Community Corner

Article originally posted in the August 26th, 2026 edition of What’s Up Wednesday on LinkedIn.  Community events like FME Community Bingo are more than just a fun way to pass the time - they're a chance to bring people together and to explore FME in ways that go well beyond the everyday workflow. A Bit of BackstoryOver the years, I had the chance to work closely with Mark Ireland, and that gave me some unique insight into how FME Community events are built. I'd already taken on the challenge of digging through some of his other events, like the 12 Days of FME Balloon Race, so when I was approached about bringing back community bingo, I jumped at the chance.Once again, I found myself piecing together everything he had put together - and honestly, it was a really fun challenge. Mark loved building puzzles for the community, and untangling his workspaces turned into an unintentional puzzle in its own right. Tracking down all the pieces and figuring out how everything was connected taught

Hi everyone! Where in the world are you working from this week? 🌍 Show us your setup — whether that's HQ, a home office, out in the field, a cozy cafe, or somewhere totally unexpected!We've asked a version of this question before, but with so many new faces in the community since then, we figured it was worth bringing back — plus, who knows, your workspace might look a little different this time around. 👀In case you didn't know...we're running a BINGO contest this month! 🎉 There are 3 Questions of the Week total (August 10, 17, 24). Answering each week's question earns you a square on your card, as noted in the post title.Drop your answer below with a photo and you're one step closer to BINGO!New to the Question of the Week?Each week, we post a simple but thought-provoking question. It might be about your FME journey, the power of spatial data, FME innovation, or even a little something personal like this one.Every answer you share earns you an entry in our monthly draw for exclusiv

Hi everyone! Show us a photo of your summer or winter (depending on what hemisphere you're in!) plans - or a recent trip you've taken. Beach days, mountain getaways, a cozy staycation, a spontaneous weekend trip... whatever adventure you've got, we wanna see it! 📸✨✈️🏖️🏔️In case you didn’t know...we're running a BINGO contest this month! 🎉 There are 3 Questions of the Week total (August 10, 17, 24). Answering each one earns you a square on your card, as noted in the post title. Drop your answer below with a photo and you're one step closer to BINGO! New to the Question of the Week?Each week, we post a simple but thought-provoking question. It might be about your FME journey, the power of spatial data, FME innovation, or even a little something personal like this one.Every answer you share earns you an entry in our monthly draw for exclusive Safe swag (a $50 value) - plus points toward community badges!🗓️ Answer all of this month's Questions of the Week by August 31st at 5:00 PM PDT

Welcome back to Question of the Week! This week we want to know...How did you first get into using FME? Whether it was a college course, a job requirement, or pure curiosity, we want to hear your story! Optional: Share a photo (your first workspace, your team, a throwback picture — anything goes).In case you didn’t know...we're running a BINGO contest this month! 🎉 There are 3 Questions of the Week total (August 10, 17, 24). Answering each one earns you a square on your card, as noted in the post title. Drop your answer below and you're one step closer to BINGO! New to the Question of the Week?Each week, we post a simple but thought-provoking question. It might be about your FME journey, the power of spatial data, FME innovation, or even a little something personal like this one.Every answer you share earns you an entry in our monthly draw for exclusive Safe swag (a $50 value) - plus points toward community badges!🗓️ Answer all of this month's Questions of the Week by August 31st at

Hi all! Do you have questions about MCP for Real-World Data? This is your chance to ask them—live.Join us for another Ask Me Anything webinar where your questions drive the conversation. Drop your questions in the comments by Monday, August 31, and our team will answer them live!Webinar DetailsWednesday, September 2 from 8:00am–9:00am PDT REGISTER HEREWhat we'll coverMCP's real test isn't clean APIs, it's whether an AI agent can reach the data that's actually hard to work with: geospatial data, legacy formats, data locked behind a firewall. That's what Safe has spent 25+ years solving with FME, and it's where we're taking MCP next.Our experts ​@donatsafe, ​@NickAtSafe, ​@dylan.at.safe & ​@aaron.hillier are ready for an open Q&A on everything MCP.You'll leave with:A clear answer to what MCP is and why it matters, beyond the hype What it really takes to connect AI agents to complex, protected, and legacy data Practical examples of MCP in cloud, on-premises, and hybrid setups Answ

