Category: Design and Implementation

Kyo Logic is excited to announce the launch of a new and exciting plugin for Claris and FileMaker: KyoSync II. This plugin allows for easy and efficient database synchronization, even when users are out of network. KyoSync II is available here for an annual fee of $500 USD.

Simple and Easy 

This module can easily be integrated into any Claris or FileMaker-based platform to ensure databases are always properly synced. While syncing is possible through FileMaker, it’s currently difficult to develop these features. KyoSync II allows for easily integrated syncing features at a reduced development cost. In effect, this is a non-standard feature set that can now be standardized via Kyo Logic’s integration.

Creating a Singular Source of Truth

Ensuring databases are up-to-date and accurate is incredibly important for every team, no matter the application. Working from outdated information can cause wasted hours, upset clients, and incorrect deliverables or products. We created KyoSync II to ensure databases are accurate, and that employees across departments have access to the same information– no matter where they are in the world.

With KyoSync II, accurate databases mean faster, more accurate processes.

Always in Sync

KyoSync II was initially created to service the databases of OceanX– both their home offices and the servers running on a roving vessel. Because of this, it was incredibly important that even data entered when out of service or in “dead zones” could still update as soon as possible. Building off of this technology, KyoSync II ensures information input while out of network will sync once the device establishes an internet connection again. It’s a feature that’s perfect for employees who do field work or considerable traveling.

Kyo Logic continues to innovate within the Claris space with modules like KyoSync II. We’re incredibly excited to build on these innovations and deliver more feature-rich plugins in the future.

If you have questions on KyoSync II, or would like to gain a better understanding of how we can work together to streamline your business, you can reach out to us here.

Through a series of announcements, Claris has revealed a host of new changes for FileMaker and everyone here at Kyo Logic is incredibly excited. For reference, Claris is changing the FileMaker name and bringing everything under the Claris umbrella. While the products remain the same, they now follow this new convention:

• FileMaker Pro is now Claris Pro
• FileMaker Server is now Claris Server
• FileMaker Go is now Claris Go
• Claris Connect is now Claris Studio

Claris wants to create a more cohesive, easier to understand identity. They also promise that this new structure will allow them to offer new and exciting products and tools. It’s also the perfect time for them to change the way customers can purchase these offerings.

Claris Studio (formerly Claris Connect) is Claris’s latest cloud-based platform (also, given the rebrand, get used to seeing the word “Claris” a lot). It provides most of the features of Claris/FileMaker Pro, all accessible from the web. Just as importantly, it makes accessing your platform via a mobile device or tablet much easier than it was in the past.

While FileMaker previously had more complex licensing, Claris Studio streamlines licensing models into a much more straightforward licensing model.  It also allows for the use of exciting, modern interface languages like Mongo (you may not know what it is, but trust us… your tech guys do).

Overall, this is a much more dynamic system that allows for more interactivity, more dynamic and customizable layouts (perfect for anything customer-facing), and offers new, even easier ways to connect to the other tools in your work environment. We’ve always recognized the power of FileMaker, but the new Claris Studio takes things to a whole other level.

If you have questions about what Claris Studio can do for you (or want to know more about how the changes from FileMaker to Claris will work for you), please reach out to us here. We’re happy to walk you through use cases and can even provide a free consultation!

This September, Claris had several new announcements and updates. Of course, we can expect to see developments and news ramp up as Claris continues to build towards their recently announced rebranding and overhauling suite of offerings.  In addition to the typical tweaks and fixes, there are some exciting changes that pave the way for the future of Claris

The Kyo Logic team is incredibly proud to announce the launch of our new website. We’ve worked tirelessly to create a new look and feel that accurately reflects our commitment to cutting-edge technology, intuitive UX/UI, and modern design.

This new, feature-rich redesign includes our recent highlights and case studies, additional information on all of our services and offerings, and exciting developments in the world of Claris and FileMaker. It’s a faster, snappier, and more responsive site… much like Claris is offering up newer, faster versions of FileMaker.

Speaking of Claris, they’ve got some very exciting updates in store this year that will positively impact the capabilities of our current and future clients– you can learn more here. We’ll continue to work closely with Claris to maximize the potential of their platforms and services, which translates to us maximizing the potential of the incredible brands we service.

