SELECTED
PROJECTS:
Stanford University School of
Medicine -
The Center for Interdisciplinary Brain Sciences Research (CIBSR):
Developed a solution for converting and storing 80 SQL database tables
that stored family demographic and research data.
-Developed a household demographic data entry and reporting process
that guides the user through the process of adding demographic
information for families involved in DNA research and other
studies. The existing SQL database required the data to be input
by senior research staff, who understood the data entry rules and
variables. The resulting FileMaker solution guides the user
though the process, with a step by step flowchart diagram, posing
questions and guiding the user throughout the process. This
resulted in allowing additional staff and research assistants to
effortlessly enter and maintain family demographic data, reduce errors
and orphaned records, and presented users with an interface that
summarized the current and historical family data, and to easily find
related family members in other households.
- Developed a standard interface for data entry and reporting of
research data. By scanning and overlaying the research
questionnaire forms into FileMaker, Research Assistants could more
easily enter data directly from the paper form, without having to know
the actual data field names. In addition, it was required that
the research data be validated by blindly reentering the data and
alerting the user when a data field did not match. A process was
developed that accomplished the validation without storing a duplicate
of the data. In addition, HIPPA requirements were programmed into
the system that disallowed most users from seeing names or from
navigating to specific layouts.
Franklin Templeton Investments
Creative Services Reporting Solution:
Maintained a data reporting tool employing the data interface
separation model. The company maintains a FileMaker project
management, time tracking, and reporting system. The Creative
Services department required an interface to report on project and time
data. This was achieved by creating a FileMaker interface
reporting file. The reporting file stores report layouts and
program code, but does not store data. The solution provides the user
with navigation screens that interface with the live network
data. This file can be maintained by individual users, or hosted
on the server. If changes are required only one file must be
replaced, without importing current data.
Publicis Technology Advertising
Time Tracking and Billing:
Designed and developed a multi user time entry and reporting system.
This solution integrates with a custom Filemaker job tracking system,
and allows each user to see a list of job numbers, and to validate their
data entry for accuracy. The system also includes separate preferences
for each user and numerous reports are included as well as a link to the
billing system.
Stanford University Business
School "Facebook Project":
Developed a solution that stores student photos and biograpical
information. Managed the input of data and phtography of
students. Digital files with photos and data were sent to a
printer for creation of film that was used to print "Facebooks" that
were distributed to students. The solution also allowed
professors to input the student name/ID number into a layout that
represents the fixed seating arrangements of each classroom. The entry
of the name/ID causes an automatic lookup of the student's picture and
biographical information onto the classroom layout. This layout is then
printed by the professor which allows them to easily identify a student
while in their class. This database project was maintained from
1994 - 2001 with yearly photo and biographical updates.
Boston Scientific Medical Device
Unit Service Call and Maintenance System:
Designed and developed a multi-user system for tracking multiple
medical device units at hospitals by Boston Scientific
Corporation. The system allows the phone support and field
service staff to view a device by serial number or location.
System includes tracking of contact management, service calls, field
service work order generation, history, RMA, maintenance and service
contract management, replacement parts and accessory tracking.
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Overview of Filmaker features, capabilities, and
solutions that I work with and recommend to my clients.
FILEMAKER PRO TECHNICAL FEATURES:
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Cross platform relational database with multiple tables within each
file.
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Advanced programing language, (still called Scripts), including
numerous status functions, error capture, calculation functions, and
user action status functions.
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Network file sharing--built into each copy of FileMaker allowing up to
9 concurrent users to share a hosted database file.
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File sharing is simple- shared files are easily accessible on your
network by PC’s and Mac’s without your IT staff having to configure
individual access. (Access is of course controlled by a
username/password combination.
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FileMaker server software dramatically enhances performance and
reliability of shared database files, and up to 250 users. For
example a database hosted in New York can be accessed in San Francisco
with performance very close to performance if hosted on a local server.