Happy National Dog Day 🐶At Safe Software, we know data isn’t dry - and today we’re proving it with a little fun! To celebrate, we paired some of our favourite data types with their perfect canine counterpart, based on the personality traits they share.Think: Golden Retriever = Relational Data ➡️ friendly, trusting, and always ready to share! 🐕✨Watch the video here. Then tell us in the comments below: what’s your dog data type?  Earn Square 23 in FME Community Bingo!We’re celebrating summer with a fun surprise - FME Community Bingo!From August 11 to August 31, 2025, we’re inviting all FME users to join in on a fun and interactive way to connect with fellow members of the FME Community.Whether you’re answering a question, uploading an image, or participating in a team challenge, each completed task earns you a square on the Bingo board - and every square is a chance to win exciting prizes! Answer this Question of the Week to cross off Square 23 on the Bingo board.

What’s the funniest (or most unexpected) response you’ve gotten from FME’s AI Assist? Share your answer in the comments below. Maybe you’ve asked it to reply in Shakespearean verse like ​@mark2atsafe (a description of what Mark’s SlackConnector did in his workspace, as a Shakespeare sonnet):Earn Square 5 in FME Community Bingo!We’re celebrating summer with a fun surprise - FME Community Bingo!From August 11 to August 31, 2025, we’re inviting all FME users to join in on a fun and interactive way to connect with fellow members of the FME Community.Whether you’re answering a question, uploading an image, or participating in a team challenge, each completed task earns you a square on the Bingo board - and every square is a chance to win exciting prizes! Answer this Question of the Week to cross off Square 5 on the Bingo board.

Hey Community! Got questions about performance, scaling, and optimization? This is your chance to ask them, live.Join us for another Ask Me Anything webinar where your questions drive the conversation. Drop your questions in the comments by Tuesday, August 4 at 3PM PDT, and our team will answer them live!Webinar DetailsAugust 5, 2026 8:00am–9:00am PDTREGISTER HEREWhat we'll coverA workspace that took 20 minutes on a desktop now takes 2 hours in production, and nobody is sure why. The reader looks fine. The transformers look fine. Somewhere between the data coming in and the results going out, time is disappearing, and the usual fix of adding more hardware is not always the answer.Our presenters ​@markwatsafe, ​@shirleychan, ​@ali-safe & ​@crystalwang are ready to dive in to:Best practices when upgrading workspaces Optimizing Flow resources and usage Diagnosing and debugging workspace performance problems Weighing cost and architecture choices: on-premise vs. cloud, vertical vs. hor

Hi everyone! A new job. A promotion. A project that changed everything. Sometimes a tool does more than the work. It changes the trajectory. 🚀  How has FME shaped your career path and did it open doors you didn't expect? Drop your FME career story in the comments below! 📢 P.S. The Talent Exchange just got some big updates. Safe Software will now post open roles there, it's open to any organization hiring for FME work (not just partners), and freelancers can now post their availability for contract work. Whether you're hiring or looking, check it out! 💡 New to the Question of the Week? Each week, we post a simple but thought-provoking question. It might be about your FME journey, the power of spatial data, FME innovation, or even a little something personal like this one.Every answer you share earns you an entry in our monthly draw for exclusive Safe swag (a $50 value) — plus points toward community badges!🗓️ Answer all of this month's Questions of the Week by June 30th at 5:00 PM P

Hey Community! Got questions about automations and event-driven workflows? This is your chance to ask them—live.Join us for another Ask Me Anything webinar where your questions drive the conversation. Drop your questions in the comments by Monday, July 6, and our team will answer them live!Webinar DetailsJuly 8, 2026 8:00am–9:00am PDT REGISTER HEREWhat we'll coverAn automation that ran perfectly yesterday can break this morning, and the answer is rarely in the workspace itself. It's in a token that expired, an SMTP port that closed, a webhook that fired twice, or an IT policy that changed overnight. Whether the workflow is a scheduled feature service refresh, a webhook from a field-collection app, or an event-driven model run on FME Flow Hosted, the failure modes look the same once production starts.Our presenters ​@carlw, ​@kate-safe, ​@desiree_at_safe & ​@markwatsafe are ready to dive in to:Authentication Automation best practices Automation resilience and troubleshooting And mor

