FileMaker Pro 11 Brings Streamlined Database Creation With New Reporting and Collaboration Features

Apple subsidiary FileMaker today announced the release of FileMaker Pro 11, the latest version of its popular database application. The updated version brings several new features, as well as streamlined productivity tools for simpler and faster database creation.

"FileMaker Pro 11 is designed for solving real-world business problems, such as the need for interpreting business data," said Ryan Rosenberg, vice president, marketing and services, FileMaker, Inc. "With easy-to-use integrated charting, we bring dynamic visual reporting to FileMaker Pro 11 users. We also provide new tools to boost all users' productivity, helping novice and expert users alike build, share and publish better databases."

Charts and reports are improved in FileMaker Pro 11 with the addition of more powerful, dynamic charts available as tabs within layouts or published to the web with FileMaker Pro Instant Web Publishing. New "Quick Reports" and an improved Layout/Report Assistant also aid users in generating easy-to-digest versions of their data.

FileMaker Pro 11 also includes several new productivity tools to assist users with database creation.

- Innovative Quick Find with iTunes style that searches across all fields within a layout
- Inspector, a master tool palette that controls layout objects and properties in one convenient place
- Object Badges to visually identify scripted fields in layouts with color-coded icons
- A new Invoices Starter Solution, one of more than 30 built-in solutions, designed to track product and customer details and create, manage and print customized invoices for every order
- An improved Quick Start Screen to help users create new databases, manage favorite files and find helpful resources
- Text highlighting to emphasize key words or numbers in fields

Finally, FileMaker Pro 11 offers several new collaboration tools, enabling users to create "Snapshot Links" of data presentation for sharing with others, as well as assisting with recurring data imports.

Also available today are FileMaker Pro 11 Advanced, offering additional development and customization tools, and FileMaker Server 11, bringing several new tools to the company's solution for centrally-hosted databases.

FileMaker Pro 11 is priced at $299 for new users and $179 for upgrade users, with FileMaker Pro 11 Advanced checking in at $499 and $299 respectively. The basic FileMaker Server 11 is priced at $999/$599, while FileMaker Server 11 Advanced carries a price tag of $2,999/$1,799. All versions are available today.