FileMaker Client Applications

The FileMaker product line offers desktop, mobile, and web-based clients for use in accessing FileMaker databases.

On this page:

Note: The information on this page is accurate for FileMaker 17. Certain features and settings may either not apply to, or differ from, prior versions.

FileMaker Pro Advanced

FileMaker Pro Advanced, FileMaker's flagship product, is the desktop client application used for building and accessing FileMaker databases. Current FileMaker Pro Advanced versions run on all supported versions of both Windows and Macintosh platforms. To obtain FileMaker Pro Advanced, visit the IS&T Software Grid.

FileMaker Go

FileMaker Go allows users to access existing stand-alone and hosted FileMaker databases on iOS devices. Read more about licensing for use of FileMaker Go at FileMaker Go and WebDirect Licensing Exclusions at MIT.

All recommendations regarding secure management of FileMaker data at MIT apply to use of FileMaker on mobile devices as on your computer. Because of the portability of a mobile device, when working with data on mobile devices, extra care should be taken to make sure that sensitive data accessed through the device would not be accessible or compromised if the device were to go missing. Please refer to FileMaker: Security Guidelines.

Note: MIT's volume license for FileMaker Server allows for use of FileMaker Go for users who otherwise qualify for and have been assigned one of the MIT FileMaker user licenses. For more information, please consult WebDirect and FileMaker Go Licensing at MIT.

Web Access

Hosted FileMaker databases may be made accessible to the web either directly using WebDirect or indirectly using FileMaker custom web publishing or the FileMaker Data API.

• WebDirect (new in v13) allows a database to be available on the web pretty much exactly as it appears in FileMaker Pro.
• Custom web publishing allows a FileMaker Server machine to host a website that pulls data from a FileMaker database.
• The FileMaker Data API  v1 shipped with FM 17.  This allows information in a database to be delivered to a website or application via a REST API.

For more information on these technologies, refer to FileMaker and the Web.

Other Platforms and Configurations

FileMaker does not run on Linux, nor is it available through MIT's Citrix service. If you run your own Terminal Services and Citrix server, and wish to make FileMaker available to Linux users, be aware that IS&T is not able to provide any assistance or guidance with this.

Access-Related Considerations

Accessing Hosted Databases From Off-Campus

In order to access hosted FileMaker databases from off campus, you must first connect to MIT's remote-access VPN service using Duo Security two-factor authentication. For more information, see Accessing Hosted FileMaker Databases from Off-Campus.

FileMaker and the Data Warehouse

If you are using FileMaker Pro to connect via ODBC to the Data Warehouse, you must also have an Oracle driver and client installed either on the FileMaker Server machine (if the database is hosted) or on the client machine (if the database is not hosted). For more information, see Accessing the Data Warehouse with FileMaker.