Entering data through portal

[Bbuwell]

Good day everyone, I am new to FileMaker. I am in the process of making or trying to make a database that will allow me to enter paid invoices for a company. It would have supplier info, product info, dept purchased for info and the ability to key the paid invoice as an invoice. That is the part I'm stuck on. I think I need to create a portal on my invoice table, and I was thinking to have it pull data from the products table and then add qtys and subtotals. However it doesn't seem to work that way. I am now thinking after reviewing the solution starter on invoices that I need an additional table for line items. And that the portal in essence would be entering the data vicariously into the line item table as the invoice table so to speak cannot handle that info as I am wanting to enter it.

Example the portal would let you enter 10 separate parts with product # price and description and then sub total the whole as your entering data. And I would be able to retrieve that invoice from that supplier by rolling through the records later and such.

If anyone out there is able to point me in the right direction I'd certainly appreciate the advise.

Thanks very much

Brian

[Wickerman]

Hi there Brian -- I'm usually the one asking questions, but since I happened on your query and you haven't had a reply, I thought I'd give it a shot. I think your question may be too broad / general for a direct answer. Creating an invoicing system is really a pretty involved development project, and I think you need to back up a bit and work out more clearly the "Data Modelling" for your solution before getting down to the business of making layouts and portals etc. THis means spelling out a complete list of all the "Entitie" (Tables) and "Attributes" (Fields) you need to track. From your post, I'm seeing quite a few likely Tables:

Clients

Suppliers

Products

Departments

Invoices

Line Items . . .

My impression is that the solution is going to be a pretty challenging one, especially if you are new to database design as well as new to Filemkaer.

I can't recommend highly enough the Filemaker Training Series as a way to learn the whole process of crafting a solution like you're embarking on:

http://www.filemaker.com/support/training/fts.html

Sometimes you need to back up in order to move forward!