Quick Start

Chapter 1
Welcome to FileMaker Pro
Welcome to the FileMaker
®
Pro 5.5 application. FileMaker Pro is
designed to help you manage information easily and effectively.
About this guide
The first section of this FileMaker Pro Getting Started Guide tells
you how to install the application on your Windows or Mac OS
computer, and introduces new features in FileMaker Pro. The second
section is a tutorial that shows you how to use the major features of
FileMaker Pro.
Important
The other manual in the product package, the User’s
Guide, was written for FileMaker Pro 5. See FileMaker Pro Help for
complete details on new features in FileMaker Pro 5.5.
Note When a feature or procedure is specific to a particular platform,
you see instructions and illustrations that are also specific to that
platform. For features or procedures that are similar on both
platforms, you may see illustrations for either Windows or the
Mac OS.
Section 1: Installation and new features
1
Chapter 1, “Welcome to FileMaker Pro,” explains system
requirements and what you have to do before using FileMaker Pro.
1 Chapter 2, “Installing FileMaker Pro in Windows,” provides
instructions for installing the application on a Windows-based
computer.
1 Chapter 3, “Installing FileMaker Pro in the Mac OS,” provides
instructions for installing the application on a Mac OS-based
computer.
1 Chapter 4, “New features in FileMaker Pro,” provides an overview
of the new features in FileMaker Pro 5.5, followed by the new
features available in the previous version, FileMaker Pro 5. This
chapter is especially helpful for users upgrading from previous
versions of FileMaker Pro.
Section 2: Tutorial
1
Tutorial Lesson 1, “FileMaker Pro basics,” provides an overview
of how to use the tutorial and accompanying sample files, while also
explaining some terms and fundamental concepts.
1 Tutorial Lesson 2, “Browsing information,” explains how to view
the information in a FileMaker Pro database.
1 Tutorial Lesson 3, “Finding and sorting records,” shows how to
find and sort records based on different criteria.
1 Tutorial Lesson 4, “Creating a database and entering records,”
provides instruction in building and adding data to a FileMaker Pro
database.
1 Tutorial Lesson 5, “Customizing what you see,” explains how to
use the layout tools in FileMaker Pro to change the look of your
databases.
1 Tutorial Lesson 6, “Creating lists, mailing labels, and form
letters,” demonstrates the methods for producing these in
FileMaker Pro.
1 Tutorial Lesson 7, “Simplifying data entry,” explains how to use
value lists, calculation fields, and field auto-entry options to improve
the speed and accuracy of data entry in FileMaker Pro.
1 Tutorial Lesson 8, “Automating tasks with buttons and scripts,”
shows how to use these features to ease the completion of many
repetitive tasks in FileMaker Pro.