Ask Idealware: Building in FileMaker Pro?

Gail asks: We are considering changing our ACCESS database, which relies on a consultant who is not very responsive, to FileMaker Pro. I could not find any reference in your materials to FileMakerPro or ACCESS. Is FileMakerPro a database that you do not recommend? If so, why? We have been very impressed with its flexibility, user-friendliness, and price. We have found a highly regarded consultant who will convert the ACCESS database into the FileMaker Pro and provide training and support for six months for $9100.

Eric Leland, Founder and Director of Leland Design, says :
Both FileMaker Pro and Microsoft Access are strong tools for nonprofits to consider. FileMaker Pro has always focused more on the non-techie user than Microsoft Access. On the one hand, that can make most of us a quick study in developing simple FileMaker databases. On the other hand, FileMaker can get quite a bit more complex to improve as more is demanded from it. Access is more complicated to learn out of the box, but is more flexible as requirements increase.

Access and FileMaker are databases without an application - they require that you build what you need. Thus, they can work to solve a tremendous array of business problems, but to do so, organizations should be prepared to bear the higher costs of custom engineering, ongoing support and training needs. In general, we should always review existing database applications first before signing on to a custom project, in order to avoid paying high costs that end up largely reinventing the wheel.

Maintaining your access to expert, reliable, available and affordable consultants is the biggest challenge with Access or FileMaker. Too often organizations start designing a new FileMaker database, only to find that the work (and thus cost) is quite a bit more than expected, or that the consultant becomes unavailable or unreliable. I recommend you consider identifying someone on staff who can be the office "power user" of FileMaker, who can grow to learn the new FileMaker application over time, manage consultant changes, and become a primary support provider for the organization in its proper use.

With most custom applications, you will want to maintain a relationship with your consultant for the long term, years if possible, and to negotiate a handoff plan should you need to replace this skillset. Be sure your consultant provides a detailed written specifications and work plan for what she is going to build, and how she will implement your project. You should have several opportunities to evaluate functionality in progress, to help clear up misunderstandings before they go unchecked too far. Be sure to carefully screen the references of your consultant by checking long time clients of theirs - do they still use their custom database? How was the implementation process for them?

Finally, be sure that you budget more than the $9100 project cost for maintaining this solution. During and after the implementation, I recommend you send a designated staff to FileMaker training to bring more FileMaker support skills in-house. Additionally, you may discover during implementation that a feature that sounded nice when you discussed it, actually needs more once you see it working in the database. This may entail additional cost - these change requests are common, and anticipating a 15%-25% project cost expansion is a wise strategy.

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