If you create a database to manage your check book, its convenient to see the balance after each entry. This incremental update is called a running total. You can use a running total summary field to display a total for each record instead of just the total for all records.
To create running totals
1 .Choose File > Define > Database (Control+ Shift+D/Command+Shift+D).2 .When the Define Database dialog box appears, click the Fields tab.3 .Enter a name, choose Summary as the type, and click Create.4 .Click Options. When the Options dialog box appears, choose the "Total of" radio button and check the "Running total" box below the list of fields (Figure 5.41). Click OK.
Figure 5.41. To add running-total summaries for a field, check the "Running total" box when you create the summary field.
5 .Repeat steps 24 for as many running total fields as you need.In our example, we create two summary fields: one for deposits and one for withdrawals.6 .To display the running balance, you need to create a calculation field that subtracts the withdrawal field from the deposit field. With the Fields tab of the Define Database dialog box open, type a name in the Field Name box, select Calculation as the Type, and click Create.7 .In the Specify Calculation dialog box, double-click the first field (in this example, Running Deposit) from the field list on the left, click the minus button in the Operators keypad, then double-click the second fieldin this example, Running Withdrawal (Figure 5.42). Click OK, then OK again.
Figure 5.42. For a running checkbook balance, create a calculation field that subtracts the total withdrawals from the total deposits.
8 .In Layout mode, switch to the layout where you want the running total to appear. Add the Running Balance field to the Body part of a columnar layout or to a standard layout (Figure 5.43). Switch to Browse mode to see the balances.
Figure 5.43. The Running Balance field displays the current balance for each record.