[Claris Keynote] From Spreadsheets to Smart Apps—See What’s Possible with the Claris

Summary

In the keynote presentation by Claris, an Apple company, speakers highlighted the transformative capabilities of the Claris platform, including FileMaker 2025, Claris Studio, and Claris Connect. They emphasized the role of AI as an enabler and the importance of a solid platform foundation. The session included inspiring success stories, showcasing how the integration and enhanced features of the Claris platform are helping businesses drive digital transformation, streamline operations, and creatively solve challenges. With FileMaker, Studio, and Connect, developers are able to create scalable solutions, improve security, and integrate with external systems more effectively, all contributing to a seamless user experience and operational efficiency.

Highlights

• FileMaker 2025 will be available early summer with exciting new tools. 🛠️
• AI enhances development but needs a robust platform to be effective. 🤖
• Claris Studio helps in creating web solutions and managing workflows efficiently. 🧩
• ClickWorks' success story showcases the practical advantages of Claris. 🙌
• Integration capabilities with Claris Connect have been significantly upgraded for better performance. 📈

Key Takeaways

• FileMaker 2025 is set to revolutionize app development with its upcoming release, providing new tools for innovative solutions! 🚀
• AI is emphasized as a significant enabler, but it heavily relies on the strength of the platform it's based upon. 💡
• Claris Studio and Connect expand opportunities for developing web-based solutions and handling data workflows effectively. 🌐
• Real-life success stories from ClickWorks illustrate the practical impact and benefits of using the Claris platform. 🏆
• The Claris platform supports extensive integrations with improved features like enhanced data APIs that simplify processes and enhance scalability. 🔗

Overview

The Claris Keynote, delivered by top executives of Claris, an Apple company, was a hub of innovation, focusing on the upcoming release of FileMaker 2025. The event emphasized how FileMaker, along with Claris Studio and Connect, forms a comprehensive suite of tools designed to facilitate the creation of powerful, custom solutions. The ongoing improvements and the focus on AI-driven capabilities underscore Claris' commitment to cater to both internal and external user needs, providing a platform where the parts add up to much more than a whole.

During the keynote, various speakers, including Bridget Lumb and Joris Aarts, shared insightful real-world examples of the Claris platform in action. These stories illustrated the transformative effects of the platform, such as the notable example of Werner, who efficiently transitioned from cumbersome spreadsheets to a streamlined digital solution using FileMaker. Real-world applications highlighted the platform's strength in addressing specific business challenges with agility and ease, particularly in fostering better data management and workflow automation.

Key takeaways from the keynote highlighted not only the innovative technological aspects of Claris' latest offerings but also the practical advantages of these tools in day-to-day business operations. The Claris platform's enhanced integration with external identity providers and improved API capabilities promise to boost efficiency and security, illustrating Claris' forward-thinking approach to digital transformation. Concluding the session, developers were encouraged to explore and harness the full potential of the Claris platform through upcoming workshops and sessions.

