I need a way to hide the social security number so that the first 5 numbers are seen by the user with X's and allow the last four numbers to show.

In other words when a record is opened the user enters 582-44-5432. Then the user user sees XXX-XX-5432.

Define a calculation field =

"XXX-XX-" & Right ( SSN ; 4 )

and put only this field on the layout. Use a custom dialog to enter data into the "real" SSN field.

You might want to pop up the dialog twice, to confirm the number. Otherwise they could type it incorrectly and have no way of knowing.

Here is a way to do it using comments calculation, and stacking the fields.

Lee

SocialSecurityHide.fp7.zip

I didn't think they'd be entering it in bulleted form - after all, it's not a password. Assuming it is entered by a clerk and not by the contacts themselves, it has to be handed over anyway, so forcing the clerk to type it "blind" is kinda ridiculous.

Which makes me wonder: why store it at all, if no one is allowed to look at it?

Which makes me wonder: why store it at all, if no one is allowed to look at it?

Ha ha, yep, I've had the same debate at a not-for-profit agency. Similarly, I was told that the persons entering the data could see it but must immediately forget what they entered ( and it was pointed out in the regulations ). I told them most people couldn't remember past two seconds anyway but to base a process on someone entering data then 'forcing' them to immediately forget just because you told them to ( still ) strikes me as hilareous. It is a big debate since HIPAA regulations came into effect, followed by mounds of requirement documents which make no sense and certainly do not follow Apple Interface Guidelines. Government always knows a better way and ...

LaRetta

Thank you all for the response.

Under a new guideline by the Federal Dept.of Education students must be tracked by a student number, but in Financial Aid they must be tracked by Std ID and the Social Security Number, because their system is based totally on this identifier. The reason for placing X's over most of the digits is to hide them from visitors when the offical is providing service and not from the employee. Also when the employee should leave their desk for any given time, privacy is required from others viewing the screen. So the need for this type of template.

This is something that Filemaker should take into conideration because it is becoming widespread the use of this when dealing with governments both fed and local.