Synchronising FileMaker Databases - It Can Be Done! February 25, 2007
Posted by Dan Stuchbury in : Business In General, FileMaker Pro , add a commentI was asked by another Ecademy BlackStar member last week if it was possible to have a stand-alone, but synchronisable version of a FileMaker database on a laptop, for remote users, and to allow users to work on their data away from the office. After a bit of research in FMForums.com, it appeared that the answer was “yes, but it’s complicated, and very difficult to achieve (therefore likely to be prohibitively expensive”, so that was what I passed on.
However, a bit more digging around brought-up a company called WorldSync, and their product SyncDek. I requested a 30-day demo, and was contacted by a guy called, Jason Erickson - who, it turns out, is their CEO and chief architect of SyncDek, with over 10 years development experience. He knows his stuff then.
I took some time to comtemplate the opportunities that a product like this could bring. SyncDek would have been ideal for a prospect I met recently, it will be ideal for an existing client in the future, and may well aleo be ideal for another existing client fairly soon. We could use it internally, as it’s often useful to be able to take my own CRM database out on the road - so I’ve got telephone numbers of people I’m due to meet, and people I need to talk to that day without having to take bits of paper with me. OK, so I could just have the database on my laptop, but the laptop is my secondary computer, so it’s not always out, and desk space is at a premium.
The download links arrived in my inbox not long after, and after a brief look around the developer guide, it looked complicated to get working, so I put it off for later that day, when I had some time to devote to it.
It wasn’t as complicated as I first thought, and the development guide is excellent. Some changes were required to a few relationships and scripts in Knowledge Base CRM, and it took me a few attempts, and an email to WorldSync, who responded within 10 minutes (it was late at night, and they’re based in Berkely, CA), to get it right, but this evening, I got it right, and it worked perfectly. I had expected it to work, but given that I screwed it up a few times, it came as a nice surprise.
So, using SyncDek, I’m able to maintain multiple copies of a database, and synchronise them with a master copy stored on SyncDek server (no dedicated machine required), at the click of a button.
I don’t yet know how much SyncDek costs. I imagine it to be expensive, as there is no indication of pricing on WorldSync’s web site, but we shall see.
Shameless Plug : Fraser Hay (The Lead Generation MBA) February 15, 2007
Posted by Dan Stuchbury in : Shameless Plugs , add a commentI first came across Fraser a few years ago, when I was looking for a marketing course. The Lead Generation MBA wasn’t what I was looking for (I didn’t run a business at the time, I was looking to ‘learn how to do marketing’), but I’ve referred a few people to it who were more suited to it’s purposes than me at the time.
A hands-on marketing guru, Fraser is a genuinely nice guy, and I highly recommend you connect with him. I guarantee that he will have some snippit of information that will make a real difference to your business.
Two testimonials I’ve written for Fraser, below:
“I don’t write testimonials very often, and for me to give two, to the same person is ever rarer.
Using the 3 Minute Marketing Audit, I have been able to identify 17 marketing areas to address within my business, and now have a focussed marketing strategy to put in place.
Fraser is a unique individual. He knows his subject inside out, and backwards. If you’ve not taken advantage of the 3 Minute Marketing Audit yet - you’re missing out. It’s not rocket science, and that’s the beauty of it.
Dan “FileMaker Pro” Stuchbury”
“Fraser is an absolute legend, seriously. What else can I say?
Dan “FileMaker Pro” Stuchbury”
I’ve just signed up to an 8-week marketing coaching programme, and will share my experiences, and the results, here. Without breaching copyright, or confidentiality, of course.
Web-Based CRM System Wanted February 15, 2007
Posted by Dan Stuchbury in : Business In General , add a commentI met a company this week who were after a decent CRM system, for little money. I couldn’t help them with our solution, Knowledge Base CRM, but suggested they take a look at SugarCRM Open Source, because there is no cost involved apart from web hosting (which, by the way, we can now offer through StuchHost, but more about that another time).
I was thinking about it in the car on the way back from this meeting, and decided that we should think about offering a web-based CRM system as well as the desktop-based Knowledge Base CRM. I think it’s important to be able to offer more than one solution, as desktop-based is not always ideal for the client. (See the topic in The CRM Club on Ecademy for discussion on this subject.)
There is no reason why I couldn’t refer prospects for a web-based system to someone in my network, I know at least one NetSuite Consultant for example, but what do I do when the client wants to spend as little money as possible? That’s what got me thinking about SugarCRM. I don’t intend to become a PHP expert (Julian Bond is your man for that, if you can afford him), but in terms of having the ability to deploy SugarCRM for small companies, and recuit the expertise of a specialist where necessary, there is definitely some mileage.
FileMaker Network Sharing : The Problem Doesn’t Exist February 15, 2007
Posted by Dan Stuchbury in : FileMaker Pro , add a commentOr so FileMaker tech support tell me. They have had no reports, and it is not a known issue, however I maintain that there is.
I’m not 100% certain, but I don’t think FileMaker have their own tech support team, based on an email address for them I was given by a representative yesterday. They appear to be based in India anyway, and FileMaker don’t have an office in India that I can find an address for, so that leaves me to assume that they outsource the entire support operation. Please feel free to correct me, though.
I had expected them to have heard of the problem - I don’t believe nobody has reported it.
Network Sharing in FileMaker Pro 8.5 February 6, 2007
Posted by Dan Stuchbury in : FileMaker Pro , add a commentAt first I thouht it was just me, but having visited a client last week who had just installed FileMaker Pro, I started to think it was some sort of bug. Network sharing doesn’t work in FileMaker 8.5 & 8.5 Advanced, which is a major pain, and may end up costing this client of ours a FileMaker Server licence.
We’re both using the latest release, and it seems that other 8.5 users are having the same problem - there is a thread about it on FMForums. The only workaround is to host files using FileMaker 8, but that defeats the object - as none of the 8.5 features will be available. I’ll be suggesting this to our client, but I don’t know how easy (or otherwise) it is to get hold of version 8 nowadays.
FileMaker, if you’re reading this - FIX IT! Please 
I’m going to talk to FileMaker Support and see if they have a solution, and will post here if they respond positively.