Claris FileMaker

FileMaker Bewertung

Vorteile:

Mit FileMaker kann man relativ schnell und simpl Layouts anpassen. Dadurch ist FileMaker sehr flexibel und kann den Arbeitsalltag dadurch sehr optimieren.

Nachteile:

Man wird leider von FileMaker gezwungen immer auf der aktuellsten Version und auf dem aktuellensten MAC Betriebssystem zu bleiben. Deswegen müssen wir auf Windows ausweichen.

tolle Client-Server-Datenbankplattform für KMU-Anwendungen

Kommentare: Eine gute und solide Datenbankplattform im Client-Server-Modell für kleinere Unternehmen von ca. 5-100 Datenbankbenutzer. Die Plattform bietet auch für kleine und kleinste Entwicklerteams einen Weg, einsatzfähige und relativ umfangreiche Lösungen innert verhältnismässig kurzer Zeit (Wochen bis Monate) fertigzustellen. Die Plattform droht aktuell den Anschluss an viele Konkurrenten zu verlieren und muss Ihr Entwickler-GUI und Ihre Webfähigkeiten ausbauen. Beim Lizenzmodell ist die Schmerzgrenze vieler Endkunden im Zielsegment erreicht. Der Hersteller muss aufpassen, den Bogen nicht zu überspannen.

Vorteile:

Erprobte, stabile Entwicklungsplattform für kleine bis mittlere KMU-Datenbanklösungen. Plattform entwickelt sich vorsichtig evolutionär weiter (gute Rückwärtskompatibilität), was für Business-Anwendungen wichtig ist. Enwicklungszeit für neue Lösungen ist im Verhältnis zu Allzweckprogrammiersprachen (z.B. Java, C#, usw.) gering (häufig nur Wochen bis Monate). Auch kleinste Entwicklerteams (1-3 Entwickler) können relativ mächtige Lösungen entwickeln und betreuen.

Nachteile:

Die Entwickler-GUI ist in grossen Teilen stark veraltet und umständlich in der Bedienung. Die Webfähigkeiten sind eingeschränkt. Das Lizenzmodell muss sich an der Zielgruppe ausrichten, dabei hat der Hersteller die allerkleinsten KMU-Kunden (<5 Nutzer) in den letzten Jahren bereits ausgeschlossen und droht, weitere Kunden zu verlieren, weil die Plattform-Kosten inzwischen für viele zu hoch sind..

Overall ease of use if familiar with WYSIWYG programming, otherwise can be difficult to manipulate.

Kommentare: We are able to build our IT assets database using this software. We are able to replicate our insurance claim form within it to pull information from our asset record and have another layout for the repairs. We are able to seamlessly find a record, make a new insurance repair record, click a button to email our insurance provider, print mailing and asset labels, and communicate back to the user with just three layouts including the labels. Our previous database, before being rebuilt was 53 layouts but was able to be streamlined to just the three using some slick little boxes that keep a record of repairs on a single device, and by using buttons. This makes filing insurance repair claims much quicker than filling out their excel and PDF forms by hand and also gives us a location to keep our own record.

Vorteile:

I like the granularity of the software and the fact that it can be almost limitless in the possibilities. We use this software to keep our IT asset database, and when we lost the member of our team who managed our database to retirement, we found ourself in a quandary the first time it did not function as needed due to a change in our insurance company's requirements. I was able to figure out the software on my own and rebuild our database in simplified form within three weeks, and fully import all of our assets. Layouts are easily modifiable and integrate well into other applications, like mail. Scripts were easily definable through a little trial and error for this novice. Additionally, the fact that multiple people at our organization can be viewing a single record at once is quite helpful, even if only one can edit at a time, which is easily understandable. Overall, a solid product.

Nachteile:

In terms of cons, Filemaker, while robust, is not very friendly for new users. It is easy to override data that is not locked, and when items are locked, they tend to not be able to function in scripts as well as unlocked data. Additionally, while the data in fields may be requisite for locking, with the chance of change being a rarity, it is not fragile enough to warrant it be locked and unlocked in layout every time. A protective middle-ground would be nice to be able to implement with the click of a button rather than having to write a script to go "Are you sure?". Additionally, my IT director of several years was unable to rebuild or modify our database without issue despite 16 years of IT experience and many more years than myself with FM. My background in WYSIWYG programs like Adobe GoLive prepared me for their natural, if sometimes clunky, nature. I wish the software was less clunky, and more user-friendly, because it would be great for general IT users.

