FMTouch - FileMaker Mobilized
16/10/08 21:00 Filed in: FileMaker
It’s amazing how much a new device can change
your methods of getting things done; I’m
talking about the iPhone. As one who is responsible
for keeping track of business mileage I’ve been
one of those that gravitated toward using a handheld
device for helping manage that task. Back in the
1990’s I used a Palm Pilot for that. A few
years ago I moved to an iPaq to do the same thing. It
always seemed awkward moving the data back and forth
from the computer to the PDA. Then, I got an iPhone,
a handheld device that had the potential of being my
mobile phone, email agent and a few more things.
Immediately after acquiring my iPhone I began the search for a special application that would work from the desktop of my computer as well as from the desktop of the device in my palm. Yes, there are a lot of little applications available at the App Store designed for tracking mileage, etc.
Among the nicer ones available is Trip Cubby, a polished, full-featered application for tracking mileage for tax deduction or reimbursement purposes. It exports Excel-compatible (CSV) emails, supports multiple vehicles, etc. However, for my purposes it comes up short.
Then FMWebschool came out with FMTouch. "That," I thought to myself, "is just what I need." I had already developed my own FileMaker solution I call Activity & Expense Tracker. With it I maintain the names, addresses, etc. of customers. It's linked to the activities I carry out with them including the issue I'm addressing, the time engaged, the billable rate, the expenses involved, and whether the activity has been billed or not. Because I'm tracking expenses with it I, of course, keep track of the mileage to/from the account's location.
I downloaded the development files and loaded the desktop client on my MacBook Pro. I developed three views appropriate for using on my iPhone. Uploaded the application to the phone and immediately began using it.
FMTouch allows me to run my FileMaker database solution, Activity & Expense Tracker, independently from the desktop version without any internet connection, etc. All I have to do is sync with the file running on my Mac.
Just like the solution on the MacBook, I can view, edit, find, delete and create records in my relational data management application. It also supports graphics and container fields. Coming soon will be support for calculations and a scripting engine.
Information about FMTouch is available at http://www.fmtouch.com
Immediately after acquiring my iPhone I began the search for a special application that would work from the desktop of my computer as well as from the desktop of the device in my palm. Yes, there are a lot of little applications available at the App Store designed for tracking mileage, etc.
Among the nicer ones available is Trip Cubby, a polished, full-featered application for tracking mileage for tax deduction or reimbursement purposes. It exports Excel-compatible (CSV) emails, supports multiple vehicles, etc. However, for my purposes it comes up short.
Then FMWebschool came out with FMTouch. "That," I thought to myself, "is just what I need." I had already developed my own FileMaker solution I call Activity & Expense Tracker. With it I maintain the names, addresses, etc. of customers. It's linked to the activities I carry out with them including the issue I'm addressing, the time engaged, the billable rate, the expenses involved, and whether the activity has been billed or not. Because I'm tracking expenses with it I, of course, keep track of the mileage to/from the account's location.
I downloaded the development files and loaded the desktop client on my MacBook Pro. I developed three views appropriate for using on my iPhone. Uploaded the application to the phone and immediately began using it.
FMTouch allows me to run my FileMaker database solution, Activity & Expense Tracker, independently from the desktop version without any internet connection, etc. All I have to do is sync with the file running on my Mac.
Just like the solution on the MacBook, I can view, edit, find, delete and create records in my relational data management application. It also supports graphics and container fields. Coming soon will be support for calculations and a scripting engine.
Information about FMTouch is available at http://www.fmtouch.com