Claris FileMaker Reviews
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202 Reviews
- Industry: Education Management
- Company size: 51–200 Employees
- Used Daily for 2+ years
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Review Source
Overall rating
- Value for Money
- Ease of Use
- Likelihood to recommend 8.0 /10
Build your own... everything!
Reviewed on 06/11/2019
We use FileMaker for everything. We recently installed an SMS system (as an API tagged to...
We use FileMaker for everything. We recently installed an SMS system (as an API tagged to SendHub). We can now send messages, track messages, view threads, and analyze usage - all from within our CRM which was built entirely in-house in FileMaker.
Pros
FileMaker allows anyone to create anything. Ok , that's a bit of an exaggeration. The truth is, with a little work, you can build most every kind of database you would need - Payroll, CRM, Time Management, Mass Market Email, Inventory, etc. And what you can't build, you can find skilled developers to build for you. Plus there are add-ons galore, and FileMaker is compatible with any system that allows for an API interface.
Cons
There are only three things wrong with FileMaker. They are 1) the price, 2) the price, 3) the price. It's not that the price tag is not necessarily hefty, but the pricing structure makes entry difficult for a small business. Yet, FileMaker is IDEAL for small businesses in every other way!
- Industry: Insurance
- Company size: 201–500 Employees
- Used Daily for 2+ years
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Review Source
Overall rating
- Value for Money
- Ease of Use
- Customer Support
- Likelihood to recommend 9.0 /10
Immediate development results from renowned multi-platform suite
Reviewed on 04/12/2018
Multi-platform deployment of a single code base, company-wide policy administration for internal...
Multi-platform deployment of a single code base, company-wide policy administration for internal and online-accounts - benefits are large system changes immediately testable within instantly-deployed self-contained environments for advanced automation and on-the-fly user interface updates.
With a free trial, and a willingness to try a development system that focuses (though is not limited to) linear steps, you can experience truly productive results significantly faster than web-based systems, without compromising deployment options - a really flexible and hugely enjoyable development environment!
Pros
Instant compilation & execution of syntax-free code, visually-based object-linking / selection, immediate UI changes, plug-in and web-service extensibility, multi-platform deployment of single code-base solutions, from desktop to web and mobile.
Cons
Cost is the only consideration when recommending, though in comparison to other systems, it offers better value, just would benefit from a lower entry-level option for people to discover its power.
- Industry: Entertainment
- Company size: 11–50 Employees
- Used Weekly for 1+ year
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Overall rating
- Value for Money
- Ease of Use
- Customer Support
- Likelihood to recommend 0.0 /10
Harrassing
Reviewed on 03/03/2023
Pros
It's okay. Nothing else to say, really.
Cons
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!
- Industry: Computer Software
- Company size: 2–10 Employees
- Used Daily for 2+ years
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Overall rating
- Value for Money
- Ease of Use
- Customer Support
- Likelihood to recommend 10.0 /10
One of my very favourite products!
Reviewed on 06/01/2022
I developed several applications for clients using FM. It was a pleasure to use and the solutions...
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.
- Industry: Publishing
- Company size: 201–500 Employees
- Used Daily for 1+ year
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Review Source
Overall rating
- Ease of Use
- Likelihood to recommend 9.0 /10
Flexible database app for simple to complex needs
Reviewed on 08/12/2018
Initially we just wanted to convert our old and outdated database system over to FileMaker, but...
Initially we just wanted to convert our old and outdated database system over to FileMaker, but once others in the company saw the flexibility and ease of use of FileMaker, it's use has greatly increased throughout my company. It's seen a lot of use replacing MS Excel-based "systems", where users have just slapped together a bunch of messy Excel files in a confusing way without any help from IT. These Excel "systems" are growing, causing problems, and then are being replaced by FileMaker databases with great success.
Pros
I like that FileMaker is simple to learn (and to keep learning), with tons of resources available online including their own forums. Between youtube videos and some paid Lynda.com courses I feel very confident I can develop quality database solutions for my company. It's great software and I actually enjoy working with it.
