External SQL Data Source Overview

Create live connections to Microsoft® SQL Server, Oracle or MySQL data sources with FileMaker Pro*

What is it?

The External SQL Data Source feature establishes a live two-way connection between FileMaker Pro and top SQL data sources.

If you do not want a live connection, but wish to import or exchange data with a SQL data source, use the ODBC/JDBC features.

What external SQL data sources are certified for FileMaker 12?

• MS SQL Server 2005
• MS SQL Server 2008^*
• Oracle 10g
• Oracle 11g^*
• My SQL 5.1 Community Edition (free)

* Available in FileMaker Pro 10 and later versions.

For the lists of external SQL data sources that are certified for previous version of FileMaker, click here.

If you are importing ODBC data, or using the Import Records or the Execute SQL script step, you can use additional data sources, such as IBM DB2 or Informix ODBC. Learn more

FileMaker and MySQL are partners. Connect FileMaker and MySQL for easy, rapid database solutions.

What does it allow you to do?

• Create solutions in FileMaker Pro that include data from:
  • An external SQL data source
  • Multiple external SQL data sources
  • FileMaker Pro and external SQL data source(s)
• Provide an alternative to ODBC/JDBC for importing and exporting data from FileMaker Pro
• Enable the use of FileMaker Pro as a reporting tool for external SQL data sources

Choose the FileMaker product that is right for your needs

FileMaker Pro and FileMaker Pro Advanced	FileMaker Server and FileMaker Server Advanced
Great when you want FileMaker users to directly read and/or write data to a SQL data source. You will need to have an ODBC driver for the SQL source configured on each client machine.	Great when you want all access to a SQL data source to flow through a single FileMaker Server. Setup and configure the ODBC/JDBC driver once on the host computer.  All users share the connection to the SQL data source.

Before you get started

• Install the appropriate certified ODBC driver.
• Know the IP address or domain name of the external SQL data source.
• Know the user name and password for the external SQL data source as supplied by the database administrator.  The access that the database administrator provides will determine if you will be allowed to read/write or if you will have read only access.

Real-world use case examples

Streamlining sales processes

• A large entertainment company creates an executive iPad dashboard that tracks sales, expenses, development pipeline, and licensee information for a range of products. Information is assembled from a variety of data sources including Oracle and SAP. Executives are presented with charts and graphs, can view summary reports, and can drill-down into data for particular initiatives. Information is available on the iPad and also on desktop computers.

Better reporting

• A company sells photographic equipment through an online web store.  Transaction data from the store is captured in a SQL database. However operations and management has a difficult time getting reports from the SQL database because it requires a programmer.  By providing a read-only link from FileMaker to the SQL database, employees in the company will be empowered to create their own reports.
• Many bosses would prefer to receive reports via email in PDF or Excel format.  Using the External SQL Data Source feature, you can manipulate data from FileMaker Pro and external SQL data sources and then use PDF Maker or Excel Maker to email it to your boss in the format he or she prefers.

Enhanced workflows between departments

• A human resources department, whose data is housed in a SQL data source, needs to link its processes with the finance department.  Using the External SQL Data Source feature, this information can be made accessible to knowledge workers who can build FileMaker Pro reports and solutions that meet the unique needs of their department and give the organization an edge over the competition.

More granular information

• One federal department has nationwide information in a SQL database and local-level information in databases throughout the country.  Using the External SQL Data Source feature, the information in the local databases will be combined with information in the nationwide database for in-depth analysis.

Resources

ESS (ODBC/JDBC) Drivers

This feature requires that you use one of the certified drivers listed below.

Oracle

• For Oracle 10g Release 2 (10.2.0.4) on Windows use:
  Oracle Database Client version 10.2.0.3.0
• For Oracle 11g Release 1 (11.1.0) on Windows use:
  Oracle Database Client version 11.1.0.6.0
• For Oracle 11g Release 2 on Windows use:
  Oracle Database Client version 11.2.0.1.0 (32-bit and *64-bit)
• For all versions of Oracle supported above on Mac OS X use:
  Actual Technologies, Oracle version 3.0.7 (FileMaker Pro Only)
  Actual Technologies, Oracle version 3.0.21* (FileMaker Server Only)
  Download: EN, DE, ES, FR, JP

MS SQL Server

• For MS SQL Server 2005 SP3 (9.0.4035) on Windows use:
  Microsoft SQL Native Client 2005.90.4035.00
• For MS SQL Server 2008 SP2 (10.00.2531.00) on Windows use:
  Microsoft SQL Native Client 10.0 2007.100.2531.00
• For MS SQL Server 2008 R2 on Windows use:
  Microsoft SQL Server Native Client 10.0 2009.100.1600.01 (32-bit and *64-bit)
• For all versions of MS SQL Server supported above on Mac OS X use:
  Actual Technologies, SQL Server version 3.0.6 (FileMaker Pro Only)
  Actual Technologies MS SQL Server version 3.0.18* (FileMaker Server Only)
  Download: EN, DE, ES, FR, JP

MySQL

• For MySQL 5.1 Community Edition (5.1.24-communitynt) on Windows use:
  MySQL Connector/ODBC version 5.1.7 (32-bit and *64-bit)
• For all versions of MySQL Community Edition supported above on Mac OS X use:
  Actual Technologies, Open Source Databases version 3.0.12 (FileMaker Pro Only)
  Actual Technologies, Open Source Databases version 3.0.24* (FileMaker Server Only)
  Download: EN, DE, ES, FR, JP

For list of certified drivers for previous versions of FileMaker, click here.

*64-bit versions of ODBC drivers supported (FileMaker Server only)

Search Knowledge Base

View a list of common External SQL Data Sources questions and answers

*The External SQL Data Source feature is only in FileMaker 9, 10, 11 and 12 products.