| FileMaker FAQs |
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| To help our clients make a decision, we have compiled following list of questions and answers, related to FileMaker software development/ outsourcing work. |
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| 1. How do you manage a project remotely? | | | | After studying the requirements, we create a project plan. The plan spells out responsibilities of everyone involved in the project, deliverables and dates associated with it. For hourly projects, we submit a weekly report every Monday. The report includes Tasks Completed, Tasks in progress, Special Attention issues, Hours spent so far. Depending on the size of the project, we may agree to submit a prototype and seek your approval to ensure that your Layout requirements and styles are met with. Our project manager is in communication with you on almost daily basis. Thus you are no more than 8 hours away from the project progress at any time. | |
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| 2. How we protect and keep our IPR? | | | | The contract between you & MetaSys clearly indicates that all IPR belongs to you. The NDA spells out that we are bound by confidentiality. | |
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| 3. What are your payment terms? | | | | The payment terms differ depending on the size of the project. | | |  | For large fixed price projects, it is linked to build delivery | | | For small fixed price projects, it is every fortnight or every month | | | For hourly projects, it is every week | | | | | Any disagreements with the bills must be presented within 5 working days. Fixed price bills are Net30, Hourly bills are Net7. | |
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| 4. How do we explain you the requirements? | | | | We have a standard format for requirement document. The client can provide us complete requirements in the form of a document. If the requirements are not defined or documented by the client, then the client can send us the brief in whatever format he is comfortable with and we shall create the requirement document after series of conversations on email, skype, telephone call with the client to resolve the queries. If the system is large enough then we can personally travel to gather the requirements | |
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| 5. What kind of testing do you do before delivery? | | | | We perform unit level as well as scenario level testing. For large projects, we shall prepare a test plan indicating the steps followed by the developer while testing the application. This ensures that a) developer has tested all items & all scenarios and b) client can understand what developer has considered / what developer has NOT considered while testing. All applications are tested by the developer and then by our QA team before delivery to the client. | |
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| 6. How do we monitor the progress? | | | | We create a project plan for the project and identify the milestones and the associated deliverables. We keep the client informed about the development on a regular basis, if necessary, this can be done daily. Internally the project manager conducts a daily review meeting with the developer. | |
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| | | The delivery plan is spelt out in the project plan. The builds are logically grouped together by modules or by related functionalities. Phased delivery involves more effort in terms of packaging & testing (from both sides). The advantage is that the client gets to see smaller chunks of work. The disadvantage is that it attracts (marginally) more time & cost. | |
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| | | We request you to conduct an acceptance test every build that we submit to you. Independent builds may have loose ends due to dependencies on functionalities in other builds. The builds can be accepted with such riders. If no errors are reported within 15 calendar days after submission of the build, it is considered as accepted. | | We shall request you to conduct a final acceptance test after the last build delivery. By this time all loose ends are tied together. If no errors are reported within 15 calendar days after the final build, then we consider the final application as accepted. | | For hourly projects, there is no acceptance testing phase. You shall test the deliverables as and when they are delivered and report errors if any. Those will be fixed as a part of the project process. | |
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| 9. What support can you provide after acceptance? | | | | For projects larger that 300 hours of development work, we offer a 30 calendar day warranty. The warranty phase begins as soon as the acceptance phase (or 15 days after delivery) is complete. For smaller projects a mutually agreeable warranty period (less than 30 days) is worked out. | | For hourly projects, there is no warranty period. | |
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| 10. Do we communicate directly with the developer? | | | | Generally our Project manager is always the contact point with the client. Once the client expectations are understood well, the development is smoothly progressing and all communication protocols have been setup, then the developer can start interacting with the client on a day to day issues. The PM will get involved for major issues. | |