IT Service Manager Database required for Sole-Trader Computer Sales & Repair Shop

[danielrmitchell]

Hi 

I am VERY new to FileMaker, having spent a wedge of cash on it some months back with the good intention of learning to develop my own bespoke solution for tracking customers, their computers and the work carried out, as well as build lists (for components of new, custom PC's) and easy reports of customer's unit's due for servicing after X months.

However, I hit a road block - I have never used FMP before, nor have I developed a database on this scale before.

 

In the past I have some experience with MS Access, having developed small solutions for myself such as contacts and inventory databases, but nothing close to the scale of what I wish to achieve.  Also, despite my having some background with Access this is of no use to me any longer as I now use a Mac for which Access is non-compatible.

 

Anyhow, I have picked up a few bit's and pieces from a very helpful chap who published a clutch of video's on YouTube, Guy Stevens.  I have followed a couple of his video's and now have a working contacts database and a class attendance database.  Through following his (extremely good and easy to understand) guides I now believe I have a good and basic foundation of knowledge upon which to take my learning further, and as such am now seeking help here.

 

The contacts database I produced (see above link) has tab controls.  The first tab displays the customer information such as name and contact details.  The second displays a web portal which loads a Google Maps page displaying the location of the customer's address based on the contact details.

However I would like instead for this tab to display the customers computer details.

 

The computer details layout I have currently logs the following

• Unit Serial
• Make
• Model
• Series
• Condition
• CPU Manufacturer
• Cpu Model
• Motherboard
• RAM
• HDD1
• HDD2
• Optical1
• Optical2
• PSU
• Graphics
• Other Addin Cards
• Case

To the right of this I have a portal setup for notes.

 

Back to the Computers tab of the Customer form - I would like to (currently) display in a portal

• Unit Serial
• Make
• Model

I would also like to open the full Computer Details by clicking on the portal row.

 

Later I would like to add other information - the date booked in, if the repair is overdue,etc and possibly change the colour of the portal row to represent the current repair status - however none of this is particularly important just now.

 

So, can anybody help me out with adding this portal to the Computers tab please?

 

(See attached screenshots - they may offer a little more clarity)

[Tom R.]

HI Daniel - 

 

Welcome to the world of FileMaker Pro. 

 

In answer to your question about setting up your portal to display the computer details - it should be fairly easy. 

 

1. In layout mode, switch to the customer layout.
2. Double click on the tab control, and edit the tab names and change Map to Computers; click ok out of that.
3. Click on the Computers tab, and delete the web viewer if it's still in the tab.
4. Click the button in the tool bar to create a new portal, and click and drag to place it on the Computers tab. 
5. At that point, you should get a dialog asking to select the table to display. Select Computers, and then the specific fields you want to display, then click ok out of the dialog.
6. If you don't want to edit information by way of the portal, you can the fields in the portal as a button. Otherwise, create a button with the button tool. (You'll need to place the button within the portal and within a single portal row, just like your fields).If you're using the fields, select the fields in the portal and use the inspector to group the fields together. 
7. Then, right click on either the fields you grouped or the button you created, and select Button Set up. Select "Go to Related Record", and then specify the following options: Get related records from the Computers table, select the Computers layout (you will need to have created this already,). Check "Show in new window", and click Match Current Record Only. If you click on the specify button for Show in New Window, you can add the following: "Get ( WindowTop ) + 50" for Distance from top, and "Get ( WindowLeft ) + 50" for distance from left. That way, your new window won't be directly over the original. Otherwise, it can get confusing because all of your windows will be stacked directly on top of each other.

 

That should do the trick, I think.

 

A couple of other things to think about.

 

In your relationship graph that you posted, it looks like you have a table for CPUManufacturers. Is that for manufacturers of actual computer chips, or do you mean Computer makers? If the former, you need to add a field in Computers for the foreign key of the CPUManufacturers; basing the relationship on computers::CPUModel<----CPUManufacturers::ID will give you garbage results. 

 

Also, you might think about whether you need to have separate tables for Operating Sytem and Computer Type. You might do just as well to add fields for that info in the Computers table. You could create a value list for computer types and for operating system. If you do decide to keep the computer type as a separate table, you need to change the relationship. Right now, it's set up so one computer could be of many types. Instead, you would need a computertype_fk field in the Computers table, and change the direction of the relationship. On second look, it apppears your Computers table already has a field for ComputerType, so you may need to clarify your thinking on how you want to handle that info. 

 

You might be interested buying a book on FMPro; there are several good ones available. Also, there's a book called FileMaker Pro Business Applications, by Arthur W. Evans. It's written for FMPro versions 8 and 8.5, so is somewhat out of date. But the case studies would still be relevant from the point of view of database design. (case studies includes studies for CRM, Job Sheet Management, Inventory Control, and several others.) Also, there's a subscription site ($25 per quarter) that features dozens of streaming videos on using FMPro - www.filemakermagazine.com. I learned a lot from watching those videos.

 

Good luck!

 

Tom

[Lee Smith]

Automatic message

This topic has been moved from "Solutions Wanted" to "Portals".

 

I move your question here because you seem to be asking a How-to question rather than wanting to hire a developer to finish your solution. Let me know if this was really what you were trying to do.

 

Lee

[danielrmitchell]

Lee, Thank you for moving my request for assistance to the correct area of the forum - you were indeed correct in your assumption that I was not looking to hire, just for help.

 

Tom, I appreciate your assistance and when I get a little time over the next few days to look into this database again I shall attempt what you advise and look again into your suggestions with regard to the relationships I have created.  I just took a quick glance at the image of the relationships as I posted the in my original post and can see what you mean with regard to the CPUManufacturers.  At the moment this appears to be working just fine (a drop down box in the layout of LayComputers that displays the (current) three manufacturers Intel, AMD and Via and each are selectable and display accordingly one the item is selected, however I can see how this might cause problems later on.

 

Once I have had a chance to put into effect all you have suggested I shall report back.  Once again, thank you Tom.