Filemaker Pro Lesson

Report Writing:

The Importance of Indexing to Increase Performance

This exercise requires the file Sponsors.fp7.

Filemaker Pro has the option to index all the unique values in a specific field. Indexing a field not only improves search speed but enables Filemaker to store calculation results so calculation fields do not have to be recalculated each time the screen is refreshed. Indexing is turned on automatically when a field is searched unless the option for automatically turning on the index has been unchecked. However, some fields cannot be indexed, such as global fields and calculation fields based on related field values or GetSummary functions. Indexing also increases the overall size of your files so should be assigned only as needed. A good rule of thumb is to index fields that would be most logically used in common searches or in report scripts.

1. Open the sample file Sponsors.fp7. Select File -> Define -> Database and select the Fields tab.

Notice that several fields are indexed but Organization Name is not. If this database is searched by Organization Name, the field will automatically become indexed. You can also anticipate this requirement by setting the index option when the database is created.

2. Choose the field "Organization Name" and click on the Options button. Select the Storage tab.

3. Click the Indexing "On" radio button and click OK.

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Last updated: 12/28/2004