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
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.
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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
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
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.
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
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
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
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
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
Why limit the size of your files?
According to Claris, the maximum file size of a Claris FileMaker Pro file is “limited only by disk space to a maximum of 8 TB (terabytes) on a hard disk and OS API capability.” I promise you the practical limits you want to impose on any FileMaker files you manage should be significantly less than that!
Why you should care – and what those limits should be – is a subject that has been buzzing around our hosting and development teams for years when faced
Claris Studio offers cutting edge technology that lets you easily create spreadsheets, forms, dashboards, Kanban boards, and more to securely collect data without having to ask people to log into a website or hosted file. It is the newest member of the Claris Platform and integrates in many ways with the rest of the Claris family.
Getting started does not require any programming knowledge – it is literally drag and drop! But it’s also a great tool for experienced FileMaker developers because
How do webhooks integrate with the Claris Platform?
What is a Webhook?
A webhook is a method for one system to send real-time data to another system as soon as an event occurs. It functions as an automated notification between applications over the internet.
And if you are wondering how they compare to APIs, they are similar but webhooks only send data in one direction. They are great “listeners” of data. You set up your webhook to react when something happens on the web. You then c
Since Claris Connect was officially released to the public back in 2020, this technology extension to the Claris FileMaker Pro platform has gone through a major evolution.
When we were first introduced to it, we saw its potential to make connections to other systems via open APIs easier and more accessible than writing traditional code, and as a plug-in vendor, we saw it as a major rival to replace a large swath of FileMaker plug-ins available – some of which are ours.
However, what was
Take our updated course to connect with Claris!
Are you ready to take FileMaker automation to the next level? Claris Connect enables you to streamline everyday business tasks and processes through automated workflows. Our course, Claris Connect Fundamentals, shows you how to seamlessly integrate FileMaker with external third-party apps such as Mailchimp, SendGrid, and more.
We updated our course to cover new Claris Connect features and explore additional apps and functionality designed
See how to run an online store from your Claris FileMaker solution
Have you thought about setting up an online website or business?
There are lots of e-commerce options for selling merchandise online, and Shopify is just one of the options available to you. Since we have received many questions about Shopify and its compatibility with FileMaker, we created a free video and sample file to get you started with integrating the two to build an online shop from your FileMaker solution.
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For those of you who are still using on-premises servers, eventually you will be faced with the choice of replacing/upgrading your aging FileMaker Server hardware or moving it into the cloud. Here are 3 reasons to consider why you should move your on-premise FileMaker server to the cloud:
Less Hassle to Install and Configure
If you have ever installed and set up FileMaker Server before, configured the SSL certificate, and opened up firewall ports, you know it takes time and experience.
Do you find yourself taking time away from work because you are jumping from your solution to emails to your calendar before scheduling a meeting with a client, potential job candidate or team member?
What is Calendly?
Calendly is an online scheduling platform where people can see your schedule and choose a time to meet with you based on the time options you share.
Benefits of Calendly
You can connect all your calendars to avoid double-booking and set up your availability for ap
Use our free sample file to connect to the Freshdesk ticketing system
If you are looking for customer support software, check out Freshdesk and see how connecting it to FileMaker with the Freshdesk API will help you improve communications and better manage your team’s time and tasks.
Freshdesk is a web-based ticketing system that gathers customer support emails in one place, lets you assign tickets to team members, and provides a central location for your client correspondence. With the
Your business has grown and evolved over the years, and your Claris FileMaker database has been keeping pace with you the entire time. Unlike other applications, this solution you built does everything you need, it fits your business rules, rather than forcing you to adapt your workflows to an off-the-shelf application.
You built it yourself way back when by grabbing a QuickStart guide, locked yourself in your office, started by hammering out a few tables, a few layouts, and a couple of scri
Assessing the good, the bad and the ugly of your FileMaker system
If you have a Claris FileMaker database that plays an important role in your organization, you know there are some good things about it, some bad things, and maybe even some things that are ugly enough to cause real problems for you and your business if left unaddressed.
This is the scenario we see every day. To help customers identify, sort through and prioritize those issues, we have developed and refined a very unique
If you and your team are accessing your company’s Claris or FileMaker system from desktop computers, mobile devices or a web browser, you’ll need a FileMaker hosting solution. While there are other hosting options for Claris FileMaker available, Productive Computing’s FileMaker hosting service can give you tremendous peace of mind while also saving you and your team time.
If you are considering hosting your on-premise Claris or FileMaker Server to the cloud, think about the kind of service t
Are you new to FileMaker Pro or Claris Pro? Have you been asked to work in a custom solution but get stumped by the Claris and FileMaker terminology? And you may even be wondering “what is a solution”? If you do a search for “FileMaker glossary,” you will find a lot of information geared toward FileMaker developers and you may end up more confused. This blog is for you, a non-developer, — someone using FileMaker Pro or Claris Pro systems in your daily activities.
Having the right names for
As a business owner, communication with your customers and your employees is key. While FileMaker has long supported sending plain text emails, many businesses find that more immediate communication is critical to their workflow.
These include:
Alerting a customer that their order is ready for pick-up once a job is marked “complete.” Sending photographs of equipment condition at the end of the workday. Confirming availability with an employee to staff an upcoming event.
Now that F
Your business depends on your Claris FileMaker solution. But if you are hosting FileMaker locally (on server hardware in your home or office), you are putting that critical piece of your business infrastructure at unnecessary risk – and making more work for yourself and your team.
Making the investment in offsite Claris FileMaker hosting, with a company like Productive Computing (PCI), is ultimately a safer, more secure, and more efficient option for your data.
See our hosting options
