Update looked up pricing

[Laser Saver]

Hi all,

We have a fairly simple 3 file system (invoices, parts catalog and customers). I would like to find a way for the users to update the latest pricing for items we buy, without going to the parts catalog.

ex: The user enters a p/n and the looked up values are placed in the invoice including the price from the parts catalog. Let's say the price for that p/n has changed permanently. I would like to find a way for the user to enter (overide) the looked up value and have it automatically update the parts catalog when they enter the new value in the invoice.

Our server is running FM4, everyone else is running FM3.

Thanks for any ideas.

Mike

[Ender]

It's not clear how your database is structured. Typically an Invoice has related Line Items that have the part#, qty, description, and price for each Product. Line Items lookup the description and price from a Product database.

Are you using repeating fields for your line items, or is there a Line Items file?

[Laser Saver]

Hi Ender,

Thanks for the reply. Nope, no Line Items file. We use repeating fields.

Mike

[Ender]

I'm not sure how you would script this in FM3 with repeating fields.

In any case, I strongly recommend converting your repeating fields to a related Line Items file. In addition to making this problem fairly easy to script, this relational structure has other advantages.

[Laser Saver]

Thanks again, Ender.

I've also posted a "why to upgrade" question because of similiar issues I'm running into with us using the older version. For most things, it works just fine but reporting and things like the above could be made easier with the newer versions of FM, I think. Although learning a new way of doing things doesn't make me rush out to buy it.

Mike

[Ender]

I'm not sure if you'll like to hear this or not, but you CAN use a relational structure in FM3/4.

[Laser Saver]

Yup, I knew that. We have a small (very, very small) amount of relational data in our current design.

I kind of paraphrased some of our companies "plans" in the statement in my previous post. We've started the upgrade process of computers and they come with OSX but also boot in OS9 (for FM purposes, only, really). Those computers are now harder, if not impossible to get, so upgrades from this point on will be OSX only. In that case, we'll upgrade the FM versions so they won't have to run in Classic mode. Plus, since with FM4, you need a license for each user, we'll have to buy 10 or so licenses.

Mike