From FileMaker to web application: how it works in practice
"Rebuilding as a web application" sounds like a big project, and ten years ago it was. This is how it works with us nowadays, step by step.
1. Submission and analysis
You send us your FileMaker file via the secure upload (.fmp12, and we can also handle older formats such as .fp7 and .fp5). We go through it: tables, fields, relationships, scripts, value lists and users. Afterwards you know exactly what is in your system. That alone is an eye-opener for many clients, because often nobody knows any more. You can read how we handle your file on the security page.
2. The first result
Based on the analysis, we use AI assistance to quickly put together a first result: your own screens, working in the browser. No mock-ups or promises. A conversion that is not overly complex already fits within €395, including the analysis and up to one day of work for converting and deploying. From 10 users, the initial analysis and the first day of development are free. If the analysis shows that your application requires more work, you receive a quote for it in advance, with no surprises afterwards.
3. Building, while you simply keep working
Your current FileMaker system simply keeps running while we build. So nothing goes down. We recreate the screens and functions the way your team knows them; anything that was awkward can be improved along the way, but it does not have to be. When switching systems, familiarity is worth more than novelty.
4. Data migration and going live
Once the application is ready, we transfer your data and you test everything yourself before going live. If you wish, you can run both in parallel for a short period: the old system as a safety net, the new one as your day-to-day environment. If everything is right, FileMaker is switched off. From that moment on, everyone works in the browser, at the office, at home or on a tablet.
Afterwards
You pay €19.50 per user per month (up to 10 users; from 10 users €32.50). That covers everything: hosting, backups twice a day, updates and a team that knows your application and develops it further. You submit changes via the client portal: small jobs cost €15 per 10 minutes, larger jobs receive a fixed quote in advance. You purchase the first year in one go; after that you pay per month and can cancel monthly.
And after one year you may take over your application: you receive the complete source code and your database, for an administration fee of €100. We mention this deliberately. Anyone who has ever escaped a FileMaker lock-in does not want a new one in return.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to rebuild FileMaker as a web application?
For an application that is not overly complex, the first working result, up to one day of work for converting and deploying after the analysis, is already included in the €395. If your application requires more, you receive a quote in advance. Your FileMaker system simply keeps running in the meantime, so nothing goes down.
Which FileMaker files can you convert?
The current .fmp12 format, and also older formats such as .fp7 and .fp5. Even if FileMaker no longer starts on your computer, we can get to work: the file itself is all we need.
Can my team keep working during the switch?
Yes. Your current system keeps running while we build. You test the new application yourself before going live and, if you wish, can run both in parallel for a short period, with the old system as a safety net. Only when everything is right is FileMaker switched off.
What happens after going live?
You pay €19.50 per user per month for up to 10 users (from 10 users €32.50), including hosting, backups twice a day, updates and management. You submit changes via the client portal; small jobs cost €15 per 10 minutes. You purchase the first year in one go; after that you can cancel monthly, and after one year you can take over the source code and database for an administration fee of €100.
Free and without obligation: have your FileMaker file assessed
Send us your FileMaker file via the secure upload, or schedule an introduction. We will tell you what is in your application, what converting it costs and what it saves you. Only then do you decide. We work for businesses throughout the Netherlands and Flanders; everything can be done remotely.