FileMaker and Businesses – How Does It Satisfy Your DB Needs

The database needs vary from one enterprise to another. But each business want to pick a relational database management system (RDBMS) that is reliable, scalable and easy to manage. At the same time, the RDBMS also needs to meet the frequently changing information management needs of the business, while delivering predictable service level.

As a relational database application, FileMaker is designed to meet the information management needs of modern business. As the application is integrates a GUI-based interface and database engine, it becomes easier for users to modify the database according to their changing information management needs. At the same time a company can also use FileMaker to make its business data accessible over several platforms and devices.

Why FileMaker Pro can meet the DB Needs of Your Business?

Easy to Use

Each business looks for a database application that can be use by employees regardless of their level of computer literacy. FileMaker Pro comes with a graphical user interface (GUI) that can be accessed by users without putting any extra effort. So your employees can learn how to use the relational database application within a shorter span of time. Further, your business can migrate to FileMaker Pro without providing any specialized training to the employees.

Easy to Start

FileMaker Platform further enables users to easily create custom database solutions. For instance, the users can create database solution simply by dragging and dropping their existing Excel files into the FileMaker solution. Likewise, they can use several built-in tools and solution to create database solutions within a shorter span of time. The tools further make it easier for the users to modify the database according to their specific information management needs. That is why; your business can switch to the relational database applications regardless of your existing database management system.

Highly Scalable

Nowadays, each business has to manage a wide variety of information and data. The volume of the data or information also grows gradually with the expansion of the business. So each business wants to use a database application that is highly scalable. A business has option to choose from several products launched under the FileMaker Platform. The FileMaker Pro comes with features to help businesses in creating and running database solutions, whereas the FileMaker Pro Advanced provided specialized tools to create and manage custom solutions. That is why; your business can easily expand the relational database application to accommodate the increase in the volume of data or information.

Facilitates Multi-Platform Sharing

Nowadays, people access information and data on a variety of devices. A constant increase is being noted in the number of professionals accessing business data on their iPhones and iPads. So it has become essential for modern enterprises to enable their employees to access the business data anytime and anywhere. Your business can share FileMaker information safely across a variety of devices. The information can be accessed by users on platforms like Windows and Mac, and mobile devices like iPhone and iPad. Further, you can safely share the business information on the web or over a network.

Enhanced File Security Features

Unlike other relational database applications, FileMaker Pro comes with several features to keep database files secure and inaccessible. However, FileMaker aims to keep the security setup simple and transparent for end users. The security features of FileMaker cover both application development and system administration. These features protect the application’s integrity, while allowing end users to carry out the desired changes. The relational database application further protects data, script execution and meta-data through fine-grain access control mechanisms. At the same time, FileMaker Server allows users to avail additional security features like user authentication and protection of network resources.

Each enterprise also has option to choose from a number of products available under the FileMaker Platform. Based on its specific information management needs, a business can choose FileMaker Pro 13, FileMaker Pro 13 Advanced, FileMaker Go 13, or FileMaker Server 13. So it becomes easier for companies to create and deploy custom database solutions to effectuate the overall information management. You can get in touch with a custom Filemaker development company who can help you develop database application within allocated budgets and time schedules.

We provide Filemaker database design service. If you would like to hire Filemaker developer for your database development needs, please contact us at Mindfire Solutions.

Some Techniques to Develop Accessible Solutions in FileMaker

Most of the enterprises at present use FileMaker (FM), for creating various customized solutions for their clients as it helps them develop these solutions without much of an effort and wastage of too much of time. This particular relational database application that works on multiple platforms helps the users in updating and modifying their database by simply dragging the new elements into the screens, forms, or layout. The FM version that is being used at present by the users comes up with a string of value added features that help the data to be accessible to the users on a wide variety of mobile as well as conventional devices. However, here it should be mentioned that the programmers need to consider as well as implement a few practices that are considered best in the industry, for developing various robust as well as accessible solutions with the help of FM 13, the present version of FileMaker.

 Enhancing the Readability of the Code

One of the few drawbacks of FM is that it at present is unable to provide a comprehensive code editor that would have been pretty handy for the developers. Hence, when it comes to writing clean or structured codes, the application is seriously short of options and this is a concern for the developers. This is notwithstanding the fact that they have the option of using external editors or snippets along with a string of keyword expansion features as well as tools that come to their aid. As it is always important to write unified codes so that they can be encapsulated or reused without any problem whatsoever, they need to have an option of using grouping conventions that are strongly named. This will help them to handle all the potential errors, without inviting additional dependencies.

Improving the accessibility of the Layout Mode

The accessibility of various FM solutions is very much dependant on the design of the layout. The developers have the option of connecting the field labels with an active field with the use of Accessibility Inspector. The field labels are generally read by screen readers and hence it is imperative that buttons or navigational options are included within the tab order. Furthermore, each and every button needs to have simple as well as short text labels so that the screen reader is able to read the text label of each of the buttons and there is no need to add a title or an extra label to the text of the buttons.

