How do I make birthday alerts?

[AudraM]

Hello there.

My name is Audra and I've just started a new job where my manager uses FileMaker and he wants me to figure out how to make birthdays alert me a few days early so I can send a birthday E-Mail.

Only problem is, I've only just learned how to enter basic customer information and that is all. Any help would be greatly appreciated since he wants this done ASAP.

Thank you so much!

[Ted S]

Welcome Audra!

You're not the database developer correct? I assume you are more of a regular user that wants to know how to locate records with birthdays that fall within a certain range.

If this is the case then what you should do is put yourself into the find mode:

View > Find Mode

Enter something like this into the birthday field:

4/20/07...4/30/07

The press FIND or hit the ENTER key. It should now show only the records with birthdays that fall in that 10 day range.

If this is not what you are looking for let me/us know.

[moonunit]

Hi Audra,

I'm still working in fmp 7, so my solution is more calc based...

You need four fields...

DateOfBirth [date field]

TodaysDate [calc + number]

CompDoB [calc + number]

Message [calc + text]

Today's date calc = Get (CurrentDate)

CompDoB = Date ( Month (DateOfBirth) ; Day (DateOfBirth) ; Year (TodaysDate) )

Message = If ( CompDoB - TodaysDate ≥ 8 ; "" ; "Birthday Soon!" )

What's happening is that CompDoB strips out the day & month from the date of birth then adds it to the current year. Then a separate calc works out whether today's date is 8 days off the anniversary date.

Place the Message where you want it and it'll appear when the criteria match...

[AudraM]

moonunit,

this is pretty close to what i need to have happen.

now all i have to do is see if i can enter it correctly. and to make sure all birthdates are entered correctly (4/21 as opposed to April 21).

thank you! i'll let you know if it works.

[AudraM]

on second thought, it occurs to me i'm not sure what all i am supposed to enter where.

please forgive me. i've never used filemaker before. i know i'm asking things that are probably really simple. *blushes*

[comment]

Actually, it's not at all that simple. Ted's method will find only people that were born this year, and moonunit's method will fail as it approaches the end of a year.

Here are two possible solutions, but I'm afraid they are not exactly beginners' stuff:

http://fmforums.com/forum/showpost.php?post/230838/

http://fmforums.com/forum/showpost.php?post/217578/

[Ted S]

Actually, it's not at all that simple. Ted's method will find only people that were born this year

Ahhh yes. Thanks Comment! Wow! What a simple mistake. Had I tried it myself I would have quickly discovered the fundamental flaw but instead I sent a novice on a wild-goose-chase.

Audra, sorry if I lead you astray. I'm going back to my hole now.

[head hanging low, tail between legs]

[comment]

Happens to all of us.

http://fmforums.com/forum/showpost.php?post/248701/

[moonunit]

...Moonunit's method will fail as it approaches the end of a year.

Note to self - do not offer help without a grown-up in attendance.

Note to Audra - email your boss the link to the correct solution: data entry is one thing, developing solutions is another!

[AudraM]

ted and moonunit, please don't feel bad. i tried your method, ted, and it worked since we only enter birthdays as month/day. so, i could do it manually every week.

as to the other solutions from you, comment, you're right, i wouldn't have the first clue on where to enter any of that.

i suppose i'll read some more on how to enter scripts and i'll check back here later today.

thank you all for the help so far. i really appreciate it.

;)

[AudraM]

o.k. i want to attempt some of these scripts. i have a couple of questions before i do.

1) where/how do i save an entire copy of the database (in case i goof up)?

2) do i just type in the solutions you've written as they are? or are there extra steps? i'll keep looking through my book 'til i hear back.

please advise! thank you. :)