Overview
What is Claris FileMaker?
Claris' FileMaker is presented as a Workplace Innovation Platform, and is used to create a custom app. Manual processes can be automated with Claris FileMaker Pro, and apps can be created to manage contacts, track inventory, organize projects, etc.
Can't go wrong with this one!
It is very useful, smart to use, and saves time
The Problem Solvers Problem Solver
Can't beat this amazing platform!
Obsolete and impossible to integrate or migrate.
Database Management Doesn't Have to be a Pain
When You Want Your Software to Fit the Business Instead of Forcing Your Business to Fit the Software
Gets the job done but has some issues
FileMaker Pro works well for complicated databases
All in One
FileMaker Pro
Filemaker Pro for all Business Needs
FileMaker Pro At Work
FileMaker keeps your event files organized
FileMaker Pro Library Software Review
Pricing
Platform Subscription
$21
Individual desktop license
$594
Entry-level set up fee?
- No setup fee
Offerings
- Free Trial
- Free/Freemium Version
- Premium Consulting/Integration Services
Starting price (does not include set up fee)
- $21 per month per user
Product Demos
FileMaker/HTML5/JavaScript GPS Map Demo (iPad)
Text Parsing in FileMaker : Live Demo - Example 1
FileMaker Pro 11 Course for Beginner
Product Details
- About
- Competitors
- Tech Details
- FAQs
What is Claris FileMaker?
FileMaker Pro comes with built-in templates delivered through a marketplace. And Claris FileMaker Go for iPad and iPhone is a solution presented as ideal for mobile teams in the field or away from a desk. It can be used to (for instance) check inventory in the warehouse, create invoices during client visits, or perform inspections onsite.
Claris FileMaker Video
Claris FileMaker Competitors
Claris FileMaker Technical Details
Deployment Types | On-premise, Software as a Service (SaaS), Cloud, or Web-Based |
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Operating Systems | Windows, Mac |
Mobile Application | No |
Frequently Asked Questions
Comparisons
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Reviews and Ratings
(170)Community Insights
- Business Problems Solved
- Pros
- Cons
- Recommendations
FileMaker has been widely adopted by small and medium enterprises in various sectors to address a wide range of business needs. Users have leveraged FileMaker to solve business problems and automate processes, such as time tracking, invoicing, reporting, and more. The software has become mission-critical for companies, with every employee using it on a daily basis. It has been utilized for office administration, invoicing, expenses, data collection, contact management, and inventory management. Companies have found FileMaker to be a versatile tool that eliminates islands of technology by providing a central database that can be accessed on any device from anywhere. It has been deployed on Mac and Windows desktops, web browsers, and native iOS and Android applications.
In addition to its versatility, FileMaker Pro has proved valuable in specific industries. For example, it has been used in the medical sector for solutions like managing patient records and tracking medical data. Agricultural businesses have employed FileMaker to streamline processes related to crop management and inventory tracking. Similarly, transport companies have utilized the platform for tasks like logistics planning and fleet management. Additionally, FileMaker Pro's flexibility has made it useful in designing questionnaires, developing web applications, and creating custom solutions tailored to meet specific requirements across various domains.
Furthermore, FileMaker Go mobile platform has enabled fast and cost-effective custom application development for iOS devices. It has allowed businesses like Merch Media to manage contact information efficiently while processing orders and managing detailed data. Peer Bearing Company has customized FileMaker Pro to fit their specific needs, making it their primary software solution. In the education sector, FileMaker Pro has facilitated staff management, activity tracking logs, billing processes assistance, student progress monitoring, homework logging, report card generation collaboratively.
The software's impact extends beyond individual company functions as well. For instance, it has played a role in event planning by assisting with tasks like food and beverage tracking or organizing catalogs and libraries. Studios have relied on FileMaker Pro for production staff to search inventories and generate layouts. It has also been used as a replacement for Microsoft Access databases, providing improved reliability and multi-user access.
Overall, users have found that Claris FileMaker is an effective tool for solving various business problems, automating processes, and improving productivity across different industries. Its flexibility, adaptability to different platforms, and ability to streamline workflows have made it a valuable asset in managing data, creating custom solutions, and facilitating collaboration.
Seamless Integration: Several users have praised Claris FileMaker's ability to seamlessly integrate with other applications, specifically highlighting its commendable integration with the finance application MYOB. This integration feature has eliminated the need for manual data entry, saving time and improving accuracy in timekeeping processes.
Data Integrity and Confidentiality: Reviewers have expressed their satisfaction with Claris FileMaker's capability to maintain data integrity and confidentiality through its integration with MYOB. This aspect is highly valued as it ensures the security of sensitive financial information.
Improved Productivity: Many users have found that the integration between Claris FileMaker and MYOB has enhanced their overall productivity. The ability to integrate with other applications has significantly improved workflow by saving time and increasing efficiency. Users appreciate how easily Claris FileMaker integrates with MYOB for various business needs and requirements, showcasing its versatility and adaptability.
Confusing and Not User-Friendly UI: Several users have expressed dissatisfaction with the user interface of Claris FileMaker, describing it as confusing and not user-friendly. They have encountered difficulties in editing calculations and scripts, as well as creating print layouts compared to other software like Crystal Reports.
Lack of Essential Features: Reviewers have pointed out that Claris FileMaker lacks certain important features. These include a built-in version control mechanism, a centralized security module for multiple files, and a modular code structure. Developers find it challenging to work without these features, which impacts their productivity.