We’re launching this site alongside a more modern suite of standalone offerings that give our clients more opportunities to better use FileMaker/Claris in a way that makes sense for them. We want to ensure that we’re taking advantage of everything Claris has to offer and giving our clients ways to maximize these new features and options.

Of course, this is all made possible because of our immensely talented team. These individuals have worked tirelessly to help shape the direction of not just the website, but our company as a whole. Both are a collaborative vision that are a testament to our success. And as exciting as all these new updates and developments are, we’re even more excited to show you what we have in store for the future!

Please browse our new site, and whether you’re a current or new client, learn more about what we can do to help you and your team. As always, please reach out to us here if you have questions or would like an in-depth consultation.

This September, Claris had several new announcements and updates. Of course, we can expect to see developments and news ramp up as Claris continues to build towards their recently announced rebranding and overhauling suite of offerings.  In addition to the typical tweaks and fixes, there are some exciting changes that pave the way for the future of Claris FileMaker. Users can expect more updates in line with this one as Claris continues to roll out their previously announced plans.

Claris’s major announcement is the release of Claris Studio. Part of their new lineup of offerings and naming convention, Claris Studio replaces Claris Connect. It offers the same functionality: insights through charts, reports, and dashboards. 

Claris Studio allows users to run reports, create charts, and more. Data is updated and reflected in real-time across the Claris platform. Features include:

• Dashboard: Claris Studio’s dashboard allows for quick and easy access to a holistic view of your data.
• Forms: Collect and view data.
• Spreadsheets: Aggregate data and sort or filter it by specific parameters.
• List-detail: Organize information into a list, with the ability to view or edit.
• Kanban: Track project progress.

Claris has also promised that users can expect other features and functionality to be added in the future.

Update 19.5.4 is here and it brings several helpful updates. The most notable of these is the in-software news updates.

Highlights include:

• In-product Notifications: Claris can now share the latest news directly in the FileMaker Pro and FileMaker Server software. Users can be alerted to new changes and updates as they roll in.
• macOS: The quick start experience is no longer available.
• New Files: FileMaker Pro and FileMaker Server can now open files that could not be reopened after modifying the settings in the File Options dialog box with a limited access account.

Other recent updates include:

• • Use a Single Claris ID: A single email and password can be used to log into Claris Pro, Claris Studio, and all other Claris products. It’s a simple but appreciated quality of life change.
  • New File Extension: Apps created with Claris Pro now use the extension “.claris”. Claris server can now host these files.

• Claris Go App: Claris Go will soon be available on the app store for iOS and iPadOS.

Kyo Logic will continue to bring you exciting Filemaker news and updates. If you have any questions about these changes, or you’d like to know how FileMaker can work for your business, you can reach out to us here.

Claris FileMaker Pro and Zoho are both popular database solutions. If you’re shopping around for a database that works well for your business, deciding between the two may feel overwhelming, or even confusing. But, there are several important differences between the two, and knowing these differences may help make your decision easier.

Zoho

Zoho CRM’s Creator Tools are a low-code development platform designed for drag and drop application building. It comes with over 60 applications prebuilt, making it easy for those with no knowledge to snap something together (relatively) easy.

This accessibility translates to its entry fees. Zoho has a free trial that’s fairly limited: it only allows for a maximum of two users and three applications. However, it does allow small businesses to take it for a “test drive” at no cost. 

It also allows for slightly more flexibility in terms of pricing. Although it’s cost for individual users is more expensive ($25 per month per user for Zoho vs $19 per month per user for FileMaker Cloud), Zoho allows for single person accounts. FileMaker Cloud requires 5 users at minimum.

Zoho offers unlimited users which (pricing notwithstanding) makes scalability easy as businesses grow.

Zoho offers one major thing FileMaker does not: native Android support. There’s a Zoho app for both Apple and Android devices, making it easy to access regardless of the device employees are using. While Android users can use FileMaker, they have to do it via FileMaker’s web tool, WebDirect (as opposed to an application).

