Little helpers with a difference
Database To help establish FileMaker software more firmly among publishers, printing companies, and agencies, the manufacturer is offering free mini-solutions.
Database In order to make FileMaker software more popular with publishers, printers and agencies, the manufacturer offers free mini-solutions Software must be as easy to use as possible and flexible to adapt. The most important functions and options should be accessible to the user as quickly as possible without too much learning effort. Databases and database software usually only fulfill a few of these requirements: A lot of time has to be invested in the structure and development of the database in advance. This is why many companies and computer users initially shy away from the word database. With the mini-solutions and templates that supplement the FileMaker 7 database software, the database specialist of the same name is therefore trying to establish its products more firmly with agencies, print shops and publishers. The American company has developed these specifically for its clientele or had them adapted to the European market.
Version 7 of FileMaker is required to use the mini-solutions; a demo version that can run for a limited time can be downloaded from the Internet (not only) to test the templates (see box "Mini-solutions" on page 22). The company describes version 7 of the database software, which has already been available for a year, as a milestone.
Those looking for gimmicks, a new user interface or the like in the current version may be disappointed: "With FileMaker, the facade is still the same. But the substructure is completely new," explains Michael Valentin, Sales Engineer, who, together with Andrea Naeve, Marketing Manager, visits the editorial offices of print and advertising magazines and who recently presented both FileMaker and the mini-templates to Werbewoche.
Specific mini-solutionsTwo free downloadable templates on FileMaker microsites are designed to support small and medium-sized print shops in creating offers and managing print data as well as publishers in optimizing book production. After downloading the templates, users only need to fill the templates with "real" data and can then work with them.
The quote pocket template simplifies the creation of quotes because the print shop can store information about customers, the product range, prices, etc. The items can be easily added and the quote can be printed. The items can be easily added and the quotation can be printed out. Instead of individual Word documents, only a database file is then required.
The print data management template can be used as a small print data management solution for internal and external sales staff and also for small prepress departments or companies. The user quickly obtains an overview of the status of the production data of a job (data release, good for printing, etc.) or can change this status.
With the two modules Free Copies and Correction Collection for Small Publishers, correction reports for the printing of the next edition as well as the dispatch of free copies can be managed elegantly and easily.
Starter package for agencies From the management of
Contacts via the fast
Content upload to the
Inter- or intranet (via integrated FileMaker module)
Instant Web Publishing), the organization of media data (images, videos, music) through to controlling (management of projects, deadlines,
processes, responsibilities and time expenditure), many agency needs can be covered with mini-modules. A total of four options are available for these: job time recording, customers, objects and projects. These are also available free of charge on the Internet.
Mini solutions above all else?
This is hardly the case. The FileMaker templates can only compete with industry software and full-blown content management systems to a limited extent. However, they are suitable for SMEs that do not yet have such applications and are looking for a cost-effective solution for the approaches covered by the modules. One advantage of the mini solutions is that the modules are unlocked and can therefore be customized. However, this also removes one of the main advantages of these solutions, as prior knowledge of the FileMaker database software is then required.
The total of eight modules for print shops, publishers and agencies are and remain dedicated mini solutions. No more - but also no less.
With the instant web publishing function, the FileMaker database can be published live on the internet or intranet.
The print data management module is a mini content management system. Print data can be managed and exported here. The list display (above) provides a quick overview.
FileMaker users associate the database software FileMaker with different things: for some it is an address management system, for others a database, for still other users FileMaker is a small content management system. The truth lies somewhere in between: FileMaker is a fully-fledged, relational database (data access via various criteria) that can be used for simple address management as well as for highly complex tasks.
The current version of FileMaker 7 differs from version 6 primarily in terms of security aspects (improved security model), relationality and significantly higher limits (e.g. 6415 data records can now be managed instead of 3 million). From version 7, the company has already been able to manage over one million
deliver licenses. (jf)
Mini solutionsThe mini templates help users to quickly benefit from the advantages of a database, as they are tailored to industry requirements. Many FileMaker-based solutions are locked away by the programmers and are therefore stand-alone applications.
