Tools & Tips

We recently saw a posting on a FaceBook group requesting some help with barcode scanning in Claris FileMaker Pro. Handheld barcode scanners provide far greater speed and accuracy with data capture vs using a camera on a mobile device. Barcodes are fantastic for quick entry of invoice numbers, pick slips, skus, inventory location and so much more. Previosuly we’ve talked about data capture with Zebra mobile devices however a USB or bluetooth scanner can also be connected to your desktop or mobile device. While there are a plethora of barcode scanners available, Zebra barcode scanners are very rugged and provide the ability to configure to send pre/post scan data which provides for much more robust integration. We also recommend barcode scanners with 2D capabilities so you can leverage smaller QR or other similar symbologies that can pack larger amounts of data in a small space. By purchasing a scanner with 2D functions can you future-proof  your hardware investment.

Zebra DS2200 Series Barcode Scanner

Zebra DS2208 – USB 1D/2D For around $100 this cabled scanner will provide a lifetime of use.

Zebra CS60 – Bluetooth Companion 1D/2D While a little more costly, this scanner can connect to a desktop or mobile device and provides durability and the ability to charge thru QI inductive charging.

Zebra/Motorola Symbols DS6878-SR 1D/2D – Budget Option This discountinued model is available on Amazon at a huge savings and can be used cabled or wireless.

In the video below we walkthru how to implement barcode scanners in Claris FileMaker Pro. By using  pre-scan options available on Zebra scanners you can execute a FileMaker script before the scanned data is passed. This allows you to send the cursor to a specific layout/field or display a dialog for data capture so that your users aren’t required to click in specific fields before scanning.

Contact us if you’d like to discuss using barcodes with FileMaker Pro!

We recently saw a posting on a FaceBook group requesting some help with sending WordPress form data from Ninja Forms to Claris FileMaker Pro thru the Data API without the need for the paid add-on Ninja Forms Webhook plugin. Even with the Ninja Forms Webhook plugin, you’d still need server-side code that would take the form data and convert it into a format that could be used with the Data API.

Soliant Consulting has an article with code for FileMaker 17 but the poster had issue getting it to work with FileMaker 19.

FileMaker Webhooks

We’ve built FileMaker webhooks for a varity of needs in the past and have found that creating a generic table to accept data is an easy way to add future functionality without having to change a lot of PHP code. Processing of the data is then handled inside of FileMaker with common scripting.

We created a github project for this free Ninja Forms plugin in hopes that it will benefit other FileMaker Pro users.

This project consists of two parts – the first is a WordPress plugin that you modify for your FileMaker Server host, and then upload to your web server. The second part is a FileMaker database that accepts the submitted form data. Please consult the readme file that is included with the download for a walkthru of configuring the plugin.

Our Approach

In order to simplify submission of multiple forms, we take an approach where we use a simple table that has two basic fields – the form name, and the form data as JSON.

There is then a script, Process Webhook, that gets invoked and that can be used to parse out the data for other needs. For example, if the form_title value is “Contact Me” then the script could create an entry in a “To Do” database for a salesperson so that they make contact with the person who submitted the form. Using a common table also allows for business logic in the processing script – for example, you don’t want create duplicate records in your CRM or you may want to add some filtering for invalid data.

If you’re interested in hearing more about how NRG can help connect your FileMaker database with WordPress, please contact our sales department.