Managing your inquiry data in PORTAL requires you to navigate to various locations within the solution depending upon the task at hand. Sometimes this means navigating to a different layout within the same file and other times it means navigating to another file. In either situation, there are consistent navigational tools to assist you throughout the solution as you do your work.
General File Organization
Data in PORTAL are organized into a variety of files all related to one another through Primary and Foreign Keys. This enables you to quickly access and view your data in a variety of ways without being too concerned where data actually resides. However, family information is contained within the FAMILIES file, inquiry data is contained within the INQUIRIES file, contact information is contained in the CONTACTS file. Yet, because PORTAL is a related database, you are able to view selected date from other files within each of these files. The solution is designed to make sense. The data you need to see for a particular task are generally visible from the appropriate layout.
For example, various layouts in the INQUIRIES file allow you to quickly view summary information of related data that reside in other files. You can view a summary of Family 1 information for a particular child within a record on the INQUIRIES Family 1 screen even though that information is stored in the FAMILIES file. If you wanted to view the family data in more detail, you would navigate to that family record in the FAMILIES file.
Navigating Between Solution Files
Central Navigation
There are multiple ways to navigate within PORTAL. The most efficient way is to use PORTAL Central Navigation that opens when you launch the solution. The Central Navigation screen has buttons that, when selected, take you to your primary work areas—INQUIRIES, FAMILIES, CONTACTS, INPUT and PORTALPREFS.
To return to Central Navigation from any screen, click the Home icon located at the top left of any screen. Or, as a short cut, you can type CMD+1 on a Macintosh computer or CTRL+1 on a PC.
FileMaker Pro Window Menu
Because PORTAL is a FileMaker Pro based solution you can also use the FileMaker Pro Window menu located at the top of your screen to navigate between available files. Simply select the file you would like to navigate to from the available list. Not all solution files will be available from the Window menu. Those with parenthesis are hidden from view. Clicking them will bring them to the foreground.
Your Desktop
Any files that are currently open on your Desktop can be accessed by clicking anywhere in the open window of the desired file. This will bring that file to the forefront, making it the active window.
Navigating Within Files
Tabs and Subtabs
There are tabs located below the header on all Card views that navigate you to the primary layouts contained within the active file. They do not navigate you to another file. For example, in the INQUIRES file, there are tabs for the Overview, Parents, Interview, App/Decision, Financial Aid, Testing and Receptions layouts. Information on the Parents layout in INQUIRIES displays information from the related family records in FAMILIES, but the layout itself is located in INQUIRIES.
Located below the navigation tabs on some Cards are subtabs that take you to more detailed information. For example, on the Parents layout in INQUIRIES are subtabs for Family 1, Family 2, and Other information.
While in Browse mode the Layouts Menu below the Book will also navigate you to the primary layouts in the active file.
Navigation and Action Buttons
Related Record Buttons
On many of the screens there are small orange buttons next to displays of data. Clicking these buttons will navigate you directly to the related record in the file where that data resides. This is very convenient when you wish to edit data or see more complete information about that entity. For example, clicking the orange button next to a child’s name in list view in INQUIRIES will navigate you to that child’s Overview layout containing more detailed information.
Action Buttons
There are various action buttons located throughout the solution that, when clicked, perform a task. Examples are the Enroll Admits, Withdraw, Graduate, Promote, and Admit buttons.
Navigation Buttons
There are buttons that navigate you to another layout view of the active record so that you may view or enter additional information. Examples are the More Info and Name Flow buttons.