17 FileMaker Scripts Every

Beginner Should Learn First

By Sunny Chu - fmbeginner.com

Introduction
FileMaker scripting is one powerful tool to help automate your work. But often times the
sheer number of scripts in FileMaker will overwhelm beginner from learning because it is
very difficult to know where to start.

When I first start out with FileMaker, I had to learn scripting through a lot of guessing and
even more trial & error. And that’s mostly because…

I don’t know what I don’t know!

This makes it hard to search for tutorial I need. So I end up spending a lot of my time in
the dark, trying to guess the keyword involved so I can find the right tutorial.

How to use this guide

This PDF guide is intended to help you cut out the the guess work involved in learning
scripting. It will showing you what script you need to learn first and why they are
important.

The scripts are picked base on the following criteria:

(1) Important foundation building blocks you likely can’t live without.

(2) Versatile scripts that will be used in most FileMaker projects

Learning these scripts first will likely yield the fastest result in progress.

The recommended learning method is to look at each of the script step and start
searching for tutorials related to them, and focus on learning them 1 by 1. And once you
understand on a basic level what they do. Try to combine multiple of them together.

And if you like to have a more guided step by step learning experience, you can also
consider checking out my course FileMaker DIY Automator. Not only will the course walk
you through all 17 scripts listed. It is also going to provide you with practice examples of
how to mix and match them together in different situations.

But for now, don’t worry this too much. You can totally learn most of the scripts with the
help of only Google + internet (thats how I did it anyway). So just sit back, and enjoy this
guide!

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Where to start
If you are experienced with coding I would recommend to start with section A > B > C; Otherwise
if you are non-technical backgrounded, it will be better to start with section B > A > C.

A. Scripting foundation
The below scripts are the fundamental of FileMaker scripting, it’s the foundation piece in getting
computer to do what you want. If you are experienced with programming, you will easily find the
counterparts of similar function in other coding language.

Script step / what it does Importance

First off the being able to change layout is obviously important in

Go to Layout terms of navigation.


It will move you to another Also, in a lot of case you will want to add record in another table,
layout and you will need to go to a layout base on that table to do that.

Being able to tell computer to do something over and over again

Loop allows you to delegate hard labour work to computer

Repeatedly do the same thing For example, it enable you to tell the computer to change a text
field to uppercase for 10000 records in just a click of a button.

Being able to move through records is obviously important

Go to Record / Also, by combing the “Loop” with “Go to next record”. You can
tell computer to…

Request / Page
1. Do X to this record,

Go to the next / previous / first 2. Move to the next record

/ last record 3. Loop back to step 1 and do X again…

The above combination is automation gold.

If / Else / End If
Using the “If” conditional statement, you can grant your
Allows you to create a computer ability judge situation and take appropriate action.

conditional command,
basically “if this, do X… Also very essential in automation / computer coding in general.
otherwise do Y”

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 Script step / what it does Importance

Variable is one way of how computer can store temporary data.

Why do you need temporary data? A lot of times when you are
creating an automation, you will need the computer to memorise
something first so you can retrieve it later.

Set Variable

For example let’s say your action is to duplicate record data to a

Save a temporary variable new record in another layout, you will want to tell the computer:

value, that you can retrieve

and use later 1. Save the value in my current layout

2. Go to another layout

3. Create a new record

4. Paste the saved value

Using the “Set Variable” is how you will be doing step 1.

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B. Database CRUD
Most things you do in database is within what database developer called CRUD. It stands for :

C - Create

R - Read

U - Update

D - Delete

Below are the specific script steps that enable you to carry out the essential CRUD function to run
your database smoothly.

If you are a beginner, I highly recommend to start with section B first. As section A usually requires
a combination of multiple script steps to see effects, it is harder to learn; whereas majority of the
scripts listed below can be useful just by itself.

Script step / what it does Importance

New Record / Request

Create a new record Being able to add record and delete record is a part of working
with a database. It is both the C and D element in CRUD.
Delete Record / Request
Delete your current record

Set Field Since FileMaker is a database software, being able to modify &
update the value inside a field is super important. It is the U in
Change data in a field CRUD to be able to update field data.

Perform Quick Find

Being able to search through database is essential to
Perform a search base fields in automation. It allows you to R (read) data that you specified
your layout

Same as quick find, but quick find will search through all the
Perform Find fields in your existing layout.

Perform a search base on a This is a more precise function that allows you to specify
specify criteria which exact field you want to search.

Sorting record allows you to prioritise information, which is

very important to streamlining workflow.

For example, if you have a job order database, you will almost
Sort Records always want to prioritise the task that are near due, right? In
that case you can achieve that by sorting the due date so the
Sort record in your desired order near due task is always on top.



This is also part of the R element in the CRUD to be able to
read information according to your sorting preference.

Show All Records After perform a search, you will see less record in your layout
table. And the “Show all record” scripts will display all your
Remove all search filter and show record in the table again.
all record again.

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C. Business Utilities
This section represent some common utilities function that most business will benefit from. It’s not
the full list of things FileMaker can do, but more like my personal favourites.

Most of the steps is relatively easy to learn and have tangible visible result. They are great for
instant gratification and not to mention a great way to “wow” your co-workers.

They are not of the highest priority to learn. The top priority is to learn section A & B first, because
those are the true fundamentals of FileMaker scripting. Once those are set, you will have no
trouble learning any new utility scripts.

Script step / what it does Importance

Sometimes you will be working with excel spreadsheet and other
Import Records data format like CSV.

Import record automatically This allows you to set up the import rule once, and next time you
base on pre-defined rule can just import all information into the system with a click of a
button.

Save Records as excel Since you can import excel data, it is only natural you would want
some way to export excel data so you can distribute excel files to
Save your current table’s people not using FileMaker.
record as excel

Being able to save as PDF allows you to distribute your

Save Records as PDF documents and reports to other people.

Save your current layout as This is very useful for transaction document like quotation, invoice
PDF and payment receipt. Also for creating analytic / summary report
as well.

Print Similar to PDF, and being able to print a physical copy is

undoubtedly important in business.
Print your current layout

Email automation is situational for some company, but this is my

personal favourite.

Send Mail
I use it almost everyday to send quotation & invoice to my client.
Send email with customised Typing these standardised email can be a major time burn, but
title, text, attachments since I automated the process, I not longer have to spend hours
doing it manually.

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