TrustRadius Insights for Claris FileMaker are summaries of user sentiment data from TrustRadius reviews and, when necessary, third party data sources.
Pros
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.
I build database apps in Claris FileMaker Pro for my clients who depend on my technical and graphics expertise to deliver the best possible solution that meets their timeline and budgetary requirements.
Pros
Cross platform
Excellent server
Worldwide developer network
Been in business for 40 years
Cons
In my opinion, Engineering too slow to fix bugs and reported issues
Licensing is too prohibitive for many customers
In my opinion, too many experienced company staff have been replaced by novices
Likelihood to Recommend
1. People who can't get what they need from MS Excel 2. People who can't build what they need with free DIY web apps 3. People whose businesses are clumsy and disorganized
We use this to distribute scholarships to students and a way to organize how we are distributing our budgets towards admitted students
Pros
organize
reports
customization
Cons
it seems a little archaic
some of the tabs are hard to toggle
seems a little outdated
Likelihood to Recommend
It is really good at organizzing how you want it and can show good reports to keep track of financial decisions we are making for students, however it does seem a little older software and sometimes is hard to toggle between reports
A true relational database that is easy to construct and maintain is an invaluable asset to any organization. We actively use over a dozen databases from the simple (address book, purchase order, etc) to the most complex ones that inter-relate location header, registered members, and invoicing.
Pros
Customised reporting
Security profiles
Quick and simple database creation
Cons
'Find' is very good but could use some work
Pivot Table like Excel has would be helpful
Likelihood to Recommend
If a relational database is needed, it is an appropriate choice. Although it does not have all the options of Access, it has more than enough to get the job done and done easier and more intuitively. As the very least, if you are using Excel and sharing it, you would be better off using FileMaker!
VU
Verified User
Manager in Information Technology (201-500 employees)
We use Filemaker as an applicant tracking system for our recruiting firm. The database literally runs our business from recording interactions with clients and candidates to scheduling and texting and emailing straight from the software. All our reporting, payroll, everything except invoicing is done through Filemaker. It literally runs our business and I've been very happy with the way it has performed and adapted with new add-ons and features each time there is an upgrade.
Pros
Customized database
Reporting
Wide scope of features
Cons
Interaction with other software
Not easy to initially set up
Likelihood to Recommend
I have set up Filemaker databases for many different businesses. Where it shines particularly well is when there are many aspects of a business and keeping track of all the people, resources and products is difficult. Filemaker make it easy to keep all the information in one place where reports can cover a broad variety of things or hone in on one specific area. I've used Filemaker for over 10 years and have run a business with entirely remote workers utilizing Filemaker Server. There are endless add-on products but we have used the mapping program, texting, and calendar. All have been excellent products and highlight the ability of Filemaker to adapt to whatever your specific industry is.
Develop cross-platform database applications (Windows, Mac, iOS, and web).
This allows my company to launch an application that allows all employees to communicate with customers to provide the best services and technical support to improve the performance of the service provided to the customer and to communicate with customers and employees in solving problems or making suggestions
Pros
Ease of creating a database for employees
It is easy for developers and IT specialists to improve the performance and manufacture of applications
Ease of following up on customers and monitoring their opinions, whether positive or negative
Cons
Some updates in languages, including Arabic, are missing
When sending long emails, it is not the easiest thing
It needs to be a little faster
Likelihood to Recommend
It is perfectly suitable for many different projects, making it easier for developers to track customers, help them in the best way, and provide a database to provide better service otherwise Not very suitable for large projects that need a lot of complex systems that are important to have available, but it is rather useful
FileMaker is used widely at this large company serving many different departments in many different capacities. This in itself speaks highly of the product in that it can be used to serve so many different needs. Obviously, a company of this size has many large enterprise solutions but those do not handle the needs of individual departments that need highly customized solutions to streamline their operations. Spreadsheets and documents can only be stretched so far before they become their own issues. FileMaker fills in that large gap between what spreadsheets can easily handle and where the large enterprise application takes over. That is a large gap and that is also FileMaker's sweet spot!
Pros
Adaptable to most any use.
Easily scale from small tasks to very large complex solutions.
Create fine grained user roles.
Connect to other applications using a REST based API.
Allow other solution to connect using a REST based API.
Cons
Not great for use by multiple developers at the same time.
Could benefit from built-in audit logging of field level changes.
Likelihood to Recommend
FileMaker handles the small to mid-size company or department use extremely well. Scaling beyond that is not its sweet spot.
VU
Verified User
Consultant in Information Technology (5001-10,000 employees)
Claris' FileMaker software suite provides the backbone of our entire business operation, and virtually all transactions company-wide are handled by the database built on the FileMaker platform. It handles everything from CRM, to generating quotes, contracts, invoices, and handling all equipment inventory needs, etc.
Pros
multi-user support
database integrity
simple user interfaces
Cons
speed
efficiency
better utilization of web/cloud support (its coming, but roll out has been slow it seems like)
Likelihood to Recommend
Claris as an open platform offers so many options for rich database development to accomplish any task within almost any business application you could throw at it. I cannot think of a scenario where the options Claris affords couldn't suite
We use FileMaker Pro as a backend and front end for our second hand car store. It has a low learning curve, which makes it ideal for non-developers to maintain both the front end and product store. One might compare this to Microsoft "Access" software. Like "MS Access" it offers a fast environment, but after a while, when your company starts to grow, it may become rather obsolete and cumbersome when it just does not fit into a professional environment. Nowadays it has become one of our legacy products that we can't "just" get rid of.
Pros
Offers a fast way to store things like "products" on which screens can be build in a fairly easy way.
There is a low learning curve, which means that non-developers can use and maintain this.
It offers separate environments (test and production), that are fairly easy to keep synchronized.
Cons
Data is stored in a "hidden" layer that is very difficult to port to a "real" database. This makes it difficult to query using standardized query language, and difficult to import/export to other relational databases.
There can be only one session open at any given time. This makes it impossible for more than 1 person to maintain it at any given time.
The user interface is a bit chaotic, and the environment itself seems overly complex. Compared to, say, MS Access this makes it a seemingly very professional tool, when in fact it's a rather amateur way of exposing data. Much like MS Access, but MS Access does not pretend to be any more than that.
Likelihood to Recommend
If your company is really small, I can understand the need for a product like this. However, I would go for MS Access... FileMaker Pro can not be integrated with other systems (like MS Access can at least be handled by C# for instance, and can be integrated with MS Excel or even SQL server). I'm really not sure in what scenario one would choose for FileMaker Pro. If your application or company grows bigger, you're going to have a problem to move to another environment. Also, the fact that only one person can work with the backend at any given time is a problem in a somewhat larger company.
VU
Verified User
Team Lead in Information Technology (501-1000 employees)
Our company has used FileMaker Pro for many years. Our primary client-tracking solution is a FileMaker Pro database, and it is used by every employee at our company on a daily basis. Because of this, FileMaker Pro has become mission critical for us. Its accessibility makes us more agile as a company as our workflows and processes evolve over time.
Pros
Intuitive, user-friendly database management
Powerful scripting features
Easy to create attractive layouts from templates
Cons
I'd like to see more granular control of user access, such as the ability to allow certain users to modify a field while others are only allowed to view it, etc.
Likelihood to Recommend
I think FileMaker [Pro] is a great solution for a small business wanting to take the next step from managing data with Excel spreadsheets to actually using a database. It is very intuitive to use and manage. A tech-savvy user can learn to use FileMaker [Pro] very easily without advanced skills as a developer.
