Configure reports of usage for every day of the year

[radams]

I have used FMP for many years mainly as a database for a camp recording registrations and group usage. We have been using hand written records to keep daily tallies of usage but would like to merge it with our data bases used in registering indiviuals and groups. I am not great at the calculation part and am asking for ideas on how to set up three reports within or linked to the existing databases.I am trying to create th report system through FMP 5 with entry from up to 5 people at different work stations, each with different information that is related. I know how to design, but the entry people are just that "entry" without knowledge on how to manipulate FMP for the reports.

The fields involved are: (repeating fields)

group name

facility used

year

date(s) of group (ie. 6/1-6/7

number of people in group

number of overnights

number of meals

number of paid staff

number of volunteers

Each report is required by a different agency with different requirements. There are three reports involved:

1. A report for every day of the year reporting how many people were at the camp each day.

The report needs to include day of year, facility name, group name, group total number and daily summary of number also to include number of paid staff and volunteers.

2. A report summarizing each group. The days they were at the camp (1 overnight + 3 meals = 1 day) * number in the group, = "camper days" summarized by months for the year. This would also include number of paid staff but not volunteers.

This seems easy, however, I have a record for each group with repeating fields to record each booking. They may come more than once in a year therefore to seperate each repeating field individually. I can do this by exporting to excel and seperating repeating fields, but this is tedious and I may not always be there.

3. A report summarizing each group somewhat as the last report, but more precise of count. Same numer in group but counted for "parts of days" also.

ie. 0 overnights and 1 meal is number * .16

0 overnights and 2 meals is number * .32

0 overnights and 3 meals is number * .50

1 overnight and 0 meals is number * .50

etc. until 1 overnight and 3 meals is number * 1

However this can be complicated by people not eating meals, or not staying overnight, but still part of a group. It would be nice to automate it, instead of having to hand figure numbers for each thing. This report is very tedious, but required nonetheless. Then it is summarized by months for the year.

Any ideas out there, I would greatly appreciate your help. My brain can't quite figure these out without a lot of extra "stuff" that may be unneeded. I may need to use related files to keep the info. Actually the information might be coming from 4 different files to begin with.

Thanks ahead of time for anyones help.

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[Vaughan]

Drop the repeating fields *real* fast and move over to a related file system.

Repeating fields are a pain to extract information rom and are only still in FMP5 to offer backward compatibility.

[LiveOak]

This doesn't sound like it has a quick answer. I think you need a consultant to write the solution for you, if you don't feel comfortable with the task. The problem is not just generating a report, but designing a data structure to capture data in a manner to allow the reporting you require. This is another "does anyone know how to build a car" question! -bd

[radams]

Okay! I drop the repeating fields! I was using them to keep a historical record of usage, but can do this other ways I guess. I think I can figure two of my reports without the repeating fields. But can you tell me how to do a report for each day of the year. Do I make a data base with a record for each day of the year and then pull in summarized data (with date ranges) into these individual "day of the year" records?? If so, how is this done? Or how do I get a report that covers each day of the year summarizing how many people were present that day (and night).

I think I can resolve these reports with a little help. I design for a non-profit so there isn't much $$ for bringing in "big" programmers. I have done pretty good in my 10 years of Filemaker but couldn't get this one. I have mulled it over for several years, needed to computerized the reports but just haven't been able to come up with a solution yet. I am closer, but can't quite work my way throught the days of the year thing. Hopefully it won't be so difficult.

[Kurt Knippel]

quote:

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Originally posted by radams:

Okay! I drop the repeating fields! I was using them to keep a historical record of usage, but can do this other ways I guess. I think I can figure two of my reports without the repeating fields. But can you tell me how to do a report for each day of the year. Do I make a data base with a record for each day of the year and then pull in summarized data (with date ranges) into these individual "day of the year" records?? If so, how is this done? Or how do I get a report that covers each day of the year summarizing how many people were present that day (and night).

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Setup a SubSummary by Date, then sort by date. This way any day (a single date) will display the records from that day underneath it. You can also use summary fields to do counts on the number of records.

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Kurt Knippel

Consultant

Database Resources

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.database-resources.com

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[radams]

I know the sub-summary sort stuff and summary fields. However, my data is entered by a date range, say a group of 30 was at a facility from 10/21 - 10/25/2000. I can enter the date range in one field (dates) or I can enter the date range in two fields (start date, end date). If I use one field, I cannot due a find on say 10/22 to know how many were on the grounds on that date, I can sort by dates but I cannot get individual dates. If I use two fields, how do I again get the dates inbetween. I know there must be some kind of calculation to find the dates in between, but I cannot figure it out with either setup.

Then I need a report that shows totals for "each day" of the year for up to 6 or more facilities, but not every day of the year has information.

Keep the ideas coming and hopefully I will get this one figured out.

[This message has been edited by radams (edited October 28, 2000).]