Cons
The recent pricing structure change for version 17 file has me concerned about the direction FileMaker might be taking. So we've held onto version 16 for now and will be waiting to upgrade. Other than concerns about pricing I don't have anything else bad to say about it.
- Industry: Education Management
- Company size: 51–200 Employees
- Used Daily for 2+ years
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Review Source
Overall rating
- Value for Money
- Ease of Use
- Customer Support
- Likelihood to recommend 10.0 /10
More than a database
Reviewed on 12/09/2018
I've used FileMaker to create everything from a personal time management system to an online...
I've used FileMaker to create everything from a personal time management system to an online volunteer registration database. If you can imagine it, you can build it.
Pros
The FileMaker platform combines robust database management with a slick interface for designing a pleasant end-user experience. With some little training, a developer can become quite competent at creating a complete solution. With more experience and training, there's little that CAN'T be done with the system.
Cons
I have to say it; the least favorable piece of the system is its pricing structure. It's pricey to use for anything but medium to large scale deployment. Small businesses might find the cost prohibitive, and developers working for small organizations might not be able to produce solutions that are cost effective for their clients. You get a lot of horsepower, but it comes at a price.
- Industry: Design
- Company size: 501–1,000 Employees
- Used Daily for 1+ year
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Review Source
Overall rating
- Value for Money
- Ease of Use
- Likelihood to recommend 9.0 /10
FileMaker solved many problems with our production workflow
Reviewed on 05/02/2019
We solved workflow problems with our business. Now all stakeholders can view the status of any...
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.
- Industry: Insurance
- Company size: 51–200 Employees
- Used Daily for 2+ years
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Review Source
Overall rating
- Ease of Use
- Customer Support
- Likelihood to recommend 5.0 /10
Decent Program if you have a company to set it up for you
Reviewed on 15/10/2019
This is a good program if you have a company or person dedicated to setting it up, creating your...
This is a good program if you have a company or person dedicated to setting it up, creating your applications, and forms. Filemaker support is very minimal and you have to look at hiring an outside vendor familiar with FileMaker to help with the set up and addition of new things. The price is excellent for this as is, but start adding in the support you need and the cost to add new things or make changes, it starts getting up there if you make a lot of changes. We are in the process of switching over to another product that does have a monthly fee, but 100% supported and no additional charge every time we need to add a new application.
Pros
Options to choose font, color, formatting (test only, currency, etc). Ease of use for existing forms
Cons
Making any changes to existing applications/forms and adding new ones. Almost have to have a computer programming degree
- Used Daily for 2+ years
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Review Source
Overall rating
- Value for Money
- Ease of Use
- Customer Support
- Likelihood to recommend 9.0 /10
It is so flexible and easy to customise.
Reviewed on 12/12/2017
We use it to track over 10,000 clients. We have previously tried customised software but this has...
We use it to track over 10,000 clients. We have previously tried customised software but this has been the most reliable.
Pros
It is so easy to add new fields and reports. It's reliable, fast to load and works on both PC and Mac.
Cons
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.
- Industry: Real Estate
- Company size: 501–1,000 Employees
- Used Daily for 1+ year
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Review Source
Overall rating
- Ease of Use
- Likelihood to recommend 6.0 /10
Claris FileMaker for Business
Reviewed on 15/07/2022
FileMaker can do the job. It is flexible and adaptable. There are other easier to learn, cleaner,...
FileMaker can do the job. It is flexible and adaptable. There are other easier to learn, cleaner, and modern database solutions out there that don't require specific certification courses to learn the nuances of.
Pros
This software gets the job done. You can create databases and stores and more with this software; it's very flexible.
Cons
This database solution was by far the hardest software I've had to learn how to use. Frequently our company had to hire consulting companies to manage our legacy databases after our lead designer left the team.
