A Look at FileMaker Pro 10

1029 days ago in Articles, Contributors, Reviews by Spencer Scott | 1 Comment

I have done some previous reviews of Bento from FileMaker, which is a database solution for more casual users, such as for home use and small businesses. While Bento is fantastic, it’s still limited and there are people out there who need more when it comes to database software. That is where Filemaker 10 comes in.

I have never used Filemaker much before, so I was a bit intimidated to try, but I thought it would be useful to see it from a beginners prospective. Much to my surprise, FileMaker has made it easy to get started with several included templates which are all presented in a ‘quick start’ menu at launch. Of course, you aren’t limited to these, but it does give new users a helping hand to get started.

Once you selected one of these quick starts, it’s simple to modify the template to your particular use. Editing the layout itself is quite simple, and there are a variety of options you can apply to tailor the layout to your preference.

Of course, the real power of FileMaker is under the hood. If you are a database expert, or have previous experience with FileMaker, you are going to pick up on this quick. But if you are a new user, there is a bit of a learning curve, but that’s the nature of databases, and FileMaker seems to make it easy as possible to understand. There is a wealth of tutorials and guides at the FileMaker website to get you started, and I would definitely recommend starting there.

Once your database is up and running, there are quite a few ways to share them with pretty much anyone you want. You can export to a network, PDF, Excel formats, and even e-mail them. However you need to get it to a co-worker or customer, it’s most likely available.

For anyone who needs a simple solution, I say stick with Bento, it will be more than enough for the average user. If you need more than that, I have no problems recommending FileMaker 10. It’s one piece of software that has both a slick and user friendly interface, and the strength behind it to back it up.