FileMaker integration

Many clients have a desire to integrate their FileMaker system with other programs and systems for a more joined up way of working, whether it’s to achieve better reporting from their business system or to make the back end processes and workflow more efficient.

At Decent Group we work with clients from a wide range of sectors including manufacturers, architects, engineers, design agencies and service businesses of all kinds. As companies grow and software develops, organisations can be faced with their ‘legacy’ system being unable to cope with their changing requirements.

Integrating FileMaker seamlessly with other software

Here at Decent Group we say that the beauty of FileMaker is that we can integrate it with a very wide range of other software systems and applications, ensuring you can keep your specialist program whilst gaining productivity benefits associated with being part of one overall system.

FileMaker integration – technologies

Our FileMaker experts can configure FileMaker to create new and improved workflow and efficiencies through an exchange of data with other technical applications using:
• Standard or bespoke web services, including cURL calls, HTTP PUT and POST, and the FileMaker Data API
• Notations such as XML or JSON to bring data into FileMaker
• Database connections to SQL data sources such as MySQL, Microsoft SQL, PostGreSQL, Oracle databases or any ODBC-compliant data source using the Open Database Connectivity interface
• Desktop data sources such as Microsoft Excel, Access, Bento and more
• Command-line interfaces (CLI) including batch files (.BAT) on Windows and shell scripting (SSH) on Linux and Mac
• File-based interfaces such as XLS, TXT and CSV

FileMaker integration – applications

Many clients want to use FileMaker with existing or specialist applications. Our FileMaker experts can integrate your preferred applications and solutions with FileMaker for a seamless and efficient solution.

Sales and marketing

We can integrate FileMaker with MailChimp, Constant Contact, Lead Forensics and countless other marketing programs, lead management systems, sales systems, CRM software and order processing systems.

Desktop email

Our experts can set up integration between FileMaker and Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Exchange, Kerio or any other email system – saving hours of time and lost communication by simplifying the central filing and management of inbound and outbound email. Decent Group FileMaker-email integration saves our client DKA Architects over £50k a year, led to improved customer service and enables them to be ISO9001 compliant. Read the full case study.

Accounting packages

FileMaker-Xero integration and FileMaker-Sage integration ensures our clients can use FileMaker with two of the most popular accounts packages. We ensure flawless integration, joining FileMaker with Intuit QuickBooks, Pegasus Opera, AccountEdge, and many more bookkeeping, payroll, finance and accounting packages. Allowing you to run your operations, and keep your chosen accounts system up-to-date without rekeying data.

Logistics

We can integrate FileMaker with RoyalMail, UPS, DHL, Parcelforce and more, to enable efficient, smooth workflow and processes around shipping, freight, transport, distribution and logistics.
At Decent Group we’re also specialists in working with hauliers – whether you have your own transport or load planning systems or whether we build those components in FileMaker.

ERP and MRP systems

FileMaker works well alongside enterprise systems such as SAP, Oracle, SharePoint and other MRP/ERP or stock applications, allowing you to keep your preferred system whilst working with us to bring flexibility and specialisation to your manufacturing and business support systems, operations or projects.

eCommerce websites

We configure FileMaker to work with eCommerce platforms such as Shopify, WordPress, Drupal and Magento. The integration ensures information such as category, product, price and images can be sent from FileMaker to your eCommerce website. We can also send information such as customer information and sales orders from eCommerce sites to FileMaker. The integration ensures that information such as stock levels, shipments and customer orders are up-to-date across FileMaker and the eCommerce site and that no time-consuming or error-inducing rekeying is required.

We can also configure FileMaker integration with sales channels such as eBay and Amazon to retrieve orders and update pricing automatically.

FileMaker integration – hardware

FileMaker barcode scanning

Barcodes remain a popular choice for tracking stock, components and labels. With FileMaker and a barcode scanner you can scan EAN, UPC or QR codes and print barcode labels too. FileMaker’s barcode integration works beautifully on desktop with wired scanners, on iOS mobile devices with hands-free Bluetooth scanners or through FileMaker WebDirect.

FileMaker touchscreens and mobile devices

Mobile and smart devices are a must for almost every organisation today. We can ensure FileMaker-iOS integration for field workers or employees working from home or remote locations.

Specialist printing applications

FileMaker offers PDF output as standard and can be used with specialist printing devices large and small, including thermal printers, label printers and dot matrix printers.

Specialist hardware for your industry

You may have a specific piece of hardware you’d like to plug into FileMaker, whether to extract data or send instructions to it from FileMaker. Our FileMaker developers have set up data exchanges with hardware as diverse as industrial cooking pans, microscopic testing devices and huge saws. We can work with the manufacturer, installer or supplier of your hardware to set up the integration.

An example of how FileMaker integration can make all the difference

Using FileMaker to integrate all the systems involved from placing an order to despatch and follow-up will avoid having to maintain multiple systems, retype data two or three times, and potentially introduce errors into the data. The order process can be started automatically by the customer placing the order on the website and then the FileMaker integration ensures that all the other systems can access the relevant data automatically.

Decent Group can use FileMaker integration to introduce automatic updates and data flow at every stage of the process.