If you are using or considering the use of FileMaker Pro to manage your creative, prepress, printing or publishing workflow, consider this...
Workgroups 2007 from MetaCommunications is a turnkey solution that can meet your workflow needs right out of the box, including everything from estimating and order entry to automatic email notifications, digital asset management, file storage and retrieval, approval management and tracking of billable time. Plus, it's built on bullet-proof industry standard technology capable of integrating a vast number of third party applications and scalable to thousands of users.
FileMaker Pro, on the other hand, is a development environment designed to help programmers build custom applications. Although there are templates available for FileMaker Pro, programmers quickly work their way into building full-blown custom applications that are costly to build and maintain. Long term, the custom solution is dependent upon the programmer to make ongoing changes to adapt to changes in your workflow as well as to changes in other linked software packages-even the computer operating system. The question of whether to build or buy comes down to the total investment of time and money and the ability to focus on your core business competencies. Be sure to consider the big picture in making this assessment.
Workgroups 2007 is the only solution that delivers powerful modular, out-of-the-box features with the ability to customize and enhance workflows using a built-in development environment. So while FileMaker Pro is a good tool for programmers, Workgroups 2007 will get you up and running faster, more easily, and with the long-term assurance that investments you make in customization will not be wasted when you upgrade the software or when other components of your workflow environment change. Workgroups 2007 pre-built Solutions Libraries make it even easier to add advanced functionality with limited need for programming expertise.
So if you want to get off the development treadmill, yet maintain the flexibility to customize your workflow-anytime, anywhere-choose Workgroups 2007. It's the best of both worlds.
Even though I am not a programmer, I did most of the customization of Virtual Ticket and Job Manager on my own, with some support from MetaCommunications. It was relatively easy, and has made a huge difference in the productivity and responsiveness of our premedia group.
Marianne Curtis, Graphic Artist
Corporate Express