Let me start by saying that I haven't used FMP since version 5.5, so I appologize if my question has been answered by some new functionality. I'm trying to get used to the tables structure, so there very well could be an easy way to accomplish what I'm trying to do.

I'm trying to figure out a way to explain what I need to do... this is not the application, but the theory is the same...

If I have a table of invoices, each invoice has a customer name, a territory and a line item for each product. In another table, I need to create a portal that would show all of the products that a customer bought in a certain territory.

If I create fields for the customer name and territory in the table for the line items, then how do I update that table if something changes on the invoice table?

Thanks for any suggestions. Let me know if this isn't clear. I tried using a real world example... but maybe it still doesn't make sense.

Thanks again,

Brian

Your question is somewhat confusing because you are talking about creating a portal in a table. Portals are used on layouts to show information from a related table.

I am also not sure if I understand your table definitions. If you posted an example table definition, it might help.

Bill

"If I create fields for the customer name and territory in the table for the line items, then how do I update that table if something changes on the invoice table?"

You don't; and you don't create those fields.

You search through the relationship. The simplest way to do this is by putting the related Territory field on a layout based on line items; though if you script your search you don't really need to put the field on the layout.