We're switching things up in 2025! There won't be a PauseOnError FileMaker Summer Camp this year.

We know many of you look forward to this event, and we're incredibly grateful for the amazing community that has grown around it. But sometimes, to fully embrace the things that truly matter, we need to say "no" to others—even wonderful ones. (Remember the "Joy of Missing Out"?)

We hope to see you at other events this year, including Claris Engage 2025.

In the meantime, stay tuned for updates by subscribing to our blog (click the button below) or signing up for our newsletter mailing list.

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Engage took a “pause,” but now it’s back

Those of you familiar with the Claris ecosystem know that Claris Engage, the industry conference sponsored by Claris, the creators of FileMaker, started back up in February of 2024 after a pandemic-induced five-year hiatus. For most of its existence, Pause has run parallel to Claris’s conferences, but from 2021 - 2023 Pause was the only in-person FileMaker conference in the United States. 

With Claris Engage back on the scene, why do we still need Pause? 

One way to think about it is to imagine the conferences as college courses. Claris Engage is a survey course while Pause is more of a senior seminar. 

Let’s use geology as an example. A geology survey course like “Intro to Earth’s Environments,” provides a broad overview of the field of geology and current areas of research and interest within the discipline. Survey courses tend to have many students who are instructed through presentations and lectures. A survey course helps students learn about the field as a whole. 

On the other hand, a seminar class digs deeper into a particular topic or niche within the field. A seminar topic could be something like “Great Lakes Hydrology”. This will be a smaller group of students, with an instructional format that is based in discussion, hands-on experiments, and field trips.

Engage: the survey course

Claris Engage has a packed schedule with two days of back-to-back presentations from experts around the community. It’s a great place to hear all about what’s happening across the Claris ecosystem, to meet hundreds of people, and to take a lot of notes about things to follow up on when you’re back home. 

At Claris Engage, most sessions are presentations and demonstrations. They may have sample files you can experiment with as homework.  Every time I’ve attended Claris Engage, I’ve come home with piles of notes about people to follow up with, techniques to explore, and strategies to research further. 

PauseOnError: the seminar course

In contrast, Pause offers only a few structured times for facilitated conversations, followed by plentiful open-ended space. There are less than 150 people, and everyone eats, sleeps, and works in the same physical location for the week. At Pause, you might attend a conversation about account management on the first day and decide to go deep on that topic, bringing that lens to a later conversation about mental health at work, and then seeking out some of the people you saw at those two sessions for a long talk next to the campfire.

This kind of spaciousness can lead to a phenomenon I call middle-distance thinking. This is when we have loosely structured conversations with people who are our peers, and they somehow seem to magically help us solve problems that resist more pointed attention.

Do what works for you

Both Engage and Pause offer valuable opportunities to learn, but they are different and attract different (but overlapping) audiences. Some of us enjoy the relative quiet of the north Georgia hills, where we can compare notes with a colleague while hiking to the waterfall. Others crave the networking opportunity of mingling with hundreds of people all within a few days. Many of us find that some years we need one thing, and other years we need something different.

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All photos by Krissy Ferris, Martha Zink, John Sindelar, or Ernest Koe, unless otherwise attributed.

Account Management

Facilitator: Sara Severson, Soliant Consulting

Description: What does this mean to you? I have some strong opinions and am happy to share them, and would love to hear yours as well.

Archery

Facilitator: PauseOnError

Description: Sponsored by JohnAustin!

Board Games 🎲

Facilitator: Eric Luce, Proof+Geist

Description: The title says it all, but you should come because it will be fun 🎲

Connecting the Dots: FileMaker, Studio, and Connect

Facilitator: Lui de la Parra, Bridget Lumb, Claris

Description: A session digging deeper into the integrations available between FileMaker, Studio, and external services using Connect.

Connect the Dots: FileMaker, Studio, and Connect

Facilitator: Bridget Lumb and Lui de la Parra, Claris

Description: Continuation of earlier session where we can all see the screen, taking a deeper look at Lui's demos.

Define and Design the Crazy

Facilitator: Dr. Don Levan & Julian Lafleur

Description: This session has two goals:

- To identify a wicked FileMaker problem and workshop as a community the ways we might solve it.

- Give you a quick overview of a design process you can use to go from the problem statement to the best possible solution through play, discovery, and innovation.

Evening Yoga by the Lake

Facilitator: Alondra Torres-Navarro, Proof+Geist

Description: Join me for an evening vinyasa flow that will incorporate seated, standing, and floor poses. Take this flow at your own pace, modify as needed, and enjoy the beautiful scenery.

FileMaker Change Management with OttoFMS

Facilitator: Kyle Duval, Proof+Geist

Description: Come learn about new workflows and tools to manage changes and releases in your FileMaker projects. We will also be discussing FileMaker DevOps and tools, like OttoFMS and the Ottomatic Cloud Console, to make your life easier.

FileMaker Horror Stories

Facilitator: Sully Sullivan, Mandelbrot LLC

Description: Get into spooky season by telling us your scary (and hopefully FileMaker related) story. I've got one that's guaranteed to make your skin crawl. Or just come and listen to the spine-tingling yarns of your fellow Pause attendees.

Bring a flashlight if you have one and try not to be afraid of the dark! Muhuhahahaha!!

Hooked on Otto Webhooks

Facilitator: Alondra Torres-Navarro, Proof+Geist

Description: Otto webhooks are a free tool you can use with OttoFMS. Learn how to leverage them in your next integration and explore the potential use cases. The possibilities are limitless, and the setup is easier than you think!

