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Productive Computing

A blog by PCIPal in Affiliate Blogs

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Entries in this blog

Using the Perform Find by Natural Language Script Step in FileMaker

Searching in FileMaker has traditionally required users to understand field names, layouts, and how to build multi-step find requests. For smaller teams and non-technical users, that learning curve can slow things down and lead to frustration. Natural language finds change that experience. Instead of constructing complex criteria, users can simply type what they are looking for in everyday language. FileMaker then uses AI to interpret the request, build the appropriate find criteria, and ret

Create Barcodes and QR Codes in FileMaker

Creating barcodes and QR codes in FileMaker is easier than ever. Using the free demo file from Productive Computing University, you will be able to use a single script step to generate both traditional barcodes and QR codes directly within FileMaker 2025. No fonts, no plug-ins, and no complex setup are required If you’re managing inventory, printing labels, or sharing links, this approach makes it quick to generate professional barcodes and QR codes with minimal effort. The only requirement
  • PCIPal

Using AI for Text Summaries, Clean Up, and Translation in FileMaker

If your team collects field notes, service updates, support comments, or quick entries from mobile devices, you know how inconsistent and unstructured text can be. Misspellings, shorthand, scattered thoughts, and long explanations can make important information hard to understand. With the AI capabilities available in FileMaker 2025, you now can clean up messy notes, generate clear summaries, and translate text into other languages directly inside your solution. Our AI text manipulation tool
  • PCIPal

Outlook Manipulator: Connecting FileMaker and Outlook

The Outlook Manipulator plug-in makes it easy to connect your Claris FileMaker solution with Microsoft Outlook and the new Microsoft 365 Outlook (we refer to it as Outlook Remote). Whether you want to centralize contacts, archive emails, manage calendar events, or automate communication, Outlook Manipulator gives you the tools to make Outlook an integrated part of your FileMaker workflow. Direct Integration with Outlook Remote and Outlook Classic Outlook Manipulator supports both modern
  • PCIPal

Using AI for an Internet Search in FileMaker

See how FileMaker can use AI to perform live internet searches and return real-time company data, news, and insights. Explore how to connect FileMaker to OpenAI to gather and organize results directly within your solution. AI models are powerful, but their training only extends to a specific date, which means they often lack awareness of recent news or developments. When you enable AI search, FileMaker can look up current information on the web and combine it with the model’s existing knowle
  • PCIPal

How AI is Transforming FileMaker Development

A Claris Community Live Recap On September 11, 2025, the Claris Community gathered for another Community Live event during which Marc Larochelle, Productive Computing CEO, discussed artificial intelligence and FileMaker. The session featured real-world examples of how AI is already transforming the way developers and businesses build solutions. How to Use AI in FileMaker The conversation centered on practical AI use cases in FileMaker, not just theory but rather demonst
  • PCIPal

Interpreting Pictures in FileMaker with Gemini’s Image Analyzer

If you’ve ever wished your FileMaker solution could “look” at an image and tell you what’s in it, you’ll be interested in this lesson from the AI Essentials for FileMaker Developers course. This is just one of the many features of AI addressed in the course.  Learn how to use Google Gemini’s Image Analyzer to extract meaning from pictures, whether it is identifying text in a receipt or estimating the value of items on a shelf. With the included demo file (available in this paid course),
  • PCIPal

New AI Features in FileMaker  2025

With new script steps and functions designed specifically for AI-powered interaction, the FileMaker 2025 release gives you the tools needed to build intelligent, data-aware features directly into your solutions. In our video, Introducing Claris FileMaker Pro 2025 New Features – What You Need To Know, Marc Larochelle walks through the new AI capabilities and shows how to configure and use them with real-world examples. If you’re new to AI or just looking for practical guidance, this is a grea

Plotting Locations on a Map with FileMaker and JSON

Introducing A Free Demo File You Can Use If you’ve ever wanted to visualize address data inside a FileMaker solution, this free demo file shows you exactly how it’s done. During a Claris Community Live event, we shared a FileMaker demo called “Plot Locations on a Map” that uses JSON and the FileMaker Data API to plot multiple address points on an interactive map. This demo is available at no cost and is part of the free FileMaker Features and Free Resources course from Productive Computi

Streamline Your Salvage Contracts with Our VSS Digital Solution

Vessel Service Solutions (VSS) is a custom-built mobile solution created specifically for TowBoatU.S. operators and marine towing companies. It simplifies dispatching, boat maintenance, fuel logs, invoicing, and payroll. Everything runs from a centralized, cloud-based system and connects with iPads used in the field. VSS replaces manual BoatU.S. paperwork with a digital workflow and pulls dispatches directly from the BoatU.S. system. This means faster, more accurate tracking of your towing a

Learn Essential AI Terms for FileMaker

Using artificial intelligence (AI) tools like ChatGPT or Google Gemini can significantly streamline your development process and enhance problem-solving capabilities. But to effectively leverage AI, it’s important to understand foundational AI terminology. This blog introduces you to the essential terminology you’ll need to make sense of how AI works and how it can improve your FileMaker development efforts. AI terms you should know Machine Learning (ML): A subset of AI that

Introduction to AI for FileMaker Developers

Are you a FileMaker developer looking to integrate Artificial Intelligence (AI) into your workflows? Productive Computing University‘s AI Essentials for FileMaker Developers course is designed to give you a solid foundation in applying artificial intelligence (AI) within your FileMaker solutions. Why use AI? AI is changing the way developers build solutions, automate processes, and improve workflows. As a FileMaker developer, understanding how to incorporate AI into your projects can enh

