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Claris FileMaker

Claris FileMaker

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.

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Recent Reviews

TrustRadius Insights

FileMaker has been widely adopted by small and medium enterprises in various sectors to address a wide range of business needs. Users have …
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All in One

9 out of 10
October 17, 2019
Incentivized
We use FileMaker Pro daily for building our product and gathering all the information into one section to make it easily accessible …
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FileMaker Pro

9 out of 10
June 29, 2019
Incentivized
FileMaker Pro is used as our ERP system, and is being used by the entire company. It keeps track of customers, vendors, and inventory.
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Pricing

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Platform Subscription

$21

Cloud
per month per user

Individual desktop license

$594

On Premise
one-time fee

Entry-level set up fee?

  • No setup fee
For the latest information on pricing, visithttps://www.claris.com/filemaker/pro

Offerings

  • Free Trial
  • Free/Freemium Version
  • Premium Consulting/Integration Services

Starting price (does not include set up fee)

  • $21 per month per user
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Product Demos

FileMaker/HTML5/JavaScript GPS Map Demo (iPad)

YouTube

Text Parsing in FileMaker : Live Demo - Example 1

YouTube

FileMaker Pro 11 Course for Beginner

YouTube
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Product Details

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.

FileMaker Pro is a low-code tool so users don’t have to be developers to make an app. Using FileMaker Pro, any problem solver can:

Drag and drop to create layouts.
Use built-in templates and add-ons.
Run apps on Windows and Mac.
Create mobile apps.
Share apps on phones, tablets, and laptops.
Make instant reports on the fly.


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

What is FileMaker Pro?

Claris FileMaker Competitors

Claris FileMaker Technical Details

Deployment TypesOn-premise, Software as a Service (SaaS), Cloud, or Web-Based
Operating SystemsWindows, Mac
Mobile ApplicationNo

Frequently Asked Questions

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.

Claris FileMaker starts at $21.

Microsoft Access, Quickbase, and Zoho Creator are common alternatives for Claris FileMaker.

Reviewers rate Support Rating highest, with a score of 8.6.

The most common users of Claris FileMaker are from Small Businesses (1-50 employees).
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Comparisons

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Reviews and Ratings

(169)

Community Insights

TrustRadius Insights are summaries of user sentiment data from TrustRadius reviews and, when necessary, 3rd-party data sources. Have feedback on this content? Let us know!

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:

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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)
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Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
FileMaker Pro is being used across the whole organization. We originally used it to track the houses we've built. Once that foundation was established we expanded its use to manage almost every process in the organization. We use it for budgeting, tracking opportunities, automatic contract generation, construction scheduling, colour selections, options management, change orders, and after sales service. We use it to feed real time information to our website, we've created an online purchaser portal, and our staff have both desktop and mobile access to the data.
  • Highly customizable. The software is easy to set up to match our existing processes.
  • Fast customization. New features can be added quickly and easily.
  • Open standards. Easy to get info from and push info to the outside world.
  • Have had challenges feeding data to a php website. Are moving to the new Restful API for this.
  • Would like to be able to send rich text emails. Can now do it with CURL commands but not the easiest.
  • Has very detailed layout editing tools, but built in themes with more auto layout functionality would be helpful.
In our situation it is well suited to our organization because one of the owners of the construction company has some programming experience and was able to use FileMaker to make all of the existing systems in the organization electronic. It has been a work in progress and the system has grown with the organization. When we want to shift to meet new market needs or changing government regulations we can move quickly to adjust our electronic processes.

It is well suited to teams or organizations that do things differently than their competitors and want their electronic systems to be reflection of who they are instead of using a canned system that forces them to work the same way everyone else does.

