FileMaker: Relational Database Design

Learn how to translate aspects of the real world into the form and language of a relational database.

Introduction

• Welcome
• Why relational databases?
• Using exercise files

1. Reviewing Data Modeling

• Introduction to data modeling
• Reviewing relationship types
• Diagramming your relationships

2. Resolving Many-to-Many

• Understanding problems caused by many-to-many relationships
• Adding a join table

3. Introducing Key Fields

• Primary and foreign key fields

4. Using the FileMaker Relationship Graph

• Defining tables in FileMaker
• Defining primary and foreign key fields
• Creating relationships in the relationship graph

5. Working with Relationships

• Introduction to related fields
• Introduction to portals

6. Working with Queries

• Difference between relationships and queries in FileMaker
• Multiple match fields in a relationship
• Using operators in query relationships

7. Creating Child Records

• Using value lists to link child records
• Using relationship options to create related records
• Using scripts to create child records

8. Real-World Data Modeling Examples

• Donations example
• Class enrollment example
• Personnel management example

9. Advanced Relationship Techniques

• Using global fields to filter portals
• Using global fields to create a user-driven portal filter
• Using relationships in a script to navigate
• Reviewing related data more than one site away
• Creating self relationships
• Creating aggregate functions using relationships
• Dashboards using relationships
• Cascading portals

Conclusion

• Next steps