Storing data for every month

[nexgen]

I need to add one record for every month.

For example, the user will choose from drop down list like:

Nov 2016

Dec 2016

Jan 2017

Feb 2017

(sorted according to month)

How can I achieve this? and what's the best field type to store it?

[comment]

1 hour ago, nexgen said:

I need to add one record for every month.

What would be the purpose of that? Do you have anything to record about each month? Something we don't know already?

[nexgen]

I need to enter monthly data like: end of the month inventory value etc... I have many datas which needs to be entered once a month only and I used to enter those datas as Dec 2016, Jan 2017 etc...

 

[comment]

I would suggest you enter either:

• any date in the given month (which you can auto-correct to the first or last day of that month), and display it as MMM YY;

or:

• the year and the month, in two separate fields.

 

The value list that you asked about is problematic, because it looks like it needs to depend on the current date - but value lists need to be based on stored fields. The workaround is difficult and costly in terms of resources.

 

 

Edited February 7, 2017 by comment

[nexgen]

Thanks for suggestion.

Regarding value list, I want to populate it from Jan 2016 to current month. Any suggestion for that?

[comment]

2 hours ago, nexgen said:

Regarding value list, I want to populate it from Jan 2016 to current month.

I don't think that's a good idea, because (1) as I said, basing a value list on an unstored calculation is difficult; and (2) you won't be able to chronologically sort the records in your table using a field that contains a MMM YYYY string.

[nexgen]

So any suggestion that user is presented with such months option but the data is stored as date?

[comment]

The only way you will be able to present the user with a list that adds a value each month is to create all the possible values, from Jan 2016 to Dec 4000 (or some earlier month) in an auxiliary table, and use a  ≤ relationship to show only records before or in the current month.

[nexgen]

That's a good solution I think. Thank you.