Database Reference
In-Depth Information
of the record, and Payment Terms are auto-entered data (say Net 10 Days). The Due Date
field is filled in when you create each Invoice record. The only way you can change the Due
Date is by changing the value in the Invoice Date field or the Payment Terms field, and
FileMaker updates the calculation. But you can't type the date you want directly in the In-
voice::Due Date field.
NOTE
Yes, you can add the Payment Terms field's value of “Net 10 days” to a date,
if
the Payment Terms
field is defined as a number field. That way, FileMaker can ignore the text when asked to do math
with the field's value. But to reduce ambiguity, stick to straight numbers in fields that are referenced
by calculations.
That's where the “Calculated value” option comes in. You can specify a calculation, which
enters a date when FileMaker creates the record, but then you can click into the field and
change it to another date. Plus, if you convert a calculation field to another field type with an
auto-enter calculation option, FileMaker automatically moves the calculation formula you
wrote into the auto-enter calculation box for you. You don't even have to rewrite the calcula-
tion. Even better, you can get the field's calculated value to reset later by changing the value
in either the Invoice Date or Payment Terms fields. Just make sure you
don't
turn on the “Do
not replace existing value of field (if any)” option when you set up the field (
Figure 6-4
).
