FileMaker Pro Intermediate: Getting Ahead as a Developer

❝ This was the best training class that I've ever attended. The material was excellent, the presentation quality and pacing were perfect. I highly recommend this class to anyone who is interested in learning how to use FileMaker to develop database solutions.
- Lisa Dahm, Ph.D., Director, Research Computer Services
City of Hope National Medical Center

Upcoming Dates

Mon-Tue, December 9-10, 2024

8:00 AM - 3:00 PM Pacific Time
Trainer: Tim

Register

Cost

Price per person: $595
Length of class:two days
Version covered:2024
Delivery format:live over Zoom


Description

This two-day class by FileMaker Certified Developer Tim Jones will sharpen your skills as a FileMaker developer by teaching you how to build better layouts for desktop and iOS devices, smarter calculations, more elegant scripts, and subsummary reports and dashboards. Improve the use of space on your layouts with tab controls and slide controls, conditionally hide layout objects, create data-driven popup menus and web viewers, and allow objects to stretch and shift to fill larger screen space. Master dozens of the most important calculation functions including Let, Case, PatternCount, and ExecuteSQL. Learn how to generate and automate subsummary reports with detailed layout work and simple scripts, and how to represent your data as meaningful charts.


Prerequisites

This class assumes you have attended our FileMaker Beginning training or are comfortable performing the skills taught in that class.


Outline

Design Better Layouts
- show/hide layouts and organize layouts in folders
- optimize space with tab controls and slide controls
- build relationships and portals
- implement Anchor-Buoy approach to graph management
- use the tools in Layout mode
  - field picker
  - object panel
  - screen stencils
  - inspector and layout objects panels
  - ruler guides
  - align, distribute and resize objects
- hide objects conditionally
- define dynamic value lists
- control field entry
- format number and date fields
- stretch and shift layout objects to fill screen
- insert data-driven web content using web viewers

Write Smart Calculations
- manipulate numbers with rounding functions
- manipulate text strings with parsing and editing functions
- create and extract values from value lists
- use date functions to create and manipulate dates
- aggregate values from related records
- employ conditional logic with the Case function
- store calculations as custom functions for easy reuse
- display calculated tool tip hints on buttons and fields

Generate Printer-Friendly Reports
- sliding and hiding objects when printing
- group and summarize records using sub-summary parts
- write scripts to
  - automate sorting
  - go to related records
  - fetch user-customizable report headings
  - save report as PDF
- use triggers to run scripts automatically
- let users customize report headings using global variables
- merge field data and variables into text objects
- save report as PDF

Build Dashboards
- add data-driven bar and pie charts to layouts
- construct advanced relationships to access data from multiple tables on a single layout
- write simple ExecuteSQL calculations


Printable Course Description


More quotes from our FileMaker Pro students

  • After many years of working with you and your company, I wanted to express my appreciation. Since taking your FileMaker Pro training classes, we have a better understanding of the program, allowing us to solve real-world issues in-house.
    - William Sheridan, President, Special Operations Group, Cody, WY
  • I really enjoyed the class. I am going to miss it. Your knowledge and teaching style is priceless. I will incorporate all I have learned into my database duties.
    I wish I would have taken this class years ago. I definitely will share Accelerate Computer Training with my colleagues. Looking forward to taking more classes.
    - Elizabeth D. Anguiano, CALTRANS, Information Technology
  • Tim Jones - I must say that you are a great instructor. This was my first time at Devcon and new to FileMaker. I have to give mad props for instructing a beginners class and doing a high class job at that. I came out of that training with a wealth of knowledge and a new path to travel thanks to your great instructions. I can't say enough, pleasure to have met and learned from you.
    - Sean Miller, FileMaker DevCon attendee
  • Since we left your class, we've taken the FileMaker program and made it the centerpiece of our processing system. On our old system we would process one mailing project in about six to seven minutes, plus another minute or two for printing.  So each project took an average of 7:30.  After deploying FM and writing a ton of scripts, we were able to get total time down to under two minutes for processing and about 10 seconds for printing. Whereas, everyday we would struggle to get the mail out by the deadline, with FM, we are done by 12:30 p.m. with the daily processing. Printing finishes about 15 minutes later and all the mail is sorted and out the door by 2:00 p.m.