- Used for 2+ years
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Review Source
Overall rating
- Value for Money
- Ease of Use
- Customer Support
- Likelihood to recommend 10.0 /10
Filemaker Pro Developer for many years
Reviewed on 24/07/2018
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.
- Industry: Nonprofit Organization Management
- Company size: 11–50 Employees
- Used Daily for 2+ years
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Review Source
Overall rating
- Value for Money
- Ease of Use
- Customer Support
- Likelihood to recommend 10.0 /10
Easy, powerful do it yourself solution
Reviewed on 14/11/2018
I have used FileMaker for 22 years and am continually impressed with its evolution. It has...
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.
- Industry: Information Technology & Services
- Company size: 2–10 Employees
- Used Daily for 2+ years
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Review Source
Overall rating
- Value for Money
- Ease of Use
- Customer Support
- Likelihood to recommend 10.0 /10
Powerful database system with easy to learn/use interface, but also powerful development...
Reviewed on 08/06/2017
The feature I enjoy most is the capability to use the product cross platform. I have a Windows 10...
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.
Pros
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.
Cons
FileMaker still struggles to gain acceptance in IT departments, and yet it is a legitimate application development environment with very powerful capabilities.
- Company size: 201–500 Employees
- Used Daily for 2+ years
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Review Source
Overall rating
- Ease of Use
- Likelihood to recommend 7.0 /10
First data base I ever used!
Reviewed on 18/06/2018
This database has been used at both my jobs over the last 20 years....so it must tried and true to...
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.
Pros
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.
Cons
I don't really have anything I can remember that was irritating to me that I thought should be done differently.
- Industry: Events Services
- Company size: 2–10 Employees
- Used Daily for 1+ year
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Review Source
Overall rating
- Value for Money
- Ease of Use
- Customer Support
- Likelihood to recommend 4.0 /10
It Works, but is it the best?
Reviewed on 18/12/2018
If you're looking for an all in one platform, this isn't my first choice. Honestly, it's probably...
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.
Pros
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.
Cons
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.
- Industry: Motion Pictures & Film
- Company size: 51–200 Employees
- Used Daily for 2+ years
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Review Source
Overall rating
- Value for Money
- Ease of Use
- Customer Support
- Likelihood to recommend 8.0 /10
Awesome tool for our rentalhouse
Reviewed on 28/08/2020
I can't imagine an another tool that is so helpful for us. As a developer/user I can easily fix a...
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.
Pros
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.
Cons
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.
- Industry: Nonprofit Organization Management
- Company size: 2–10 Employees
- Used Daily for 2+ years
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Overall rating
- Value for Money
- Ease of Use
- Customer Support
- Likelihood to recommend 0.0 /10
Obsolete Database Software - Stay Away!
Reviewed on 09/02/2022
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.
- Industry: Industrial Automation
- Company size: 11–50 Employees
- Used Daily for 2+ years
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Review Source
Overall rating
- Value for Money
- Ease of Use
- Customer Support
- Likelihood to recommend 10.0 /10
Lots of possibilities
Reviewed on 06/12/2019
Pros
Any type of process or data collection is possible. You will need to learn some basic programming for the scripting if you do it yourself or hire an professional. The layouts and scripts allow you to create any type of form or view for the user. We have dashboards for departments to only show what they need and it is very helpful. Windows and apple products both can be used on the same database, which is awesome.
Cons
There are some things that were available when we started using filemaker custom app, but now we have to revise scripts and layouts to utilize new features. Not something bad really, just tweaking of the app to make it even more powerful. The bad thing about being able to do much is the requests from staff for new additions.
- Used Daily for 2+ years
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Review Source
Overall rating
- Value for Money
- Ease of Use
- Customer Support
So Good We Became Developers as Well as Users
Reviewed on 26/01/2018
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.
- Industry: Hospitality
- Company size: Self Employed
- Used Daily for 2+ years
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Review Source
Overall rating
- Value for Money
- Ease of Use
- Customer Support
- Likelihood to recommend 9.0 /10
Software that has turned into ransomware.