Limited Customization Options: Some users feel that FileMaker Pro is not customizable enough, particularly from the user side. They encounter difficulties in customizing the program's appearance and sending rich text emails. This limitation hinders their ability to tailor the software to their specific needs.
Users commonly recommend the following:
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Learn and explore: Users suggest learning what FileMaker is good at and how to get the best out of it. They recommend attending the DevCon conference to collaborate with other users and learn about the platform's features.
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Start small and customize: It is advised to begin with a small project to understand how FileMaker works and how easy it is to modify. Users suggest playing around and experimenting with FileMaker or hiring a certified developer for assistance. Updating to the latest release of FileMaker is also recommended.
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Consider customization and collaboration: Users highlight FileMaker's ability to connect to big data, design creatively, and build on a reliable data engine. They recommend hiring third-party developers for advanced customization. FileMaker is seen as a great platform for diverse mobile teams to build custom apps. Additionally, users highly recommend FileMaker for its seniority, usability, reliability, and the vast number of people available for collaboration.
Attribute Ratings
Reviews
(1-4 of 4)Filemaker to save the day!
- Develop custom solutions very fast
- Simple to use for non-developers
- Easy rollout of solutions company-wide
- Easy setup of server to host custom solution
- Developer features need to be beefed up - namely adding the ability to search code for a phrase or keyword and the ability to do the same in the "relationship graph" in the database.
- Add ability for users to edit the same table record at the same time by version control.
- Allow Filemaker Server to use more than 1 core; currently multi-processing is not supported and it can be tricky to find just the right server to support the application you've built to the fullest capacity.
One example is that my company requires orders to be submitted where based on product type, purchase location and company category all impact the price that is charged. I've used several e-store solutions and most of these are very cut and dry. You can have a product with 1 price, the only exception is a coupon code. Filemaker allowed us to create an store that allows our users to create an order based on our crazy pricing structure.
- Positive impact for my company is that we have designed a solution that meets the needs of our very custom processes.
- My company is in the process of expanding rapidly and with that the need for new tools are need quickly. With most languages (like Java or .Net), it could take weeks to develop the same tool it takes us 3 days to make in Filemaker.
- The most negative impact however is that at times Filemaker will just become overwhelmed and we have no choice but to restart the server which hosts the application.
- Managing tables
- Editing code
- Debugging code
- Managing table relationships
- Searching relationships
- Searching code/scripts
- Code versioning
Developing custom apps is so easy with FileMaker
- You can rapidly build custom apps with FileMaker.
- FileMaker custom apps deploy easily on desktops and laptops, web and mobile devices.
- It has an amazing ease of use from an end user's perspective.
- For developers, it has a great toolkit builtin, which allows for short development cycles.
- The developer IDE still has some room for improvement.
- OAuth integration is possible, but only with a fixed set of providers.
- More documentation on the innerworking of the FileMaker database engine would be welcome.
- The ROI of FileMaker as a business platform is higher than any other programming language or tool that I am aware of.
- It allows organisation to quickly adapt to changes in business processes.
- An issue is that its binary file format and the integration of code, layouts and data in 1 file does not easily allow to reuse code.
- Microsoft Access and .NET
- Searching data
- Sorting data
- Navigating to different modules
FileMaker Pro... Go... WebDirect... FileMaker NOW!
- FileMaker Go client app for iPad and iPhone help make "going mobile" a breeze
- FileMaker WebDirect allows for a "desktop database in a web browser" without the need for extra development tools
- FileMaker Server provides a robust central database server. It's easy to set up for workgroups or entire companies
- FileMaker plays nice with most legacy systems. It allows you to wrap your database solution around data from other systems
- Speed. It does a most things fast, but some things (calculations) could be faster
- Some limitations in creating print layouts (compared to Crystal Reports, for example)
- Elimination of desktop based spreadsheets throughout the organization (islands of information)
- Elimination of paper
- ROI is off the charts
- Easy to find what we need to find
- Easy to continuously improve the system, even while we are working in it
- Microsoft Access - No contest
- QuickBooks - as a front end to QuickBooks, no contest compared to other solutions on the market
- SQL - No contest for ease of use and single tool functionality for building front- and back-ends that work on all devices
- Microsoft Word / Sort Merge with Excel forget about it!
- Excel - de facto standard in spreadsheets but with FileMaker who needs spreadsheets?
- Professional services company
Why I love FileMaker Pro
- Flexibility - this is the number one reason I use FMP - I can create documents, reports and fields to appear anyway I want them! Have never seen another software come close in this regard.
- Ease of use - As an advanced user but not a developer - I can fix or modify many things myself on the fly. This saves me time and money and gives me instant results.
- Design Aesthetic - As someone who works in advertising and marketing, I care about design. FMP allows me to have a beautifully designed system. So many databases I have seen look like something from the early 90s. I appreciate that my system I use and look at all day can be well designed.
- Number one issue - cannot access via SAAS like Salesforce or similar systems. All our employees have to have a copy of FMP downloaded & maintained on their machine. Would love to access full capabilities via internet - I "think" they "might" be working on this!
- No financial package - We still have to import financials into a different software. Would love to have full module of small biz accounting.
- Licensing & Maintainence & Customer Service could be better & clearer. I always feel like I have to start over when updating.
- Superior customer service - all data is at our fingertips when we need it.
- Dependability - we have relied on FMP for 15 years & it never disappoints.
- Archived info - we can access data over the years & helps when former clients return.