:B I have a summary field that totals the number of records in a absence database....

Sum ( current year absences::personaldaynumbertotal)

Records displayed in this field are based on a one to many relationship between a teacher file and an absence file. The relationship allows only records for that teacher and school year to display. However, when I change the school year, the summary field doesn't update unless I close the database or open define fields. What's up with this, and how can I ensure the field updates?

Careful not to confuse Sum( and summaries!!!

But you are using :personaldaynumbertotal which is a what?? - A summary field a relation away or. an unstored calc'??? Only stored values would behave as expected, what renders an unstored field is it's presence in the present frontmost layout, chained dependencies won't.

You need a criteria more on the your relation, well make it in a new TO!!

What really might be happening here is that you have placed your fields in the wrong tables, because sums of totals doesn't hardly make much sense with just two tables ...couldn't you post a tiny template with your reasoning behind?

--sd