Filemaker Pro Databases

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Filemaker Pro Databases

• IEPs and Forms
• By Linsey Schott

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Navigation

• To view the entire show, press enter.
• To skip to Hints and Tips, click below

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Overview

• Filemaker Pro is a database which will help you
  prepare hard copies of the major documents you
  use in special education.
• The templates will provide a fun and easy way to
  hold and organize information on a given student.
• Its so easy, even YOUcan do it!

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What it IS and What it IS NOT

• It is a tool to generate hard copies for files.
• It is your record of the most recent student
  information.
• It IS NOT your cumulative record on a student.
• It IS NOT like a microfilm where you can look up
  past information which has been updated.

FMP lives in the present!
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Think of it as a 4-drawer file cabinet
Drawer 1 PK IEP
Drawer 2 5-13 IEP
Drawer 3 Transition IEP
Drawer 4 Forms
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Whats in each drawer?

• Each drawer contains the most current information
  for the students for whom you are case manager.
• You may transfer student information from one IEP
  drawer to the next as they get older.

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What you need to use FMP templates

• Basic word processing ability
• An adventurous spirit
• FAITH
• Theres probably more, but youll figure that out
  as time goes by!

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Starting Out--Opening a Template

• On your hard drive, double-click the icon for the
  template you wish to use.

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Starting Out Opening a Template

• The Password box appears

• Type in the secret password. (The password is
  password.) Click OK.

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Starting Out Opening a Template

• When you open a template, the first thing you see
  is the Main Menu
• Click once on the button for the page or form you
  wish to use.

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Making Your Unique Password

• Under the File menu, choose Change Password.
• The following box appears

• Do as it says and click OK.

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Understanding the TemplateThe Status Area
This tells you which form or IEP page you are
using.
You can flip through records by clicking on this
card file.
This tells you how many students you have
entered on this template. Note This number
should not exceed the number of students on your
caseload.
This lets you know they are in no particular
order.
Please note that this area is blank!
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Understanding the TemplateThe Status Area
If you CLICK on this bar...
A pop-up menu appears with the forms listed
in alphabetical order. Click on any form, and FMP
will take you there!
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Understanding the TemplateThe Bottom Line
Clicking here will make the status area appear or
disappear.
IMPORTANT You must be in the Browse mode when
you enter new information!
Its a nice thought, but F1 isnt all that
helpful.
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Managing Records

• You should never have more records than you have
  students.
• There are three ways to begin a new record
• Type Ctrl-N
• Select Records, New Record or
• Click the New Record icon on the task bar.

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Entering Information

• Open the desired template .
• On the main menu, click once on the desired page.
• Press Tab
• Your cursor should appear in the first text box.
• Type!

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Editing Information

• Open the desired template .
• On the main menu, go to the desired page.
• Click once in the box you wish to edit.
• Use your word processing skills to make the
  desired changes.
• Voilá, you just edited a record!

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Word Processing Hints Tips

• If the contents are highlighted in blue, what you
  type will replace what was there.
• If you goof, type Ctrl-Z go to Edit - Undo
  typing or click the Undo button on the toolbar
  to undo the last action.

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Word Processing Hints TipsShortcuts

• Ctrl-B Enter Browse Mode
• ?-Ctrl-B Bold
• Ctrl-I View Index
• ?-Ctrl-I Italics
• Ctrl-U Enter Preview Mode
• ?-Ctrl-U Underline

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Word Processing Hints TipsShortcuts

• Tab Move to next field
• Ctrl-A Select all contents of a field
• Ctrl-J Show all records
• Ctrl-tab Tab within a field
• Ctrl-S Sort Records
• Ctrl-P Print

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Pitfalls to Avoid

• Entering information in the FIND mode.
• Failing to fill out IDENTIFYING INFORMATION
• Using Save a Copy As

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Pitfalls to Avoid

• Having multiple records for the same student
• Having a students file on more than 1 teachers
  template
• Neglecting to back up data.

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Printing

• Three ways to print your document
• Type Ctrl-P
• Select File, Print or
• Click the Print icon on the task bar.
• Once you do, a familiar box will appear...

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Printing

• Make sure you are printing the current record.

Make sure you tell the computer which pages you
wish to print.
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The FIND Mode

• Use the FIND mode to locate an individual record
  or group of records.
• There are three ways to enter the FIND mode

1. Under the View menu, choose Find Mode 2.
Type Ctrl-F 3. Select Find on the
pop-up menu on the bottom line.
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The FIND Mode

• Type in the identifying information by which you
  will look up the file or files

• Then click the Find button.

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The FIND Mode
Note the change in the status bar-- There are 15
records, but only 1 is found.

• To have access to all records again, do one of
  the following
• Type Ctrl-J OR
• Choose Records Show all records OR
• Click the Show all Records icon

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The FIND Mode
WARNING
A common error is to enter information while in
the FIND mode, particularly on the IEP
templates. If you enter information in the FIND
mode, all information you have entered will be
LOST when you click the FIND button. When you
enter information, be certain you are in the
BROWSE mode.
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Sorting Records

• Sorting records makes it easier to locate
  students using the flip file on the status bar.
• There are three ways to sort records
• Type Ctrl-S
• Select Records, Sort Records or
• Click the Sort Records icon on the task bar.

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Sorting Records
Make certain Student last na appears in the
Sort Order box then click Sort
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Sorting Records

• Your Status Bar will now indicate the total
  number of records.
• It sill also show that theyare sorted.
• You can now use the flipfile to navigate
  throughyour student records.

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Deleting Records

• There are three ways to delete a student record
• Type Ctrl-E
• Select Records, Delete Record or
• Click the Delete Records icon on the task bar.
• You will always be asked to confirm your choice

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Print Preview

• There is NO print preview button.
• There are 3 ways to preview your document
• On the bottom taskbar, click on Browse and move
  your cursor up to Preview or
• Go to View, Preview Mode or
• Type Ctrl-U
• You cannot enter information in Preview Mode.

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Save Data
FMP saves your work automatically during idle
time. DO NOT SAVE IT MANUALLY. PLEASE, PLEASE,
PLEASE RESIST THE URGE! What happens if I do,
you ask. Your file cabinet will be a mess!
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Backing Up Data

• Computers crash and disks fail.
• The good news is that you always have a hard copy
  of your work.
• The bad news is that if you dont back up your
  data, you may end up retyping it all.

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Backing Up Data

• You can back up on a zip drive, on the server, on
  a pen drive or on a CD/DVD.
• You may want to back up the Forms template 1 or 2
  times during the school year.
• Backup the IEP templates more often--after each
  IEP or quarterly.

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Backing Up Data

• With the program closed, click and hold the icon
  of the template you wish to back up.
• Drag it to the window of your backup drive.

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Final Thoughts...

• The computer is your friend.
• Most questions are easy to answer.
• There is almost no way for you to destroy the
  program.
• This will make your life easier!

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Happy Computing!