Forcing fields to repeat when portal data is used

[DaveC]

Hi, I've 2 databases Organizations and Contacts which are linked by a relationship whereby each organization shows several contacts thru a portal. I want to export a file for Word mailmerge purposes so that I can write to all contacts within certain organizations. Producing the export file the fields from the organization database only appear once irrespective of the number of contacts. How can I get these fields to repeat for each contact in the portal, or do I need to start off with the Contacts database and have a portal thru to the Organization database?

Thanks in anticipation.

Dave C

[CobaltSky]

Hi Dave,

In fact the simplest way to achieve the outcome you've outlined is, as you say, to export from the Contacts db rather than from the Organizations db, but you won't require a portal to do it, just a relationship.

So long as you have defined a relationship from within the Contacts db via which each contact record is able to 'see' the associated organization record, it will be a relatively simple matter to set up the export so that each contact record is exported separately, carrying with it whichever corresponding related field values from the Organizations db that you specify.

You might like to consider scripting the export within the Contacts db, then sestting up a script within the Organizations db which calls the script in contacts (as an external sub-script). That way the export will be able to be run without ever leaving the Organizations db (eg from a button on the layout next to the portal in the Orgs db) - so from a user perspective it need make no difference.