More Than a Case of the Mondays: Mental Health & Work

Facilitator: Kim Jennings, Kim Jennings Consulting

Description: I don’t know about you, but I often cringe looking back at some of the ways I’ve come up short considering mental health at work – mine and others’. With the challenges of social media, AI, post-pandemic/remote work, and who knows what other technology innovations just around the bend, I often wonder how to get and/or give support. So…can we talk?

For our convo, this and more:

• Workplace culture

• Expectations

• Workload

• Perfectionism

• Burnout

• Supports and resources

Movement Lab/Physicality Care Skillshare

Facilitator: Mary Hodges

Description: Bit of an experiment here! It’s an invitation to come connect over how we are inhabiting our bodies and what kinds of care or play practices are out there. My plan is to start with some talking and exchange, then transition into gentle warm up and guided visualization, geared toward listening, responding, and imagining as 3-dimensional entities in time and space. Take what you will! Wear comfy clothes if you got em, and if you have anything “flowy” or otherwise pleasantly tactile, go for it.

Pause 'Em and Toss 'Em Cornhole Throwdown

Facilitator: Josh Ormond, OCL ( Other Cornhole League )

Description: Gear up for the "Pause 'Em and Toss 'Em Cornhole Throwdown," where the spirit of competition is as lively as the banter! Rumor has it, one team thinks they've got the ultimate toss, but it's time to show them what true cornhole prowess looks like. Join us for an afternoon filled with high-flying bags, good-natured jabs, and plenty of pauses for laughter. Bring your A-game and get ready to school some swagger with every bean bag!

PGSC: In-Person Special Edition!

Facilitator: Eric Luce, Proof+Geist

Description: Grab a Sandwich and join us for a special edition of the Proof+Geist Sandwich Club—In person at Pause! This semi-regular social event is simply an excuse to eat together, usually with our cameras on over a zoom meeting but today we celebrate the topic sandwich* without a zoom meeting!

*our definition of sandwich is very loose

Pickleball 101

Facilitator: Marcia Conner, Proof+Geist

Description: The benefit of being married to a pickleball pro is that you talk about & learn to play more often than you ever need (or want) to.

Perhaps my deep dive can help you make sense of the pickleball craze while also introducing you to the fundamentals.

Please wear sport shoes. Paddles & balls available on the courts.

ProofKit Workshop

Facilitator: Eric Luce, Proof+Geist

Description: Bring your laptop and let's setup a new web project together with ProofKit

Questions About Running Software Products

Facilitator: John Sindelar & Ernest Koe, SeedCode & Proof+Geist

Description: Join us for an open discussion about building software products (add-ons, dev tools, SAAS applications, or what we used to call shrink-wrapped software).

We’ll start with some of the questions currently in the air at SeedCode and Proof+Geist:

• Are we product-first or market-first?

• How do you know you have a market?

• What do you say no to?

…You get the idea.

And we’ll solicit stories about what working: stories about raising prices, new markets, churn, and retiring products.

Run Run Run

Facilitator: Julien Lafleur, Bureau Veritas, Inc

Description: Let's go for a run, for fun, for FileMaker!

Storytelling Hour

Facilitator: Heather Williams, Proof+Geist

Description: One of my favorite parts of Pause is finding space for human connection. In honor of previous session leaders, Mark Baum and John Howell, I will be facilitating a session where attendees can share a story or just come to listen.

Fiber artists welcome!

Systems Thinking for Scattered Minds

Facilitator: Marcia Conner, Proof+Geist

Description: Spoiler alert: you already think in systems. You probably just don't realize it or have the words to describe how the natural world parallels your work.

Join in this very interactive walk & talk through nature to widen your mind and feel more focused amid competing priorities.

The conversation could dive into systems frameworks, scalability, problem-solving, and even how this approach can specifically be applied to our roles as leaders and developers.

Take Your Best Shot

Facilitator: Sully Sullivan, Mandelbrot LLC

Description: Fire up the slingshots and hit my with a water balloon. Or, brave the firing line by sitting with me downrange. I double dog dare you.

Testify: Writing unit tests has never been this fun

Facilitator: Alondra Torres-Navarro, Proof+Geist

Description: Unit tests are essential for apps that require complex business logic, but they can feel overwhelming. What if there was a tool that made it easy for FileMaker developers to write unit tests without heavy lifting on the schema or UI? In this session, we'll introduce Testify—a lightweight tool that gets you writing tests in minutes. Whether you're new to testing or looking for ways to streamline it, this session will have you covered!

The new way to start a JavaScript integration

Facilitator: Eric Luce, Proof+Geist

Description: We all know that amazing things can be built with JS, but its too hard to know where to start. Join me in this exploratory time where we'll look at a new tool I'm building to bootstrap your next JS project, wether that's for a FileMaker-connected web app or WebViewer widget

Thoughts on Quality

Facilitator: Heather Williams & Chris Corsi, Proof+Geist

Description: Quality control and quality assurance are a key component to the development life cycle. How do you implement QC and QA principles in your work? Bring your experience and questions to this forum-style discussion.

What's Raycast?

Facilitator: Eric Luce, Proof+Geist

Description: Do you want to be more productive on your computer? The envy of your team? Come nerd out with me about how Raycast can change your life.

We hope you’ll join us at the next PauseOnError! 👋

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This worked great for a while. I couch-surfed with friends, binge-watched TV, drank dollar beers at happy hour, and cooked huge pots of bean chili that could feed me all week. For a few months, I had a blast living a life of leisure.

