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FM Solutions · Our own operational software

From FileMaker to Satnica

How we replaced our own FileMaker system with a modern web application.

We originally built our operational system in FileMaker to manage clients, projects, time entries and invoices. As our needs evolved, we replaced it with Satnica — a web application that brings time tracking, task management, planning and reporting into a connected workspace.

Having developed the original system ourselves, we understood the business logic behind it. That experience guided the replacement, while AI-assisted development supported the creation of the new application.

Satnica, the web application that replaced our FileMaker system. Screenshots use demonstration data.

One story, two generations

Original FileMaker system → Satnica web application

Before — FileMaker
The original system’s menu led to a tracking list, an invoices list, freelancers, an access list, projects, clients, a payment list and time tracking.

After — Satnica

One connected workspace

Satnica brings what used to be separate screens together, and adds planning and reporting around them.

  • Time trackingTajmer
  • Task managementZadaci
  • PlanningPlan
  • ReportingIzvještaji

Menu labels as they appear in Satnica's Bosnian interface.

Why we replaced it

Why we replaced our own system

The FileMaker system managed clients, projects, time entries and invoices. As our needs evolved, we wanted time tracking, task management, planning and reporting to work together in one connected workspace. That became Satnica.

  • Carried forward

    The core ideas of the original system: clients, projects, rates and recorded time.

  • Reconsidered

    How each workflow should work in a web application, rather than copying each screen.

  • Added

    Task boards, planning, weekly team views, a timeline and client reports.

Before and after

Five workflows, then and now

Each pair sets the original FileMaker screen beside what it became in Satnica. Select any screenshot to enlarge it.

From time-entry forms to a personal work overview

In FileMaker, people recorded work dates, start and end times, projects and descriptions. Satnica brings daily entries, weekly progress and the ability to resume the last activity into one overview.

Before — FileMaker
  • The time-entry screen: work date, start and end time, project and description.
After — Satnica
  • Daily entries, weekly progress and a button to resume the last activity, on one screen.

Same operational need: recording work. A new experience for understanding the working day.

From tracking tables to connected reporting

The original tracking list showed time entries, project rates and totals. Satnica presents time and financial information through filters, grouped reports, charts and weekly team summaries.

Before — FileMaker
  • The tracking list: time entries grouped by member, with rates and totals.
After — Satnica
  • A monthly report with filters, a chart of hours and a table grouped by project.
  • A week per person: hours for each day against the weekly norm, with short days highlighted.

Time tracking was already part of the original system. What the screenshots on the right show is how Satnica presents it.

From clients and projects to tasks and planning

The original system connected clients, projects and rates. Satnica builds on those foundations with task boards, task hierarchies, project phases, scheduling, assignments, comments and attachments.

Before — FileMaker
  • A client record, with the client’s projects and rates.
  • The project list, with a rate, fixed price and weekly limit for each project.
After — Satnica · expanded capabilities
  • Tasks as a board: To do, In progress, In review and Done.
  • The same tasks as a tree, with subtasks, progress and hours rolled up.
  • A plan of project phases on a calendar, with the tasks in each phase and a line for today.
  • One task opened: description, subtasks, attachments, comments, assignees, phase and time spent.

These screens show capabilities that are new in the replacement application. They did not exist in the original FileMaker system.

From reviewing rows to understanding the work timeline

In FileMaker, recorded work was reviewed as rows in a list. Satnica adds a visual timeline of recorded work and highlights overlapping entries for review.

Before — FileMaker
  • The tracking list: time entries grouped by member, with rates and totals.
After — Satnica
  • Each person’s day as a timeline, with overlapping entries outlined in red for review.

From recorded work to client-facing reports

Satnica can present recorded work as a branded client report, with grouping and currency options and visible HTML, print and PDF actions. The report in the screenshot is in English, carries the invoicing company’s letterhead and leaves out employee names.

After — Satnica
A client report with grouping and currency options, and buttons for HTML and print or PDF.
Original system scope

Invoices and payments in the original system

The original FileMaker system also covered invoices and payment tracking. The Satnica screenshots here do not show invoicing or payroll screens, so this page makes no claim about them.

  • An invoice record with client details, dates, status and line items.
  • The invoice list, split into due and paid.

What our FileMaker experience contributed

Understanding the original system was our starting point.

Replacing business software requires understanding what its screens and calculations mean in daily work. Because we built and used the original FileMaker system, we could carry that knowledge into Satnica and reconsider how each workflow should work in the new application.

  • We built and used the original

    We knew the business logic behind the screens because we wrote it and relied on it every day.

  • Workflows were reconsidered

    Each workflow was rethought for a web application instead of being rebuilt screen for screen.

  • AI-assisted, developer-guided

    AI-assisted development supported building Satnica. That describes how it was built. It does not mean Satnica contains AI features.

The replacement application

Inside Satnica

Nine screens from the web application that replaced our FileMaker system. Select any screenshot to enlarge it.

  • Overview

    Daily entries, weekly progress and a button to resume the last activity, on one screen.

  • Task board

    Tasks as a board: To do, In progress, In review and Done.

  • Task tree

    The same tasks as a tree, with subtasks, progress and hours rolled up.

  • Project plan

    A plan of project phases on a calendar, with the tasks in each phase and a line for today.

  • Task detail

    One task opened: description, subtasks, attachments, comments, assignees, phase and time spent.

  • Timeline

    Each person’s day as a timeline, with overlapping entries outlined in red for review.

  • Weekly team summary

    A week per person: hours for each day against the weekly norm, with short days highlighted.

  • Reports

    A monthly report with filters, a chart of hours and a table grouped by project.

  • Client report

    A client report with grouping and currency options, and buttons for HTML and print or PDF.

Screenshots use demonstration data. Satnica’s interface is in Bosnian, so captions translate key labels. Revenue, cost, margin and hours shown are sample values, not business results.

Related

Where this fits

Running a FileMaker System of Your Own?

Tell us how your system is used today. We will outline how a web portal or a phased replacement could work for your business.

Discuss Your FileMaker SystemFileMaker to web options

info@fmsolutions.ba+387 61 507 333