The Support Group Blog

The Support Group

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How to Export from FileMaker to Excel

One common request we often receive as FileMaker developers is to give users the ability to export the data out of the FileMaker app into Excel. While FileMaker provides the ability to do this quite easily with the tools built into the app, users often want more flexibility and customization when it comes to the formatting of the exported Excel sheet. 

There are a variety of options that are available here – plugins exist to make this possible, and we have a blog post that outlines a routine way to export custom headers from FileMaker using XSLT sheets. But we can also export data from FileMaker to Excel with the power of JavaScript.  

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Tips for Improving Software Performance and Scalability

Is your application in dire need of an update? With operating systems becoming more advanced and offering better app usability, ensuring our software performance and scalability are up to par is more important than ever. So, how exactly can we keep our custom software relevant? Here are some things to consider when an opportunity to upgrade or enhance our applications presents itself.

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FileMaker 2023: Layout Calculation

TL;DR

Layout Calculations allow for calculations in text objects, but this feature has a few nuances. 

  • Removes the need for extra fields or scripts or layout objects simply for display
  • Need to have version 20.3 or greater of FileMaker client
  • Works for labels of regular buttons
  • Use fully qualified field names so the calculation refreshes properly
  • Can set data format so the formatting of text field works

The Support Group has been using FileMaker to provide solutions for clients for almost forty years, and for more than half of those years, we've been advocating for the layout calculations feature. So, we are very excited about its release. 

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Integrating Claris Connect with ChatGPT

There are many practical applications for ChatGPT with a low-code development tool like FileMaker. We've explored a chatbot, image generator, and audio transcription ChatGPT integration with FileMaker. We've also shared an example of using ChatGPT to summarize our notes.

We want to explore how integrating FileMaker and ChatGPT via Claris Connect works. Though not necessarily ideal, we'll use an annual performance review as the foundation for our example. Of course, performance appraisals are highly individualized, so artificial intelligence isn't recommended, but most people can relate to this process's fundamental objectives and structure. We will use it as a simple case to demonstrate the workflow and results.

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Data Debt Management

In the ever-evolving landscape of technology, businesses today face several challenges in managing their digital assets. Among these challenges, one prominent issue often surfaces – data debt. Data debt results from poor data quality, mismanagement, or neglect, hindering business operations and decision-making. But, data debt does not have to be a terminal issue. We can tackle it by applying practical data conventions, implementing regular review and purge tactics, running system audits, etc.

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FileMaker Document Management System for Research and Development

Genentech is a leading biotechnology company headquartered in San Francisco, CA. Since 1976, they have been dedicated to discovering and developing treatments for severe and life-threatening illnesses and diseases. In 2009, Roche Group acquired Genentech and currently operates as an independent subsidiary. 

With more than 13,000 employees, The Support Group has worked with various departments within Genentech since 2011. We've built various custom applications to help teams streamline workflows and maximize productivity. We recently developed a records management system for the Quality Systems department.

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FileMaker 2023: Send Mail OAuth

The FileMaker Send Mail script step is a valuable function for developers, but in recent years has become unreliable. Many conventional email service providers have gradually made using Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) relays more complicated, primarily due to security concerns. Here at The Support Group, we've been transitioning clients to Gmail or Azure Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), depending on their email provider. Another option is SendGrid from Twilio, but that's a different blog post. Now, FileMaker 2023 offers an enhancement to our Send Mail options, a game changer, in our opinion.

Open Authorization (OAuth) is a widely used framework that allows different applications to interact with one another. It's most appreciated for its ability to facilitate those interactions without having to share access credentials. Instead, a private key verifies the user's identity. It's relatively easy to implement and maintain.

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FileMaker 2023: OnWindowTransaction Script Trigger

FileMaker 2023 includes several useful new features, like Perform Script On Server with Callback. Another noteworthy feature we want to explore is a new script trigger, OnWindowTransaction. We can find this script trigger within the list of script triggers that appear within the File Options selection of the active FileMaker file.

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FileMaker 2023: Perform Script On Server with Callback

Claris has departed from the tradition of sequentially numbering its product releases. They decided to use the year of the release in the name of their latest release – FileMaker 2023. Yet, a word to the wise, while the name of the software is FileMaker 2023, the version number internally to the software is FileMaker 20.x.x.  

Claris FileMaker 2023 includes many new features. The Perform Script On Server with Callback (PSOSWC) function is arguably the most exciting new script function we've seen in years.

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FileMaker Project Management Template

Welcome back to the third and final part of our FileMaker project management blog series. We reviewed the various types of project management solutions and established a basic set of requirements and the beginnings of an ERD for the system in part one. Then we brainstormed the workflow for our system and used a few whiteboards to make preliminary sketches of how the solution will work. Finally, we will build the application and flesh out a FileMaker project management template.

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