Claris FileMaker Reviews

One of my very favourite products!

Comments: 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.

Pros:

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!

Cons:

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.

The only database you will EVER need

Comments: We use Filemaker for all of our database and customer relation needs. It is extremely easy to set up and teach users how to navigate. Much different software integrate very easily with Filemaker. Filemaker is a dream to work with. If you can imagine it you can create it with a FileMaker layout. You can even use it to set up your website. Users can also access your databases via a web interface with no need for a license. Another great feature is the mobile apps which run very smoothly.

Pros:

Ease of Use Features Stability Updates Integrations

Cons:

Licensing prices . Fees to obtain newer and better versions.

Manage all your data with ease

Pros:

Ease of use and many integration options with other systems

Cons:

Not very fast with large amounts of data

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

Comments: 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.

Pros:

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.

Cons:

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.

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

Comments: 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.

Pros:

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.

Cons:

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.

Filemaker Cloud: too little, too late, too messy

Comments: The experience started badly, with migration issues, and soon became a nightmare, when their reps stopped responding completely while we were trying to renew the software. The company was not accepting our form of payment, and we kept receiving automated mails threatening to curtail the service. Support on the phone told us to disregard these mails, and, lo and behold, the service was in fact terminated in spite of our months of trying to pay them. The day when we can migrate our databases somewhere else cannot come soon enough.

Pros:

We inherited a critical database in Filemaker workstation format, we needed to move to a cloud-based solution, so Filemaker Cloud looked like the obvious choice.

Cons:

In reality, our purported migration never worked well. Some features simply stopped working after Filemaker "upgraded" the cloud version. Support was completely unable to help. What it worse we found the cloud software laggy, and underperforming, slowing what was the usual workstation workflow.

Fantastic prototyping and database system

Comments: 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.

Pros:

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...

Cons:

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.

Comments: 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.

Pros:

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.

Cons:

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.

Comments: 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.

Pros:

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.

Cons:

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

Comments: 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.

Pros:

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.

Cons:

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

Moldable Data Management and Manipulation

Comments: We've used this for years and will likely continue and I have personally used this for many projects to make database create and cataloging of items easy. Love how easy it integrates with iPads as well.

Pros:

This software is very easily manipulated to create databases to store data, create reports and worksheets and many other tasks. We use it daily for operations.

Cons:

The newer versions of it seem to run slower. In fact, we reverted back to version 18 for our production environment because of slowness issues. This was on FAST machines with lots of RAM. Consider an older version.

Filemaker Pro Developer for many years

Pros:

Filemaker Pro allows you to prototype and built database production grade applications fast. The nicest thing about Filemaker Pro is that you built the database structure, scripts and layouts in the same application. Building lay outs is as easy as drag and drop and doesn't require extensive design skills or knowledge of secondary technologies such as HTML/CSS/JavaScript. Personally I think anyone who's willing to dedicated some time for training is able to become a Filemaker Developer. Another nice thing is that database applications can easily be integrated with mobile platforms. Filemaker applications can be hosted online (cloud), on premise on Filemaker Server and locally on the Filemaker client. The applications that I've build with Filemaker run for 10+ years already on a Filemaker Server multi site environment and is in use by 25+ people on a daily basis. Filemaker is regularly updated (major versions usually once a year) which introduces new features. These updates make Filemaker better each round, for instance the latest upgrade introduces sensory perception for IOS devices and a new administration console. Finally, the development and implementation costs of Filemaker Pro applications are very low compared to enterprise database solutions making it really attractive for SMB. The licensing is server and client based and there is also a subscription based license to be paid annually.

Cons:

The pros of Filemaker Pro heavily outweigh its cons but here is a few: - Performance of applications is nowhere as good as that of enterprise solutions, especially when multiple clients from different sites connect to an on premise hosted server. - Filemaker has its own scripting engine, which is pretty good, but some functions/operations can be a bit difficult to implement due to its limitations which is easier in SQL.