It didn’t last. Hanging out was fun, but it turns out I wanted more than fun. Within six months I took a job in operations at a startup medical practice, and my first retirement came to an end.

Why go back?

I went back to work because I like challenges, puzzles, and problems to solve. I like having deep friendships formed around joint endeavors. I like to make things with my friends, to explore, experiment, and build things together. I want to grow my own skills and capabilities, to stretch my own limits and develop new abilities. Work meets some core needs for me that leisure doesn’t: I want to make the world a better place alongside my friends, while learning and growing as a person. 

In my first career, I thought that improving the world meant big changes – global health campaigns and government policies – and surely there’s a role for those. However, in my own nonprofit work, the macro impacts were never clear-cut. The place where I did see an impact was on a personal scale. For instance, the researchers we trained could now publish their findings to an international audience and were inarguably better off. 

Slowly, I saw that these small, tangible improvements DO change the world. And better yet, I could effect change on a personal level through my everyday interactions. Building a better workplace made our lives better, first for the three of us at the medical practice and now for our team of 30+ at Proof.

I realized that the quality of the workplace itself can be what changes the world, regardless of the work the organization is doing. 

Work as a site of meaning and connection

There are practices and skills that not only make the workday better, but have a ripple effect through the lives of the people on our teams, thereby improving the world. For instance, when we practice communicating clearly and compassionately, empathizing with one another, or collaboratively solving problems, we feel better about our time at work. When we return home, we use those same skills to improve our families and communities. I’m not alone in paying attention to these practices, but I’ve noticed that it’s hard to articulate and discuss what these practices are and how they impact our lives.

We are collectively devoting significant time and attention to work, and this is not about adding game nights or ping-pong in the lunchroom. This is about creating a workplace that’s positive, supportive, and encouraging – that helps each member of the team be their best. 

As a society, we lack a shared framework and vocabulary for talking about this aspect of our work lives: how we show up and exist together with these other people, day in and day out. Companies that invest in the experience of being at work are rare. There are still plenty of awful, soul-sucking workplaces that don’t empower or enrich the lives of their teams. But I want to find kindred spirits, develop a shared vocabulary, and ultimately, help bring the best of what we’re doing to a wider audience. 

Why Pause?

When Proof and SeedCode started Pause, it was ostensibly a FileMaker event. But it’s always been about more than technology. Pause was created to investigate new topics that weren't being addressed elsewhere. Now we are starting a new chapter of Pause, one that explores workplaces as sites of meaning and community.

We’re not yet sure what form this “new Pause” will take. A different conference? A series of blog posts? A virtual forum? A cruise line? That future will depend on who else is interested and how we can best explore together.

Rest assured, PauseOnError FileMaker Summer Camp – the conference that explores the cutting-edge and potential of Modern FileMaker development – remains an important part of our work and returns to northern Georgia this October.

Do you want to build a better workplace?

Are you a leader thinking about work, meaning, community, and communication within your company? Let’s talk about your experiences and learnings. Are you wondering about policies to help your team and your customers collaborate, or practices that help build connection and fulfillment? I’m deeply interested in finding a way we can work on this collectively. 

If you’re uncertain but curious, I hope you’ll watch this space and stay connected by subscribing and chiming in on the comments. If you see yourself in what I’ve described and want to talk more, please reach out to me via email or [gasp] the phone. 

If you’re happily running one of those evil soul-sucking corporations… well… maybe you’ll still stick around and pick up something useful. Wherever you are, I look forward to exploring and experimenting with you!

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Join us for PauseOnError: FileMaker Summer Camp—a retreat with the Claris community, where professionals and enthusiasts from various backgrounds gather to share, learn, and connect.

The Summer Camp experience

This year, we are returning to Ramah Darom in Clayton, Georgia! It’s a beautiful backdrop where you can spend quality time with the FileMaker community and enjoy the tranquility and playfulness of the Summer Camp vibe (yes, in October).

It feels like every year, transportation gets more interesting. We’ve had people arrive by way of bike, motorcycle, and helicopter. If you’re feeling less adventurous, you can drive or fly into nearby airports: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, Asheville Regional, and Greenville-Spartanburg International. We highly recommend coordinating with other attendees—who knows what other adventures you’ll have on the drive there and back (we recommend the place with the goats on the roof).

The event itself balances structured sessions and unstructured time. Unlike other conferences, PauseOnError is less about speakers and all about attendees becoming session facilitators. That means that you can choose to prep material in advance or if you’re inspired at Pause, add yourself to the schedule while you’re there!

Curious about last year’s sessions? Check them out:

Hotel rooms, cabins, and camping available

We often get asked if you have to camp for PauseOnError. Nope—unless that’s your thing! The venue offers hotel rooms, bunk bed cabins, and camping spaces. And for those who prefer, there are off-site accommodations in nearby Clayton just a short drive away.

All-inclusive registration

We offer two types of all-inclusive packages: Standard Pause (October 7-10, 2024) and Extended Pause (October 7-11, 2024). Both packages cover your stay from the welcome Meet & Greet dinner to a farewell packed lunch, including:

• Registration for PauseOnError: FileMaker Summer Camp

  • People: An event created, attended, and led by the FileMaker community

  • Time: Plenty of Structured sessions and intentionally open-ended blocks of time. Check out the sessions from last year:

  • Space: A varied mix of indoor and outdoor space for sessions and activities in the beautiful foothills of the Blue Mountains

• All meals and drinks during the event:

  • Meet & Greet reception, plus dinner on the first evening

  • Catered breakfast, lunch, and dinner served buffet style on full days (vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options are available, and all meals are kosher)

  • Non-alcoholic drinks are served all day; beer and wine offered with dinner

  • Buffet Breakfast on the last morning, plus a packed lunch to take on your travels back

• Accommodations of your choice (see pricing below)

• Complimentary WiFi, event t-shirt, and swag

• Unlimited access to camp amenities such as the fitness center, meeting rooms, and trails (don’t miss the waterfall!)

