Simplify FileMaker Data Migration

When you make changes to a FileMaker solution in a separate development copy, your production file does not stand still. Your users continue adding and updating data while you work on new schema, functionality, and other improvements.

When those changes are ready to deploy, you need to bring the latest production data into a clone of your updated FileMaker solution. Claris's Data Migration Tool is designed for this process, but it runs through Terminal on macOS or Command Prompt on Windows and requires you to configure file paths, credentials, and migration options through command-line instructions.

FM Data Migration Assistant simplifies that process with a familiar FileMaker interface. Select your files, configure your migration options, and run Claris's Data Migration Tool without having to build the commands manually.

What You'll Learn

  • Understand how FileMaker data migration fits into the development and deployment process
  • Prepare your source file and updated clone for migration
  • Get and configure Claris's Data Migration Tool
  • Configure and run a migration with FM Data Migration Assistant
  • Review migration results and available options
  • Explore the unlocked FileMaker file to better understand how the Assistant works

Requirements

  • Claris FileMaker 2025 or later
  • Claris Data Migration Tool, included with the FileMaker Server software installer
  • Supported Windows or macOS environment

Who Is This Course For?

This course is designed for FileMaker developers and experienced FileMaker users who need to move current data into an updated version of a solution. You do not need to be comfortable working in Terminal or Command Prompt. The course walks through the migration process and shows you how to configure and run it using the FM Data Migration Assistant.

See How It Works

Watch this overview to see why the FM Data Migration Assistant was created and how it provides a FileMaker-based interface for working with Claris's Data Migration Tool.

Curriculum

    1. Welcome and Download Notes

    2. Overview

    3. How To Use This Course

    4. Course Version History

    1. Get the Data Migration Tool (From Claris)

    2. DOWNLOAD

    3. FM Data Migration Asst. (Part 1)

    4. FM Data Migration Asst. (Part 2)

    5. Under the Hood: Data Migration (PDF of slides from Devcon 2018)

    6. Additional Details

    7. Basic Troubleshooting

    8. FREE One-on-One Meetings with PCU Office Hours!

    9. Productive Computing Products and Services

    10. Thank You!

Course details

  • Free
  • 14 lessons
  • 0.5 hours of video content
  • Fully unlocked file included
  • Subtitles in 12 languages

Check Out More Free FileMaker Training Courses!

5 star rating

This was excellent!

Bob Deets

This course was easy to understand and well paced. Thanks to Productive Computing for stepping up and creating a 'wrapper' to simplify a complex process.

This course was easy to understand and well paced. Thanks to Productive Computing for stepping up and creating a 'wrapper' to simplify a complex process.

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5 star rating

5 Stars All Around!

Sarah Bruley

Thank you very much Marc and PCI team for the assistant for the FileMaker data migration tool as well as the free course! The course was very clear and conci...

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Thank you very much Marc and PCI team for the assistant for the FileMaker data migration tool as well as the free course! The course was very clear and concise. I appreciate being able to see how the commands are changed when options are selected and being able to study under the hood. Thank you for challenging us at the end to reverse engineer the advanced techniques it uses. Your tool and training are a blessing to the FileMaker Community - thank you!

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5 star rating

That's great!!!

Vasile Valentin Stanciu

very explicit

very explicit

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5 star rating

To the Point

Sayed Bondok

It will make the life with FM more safer and easy

It will make the life with FM more safer and easy

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5 star rating

Was not expecting to to be so clear.

Mario Onoufriou

Fantastic so far. Miles ahead of anything else. It's a great body of work.

Fantastic so far. Miles ahead of anything else. It's a great body of work.

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5 star rating

Efficient easy way that simplifies the process of updatin...

Ramon Rodriguez

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5 star rating

Excellent

Henri Borius

Very thoughtful and clear. Good breakdown of the minutia. The Assistant is a good help.

Very thoughtful and clear. Good breakdown of the minutia. The Assistant is a good help.

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4 star rating

My thought

Mauricio Navarro

Good training video. Recently I had watched something similar on an RCC's webinar. Too bad is the Data Migration Tool is not available for free since it isn'...

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Good training video. Recently I had watched something similar on an RCC's webinar. Too bad is the Data Migration Tool is not available for free since it isn't much migration I do. When I have to change the schema of a file, I work on dev copy and then replace it to become a production copy. Yes, there are times that the production file has been modified pass the time of the copy, but my files are small, really. Thank you for the video.

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5 star rating

Thank you!

Mike Abney

Essential for those of us who prefer to stay away from Terminal commands as much as possible.

Essential for those of us who prefer to stay away from Terminal commands as much as possible.

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5 star rating

Great course!

Cynthia Naval

Fast, easy, great explanations for each step of the data migration process. I appreciated that it included the step of going to the FileMaker site to downloa...

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Fast, easy, great explanations for each step of the data migration process. I appreciated that it included the step of going to the FileMaker site to download the Data Migration Tool. The instructor, Marc, has a voice that is pleasant to listen to. I feel like I, as a beginning-to-intermediate developer, can handle the migration easily after taking this course.

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5 star rating

FM Data Migration Review

Phil Feldman

FM Data Migration is a answer to a prayer! Thank you for the time, effort, and energy put into developing this amazing product!

FM Data Migration is a answer to a prayer! Thank you for the time, effort, and energy put into developing this amazing product!

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Meet Your Instructor

President/CEO/Founder Productive Computing, Inc. Marc Larochelle

Starting in 1991, Marc worked for the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) for 5 years and built the trade show database in FileMaker which tracked 1000 exhibitors and 12 football fields worth of exhibit space. NAMM is one of the world’s largest trade shows and FileMaker was keeping track of everything. While at NAMM, Marc taught computer classes at night helping users with their Macintosh, MS Word, Excel, etc. In addition, he taught music/multimedia classes at local community colleges. Marc Larochelle and his brother Keith started Productive Computing, Inc. (PCI) in 1996. The company, now in its twenty-seventh year, serves customers who use Claris FileMaker and QuickBooks in the areas of custom development, solutions, plug-ins, hosting, and licensing. Marc is certified in FileMaker versions 7 through 19, and he also holds two certifications in AWS (Amazon Web Services). Marc has been to 19 FileMaker DevCon/Engage conferences (18 as an exhibitor) and is considered a prime instructor and influencer within the Claris FileMaker community.