Claris Filemaker Pro

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

Pros:

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

Cons:

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

Comments: 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.

Pros:

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.

Cons:

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

Comments: 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.

Pros:

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.

Cons:

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.

Pros:

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.

Cons:

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!

Pros:

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

Cons:

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.

Filemaker Database

Comments: I use Filemaker for client lists and also for file references. Each file I allocate a number to it and enter it into Filemaker and at any given time, I can look up that file and see where it is at - it might be in my re-sub system, filed away or in my 'Action' trays - makes life a lot easier and quicker.

Pros:

Filemaker is easy to set up your database and very easy to get reports on what data you want. You can set up a form style data entry platform and customise to your liking. I find this easier to use than using a spreadsheet style layout.

Cons:

There isn't anything negative about this software that I have found.

What was so elegant got so messy

Comments: We used FileMaker for dozens of business processes over many years. But year by year it got more difficult to keep up with it's upgrades and changes. Finally, we abandoned it for a mix of integrated special-purpose tools that do what we want.

Pros:

I used to like FileMaker, it was easy to use but powerful. As it evolved it got complex and confusing. It requires a computer scientist to figure out how to use it now.

Cons:

It requires a computer scientist to figure out how to use it now. What was simple and intuitive became complicated and confusing.

Amazing Product

Comments: Excellent. Have used it for years and will continue to use it.

Pros:

Flexibility, Ease of Use - This software makes it easy for almost anyone to develop a business solution. When I started using it, I had never done any development and still found the software intuitive. As I learned development in other platforms, I fully realized the brilliance in their UI.

Cons:

Since it is a desktop based product, it requires frequent updates and must be installed on the machine of the users who need to use it.

Customer support is horrible. Non existent

Pros:

Its customisation. Most processes can be replicated.

Cons:

Customer support is horrible. Was repeatedly told id get a refund but it still hasn't arrived. Our programmer had difficulties uploading the files to cloud so we needed to host it elsewhere. We paid for licensing with the new host and have painfully been trying to get a refund for the cloud licence that we were unable to upload our files to.

FileMaker - A great, user-friendly database

Comments: I have found FileMaker to be very user friendly. It bridges the needs between our customer viewed data and our manufacturing needs.

Pros:

I have used FileMaker in a manufacturing setting for 20+ years. It is a great solution for bringing together different data into one solution. The fact that we can alter the views for different aspects of our business is phenominal! I have trained many people on this software, and it is very user firendly and easy to use.

Cons:

For our applications, a better interface with art files - such as .ai or .eps files would be wonderful.

Workplace Solutions for Any Business

Comments: Solving business data issues without huge implementations and long running projects.

Pros:

Easy to prototype and visualise the solution. Easy integrations to most APIs. Restful API build in, just needs customisation. Works across multiple platforms and on the web.

Cons:

The licensing models can take some time to understand, especially if you have a legacy licensing model. No native Android support.

Excellent multiplatform to manage your databases for your application.

Comments: It offers great performance for the management and creation of simple elements that need to be tested with a database.

Pros:

A truly complete multi-platform, easy to use and quick to adapt at any time, providing a very good management of data and contacts for clients.

Cons:

It is somewhat expensive, it is complicated when migrating a database but it is something that has a solution.

So Good We Became Developers as Well as Users

Pros:

FileMaker has been around forever, but it has made great strides in the last five years to become a modern, robust and versatile platform. It's our go-to platform for clients for whom off-the-shelf products aren't sufficient or don't warrant the cost and sweat equity required for some of the other platforms. From sales and workflow systems to contact and inventory management and everything in-between, we've yet to find a project for which FileMaker wasn't a viable platform option. In most cases, it's the ONLY option.

Cons:

It can be intimidating for first-time users AND developers. The licensing and hardware requirements can also be prohibitive when pitching it to a client as the foundation for their project.