Standard Pause kicks off on October 7th, wrapping up on the morning of October 10th, while Extended Pause offers an additional day to relax, collaborate, or explore until October 11th. 

Enjoy an extended pause

Choosing Extended Pause is about seizing the opportunity to deepen connections, collaborate on projects, or simply enjoy the beauty of Ramah Darom for an extra day. Whether you plan something on your own or with fellow attendees, here are a few ideas of what you can do with the extra day:

• Take the extra day to meet with other people from the community to talk tech, partnerships, strategy, and more.

• Choose to organize a group activity for anyone staying around the extra day: think hackathon, tea ceremony, team game, etc.

• Meet with other folks on your team to do some strategic or tactical planning

• Go heads down with your coworkers on a working session

• Explore the property, walk to the waterfall, and enjoy the beauty of Ramah Darom

• Enjoy an extra day of peacefulness before getting back to “normal” life

We recommend using the attendee Slack channel to collaborate and share ideas.

2024 Pricing

All-inclusive pricing is determined by the accommodations you reserve. Early bird pricing is available from May 1 to May 31, 2024!

• Hotel room

  • Regular price: $1,800

  • Early bird price: $1,620

  • Extended Pause (additional day): +$250

• Cabin

  • Regular price: $1,800

  • Early bird price: $1,620

  • Extended Pause (additional day): +$250

• Onsite roommate, camping (BYOTent), or offsite lodging

  • Regular price: $1,000

  • Early bird price: $900

  • Extended Pause (additional day): +$150

Accommodation options

Hotel Room
All hotel rooms have a private bathroom, heating and air conditioning, complimentary toiletries, a mini-fridge, and a coffee maker.

Cabin
A cabin has a large communal space in the center, 1-2 private rooms, a large sleeping room accommodating 4-10 bunk beds, and a shared bathroom. This is a great option to share with friends or co-workers. Note that you will not be matched up at random with other attendees.

Camping (BYOTent)
If you’re looking for something a little more true to the “camp” in Summer Camp, you can bring your own tent to camp on the property. A shared bathroom will be available.

Onsite Roommate
If you’re sharing a hotel room or cabin with an attendee who’s already reserved accommodations, this is the registration package for you!

Offsite Lodging
If you choose to stay offsite in nearby Clayton, GA or the surrounding area, this will provide access to all things Summer Camp while you’re onsite at Ramah Darom.

Sponsorship opportunities

We will offer limited sponsorship opportunities for themed items and sponsored events. Send us an email if you want to learn more!

PauseOnError 2024 Slack

After registration, you’ll be invited to an event-specific Slack space. It’s a great place to introduce yourself, coordinate shared rides and accommodations, and discuss session ideas.

Ready, set, Pause!

PauseOnError: FileMaker Summer Camp is an opportunity to nerd out about all things Claris and tech, and spend structured and unstructured time making connections. It’s a chance to think differently, test ideas, and have lively conversations.

Here are the dates to remember: 

• May 1, 2024 – Registration opens with early bird pricing 

• May 31, 2024 – Last day for early bird pricing

• September 2, 2024 – Registration closes

• October 7, 2024 – PauseOnError Summer Camp begins!

Learn more about PauseOnError: FileMaker Summer Camp 2024 here. We can’t wait to see you there—in sessions, by the campfire, and on the trails!

And if you know someone who should attend Pause, please share this post with them!

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How it started

In 2019 we were planning PauseOnError: Pause and Play, a Claris FileMaker unconference in Saint Louis that had been scheduled for March 30, 2020. Of course, that date happened to be right after most of the US shut down because of the COVID pandemic. We were already in the final stages of planning when we realized we wouldn’t be able to meet in Saint Louis, and pivoting to a virtual event didn’t adequately capture our spirit of play and collaboration. Instead, we decided to outright cancel and give ourselves some time to marinate. 

The PauseOnError we had been planning was about taking time to play alongside and with the support of our friends. Obviously during a pandemic it was no longer possible to create this kind of communal space with 100 of our friends, but we realized that we could still find a way to embrace the concept. Instead of one hundred people playing together all at once, what if we spent time together one-on-one, keeping our community safe while still connecting with other humans in person? It might be kind of like passing the Olympic torch around the country.

The more we thought about this, the more we liked it. While virtual events were popping up left and right, we had an unmet hankering for in-person connection. The resulting project was a suitcase that traveled the US (and eventually the world), connecting our community one person at a time. When the suitcase was nearby1, you would arrange to meet up in person to receive the suitcase. Then, you’d take it home, look through the contents and read the suitcase’s journal. You could add something personally or locally meaningful, then meet up with the next person and send it on its way.

How it went

We asked participants to document their time with the suitcase on the Suitcase Protocol blog so that those of us far away could follow along. In retrospect, it’s heartwarming to have these fleeting moments of connection and laughter recorded and preserved.

