Multiple Records On One Layout

[budgy]

How do I set up a layout so that I can enter multiple records on one screen.

I have a database where we enter sample records based on common data such as customer, address, date etc.

Samples are submitted in batches of 10 so I need to be able to enter all the records on one page. The Customer Name etc fields will be common to all the records so as opposed to entering all the records on a seperate screen by creating a new record for each I would prefer for ease of entry to enter them all on the same screen. Each batch of 10 record entries can then be given a specific key field common to all the records on that entry for ease of lookup later when we come writing the reports associated with the entry.

Hope someone can help.

[Ender]

Sound like you're ready for a relational structure.

To make this work, you would need 2 tables, one for Customer and one for whatever it is you are tracking about them (Contacts, Invoices, etc)

The Customer table would have Customer ID as a primary key, plus Name, Address, Phone.

The Second table would have Customer ID as a foreign key, plus whatever fields you need to track.

Create a relationship between Customer:Customer ID and SecondTable:Customer ID. Turn on the option to Allow creation of related records in the second table.

Drop a portal on a form layout in Customer showing fields from the second table. Give this portal 10 rows.

You may need to move your report layout to the second table for sub-summaries.

It may be easiest to turn your existing table into the SecondTable described above and then create a new Customer Table.

[budgy]

Thanks for the response

I think this will allow me view date from table 2 in the customer file via the protal ie: the sample which relate to a particular customer with the records linked by the Customer ID keys. Unfortunately this isn't what I am trying to do, probably down to my in ability to explain my needs too well.

The files/tables i am using at the moment are as follows:

Customer File

Site File linked to the customer

Sample Numbers Allocation file

These are the main data files we use

From this date we then have a layout which has the Customer details pulled from the Customer File, a site pick list linked to the customer file so that we can only select sites which are allocated to a particular customer then a list of the sample numbers from 1 to 10. Each of the sample numbers lines have a pick list which allows us to select a particular sample number which has been allocated to the engineer from the Sample Number Allocation file

We then need to go on and enter details which relate to the sample number. This should give us a seperate record for each Sample number which we can then go onto use on printed certificates etc.

Hence the need to try and generate multiple records on the same layout

Correct me if I am wrong but doesn't a portal only allow you to display date which is present in a seperate file or table.

Thanks again for your help.