Reviewed on 30/10/2020
You are offering an upgrade price so it shouldn't matter what version you are using, you should be...
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.
Pros
Excellent software and easy to use. Have been using this software for the last 25 years.
Cons
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.
- Industry: Airlines/Aviation
- Company size: 11–50 Employees
- Used Daily for 2+ years
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Review Source
Overall rating
- Ease of Use
- Likelihood to recommend 10.0 /10
Drag and Drop Database programming
Reviewed on 20/11/2019
FileMaker has come a long way since we first started using it in version 3. Some 25 years or so. We...
FileMaker has come a long way since we first started using it in version 3. Some 25 years or so. We are currently upgrading our servers and work stations to be able to take advantage latest version, 18.
Pros
FileMaker offers a drag and drop database programming tool. Data is stored in related tables and if the tables are planned properly, the access to all the data is easy.
Cons
I would like to see an easier way to access external data. FileMaker offers access to external data but not to all data. If it's SQL there doesn't seem to be a problem but to other ODBC access such as Microsoft Access (.accdb files) the access seems to be a bit more difficult.
- Industry: Hospitality
- Company size: 201–500 Employees
- Used Daily for 2+ years
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Review Source
Overall rating
- Ease of Use
- Likelihood to recommend 9.0 /10
FileMaker - A great, user-friendly database
Reviewed on 09/10/2020
I have found FileMaker to be very user friendly. It bridges the needs between our customer viewed...
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.
- Industry: Medical Devices
- Company size: 2–10 Employees
- Used Daily for 2+ years
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Review Source
Overall rating
- Value for Money
- Ease of Use
- Customer Support
- Likelihood to recommend 10.0 /10
FileMaker allows non-programmers to create powerful software solutions
Reviewed on 03/07/2017
FileMaker software has allowed me to create my own small business and work with customers around...
FileMaker software has allowed me to create my own small business and work with customers around the world from my home office. Without a background in programming, I could not have survived without the ease and affordability of FileMaker software.
Pros
The FileMaker developer interface allows significant flexibility when I sell my solutions to the audiology community. Customers choose our software over our competitors, since we can offer competitively priced and customized databases
Cons
There is not much that I don't like about the software, but occasionally, FileMaker will remove desired features within upgrades.
- Industry: Events Services
- Company size: 11–50 Employees
- Used Daily for 2+ years
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Review Source
Overall rating
- Value for Money
- Ease of Use
- Customer Support
- Likelihood to recommend 9.0 /10
I've tried life with FM and without, and I like it better with! :)
Reviewed on 13/07/2017
Saves me HOURS of my week! :)
Saves me HOURS of my week! :)
Pros
While mail mergers are handy, FileMaker templates are still the way to go! It can cut down multiple step processes to just one button click once you set it up the first time. You also don't have to re-enter data and risk inconsistencies. We've even used ours to set up automatic report exports we used to have to do manually every day. Such a time saver!
Cons
Like any software, there's a lot to learn here. But once you get the basics down you can set up some great layouts and scripts to make your life easier!
- Industry: Information Technology & Services
- Company size: 2–10 Employees
- Used Daily for 2+ years
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Review Source
Overall rating
- Value for Money
- Ease of Use
- Customer Support
- Likelihood to recommend 10.0 /10
I have been using FileMaker for more than 20 years. I was initially attracted to its ease of...
Reviewed on 08/06/2017
I do everything with this software. It runs my business, tracks my customers, prepares my...
I do everything with this software. It runs my business, tracks my customers, prepares my invoices, tracks my personal library, displays my work portfolio, handles our family history website, etc.
Pros
Ease of use. As a non-programmer, I was able to make cool applications for my personal and hobby use. Now as a developer it is my number one tool of choice for creating business automation software.
Cons
It has some aspects of interface which are unique to its brand, and usage of the web interface version is not quite up to par yet.