Chapters

• 00:00 - 01:30: Introduction and Overview The chapter introduces the anticipation and excitement surrounding the new tools available in the upcoming release of FileMaker 2025, set to launch in early summer. It emphasizes the company's commitment to providing a robust platform for creating innovative solutions.
• 01:30 - 03:00: Foundation Matters The chapter 'Foundation Matters' discusses the essential role of having a strong platform foundation in the effectiveness of AI. It emphasizes that while AI can significantly aid in building solutions and suggesting innovative approaches, its success is heavily dependent on the underlying infrastructure. The platform itself must be robust enough to support AI's capabilities, illustrating that AI alone isn't a magic fix but rather an enabler that relies on its foundational platform to be truly transformative.
• 03:00 - 03:30: Claris Studio and Claris Connect Introduction The importance of foundation in AI-driven development platforms is highlighted. These platforms enable the creation of custom applications for internal use, ensuring they run within specific scale and controlled environments. Moreover, they provide solutions for external-facing applications, addressing challenges around scalability and consistent performance across devices.
• 03:30 - 04:30: Using the Claris Platform The chapter titled 'Using the Claris Platform' discusses a platform that facilitates working with data across various systems by integrating REST APIs, ensuring the process is repeatable, scalable, and secure. The hosts, Bridget Lumb and Robert Holsey, are introduced as they showcase how Claris Studio and Claris Connect help in developing web-based, external-facing solutions in data workflows. The introduction leads to a presentation by Bridget Lumb, set against a background of mid-tempo dance music, highlighting advancements in their platform beyond FileMaker.
• 04:30 - 07:00: Joris' Customer Story with Claris Joris, in his customer story with Claris, emphasizes the combined power of FileMaker, Studio, and Connect in driving digital transformation. His goal is to inspire the use of the complete Claris platform to explore new automation and development possibilities. He begins with showcasing an example of what can be achieved.
• 07:00 - 09:00: Werner's Challenges and Solutions In "Werner's Challenges and Solutions," the chapter focuses on how Claris Studio and Connect are delivering exciting new capabilities that help users expand their solutions. The increased user base for the Claris platform illustrates the tangible value of these tools in addressing critical business needs. This chapter aims to ignite ideas for expanding solutions, showing not just potential but actual realizations of business goals through innovative tool usage.
• 09:00 - 12:30: Artist Gallery Use Case In this chapter titled 'Artist Gallery Use Case', Joris Aarts from ClickWorks is introduced by Bridget to share his experience with the Claris platform. Joris proceeds to recount a customer story involving an individual named Werner.
• 12:30 - 14:30: Setup and Claris Connect Integration The chapter introduces the team members involved in the tech setup and integration process, highlighting Werner, who is the head of administration at the Province of Antwerp in Belgium. His expertise in problem-solving is emphasized, particularly in handling his IT environment, which consists of SharePoint and Office tools. Werner is described as a key problem solver in the administrative setup.
• 14:30 - 15:30: Empowering Stories with Claris Studio and Connect The chapter titled 'Empowering Stories with Claris Studio and Connect' discusses how Werner, who was overwhelmed by the constant inflow of Excel spreadsheets, found a solution in FileMaker. With the assistance from the team, he was able to create an ecosystem of small applications, which he successfully pitched to his IT department under the name 'Digi Park.' The ecosystem boasts integrated security and other capabilities.
• 15:30 - 18:00: New Features and Enhancements in Claris Studio The chapter discusses the introduction of new features and enhancements in Claris Studio. It includes a case study of an order form application that saves 1100 spreadsheets annually and reduces the budget consolidation time by one day each month. Additionally, the chapter highlights a challenge faced by Werner six to seven months ago, when a local park's petting zoo needed to quickly launch a web registration for an 'adopt a pet' campaign.
• 18:00 - 20:30: Integration Enhancements with FileMaker The chapter titled 'Integration Enhancements with FileMaker' discusses the development and integration of a new system built in Claris Studio. This system was designed to manage high volumes of pet adoption registrations efficiently. The pressure was on as there was a media campaign and a high demand for the adoption process to be seamless. The chosen technology needed to integrate easily with Digi Park's existing workflows, leading to a successful implementation within a week. An image gallery of pets available for adoption was featured as part of the solution.
• 20:30 - 24:00: Conclusion and Future Sessions The chapter discusses the creation of a comprehensive registration form, highlighting its extensiveness and the inclusion of conditional logic and branching mechanisms to cater to different types of registrants, such as organizations versus individuals. It also mentions the presence of disclaimers within the form.

[Claris Keynote] From Spreadsheets to Smart Apps—See What’s Possible with the Claris Transcription

