I want to make sure that Filemaker is the right choice for what I am fixing to do in our law firm. I really am looking for some questions on functionality to decide what to do.

1. Can I make a tickler function based on a future date and based on system date the program kick an alert to me the day before the date set is about to go?

2. Can files be added, such as PDF's, directly into the program by drag and drop and can all of these files be listed within the database itself?

3. Can I point to a directory on my server and have a "filelist" box in the database that will show the files contained in that folder and then click to open?

4. Can emails out of Apple Mail be saved within the database?

This is going to be a case management system that we are going to use for several things and we have tried Daylight and there are just too many screens and linking to things which we do not like. It is not a "field" friendly as what a customized database would be.

I appreciate all of your help and consideration in answering my questions.

Thanks in advance

Robb

1. Can I make a tickler function based on a future date and based on system date the program kick an alert to me the day before the date set is about to go?

Yes-using FMS running 360works, you can run a script that emails you an alert. Or, just have a Main Menu with a portal to the account's To Dos.

2. Can files be added, such as PDF's, directly into the program by drag and drop and can all of these files be listed within the database itself?

Not sure about the drag and drop (anyone?), but certainly PDFs can be stored in container fields in FM, or linked by reference.

3. Can I point to a directory on my server and have a "filelist" box in the database that will show the files contained in that folder and then click to open?

Hmm, bet there's a plugin for that.

4. Can emails out of Apple Mail be saved within the database?

You can have the contents of a record emailed out of the database using FM's Send Mail function. However, it doesn't support html mail. Or, using an email plugin like 360 works or SMTPit to send formatted email with 2+ attachments from FM.