Deleting table definitions, field definitions, and data
Deleting a table or field in the Manage Database dialog box permanently and irretrievably deletes the table or field definition and all the data in that table or field.
Important  Before you delete a field or a table, confirm that you don’t need any of the data it contains.
To delete a table definition:
1.
Before you delete a table from a file, be sure you don't need any data the table contains.
2.
With the database open, choose File menu > Manage > Database.
3.
In the Manage Database dialog box, click the Tables tab.
4.
In the Tables tab, select one or more tables that you want to delete, then click Delete.
 •
Click Also remove occurrences of these tables in the graph to remove any tables based on this data table from the relationships graph.
 •
Click Delete to continue the deletion.
 •
Click Cancel to leave the table unchanged.
5.
Click Done.
To delete a field definition:
1.
Before you delete a field from a file, be sure you don't need any data the field contains.
2.
With the database open, choose File menu > Manage > Database.
3.
In the Manage Database dialog box, click the Fields tab.
4.
If your database contains more than one table, select the appropriate table from the Table list.
5.
In the Fields tab, select one or more fields that you want to delete, then click Delete.
 •
Click Delete to continue the deletion.
 •
Click Cancel to leave the field unchanged.
6.
Click Done.
To delete a field definition in Table View:
1.
With the database open in Browse mode, click Table View Table View button in the layout bar.
2.
Right-click the column heading for the field.
3.
Choose Field > Delete Field from the shortcut menu.
Notes
 •
When you delete a table, you delete all of the records and field definitions associated with that table.
 •
You can remove a field from a layout without deleting the field definition.
 •
You can’t delete a field if it is referenced in a calculation field, summary field, calculation in a script, or relationship defined in the same file. (If the calculation, summary, script, or relationship definition is defined in a related file, you can delete the field.)
 •
You can’t create, modify, or delete field definitions in an external ODBC data source.
 •
If FileMaker Pro displays a message that you can’t delete a field, do one of the following:
 •
Change the calculation field, summary field, script, or relationship so that it doesn’t include the field you want to delete.
 •
Delete the calculation field, summary field, script, or relationship.
 •
If you place a field from a related table on a layout, and you later delete the field definition from the related table, a placeholder for the deleted field remains on the layout. The placeholder contains the text ::<Field Missing>. (You also see the placeholder if the related table is deleted.)
Related topics 
About relationships
Working with the relationships graph
Changing relationships
Was this topic helpful? Send feedback.