Trigger the script on record exit

[milanm]

Could anybody suggest me a good way to trigger a script when the user is exiting the record?

I need the database to check if a particular field has changed and IF NOT to trigger the script when user exits the record to remind him/her that this didn't hapen.

At the moment i am thinking of creating a global field that would fill when record is modified then using OnRecordLoad to trigger the script that would warn the user in case that this field is not empty and further empty the field when the particular field mentioned in the first place HAS changed.

Not the most elegant way to resolve this, i would think that there has to be some better way.

[LaRetta]

Hi, :-)

"check if a particular field has changed"

Another way would be to create a timestamp set to Auto-Enter 'Replace existing value' with similar to:

Case ( yourField ; Get ( CurrentTimestamp ) ; Self )

This will update whenever your field changes. Then trigger OnRecordCommit can test whether the timestamp is within your specified range of 'has changed'.

[David Jondreau]

OnRecordCommit is your best bet, but beware, it a) won't fire every time a record is left, only when the record is changed (opened) and it will fire every time the record is committed, not just when the record is exited.

 

You can solve a) pretty easily with an OnRecordLoad trigger that uses Open Record[], but is pretty annoying to work around.

 

We could probably help better if you explained what you are trying to accomplish in plain English, not using the mechanics of FileMaker. Like "When a user views a person, that needs to be recorded so their manager can see who is still left to be viewed." Not "A field needs to be changed."

[LaRetta]

Expressed very well, David.

[milanm]

Ok, hm, huh, i will try to make myself a bit more understandable if possible.

i have a number of people working on various records. There is a number of different items related to each record and than there is a TASK attached to each item telling them in which stage that particular item is. When they work with the records/clients and the items related to them, they are supposed to change the status of the task and move on.

This is what they do, but the problem is that they speak with the client, agree on moving on, put some notes and corresponding info, but FORGET to change the status in the task list. The to do lists are made by this task status, so they would get this client back tomorrow with the same task.

I need to put a pop-up REMINDER (window), which would activate only for a defined number of users and only if they DID NOT change the latest task related to the item they worked on before exiting the record. It should just say:"You forgot to change the task for this client and the related item, would you like to do it now." 

There they can choose to move on or change the task and than move on.

At the moment, i made 3 global fields, one capturing the Client_Ref, other capturing the Item_Ref and the third one is called Active_Record that just sets with "Yes" if the record is active (task not changed) and sets to "" if the task changes. A script OnRecordLoad sets up these fields to the actual values, so each time record loads, these 3 fields fill up accordingly.

Then these fields change in regards to the user activity, so each time the user selects another item (they are listed in the portal) the Item_Ref changes and the Active_Record field sets to "Yes".

Than when they change the task the Active_Record field disactivates.

Then when they enter a new record if the Active_Record field is empty, the OnRecordLoad script sets it to "Yes" for the new record, and the other 2 accordingly.

If it is not empty it pops up with a REMINDER and asks the user if they would like to change the task for the lates item and the previous client.

 

So, as you see, that script is working fine, but what a shabang to go over just to make this happen, not to mention that i also needed to take some other possibilities into consideration, like when they exit the record via "find/search" or just drag the book slider on the top left.

 

I am wondering is there a shorter and more simple way to do this that i just could not see.

Thank you guys for your help

[David Jondreau]

It's somewhat more helpful. It would be even better if you took out most of the FileMaker references, of records, fields, etc. The experience you want the user to have has nothing to do with the mechanics of FileMaker (and personally I like to know what we're actually talking about, is this a veterinary practice? a root beer bottler?).

 

 

 

Often, there are lots of ways to accomplish something in FileMaker. I think you can change this up in a couple ways to make it simpler for you and a better experience for the user, but a lot depends on the actual requirements.

 

If someone makes a change to a Item, does the Tasks ALWAYS change? Can you, in short, remove the user from the decision and have the database update the Task? What about keeping a history of changes, so each new Note about an Item has the Items current Status. Every note's Task Status starts off blank.

 

What about requiring the user to change the Task before modifying the Status? In order to edit the Task, the Status has to be modified first. So selecting an item pops up a little window with the Status. Selecting a Status closes the window and selects the item.

[milanm]

Ok,

it is a credit management company that deals with client credit claims. Each client could have from one to a number of claims and this is listed on a portal that goes with client record.

Each claim (what i called item in previous post) has its status and a task for the employee to deal with according to this status, you could look at it as steps in the process, they move from one stage to another untill the completion.

 

They dont know at the moment when they enter the claim will the task be acomplished or not, so they just work on it, call the client, call the related bank, send emails and documents etc.

Than when they are done, if the status changed, the particular claim (not the client) has to move to a next step. Therefore it has to change the status (this is a simple text field describing the status of the claim).

 

What happens though is that they forget to modify the actual task field. The database automaticaly creates a log to show what they worked on and there is a Note field where the changes are described, so that is all fine.

The problem is how to make a reminder WHEN they exit the record IF they forget to change the task.

 

If we had OnRecordExit trigger that would be easy, without it it becomes dificult, i need to figure it out, and i did in a way i described. However, i wanted to share the problem and see if someone came up with something better and if there is some script in place for this, like what do you do in general if you want something to happen When you exit the record.