1. I have a multi-user database. 2. Each user is limited to viewing only records created by themselves. 3. My problem is that i need each user to be able to search the whole database for a phone #, just to be able to find out if that phone # exists in the database. They don't need any other info from that record other than if that # exists in the database. 4. Currently if a user searches for a phone # that was entered by a different user, then the search returns "No Records Found", because he does not have access to records from the other user.

Is there a way to allow access to the whole database either in 1 layout only, or allow users to search the whole database for one field ( phone # ) with out getting access to all data in that record.

If you've blocked their access to the record you can't turn on access to the phone# field.

There is an option on a script to run with full access. If you use Allow User Abort [Off] (at the beginning of the script) and Set Error Capture [On] (before the Perform Find), then you should be able to find out whether the number exists.

[such a full-access Find will return the correct found count; but, if you allowed them to be shown on the layout (which you won't), it will still mask the unavailable records with <no access>. Clever lads these FileMaker engineers.]

You don't want them to go to that record (because they can't see it and they'll be stuck). So you'd want to capture an unique ID for their current record, and perhaps even their entire current found set, before trying this Find. Then you can bring 'em back where they started with a simple yes/no answer to whether the number exists; and create a new record if not.

(P.S. You would want to either automatically format that phone# field, or create a calculation to strip it down to just numbers (filter works well). Because any little formatting difference could give you a false negative on the Find. Decide what to do about extensions.)