A FileMaker Pro customer success story: the Nebraska Forest Service.
The Nebraska Forest Service uses FileMaker Pro to reduce operational redundancies and centralize data in order to protect natural forest resources and educate the community.
The Nebraska Forest Service’s overall mission is to enrich the lives of Nebraska’s citizens by protecting, restoring and utilizing Nebraska’s tree and forest resources. They provide resources and training for volunteer fire departments across the state, host workshops for the public about tree care and invasive pest management and they offer grants to communities, schools and other organizations that help manage and protect the trees and forests of Nebraska.
Each department within NFS used to manage its own data within a series of Excel spreadsheets. Many of their processes were redundant and their data was decentralized. As a result, finding information and being able to report on that information was a challenging and time-consuming task. NFS realized that they needed a system that would organize and centralize their data and we at The Support Group helped them do that with minimal downtime and disruption.
The Nebraska Forest Service and The Support Group embarked on a project to develop a centralized database for our statewide agency. The database was designed to consolidate all contact information and interactions the NFS conducts with our partner agencies and public outreach efforts. By doing so, the database enables our agency to fully understand the impacts of our programs and target future efforts with deeper insights into who and how we are serving our stakeholders.
— Joe Stansberry, GIS Specialist, Nebraska Forest Service
A Natural Solution: FileMaker Pro
The Support Group designed and developed a custom, modular system for NFS using FileMaker Pro. The system includes five modules: Contacts, Organizations, Workshops, Courses and Events. Each module has a list view and detail view. The list view provides users with the ability to search and view results, not only for reference, but also for reporting purposes. Users are able to edit and update information as well see all of the linked data across the system for a record in the detail view. Users now have the ability to quickly see all of the different ways a contact has interacted with NFS in one centralized interface.
The custom FileMaker solution is very easy to learn and use. We provided both on-site and online FileMaker training for end users so their new processes were quickly adopted. And we continue to support them as needed.
The FileMaker platform offers a variety of integrations and supports different data transfer protocols. Since NFS relies on Eventbrite to manage their workshop registrations, we connected their FileMaker solution to their Eventbrite account via API; URL requests are sent to Eventbrite and registration and event data are received from Eventbrite in JSON format. The integration provides a seamless and efficient process not only for NFS to sell tickets and manage event logistics, but it also allows them to capture and track information about their contacts.
This modular, integrated FileMaker system allows NFS to operate more efficiently and effectively than before. The ability to find and share data across different departments facilitates a collaborative and productive work environment. So when NFS asked us to help them with another service offering, we extended the capabilities into a reporting module.
Custom software can bring clarity and efficiency to even the most complex workflows. Reach out to our team to see how a FileMaker solution can help your organization organize, manage, and report on your data more effectively.
