Pre-populating from last year's data

[Lenore Benefield]

I have a form that collects information each year for Annual Reports.
I create a new view for each year. I want to archive previous years.

The first part of the form asks how well the unit did during the current year.
The last part of the Report asks for the unit's plans for next year.

I would like to pre-populate the first part of the with information from the
last part of the previous years' report.

In the first part of this year's view, I added a Rich Text Box with a new
name.
I set the default value for the associated control from last year.

Then I tested it. But it does not seem to save new values into the new
control. Each time the form is opened, the control reverts to the original
default value (last year's info). I have "Update this value when the result
of the formula is recalculated" checked.

What am I doing wrong?

Thanks in advance. (I didn't understand the answer that was given with the
calendar example).

 

[Clay Fox]

Hi Lenore.

It sounds like you are using default values. I think in this case where you
are updating a field automatically which already has data you would want to
use a rule with an action to set the field to a new value.

Do you keep your data in a database? This type of solution usually work a
lot better if you have a central store of the information so that you can
keep it all together and report on it etc. instead of it being dispersed
through many forms.

Open Rules are under the tools menu and form options. This would be where
you would place rules and action to update a from for the new year.
--
Thanks

Clay Fox

Qdabra Software
http://www.qdabra.com

InfoPathDev.Com
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[Lenore Benefield]

Clay,

Thank you so much! I went into form options.
Under "Open Behavior" I set the condition to 'if the field is blank'
Then I set the field = to last year's info.
Now I'll add the rest of the fields I would like to have pre-populated and
on the last one I'll check "Stop processing when this rule finishes"

You made my day!