One of my very favourite products!

Kommentare: I developed several applications for clients using FM. It was a pleasure to use and the solutions I provided were reasonably complex. I have successfully created custom apps such as scheduling, billing, quoting and testing. These apps were created for Plumbing & Heating, Optometry and a College.

Vorteile:

The simplicity to create applications from scratch is my fav feature. I was up and running quickly and producing quality applications in no time. I just enjoy using FileMaker!

Nachteile:

There is always room for improvement and I would suggest the developer GUI could use some work. While I find it simple to use, for the most part, there are a couple of areas that might be improved.

Harrassing

Vorteile:

It's okay. Nothing else to say, really.

Nachteile:

They are harrassing. They quoted for a service two years ago that we paid for and since stopped using. Being international, they seem to have missed the payment two years ago. Their emails asking for payment are completely blank emails from a suspicious email address, with an attachment. No name, no account number, not even a signature panel. Obviously, I thought they were spam/viruses and so never opened them. So I only found out they were asking for the money when they called over a year after they first started asking for the money. I then engaged them, told them how odd their invoice emails were, provided payment info, went above and beyond to try and show them that I had paid. Eventually, they agreed and sent me an email saying the issue was resolved.They then sent those blank emails a couple more times and today started threatening to send the account to debt collectors.This is absurd. I don't owe them money and they admitted it!

The Best Database Software for Small to Medium Businesses, AND for Beginners Starting Out

Kommentare: We have done our timekeeping in FileMaker for over two decades. We developed numerous other business solutions that have had a significant impact on our ability to be profitable and become more efficient at everything we do as a company.

Vorteile:

I tried learning databases with SQL and MS Access. It wasn't until I started using FileMaker that I really began understanding how databases work. Although FileMaker is VERY powerful, it caters to beginners in a way that no other software does. The ability to grasp how databases function, how to build them, how to maintain them, and how to develop a solution for yourself, or others, is unmatched. I learned databases with FileMaker and that has helped me understand how SQL works and how databases in general work. All this to say that the thing I like the most about FileMaker is how easy it was to learn along with how powerful it is to develop in. I can make something small for myself, or something huge for a client.

Nachteile:

FileMaker's weakest spot has to do with user interface (layout) tools. Although there is a very good selection of controls available, it pales in comparison to what you can get with other software. Even a free version of Visual Studio will provide you with a lot more layout controls than FileMaker. Although this is FileMaker's biggest weakness, it also means that you aren't overwhelmed with options when designing layouts. That feeds into FileMaker's strengths of being easy to learn.

Fantastic prototyping and database system

Kommentare: At my old job at a translation company, I built an entire "company management system" from scratch over the course of 10 years. The database(s) handles everything from employees, customers, timesheets, project management, invoicing, subletting workstations (they also ran a small office hotel).
A lot of functions were built into the databases to offload a lot of manual tasks to the scripts.
Importing Trados project translation data the project management database, allowing the invoicing, translator payments and project data to be easily calculated. This was previously a manual process and calculation which took more than an hour to gather and process. I wrote a parser in Filemaker that parsed the Trados Project data file, which contained all the data anyway. Thus reducing several hours of (manual) labor per project to mere seconds. There were many of such special functions that was offloaded to Filemaker scripts. Also wrote an SMS/texting script (which used Envaya SMS on an android phone), allowing easy contact with the translators from within the Project Management database. Quick and easy communication with the translators without having to look up their phone numbers all the time.

Vorteile:

The most powerful part of FileMaker is its scripting platform. It makes it easy to add many more functions to a database, while requiring a lot less experience with programming than e.g. coding in SQL. Simple IF/THEN/ELSE commands is a godsend, when you need to create a logic for database functions. While making logic statements is also possible in SQL, it is far from easy, and getting data from a field in SQL? You need a lot of commands; in Filemaker, you just select the relevant field or can even make a logic function that selects the correct field. I could write for hours about the fantastic scripting system...

Nachteile:

Only dislike I have, is that I currently do not have the time to delve into some serious database-design and programming, but that is not actually a problem with the software, but stress-levels at work... So unfortunately I do not use Filemaker at my new job, but I remember it fondly from my old job. (and that is a con in my book, that I do not get to use FileMaker on a daily basis). It's not like we do not have tasks that could benefit from a Filemaker Database, but there are just a lot of other tasks that needs doing.

Excellent database platform. Easy to use and easy to develop for.

Kommentare: After switching to FileMaker Server from another horrible piece of software, we are now able to easily do the development of our databases ourselves. This makes it a very flexible system for us.

