On my cost form I have 50 fields to place an item. If I wanted to I could put the same item or any of a 1000+. Having said that, I have now been asked to generate a report counting the individual items and total cost for those and a grand total of the total costs..

If this doesn't make sense let me know and ill try and clarify.

Are you saying that for example, you put "hammer" in field A, and "hammer" in field B, then "stapler" in fields C, D, E, and F etc. all on a single record? Please clarify, maybe give one or two examples.

It makes sense to me.... the solution has used a flat-file data model when it should have been relational.

Sadly there is no way to work around the problem, except to start work on doing the job properly!

You are on the right track. Hammer in field A, Hammer in field B, Nails in field C.

-Where there is the will, there IS a way!

I've got it all figured out! I created a new DB and in my original DB i wrote a script (after i made the relationship) that looks at each line to c if there is anything there. If there is, it creates a new record in the New DB, copies all the needed info, then proceeds to the next line repeating the process. Now in my New DB I can create the reports I need! And to keep that New DB small, it asks if your done w/your report and informs you that all info will be deleted after the print is done.

"Work outside the Box"

If you can do that then you can make the system relational...

Do it!