Commit Records/Requests: when and how to commit in FileMaker scripts

Beginner

Commit Records/Requests writes in-progress field changes to the database. Learn when FileMaker commits automatically, when you must commit explicitly, and how to use "No dialog" to suppress the commit dialog.

What you'll learn

What it means for a record to be "in edit mode" in FileMaker
When FileMaker commits automatically vs when you must call Commit explicitly
How to suppress the commit dialog with the "No dialog" option

In FileMaker, a record is "in edit mode" whenever a field value has been changed but not yet saved — Commit Records/Requests explicitly writes those changes to disk and is required before switching layouts, running PSOS, or triggering downstream logic.

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Commit a record after modifying it

After any Set Field step, the record is in edit mode. Call Commit Records/Requests [ No dialog ] to write the changes and exit edit mode.

FileMaker Script

Set Field [ Contacts::status     ; "Active" ]
Set Field [ Contacts::updatedAt   ; Get ( CurrentTimestamp ) ]

Commit Records/Requests [ No dialog ]
Set Variable [ $error ; Value: Get ( LastError ) ]

If [ $error ≠ 0 ]
  Exit Script [ Result: $error ]
End If

FileMaker script commenting conventions Show All Records, Omit Record, and Omit Multiple Records in FileMaker