Claris FileMaker Pro

FileMaker Pro is also a database solution, this one a RDBMS (relational database management system) with its own front-end GUI. Frankly, it may not be as simple out-of-the-box as Zoho. Zoho prioritizes making things as easy as possible, while FileMaker can be incredibly powerful in the hands of the right developer. It may not be as intuitive for the average person, but virtually any database solution is possible through FileMaker.

Claris Connect also allows FileMaker Pro to interface with virtually any existing application. If your team already uses Outlook or Slack (or any other number of software), FileMaker Pro can easily communicate with them. It effectively slots into your existing infrastructure. It’s that simple.

That flexibility and simplicity can also be found in FileMaker’s reporting features. FileMaker Pro automatically creates table, list, and form views as databases and forms are added. Scripting and customization can all be done within the GUI with very limited coding knowledge.

FileMaker Pro also allows for scalability. The platform itself allows for nine simultaneous users, which at first glance, isn’t many. But FileMaker Server means that you can rent out servers as you grow, for hundreds of consecutive users accessing the database.

It should be no surprise that FileMaker Pro’s security measures are equally as flexible. Administrators can restrict users down to the most granular level, so departments or individual employees can access some databases, layouts, or fields and not others.

Conclusion

Zoho is a great alternative for smaller businesses and those who have no experience with building out low-code and no-code platforms. For small businesses that anticipate fewer than 4 users, it may even be cheaper.

Of course, Zoho doesn’t scale as well from a pricing perspective. FileMaker’s minimum of 5 users at $19 per month is  a total of $95. That’s already $5 less than 4 users on Zoho. As the number of users increases, so too will the pricing disparity.

While Zoho can be great (especially for smaller businesses), FileMaker Pro offers better pricing and potentially more flexibility and options in the long-term. This is especially true in the hands of a capable development team. If you want to learn more about developing custom platforms for your business, you can contact Kyo Logic here.

“Developer” is a broad title. It’s so broad, in fact, that it’s sometimes difficult to parse, especially for industry outsiders. While all developers create software (or contribute to the creation of software in some way), there are dozens of branches and proficiencies. Individual developers may focus on writing code, strategizing, or providing quality assurance. There are a staggering number of programming languages that individuals or teams may choose to focus on.

And that’s all without mentioning the specializations within that. Entire companies may specialize in building customer experience portals, internal communications applications, or back-end sales tools. They may focus entirely on web development, and within that, focus on a handful of needs.

There’s nothing wrong with being highly specialized, of course. There’s such a breadth and depth of knowledge when it comes to development, that it’s essentially necessitated. But it’s precisely for this reason that Claris, the creator of FileMaker, has a certification process and a partner program. The certifications are tied to specific services offered, as well as overall knowledge. Currently, the certifications  and partner classifications available are as follows:

Certified: These partners have passed the FileMaker Certification exam. This is a timed, multiple-choice exam that tests for FileMaker understanding and application.

Consulting: These partners will work with you to create a custom application, including planning and eventual deployment.

Training: This certification goes to partners who focus on teaching custom application development. This includes teaching developers and non-developers alike.

Reselling: Resellers offer authorized licenses of Claris FileMaker and other Claris products. While you can purchase FileMaker directly from Claris, these resellers may offer Claris products alongside other software, often at a discount.

Hosting: Hosting partners will offer solutions for hosting your custom software in the cloud.

Connect: These partners focus on Claris Connect, which assists with workflow automation and integration.

As noted, there are a variety of certificates that individual developers and corporations can hold, but the highest honor is a platinum certification. 

Platinum partners are hand-picked by Claris for their technical prowess and excellent customer service— there are only a handful of Platinum Certified Claris FileMaker developers in the country. Furthermore, they’re innovators in the space, redefining what FileMaker can do and sharing these discoveries with Claris. They offer comprehensive services and complete, holistic solutions. Platinum partners will offer virtually all of the services and options listed above. 

For example, at Kyo Logic (a Platinum Certified Claris FileMaker Developer) we offer development, hosting, and license management. If you want to learn more about how a Platinum Certified developer can help you, please contact us here.

