daily sales reports / getting started with FMP

[tracking27]

I am brand new to FileMaker Pro and to databases in general. I'm looking at FileMaker because I'm trying to find a better solution for tracking the daily sales for my company, and I’m hoping that FMP might have the answer. Typically, we create spreadsheets that track our daily sales within the context of week. This is a sample sales report for our company that we send out to our investors each day:

 

 

Right now we do this in Excel. The above table is actually a PivotTable (technically two PivotTables). Because all of our investors are used to seeing reports like this, I’m looking for a solution that can create a report that looks similar to the above.

 

We collect all of the data for the above report in an Excel list that looks like this:

 

 

I’m beginning to think that a database would be better solution for tracking this type of data. I’ve found that after only a few months of collecting the data in this fashion and then showing it on a PivotTable that my Excel file has become huge and unwieldy, and my assumption is that a database such as FMP would handle this better, especially after many years of tracking our daily sales. I’m also hoping that FMP could automatically generate some graphs (samples below at the end of this post) to go along with the above table that we would send out to our investors as a PDF on a daily basis.

 

Another problem with the PivotTable solution is the data entry. Because we collect the data in a long list, we first have to copy and paste the previous day’s sales to extend the list and then go back and change the day (eg. Tueday to Wednesday) and the date (eg. 03/04/08 to 03/05/08). Then we have to delete the sales figures that are in our new Wednesday part of the list before entering the actual sales for Wednesday. As you can imagine, it’s a cumbersome process. We would much prefer to have one simple data entry form that looks something like this:

 

 

At the end of the day we’re looking to create a more robust system for tracking our daily sales that can replicate the reporting chart that we currently use and at the same time simplifies the process of data entry. I started to look at FMP but I can’t quite figure out how to begin setting this up. I would be very curious if any of this is possible and if so what I'll need to do to get started on my database.

 

Many thanks!

 

ps. below are some sample charts that we would be interested in if FMP could generate them automatically

 

 

[blackcat]

Definately the way to go!

Filemaker can do what you need, some yeas ago I did a similar thing for a friend of mine where 5-6 hours every week was used to produce the reports needed, I did the solution in about 1 week after which the report took less than 5 mins to compile from some 200,000 records imported.

 

The graphing can be achieved but you will need to look at plugins to do this.

 

Good Luck

Steve

[blackcat]

Forgot to mention, As you are new to Filemaker you need to decide on your timescale as this can be time consuming if you don't know the basics, if this is something you are required quite quickly then you may want to find a developer close to you to help you, I'm sure there are a few here on this forum in the NY area that could help you out either as a supplier or Guru, not forgetting the great resource of this forum.

 

Steve

[ronnie65]

It is great to get encouragement but you did not answer the questions, how is it done? I'm trying to create a database that tracks similar items daily for a total weekly count to monthly and then to yearly.

 

Any real "how to help" would be great.