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Plug-in availability. The FileMaker development community has
created a number of add on feature based plug-ins to perform tasks or
solve technical issues that are not solvable using FileMaker built in
functionality
FILEMAKER PRO
FUNCTIONAL FEATURES:
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Security: FileMaker has a secure username/password system built
in, for more information click here . However, some sites require
more complex password and security function, including password
expiration, encryption, and minimum length features. This
is accomplished through the use of plug-ins and a module created for
the medical device manufacturing industry requiring 21CFRPart11
compliance.
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Audit Trail: The recording of all values input to a field,
including the user and date and time changed is possible using built in
functionality. Many of the solutions I design include
security functionality that requires a user to click a button to switch
from a read only screen to a edit screen. This further protects
the data from being accidentaly changed and can enable a security model
where users can have limited data editing capability on a field basis.
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Customized Menus: In addition to being able to control what
actions a user may perform, such as deleting records, or modifying the
database fields and layouts. A FileMaker file can be customized
to have custom menus. A custom menu set can be created to perform
specific tasks, a standard menu can be renamed or removed, and a new
menu item can be added to an existing menu.
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Connect to MS SQL Server, Oracle or MySQL data sources: A
powerful feature of FileMaker is the ability to easily connect to data
hosted on external data sources. Based on the priveleges setup by
the external database Admin you can submit queries, import data, and
interact with the external data including adding, and editing
data. Your local computer or the computer the FileMaker
server is running on must have an ODBC data source driver installed and
configured. Some drivers are included with FileMaker, or
can be purchased for a nominal charge. After a external data
source is created in FileMaker, the external tables appear in the
FileMaker manage database view, just like any other FileMaker
table. Users interact with the data, just like any other
FileMaker data field, with FileMaker handling the command translation
into SQL. An alternate option is available to query and or import
from the SQL data source by creating SQL queries from within Filemaker.
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Data Storage Limits: 8 Terabytes per file, 1 Million
tables per file, 64 quadrillion records per table, 1 billion characters
per text field, 4 gigabytes per container field. Container fields
can store almost any type of file including PDF’s, pictures, sounds,
and movies in multiple file formats. This makes FileMaker an
excellent choice as a file storage solution.
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Web Access: A single copy of FileMaker allows up to 5
simultaneous users to connect to a hosted database file using Instant
Web Publishing (IWP). IWP generates the HTML code required
for users using Internet Explorer, Safari, or other compatible browsers
to perform almost all of the functions onf the desktop version.
Functional limitations tend to be related to interactions with other
programs and that when working through a web browser you must “submit”
your entries. IWP is best suited for simple layouts and
functions. For example, a contact manager, order entry, inventory
management, and basic reporting. With FileMaker server
advanced up to 100 users can connect to a hosted database. IWP is
an excellent solution used internally within a companies intranet since
most users require minimal specific functionality accomplished using a
web browser. This can also be a cost savings since a copy of
FileMaker is not required for web based users.
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FileMaker GO for Iphone and Ipad: When FileMaker Go was
previewed at the developers conference in 2009, over 3000 developers
went wild. FileMaker Go is basically like having a copy of
FileMaker on your Ipad/Iphone. FileMaker databases can be
accessed directly from the mobile device. Layout redesign and
functionality is not required. However, the user experience is
greatly enhanced if layouts and functions are specifically designed for
the mobile device. FileMaker Go connects to a shared FileMaker
database using the cellular data network or Wifi. You simply
enter the IP address of the host computer and the network port that is
open. If network access is not available a copy of the
database can be stored locally on the device.
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FileMaker in the Cloud: Hosting companies now charge under $25 month to host a single FileMaker database on a shared
FileMaker Advanced server, with dedicated servers also available.
This allows the database to be accessed remotely from a FileMaker
desktop version, FileMaker Go, or using a web browser if web publishing
is enabled for the database.
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