Modernise FileMaker
Your database has grown with your business over the years. It knows your processes better than any off-the-shelf software.
And that is exactly what makes it valuable!
We have more than 25 years of experience in developing FileMaker solutions for a wide range of industries. We do not look for a quick replacement; instead, together with you, we look at your real processes and structures and consider how to make your FileMaker database future-proof for the coming years, step by step.
Modernise your database
We revise the interface, build clear, intuitive navigation, simplify maintenance and bring security and stability back up to date.
Your solution is preserved – tidied up, documented and optimised.
Extend structures
We develop tailor-made interfaces to ERP, CRM, accounting or web systems – via the FileMaker Data API if required. Your central master data remains in FileMaker, while you also make use of the strengths of other tools.
Rebuild FileMaker
A new FileMaker development makes it possible to define processes clearly, simplify workflows and think through the architecture properly from the ground up – modern, flexible and sustainable, tailored precisely to your current and future needs.
FileMaker Next – new possibilities with your databases
FileMaker consulting, support and further development
Your FileMaker solution works. It has grown over the years, maps your processes precisely – and that is exactly why it is hard to change. New requirements can only be implemented in roundabout ways, the know-how depends on individual people, proper documentation is missing and Excel serves as an error-prone parallel tool. And nobody knows exactly any more what your FileMaker database can actually do.
This is exactly where our consulting comes in. Together with walkingtoyou – our sister company, specialising in Claris FileMaker for more than three decades – we bring your solution back to a clear, documented and future-proof state, and modernise and develop your database further according to your requirements.
We start with an analysis, not a quotation. We record the complete structure of your database: tables, relationships, scripts, layouts, permissions and interfaces. From this, we develop a target picture with realistic implementation paths and a prioritised report – what is urgent, what makes economic sense and what can wait.
Modernise, extend, rebuild
There are four ways to implement the changes.
- Modernise: revise the interface, performance and maintainability without touching the proven core.
- Extend: interfaces to accounting, web shop, time tracking or other systems, so that duplicate data entry is no longer necessary.
- Migrate: switch to a standard solution where custom development is no longer worthwhile.
- Rebuild: a clean new development when the legacy burden outweighs the benefits.
We work in modules and at your pace – step by step, during ongoing operations, without downtime and without a large-scale project that ties up capital for months.
What remains at the end is independence: full data sovereignty, no vendor lock-in and documentation that enables your team to maintain the solution themselves. If you wish, we can also take over operation and hosting – on Swiss servers, running either Linux or Mac, all from a single source. And afterwards we stay by your side. A FileMaker solution is not a project with an end date, but a system that grows with your business.
You can find out more about the options for revising your existing Claris FileMaker database from our sister company walkingtoyou GmbH: https://www.walkingtoyou.com/de/filemaker-modernisieren
Analyse. Understand. Develop.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
For further questions and clarification about the options for modernising your workflows, please feel free to contact us.
-
When should I modernise my FileMaker solution?
When your solution costs more energy than it saves. Look out for these patterns:
The system effectively runs in one single person's head, and nobody else dares to make changes. Routine tasks are done by hand, even though the database should really be taking care of them. And exchanging data with other programs only works in roundabout ways. You do not have to wait for a failure – the sooner we take a look, the more room for manoeuvre you have. -
What is the difference between modernising and replacing?
Modernising means keeping FileMaker as the foundation: we untangle the structure, document it in writing and make it more robust – this makes sense as long as your business logic is sound and the platform fits. Replacing means changing the foundation, for example to our standard software blue.project, if your existing structure can fundamentally no longer keep up. Which path is right is answered by the analysis – not by gut feeling.
-
Do we have to interrupt operations for this?
No. We deliberately work in clearly defined steps and without a “big bang”. Your solution remains in use while we modernise it area by area – according to your priorities and your budget.
-
What does a FileMaker modernisation cost?
A reliable figure is only possible after analysing the current state – flat-rate amounts are guesswork. What determines the effort: how large and complex your application is, how well it is documented today, how many third-party systems are involved and whether we just tidy up processes or set them up anew. That is precisely why we start with the analysis – long before we talk about budget.
-
Do we keep control over our data?
Yes, completely. Your data and your process knowledge remain with you at all times. We do not create dependencies, but a clean foundation that you can continue to maintain yourself. Whether your data is stored locally on a Linux or macOS server or in the walkingtoweb FileMaker Cloud is up to you.
-
Is FileMaker still future-proof today?
The platform: yes. Claris continuously develops FileMaker further – most recently with AI functions, open programming interfaces and a fixed release cycle. Much more important is the second question: will your own solution carry you through the coming years? A well-maintained, well-documented application easily lasts a long time. It only becomes risky when all the knowledge depends, undocumented, on a single person – and that is exactly where we come in.
-
Do you work with FileMaker plug-ins?
As rarely as possible. FileMaker offers enormous functional depth out of the box, covering almost all requirements – without additional dependencies. Every plug-in is a building block that has to be licensed and maintained separately and checked with every version change. We only use plug-ins where they add real value and the task cannot be solved cleanly with built-in tools. This keeps your solution maintainable and independent.
