User manual

Chapter 3
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Creating databases 59
Keep these points in mind:
1 Any field type except summary can store a global value. For more information, see “About storage and
indexing options” on page 68.
1 Be sure to use a date field (instead of a text or number field) to store dates. To avoid confusion when using
dates, always use four-digit years.
1 Use text fields instead of number fields to store postal codes, phone numbers, and other values with
leading zeroes or characters like hyphens or parentheses.
1 Although you can’t find or sort records based on a container field, you can define a text field to describe or
identify the contents of the container. Then, you can find or sort records based on the data in that text field.
1 To change the way data is displayed in text, number, date, time, and timestamp fields, see “Formatting
field data on a layout” on page 85.
Creating and changing fields
To define a new field, you give it a name and select a field type. Then you select options that determine how the field
interprets, enters, calculates, stores, and displays data. These characteristics make up the field definition.
See “Formatting field data on a layout” on page 85 for information about setting options for field formats,
which control how data appears on a layout.
Creating and changing fields in the Manage Database dialog box
Important Changing the field type can permanently and irretrievably erase data.
1. With the database open, choose File menu > Manage > Database.
2. In the Manage Database dialog box, click the Fields tab.
This field stores only numbers
This field calculates a value based on
another value in the record
(“Discount” is 10% of “Unit Price”)
This field stores multiple values
ET14Product ID
Jacket Product Name
ClothingCategory
BlueColors
$52.50Unit Price
$5.25Discount
Black
These fields store text
Field names
and definitions
Type a name for
a new field
Select a
field type
Click after you type a field
name and select a field type
Choose the way
fields are listed in
the dialog box
Click to sort by
field name or type