For nearly 140 years, the Sherwin–Williams Company has been known throughout North America for its vast range of paints and architectural coatings, which are distributed exclusively through the company's own stores. Behind the scenes, the Sherwin–Williams Color Marketing and Design Department provides valuable assistance to professional customers in planning distinctive, individualized color design applications for residential and design applications. FileMaker Pro databases fill important support functions within this department.

Business Challenge

Color plays an immensely important role in all aspects of daily life—and the work of the Sherwin–Willliams Color Marketing and Design Department brings a broad cross–section of graphic, spatial and psychological principles to meeting the specific project needs of its customers.

"Our Color Marketing and Design professionals assist markets ranging from the homebuilder, health care, hospitality and education industries to industrial plant maintenance, in creating more marketable, aesthetically pleasing, stress–free environments, conducive to an organization's goals," explains color consultant Hope Feicks. "The group also provides color consulting services to consumer product and equipment manufacturers, helping them to enhance the appearance of their products through the use of color."

These complex assignments require the efficient processing of large volumes of data, ranging from technical specifics on each phase of every project to step–by–step tracking as each project moves through the production process.

Successful Solution

The Color Marketing and Design team turned to FileMaker Pro to replace a PC–based database system rendered obsolete by a change in platforms. "Around 1998 the department purchased Macs to replace some PCs," adds Hope, "and we decided to use FileMaker as a Mac–compatible database software product. Our old files could be easily transferred, and new files created."

FileMaker Pro developer Dan Weiss of Buddy Systems prepared the new application, and since then, the FileMaker Pro database solution has proved its utility and flexibility. The program allows users to print multiple reports on project status for regular field distribution, to track and generate monthly and yearly reports on projects and sales, and to track and document contributions to department workload. "All these challenges are efficiently met every day through the use of FileMaker Pro," says Hope. "We depend upon it as the main source of record in the department."

FileMaker Pro made the day–to–day operation of the department quick, efficient, and enjoyable. It's depended upon and used by every staff member to keep up with information as needed. As coordinator of the department I depend on it daily—and would be lost without it.

— Rita Kerber, Coordinator, Color Marketing and Design Department, The Sherwin–Williams Company