Before you can enter data into a database, you must create (define) fields. A field definition includes a name, type, and options or a formula.

Defining a field

To define a new field:

1	Create a new database document, or choose Define Fields from the Layout menu in an existing database document.
2	Type a name for the field.
3	Choose a field type from the pop-up menu.
4	Click Create.
5	Select the options you want or define a formula for the field:
	• For pop-up menu, radio button, value list, and record info fields, set field options in the dialog box that appears. • For text, number, date, time, name, checkbox, and serial number fields, click Options and set field options. • For calculation and summary fields, enter calculations and formulas in the dialog box that appears. • For multimedia fields, there are no options to set.
6	When you have defined the fields you want, click Done. (You can define more fields later.)

Deleting a field and its data

Deleting a field removes it and all its data from every record in a database. When you delete a field, it no longer appears in any layouts that contained it.

To delete a field:

1	Choose Define Fields from the Layout menu.
2	Select the name of the field you want to delete.
3	Click Delete, then click OK.

Related topics

	Defining and working with database fields
	Inserting or removing fields on a layout
	Formatting fields on a layout
	About functions