Outgrown Microsoft Access? Move it to FileMaker.
Access did the job when the database lived on one PC. Now more people need it, some of them on Macs or away from the office, and the shared file on the network drive is getting slower and harder to manage.
We move your Access database to Claris FileMaker. The data comes across, and the forms, reports and logic buried in VBA are rebuilt as one system your whole team can use at the same time.
What the move from Access to FileMaker covers.
The data is moved. The forms, queries, reports and VBA built on top of it are rebuilt in FileMaker. Here is the work, roughly in the order we would plan it.
An audit of every table, query, form, report and macro in your Access database
A written plan of what to rebuild, what to simplify and what to retire
Data cleaned and imported, with record counts checked table by table
Forms rebuilt as FileMaker layouts your team will recognise
Queries and reports rebuilt as FileMaker finds and reports
VBA and macro logic rewritten as FileMaker scripts
Shared use through FileMaker Server instead of a file on a network drive
Optional access from a browser, iPhone or iPad
A parallel run so nobody has to stop work on cut-over day
Training, documentation and support after go-live
A migration is a chance to fix things, not copy them.
Most Access databases grew one form and one macro at a time. A screen-for-screen conversion carries every old workaround into the new system. We audit first, so the FileMaker version keeps what works and leaves behind what does not.
FileMaker then covers what Access finds harder as a business grows: no 2 GB file limit, many people working on one server instead of sharing a file over the network, Mac and Windows users side by side, access from a browser, iPhone or iPad, and security and backups managed in one place.
We are a registered member of the Claris FileMaker Business Alliance, the formal partner programme for professional FileMaker development companies.
Small and mid-sized businesses whose Access database became business-critical.
If your Access database began as one person's tool and now runs part of the business, with more users than it was built for, a colleague on a Mac who cannot open it, or a developer who has moved on, it is time to plan the move.
Questions about moving from Access to FileMaker.
What moves, what gets rebuilt, and how to switch without stopping work.
Why move from Microsoft Access to FileMaker?
Usually because the database has outgrown its first setup: more users, colleagues on Macs, people working away from the office. FileMaker hosts the system on a server, so everyone works in the same data from their own device, with security and backups handled in one place.
Is Microsoft Access being discontinued?
No. Microsoft still ships Access in Microsoft 365 and as Access 2024. Access web apps were retired, and Access 2016 and 2019 no longer receive updates. Most businesses move because of Mac users, remote access or growth, not end of life.
Can Microsoft Access run on a Mac?
No. There is no Mac version of Access, so Mac users need Windows in a virtual machine or a remote desktop. FileMaker runs on Mac and Windows, and in a browser.
Can FileMaker open an Access database directly?
Not directly. FileMaker imports data from ODBC sources, Excel, CSV and XML, so Access tables come across through one of those routes. Duplicates are cleaned up on the way and record counts are compared so you can see nothing was dropped.
What happens to our forms, reports and VBA code?
They are rebuilt, not converted. Forms become layouts, reports become FileMaker reports, and VBA and macros become scripts, with anything nobody uses left out.
Will FileMaker work on Mac and Windows?
Yes. FileMaker runs on Mac and Windows, in a web browser through WebDirect, and on iPhone and iPad through FileMaker Go.
Should we move to SQL Server instead?
If you want to keep your Access screens, moving the tables to SQL Server is a common step, and Microsoft provides a migration tool for it. It helps with size and concurrency but not Mac, browser or iPad use. FileMaker replaces both the data and the screens.
Do we need FileMaker licences?
Yes. FileMaker is licensed per user from Claris, and shared use needs FileMaker Server or FileMaker Cloud. The licences you would need are set out in the scope, so you see the full picture before deciding.
How long does an Access migration take?
That depends on the number of tables, forms and reports, and how much logic sits in VBA. The audit comes first, and you get a written scope and price before any build work starts.
Do we have to stop using Access during the move?
No. Your team keeps using Access while we build and test the FileMaker system. On cut-over day we bring the latest data across and everyone switches together.
Is FileMaker the right replacement for every Access database?
Not always. If all you need is a simple list, a spreadsheet or an off-the-shelf tool may do the job. If the audit shows FileMaker is more than you need, we will say so.
Start with an audit of your Access database.
Tell us what it does, how many people use it and where it is letting you down. We will say whether FileMaker is the right next step and what the move would involve.