• 00:00 - 00:30 (electronic chiming jingle) (mid-tempo dance music) I can't wait to see what amazing solution you're going to create with all those new tools in your hands. Tools that will be available with you with the new release of FileMaker, FileMaker 2025, available early summer. Last year I said it, and I'll say it again, that we are committed to give you a platform
• 00:30 - 01:00 that always give you the right tool for the job. A platform where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. This is still true and it's more important than ever 'cause yes, AI is going to transform the way solution are gonna be built. However, AI is no silver bullet. It's an enabler and what it enables depends entirely on the foundation it builds upon. I mean, think about it. AI can assist with the implementation of a solution or suggest new approaches, but you're not going to get too far if the underlying platform can't bring it to life.
• 01:00 - 01:30 And that's why foundation matters. The real breakthroughs happen when AI augments a development platform that is already rich with capabilities. One that allows you to address use cases for internal users with custom application that can need to run within certain scale and control environment. A platform that allows you to address use cases for external users, addressing the unique challenges of scalable, responsive web application that need to run consistently on any device.
• 01:30 - 02:00 A platform that allows you to work with data across multiple system by integrating rest APIs in a repeatable, scalable, and secure way. And to share the progress we made in areas of our platform beyond FileMaker, now Bridget Lumb and Robert Holsey are going to show you how Claris Studio and Claris Connect can help you develop web-based external-facing solution in data workflows. So please join me welcoming Bridget Lumb on stage to tell you more about it. (mid-tempo dance music)
• 02:00 - 02:30 Thanks, Giuliano. Together, FileMaker, Studio, and Connect deliver the agility that you need to build great solutions that drive digital transformation for your business. My goal today and throughout this conference is to inspire all of you to use the entirety of the Claris platform to unlock new possibilities for your automations and your development. I'm gonna start by showcasing an example of what's possible
• 02:30 - 03:00 to ignite ideas for all of you to expand your solutions. Then I'll dive into some exciting new capabilities in both Studio and Connect. Over the past year, we've been rolling out the Claris platform, specifically Claris Studio, to a growing user base and the results are compelling. We're not just talking about potential. Customers are realizing the tangible value of these tools by solving critical business needs and expanding their solutions and their reach.
• 03:00 - 03:30 But don't just take my word for it. I'd like to welcome Joris Aarts from ClickWorks to the stage to share his experience developing and delivering with the entire Claris platform. (mid-tempo dance music) Hello. Thank you, Bridget. Let me share a short customer story with you. Meet Werner. Werner is the man on the left,
• 03:30 - 04:00 and to his right is our youngest and brightest developer Thomas, who helps him on a weekly basis to keep up with the growing demand. Werner is the problem solver. He's a real problem solver. He's head of administration at the Province of Antwerp in Belgium. That's a level above city level, county, county level. And his IT environment is basically SharePoint and Office. And if your only tool is a hammer,
• 04:00 - 04:30 well, in his case, every solution looks like an Excel spreadsheet. (audience laughing) And Werner grew tired of that endless stream of spreadsheets coming his way. He discovered FileMaker, he got hooked and with a little bit of help from us and our team, he built an ecosystem of clever little apps, which he pitched to his IT department as Digi Park. It's fully integrated security wise and so on. And so just one of those apps,
• 04:30 - 05:00 the order form apps saves him 1100 spreadsheets each year and one day of budget consolidation each month. Now, six, seven months ago, Werner faced, for him, an entirely new challenge. The local parks petting zoo wanted to launch an adopt a pet campaign. And so they urgently needed a web registration
• 05:00 - 05:30 for which could handle a lot of registrations at the same time for people to be able to adopt a pet. We only had one week because someone else messed up, basically. Pressure was high, there was a media campaign going on and so on. And Werner wanted to use a technology that he could easily integrate with his Digi Park solution and tap into his existing workflows. So what we did was we built something in Claris Studio, and I'm gonna show you this. This is the image gallery of all those pets available for adoption.
• 05:30 - 06:00 They each have their own name. We built a form, a registration form, which is quite extensive. So there's a lot of pages there. There's also some conditional logic and branching in case like an organization registers or an individual, we require different data fields. There's disclaimers and so on and so on.
• 06:00 - 06:30 All the data is captured in a Studio spreadsheet. But the crucial difference is, and I'm gonna switch over to FileMaker here, it's also fully integrated into the Digi Park solution. It's one of those modules. And we have additional status fields and date fields for follow up. And so the way that we do that is I'm gonna switch to the managed database view, is we leverage ESS plus
• 06:30 - 07:00 to have these Studio tables directly in FileMaker as if it were FileMaker native tables. So that was six, seven months ago. Now, flash forward to just a couple of weeks ago, a new similar challenge. There's an artist gallery in the park, an art pavilion, and it's very popular among local artists. And a couple of times a year, they can sign up for a date slot for their own exhibitions, okay? So there's a lot of demand there. And what's crucial is that if someone picks a date slot,
