FileMaker migration

Move off an old FileMaker system without losing a record.

If your business still runs on a FileMaker file built years ago by someone who’s no longer around, you don’t have to start from scratch, and you don’t have to live in fear of it either. We move you off it carefully, onto something with another decade of life in it.

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Sound familiar?

The signs an old FileMaker system is living on borrowed time.

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The person who built it left, and nobody else really understands how it works.

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It only runs on one aging Mac in the corner that nobody’s allowed to turn off.

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You’re stuck on an old version and the upgrade path looks terrifying.

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Getting your own data out into a spreadsheet is weirdly hard.

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It crashes, slows down, or throws errors that everyone just works around.

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You want to work from your phone or the web, and it simply can’t.

How it works

How we move you off it safely.

Your old system stays running the whole time. Nothing switches over until you’ve seen the new one and signed off.

Map what you have

We document every table, field, and report, including the ones nobody remembers building.

Choose the right new home

Modern FileMaker, a clean web database, Airtable, or a CRM, based on your team and budget, not our favorite tool.

Build & migrate in stages

We build the new system and move your data with tooling, not by hand, so it’s repeatable and verifiable.

Reconcile every record

Counts and spot-checks on both sides until the numbers match exactly. No “close enough.”

Switch over on a plan

A scheduled, low-risk cutover, with the old system kept as a fallback until you’re confident.

Train & hand off

Documentation and training so your team runs it without us. That’s the whole point.

Honest answers

Questions owners ask us first.

Will we lose any data?
No. We map every table and field first, move the data in stages, and reconcile record counts on both sides before anyone switches over. Your old file stays untouched and available until you sign off.
The original developer is gone and we don’t have the password. Can you still help?
Yes, this is one of the most common situations we take over. We can work with locked-down files, recover structure from a running copy, and document a system nobody on staff fully understands anymore.
Where would you move us to?
Wherever fits the work, a current version of FileMaker, a clean web database, Airtable for lighter needs, or a CRM like Zoho or HubSpot for sales-led teams. We’ll tell you honestly which one fits, even if it means staying put. See our modernize & migrate work.
How long does it take, and what does it cost?
Most small-business migrations run a few weeks to a couple of months, depending on the number of tables, integrations, and reports. We scope it clearly up front with a fixed plan, so there are no surprises halfway through.
Not sure if we should migrate at all?
Then start with an honest second opinion, not a project. Read fix it or replace it? or just tell us your situation and we’ll give you a straight read.

Tell us about your FileMaker system.

Send a short note about what you’re running and what’s worrying you. We’ll come back with a clear, no-pressure read on the safest way forward.

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Related: Fix it or replace it? · Airtable for small businesses · All services