It is not well suited to teams where there is high turnover of employees and managers as custom systems may never get a foothold or be maintained in that environment.
  • Our unique approach to residential construction has made us the clear leaders in our marketplace.
  • We get the best trade partners to work with because we're the most organized. Our trades want us to sell our custom FileMaker solution to our competitors.
  • Our budgeting is real time and agile so we're always on top of our costs.
  • We only enter information once and are able to share it in real time with everyone inside and outside of our corporation.
20 years ago we had to choose between Microsoft Access and Claris FileMaker Pro. We chose FileMaker Pro because it was easier to use. As our systems have evolved around FileMaker Pro we haven't looked at any competitors as we're too far along to start over again with a new programming foundation.
The forums are great with lots of helpful experts and the staff monitor them to provide help where needed. There have been a couple of unique technical issues I've had to deal with that I haven't been able to get resolved so I chose to score this a 9 instead of a 10.
Score 5 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
We use FileMaker Pro (KeyStone) to maintain schedules and keep employee records. It allows us to maintain a large amount of information in one space and has the capability to run a variety of reports and other features that are useful to me. It is being used by only a few individuals across a number of different departments.
  • This program is able to store a large amount of information that is easily accessible.
  • This program can run a variety of reports that can be helpful with my everyday tasks and projects.
  • This program has very easy search functions.
  • This program can be difficult if you have an environment that is distracting because it does confirm changes. They are automatically saved.
  • This program can be frustrating when entering data in multiple fields because the tab button does not send you to the next field, it jumps around.
This program is well suited for companies or individuals who are looking to hold a bunch of data in one place and need to keep it organized. I'd say it is most appropriate for larger organizations but could be useful anywhere there is a Human Resources Department, especially. Overall, it is useful but frustrating at times.
  • It has allowed us to integrate multiple forms of data in one platform for different departments.
  • Allows us to track things like training and education.
The only other program I have used that has any type of similar functionality is ADP Workforce Now. I would prefer ADP Workforce Now overall because it is more user-friendly and can also accept tons of data, run reports, and more. However, FileMaker Pro has functionalities specifically for scheduling that is useful to us as a school that ADP cannot offer.
I have defaulted my rating to a 10 because I have never had to contact customer support. This may be a question that is more appropriate for our IT department. I do not have any personal first-hand knowledge or experience dealing with the customer service department of this software at this time.
David Renberg | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
We use FileMaker to keep track of our transactions and revenues associated with sales and commissions paid. We also keep track of various aspects of each sale and how each category breaks down compared to total sales. We hired a developer to design a custom program for us to use for these purposes on FileMaker.
  • It is extremely versatile, if you are, or have a good programmer, it can be used for many purposes to organize data.
  • It seems to not take a ton of RAM to run, my computer has no issues running it.
  • Although the file can be stored in a cloud, I like that it is a locally run program, regardless of internet access.
  • It is very technical, you have to really know what you are doing to come up with the initial use.
It is suited well to help organize lots of data in the same place. Not worth the cost of implementation if a basic spreadsheet works for your purposes, but if you have lots of data associated with each entry, it works well. QuickBase is an excellent alternative and is internet-based, but not quite as customizable.
  • Helped with goal tracking.
  • Making my data quickly accessible in a digested and visual form.
  • It does require ongoing maintenance.
Quick Base is internet-based and easily programmable by the end-user. Because of that, it is not as customizable as FileMaker. We had very specific purposes that were more easily accomplished in FileMaker (eg. Auto-calculating fields were more fool proof-ly accomplished in FileMaker). I also preferred the desktop application as opposed to online.
I do not have experience with their support.
Carl Schwarz | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
ResellerIncentivized
I develop a wide variety of solutions with FileMaker pro (medical, agricultural, transport, trades, questionnaires, web applications including business applications and blogs, etc.). I deploy FileMaker to Mac and Windows desktops, web browsers, and native iOS and Android applications (Android applications are a lot of work, however). FileMaker is very versatile and powerful, yet simple to get started.
  • FileMaker deploys to all mainstream internet connected devices very easily with a drag and drop interface builder that requires no coding for simple systems (PC, MAC, Mobile phone).
  • FileMaker is great for sharing information in teams.
  • FileMaker is simple enough that regular users (e.g. mechanics) can create their own simple databases if you let them!
  • FileMaker Server is suitable for hundreds of concurrent users at a time with a *well developed* system but not thousands. In general FileMaker is good for small to medium businesses, teams, or for rapid prototyping large scale complex applications.
  • FileMaker has a good suite of basic graphical charts but for more complicated "B.I." style dashboards, it is good to integrate your FileMaker data with another system which is easy to do.
FileMaker is well suited for creating business management applications, e.g. ERP systems like job scheduling, customer management etc., and for remote access applications e.g. for staff that is on the road. FileMaker's ability to accept signatures on an iOS mobile phone and scan barcodes etc., makes it exceptionally good at rapidly developing powerful remote applications on iOS.
  • Jumping up from Microsoft Excel or (gasp) no system at all will see a great saving in management time and a huge ROI because of this. All the standard 'good system' benefits apply here - increased efficiency (e.g. less phone calls per job due to better information), reduced errors, greater productivity (more jobs done due to less administration/waste time), Improved staff morale due to a better system and improved customer satisfaction due to less 'running around' etc.
  • Moving across from systems that are hard to deploy remotely or share such as Microsoft Access will see positive ROI due to increased visibility of information to remote workers.
  1. MYOB has great accounting features but doesn't have the customisability or features to create the business management system that will do what you want it to do. Using a FileMaker Pro solution for business management and MYOB/XERO for the accounting is a great combination.
  2. Microsoft Access is locked to the PC world and is hard to deploy elsewhere, I suggest if you have an Access solution to migrate that to FileMaker Pro which for smaller systems is easy to do.
  3. SQL back-end style systems with .net / Java etc. front ends are great if you need 10's of thousands of concurrent users at a time but the development costs of systems like this are very very high compared to a RAD like FileMaker. If you have a small to medium business or team then use a RAD (rapid application development) system like FileMaker.
I could call or email FileMaker at any time to discuss my issue, and they were very pro-active at asking for help from me about my problem when they needed more information and at asking me if my issue was resolved.
No
I have offered to pay for premium support in the past but FileMaker gave me the support anyway. They seem to care very much that issues are resolved in my favour.
Yes
FileMaker software updates happen about 3 times per year.
I had a server issue that seemed like a FileMaker Server problem. It turns out it was a problem with the FileMaker scripting, FileMaker relentlessly helped me find the source of the issue and did not charge me for support even though the problem was not theirs, and that I offered to pay!
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