Lotus Notes – Multiple Forms but 1 View
I want to setup a Notes database with multiple forms, but one view/report with information from the different forms. One form might have details on a portable computer (eg. type, serial number), another the software available and it's serial number, and a third form details of the user and their location. The laptops are in a pool and there are some spares left around, of course. I wish to track who has which laptop and what software with a report by laptop. I may have 10 laptops and 10 copies of Lotus Notes (needed by all) but only 5 copies of MS Office (needed only by some). I need to ensure MS Office isn't installed on a laptop that wont be used; allowing a simple machine swap when needed. How do I link forms to each other??
Software/Hardware used:
Software/Hardware used:
ASKED:
February 11, 2009 11:18 PM
UPDATED:
February 13, 2009 4:47 PM
Answer Wiki:
You should decide on a main form. From your description, the hardward form might be best. Your hardware form would have lookup fields that would allow you to select the software, user, location, etc...
All your forms would have a unique ID 'computed when composed' field (@unique). Then your lookup views (for software,user,location) would have a column displaying the item text|uniqueID.
So when your hardware form is saved with all the associated attributes selected, it will be 'linked' to the user (etc) because those field values will contain something like this for user..."Joe-Ann Schmoe|MUE-5684"
Even if Joe-Ann gets married and changes her last name...her UniqueID won't change.
Then your all-in-one view is simply a Hardware form view with those field values formated to your liking.
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I concur with Mherman; you should show only your computer form in the main view. Have other views for users and software. You can hide the other views from some users if you wish. Think of a relational database with three tables – you’ll be glad you structured it this way.
An alternative would be to have the user forms shown in the main view, and the user form could have a selection field that draws its choices from the Laptops view. The Laptop form can have a software selection field that draws from the Software view.