FileMaker Pro 8.5 Win/Mac

by Filemaker Inc.

Product Features

• Award-winning ease-of-use helps you see results in minutes and get more done every day.
• Pre-designed databases give you a head start in developing your solution.
• Robust customization features ensure your layouts, reports and forms look and work the way you want them to.
• Powerful productivity features help you work faster and automate repetitive tasks.
• Built-in security and sharing features mean you can securely share databases with Windows and Mac users – over your network, across the Web or in popular file formats, like Microsoft Excel and Adobe PDF.

Product Details

• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B000GPIQ8C
• Item model number: TH325LL/A
• Date first available at Amazon.com: July 10, 2006
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,780 in Software (See Top 100 in Software)
  • #5 in Software > Programming > Database > Filemaker
  • #46 in Software > Programming > Programming Languages
  • #48 in Software > Business & Office > Database
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

Amazon.com

FileMaker Pro 8.5 is the new version of the world's best-selling, easy-to-use database software for Mac OS X and Windows users. The application provides you with world-class tools to manage, customize and share your information about people, projects, and assets on a network or over the Internet. In fact, FileMaker Pro 8.5 revolutionizes the way you interact with data online, letting you incorporate live web pages in records in your database and take advantage of up-to-the minute information from the web.

FileMaker Pro is the number one-selling easy-to-use database software for Windows and Mac OS that helps you manage people, projects, assets and more.

As effortlessly as you can bookmark a web page in your browser, you can add a live web page to a record in your database. View larger.

Get up and running quickly and easily. The FileMaker Learning Center offers a fun, convenient way to learn FileMaker Pro 8.5 at your own pace. View larger.

FileMaker Pro's designers have pre-designed databases, set up reports and mailing labels, and added automation features to help you get started even faster. View larger.

The award-winning ease of use that's built into every aspect of FileMaker Pro continues to be praised by millions of customers and industry experts around the world. View larger.

Putting the Web and Your Network to Work
The most advanced version of the industry-leading database application to date, FileMaker Pro 8.5 lets you add a live Web browser window to any database layout as easily as you bookmark a Web page. Since FileMaker automatically updates the information on the fly, your database remains current, without any searching or browsing necessary on your part.

Your information is even more valuable when you can share it. With the cross-platform, multi-user network support, you'll be able to share FileMaker information over a network with up to five simultaneous Windows users, Intel-based Mac users or PowerPC Mac users. And the program's Instant Web Publishing lets you share FileMaker information over the Web -- giving your team secure access to the information they need anytime, anywhere via a browser. If you have remote offices, clients or vendors that need anytime, anywhere access to your FileMaker information, you're in business.

Easy Set-up and Programming
With FileMaker Pro's easy-to-follow on-screen, step-by-step instructions, you'll be up and running in a matter of minutes. Whether you want to organize a home library or your company's inventory tracking system, FileMaker not only meets your every needs but offers an application that's easy to set-up, easy to learn and easy to use. In fact, FileMaker Pro 8.5 comes with its own Learning Center -- complete with 28 QuickTime video tutorials -- that lets novices and FileMaker experts alike tap into the richest features of the application.

When it's time to start working, converting your data couldn't be easier. Just drag your Excel files onto the FileMaker icon on your desktop, and the information will import automatically. FileMaker can also import many different file formats so there's no need to re-key your information. Searching, sorting, and reporting is also easier than ever. When you need to create daily project lists, weekly sales reports, monthly newsletters or mailing labels, FileMaker produces what you want, sorted the way you want. Plus, you can save your output to Adobe PDF or Microsoft Excel formats, and send it via email in seconds.

Thanks to FileMaker's robust toolset, you can create your own database in minutes, complete with your company logo and custom name fields. In fact, you can customize almost every area of FileMaker to work the way you do, so you're not forced to manage your information in a pre-set way. And by providing you with pre-defined Web addresses for some of the most popular, information-rich web sites on the Internet -- e.g., FedEx, MapQuest Maps, Google search and Wikipedia -- FileMaker Pro 8.5 makes it simple to add Web-based content to your database.