Optimization of the Images

Using images during designing layouts needs to be totally avoided by the developers. Likewise, they need to avoid decorative objects in the event of absence of relevant functions or information. The Accessibility Inspector functionality provides them the option of describing the images in the respective container fields. However, there should be an option that will help them to spell each and every text object accurately, so that they can be read and understood properly by the screen reader. The presence of a pop-up menu instead of a drop down menu can also come in handy and effective.

List View Layout

This is another option that may come in handy. As the developers create FM solutions, they can choose from the List View option as well as from the Table View option of layout. However, when it comes to enhancing the solution accessibility, they can use the List View option of layout while hiding the other option. This needs to be changed and they should have the option of using field objects instead of merging texts, while they are working with the List View layout.

Now when it comes to improving the accessibility, the following things can be done in the Layout mode.

1. The current solutions can be enhanced by adding a particular layout that is designed for accessibility

2. Windows OS can be used as this will simplify the Windows, hide the status toolbar besides using various layout buttons, for providing the required controls

3. Buttons and navigation controls can be included in the tab order

4. All the buttons contain text labels along with naming conventions that are short, simple to understand and consistent.

5. Use of images on layouts needs to be minimized

6. The existing tooltips need to be copied and pasted into the Accessibility Inspector Title Field.

You can get in touch with a custom filemaker development company who can help you develop database application that are stable, scalable and secure.

We provide filemaker application development services. If you would like to hire filemaker developer for your database development needs, please contact Mindfire Solutions.

Online Businesses Boom With Custom FileMaker Solutions

Technology has taken a new turn, progressing at a faster pace. The latest developments in technology can be seen and felt in many industries, be it Healthcare, Communication, Business and Education. So much is happening in the world of the web these days, especially in terms of commercial activity at all levels, all industries are planning to get online and reach to millions of users through web.

Plenty of sites know that FileMaker is a software solution they can rely on to help them handle a wide range of tasks on their web site, but what many do not yet know is that a custom FileMaker solution is possible for them which can really help them integrate all sorts of valuable 3rd party services without doing development from scratch. FileMaker database development hence has picked up steam to create highly customizable cross-platform database solutions. Now that developers are rising to the top which truly understand all of the capabilities that FileMaker can bring to the table, much more efficient, sensible and powerful solutions are being developed which can greatly enhance any web site’s ability to do business. It was developed by Apple in 1992 and since then serving millions of web users worldwide.

FileMaker with its custom work is of the highest value in this case because a business really does need its site to be in top form if they are going to present the customer with the easiest shopping experience that is required to earn sales online today. With new versions and releases FileMaker supports multitasking, improved media integration, export of data to multiple formats, enhanced container-fields and allows users to modify the database by dragging new elements into the layouts, screens or forms. With FileMaker design attractive and useful printed reports can be generated. FileMaker’s new-layout wizard tries to make things easy, the layout design is too important to be done on automatic.

A wide variety of tasks can be handled well in FileMaker:

• Digital media data can be organized well, it can easily track tasks and projects, check inventory and much more.

• It provides 16 built-in Starter Solutions — professionally designed templates customized for your iPad, iPhone and desktop as well.

• Collect and organize documents, music, images, and more. Includes version history tracking for content management system.

• Managing inventory levels of products and supplies. Track category, value, last order date and more.

• It generates customized invoices, allowing users to record, manage and print neat invoices with customer details etc.

• The FileMaker user interface makes it so that these smaller business users, with little to no financial resources, can start a database of their own without having to invest too much money or effort.

• Creating dynamic charts of your FileMaker data are now easier than ever.

• It is user friendly and all kinds of users will love to use FileMaker.

• FileMaker to offer its mobile solution for free in the Apple iTunes Store. Customers and developers can now more easily test and deploy mobile database solutions.

• Brings new features making your mobile solution more versatile and powerful: users can now record video and audio directly into container fields and export data. New location functions now allow developers to rapidly create location-aware mobile database applications.

• This function is context independent, so data can be queried regardless of what layout/table occurrence you are in.

• This level of outsourcing can do a great deal for a business venture that is very much attuned to the profit potential of excellent custom software solutions.

FileMaker is an excellent choice for all kinds of organizations which deal with a perfect complement of features and power. It delivers the ability to automatically update and deploy plug-ins to clients across the network. This high-performance relational database engine accelerates FileMaker operations over a network both by increasing the speed of database operations and by allowing up to 250 simultaneous guests per server-while hosting up to 125 database files.These capabilities make it an excellent choice for departments and workgroups in any size business.

We provide filemaker development services. If you would like to know what makes us expert filemaker developers, please contact us at Mindfire Solutions.