Help .. Define fields nightmare

[tallboy755]

Here is the scenario... I have a layout with 40 fields named (Pagkage_1, Package_2, Package_3, Package_4, ect ect...) We will be entering letters into each of the fields... Some fields will have "A", some will have "AB", some will have "ABC". or any combination of them those letters ... or multiple of the same letters in the field... A = $16.00, B = $14.00, C = $11.00. I need a report that will tell me the amount of package A's ordered, B's ordered, and C's ordered. As well as the total amount of money that I should be collecting from the sum of each of the package letters. Please help me to find a solution to this nightmare ... I can do it, but I will have to create about 300 additional calculation fields... There has to be a easier way to do this.

[andygaunt]

Well,

Sounds like you should have a relational database.

Because you are putting the values in ANY of the possible fields, you will need to use calculations to look for those possibilities wherever they may lie.

Is there any chance you could change your database format, so you have a related file for the packages. Then it would be easy to summarise based on the individual letters?:

Sorry that it isn't the answer you were hoping for.

Anyone else?:?