I am a newbie to filemaker pro 9 and have been thrown into making some changes to our existing database and would so appreciate any help before my hair turns any more grey. The existing database is used for issuing building permits for one location with each permit having its own reference number by using (automatic enter/serial number). For example 2011-01. We will be issuing permits for another entity that needs its own reference numbering system, but need to keep these two entities tied together. Is it better to have one database or two separate? If its one database how do make two numbering systems? If its two databases how do I tie them together.

need to keep these two entities tied together.

What comes under the heading of "tied together"?

When people call in for an inspection of their building project I would like to be able to search the database of all (both entities) by address to be able to print out a inspection request.

I hesitate here, because the proper solution to this is not an easy one to implement. Obviously, at least some of the fields of the two kinds of permits must be in the same table (e.g. address - otherwise you'd have to do two finds for each call). OTOH, at least one field - the "private" serial number - should be in a "subtable" dedicated to the specific kind. IOW, each permit needs two records - one in the "general" table and one in the "specific".

How will this be operated? Will the same people be issuing permits for both, using the same procedure and just selecting the "entity" during the process, or will they have to choose the "entity" before starting?

In my Invoicing system I use 2 autoenter fields, the "Invoice" one starts at 4000000 for invoices and "quote" one starts at 1 for quoting.

I also have a text field that gets a Q or an I depending on invoice or quote. then I have a calc field, that says

if(textfield = "I";invoice;quote)

all my reports are based on having an I in the text field, as for my app I do not care about the quotes..

hope this helps..

I use 2 autoenter fields

Auto-entering what?

One enters an invoice number one a quote number in my case.. then depending on the caculation field, if it is an I it uses the invoice number...

Auto-entering what?

I meant, what is the fields' definition?

see attached file, let me know if it helps, you can also change the numbers so one is always even and one always odd, then you never can get overlaping numbers

I meant, what is the fields' definition?

sample.zip

Well, this is fine - IF you don't mind the gaps in the series. I don't think that's what the OP had in mind, though it would be the easiest solution if they can accept that. And, of course, ONE auto-entered serial number would be quite sufficient in such case.

Unfortunately, that is often not the case. Some of my clients would face serious repercussions if their invoice numbers were found to be non-consecutive.