So you want to become a certified FileMaker developer? Doesn’t seem too hard. Just study a little bit and go for it right? Wrong! The FileMaker certification exam has been widely recognized in the community as being notoriously difficult. Many people from passionate young developers to seasoned veterans go into the exam with high expectations only to leave it in disappointment.

Why is the exam so difficult? Because the scope of material on the exam is quite large, and the level of detail required to answer each question is quite granular. Claris has designed the exam to challenge you both on the “bread-and-butter” fundamentals of FileMaker as well as much of the minutiae that exist in the software. Only a mastery of both will lead you to a path of success. For most developers, on-the-job experience in FileMaker will not be enough to provide this mastery.

Now that the expectations have been set, let’s look at some ways to aid your ambitions. For understanding the foundations of FileMaker, there is no substitute for time spent using the software itself. If you have been using FileMaker on a consistent basis for at least 6 months, you should have a decent knowledge of relationships, scripting, and layout-building. That being said, most developers fall into a set of techniques and tools that they feel comfortable with. Rarely will they explore outside their comfort zone, and as a result they still only understand a small fraction of FileMaker’s capabilities simply because they limit their own experience.

The solution is not a new studying technique, but rather a change in mindset. When you come to a design decision while programming, consider multiple ways to solve the problem. You might find a new approach that has advantages over your default method, or at least you will have an opportunity to learn another FileMaker feature. For example, have you ever tried using an ExecuteSQL calculation rather than creating a new table occurrence to gather related data in a script? What about creating a recursive function? Parsing JSON or the new While function? Learning how to incorporate more advanced features into your development can help you level up your skills while also preparing you in the long run for taking the certification.

One resource that shouldn’t be underestimated is the FileMaker practice exam. This can be found on Claris’s website (see here for the FM18 study guide) and is invaluable in understanding the scope of the exam as well as how each section is weighted. Additionally, the practice exam contains links to the FileMaker documentation about each topic. Use the exam to identify weak points in your knowledge and then review the corresponding documentation. Although passing this practice test does not guarantee you will do well in the actual exam, it certainly is an indicator that you are heading in the right direction.

Another resource that I felt was crucial for me was the FileMaker Certification Preparation course provided by Productive Computing University. These wonderful folks have created a video series that really helps to reveal any blindspots in your development knowledge. The course goes through topics listed in the practice exam and will help you solidify fundamental FileMaker knowledge as well as pointing out some more unusual details in FileMaker (e.g. are you allowed to put a portal in a popover or how about a popover in a portal?). Going through this course will position you for success when taking the certification exam.

The last piece of advice is make flashcards and use them! You may have used the Substitute and Filter functions a million times, but it is easy to forget the order of the parameters when you are used to auto-completion in FileMaker. The exam won’t be so kind. Try creating flashcards for commonly used functions, technical specifications (these are version specific, so be careful), and any features new to the version of FileMaker you’ll be taking the exam for. Drill the flashcards until you can write what is on each flashcard from memory. While it may seem excessive now, these will prepare you for the memorization-based questions which will be much easier to score than the more complex relationship diagram questions.

Now the next steps are up to you. Remember, you will need to master both the foundations as well as the granular details of FileMaker to be successful. Try to adopt a mindset of continuous learning as a developer and use the given resources to solidify your FileMaker knowledge. Best of luck on your journey!

PK Information is a development agency serving the Tampa Bay and Knoxville regions. We believe that great software can change everything. Does your database need work by FileMaker-certified developers? Contact us today!

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