'While you were out' messages

I would like to create a messaging system for the computers in my network. They all have filemaker 5.5 installed and will soon be using them to input their timesheets.

I would like to be able to make a database for all phone messages for all employees so that

1. i no longer have to waste paper

2. i can or anyone can just write a message directly to computer while talking on the phone cause the message database will always be open

I have tried the boardroom program and it doesn't fit all my needs and the developer edition is too much for me...

Is it possible to have a database that will be able to clearly show new records and will be able to hide or not display records that have been read already?

Is there a way to SEND MESSAGES to employees on the network in a certain format? or ALERT them that they have a new record?

thanks...

any help appreciated...

Many of my clients utilize a To-Do table for their daily intra-office messages. Each record in the To-Do table has a status, (Done or not), Date, who it's for, etc. etc. It can also relate to Clients, Projects, Departments, etc. A lot of the To-Do's are triggered and filled out automatically throughout the system too, ensuring follow-ups etc.

Then, they need a viewing area for the To-Do's. I use portals for this. The portals are placed anywhere on the system where you think your users may need to see To-Do's or Messages that still need attention.

You can even set it up so that it defaults to their own To-Do's by taking advantage of the CurrentUser status (I provide each user with their own Home Page), or they can pick their name from a pop-up list, setting the relationship to show their To-Do's (or in your case, Messages) They're really the same thing.

A user can mark a message as read via a button (script), which could then break the relationship, taking it out of the unread message portal.

The setup is a little relationship heavy, but once it's set up, it works like a charm.