Working with Records

Using a spreadsheet as metaphor to analogize a FileMaker database, a file is like a spreadsheet document, a table is like a sheet or tab of that document, a field is like a column, and a record is like a row. A table represents a set of information that represents a particular kind of entity. A record is a primary unit of content in a table, one group of values that together represent a particular entity. For example, a record in a Contacts table represents a person, while a record in an Inventory table represents one product. When working in a database, users spend most of their time working with records. They create, edit, delete, omit, find, export, import, print, and view records. Although a database can contain many different tables each with its own collection of records, the examples from the Chapter 3 - 5 Sandbox file use a single Contacts table. This chapter explores user interactions with records, covering the following topics: