Elapsed Time

[Rikk_2004]

I am new to file maker, so please take it easy on me. I really need to create a sort of time card database.

We have a database of office tasks that need to be assigned to employees. Then we would like the employee to "punch in" when they start the task, and punch out when they are done.

There are certain tasks that we need to track how long the task took.

Can anyone recomend a starting point for me to research or have any examples of how i could do that?

Thanks

Rikk

[Rikk_2004]

Oh yah, the second step of this would be making it able to have multiple people check into the task, and have it tally how long each person worked on the task, as well as how long the entire task took.

[Rikk_2004]

Sorry to post this in 2 forums, still so new to filemaker i am not even sure where my question should go.

24-06 12:22 AM - Post#211325 Elapsed Time

I am new to file maker, so please take it easy on me. I really need to create a sort of time card database.

We have a database of office tasks that need to be assigned to employees. Then we would like the employee to "punch in" when they start the task, and punch out when they are done.

There are certain tasks that we need to track how long the task took.

Can anyone recomend a starting point for me to research or have any examples of how i could do that?

Also, the next level of this would be able to have multiple people punch in for the task. Have it calculate how long that person spent on the task, as well as how long all combined people spent on the task.

It seems so complicated to me to even explain, i hope there is an easy way to do this in filemaker

Edited June 24, 2006 by Guest

[Genx]

It's not all that hard once you know what your doing - i can think of 3 or 4 different ways of doing it off the top of my head, but i'm not recommending you start doing anything until you've done a bit of actual playing with filemaker. Try pulling apart some of the filemaker sample files first.

[Lee Smith]

Do [color:red]NOT Double post.

I have merged your two topics.

Lee

[Rikk_2004]

I have started. I have pulled apart some demos and have bought the fmp bible and have created so far the advanced address book. I am loving this!

I can see how timestamp function may work, but its the whole database behind the function and the expressions that add it up i am scared of.

thanks

[Genx]

Yeah listen to lee regarding that...

Anyway, timestamps would be the way to go i'm thinking. Simply on push of start/stop button:

Script Start

If[isEmpty(Table::TimeStampStart)]

SetField[Table::TimeStampStart ; Get(CurrentTimeStamp)]

Else

SetField[Table::TimeStampEnd ; Get(CurrentTimeStampe)]

End If

Script End

Calc Start:

TimeStampEnd - TimeStampStart

Calc End

result time? or timestamp?

This whole section will give you the duration of one record with one field. Now you just have to work out related records and apply these basics.

Of course you could ignore the need for a calc and just set the field using the script...

Anyway,

Goodluck, any problems let us know.

~Genx

[Rikk_2004]

Ok that makes some sense to me. i assume the if statement gets put into the start stop button. But when i do that, it doesnt seem to think SetField is a valid function for some reason.

Also where in the script/layout/button do i put the calc start section of your example?

Edited June 25, 2006 by Guest

[Genx]

Okay, you write the script first in script maker: Filemaker Menu Bar --> Scripts --> ScriptMaker

Add a new script, then put in the steps mentioned above for the script portion (between start script and finish script). Save the script, then go to the layout and right click on your nominated button, click button setup and choose perform script when the menu appears - choose the script you just wrote using script maker.

Then, go into define database (ctrl + shift + d), go to the fields tab in your table, create a new field called cTimeSpan or something (the c simply indicates for you that it is a calc field). Make this new field a calculation - result number to get the time period in seconds or time to get it in the format HH:MM:SS. Thats it.

~Genx

[Genx]

If you can't get yours working, have a look at the attachment and compare.

tset.zip

[Rikk_2004]

Thanks. You have really been a lot of help. I cannot wait to learnmore of this. I am enjoying it alot.

I got mine close, but it was great to see your example, and take it apart. Thank you so much.

[Genx]

:)