Creating a non-user specific global field

[Conang]

Can this be done? Our database have eight order form layouts. Previously we used serial numbers to add an order number to each order form. This was 'wasteful' of order numbers (the accounting database (hosted on AS400) has a five digit limit on numbers and we have about 12,000 jobs a year), and we have to keep rolling it over. A truely global field would enable us to store an number which would increate each time it was used (that part of the script is easy). Unfornately the user specific/no save nature of global field is not useful to us in this situation. I would welcome feedback or suggestions on what we can do. I have thought about storing the current order number value in field on a specific record and finding this as required, but it is a bit clunky and would like to try and avoid this.

Thanks

Conan Gorbey

Creative Services Manager

Colenso BBDO

[LiveOak]

The usual method is to use a separate file with a single record. This file/record has a number field (not a global field) to store the next serial number. In this one record file and in the other files which will access the serial number, define a calculation field (I like to call this field "iOne") = 1. Build a relationship to the one record file using an iOne to iOne match.

[Conang]

Thanks for your suggestion- it is exactly what I did a few days ago when I thought about it a bit more!

Cheers

Conan Gorbey