Pro-Form Quick Start 9.0 User's Guide download pdf (Page 47)

Lesson 7 | Simplifying data entry 47

Generate values with a calculation field

When you want FileMaker Pro to perform a calculation for you, for example to determine the

amount of tax owed or the proper fee to be paid, you use a calculation field. Calculation fields are

one of the FileMaker

Pro field types. FileMaker Pro can perform simple and complex calculations.

The calculation formula uses values from the current record or related records. The formula can

use values from all field types. You can use calculations to return text values (for example,

combining the contents of first name and last name fields into a full name field), dates, times,

timestamps, and the contents of container fields.

Create a calculation field

Customers of Favorite Bakery can pay an annual fee and receive a fifteen percent discount on all

purchases. New customers pay a fee of $200, while continuing customers pay $100. The following

calculation returns the annual fee based on the type of customer.

There are several ways of formulating a calculation, each of which can yield the correct result. The

following method uses an If

statement to compare the data entered in the Customer Type field with

one of the customer types. The calculation returns one of two results.

1. Click Edit Layout in the layout bar.

2. Select the Payment Status tab, if it’s not already selected.

3. Select File menu > Manage > Database.

4. In the Manage Database dialog box, click the Fields tab, if it is not already selected.

5. For Field Name, type Annual Fee.

6. For Type, select Calculation to make this a calculation field.

7. Click Create.

The Specify Calculation dialog box appears.

8. Scroll through the list of functions on the right in the Specify Calculation dialog box until you

locate If

(test ; resultOne ; resultTwo). Double-click this function so that it appears in the

large text box below.

This function has three parts: a test, a result if the test evaluates as true (result one), and a

result if the test evaluates as false (result two). You will replace the placeholders test,

resultOne, and resultTwo with the actual components of the calculation.

Select Calculation for Type

Type Annual Fee for

Field Name

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Pro-Form Quick Start 9.0 User's Guide Page 47