Today FileMaker released Bento 4. I’ve been kicking the tires for the last week and I like it. This upgrade addresses many past user requests including label printing, exporting/importing datasets, and making it much easier to share your templates with others.

The label printing is a big deal. Until now, there was no easy way to print your holiday card labels. I get many e-mails about this every December. Using this feature you can add a field for family name, (i.e. The Balmer Family), and then your holiday card label looks right. You can also add custom graphics and it works Avery and other pre-printed labels.

With the new export features you can export a template (with or without data) to share with others. They are also releasing updated versions of the iPad and iPhone applications adding location aware features and other polish.

Overall, it is a nice update. Expect a deeper review after I spend some more time with it. Bento 4 costs $49 for a single license or $99 for a family pack of five. Owners of Bento 1, 2, or 3 will qualify for a $20 rebate.