The first handoff involved two spies meeting at a public park, the exchange of priceless treasure, and in-person interaction with a colleague for the first time in months:

That handoff became known as Spy >> Spy. From there, we witnessed a wide variety of mundane and creative meetings, all around the middle portion of the US. Here are a few highlights:

• Santa & Lucky

• Suitcase visits the planned site of Pause & Play

• The Truth is in Here…

By the end of 2020, the suitcase had made it from Houston to Chicago and the pandemic was starting to look like a “new normal.” Accordingly, we started to hunt for a venue where we could safely gather even amidst pandemic conditions. This search led us to Ramah Darom, our FileMaker Summer Camp venue. 

This gorgeous venue allowed us to spend most of our time outdoors and to be the only group onsite – a far cry from a hotel-based conference. This gave us the confidence to gather in-person at the first PauseOnError FileMaker Summer Camp in October of 2021. There, folks had the opportunity to see the suitcase and the mementos it contained after a year of travel. The suitcase brought the message of play with it to camp – mysterious objects were scattered around the grounds, there were costumes... we hear there was even a small horror film produced.

At the close of the event, there were still people who wanted to take the suitcase for more adventures, so off it went again, into the unknown!

A caring, creative community

This might seem obvious, but people didn’t stop craving connection during the pandemic. Instead, people needed it more. For some folks, the suitcase hand-off was their first work trip outside of their house since the pandemic started. We suggested in-person meetings that were rooted in trust and kindness. What we saw was that people cared about each other’s boundaries. We saw creativity and generosity in the ways people looked out for each other and went out of their way to do something playful. 

The suitcase brought together acquaintances and converted them into friends. People who previously held only loose connections now shared a unique, intimate experience – and whatsmore, they created something new together. People offered unusual modes of transportation, interesting sightseeing opportunities, and special visits with family and friends. People dug up old DevCon schedules, wrote in the journal, and even built an entire VoIP system, all for the sake of play!

The suitcase was built for traveling, and even after its “official” retirement it continues to circulate. We hear that it crossed the Atlantic in 2022 and began a European tour. Who knows when it might turn up next, or where it will ultimately settle! If you meet it in the wild, be sure to spend some time with the journal – it’s a touching, analog time capsule of our community in one unusual moment of history.

A Human Timeline: Container Data, Demystified

Facilitator: Sully, Mandelbrot LLC

Description: Updated Session! Containers have been around since FileMaker 2, but the binary data we put in those containers? That has been around far longer. How do all those bits and bytes fit in with the rest of your solution? And, more importantly, wouldn’t understanding raw data a little better help you feel more comfortable with containers, APIs, public hosting, web design, and more? Using a human timeline, Sully will guide us on a Socratic journey through computer science history as we talk about encoding, email, MIME types, FileMaker containers, HTTP, and more. Then, we’ll open discussion around how we get our data in and out of FileMaker and to where it best belongs.

AI in the FileMaker Ecosystem

Facilitator: Alo Torres-Navarro, Proof+Geist

Description: Are you curious about what access to AI models means for the FileMaker community? We will review the basic concepts of AI models and the different ways in which they can be integrated into FM systems. Let's discuss potential use cases, personal experiences, risks, and safety around AI products.

Basketball

Facilitator: Mike Lee, Proof+Geist

Description: Casual basketball at the main court!

Board Games

Facilitator: Eric Luce, Proof+Geist

Description: No experience necessary! Just come ready to have fun and you won't be disappointed!

Board Games, round 2

Facilitator: Eric Luce, Proof+Geist

Description: Did you miss out on the fun last night? Or coming back for round 2? Either way, anyone is welcome!

Change management/tracking for Filemaker

Facilitator: Dale Miller, The Smart designer

Description: Do you ever wish you could use Github to track your FileMaker changes? Well, so do I, but I haven't figured out how yet. I have, however, built a rudimentary change tracking system which I would like to share and ask for input. Also, I would like to hear how you track changes and keep from going crazy.

Circlesinging (vocal improvisation)

Facilitator: Dina Torok, Data Maven Consulting

Description: Experience “shared flow” (thanks, Don!) as we sing loops and songs created on the fly. No experience necessary! You’ll sing parts given to you, and maybe we will try some games where anyone can have the chance to make some stuff up. Or just come and listen!

Consultant Counseling

Facilitator: Adam Aronson, Fullcity Consulting

Description: A place to discuss and get support for the challenges that our work presents that isn’t technical. The people part. The balance part. The laundry!

Exploring Personality Types - A simple model

Facilitator: Ann Kiser, SeedCode

Description: This will be a fun and interactive session exploring a simple but powerful model of understanding the different people in your life - team members, customers, family, and friends. Most importantly, this is about embracing our differences, without labels or shame, with the goal of building stronger relationships and more effective communication. Learn the negative words used to describe others, the strengths they bring, why some people are "hard" for you, and possible stress responses. (Please note that I am not formally trained in psychology or other related study. I first learned this model in 2005 - first as a student, and then teaching it to others over the years.)

Funny FileMaker Stories

Facilitator: Jonn Howell, DataExperience, Inc.

Description: Let's continue the story-telling hour in the Tree House, that Mark Baum had held last year. This year let’s dig up all our funny FileMaker stories! Maybe it can become a tradition! That was so fun, and it helped us get to know other attendees, like we might not, otherwise. Bring your good (short, like 10 minutes or less) story, and express yourself with something, whether true, folklore, or personal. This should be playful and get some belly laughs!