The templates now offered by FileMaker are different: they can be customized - and are free of charge. The advantages are explained on special microsites and can also be downloaded there:
www.filemaker.de/druckundverlag or .../agencies. (jf)
Jürgen Franck
Version 7 of FileMaker is required to use the mini-solutions; a demo version that can run for a limited time can be downloaded from the Internet (not only) to test the templates (see box "Mini-solutions" on page 22). The company describes version 7 of the database software, which has already been available for a year, as a milestone.
Those looking for gimmicks, a new user interface or the like in the current version may be disappointed: "With FileMaker, the facade is still the same. But the substructure is completely new," explains Michael Valentin, Sales Engineer, who, together with Andrea Naeve, Marketing Manager, visits the editorial offices of print and advertising magazines and who recently presented both FileMaker and the mini-templates to Werbewoche.
Specific mini-solutionsTwo free downloadable templates on FileMaker microsites are designed to support small and medium-sized print shops in creating offers and managing print data as well as publishers in optimizing book production. After downloading the templates, users only need to fill the templates with "real" data and can then work with them.
The quote pocket template simplifies the creation of quotes because the print shop can store information about customers, the product range, prices, etc. The items can be easily added and the quote can be printed. The items can be easily added and the quotation can be printed out. Instead of individual Word documents, only a database file is then required.
The print data management template can be used as a small print data management solution for internal and external sales staff and also for small prepress departments or companies. The user quickly obtains an overview of the status of the production data of a job (data release, good for printing, etc.) or can change this status.
With the two modules Free Copies and Correction Collection for Small Publishers, correction reports for the printing of the next edition as well as the dispatch of free copies can be managed elegantly and easily.
Starter package for agencies From the management of
Contacts via the fast
Content upload to the
Inter- or intranet (via integrated FileMaker module)
Instant Web Publishing), the organization of media data (images, videos, music) through to controlling (management of projects, deadlines,
processes, responsibilities and time expenditure), many agency needs can be covered with mini-modules. A total of four options are available for these: job time recording, customers, objects and projects. These are also available free of charge on the Internet.
Mini solutions above all else?
This is hardly the case. The FileMaker templates can only compete with industry software and full-blown content management systems to a limited extent. However, they are suitable for SMEs that do not yet have such applications and are looking for a cost-effective solution for the approaches covered by the modules. One advantage of the mini solutions is that the modules are unlocked and can therefore be customized. However, this also removes one of the main advantages of these solutions, as prior knowledge of the FileMaker database software is then required.
The total of eight modules for print shops, publishers and agencies are and remain dedicated mini solutions. No more - but also no less.
With the instant web publishing function, the FileMaker database can be published live on the internet or intranet.
The print data management module is a mini content management system. Print data can be managed and exported here. The list display (above) provides a quick overview.
FileMaker users associate the database software FileMaker with different things: for some it is an address management system, for others a database, for still other users FileMaker is a small content management system. The truth lies somewhere in between: FileMaker is a fully-fledged, relational database (data access via various criteria) that can be used for simple address management as well as for highly complex tasks.
The current version of FileMaker 7 differs from version 6 primarily in terms of security aspects (improved security model), relationality and significantly higher limits (e.g. 6415 data records can now be managed instead of 3 million). From version 7, the company has already been able to manage over one million
deliver licenses. (jf)
Mini solutionsThe mini templates help users to quickly benefit from the advantages of a database, as they are tailored to industry requirements. Many FileMaker-based solutions are locked away by the programmers and are therefore stand-alone applications.
The templates now offered by FileMaker are different: they can be customized - and are free of charge. The advantages are explained on special microsites and can also be downloaded there:
www.filemaker.de/druckundverlag or .../agencies. (jf)
Jürgen Franck
