July 10, 2007

FileMaker Pro 9: Blending the Web & Desktop Database

For "enlightened" businesses, databases are the smart way to keep data organized.

Many small businesses still use spreadsheets as their main tool to organize data. But they could get so much more from their data (intelligence and trends) if they used the right tool for the job. Spreadsheets have a limit in how and what data you can easily put into them and how it can be processed.

Today FileMaker launched version 9 of its product, which contains a number of new features. Most important to this upgrade is the ease of which FileMaker enables those with minimal technical knowledge to connect their databses to web sites.

This new launch includes FileMaker Pro 9, FileMaker Pro 9 Advanced, FileMaker Server 9 and FileMaker Server 9 Advanced.

One of the most popular databases used on web sits is MySQL and FileMaker makes it relatively easy for workgroups to connect to external databases in MySQL, Oracle SQL and Microsoft SQL Server.

Instead of having to rely on your busy IT department (or person) to give you access to corporate databases, help you generate reports, and worrying about if you have the latest version of data in a database, FileMaker Pro puts this power into the hands of consumers (of course with the authorization of the IT department).

There's several more features under the cover of FileMaker Pro 9, over 30 in fact.

FileMaker's press release reads FileMaker Pro 9 includes many new features, for end users and developers, to simplify creating, automating, sharing and reporting from databases, including a new Quick Start screen for new users to be quickly productive; Conditional Formatting, which highlights data based on parameters the user sets; and the ability to email a link to other FileMaker users, which they can click to instantly access your database.

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