purchases to date for a single customer.
Once the fields are defined, you can use them in various ways, designing as many different layouts as you wish. A layout, in FileMaker Pro, is an on-screen depiction that you make to control the way your data will appear either on the screen or out of the printer. You might have one layout for basic data entry, another for invoices and yet another to list your inventory. You can have as many as you want and each can contain just the fields you want shown on that form.
When you design a layout in FileMaker Pro you have the graphics power of the Macintosh at your disposal.
Graphic images imported from other programs or clip art files can be placed anywhere on the page. You can vary type fonts, styles and sizes as you wish. Lines and boxes can be drawn anywhere you want them. And if you have color, you can add that as well.
If you have scanned photographs of your merchandise, you could create a database application that not only would keep track of your inventory, but would print an illustrated catalogue as well. As you design the application, there are many ways that you can enhance it to make it easier to use. For instance, you can control what kind of data may be typed into a particular field to reduce errors.
You could require that the field must have an entry, that it be a unique value to prevent duplicate data, or that it must match an existing value. And you can define a range, alphabetical or numerical, within which the entry must fall.
You also can invoke a spelling check on entries using a dictionary that comes with the program or one you create for specialized words. You can have the program automatically enter a date or time or create a serial number, including serial numbers that begin with alphabetical characters.
FileMaker Pro is a significant advance over FileMaker II, combining the ease of use typical of Macintosh with sophisticated database applications.
Computer File welcomes readers’ comments but regrets that the author cannot respond individually to letters. Write to Richard O’Reilly, Computer File, Los Angeles Times, Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles, Calif. 90053.
