Somewhere in your business there's a FileMaker database that everything depends on. And nobody quite knows how it works.
Maybe the person who built it left in 2017. Maybe it was thrown together by someone's nephew "just as a temporary thing" a decade ago. Maybe it's genuinely good software that's simply been outgrown. Whatever the story, you don't need a lecture — you need someone who can open the bonnet, tell you what they see, and fix it without drama.
That's us. We're Flare Software, a Claris Partner based near Bristol, and we've been working with FileMaker since 1998. There's not much we haven't seen. (We say that with the weary confidence of people who once found a script called "DO NOT RUN THIS SCRIPT".)
Inherited a database? You're in good company
It's one of the most common calls we get: "Our developer's retired / moved on / vanished, and we've got this system…"
Here's how we handle it:
- We look before we leap. We review the system as it stands — structure, scripts, security, server setup — and map what's actually there.
- We tell you the truth. Sometimes an inherited system is better than its reputation and just needs tidying. Sometimes it needs real work. You'll get a plain-English assessment either way, not a sales pitch for a rebuild.
- We fix in order of pain. The things costing you time and money get fixed first. The cosmetic stuff can wait.
You stay in control throughout: we invoice monthly for completed work, and you can stop whenever you like. Details on our how we charge page.
The FileMaker health check
Think of it as an MOT for your database. We examine the things that quietly go wrong over the years:
- Performance — why does that report take twenty minutes? (It almost never needs to. We once rebuilt a holiday-tracking export for a construction workforce client and took it from 10 minutes to about ten seconds.)
- Security — who can see what, and should they?
- Structure — duplicated data, tangled relationships, fields nobody uses
- Scripts — fragile logic, missing error handling, mystery code
- Server and backups — is your data actually as safe as you assume?
You get a clear written summary: what's healthy, what's creaking, and what we'd fix first. No obligation to have us do the fixing — though most people do.
Stuck on an old FileMaker version?
Plenty of businesses are happily running FileMaker versions that are years out of date — until they aren't. An OS update looms, the version's no longer supported, or a new starter's machine simply won't run it.
Upgrading isn't just clicking "update". Old systems often rely on behaviours and techniques that changed along the way, so a careless upgrade can break things in subtle, maddening ways. We've carried clients' systems across many generations of FileMaker, and we know where the trapdoors are. We plan the migration, test it properly, and move you over with minimal disruption — usually a weekend, sometimes less.
While we're in there, it's often the perfect moment to modernise: better interfaces, mobile access, or connecting your system to the outside world via API integrations.
Sometimes you just need advice
Not every engagement is a project. Sometimes you want an experienced second opinion: is this system worth keeping? Should we build or buy? Is our developer's proposal sensible? What would this cost, roughly?
We're happy to be that second opinion. We've been doing this for 25+ years and we'd rather earn your trust with honest advice than win a project you don't need. And if what you actually need is a new system altogether, our FileMaker development page covers that.
FAQ
Our system was built by someone else. Will you work on it?
Yes — it's a large part of what we do. We'll assess it first so we (and you) know what we're dealing with, then improve it incrementally. No sniffiness about other people's code; we've all written scripts we'd rather forget.
Do we have to rebuild from scratch?
Usually not. Most systems can be improved in place, which is cheaper and far less disruptive. We'll only recommend a rebuild when the numbers genuinely favour it — and we'll show our working.
How old is too old to upgrade?
We've successfully migrated systems from very old FileMaker versions. The older the system, the more care the migration needs, but "too old" is rare. Tell us your version and we'll give you a straight answer.
What does a health check involve from our side?
Very little. We need access to a copy of the system and a chat with whoever uses it most. Most of the work happens remotely, at whatever pace suits your business.
Get a second pair of eyes on your system
The first consultation is free, and you'll come away knowing more about your own database than you did before — whatever you decide to do next.
Call 0330 113 0958 or email info@flaresoftware.co.uk. Based in Weston-super-Mare, serving Bristol, the South West, the UK and beyond.