Creating and managing layouts and reports

FileMaker Pro layouts determine how information is organized for viewing, printing, reporting, finding, and entering data. Layouts don’t store your data—they just display it.

Database files can have many different layouts, which display data in a variety of ways. Within one database file, you can design separate layouts for entering data, reporting summaries, printing mailing labels, publishing a database on the Web, and so on. You can change a layout’s design without affecting the data or other layouts for the file. When you change the data in a field, the changes are reflected in the same field on all the layouts in the database.

In a layout, you:

•	choose which fields to display

•	arrange and format fields

•	add or modify field labels

•	create reports, for example, to group or summarize data

•	specify how records are printed

•	add graphics and text to add emphasis and interest

When you create a database file (without using one of the database template files shipped with FileMaker Pro), FileMaker Pro automatically creates a Standard form layout for the initial table in the file, and for each newly added table that contains fields.

You create additional layouts by switching to Layout mode and using the New Layout/Report assistant, a wizard that guides you through creating the layout according to options you choose. In addition to Standard form, there are four other types of layouts and one view that you can create with the New Layout/Report assistant. Use these different types for various purposes, like displaying a data entry screen or printing a totaled sales report or mailing labels. You can create as many layouts as you need for a file. If you wish, you can customize each layout further by using the design tools that are available in Layout mode.