On a daily basis in our administrative activities, we have to process, organise, search, sort, manipulate data. Our computing environment is full of databases that we have to fill in or query. In some cases, we would like to have a tool adapted to our specific needs in order to structure specific information or to automate painstaking or repetitive processes.

Among the tools for designing such customised and tailored systems, FileMaker stands out because of its ergonomics and accessibility. To be able to create a solution in FileMaker, you do not have to be a computer scientist. FileMaker software language is quite close to common everyday language. I comes with useful wizards to assist the creation of our solution’s components (screen, script to automate processes, …)

The purpose of the FileMaker Advanced Training is to provide you with the foundation of skills to create or adapt a data management solution.

General objectives

To design or adapt a database tool using the FileMaker software platform.

Learning outcomes

The training is to teach participants to:

• Structuring data and understanding the principle of a relational database
• Create or adapt interfaces to interact with data
• Integrate elements to control and facilitate the encoding (lists of values, check boxes, …)
• Secure and share data

Topics – Key Concepts

• basic principles of a database (tables, sections, links)
• user interface (templates, forms, lists, tables)
• data validation
• input help (lists of values, calendar, …)
• complex model objects (tabs, external tables)
• multimedia content management (images, documents, …)
• navigation between data
• automation via script
• securing data and sharing between multiple users

Target Audience

• FileMaker users who want to improve their solution as part of their administrative or research tasks.
• Administrative, commercial and research staff who wish to build a data management system and who have followed basic training.
• Computer scientists who do not know FileMaker yet.

Educational path

Before the training activity

Have completed Basic FileMaker training (FileMaker User – Introduction) or already have a basic database development practice.

During training

The participants will carry out a complete solution development project. Since the development of the scenario, the design of the structure, the realisation of screens for data entry and processing, the creation of scripts up to securing and sharing their solution.

Didactic materials

Participants must have a workstation with FileMaker Pro version 14 minimum. (You can download a trial version of FileMaker here)

Throughout the training, moments sharing with the group alternate with individual work and customised coaching.

At the end of the training, participants receive the FileMaker Training Series electronic support in French as well as the slides used during the sessions.

Description of each session’s activities

1^st half day

• Plan the creation of a database (methodology)
• Create the structure (tables and sections)
• Understand the concepts of primary key and foreign key

2^nd half day

• Validate data (topics)
• Apply the notion of auto-entry (rubrics)
• Realize interaction interfaces with data (models)
• Add input tools (value list, checkboxes, calendar, …)
• Define calculation fields

3^rd half day

• Organize the space on a model (tab, panel, …)
• Make the model dynamic (conditional formatting, masking)
• Use calculations in interfaces (conditional formatting, masking)
• Integrate external tables into models

4^th half day

• Set up complex relationships (many to many)
• Understand the options of external tables (sort, filter, …)
• Navigate between data
• Design scripts to automate tasks

5^th half day

• Produce reports and statistics
• Integrate documents (image, pdf, ..)
• Secure data for sharing

Each session begins with a Quiz on the content of the previous session.