    Learning FM has allowed us to expand our business significantly and we've spent the past several months increasing our advertising and business promotion because now, our system is entirely scalable.
     
    I've actually employed the IWP protocol and have created portals for some of our biggest users. They have enjoyed it so much, that I realize I now need to take the entire system online. This way users can access their job history, change their billing details, etc. I am looking forward at getting to the next level.

    Your class gave us the knowledge to revolutionize our business and the truth of the matter is, there are no limits to what we can do.  It is one of the most impressive programs I have ever used.
    - Jay S. Jump, BK Attorney Services, LLC
  • I just wanted you to know I learned a tremendous amount about FileMaker Pro in your class. You gave great, easy to understand explanations for how/why things work the way they do. And the handout is great. I can recreate what we did and have already referenced it a couple of times.
    - Libby S., Vice President and Manager of Business Services
  • I just want to tell you how much I appreciate all you are doing to help Norma and Susan with the DuBard School Filemaker database! They learned SO much from their workshop with you. Continued improvements in efficiency will make our work far more effective and less cumbersome. Please know that we deeply appreciate your contributions to our improvements.
    - Maureen K. Martin, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, CED, CAMI, Director, DuBard School for Language Disorders, Univ of Southern Mississippi
  • Best software class I've ever taken. Tim did a great job of allowing us to deviate from the initial format but did a great job of bringing us back to the intended topics to cover.
    - Holly H., City of Hope
  • Taking your classes has given me quite the edge in the workplace. I commonly hear my coworkers refer to me as the FileMaker Goddess as they ask me for help within their own database solutions. Thank you and know that I constantly recommend your FileMaker course to all my friends!
    - B.A., Freelance, Visual FX for Film
  • The whole FileMaker Pro training experience was first rate. Starting wiith the Level 1 training session with Joe, the information provided was perfect for a basic level of database understanding and how to navigate around within the program. I was extremely satisfied with the training and will call on Joe if we find our selves in need of a FileMaker Pro consultant. Building off of the Level 1 course, the Level 2 and Level 3 courses taught by Tim provided great instructor led exercises and provided a well-rounded learning experience. And to top it off, the size of the class and the atmosphere could not have been any better for a learning environment.....kudos.
    - Angelo Oliverio, EPLRS Program Manager, Raytheon Company
  • Having no previous knowledge of FileMaker Pro, I was overwhelmed by the scope of the program and unsure of how to structure an effective database for my real estate business. Joe's warm personality and thorough understanding of the software made me feel instantly comfortable. The pacing and content of the course was structured extremely well, and the small class size and atmosphere supported my all around positive experience. I have already called upon Joe for personal consulting work, and am now utilizing FileMaker Pro on a daily basis to address my business' needs.
    - Aarin S.
  • What a great class! You are a really wonderful patient instructor. I do plan on coming back. Our creative director is really excited about the training I received and your generous re-take policy, so I suspect that a few of my compatriots may be showing up in Long Beach. I am very grateful to have met you and been a lucky recipient of your FileMaker prowess!
    - Elizabeth S., City of Hope
  • Your professionalism, knowledge of the material, ease with the class and humor were spot on. I can say that this was one of the best, if not the best, training courses I have taken. Many others who I have talked with today at the Huntington say the same thing. You were fantastic.
    - Mario Einaudi, The Huntington Library
  • Tim's course in FileMaker Pro benefitted from his thorough knowledge of the package. But not only that, his teaching style was patient and empathetic, while ensuring the students completely absorbed every strategy he was teaching. I would not hesitate to recommend this course to anyone.
    - Accelerate student
  • Accelerate Computer Training's Filemaker Pro series is a must for anyone who needs to learn database design. Tim Jones is a thorough and patient instructor who demystifies the inner workings of FileMaker. I learned more in one week with Tim than I did in 18 months of self-paced training with videos and books. An invaluable experience!
    - Accelerate student