Another confused newbie

[Uri10]

I know I'm probably asking the same questions as everybody else but whatever... here it goes

I'm another confused newbie that needs to be bailed out. I work for a non-profit environmental organization that has three databases of information. Each database contains specific information about the work that the people listed on the contact section of the database have done.

What I would like to do is create a fourth master list of contact information that contains all the contact information of the people in the databases. Also I would like to create a radio button that states whether or not the specific contact would like to recieve an e-newsletter.

What I was hoping to do is import the data from the similiarly defined fields ie names, email, address in the three databases automatically so that if the contact information is altered in the indiviual databases it will be reflected on the master contact list.

Also if it is possible (this sounds more webpage than FMP but maybe it can work) I would like to make a button that launches all the detailed project information contained in the other databases that relates to the contact name or organization found in the master list. Oh and that may be contained in several sub-pages rather than in one place.

I know nobody has any incentive to respond to this but any help from an experienced person would be GREATLY appreciated by me (a poor college student) and the environment which definately needs more help than I do.

Edited October 2, 2006 by Guest

[aldipalo]

You keep referring to these existing databases are they Filemaker databases or Access or dbf?:

We would need to know that before giving any further advice.

Is there a reason you need to keep all three databases separate?

[Uri10]

They are all existing file maker databases and they were created before I began working for the organization. I assume they were created seperately because someone lacked the forethought to realize they might contain related information. Personally I think they should be consolidated but I still have to sell that idea.

Edited October 2, 2006 by Guest

[aldipalo]

OK, my next questions are:

If your powers to be are insisting you keep the first three databases where will the new data be entered, in the old databases or the new, combined database?

If these are FM databases are there duplicate serial numbers? If so, you must develop some type of key that is unique to each individual record across all three files.

It MAY be easier to do your data entry in the new db and then export the data to to the old. Perhaps someone else in the forum who has done this will comment further.

Are the data and fields similar in all three db's?

We definitely need more info to give you any advice here, but, the simplest and most efficient is to combine the data and start fresh.

[Ender]

There's really not enough detail here to advise on a structure.

In general, you should have one table for each type of entity. It sounds like you have identified a Contact entity that's common to all your files. This Contact entity could then be one table. But it's not clear what all relates to a Contact.

I'd suggest you do a little research on database normalization and data modeling before proceeding. This should give you the basis you need to discuss the design with your users and us. Although rebuilding or redesigning an existing solution that does most things pretty well can be an intimidating idea, a proper relational structure has the advantages of having to maintain each piece of data in one place. This simplifies scripting, maintenance, and data entry tasks.

[Lee Smith]

Obviously they were not created in 8.5, unless that person just left, so what version are they in?

What are the names of the files? Is there duplication of fields, or are there some relationships, portals, value lists, etc.?

Until you learn the application, I would not change a thing.

BTW, FileMaker is one word, not two in lower case as you have type it.

Lee