I work for a small company just over a year old. I have them sold on
the idea of a database for tracking their sales and order entry (plus
many other duties). We are going to develop our own database and are
trying to decide which software to use. We are windows based, have
Access, and a trial version of FMP 8.5. I have used Access for the
past few years and would call my skills above intermediate but
definitely not expert. I used FMP years ago (before it was relational
~ 1987) but loved it. One of the owners is our IT manager and knows a
lot, but not about database (theory or practice). He is leaning toward
FMP because of the security issues (he says it should be easier to
utilize and less vulnerable when on the Internet). Nevertheless, we
are still about 50/50 in our decision.
Either way, I am the most knowledgeable on database management. I have
been reviewing the trial FMP and I quickly remembered what I loved,
however some of the database basics I don't see are like assigning a
primary key; it almost seems as if FMP goes out of their way not to
use the term in any of their documentation or even the "Bible" I
purchased at Borders.
After reading a lot, I understand FMP used to be relational by linking
files, but now it can all be done with one file, multiple tables. Yet
the fast solutions Filemaker's website offers seem to make me link all
these files. It almost feels like I "know too much" to use FMP. I'm
looking for terms and ways to set up the database that don't exist in
FMP. Is this just a learning curve or what am I missing?
I am honestly open to using either program. What are your suggestions?
the idea of a database for tracking their sales and order entry (plus
many other duties). We are going to develop our own database and are
trying to decide which software to use. We are windows based, have
Access, and a trial version of FMP 8.5. I have used Access for the
past few years and would call my skills above intermediate but
definitely not expert. I used FMP years ago (before it was relational
~ 1987) but loved it. One of the owners is our IT manager and knows a
lot, but not about database (theory or practice). He is leaning toward
FMP because of the security issues (he says it should be easier to
utilize and less vulnerable when on the Internet). Nevertheless, we
are still about 50/50 in our decision.
Either way, I am the most knowledgeable on database management. I have
been reviewing the trial FMP and I quickly remembered what I loved,
however some of the database basics I don't see are like assigning a
primary key; it almost seems as if FMP goes out of their way not to
use the term in any of their documentation or even the "Bible" I
purchased at Borders.
After reading a lot, I understand FMP used to be relational by linking
files, but now it can all be done with one file, multiple tables. Yet
the fast solutions Filemaker's website offers seem to make me link all
these files. It almost feels like I "know too much" to use FMP. I'm
looking for terms and ways to set up the database that don't exist in
FMP. Is this just a learning curve or what am I missing?
I am honestly open to using either program. What are your suggestions?
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