At its most recent Webinar update, Claris announced a name change that will impact its offerings. Long-time FileMaker users are probably aware this isn’t the first time the tech giant has changed names; Claris previously changed its name to “FileMaker” and then back to Claris in recent years.

What does this mean for Claris products? There’s a naming overhaul planned and a spiffy new gradient visual branding to go along with it. The name changes themselves are as follows:

• FileMaker Pro is now Claris Pro
• FileMaker Server is now Claris Server
• FileMaker Go is now Claris Go
• Claris Connect is now Claris Studio

It’s a pretty simple change to understand, and one that customers will pick up on quickly. Claris is ditching the “FileMaker” moniker and branding everything with the parent name. Interestingly, Claris promised that while Claris Studio will contain what used to be Connect, it will also be the umbrella for “new stuff.” Claris Vice President of Engineering, Peter Nelson, describes the new stuff as “functionality that will be available as part of the Claris platform.” While they didn’t get into the details, it sounds like they’ve got big plans in terms of expanding on what they offer their customers. Claris is anticipating the initial release of Claris Studio this fall.

Claris sees this as a way to create a central identity across all platforms while also allowing for better integration between platforms. This change will also make it easy for new clients to adopt these platforms. Claris also assures their existing users that nothing will fundamentally change for existing platforms. To put it more bluntly, these preexisting platforms won’t break as Claris updates their offerings.

Of course, this is just the foundation Claris is placing, and they promise to have more in store in the near future. At Kyo Logic, we’ll be sure to monitor and update as Claris rolls out new developments. We’re excited to continue to use Claris tools to create the best custom platforms and databases for our clients.

There are virtually countless considerations to make when designing a website or application: typefaces and font hierarchies, design elements, colorways, workflows, CTAs… the list is endless. Most importantly, brands must envision how these elements coalesce to provide a positive user experience that’s reflective of your offerings.

Half of all web traffic comes from mobile devices, and Apple and Android applications are naturally being accessed from a phone or tablet. Understanding how users interact with a mobile device is critical in optimizing the user experience.

When designing a website intended for both desktop and mobile, the most obvious difference is alignment. Monitors and laptop screens are traditionally horizontal, while phones are vertical. A gorgeous pop-out menu with dozens of items might look amazing on desktop, but squished or cut-off on a phone. Intricate fonts that make your brand stand out might be virtually unreadable on a mobile device. Text can get squished. Buttons may feel out of reach.

Organize Content for Mobile

As mentioned, great desktop sites don’t translate well to an optimal mobile experience. Cramming detailed menus and complex infographics onto a tiny screen just doesn’t work. Vertical dropdown menus make navigating a website much simpler for mobile users. 

Collapsible categories are also incredibly useful. Browsing dozens of options on a desktop is fine, but daunting on mobile. Allowing users to hide or show relevant categories will ensure their precious screen real estate isn’t being taken over by info that isn’t necessary for their experience.

Be Mindful of Touchscreens

A critical button or menu at the top of a screen might not mean much for desktop users, but it’s effectively out of reach for visitors on mobile. People tend to browse on their phones with one hand. Their other hand might be preoccupied holding a subway pole, a baby, or any number of other things. As such, placing menus and CTAs at the bottom of the screen— where their thumbs can easily reach— makes for a much better user experience.

Streamline

The faster a user can complete a task, the better. Mobile applications and sites should prioritize their primary function above all else. For example, an ecommerce app should make it easy for users to open the app, find their products, and make a purchase. This may involve placing a core group of popular items front and center, as opposed to the eye-catching graphics they would’ve seen on the desktop site.

Long, drawn-out forms are also discouraging for mobile users. Simplify the number of fields when possible, or place them on multiple screens.

Integrate Other Phone Applications

Mobile users expect certain functionalities when selecting them on their phone. For example, a contact page with a phone number and email should open those related applications. Links to relevant apps in their app store and addresses that open a map application are also considered standard integrations.

Optimized mobile designs mean less obstacles and pain points for customers to navigate. The easier an app is to use, the more likely a customer can access the information they need to have a successful interaction. If you’re looking for ways to design a fantastic mobile app for your company, Kyo Logic would love to hear from you. You can contact us here.