Getting Started with JS in FM

Facilitator: Jeremy Brown, Integrating Magic

Description: Get your computer set up to start using JS in FM. Download some tools and, most importantly, learn how the JS Dev Environment is most efficient to build JS widgets to solve client problems.

Half-baked: Delivering Unfinished Code to Production with Feature Flags

Facilitator: Eric Luce, Proof+Geist

Description: Come learn how we use feature flags in our FileMaker workflow to enable continuous deployment, test features secretly in production, and even release (or un-release) features without any migration or downtime!

How Many Developers Does It Take...

Facilitator: Lisette Wilson & Will Mercer, Informing Designs LLC

Description: How many devs does it take to screw up a file? But seriously, how many devs can be building a solution at once? How do you schedule the work? How do you manage the work? How do you keep everyone from running over everyone? How do you deal with different levels of skill in the same file? Where we are coming from: We've had 3 devs or so in a solution at once, but all in silos, pretty much. Now, we have up to 6 at a time, with significant cross-over and dependencies. We wouldn't normally do this, but we have a client with urgent need, communicated with a short delivery window, and need all hands on deck. We are making this up as we go along, and would love to hear your stories, lessons learned, expertise, or at least share the pain.

Interactive 3D Graphics for FileMaker Developers

Facilitator: Joseph Simpson, Radical Application Development

Description: A conversation about 3D graphics and how FileMaker developers can use them in a web viewer. A quick primer on 3D graphics, WebGL graphics frameworks, interactive demos in a web viewer. My main goal for this session is to spark some excitement about working with 3D in FMP. (This session is now available as a blog post!)

Intuitive Consciousness

Facilitator: Kimberly Carlson, Beezwax Datatools Inc

Description: A philosophical conversation around consciousness with a reminder to listen to our intuition and balance our heavily coded world with our internal creativity; highlighting the benefits of doing so as a business owner/freelancer/manager as well as a developer and a human. Potential questions: Do you know the difference between your intuition and your ego? Do you bring enough creativity into your work? Does AI have a place here?

JSON skills workshop

Facilitator: Micah Woods, Scodigo

Description: I will provide a sandbox file with 30-40 examples, starting with some of the basics but quickly moving on to more advanced topics like using JSON schema to validate script parameters and some of the more advanced custom functions like array sorting, JSON filtering, JSON to variables, JSON to expression (very handy when you’re calling an API and have a JSON example), etc. Come and learn some new JSON skills, get access to a nice suite of JSON custom functions, and share your own JSON kung fu.

Learning to Learn

Facilitator: Norm Bartlett, Soliant Consulting

Description: I’ve been at Soliant for just over ten years. I lead projects, they go well, my clients are happy. The only downside is that I don’t have a lot of time to work on new technical skills. How do you keep up with learning? Are my future weekends just going to be filled with training time? How do you make it / keep it fun?

Let's go running

Facilitator: Julien Lafleur

Description: Easy running, about 4-5 miles at a moderate pace (to be determined by whoever shows up). Shortened to get everyone back with time for a quick breakfast. Starting at 7:30 sharp!

Let's talk about MBS Plugin

Facilitator: Christian Schmitz, Monkeybread Software

Description: Let me show you something, ask questions, bring your wishes and ideas and see how the MBS Plugin can help you.

Pause on Transition

Facilitator: Jonn Howell, DataExperience, Inc.

Description: Have you ever completed a project, and then wish that you had a stronger connection to the people on the project and a better sense of empowerment after you left? We all transition between projects, gigs, jobs and teams. Projects succeed, projects fail, and some get canceled. Regardless of the outcome, there is good to be had, concepts to be learned, mistakes to recognize, friendships to honor, relationships to preserve, gratitude to be expressed, and bridges to be built. There is always need for both celebration and grief. Let’s discuss how to gracefully handle closure when things end.

Product Roadmap and Custom Connector Workshop

Facilitators: Andrew LeCates, Ronnie Rios, and Lui de la Parra, Claris

Description: Brief product roadmap and release plan updates from Andrew LeCates This will be a quick review of the August update with a look toward what to expect from Claris for the rest of 2023. Custom connector workshop with Ronnie Rios and Lui de la Parra This workshop will deliver practical instruction on the integration of third-party APIs, equipping you with the tools you need to link crucial applications and services more effectively. By crafting your own connectors, you can accelerate the integration process without waiting for connector availability. This also affords you the flexibility to go beyond the standard actions offered by existing connectors and establish reusable methods for integrating with internal, custom, or niche systems.

Rinse & Dry

Facilitator: PauseOnError

Description: It's literally laundry time! Stop by the basketball court to rinse out your t-shirt and hang it up to dry.

SaaS Billing & Customer Support

Facilitator: Kait Keller, SeedCode

Description: An open conversation about SaaS billing (specifically remittance or invoiced billing), and customer support.

Say Farewell to Julie Sigfrinius

Facilitator: Adam Aronson, Fullcity Consulting

Description: A chance to say thank you and best wishes to our friend and colleague.

Sharing Your App with FileMaker Server: What to Know

Facilitators: Mike Duncan and Danielle Hieronimi, Soliant Consulting and Proof+Geist

Description: Do you use FileMaker Server? Server is often overlooked or taken for granted in the FileMaker Platform. Join us for an open-ended discussion of how FileMaker Server is utilized, best practices, and how to get the most out of FileMaker Server in your deployments. We have plenty of questions to frame talking points, with insights to share from people who work for two of the most popular hosting options available today for FileMaker. We look forward to sharing our own insights and gathering feedback from others, whether you are new to FileMaker Server or are an expert.

