I use FM 5.3 on a large network at work to maintain a schedule for several physicians. The actual database is on a shared network drive, but the two of us who maintain the database must have it installed on our own computers and are also the only ones who can view the call schedule.

I want to post a free-standing database on this central drive, so that all users can read it and some can edit. I thought FM developer 7 could do this, but am getting mixed responses from the reps at Filemaker.com. The advantage would be having to buy only one (more expensive) copy of the software for me rather than multiple copies (one for everyone who wants to access the database.) I would also be able to work on both my Mac at home and the WIndows based system at work.

I welcome any suggestions on how to do this. There are at least 15 people who need to access the call schedule, and it changes fairly frequently.

Thanks

Hi Paul,

If you only want to have to buy one copy of FileMaker Pro, I'd suggest you check out Instant Web Publishing (IWP) in FileMaker 7. Using IWP this way would let you serve one copy of the schedule up to the web where all your users could get to it through a web browser (you don't want them opening a shared file, the way you'd share an Excel document, for instance). You could then get one or two additional copies of FileMaker for those power users who might want work interact with the schedule using FileMaker itself, instead of a web browser.

Now, you can do all this with a regular copy of FileMaker 7, providing that no more than 5 users will be on the schedule at any one time. If more people than that need simultaneous access you'd need to use FileMaker Server Advanced.

We happen to offer a scheduling program in FileMaker 7, along with an Instant Web Publishing module: you may want to look at our Instant Web Publishing (IWP) module for CC Calendar Pro.

Best,

John