Hi everyone! The FIFA World Cup is about to kick off! ⚽🌍  In honour of the occasion, if FME had a starting lineup, which transformer would be your star player and why? Drop your pick below and don't forget to tell us who you're cheering for this tournament! 🏆💡 New to the Question of the Week? Each week, we post a simple but thought-provoking question. It might be about your FME journey, the power of spatial data, FME innovation, or even a little something personal like this one.Every answer you share earns you an entry in our monthly draw for exclusive Safe swag (a $50 value) — plus points toward community badges!🗓️ Answer all of this month's Questions of the Week by June 30th at 5:00 PM PDT to be entered into the draw.🎖️ Answer your first question to earn the Socializer (Ice Breaker) badge — and keep it up to reach the Socializer (Talker) badge after five answers!

We're making a small but exciting change. Our forum formerly known as "Question of the Week" is getting a new name: Community Corner!As our community has grown and evolved, so has the content being shared in this space. While Question of the Week will absolutely continue, we felt the name no longer captured everything happening right here. Community Corner better reflects the vibrant, engaging hub this forum has become.So what can you expect to see here going forward?Question of the Week — your favourite discussion prompt isn't going anywhere Fun Competitions — we have some exciting challenges in store that you won't want to miss Ask Me Anything Webinars — get your burning questions answered directly by our team and special guestsStay tuned for more fun we have planned this year! 😊

Hey FME Community,If you haven't come across Matt Parker before, he's a mathematician and stand-up comedian whose YouTube channel Stand-up Maths has over 1.3 million subscribers. He's one of the most popular maths communicators on the internet. His recent video, "What is up with UK bridge height signs?", digs into a genuinely fascinating quirk of UK infrastructure that I think will resonate with anyone in this community.UK bridge height restriction signs display limits in both metres and feet/inches. Per the Traffic Signs Manual Chapter 4, each measurement is taken independently, then separately rounded down for safety (3 inches in imperial, 0.1 m in metric). Because the two rounding schemes step at different intervals, the same physical bridge can produce signs that read, say, 4.1 m / 13'6" in one location and 4.1 m / 13'3" in another, and both are technically correct.Matt's collaborator Adam Townsend mapped every theoretically possible metric/imperial combination and has been hunting

Hi all! It was a big hit last year, so we're bringing it back! This week we're playing This or That — pick your favourites and drop them in the comments below. 🎉This week's Question of the Week: This or That!Tester or TestFilter Beach or Mountains Dark Mode or Light Mode Morning Person or Night OwlNo wrong answers — but we do want receipts! 🧾 Tell us your picks and feel free to defend your choices in the comments!💡 New to the Question of the Week? Each week, we post a simple but thought-provoking question. It might be about your FME journey, the power of spatial data, FME innovation, or even a little something personal like this one.Every answer you share earns you an entry in our monthly draw for exclusive Safe swag (a $50 value) — plus points toward community badges!🗓️ Answer all of this month's Questions of the Week by May 31st at 5:00 PM PST to be entered into the draw.🎖️ Answer your first question to earn the Socializer (Ice Breaker) badge — and keep it up to reach the Social

Hey Community! Got questions about Real-Time Data and Streaming? This is your chance to ask them—live.Join us for another Ask Me Anything webinar where your questions drive the conversation. Drop your questions in the comments by Monday, June 8, and our team will answer them live!Webinar Details June 10, 2026 8:00am–9:00am PDT | 11:00am–12:00pm EDTREGISTER HEREWhat we'll cover In this live AMA, we'll answer your questions about how FME handles real-time data and streaming — from event-driven workflows and IoT integrations to APIs and moving beyond batch processing.Our presenters ​@matt.m-at-safe, ​@timatsafe, & ​@toyosia are ready to dive in to:Working with real-time data in FME Streaming and event-driven workflows Exploring IoT integrations Working with APIs Moving beyond batch processingCome ready with questions and leave with direct, candid answers. Drop your questions below by Monday, June 8, 2026.See you there!

