I have a patient database with demographic information. Each patient has separate letters and operative reports for each written in MS word. Currently we import (copy and paste) each letter or operative report into a text field in the patient's record. This is a repeating field to permit mutiple documents for each patient. The process is cumbersome however. I would like to link each MS word document to a field in the record. With a click on the field the editable word document would open. changes made would be stored in the original file.

Does anyone know how to do this?

Thank you

Two things: one program is always much easier to work with than two. I run a training service and used to use four programs (Ms Word, PageMaker, CalendarMaker and FMP) to manage it. A bit of process redesign and lateral thinking, and now FMP is doing everything. Sooo much better. No cut and paste anywhere.

Secondly, forget repeating fields and start using a related file and a portal. Trust me, the improved flexibility and reporting are worth the effort to change over.

I work for a college and we have numeroous letters that we send to the students and we tried to initially link them to MS Word, in the end we gave up and decided that each letter could simply be a filemaker report with all the relevant fields linked in.

You can open a Word document via a script. This script uses the command Open URL - and specifies a field with the filename

this name can be for example "file:///MacIntosh HD/folder/text.doc"

Running the script will open your Internet browser, the browser opens then the document in Word.

Their is also a way to directly open Word documents using Applescript. But thats a liitle more complex

[ May 16, 2001: Message edited by: W. De Jonghe ]

I just finished evaluating a copy of Filemaker Pro 5.5.

It has the capability to link with MS Office applications including "Word" . Filemaker claims it will be out within a month.

Ihor