FM 8.5

I am trying to create a discriminating list. I have a CHEQUE LOG with
a field, Receiver (Payee). I want to have a drop down value list that
shows results from my CONTACTS database, but only those whose Business
(field) designation is 'Vendor'. I was thinking of a select button
concept. Can anyone help me with this set up?

On this subject I wonder, would it be better to create a unique VENDOR
table for this set up or is it better to keep all contacts within one
table regardless of their activity? My Contacts tend to fall into
three areas, people I sell to, people I buy from and Media/Publicity
people. My thinking is that by segregating my contact database I would
be create more refined tables, with fields more specific to their
place in my business. A VENDOR table with more related fields/options.
Perhaps this is more elegant? The Main customer CONTACTS table would
not become crowded with fields related to Vendors.

Thanks in advance for any help.
Matthew

In article
<fa2486f7-e71d-44bb-b8da-66bb56ed54a8 (AT) g39g2000pri (DOT) googlegroups.com>,
Buckbuck <buck.matthew74 (AT) yahoo (DOT) com> wrote:

To your first question, you can create a dynamic value list that is
based on a relationship. So, create a new Table Occurrence (TO) of your
Contacts table that is related to the Cheque log by the Vendor field.
Then you create a dynamic value list from that TO based on that
relationship. For greatest accuracy and flexibility, I suggest making
the Vendor field a checkbox with value "x" and put a text field that has
the value "x" in your cheque log. You would then set up the relationship
using those two fields as the key fields. You could use a global field
to hold the "x" in the cheque log (but cautious in the use of global
fields to hold permanent values in a multi-user networked environment).

To your second question, my preference would to have a single Contact
table, with text fields (formatted as check boxes in your data entry
layout) to indicate if the the contact is a Vendor, Customer or any
other category. That is normally the most economical structure, and
makes it easier to manage any contacts that is both a customer and a
vendor.

Extra fields in a table don't really cost much in overhead; extra tables
cost more.

You can have different layouts of the Contact table for Customers and
Vendors if that makes sense in your situation, or have different tab
controls on the same layout, with different fields in each tab control.

On May 4, 9:22*am, Buckbuck <buck.matthe... (AT) yahoo (DOT) com> wrote:
Matt,

I prefer a separate Vendor table. It helps organize your fields.

If this is going to be on a network, a filtered value list can take
some time to load while one pulling all the records from a table is
much faster.

"Overhead" in terms of extra tables or fields doesn't have much of an
impact on performance.

G