# Beginning FileMaker 03 — Layouts

**URL:** https://the.fmsoup.org/t/beginning-filemaker-03-layouts/2735
**Category:** Beginning FileMaker
**Created:** [February 3, 2022, 1:51am UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/beginning-filemaker-03-layouts/2735 "2022-02-03T01:51:02Z")
**Posts on this page:** 1
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![steverichter](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/the.fmsoup.org/steverichter/32/1022_2.png) [@steverichter](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/steverichter)
#### Post date: [February 3, 2022, 1:51am UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/beginning-filemaker-03-layouts/2735/1 "2022-02-03T01:51:02Z")

</div>

Once you’ve established your design, tables, and table occurrence groups (TOG) you’ll need to create layouts.

According to longtime developer [John Mark Osborne](https://philosophyoffilemaker.com/kiss-71), “FileMaker is structured around find, list and form. A user performs a find, is presented with a hit list of matches and then clicks to display details.”

Each of these requires a layout; four of the most common layouts are:

Interface layouts – for data entry and/or viewing data

Utility layouts – for new windows, loops, and other processes

Printed layouts – for generating reports

Developer layouts – for internal developer use only

In Osborne’s scenario above, a user would view an interface layout, perform a find, be presented a list of results, and then click on one of the line items to open another layout (e.g., a card window) with additional details for that record.

There are many sources devoted to designing effective layouts:

Claris has [10 tips](https://support.claris.com/s/article/10-tips-for-designing-great-looking-layouts-in-FileMaker-Pro-1503693050268?language=en_US) for creating great looking layouts.

Matt Petrowsky has several videos available on his [website](https://www.filemakermagazine.com/videos/successful-ui-design).

Alexis Allen’s FileMaker Design University offers many useful blog posts. I’d recommend reviewing her articles on [lines](https://www.fmdesignuniversity.com/2014/03/13/visual-design-basics-for-filemaker-line/), [space](https://www.fmdesignuniversity.com/2014/05/16/visual-design-basics-for-filemaker-space/), and [shape](https://www.fmdesignuniversity.com/2014/09/08/visual-design-basics-for-filemaker-shape/).

For additional discussion on layout types, see [this post](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/layout-types/2693).