make a new database

New databases are created in the New Database dialog box. If you've just launched FileMaker Pro, the dialog box will appear automatically. If FileMaker is already running, choose File > New Database to open the dialog box.

A file dialog box appears. Name the database Investment Minder.fp7, specify where on disk to store the file, and click the Save button.

Mac OS X (Tiger) file dialog box

The Define Database dialog box appears, open to the Fields tab. To create each new field, enter its name, choose a field type, and click Create.

The specific fields you'll create, as well as their field types and options, will be explained in the pages that follow.