RESOURCES
Practical guides for FileMaker buyers
In-depth, honest guides for teams evaluating a UK FileMaker consultancy - written by working Claris Partner practitioners, not marketers.
START HERE
The pillar guide
If you only read one thing, read this. Everything else on this page is a deeper dive into a specific angle.
CHOOSING A PARTNER
Choosing a partner
LOCATION GUIDE
FileMaker Developers in London (2026)
The London Claris market mapped out - typical rates, named local clients, the E1W office, and the seven questions to ask any London Claris Partner.
LOCATION GUIDE
FileMaker Developers in Manchester (2026)
The North-West Claris market, Spinningfields office, verticals and a local buyer's checklist. Same rigour as the London guide, different ecosystem.
COMPARISON
Claris Partner vs FileMaker Freelancer
When a freelancer is the right call, when a Claris Partner is, and how the hybrid pattern works. Cost, risk, bus factor and accountability compared.
HIRING
In-House FileMaker Developer vs Outsourcing
Fully loaded UK 2026 costs, hiring timelines, bus-factor risk and the hybrid model - when an in-house FileMaker developer pays back and when a Claris Partner is the smarter call.
PLATFORM
The Claris platform
COMPARISON
FileMaker vs Airtable (2026)
An honest feature, pricing, scaling and iOS comparison - plus when to pick each, the hybrid pattern, and how Airtable-to-FileMaker migrations actually work.
ESSAY
The Future of FileMaker
An essay by Jordan Watson - why mature FileMaker organisations are in a stronger position than they realise, and what to build outward from the foundation they already have.
CASE STUDY
Future of FileMaker, Example #1: FileMaker in Outlook
A concrete follow-up to the Future of FileMaker essay - a custom Outlook Add-on that brings live FileMaker CRM data into the inbox, with one-click tasks, call logging and status updates.
PLATFORM
Is FileMaker Still Worth Using in 2026?
Claris FileMaker's 2026 state - roadmap, recent releases, who still uses it, when it's the right tool and (honestly) when it isn't. The meme vs the reality.
PLATFORM
FileMaker WebDirect vs Modern Web Stack - 2026 Reality Check
When WebDirect is the right delivery layer, when a React/Next.js/Webflow stack on the FileMaker Data API earns its budget, and the hybrid pattern most serious UK deployments end up running.
PLATFORM
FileMaker Go vs Native iOS - when to build custom
When FileMaker Go solves your iOS use case (and saves £60k+), when you genuinely need Swift/SwiftUI, and the Claris iOS App SDK branded middle ground most teams miss.
OPERATIONS
Operations & integrations
AI
AI & LLMs Inside FileMaker - What Actually Works in 2026
The AI use cases that work in production UK FileMaker deployments in 2026 - semantic search, document extraction, classification, RAG - plus provider choice, costs and UK GDPR.
SECURITY
FileMaker Security & UK GDPR - 2026 Buyer's Checklist
The 14-point security and UK GDPR checklist we use on every Neptune Digital Health Check - data residency, encryption, audit logs, DSARs, retention and backup posture.
MIGRATION
Migrating Legacy FileMaker to FileMaker Cloud
An 8-step runbook for moving a legacy FileMaker deployment to Claris FileMaker Cloud (or a modern UK-hosted FileMaker Server) - plugin replacement, auth, cutover, costs.
COMPARISON
Claris Connect vs n8n vs Zapier for FileMaker
Head-to-head on the three integration platforms UK FileMaker teams actually use - cost at volume, UK data residency, connectors and the hybrid pattern we deploy at scale.
ROADMAP
Coming soon
Guides we're working on next. Drop us a line if you'd like early access or want us to prioritise one - we write what our clients actually ask us about.
- FileMaker performance tuning - the playbook we actually use
- FileMaker + Apple Business Manager - enterprise iOS deployment
- Claris Studio, Claris Connect, Claris FileMaker - the 2026 platform map
- Disaster recovery for FileMaker - RTO, RPO and the 4am test
- FileMaker for charities & non-profits - licensing discounts and lean builds
Need answers faster than a guide?
Book a free 30-minute call with a Claris Partner. No pitch deck - just an honest conversation about your FileMaker project.