I have a file (called IndividualEventRecords) whose records are created through portal entry inside of several other various files (Timecards, DailyJobReports, MeetingReports etc). Is there a way to create a field that will self generate when the portal record is created that will then tag the record to indentify what parent file the portal record was created in?

Only by setting up the local keys to have an in-built code... for instance, P100, or S100 etc.

Just a guess. What happens if you use Status(CurrentLayoutName) in the new portal record?

Thanks Vaughan but I do have local keys but each locally created key requires a distinctly different field.

The problem for me arises when I have an IndividualEventRecords record that is created in the DailyJobReports the key is a concatenated value of the JobID# & "-"& Date (the date the report is for). The tradesperson performing the task being is then selected from a value list.

When creating new records in through the portal on the Timecard file (there are seven portals each one representing on calendar day on an entry layout) what you are doing is entering all the data for a specific tradesperson for that particular week. The key is a concatenated value of Em,ployeeID# & "-"& Date (the date the task was performed).

So if enter a task in the DailyJobReport/IndividualEventRecords portal for Monday May 3rd 2003 and then say that task was performed by Jerrald Hayes when I later that week go to enter the data from Jerrald Hayes' timecard in the Timecard file I wont already see that task as being entered since the portal display for May 3rd 2003 is based on a different key in the Timecards file.

See what I'm talking about? Did I explain that well enough?

I tried that Paul both with Status(CurrentFileName) and Status(CurrentLayoutName) but it returned the current status of the related file in the portal.

Sorry Paradigm, I though I deleted that post. Used my special technique - post response then read problem.

As luck would have it, I ran into a similar problem today. We have individual employee timesheets. We look up the employee's cost rate in an Employees file. I would like to be able to use a calc in the Employees file to see who is looking it up and stop them from seeing other employee rates (via calculated access control.)

I will watch this space with interest to see if and when you get a solution!

I assume you are using a relationship with allow creation of related records turned on. If you turn this off and use a new record creation script, then of course you can control this. There are a variety of reasons that people prefer not to use the auto create feature.

Alternatively, you could change the auto-create key to be a compound key and then parse it out in a calculation in the Events file. So the "left side" key in each file could be for instance EmployeeID & " " & FileID and then Events would have an EmployeeID calc, = leftwords(MatchKey,1).