Create your own business software with FileMaker and FrankCRM
The story behind the development of FrankCRM
Can you develop software yourself? With FileMaker you can. I did it that way myself. However, it all started with an open FileMaker solution that I once bought and then customized for my needs. That was the best decision I made at the beginning of my self-employment. This is the story behind the development of FrankCRM.
How I built my business with FileMaker
When I started my own business, I didn’t want to be a developer. I have distributed products and created services. I realized that my activities could not be covered by any standard software. Therefore, I was looking for a solution that was freely available and that I could customize. That’s how I ended up with FileMaker and an open FileMaker solution. She was particularly helpful to me – and later to my team.
Some of my tasks were special and were not covered by any standard software. However, because I was using an open FileMaker solution, I was able to add fields, customize scripts, and create new layouts. Those were my first steps with FileMaker and I benefited enormously from the ease of use. In parallel, I built up my business and optimized the software for it. I was new to FileMaker development, but was able to use it to boost efficiency for many business processes.
Over the years, the requirements became higher and new business areas were added. Many businesses are in this development. The original FileMaker solution reached its limits. The foundation was excellent, but for my work and with the developments in the software field, I could think of better solutions.
The development of standard solutions
The first FileMaker solutions I developed for my own company were not very professional. Over time, that changed. Certain approaches proved successful, while others did not. I learned (and continue to learn) a lot from other FileMaker developers. A solid development base and a great deal of experience were created, which made it possible to bring various standard solutions to maturity and to market and maintain them over the years.
Due to this intensive examination of FileMaker, a start file for new FileMaker projects was created. It should help to get new projects off the ground more quickly. This resulted in a product: FM Starter. In this startup file basic functions were implemented, which are needed for almost every FileMaker project. This included a navigation, multilingualism, user management and these things more. It is these “invisible things” that take a particularly long time to develop.
FM Starter is the abbreviation for professional development. Because, hand on heart, who wants to deal with the same basic requirements over and over again? The startup file combines some proven solutions as a stable starting point.
What should be the next step?
The open standard solution I always wanted to have
While FM Starter is still being further developed, the idea for a new product was also born. I noticed that many users use FM Starter as a basis for their own business software. They wanted the same thing as I once wanted myself: An open FileMaker file that comes with a good basis, but which can be customized and developed further.
I had once developed a CRM and ERP solution that had “everything” in it. It had stood the test of time because it covered everything I ever needed. The solution was also successfully sold.
Times changed, however, and with them technological opportunities and, as a consequence, my business. Not everything I had ever developed was more relevant. Now it was no longer a matter of developing new skills, but of better shaping the core of the activity. “Reduce to the max” became the watchword. This was accompanied by ideas such as modular development, the separation of functionality and parameterization, and the possibilities of FileMaker add-ons. The insight here is that new, pioneering concepts can be used to build better solutions that are easier to add to.
Slowly, the idea of an open FileMaker solution for typical business processes matured. It was to be a solution that I myself had once ardently desired. However, the software should not “be able to do everything”. Having many functions has only proven itself in daily practice to a limited extent. Due to the many changes in business processes, a simple configuration seemed much more significant. This should make you better prepared for future changes in the business process.
Good concepts are flexible and can be easily adapted. If you work with good concepts right from the start, you save a lot of time and effort in further development.
Rethinking concepts
Examples
Language
If you develop a software solution with FileMaker, you can write texts directly into the layout. You can also populate value lists with “Yes” and “No” and many other texts. But what if you need a second or even third language? Then you would have to develop a system for that and retroactively build that into an already grown software solution. Even if you only need one language, it’s far more efficient to use a language manager for text labels that can be easily expanded as needed. And value lists can be populated with numbers that are and remain language-independent, while the texts are allowed to remain separate from a separate language system. While we’re on the subject of language: Wouldn’t it make sense to be able to set the user interface language separately from a document language? Or to be able to flexibly set language preferences directly per country, customer and document?
Value added tax
Value added tax is another matter of detail. It is straightforward to hard-code the correct VAT rate into a script or calculation. In case of a change or diversification of VAT rates, or if one wants to export products without VAT at all, changes and exceptions have to be integrated. This is costly, not to mention multiple VAT rates within one invoice. Retrofitting such options later is again extremely costly. Wouldn’t it make more sense to include all options from the beginning and in an easily configurable way? About a few simple lists of values? And wouldn’t it be ingenious if default values remained adjustable per country, customer and invoice?
Expiration dates
More and more products or services are “subscribed to” or service contracts are agreed for a certain period of time. This is almost a basic requirement. Wouldn’t it be helpful if you could define a start and end date for each invoice item, and specify that you want to be reminded before the expiration date? While you’re at it, a small workflow should help you quickly email these reminder dates to customers with a bit of information. A basic workflow may not solve every requirement, but can be adapted relatively easily. In any case, it is helpful if such a reminder is sent right away in the customer’s language. This is where the language management comes into play again, which is integrated here right away.
For an open and flexible solution, the concepts that are consistently and configurably implemented and used are crucial. So, step by step, I ended up with the standard solution I always wanted.
FrankCRM as a basis
The standard FrankCRM solution provides a basis for charging customers for products or services. It is possible to work with it immediately. If you download the software in the morning, you can send your first invoices the same day.
FrankCRM was built in such a way that as many settings as possible are freely configurable via normal layouts. This simplifies the adaptation to your own needs.
“Configuring is easier than programming.”
With a full version you get full access to the file. This makes FrankCRM a perfect basis for your own further development. FrankCRM is not only a business software, but also a development base, with a proven project structure and many generic tools that can be used for further development.
Less is more
FrankCRM is limited to a few areas. This is chosen on purpose. The problem with many CRM solutions is that they seem cluttered. You have “everything,” so to speak, but those who don’t need “everything” or need to make adjustments “everywhere” face an often daunting task. Can “much” also mean “too much”?
FrankCRM is equipped with many options, but remains clear and focused. This is good for small companies that may never need more. Others, however, want to drive further development. As a startup file for new industry solutions, FrankCRM offers a versatile and proven foundation without ballast.
Less is more.
Further development can be done by the user or, if required, an external developer can be hired. What freedom in development do you have in mind?