Hi! I'm using Filemaker for our music royalties and use the following tables:

Sales Royalties

Digital Download Royalties

Foreign & Additional Royalties

They are all related to a table called "Artist Information" which has our artist's names and addresses. My question is this - I have the Artist's name linked to each table, but is there any way to set it up so that if a name isn't entered into a royalty table exactly as it appears in the "Artist Information" table, it will let me know there is an error?

I'm sure there's a technical term for what I'm asking, but I don't know what it is and probably wouldn't understand it anyway. So if there's anyone who can answer me in "dummy language", I'd really appreciate it!

I would say that your problem illustrates 2 things. First, it's best to use IDs instead of names, and second, that data used in relationship keys, if it is not IDs, should be chosen from value lists. I have seen many solutions where beginners used manually typed names. The error rate was from 10% to 20%, leading to both missed matches and duplication.

At the very least the names should be a drop-down value list. Just make a value list in Artists, and choose "use values from a field," "use all values," then choose the Artist table and the Name field.

If the other tables are in the same file, they can use this list. Otherwise each would need a value list created; but they should "use value list from another file," and use the above.

If there are a lot of names (thousands), then this will become rather slow, and a "filtered portal" becomes a better choice.

I've made a few example files of the filtered portal for choices:

http://www.fmforums.com/threads/showflat...true#Post118628

Download: http://www.fmforums.com/threads/download.php?Number=118628

A simpler, single table example: http://www.fmforums.com/threads/download.php?Number=122273

A final choice would be a plug-in, with "clairvoyant" solution like CobaltSky's (here somewhere).

Worked like a charm! THANK YOU so much!!