How to generate images in FileMaker

Have you ever needed sample images for your FileMaker solution for a demonstration, training, or marketing? Whether for showcasing a new product or just experimenting with data, having a tool built-in into your file will make the process much easier.  Our video shows you a simple way to generate a selection of high-quality, random images directly in FileMaker using a free online resource called Lorem Picsum.  You’ll learn the step-by-step process of generating professional-looking sample
  • PCIPal

Claris FileMaker Pro 2024 – Simplify File Management

Have a look at a new feature in FileMaker 2024 that gives you the ability to use variables with repetitions to define file paths. This enhancement offers greater flexibility and simplifies path management for developers. In the video we’ll show you:  How to define paths using variable repetitions The benefits of using this feature in your scripts Demonstration of exporting records to different file paths using a single variable with repetitions Whether you’re managing multiple

Planning your FileMaker Dashboard

When you are looking to create a FileMaker dashboard, there are important questions to consider. Our full Productive Computing University course, Claris FileMaker Pro Advanced 2, shows you how to build key components of a dashboard. Why do you need a dashboard – why is it helpful? A dashboard in FileMaker brings your most crucial data to the forefront, helping you make informed decisions quickly.   Access all your essential metrics in one place—no more navigating through multiple r
  • PCIPal

Updated API Fundamentals course for FileMaker developers

Are you looking to expand the functionality of your FileMaker applications? Integrating your applications with third-party services through APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) can open up a myriad of possibilities. APIs allow different software systems to communicate with each other, extending the capabilities of your FileMaker solutions. For a deeper dive into what APIs are and how they function, check out our detailed blog post on the basics of APIs. At Productive Computing Unive

The Building Blocks of JSON for FileMaker

A Claris Community Live Recap Check out this recording of a Claris Community Live session where Marc Larochelle, Productive Computing CEO, talks about using JSON with FileMaker, demonstrates how to create a JSON object in FileMaker, and breaks down its functionality and significance in modern development practices.  Whether you’re a novice looking to harness JSON’s capabilities or an experienced developer wanting a refresher, this session has something for everyone! Watch as Marc guides
  • PCIPal

Using AI for FileMaker development

Are you a FileMaker developer looking to streamline your workflow? In this video excerpt from the Claris FileMaker Pro Advanced 2 training course, you’ll learn how to leverage consumer-based AI tools, like ChatGPT, to enhance your development process. Imagine being able to generate sample data with a simple prompt or analyze complex scripts without getting lost in the technical details. You’ll discover how to create robust datasets—like product records with just a few lines of text—and how t
  • PCIPal

Expand your FileMaker Pro Development Skills

Enhance your FileMaker Pro expertise with our Advanced 2 FileMaker training course Building on the foundation laid in our Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced 1 courses, Productive Computing University’s Claris FileMaker Pro Advanced 2 training course will help you take your knowledge and FileMaker development skills to a new level. In this advanced FileMaker Pro training course, you will learn how to use AI for sample data, to write SQL statements, analyze scripts and much more. 

Claris FileMaker Pro 2024 – Using GetLiveTextAsJSON

Imagine you have a bunch of receipts, invoices, or any other documents, and you need to pull out specific pieces of information from them, like dates, totals, or names. Doing this manually can be time-consuming and prone to errors. This is where the new GetLiveTextAsJSON function in FileMaker 2024 comes in handy.  Learn how you can use this new feature with an image of a mock restaurant receipt uploaded to a container field. You’ll see how GetLiveText extracts the text, but the results do no

Claris FileMaker Pro 2024 – Supercharged WebViewer with WebRTC

Watch our video to look at a new feature in FileMaker 2024: WebRTC (Web Real-Time Communications). WebRTC brings real-time video and chat capabilities directly into your FileMaker solutions. This opens up a world of opportunity in your FileMaker solutions. In this one focused example, we demonstrate how you can embed a Zoom meeting within a FileMaker web viewer, showcasing the enhanced functionality and seamless integration. Zoom is but one example of an application that requires the advance

Introducing Claris FileMaker Pro 2024

Great news! FileMaker 2024 has arrived, bringing with it a host of exciting new features! From advanced AI integration to the “Open Quickly” feature, this release is all about making your development process smoother and more efficient. Script enhancements and improved JSON handling also are featured.  Watch our video to explore the latest enhancements and tools that will revolutionize your development workflow. This blog post provides a summary of the topics discussed in the v

Become a Certified Claris App Developer!

Claris and Productive Computing have teamed up to help developers earn a free FileMaker Pro certification. The revised Claris Certification program, launched in 2023, allows you to obtain the FileMaker Pro Associate certification for free through Claris Academy. Claris FileMaker Pro Associate is one in a series of certification courses offered through Claris Academy and provides you with the basic skills to build a starter app from the ground up. The course is taught by Productive Comput

Getting Started with Core CRM Pro

Explore the benefits of a FileMaker CRM for free! Great news – our updated Core CRM Pro solution is now available as a free, fully unlocked CRM template! If you own a business or manage any kind of organization, chances are you have – or need – a CRM, a Customer Relationship Management system. Productive Computing University’s Core CRM Pro is the ultimate free FileMaker CRM template for the Claris FileMaker Community! The Core CRM Pro is a streamlined FileMaker CRM solution that lets

What to Know Before Moving to QuickBooks Online

If you have been thinking about moving from — or have been getting influenced to move from — QuickBooks Desktop to QuickBooks Online, then make sure you know if you can and what potential costs are involved. QuickBooks Features – Be Aware of the Differences QuickBooks Desktop offers more features than QuickBooks Online. Before you consider migrating, it is crucial to ensure that the features you are currently using with QuickBooks Desktop are available in the Online versions. Below are j

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