Stargazing

Facilitator: April Barman, SeedCode

Description: Do you like stars, planets, or the moon perhaps? Stop by during the jam session and check some out with me. I have a telescope so I think that makes me an expert.

Tell Me What You’re Proud Of!

Facilitator: Sara Severson, Soliant Consulting

Description: Meet me at lunch, and let’s talk about something you built that you like! I’ll share about a recent solution that speeds up performance on a large table and most importantly makes it easy for us to maintain and my client to adjust in the future.

TileMaker™ Pro — Physical Tools for Digital Productivity

Facilitator: Peter Vinogradov, Proof+Geist

Description: Digital tools like ClickUp, Google Calendar, etc. are brilliant for managing our tasks and time, but exist in a purely digital space which mostly engages our visual sense. Physical tools and paper appeal to more senses but don't integrate cleanly with the kind of digital work we do every day. TileMaker™ Pro is a collection of tools and approaches for smoothing the boundaries between digital and physical space. Fundamentally, it uses blank plastic dominoes as a tactile day planner but also leverages NFC and FileMaker to help you switch between tasks in a low-effort, satisfying way. We'll take a look at these tools, but this is mostly an opportunity to share our workspace and productivity hacks.

Transactions: Best Practices

Facilitator: Alo Torres-Navarro, Proof+Geist

Description: Join Alo Torres-Navarro for an insightful session on the best practices surrounding transactions. Get ready to delve into the world of transactions!

Yoga by the Lake: Gentle Flow

Facilitator: Alondra Torres-Navarro, Proof+Geist

Description: Take a break and join Alondra Torres-Navarro for a calming yoga session by the lake. Let the gentle flow help you decompress and rejuvenate.

Yoga by the Lake: Gentle Yoga Flow

Facilitator: Alondra Torres-Navarro, Proof+Geist

Description: Join Alondra Torres-Navarro for another session of gentle yoga by the lake. This time, experience a soothing yoga flow to help you decompress and find balance.

And more…

What happened outside of the official sessions? 🤷 Only time will tell…

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At Proof+Geist, we’re working to make time for AllTheThings™. To name a few, we try to make time to workshop, ideate, talk with each other, and go heads down. But what about laundry?

We were recently inspired by Rae Katz’s essay: If you were rich, would you fold laundry?

In the essay, Katz talks about a life as a three-legged stool. Lightly modified, a work version might be equal parts “real” work, maintenance, and creative pursuits. “Real” in quotes because all the things we do here are part of the real work. But “real” work, in this model, might be something you consider to be your main job – software development, sales, marketing, etc.

She says, “…I seem to have organized my life under a false and continually disproven assumption that laundry folding can be done in less time than it actually takes.”

We have this propensity to fit things between other things. Sometimes we don’t make ENOUGH time or outright forget. We fold the sheets, but don’t have enough time to match the socks. MORE LAUNDRY. MORE PRESSURE. More mental load. (Ew.)

Katz adds:

“The facts remain: The work we are prone to consider menial is foundational to a life, and I am suggesting a narrative where these tasks offer a break from other, more fast-paced modes of living, requiring a different type of energy and offering different rewards. To me, giving laundry the time it actually takes, not trying to squeeze it in the corners, seems like a worthy goal.” (emphasis added)

Some examples of the kinds of work that might be considered  “laundry”:

• Finishing up a conversation that arose in a meeting, but wasn’t on-topic, so we decided to “take it offline”

• Proofreading a document together

• Clearing out your inbox

• Updating your calendar ahead of an upcoming vacation

• Catching up on time tracking

• Looking at data or doing research together

• Cleaning up some table names or uploading zoom recordings

Laundry is…

…NOT spring cleaning. It’s not “let me go declutter all of ClickUp”.

…sometimes better done with others.

…a chance to knock out those tasks that start with “hey at some point we should…”.

…an opportunity to set aside time and get nagging tasks out of the way.

Whether the laundry needs to be started, folded, or put away, what would happen if you make time in your own schedule and on your team’s schedules to get the maintenance stuff done? Could this be a way to feel more satisfied and less stressed? What if you thought of this as a valuable time to embrace a change in pace and the different types of success that might come from it?

Registration for PauseOnError FileMaker Summer Camp 2023 (October 3-6, 2023) is now open! If you’d like to learn more about PauseOnError – you’ve come to the right place. 

PauseOnError is a Pause conference for the Claris FileMaker developer community. PauseOnError is different from most other conferences and certainly from other software conferences. Really, you shouldn’t take our word for it; if you have time, listen to some of these interviews with attendees of the last two PauseOnError events:

• PauseOnError 2021

  • Reflections from PauseOnError 2021, part 1

  • Reflections from PauseOnError 2021, part 2

  • Reflections from PauseOnError 2021, part 3

  • Reflections from PauseOnError 2021, Krissy & Martha

• PauseOnError 2022

  • Pause on Production – PauseOnError 2022, part 1

  • Pause on Production – PauseOnError 2022, part 2

  • Pause on Production – PauseOnError 2022, part 3

Those reflections are worth far more than an organizer’s perspective… but if you still want to hear from me, this is my take.

How does it work?

