Check box set or 21 individual fields?

[We Can Deb]

Hello everyone,

Thank you in advance for your help.  I have a contacts table that I will be adding fields to in order to describe volunteers more fully.  For example, skills, active status, desired tasks.  One of the requirements is a set of check boxes that indicate when the volunteer is available.  The users want the days of the week across the top and 3 check boxes under each one for morning afternoon or evening.  I need to be able to check multiple boxes.  When a volunteer is needed, the users would do a find for the particular time needed.  Here is a screen print of my layout using one field for every value with a Boolean "1" for each checkbox selected.  Is there a better way to do this?

 

I apologize if there is an obvious answer, I appreciate any thoughts!

Debbie Todd

 

 

[Lee Smith]

screenshot? use the .png file type if possible.

[We Can Deb]

So sorry, here it is!

Thanks!

[Lee Smith]

You can check multiple checkboxes by holding the Command Key on the Mac and the Option Key on Windows (?) 

However, I would consider using related records for some of this, because when it comes to reports, they can be a PIA.

Another thing is, you might want to separate these checkboxes into multiple fields.

HTH

Lee

[We Can Deb]

Hi Lee,

Thanks so much.  That is what I am doing, since there are 21 individual fields.  My concern was that there might be a better way to structure it.  For example, a Contacts::Sunday field with a checkbox value list of 3 choices (Morning, Afternoon, Evening)?  That would mean I only need 7 fields; one for each day of the week.  Or should I create a separate table for Volunteer availability?  Maybe I'm making this more complicated than it needs to be...

Debbie

[comment]

IMHO, 21 fields is not an option at all. And your idea of using a checkbox raises the problem what would be the value list (or rather value lists)  used for such checkbox.

I would suggest looking at it from a different angle - see the attached file:

AvailabilityRoster.fp7

[We Can Deb]

Hi!

Unfortunately, I am unable to open the .fp7 file--is it possible to post the file as .fmp12?  Sorry!

Debbie

[Lee Smith]

Drag he file to the FileMaker Pro 14 icon and it will convert it.

 

[We Can Deb]

Thanks, Lee--I learn something new every time I work with FM! 

The method consultant used looks very cool.  Will play around more with it to understand it better, but it seems much simpler than 21 new fields!  Thanks very much. 

Gratefully,

Debbie

[Lee Smith]

Your are welcome, and a big thanks to comment for his help too.

Hint: Look at both tables and the script he used.

One thing you will find out, the learning continues.

[We Can Deb]

Hi Lee and Comment!

This is pretty slick, I've got it working, but the problem is all 10,000 of my contacts are ending up in the checkbox set.  I also used a TO of the Contacts Table (ContactAvailID) as the AvailableStaff table. 

So, to correct that issue, I created another TO of Contacts (Contacts_ActiveVol) that only has active volunteers in it.  The results haven't changed, I still get all the contact records showing up.  Could it be a problem having a structure like this?  Thanks!  Debbie

[comment]

1 hour ago, We Can Deb said:

the problem is all 10,000 of my contacts are ending up in the checkbox set.

I am not sure what you mean by that. Only contacts that you have selected as being available in the given slot should appear in the AvalContactIDs field. Of course, if you have formatted the field as a checkbox set, then all values of the value list will be displayed - but only the contacts that you have selected will be checked.

And, of course, if you have 10,000 contacts, then this (display) would be quite unmanageable. But you don't have to format the field as a checkbox set. In fact, you don't even need to show it at all. To see the available contacts from the context of a slot, you can show a portal to AvailableContacts. Or do a GTRR to there.

If you want the value list to show only active contacts, you will need to create another relationship that will make only active contacts related*. In your RG, all Contacts are related, because you are using the x relational operator. Using another TO of Contacts does not change anything.

--
(*) or use a calculation field to return only active contacts' ID, and base the VL on that.

Edited February 10, 2016 by comment

[Mike Duncan]

13 hours ago, We Can Deb said:

So, to correct that issue, I created another TO of Contacts (Contacts_ActiveVol) that only has active volunteers in it.  The results haven't changed, I still get all the contact records showing up.  Could it be a problem having a structure like this?  Thanks!  Debbie

I am not sure how you have the value list configured, but it looks like the relationship you show going to Contacts_ActiveVol is a cartesian join, which will show all records. Could that be the problem?

Mike

[We Can Deb]

Got it to work!! Thank you very much, everyone!  It took some time to figure out how you handled the button and toggled the Yes on and off, but it works!  I am humbled by the intricacy of your thinking, Comment!

Very grateful,

Debbie

[We Can Deb]

Dear Comment et al,

So my users have asked to be able to indicate months available in addition to days of the week and morning, afternoon, evening.  Also, I can't seem to get only the 'Active' volunteers to show up. I am thinking I need to re-think this whole thing. 

Thanks for any suggestions,

Debbie

NewWithVols.fmp12

[bruceR]

User name  & password?

[We Can Deb]

Guest Account

 

[We Can Deb]

My gratitude to all who have looked at my issues!  I just wanted to let everyone know that I've decided to use a different approach entirely that is simpler and easier for me to maintain.  So I'm all set and as always, humbled by your expert suggestions!

Thanks again,

Debbie