Portals and their uses -- help my head is going to explode!`

[Christi]

Let me preface everything with: I'M A BEGINNER!!! Ok, now that we have that firmly in place....

I have the following related tables:

CONTACTS

JOBS (as in separate repair tickets)

Each CONTACT can have multiple JOBS. These two tables are working fine. When I look at my CONTACTS, I can see that person's jobs, etc.

Now what I have been trying to figure out is how to get a portal to automatically show ALL of my Contacts in alphabetical order on a separate MAINPAGE layout that will hopefully, eventually also contain the following info in separate portals:

1. ALL CONTACTS (as already mentioned)

2. TODAY'S JOBS (currently underway)

3. PENDING JOBS (potential jobs waiting for signed contracts)

4. and when I click on the CONTACT'S name (in the above mentioned #1 portal) I want that person's JOBS to show up in another portal all on the same layout

Is this even possible? Is it possible to have a layout that contains an overview of several other tables? I'm guessing that data would be displayed in separate portals but my understanding of portals may be totally wrong.

I don't want to continue with my database solution until I can figure out if this is possible AND HOW to make it happen. Is there anyone out there who could do a very simple mock db to help me understand how this would work?

I want this capability so our sales people can get a quick overview of their day and also quickly find a CONTACT and see a list of their JOBS. Then they will be able to click on a small arrow next to ANY of the portal entries and be taken to that particular record (whether it is a Contact, Job, etc.).

Basically, I want that main Contact portal to act like a LIST giving me the person's name and the type of Contact they are (customer, prospective customer, etc).

From what I understand of portals, they only show related data, so I need to somehow create a MAIN Table that has EVERY Contact related to it. How do I do that?

I know that if I can get my head wrapped around this one concept of relational databases, I'll be off and running.

Will someone please help me? I'm stuck in the mud.

Thanks!

Christi

PS -- I've been attempting to get an understanding by checking out databases like FileMaker Business Tracker but it is WAY too involved that my brain can't make heads or tails out of it. I like the Business Tracker's Home page and it is the closest thing to what I want to do but I'm such a beginner that I look at the relationship graph and I'm stuck. I have no idea where to look to see how they did it. If I could only get a hold of a simpler version that got me started in the right direction.

[Ocean West]

Christi welcome to the forums.

Yes you can have several portals show info from separate tables.

If you create a table - we'll call it "dashboard" that table will contain global fields.. These global fields will be used as a match between the other tables.

To show ALL contacts is relatively easy you can choose any field from "dashboard" and your contacts table by use of the cartesian product. or the "X" to any other field in the contacts.

attached is a very basic sample.

sample.fp7.zip

[Christi]

Stephen -- THANK YOU!!!

Your sample file was exactly what I needed!!! The key was the global fields, that's what I was missing. I wasn't using "global" fields but rather the MAINID primary key field on my MAIN layout to link back to the other tables. This now makes so much more sense.

You don't know how much I appreciate you taking the time to help me out.

Christi

Edited July 10, 2006 by Guest