REVIEW OF FILEMAKER PRO 8

Although Filemaker and Filemaker Pro have been around for a long time, the earlier versions were lacking and sometimes difficult to use. However, with the launch of Filemaker Pro 8, we have seen a serious evolution and vast improvements. Today, this program is considered one of the easiest to use for helping people build clean and polished database applications.

Filemaker Pro 8 now features convenient filtering capabilities, real-time spell checker, mail merge, and tab and calendar controls making the software easy and functional. Although this application is still not as robust as what you would see with Microsoft Access, it is a great alternative. In fact, some people feel Access is overkill, preferring the more simplistic style of Filemaker.

With Filemaker Pro 8, building relational databases without having to spend significant time learning the program is a huge plus. With ease of use seen in all versions and now added features making the program more functional and convenient, it is easy to see why version 8 is becoming a big seller. Without doubt, the enhancements found in this program are incremental, not necessarily profound. However, the changes are enough to impress most users.

With this software program, the creation of a simple relational database is actually not difficult at all. Keep in mind that Filemaker Pro 8 does offer several highly functional templates for some of the more common business scenarios. However, creating a database from scratch is not difficult so you could go that route as well. Typically, once you understand the premise of the program, you could have tables, fields, and validation rules done within a matter of minutes.

To help define specific relationships between the different tables, you can always lean on the visual relationship builder. With this, you can add annotations that help you keep track of your design decisions. Another benefit to using Filemaker Pro 8 is the capability of importing directly from MS Excel. However, you can always create tables and fields from imported data if you prefer. In addition to importing options, this program also offers the ability to export data to Excel files, as well as reports to PDF files.

Then, the new mail merge capability is a great feature, allowing you the option to send out batches of customized emails. The interface of Filemaker Pro 8 includes the four basic options of "browse", "find", "layout", and "preview" but even here, small enhancements have been made. For instance, the spell checker works in real-time. Therefore, as you type, any suspicious words would be underlined in red. Then, if you want, fields can be set for auto complete. In this case, a right-click context menu pops up with a fast match that can find other records to identical field contents.

The nice thing about using Filemaker Pro 8 is that while it works exceptionally well for businesses, it can also be used as a personal tool. For instance, if you wanted to keep track of family information to include contact, birthdays, anniversaries, favorite foods, dress size, or whatever the case may be, a database of information could be created. With a nice balanced variety of mechanisms for sharing database application with other users, you could easily create a family or friend system that is fun and easy to use.