Every business follows unique challenges, which need individual attention from the IT administrators. Otherwise, the application built to address the same may not guarantee long-term sustainability. Custom-built solutions or applications are one way to circumvent the issues, but not all small- and mid-cap companies can afford a team of custom software developers. But with FileMaker, a customized software platform optimized for your operations might be more feasible than one can imagine.
FileMaker and its subsidiary features such as the Pro are, no doubt, popular among the startups, which predominate in the US. Most often the companies using it have 10–50 employees and a turnover between 1m-10M dollars in revenues. FileMaker Pro is mostly used by the Computer Software Industry in the United States. Some of the advantages are:
Advantages of FileMaker Pro
It is user-friendly
FileMaker, unlike an SQL database, has an integrated graphical user interface, which empowers people with a lack of programming language to operate it easily. For SQL databases, a front-end interface has to be developed on top of the back-end database.
It builds an intuitive interface
FileMaker offers the flexibility to customize a user interface with a quick overview of mission-critical metrics. It enables taking productivity to a new level with the interface elements that can be built around the tools the team uses to perform daily tasks.
It is compatible with different platforms
It is great for cross-platform development and can be easily run on Windows and macOS. This is contrary to Microsoft Azure, which is compatible with Windows only.
Data synchronization
FileMaker enables easy accessibility and management of data anywhere businesses go. Remote workers can access the database and update the same data in real-time so that the entire organization is on the same page. The best part about FileMaker is, it can merge and configure data offline.
It demands lower costs
Since it can be developed easily, users can merely write scripts with a point and click scripting language. Reports can also be created with drag and drop tools. The built-in templates help the users get started. Thus, tasks can easily be completed within a fraction of time.
Easy deployment
Custom application development can take almost a whole year, if not more, on a legacy platform. With the advanced capabilities of a FileMaker, you can gain access to the same customizable software features in a fraction of that time.
The Contraries
Interestingly, while FileMaker Pro is hugely popular in the United States, it is slow in being adopted by many companies in specific sectors. The figure below shows a comparison of the FileMaker usage in a database management system as compared to its alternatives. The 2% here comprises 18,756 companies using the FileMaker in some way or the other.
Database Management System
- FileMaker (2.04%)
- MySQL (20.59%)
- Microsoft SQL Server (19.50%)
- Microsoft Access (10.56%)
- Other alternatives
FileMaker is highly rigid: Customization is extremely difficult and is therefore rendered unfit for large projects or projects for big organizations. It pretty much supports drag and drop programming, which uses predefined scripted texts.
It is still expensive as compared to its free alternatives: It costs about $100 per year for a local user, $150 per developer, if you are using it as a website, you need specialized hosting, which tends to cost more. In addition, the server part of the software is likely to cost about $300-$800 a year. The plugins required to extend functionality can be expensive as well
It supports source control feebly: Programmers working on FileMaker applications need to know they are working on the right set of codes, which means they need to track and manage changes to the codes through the source control. With FileMaker source control is a major problem.
Lack of scalability: FileMaker applications are not scalable because of the predefined scripts, which makes it unfit for modern-day applications for businesses.
Dealing with the deficiencies
The good news is, FileMaker is evolving and so are its features like the Pro and the Go. Dealing with the issues that businesses often face with Pro is halfway won. Rest depends on whom you choose as your solution partner and the consultation they provide.
This is exactly where the experience and the expertise counts. Design Thinking and Agile methodology improve the chances of designing and building a robust, scalable, and efficient FileMaker app.
Some of the crucial steps that developers here need to follow:
Planning with the client: Plan the content, structure, and design and then make a FileMaker Pro Advanced file and define tables and fields.
Creating a database table: The main purpose of the database is to ensure that stakeholders get the right information at the right time. For this purpose, it is important to understand what the database is required for. If there are other stakeholders other than your clients using the database, talking to them regarding their requirements is also important.
Categorize data tables, depending on the industry the application is being used in: For instance, in the retail sector, you might use one table to store transaction details, another table to store customer details, date of sale, unit price, and so on.
Build relationship with the categories: This can be done by writing simple sentences that describe how the categories interact. This helps in organizing databases in three different ways, subject to the way developers choose- a single table in a single file, multiple tables in a single file, and multiple tables in multiple files.
FileMaker Pro advanced is flexible and therefore data stored in tables is easily shared between tables in the same file and tables in external files using relationships. Scripts and access privileges are stored at the file level which enables complex customization.
Customizing applications on FileMaker is a complex process, which requires in-depth knowledge of its features. This comes only with certifications, experience, and exposure. All you need is a tech partner who can promise a team of FileMaker developers expert in managing app security, sharing files on a network, and other important functions while developing a business-centric application. This way, the application turns out to be more customer-centric.
Is your IT partner equipped to handle complex applications on FileMaker?
