Filemaker Pro Lesson

Report Writing:

Creating a Grand Summary

This exercise requires the file Registrations3.fp7.

One of the most important functions of a database program is to quickly summarize data across a record population. Summary fields are used to calculate sums, averages, counts, or other values across a found set of records. These fields are then placed in grand summary parts to summarize data across an entire set of records or in subsummary parts to summarize data across a selected subset within a found set of records.

1. Open the sample file Registrations3.fp7. If it is not already visible, select the "Registrant List" layout.

2. Choose File -> Define -> Database and select the Fields tab. Type "Number of Participants" in the "Field Name" field and select "Summary" as the field type. Click Create.

3. In the Options for summary field "Number of Participants" dialog box select the "Count of" for the type of calculation and the field "Registration #" in the field list and click OK. Now create the summary field Total Pledges. In the options dialog select the "Total of" calculation option and the field "Current Pledges" then click OK. Next click Done.

4. Choose View -> Find Mode and type skating in the "Event" field. Click Find. Notice that the "Number of Participants" field now indicates that there are 10 skating participants and the "Total Pledges" field provides the sum of the pledges.

The summary fields you added repeat for each record in the found set, since they were added to the body part in the layout by default. Since the summary fields display the same information for each record, they only need to appear once in the layout. If we add a leading grand summary part to the layout and move the "Number of Participants" field and "Total Pledges" field into it, the information will appear only once.

5. Choose View -> Layout Mode. Drag the line below the body part down about an inch to increase the size of the body part.

6. Hold your mouse button down and draw a rectangle around all the fields in the body part to automatically select all of them and drag them near the bottom of the body part.

7. Click on the Part Tool and drag it onto the body above the fields. Release the mouse and select the "Leading Grand Summary" radio button and click OK.

8. Now select the "Number of Participants" field and label and "Total Pledges" field and label and move them into the leading grand summary part.

9. Select View -> Browse Mode. Notice that the "Number of Participants" field and "Total Pledges" field now only appear at the beginning of the layout.

10. The body part is larger than necessary so select View -> Layout Mode and select the fields in the body part and move them to the top of the body part. Now drag the body part line (between the body and footer) up so that the body part is just large enough to contain the fields. Important: Be sure the fields fit completely within the body.

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Last updated: 12/28/2004