Beezwax Builds FileMaker-to-Web Solutions

Custom solutions are determined by the specific needs of each client, according to a rigorous technology assessment.

The different approaches to building a FM-to-Web solution

When bringing a client’s FileMaker database to the Web, Beezwax assesses the specific client needs in relationship to the four different connectivity approaches: publication, interactive publication, web services and web application. In some cases, it may even make sense to migrate entirely from FileMaker to an all-web solution.

What’s the best approach?

Each client is different and your situation will determine the best solution. Let’s take the example of the fictitious company, Widget Tech, and examine how each connectivity design could be used best to enhance an existing FileMaker system. In this example, Widget Tech uses FileMaker to manage an inventory of widgets and track sales and customers.

Publication

Widget Tech has decided they need their distributors to have real-time access to the company’s inventory. This saves staff time, reduces shipping lead-time and increases the bottom line. In this one-way publication scenario, a dynamic product catalog gets fresh, up-to-the-moment inventory data from the FileMaker database. The distributors are happy and well-informed, while the Widget Tech sales reps have more time to focus on increasing sales.

Interactive Publication

Now that Widget Tech has a functioning online catalog with live inventory, they decide to improve their marketing by collecting customer demographic data. Customers are emailed an invitation to take the survey or it might be part of the required online customer registration process. A dynamic web page retrieves survey questions from FileMaker and responses are saved back into FileMaker. Reports are generated from FileMaker, showing vital customer intelligence insight that allows the marketing team to improve ROI on advertising and marketing through smarter, focused campaigns – and thus growing profits.

Web Services

Widget Tech distributors have begun asking for an easier way to view the status of their orders and for tracking of their shipments through the freight company, Acme Shipping. Acme Shipping provides an API based on Web protocols that allows access to shipping status and other details via a shipping confirmation number. This Web Service can be connected to the Widget Tech FileMaker database to provide an integrated system that delivers real-time shipping status on the website for distributors and also through FileMaker desktop clients for the internal Widget Tech sales and shipping departments.

But that’s not enough. One of the largest Widget Tech distributors has requested an API into the Widget Tech FileMaker order management system in order to implement a just-in-time automated inventory supply chain, fulfilling Widget Tech orders without human intervention. Such an API would most likely be built to support SOAP or REST standards and would allow the distributor’s system to send order requests (perhaps drop-shipped overnight to an individual store based on real-time sales tracking). In this way, Widget Tech streamlines their sales process, satisfies a major account and moves up to the next level financially.

Full Web Application

With FileMaker and Web technologies at the center of the Widget Tech’s success story, the company decides to reach an expanded customer base through an online store directly connected to the inventory, sales and shipping systems. Luckily, many of the back-end facilities for handling customers and fulfilling orders are already present in their FileMaker database, but a web application is needed handle the shopping carts, customer login, account creation and overall product catalog. A whole new major sales channel opens up and the Widget Tech founders start getting calls about that IPO they’ve always dreamed about.

Migration

As the online store and web services continue to grow, it becomes time to migrate from FileMaker to a database better suited to the high traffic demands of their growing costumer base. Because Beezwax builds in a FileMaker-agnostic manner that separates out the business logic and connectivity layers, this process has been greatly simplified (i.e. saves money). Migrating to a SQL-based database, such as mySQL or Oracle, opens up a wide array of scalability architectures to meet this new level of demand. With shipping centers now through-out the country and their first overseas sales office opening in Q2, Widget Tech has become a leader in their field, supplying the world’s need with high-quality, affordable widgets.

What’s next?

These examples are merely meant to illustrate one scenario. In reality, your situation may need Web Services or even Migration without the other steps. Beezwax approaches each client on the basis of the specific needs of the moment, allowing us to build the right solution at the right time. Contact us today to discuss your situation and how our engineers might help.