Hi,

I need some long term help and advice. Here is some background.

I am a novice (mostly) to Filemaker but am experienced developing
database and other applications with script languages like Python and
Perl. I am working in a small company that has a large legacy ERP
application written in Filemaker Pro 6. The application is poorly
thought out (it is rife with classical novice database designer errors)
and is quite a mess (no consistent style whatsoever, no documentation),
but it also contains useful insight into our business processes, has
several good looking layouts, and of course is currently (and has been
for a couple of years) in production use and so has lots of essential
data.

Now, the system is extremely difficult for me to modify in any
substantial way. In addition to new features and changes to the
workflows, we need to integrate with several other systems, including
our new CRM application, Salesforce.com, and our accounting software,
QuickBooks. After considering a number of options we decided to rewrite
our ERP in Filemaker 8. We will use better design to make the system
easier to understand, enhance and modify. We need to do this in 4-6
weeks, and I will have one other in-house IT person (who is also pretty
much a Filemaker novice) working with me full time on this.

Some of the reasons we have chosen Filemaker 8 for the new system
include the excellent enhancements to the database over Filemaker 6;
the RAD aspects, especially wrt the UI; and the fact that Filemaker is
familiar to everyone in our company and no other system would be easier
for other people to modify in the future - some purely custom Perl
system would have me basically married to the thing in a way I don't
want to be.

So, at this point we are looking for some help to write the Filemaker
application, and ideally we would like to be able to consult on a
regular basis with a very experienced Filemaker developer. Initially
we'd like a lot of help getting a solid foundation for design,
documenting requirements, and planning a schedule to implement the
system. We'd also like to discuss the best ways to leverage our
existing Filemaker 6 system. Then we'd like our consultant to be
available, ideally on a daily basis, for random questions about best
practices or specific techniques, to implement specific modules for our
system, or to talk about anything else that pops up. Sort of an
outsourced part-time Lead Developer for a small team of novices for 4-6
weeks.

We are located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and, of course it would be
great to find somebody in the area that could physically come in as the
situation recommends, but we think working remotely via phone and WebEx
could be fine, too, if we find the right person.

If you (or anybody you know, for that matter) are qualified for and
interested in this opportunity, please email me at smasterman at
ricintl dot com. Feel free to include any information about yourself
and your experience, or any observations about our situation, or to
propose that we have a telephone conversation.

Thanks,

Steve

Steve <sjmaster (AT) gmail (DOT) com> wrote:

The best place to find FM developers is the consultant search on
www.filemaker.com.

I'll also pass your info on to some developers personally known to me in
the area. If they have time, they'll be in touch.

Lynn Allen
--
Allen & Allen Semiotics www.semiotics.com
FSA Associate Filemaker Design & Consulting

Thank you.