Vorteile:

FileMaker is incredibly easy to work with, offers generally well documented online help docs, and has a huge and active community of developers you can learn from. We have used FileMaker Server to host about 20 different databases with great results. I don't think I can overstate it enough that it was very easy for us to learn the software. We migrated from an outdated and ill-supported database system where development was only officially supported by the company that made the software. Contrast that with FileMaker where you are expected to do the development yourself because it's so simple. Very glad we switched to FileMaker.

Nachteile:

I suppose my least favorite thing about FileMaker Server is that upgrading to a new version requires you to uninstall the current version first. This means you have to take some steps to preserve your server-specific settings before the uninstall/upgrade process otherwise you'll be starting from scratch with your server settings. Some settings can be exported to a file, but for others you have to take screenshots to preserve the settings which is a slight pain. This doesn't affect the databases you've created, but would affect scripts that are scheduled to run from the server.

Complex Relational Databases for Non-Complex Creators.

Kommentare: A simple way to throw a database together in minutes for a mailing list or tracking inventory. With the same ease of use, you can have a complex structure for a relational database. Filemaker has allowed me to create what I need myself. Without hiring or outsourcing, I was able to save a great deal of money.

Vorteile:

I've been a user of Filemaker on and off since it's early days as a Claris product. The number one pro in my opinion is the ease in which you can start using Filemaker Databases. The templates out of the gate are well built, have a nice UI and give you the freedom to make them yours easily. Beginners can use the templates to get a taste for the Filemaker development structure while not having to climb a steep learning curve to get an app or database off the ground. Deployment is one click for simple web use and a few more clicks to deploy on a hosted solution like Amazon Web Services. For the expert user, complex systems can be made in a shorter amount of time and a GUI can be in place at the same time. Single developer and teams can all just in can create some thing truly functional and efficient. The ease of use allows you to really create what you wanted not what you are able to achieve due to a learning curve. Help is readily available in the forums and through their customer support. I have received database files as example of how to fix a problem I was having. They really go the extra mile to get you up and running fast. There is a vast library of plug-ins from third party vendors that close the gap on development time. Days if not weeks of time can be saved with one plug-in. They don't come cheap so be sure you need it. There is are also a multitude of free add-ons and plug-in to add functionality to your databases.

Nachteile:

Licensing is a little steep for a small business or single user. The add-ons are also a bit pricey. When looking at the cost to develop, you really need to budget and make sure you only buy what you need.

Robust and easy to use platform

Kommentare: Claris FileMaker is the ideal tool for the enterprise to automate workflows, organize internal processes and create apps for specific uses. This platform is used to address digital transformation and innovate processes and operations.

Vorteile:

It is easy to use and very versatile, offering many user-friendly app design features. The presentation of its functions is visually appealing and modern. It includes a variety of design tools, modern templates and different formats for creating and modifying workflows. It provides the option to combine plug-ins to create apps quickly and easily.

Nachteile:

Its cost is considerably high and entering data in various fields is not very cumbersome when it is done for the first time.

Versatile and easy-to-use application development platform

Kommentare: Claris FileMaker provides a set of tools that improve remote workflow management. It offers the best tools to design the customized apps that our company requires.

Vorteile:

It has a beautiful interface that makes it easy to design and create applications. It has a versatile drag-and-drop tool. Built-in templates make it easy to create applications. It allows you to create visual workflows that allow you to efficiently manage processes. Easily accessed through any web browser. Facilitates collaboration and productivity of our work team.

Nachteile:

Cost can be a challenge, especially for smaller companies.

Awesome tool for our rentalhouse

Kommentare: I can't imagine an another tool that is so helpful for us. As a developer/user I can easily fix a lot of things on the fly while I am working. Not the best thing, but for small and annoying corrections it's ok. (Like layout fixes)
There are a lot of tutorials and learning materials online. It helps us to save hours and hours every day.

Vorteile:

Filemaker gives us a really easy to develop environment. You can start with a blank canvas, sketch up something, use it, and refine it. Even if it called low code, you can do a lot of advanced things.

Nachteile:

I wish I can have more help from the support. Our company wants to step up and invenst into this platform. Maybe I should reach out the awesome community instead of our direct contact. We had troubles connecting different kind of databases to our current solution. You have to really know what are the limitation of the software.

Claris FileMaker is perfect for beginner to Advanced database and application developer

Kommentare: From its first relational version, FileMaker Pro 3, our experience has gotten better and better with more feature and more developers creating add-on features to extend the software's functionality and deployment.

