Serial Number help - multiple tables

[actionman007]

Hi,

I currently have a system that stores customer names and associated projects. My client has asked if each customer could have a serial number after their name - which would make up that particular project ID.

For example;

Customer Bob - Customer Bob-001

Customer Bob - Customer Bob-002

Customer Gill - Customer Gill-001

Customer Gill - Customer Gill-002

Can I automate this so that each customers project ID starts at 001 on creation? And add the functionality of when new customers are added to the system they each have a number assigned to their projects starting from 001.

Hope this makes sense... it's driving me a bit insane!!!

Cheers,

Dan :

[jamesducker]

Yes. Assuming the 'customers' and 'projects' files are correctly related both ways, you should:

1) create a field in the 'customers' table called "last project ID". This should be a calculation field defined as:

max(projects::project ID)

2) set the "project ID" field in the 'projects' table to be a text field with an auto-enter calculation defined as:

customers::last project ID + 1

It would be best to disallow editing of that field at any time.

3) create a field in 'projects' called "unique project ID". This should be a calculation field defined as:

customers::name & "-" & project number

James

[actionman007]

Thanks so much - this has solved a major headache - Have a virtual beer on me!!!