PauseOnError revolves around three key principles:

1. People

2. Time

3. Space

People

Most attendees work directly with FileMaker in some capacity. That doesn’t mean that everyone at PauseOnError is a developer – there are also folks who do marketing, finance, operations, HR, and other jobs at companies that work with FileMaker. There are usually a handful of folks in attendance who are the spouses or partners of people who work directly with FileMaker. And you’ll probably find a few folks for whom FileMaker isn’t at the center of their professional lives – or isn’t any more – but for whom this community is important. Everyone is welcome and while the content of sessions should have something to do with FileMaker, “something to do with” is loosely held. Registration for FileMaker Summer Camp 2023 is currently open at the time of this writing, and will remain open until August 21. 

Time

The time at PauseOnError is structured and intentionally open-ended. Each morning, we gather as a large group for a plenary-type opening session. This gives you an outline for the day and for the conference as a whole. Sometimes we do seemingly random things, like musical performances. (Spoiler alert: they’re not random.)

There are several spots in the schedule for small-group sessions. Sign-ups for these sessions will open in late summer and remain open through the start of the conference. We encourage anyone and everyone to lead a session. At PauseOnError, leading a session is more about facilitation and less about presentation. In fact, if there’s a topic you don’t know much about but would like to learn about, this would be an excellent session for you to lead! Most of these sessions take place outdoors, and we strongly encourage everyone to plan for conversation, discussion, and interaction.

Finally, there’s plenty of unstructured time in the schedule as well. This can be used to continue conversations that started in other sessions, get together for 1:1 collaboration, spend time alone, go for walks with friends, etc. The idea is that once we’ve activated our minds in the formal sessions, we want to create space and time to really get the most out of our energized and engaged brain-states. We have found that this unstructured time is where some of the most important realizations in development, business, and personal connection have originated. This is the state that I sometimes refer to as Middle-Distance Thinking.

Space

The space our bodies physically occupy profoundly influences our thinking, whether or not we’re conscious of it. PauseOnError takes place at a gorgeous summer camp in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Is it a pain to drive several hours from Atlanta to get there? Yes. Is it worth it? Totally. We have the campus to ourselves – there’s a lake, trails through the forest, and a waterfall. Most activities take place in covered outdoor spaces, so you can hear the stream and the birds in the background. This does mean that, unlike many conferences, instead of dressing for the ice-cold air conditioning of a hotel ballroom, you should plan to dress for the weather. Raincoats are highly recommended, and the first year at this location we even lost power for half a day. A tech conference with no power and no internet! If you listen to the 2021 interviews, you’ll hear just how surprised everyone was that this could be the start of a magical experience. 

PauseOnError is both technical and simply human

On the one hand, PauseOnError is a place where you can sit down with Claris engineering to discuss and prototype new features that might make it into future versions of FileMaker (hello OnWindowTransaction in FileMaker 2023). It’s also a place where you can practice the latest techniques for using JavaScript in your FileMaker apps, and get into a lengthy debate about naming conventions. Or maybe it's the technical details of operations that interests you – find some folks and discuss how to craft customer stories in marketing, use AI to write better blog posts, or onboard new team members.

On the other hand, PauseOnError is about being human. It’s a place where you can attend a session on storytelling in the treehouse – listening to and telling stories against the backdrop of forest sounds and autumn leaves. You can get up too early and practice meditation with a group in the library, or stay up too late singing songs around the campfire. 

PauseOnError is participatory

Everyone has something to contribute to PauseOnError, whether you’re new to the community or you’ve been coming to these since we started in 2009. 

Here’s a small sampling of ways you can participate:

• Lead a session

• Lead a song at the campfire

• Ask a question at a session

• Ask someone to go for a walk 

• Ask for help with something you’re stuck on

• Help someone with something they’re stuck on

• Start a water balloon fight

• Start a conversation about a feature you’d love to see in FileMaker

• Post pictures in Slack

• Bring a game to play after dinner

And who knows what else! PauseOnError is created by our community, for our community. If there’s something you want that you don’t see – you can make it happen. We’re guided by our Code of Conduct; anything that contributes to creating an open, welcoming, diverse, inclusive, and healthy community is enthusiastically encouraged. 

You can find more detailed FAQs on the Summer Camp 2023 page, and if you have other questions, please drop us a line. I hope we’ll see you at camp! 

We’re so glad that you’re here. 

Pause is an event framework that cultivates a rich and fruitful state of mind that we call middle-distance thinking. It’s a way of approaching planning and problem solving that combines the introspective, open quiet of an individual retreat with the peer community of a presentation-driven conference. 

We have been organizing these events since 2009. Along the way, we’ve had successes, faced problems, gained enthusiasm, lost enthusiasm, launched products, deprecated products, grown companies, and scaled back companies. 

Throughout it all, perhaps just one thing has remained constant – we’re fiercely committed to living and working with intention.

We hope that sharing the ideas we’re wrestling with clarifies them for us, invites conversation with you, and that perhaps, together, we can continue to make incremental improvements and create workplaces that make us proud.

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About Us

Pause is a joint venture and passion project of Proof+Geist and DayBack. Both companies share a deep interest and investment in the humans our work impacts, and the forces of time and space that shape our lives. DayBack is a scheduling platform for field service, healthcare, sales, and creative teams that works with Salesforce, Microsoft 365, and other calendar sources. Proof+Geist helps people soar by crafting software and technology solutions that harmonize business systems and processes. 

For the past 15 years, we’ve explored different ways of bringing people together, striving to create the conditions for a very special kind of thinking and collaboration to emerge. While many others have played important parts in the creation and development of Pause, our core team consists of Co-Founders Ernest Koe (Proof+Geist) and John Sindelar (DayBack), and Co-CEOs Krissy Ferris (Proof+Geist) and Martha Zink (Proof+Geist).