Minimum requirements: Mac, 12" B&W monitor, (14" or larger color monitor is best) and Filemaker Pro 2.0 or better.
The Filemaker Workfile is a collection of database templates for running a small business. Specifically, these were designed to run my free-lance photography business but can easily be adapted for use to run any small business.
In the Workfile you will find Address, Invoice, Invoice Inventory, Film Archive, Label Maker, and Equipment Schedule databases based on Filemaker Pro 2.0. All databases interact and easily exchange information; like pulling an address out of the Address File by typing first, last, company name, city, or any unique aspect of an address and placing the retrieved full address onto an Invoice, Film Consignment Memo, etc.
Through "Applescript" some of the buttons on the menus will open other applications like "Word" and "Quicken." With the incorporation of these two applications, or others like them, the Workfile becomes a comprehensive way to run a small business.
You have an Address database that is very flexible and can be used for multiple mailing lists simutaneously; an Invoicing database that will tell you what's due and in how many days, along with a running total for invoices to date and/or total billing per client; a Film Archive for recording information on film shot with an ability to search for images by subject, date, client, etc. Included in the Address file are built in templates for printing mailing labels, envelopes, and small package labels, all designed for use with Avery labels. With the LabelMaker database you can print Avery 5160 labels (address size) with either 4 lines or 6 lines, and Avery 5267 (slide size) with 3 or 4 lines. If you are using the HP Deskwriter printer, printing labels on a partially used sheet of labels is a breeze. Adding a blank label and telling LabelMaker to print it as many times as you need will start the labels printing at the first available label on the sheet. LabelMaker automatically sorts before printing and puts the blanks at the beginning of the page. You are able to print a few labels or a lot, and if you're familiar with Filemaker you know this can be a pain. There is also an Equipment Schedule which I use for keeping track of all my equipment, it's serial number, date of purchase, value and total value. This could just as easily be used for home furnishings for insurance purposes. It will give the total value of all objects listed and, like everything here, you can print out a copy. This copy is not coming from the screen your're looking at but from one of the many hidden templates designed without buttons to fill a page, not a monitor. By sorting on a certain thing it's easy to see how much you have invested in Nikons, furniture, appliances, software, rare coins, etc.
GO TO WORK
To access the Workfile double click on "Go to Work" (if you're running system 7 or newer) which is an alias you can leave on your desktop or put in your Apple Menu items folder, (in the system folder) to open the Workfile which will bring you to the Address database, the heart of the Workfile. From here you can reach everything. If you're not running system seven simply click on the template you wish to open in the Workfile folder. The Workfile folder can be kept with your copy of Filemaker or wherever you like.
The Workfile is designed for ease of use. Use the TAB key to move you around within a template while entering data, (SHIFT TAB to go backward). The RETURN key is also very useful while working in the databases for selecting the data you browse in a repeating field (which you can scroll with the arrow keys), as is the ENTER key to "set" the screen, calculating totals once data entry is complete. You can always grab the mouse but this allows you to keep your hands on the keyboard. Buttons on each template will perform functions like printing, showing different views, sorting, taking you to other databases, etc.
Pasting an address from the Address database into one of the other database templates is easy. This is done by hitting the TAB key when you're in the one of the templates designed to access addresses. (Not all templates access addresses). Type in your search data; i.e. "John","John Smith", "Zebco Co.", etc., then hit TAB again. This will bring an address into your current database from the Address database. If you pull the wrong address out of the Address database, your search string is possibly too broad or mispelled. To repeat the search simply hit the SHIFT TAB keys to backstep into the search string field again.
THIS IS SHAREWARE
This version is password protected and a "blank" password will give you the ability to surf around, create new records and print. You will not be able to alter or delete existing records, explore the scripts, or alter layouts, and a few of the buttons will not work but....................if you like what you see and think it worth $50 to have complete access, send me a check and I'll send you the security password and a text file with additional tips for understanding the workings of each database.
It shouldn't take you more than a few minutes to discover the depth and quality of design which have gone into the Workfile. The Workfile has been evolving over a few years with constant improvement and I think this is one of the best small business Filemaker files offered as shareware.
The work's been done. If you're interested, send the ransom for the password and access the depths of the Workfile to be in full control. It's your destiny.
