FileMaker: Time to say Goodbye to the Bento Database

Still Using Bento? – Why It Might Be Time to Say Goodbye

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Still Using Bento? – Why It Might Be Time to Say Goodbye

Still Using Bento? – Why It Might Be Time to Say Goodbye Main Title Image

It might be time to move on from your Bento database. Don’t get me wrong, Bento has had a great run; it was once one of the most user-friendly database apps available. Whether you were a database expert or just a user who enjoyed a simple data organizing app, Bento was there for you. Sadly, as you have most likely found out over the past few years, Bento has been discontinued and is no longer supported.

In order to focus on their main product (FileMaker Pro), FileMaker Inc. announced back in September of 2013 that they would stop offering Bento and in July of 2014 FileMaker Inc. stopped offering support for the product. Check Out FileMaker's Support Page.

Image of Database conversion

We know that as software and databases age, they face many challenges, not the least of which is finding individuals to support them. Check out our 5 Common Problems That Aging Systems Face Infographic.

Though Bento was discontinued, there are still many users who have continued to use it. Users will continue to use Bento because they want to hold on to their pictures or images that are stored in Bento. Migrating images from Bento to FileMaker Pro is not intuitive for the average user, but those images can be migrated into a new or existing FileMaker Pro solution. Because of this, users are continuing to use Bento.

However, with OS X updates occurring more often, the lifespan of a usable Bento may be coming to an end. Bento’s ability to function can decrease as the MAC OS X ages. Anything before 10.8 was certified by FileMaker Inc., anything after Mas OS 10.8 may work, but has not been tested or supported by FileMaker Inc. Details on Bento can be found here.

Preparing For Life After Bento.

This is where we would like to help you out. FileMaker Inc. and many other online resources suggest that switching to a FileMaker Pro or Go database is the best alternative to your Bento database. We can help you in this process.

With more than a year without support and upgrades, and with the recent release of FileMaker 14, the case for switching to FileMaker is even more compelling.

You can hold onto your old Bento database or you could have our team of Certified FileMaker Developers take your system and move it into the next generation of databases. FileMaker Inc. has proven that they are committed to FileMaker Pro and Go and you can take advantage of customizable forms, enhanced power and performance and new features that come with the FileMaker products.

FileMaker offers Bento migration and is the only alternative that can migrate your data, as well as your images and any relational databases you may have.

  • The time is now; let us help you with the transition.
  • Take your old Bento database and build a personalized FileMaker 14 database.
  • Transition not just for now, but for the future.
  • No more idling databases - have a database that can fulfil both your present and future needs.

If learning FileMaker worries you, we have certified FileMaker trainers who will support you every step of the way. Your data is important - take advantage of new technologies and upgrade today; you won’t regret it!

If you have any questions or comments about Bento conversion, you can either leave a comment below or Contact Us directly.

And as always, Thanks for Reading!

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