Logical structure and interface Suggestions for adding a Hi-Level grouping

[Mr. Scott]

I have a current solution that allows analysts to review individual cases, define them with a low-level, specific issue, as well as a higher-level description for "bucketing" or grouping lower level issues.

Now, I need to add an even higher level grouping that will allow execs and engineers to roll these cases up into these higher-level groupings and look at report based on those.

Example:

A crime occurs and a case is created.

A specific crime is attached to that case, such as shoplifting (under $100).

This then is bucketed into a higher-level grouping of "petty larceny". Similar crimes with a value of greater than $1,000 become "Grand Larceny".

Finally, all of these then get rolled up into a Hi-Level group known as "Larceny".

That's what I need to do now, is create a new grouping, but I also need to determine how best to go back and assign these Hi-Levels to existing cases, based upon the mid-level groupings.

In this case, I may have 5 similar cases of "petty larceny" that appear in a list report based upon the attached crime. I'd like to make it so that a user can assign the hi-level grouping to that issue within the current sample from a particular law enforcement agency. I can't add this info to the issue itself, as it is used across different samples for different agencies, and they may not use the same hi-level groupings or naming conventions.

Is there a way when I am constrained to a found set of records, that if I pick an issue to belong to the hi-level group, that any new cases within this constrained sample get that issue assigned in the future, that they will automatically inherit that hi-level grouping that was assigned to that issue within this sample?

I hope this makes sense…As I am prevented from posting the actual files.

Best regards,

- - Scott

[comment]

I don't think it can work the way you describe. A found set is just a bunch of records being shown at the moment. If you select a category (e.g. "shoplifting"), Filemaker will happily lookup the parent category (e.g. "petty larceny") based on a relationship. If "shoplifting" belongs to "petty larceny" for Agency X, but it's classified as "theft" by Agency Y, you must select an agency for the specific crime record in order to determine the correct classification.