Vorteile:

Every new version of Claris FileMaker has improved its feature set as an easy to use relational database. The Scripting environment has become easier with type-along assistant and the ability to cut and paste code between calculation ans scripts in other databases. The ability to quickly deploy the software in a browser has made it an extremely versatile application.

Nachteile:

There is no true runtime client engine for a networked solution. Separating the user interface from the data in the same file is not possible.

built in obsolescence makes it so you have to constantly upgrade software

Kommentare: I use it for invoicing, letter writing, and contracts; it is my database; it used to be my label printer but no more - it is too hard to line up the labels in the application with the Avery labels for mailings.

Vorteile:

I have been using the software since its first release in the 80s. It was once user-friendly, but now I need to use a developer who writes code in the background to make it do anything, and I can't service it myself. It does what I need it to do, but it has cost me thousands and thousands of dollars to make it do what I need it to do now because of the built-in obsolescence. Every time I buy a update my operating system or purchase a new computer, I can expect also to spend hundreds of dollars to update FileMaker

Nachteile:

I have been using the software since its first release in the 80s. It was once user-friendly, but now I need to use a developer who writes code in the background to make it do anything, and I can't service it myself. It does what I need it to do, but it has cost me thousands and thousands of dollars to make it do what I need it to do now because of the built-in obsolescence. Every time I buy a update my operating system or purchase a new computer, I can expect also to spend hundreds of dollars to update FileMaker

Claris Filemaker Pro

Kommentare: Our overall experience with FileMaker has been very rewarding because of the amount of training help available.

Vorteile:

Ease of use makes the learning curve of this product easier to deploy than other products.

Nachteile:

The biggest problem with Filemaker has to do with upgrading. When Claris issues a new major upgrade, previous templates cannot use the new upgrade. Your templates have to be recreated in the upgraded version to take advantage of any new features.

Easy, powerful do it yourself solution

Kommentare: I have used FileMaker for 22 years and am continually impressed with its evolution. It has leap-frogged passed Access as a "home database" and now competes with top-level professional data solutions. FileMaker Go is a pleasure to use. I have built my own Contacts solution that is years ahead of anything in the iOS app store. I wish a customer portal could be built to make dealing with support issues easier. The single biggest request, an Android version, falls on deaf ears; likely because FileMaker is owned by Apple Inc.

Vorteile:

The FileMaker platform (desktop, server, cloud, FileMaker Go mobile app) is lightyears in simplicity ahead of Microsoft Access - which I often hear as the "go-to do it yourself" solution. FileMaker is ridiculously simple to use, especially when using a built-in starter solution. FileMaker scales to almost enterprise levels of use. The scripting functionality make creation of custom apps (no longer called "solutions") a very quick affair. FileMaker works with Microsoft Windows, Mac OS, and the iOS FileMaker Go App. Pricing is very reasonable considering all it does.

Nachteile:

Development of the platform usually runs slower than emerging technologies can be incorporated. There is no Android version of the mobile app. The web app is an acceptable solution for simple solutions, but usually not a good option for apps using complex scripting. Support can be challenging. There is no customer portal to manage keys and payment information.

FileMaker solved many problems with our production workflow

Kommentare: We solved workflow problems with our business. Now all stakeholders can view the status of any project, and be alerted of changes. Requests (job tickets) are easy to manage and assign to a lead. Searching for past projects is now a click away, versus our exceedingly large Excel sheets from the past.

Vorteile:

I find the customization of FileMaker to be the key to its success. With some software development knowledge, I can set it up how I'd like it and maintain it for a low overall cost. In my company we specifically used a FileMaker development company to build out our custom system, which cut all the paper out of our workflow, and cut out unnecessary data re-entry. A huge time saver.

Nachteile:

If you have no developing knowledge, you may be left to use an out of the box solution, which might not be exactly applicable to your situation. Also, it seems like it is difficult to do certain email things on Mac with Outlook. Things like click-through links back to the FileMaker system from an email notification.

I have used the product as both a user/administrator, and as developer.

Vorteile:

The software is easy to use and relatively easy to learn from a developer's standpoint. It has all of the functional capability one needs to develop a useful database application, such as contact/client management or - in my case - management of an art gallery's permanent collection.