Storing Your Data
Got data? FileMaker Pro 8.5 lets you store virtually any type of file, including Word files, movies, pictures, and PDFs. Sharing the information in your FileMaker databases is also a breeze. Once you've built your data base, it couldn't be easier to print invoices, letters and mailing labels; produce reports in PDF or Excel formats; create customized electronic forms that look just like your paper forms; e-mail the contents of virtually any field with a single click and view live Web information associated with your data from within FileMaker.

Product Description

Now with FileMaker Pro 8.5, there is a database smart enough to link information from your database to the Web. Simply add the FileMaker Web Viewer to any layout, point FileMaker to the Web information that you want to use, and FileMaker will automatically deliver it all on one screen.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Best database software on market - but upgrading is a bummer, September 2, 2006

By 

Rudy "pain-doc" (Columbia, SC USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: FileMaker Pro 8.5 Win/Mac (CD-ROM)

FileMaker Pro [FMP] is without a doubt the best and easiest database software for home or small business users -- far easier to learn and use than Microsoft Access, and great flexibility. Constructing a relational database (tying together, for instance, client names, invoices, expenses, etc) is a snap and the Help files really are helpful. Lack of a printed manual [rather than just a scanned file] is a downer.

As for upgrading from previous versions [like FMP6] is a bummer however, in that the recently introduced [with version 7] security change is utterly frustratirng. Yes, the old *.fp6 files do convert easily and swiftly, but if you can't open your old 'flat' unsecured Rolodex people files because you don't know the proper password to use, you won't be happy. Took me hours to figure it out -- for upgraders at least, the company should have included printed instructions in plain words so you can go right to work. As to upgrading from ver 8.0 to ver 8.5: the company charges nearly a hundred bucks for the multi-megabyte download, forget it. On-line support is good, with an active user forum.

The software itself rates five stars - but the needlessly complex transition from prior file structure, the lack of a decent printed manual in the box, and the ludicrous charge for an intra-version upgrade take away some of the luster. Still, all considered, FMP beats the Microsoft product by miles.

15 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Worst Instructions I have ever encountered, January 23, 2007

By 

Bob Mccormack (Sonoma, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: FileMaker Pro 8.5 Win/Mac (CD-ROM)

This may be a good database program but I can't tell due to the truly awful instructions. They talk all about how to use a data base once it is constructed but how to actually create the layouts and instructions is just not covered in the provided manuals, online help or PDF file. You will have to spend hours trying to analyze the provided example files as to how to actually do things. The most basic explanation of how steps and procedure actually work or what is required is just not there.

The on line help is filled with jargon and confusing explanations. Some times the terms used will change within the explanation with no warning leading to more confusion. A typical example is in the developers manual on page 12 which explains how to copy a script. Problem is when it gets to the click on copy part, there is no copy option on the screen. I guess they just forgot to include it in the actual program. This is just one of many examples I have encountered. I doubt they ever had outside users actually try to use the program so they could understand what instructions were needed.

If you want to create your own system, not use one of the templets provided, then plan on many hours trying to understand how the basic nuts and bolts work. It will be mostly trial and error. And consider it necessary to purchase outside books and video tutorials. Considering I taught myself to program in assembly language in the early days and made a good living doing so and that I have learned programs such as SolidWorks parametric modeling I dont think the problem is on my end.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars great program with one exception, May 18, 2007

By 

C. Boorse (Portland, OR) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: FileMaker Pro 8.5 Win/Mac (CD-ROM)

i've been using this fmp for a few months now. i was able to get the general gist of how to use it but personally found taking a class really helped my understanding. the program can do so many things! well worth the money.

however... one of the books i read on the program "FileMaker Pro Design & Scripting for Dummies" stated, "FileMaker provides full, multiuser support for up to five users without requiring the user to add any additional licenses or patches." that statement is misleading. i understood that statement to mean one license would allow five user. not true! as long as each computer attempting to view the same file has a unique license number, five users can access the same file at the same time. if more than five users at a time are going to be using the file, you'll need to buy filemaker server.