Status field based on Date with Dropdown

[dannyg]

I have a customer db that has a status field in it. Currently a drop down value list of Warranty, Maintenance, and T&M. I also have a Warranty/Maintenance expiriation date field. I would like to have the status field automatically update based on the current date with the default value being T&M once the initial value has been entered via drop down

I can do the basic calculation with the Case statement but is there a way to also allow the drop down so that when the customer is first entered you use the status field drop down and then at some time in the future base on the warranty expiraton date the field changes to T&M. Or is there a way to have a script run once a week to update this field.

Thanks in advance

Dan

[Oldsneekers]

If I understand the issue: have a field auto enter T&M if certain criteria are met but have allow manual data entry into the field. You are right that a calc field alone would not allow data entry into the field. There are two options I can think of.

1. overlap two status fields (StatusText and StatusCalc) The are place over eachother on the layout to resemble one. The calc field is at the top and formated "do not enter". The calc is Case(WarantyField=Current Date; "T&M ; StatusText) . Thus if the test is not met, the calc field on top will display what the status text field contains.

2. Formate the status field to be a text field and autoenter by calculation and be sure to uncheck the box "do not replace existing value". As a calculation auto enter it has the advantage of a calc field but it can be entered. One thing though, to make sure the auto enter calculation is run, the reference field has to to be entered or use a script having set field (set field TestField:TestField. for all records. No change in values for the fields but this updates the calc autoenter value.

I hope I am more clear than mud, though a bit more wordy.

Good luck.