• 07:00 - 07:30 someone else directly coming after him should not be able to pick the same slot of course. That was the challenge. So here's an example, a simplified example of what we built. So I have just a simple registration form. I can leave my name and I can pick one of the available date slots. So I'm gonna run this, enter my name. And then as you can see, those months are available, so I'm gonna pick April. And now someone's coming after me should not be able
• 07:30 - 08:00 to pick that same date slot. So I'm gonna refresh, and let's say that my friend, coworker Anannyaa wants to register. Now April is not available anymore, okay? That's the use case here. And Werner basically built all this by himself. So he already had the registration form spreadsheet with the relationship to the date slots table, and he had the status field to indicate whether the date slot was taken or not. And then he called me and said like, yes, but how can I manage to update
• 08:00 - 08:30 that status directly after registration? And we were improvising. I was in between two meetings. We quickly set up an online meeting. He had it all open, so he was doing it and I was talking him through it and this is what we did. We started Claris Connect and we used the new Studio Connector. So we built a flow, and it's just two steps. So we used a new record created trigger, attached that to the reservations table.
• 08:30 - 09:00 And so if a record gets created there, we update the chosen date slot in the date slots table. So that's an update record action step. So that's it, just two steps. We had it set up in five minutes. We tried it and it worked straight away from the first attempt. So we were literally cheering in that online meeting, like, woo, this is great. And so with that, I come back to you, Bridget. Thank you very much. (audience clapping) (mid-tempo dance music)
• 09:00 - 09:30 Thank you, Joris. Wow. I mean, Joris's story perfectly illustrates how his FileMaker solution shines even brighter with the aid of Studio and Connect. And the best part, you all can start building your own success stories with these tools today. Over the past year, we've been working hand in hand with customers like Joris in our community to significantly enhance both Studio and Connect to work alongside your solutions.
• 09:30 - 10:00 Joris shows us how we can use the right tool for the right job. First, he shows us the power of quickly being able to put a form together to collect data from external users that he can leverage in his FileMaker solution. Now, not all of you have been able to leverage Studio due to specific requirements, but we've significantly enhanced the data collection capabilities to include features such as iFrame support,
• 10:00 - 10:30 prefilled form support, and color customization, just to name a few. And now with Studio support for external identity providers, we've opened up a whole new world of possibilities for managing and communicating with your teams and your clients. By integrating with systems like Okta and Azure Active Directory, you can provide a seamless and secure login experience that removes friction and enhances adoption. (audience clapping)
• 10:30 - 11:00 Joris also highlighted the new Studio connector in Claris Connect. Now, his story is just the tip of the iceberg as this connector provides a rich set of triggers, enabling you, the developer, to trigger actions based on CRUD or user management operations happening in Studio. And with an even more extensive set of actions, you can programmatically create, execute, and manage data, users, and UI for Studio
• 11:00 - 11:30 all in Connect, all with ease. Lastly, I wanna highlight a connector that Joris wasn't able to leverage at the time of his solution, but I'm sure he would've cheered if that were the case. A crucial factor for ensuring the success of your FileMaker solutions is integration with other applications. And in the age of AI, this has never been more the case. Without it, your solutions risk being siloed
• 11:30 - 12:00 and inefficient. Historically, integrating FileMaker with using Connect requires developers to juggle between the FileMaker Cloud and Server connector, both relying solely on the data API, which can strain your server as demands grow. But now, with the newly enhanced FileMaker connector, it simplifies this by intelligently combining both the OData and data API into a single streamlined solution. Whether your FileMaker solution is cloud-based or on-prem,
• 12:00 - 12:30 this improved connector enhances functionality and ensures greater scalability without putting strain on your FileMaker server. Integrating your solutions effectively is key to unlocking your full potential and this improved connector makes that easier than ever. And in the spirit of allowing all of you to leverage the entire platform, giving you the best tools for the job, any Connect flow that is solely used to move data within the platform
• 12:30 - 13:00 comes at no additional costs. (audience clapping) Now, I hope I've given you a sense of what can be accomplished when you leverage the entire platform. For a deeper dive, join Lui de la Parra at our session later today to take a deeper dive into platform-wide development strategies that are taking advantage of some of these advancements.
• 13:00 - 13:30 Then you can join Joris's session at 4:30 to build on these skills, learning how to create interactive dashboards in Claris Studio. The Claris platform is helping businesses build faster, more efficiently, and with greater security. As we continue to enhance the Claris platform, we're also looking at how these innovations empower an even better connection with your customers. To show you what this means in practice, I'd like to welcome Robert Holsey to the stage.
• 13:30 - 14:00 Thank you. (audience clapping) (electronic chiming jingle)