How Innovative Systems Store Information

The Innovative system consists of:

Information in the database is created, viewed, and edited as "records."

Records contain fixed-length and variable-length fields. The subset of fixed-length and variable-length fields a record uses defines each record type. A record contains a single set of fixed-length fields. Variable-length fields are repeatable within a record.

During system set up, your organization might have restricted the types of fixed-length and variable-length fields used in your database. To view the fields your organization uses, see Fixed-length Field Names Table and Variable-length Field Names Table.

Record Numbers

A unique record number identifies each record. The record number indicates the location of the record in the database. During system set up, the installation team established a valid range of record numbers for each record type.

Record Linking

The system links records of certain types. Records have a one-to-one, one-to-many, or no linking relationship, depending on the record type.

Working with Records

You can create, edit, and delete records using menu options. When you create records, the system provides a record template.

Searching for Data in Records

You can search for records and record data. Indexes allow retrieval of records containing specified record numbers and variable-length fields. During setup, your organization specified which variable-length fields to index and the names of those indexes.

Exporting Records

With exported records and fields, you can generate bibliographies, examine a portion of the database, and so forth.

You can export selected records from the Innovative database to a text file. An export file can hold a maximum of 2000 records.

You can also export selected record fields from records.