FileMaker was born for the semi-technical office worker -- the same person who creates the spreadsheet macros and word-processing templates in addition to his or her "real" job -- to administer. There is a thriving community of FileMaker consultants who can create polished FileMaker applications, but for the most part, your friendly office techie can start with a template, add a few fields, adjust the layouts, write a few script steps, and come up with a perfectly acceptable database application for internal operations.

[ Take a . See Test Center reviews of and , two Web-based database builders for noncoders. ]

If you can start with an existing, well-structured database template, keep all data in the local database, and make only minor changes, you really won't need the help of a DBA or programmer. On the other hand, if your department must consolidate information from a centralized SQL database with what you maintain locally, then you'll require the cooperation of the DBA -- at the very least to gain access to the database and most likely to review your SQL queries as well.

If you need to track data that has a different "shape" from any of the templates, enlist someone who groks the meaning of third normal form -- most likely a DBA or programmer -- to design the database initially. After that, your office technologist should be able to design the forms and reports.

Venerable old Pro