How should I build this

[kcrossley]

Hello all,

I'm working on a former flat-file database that now includes three related databases.

1. Customers

2. Publications

3. Proposals

As I see it here are the relationships:

Customers --> Publications (1 to many)

Publications --> Proposals (1 to many)

Here's where I'm confused. I want to design a nice tabbed interface that will allow the user to switch between each of these three databases and add, delete, and search through the various records.

It seems like the easy approach would be to select one database as the master and add several layouts with related fields. My problem is more with adding and deleting records rather than paging through existing information.

What's the simplest way to do this?

Thanks!

[LiveOak]

I'm not sure how, with the minimal information you have provided, we can assist you with this decision. Keep in mind that in using a tabbed interface you don't have to stay in the same file. A different tab can be in a different file. The key it to keep the user experience consistent. Often a list view in the file itself is significantly better than a portal view.

-bd

[Fitch]

There's no one correct way to design an interface. From your description, you might start with 3 tabs in the Customers file:

1. Data Entry, 2. Publications, 3. Proposals

Each tab takes you to a different layout. Layout 1. would have the Customer details, Layouts 2. and 3. would have portals. Each row in the portal would have a button to go to that record in the related file, IOW a "detail" screen. Also next to each portal you could have a "New" button, that would put data, e.g., the Customer number or the date, into the portal, then go to that related record for detail entry.

(Putting data into any field in the portal would automatically create a new record in the related file, if the portal is based on a relationship that allows creation of related records. )

[kcrossley]

Hi BD,

I'm sorry. I'm a relatively new user. I think it makes sense to physically switch between related databases, but if I use this approach how do you physically lay this out, in terms of data entry.

Would you select one database to be the master and then place related fields on a different layout within the master?

When you add a record to the related file does this have to be done with a script?

How would this look?

Thanks,

Kelly