Nachteile:

What do you do when you outgrow the system or want to migrate to a more robust database system? For me this is the major drawback of Filemaker Pro - there are no tools to help you export a complete file that can be imported into another database. You can import text fields and fields with yes/no on/off switches, but you cannot export images/photographs. This is a major drawback if you are planning to use the product for a couple of years before migrating to a standard relational database. Basically, Filemaker Pro files are proprietary files and are not accessible to standard relational database methods, such as SQL. This is okay if (a) you will not outgrow the product or (b) you have no images/photographs included in the database.

Obsolete Database Software - Stay Away!

Vorteile:

We were sold on how customizable it would be...

Nachteile:

Everything. First, this system is obsolete and no one uses it. Second, it is extremely difficult to make any changes or adjustments to our custom database. It’s not intuitive, it’s not “pretty” and it’s clunky and gives errors often.

It Works, but is it the best?

Kommentare: If you're looking for an all in one platform, this isn't my first choice. Honestly, it's probably not in the top five for me. If you're looking for a database management software for tracking customers, sending invoices and proposals, and software you can update as your company grows, this is great. You'll probably need something better in the long run, but it's a good start.

Vorteile:

The ease of creating forms and spreadsheets for data tracking with this software was pretty great. We used this mainly in our event planning business and I didn't really have a complaint. You can tell the program what information you need and it will track it and input what ever you've indicated you need it to input. It definitely depends on user input and you have to take the time to ensure your databases are updated. If you do that, you won't have a problem.

Nachteile:

The only real aspect I didn't like was that there was no workflow type tracking. As our business grew, this is something we desperately needed, but it was never marketed to us as such, so I can't really complain about this. If you're looking for an all in one platform, this wouldn't be my first choice.

Powerful database system with easy to learn/use interface, but also powerful development back-end.

Kommentare: The feature I enjoy most is the capability to use the product cross platform. I have a Windows 10 PC running at my desk, I use an Apple MacBook Pro on the road, along with my iPad where ever, and FileMaker gives me the ability to use my database applications on all those platforms.

Vorteile:

Import your Excel spreadsheet, place a few fields on a form, within minutes you have created a user interface as a starting point for what can become a very powerful business application. Using the database manager, you can create links between data tables quickly and visually. Cross platform capable! Run the application on a PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone, or use a web interface (requires the server product). Once you start using this product, and it becomes an integral part of your business operation, you can either teach yourself the advanced features, or hire a consultant to help you out as there is a very strong developer community. The development language is a easy to learn scripting language.

Nachteile:

FileMaker still struggles to gain acceptance in IT departments, and yet it is a legitimate application development environment with very powerful capabilities.

Software that has turned into ransomware.

Kommentare: You are offering an upgrade price so it shouldn't matter what version you are using, you should be able to upgrade if your software stops working because is no longer supported with the operating system you are currently using.

Vorteile:

Excellent software and easy to use. Have been using this software for the last 25 years.

Nachteile:

The software has suddenly turned into ransomware. Windows 10 is no longer supported by Filemaker, I now find myself in the position of being forced to buy completely new software in order to access my files. It wouldn't be so bad if I could upgrade but no apparently I can't upgrade from my version to Filemaker Pro 19.

It is so flexible and easy to customise.

Kommentare: We use it to track over 10,000 clients. We have previously tried customised software but this has been the most reliable.

Vorteile:

It is so easy to add new fields and reports. It's reliable, fast to load and works on both PC and Mac.

Nachteile:

As with all software these days, it's hard to get a direct answer from customer support. New versions don't support all the features we are using. New versions don't support our current setup.

As good as you want to make it

Kommentare: Good, just know it is only and good as how much time you can dedicate to making it.

Vorteile:

The software if fully customizable and it truly as good as you want to make it.

Nachteile:

For someone that doesn’t work in the development on a regular basis, I found myself having to relearn everything anytime I wanted to make a change.

First data base I ever used!

Kommentare: This database has been used at both my jobs over the last 20 years....so it must tried and true to be used for so long.

Vorteile:

I was brought into a job where I had to learn this program on my own. With the "help" tab and a little ingenuity I was able to pick up on the concept right away. I was able to build my own forms from the already set up data base. As years went on we had to change the forms and the information we collected and it was a cinch to figure out without the use of the "help" tab. When I moved into a new job I was able to test my knowledge of FileMaker pro in an updated version. As I had the basics down I was able to figure out how to use it for calculations as well as counts and general use of the database. I had to pretty much put together a balance sheet using a data base. It was interesting and fun to figure out.

Nachteile:

I don't really have anything I can remember that was irritating to me that I thought should be done differently.