Calculation Field problem

[tryphe]

I am new at filemaker so I hope I explain my problem correctly.

I have one database with multiple layouts - I have a time billing layout in which to book the employee, hours, activities, I know the calculation to set it up so that depending on what activity is chosen the cost is calculated. My problem is I am not sure what field to attach the calculation to. I need the result to to be in a generic field on the time billing layout but also depending on what activity is chosen I need the result to appear on the production layout in the appropriate activity costing.

So for example Employee A worked 2 hours writing on a specific docket (all the layouts are linked by Docket number)Writing (chosen in the activities pop-up menu field) is $150 per hour therefore the cost is 300. That is all displayed on the time billing sheet that is attached to the docket. Now that $300 needs to be automatically transfered to the production layout for that docket in the writing costs field. How do I get it to know which field on the other layout to apply it to? To which field do I apply the calculation since where the cost will end up depends on which activity is chosen. AM I making sense?

Can anybody help me? I have been trying to figure it out for two days!!!

[LiveOak]

Sounds like a little description of how FM works is in order. Within a single file, layout all have the capability of showing the same fields and records. The notion of "transferring" data from one layout to another is bogus, the same data exists across all layout. You just choose which fields to display on that layout. You need to learn to think in terms of fields and records.

Having said that, we need to lose the notion of layouts and talk about entry fields and calculated fields. It sounds like you enter hours, calculated dollars in one field, but also need these dollars reflected in another field. This forces this second field to be a calculated field. If you also need to manually enter data into this second field, I can describe a method for doing so.

Next step is to give me some specific field names and the calculations needed for these fields (e.g Hours, Billing Rate, Billing Subtotal, etc.) so I can help you further.

-bd

[tryphe]

Thanks for the reply. I realize that fields can be used on a number of layouts and have done it extensively on the database I am developing. I don't think I explained my problem exactly right.

I have Activity field which is a pop-up repeating field, an Hours field which is a repeating number screen on the Time billing layout (there is also an employee text field and date field).

On the production layout, which is where all things are gathered and all costs live for a specific docket, each activity from the pop-up list in activity has a field where the actual costs are totaled from that which is entered in the Time Billing layout. For instance there is a writing field, an outside consulting field, a programming field. I have made them all calculation fields, I have written the calculation -I'll use programming as an example-

Programming=Case(activity="programming", Hours*150,0) which works except that it only will read the first of the activity repeating field on the time billing layout it won't add on or check any of the other 20 repeats. That goes for all the other calculation fields writing ect..if the first one doesn't read Writing even if the second or third one does it gives me the result 0. I need it to be able to look at all the entries in the activity repeating field and give me the results in the appropriate field.

Have I explained this right I hope so.

[ August 23, 2001: Message edited by: tryphe ]

[ August 23, 2001: Message edited by: tryphe ]

[Anatoli]

Do not use "repeating field" unless you are designing small 1 database flat file solution, which will never grow to something more complex.

[tryphe]

What would I use instead of repeating fields? Wouldn't I create a whole lot more work for myself if I have to create 20 different activity fields and write huge long calculations for each one. What are my options?

[Vaughan]

Use a related database to hold the activities -- where each record is one activity - and use a protal to display them on the layout.

It is easier than any other method, and not difficult.