Whether you’ve been part of the FME Community for a few months or a few years, you remember what it felt like to be brand new - the questions, the learning curve, and the moments where everything finally clicked.Now, you have the chance to be that moment for someone else.We’ve created a new onboarding guide for FME users, built from real stories, tips, and experiences from the community and we’d love for you to be part of it by contributing a short video. Your voice could be one of the first things a new user sees, helping them navigate FME with more confidence and clarity from day one.Share what you’ve learned. Help someone get there faster.How It WorksWe’re using Vocal Video, a super simple, browser-based tool (no downloads or accounts needed).Just:Choose 1-2 questions that resonate with you (see below) Click the link below for the question(s) you’d like to answer (each has a separate collector) Record your response (30–60 seconds is perfect!)Submit your video by April 21.You can go

Hey Community! Got questions about AI Workflows? This is your chance to ask them—live.Join us for another Ask Me Anything webinar where your questions drive the conversation. Drop your questions in the comments by May 3, and our team will answer them live.Webinar DetailsAsk Me Anything About AI WorkflowsThursday, May 7, 20268:00am-9:00am PDT, 11:00am-12:00pm EDTREGISTER HERE What we’ll coverIn this live AMA, we'll answer your questions about how FME enables a flexible, production-ready Any AI platform strategy — from AI Assist and MCP to connectors like Gemini, Azure, and OpenAI.Our presenters ​@davechoi, ​@desiree_at_safe, ​@crystalwang & ​@sanaeatsafe are ready to dive in into:Data Enrichment MCP Agentic Workflows Data Governance and AI Security AI Deployment Options in FMECome ready with questions and leave with direct, candid answers. Drop your questions below by Monday, May 4, 2026.See you there!

Hey Community! Got questions about data integration? This is your chance to ask them—live.We’re hosting a special Ask Me Anything (AMA) webinar where your questions drive the conversation. Drop your questions in the comments, and our team will answer them live.Webinar DetailsAsk Me Anything About Data IntegrationWednesday, April 1, 20268:00am-9:00am PDT, 11:00am-12:00pm EDTREGISTER HERE What we’ll coverThis AMA is designed to tackle everything from foundational concepts to modern challenges like automation, APIs, real-time data, and data quality—based entirely on what you want to know.Our presenters ​@evieatsafe, ​@crystalwang, ​@shirleychan & ​@carlw are ready to dive into: ​Fundamentals & definitions Workflows Authoring Industry-specific questionsDrop your questions below by March 30, 2026.Come ready, get answers, and walk away with practical insights you can apply right away.See you there!

 Hi everyone! 👋 If you’ve been part of the FME Community for a while, you likely know Dmitri Bagh ​(@dmitribagh). Dmitri has been with Safe Software since 2005 and is well known for exploring new and experimental features from a user’s perspective.His latest blog post takes a more personal turn — and it’s a fantastic example of thinking beyond traditional enterprise workflows.The Challenge:After more than a decade of using a Fitbit, Dmitri had accumulated 11 years of wearable data — step counts, floors climbed, resting heart rate, and more. When his device failed earlier this year, he faced a common question:How do you switch platforms without losing your historical data?The Solution:Instead of relying on paid migration services or slow API transfers, Dmitri built a self-service workflow using FME:Exported ~24,000 files of Fitbit data via Google Takeout Processed CSV and JSON data in FME Normalized timestamps and aggregated daily summaries Output yearly JSON files formatted for Apple

Hi everyone! 👋There’s nothing quite like the energy of the Olympic Games—the dedication, the precision, and those "photo finish" moments that keep us on the edge of our seats. 😬 Whether it’s the strategy of curling or the high-speed thrill of the downhill slopes, we all have that one event that we simply cannot miss! This week’s Question of the Week: What was your favourite Winter Olympic event to watch? ❄️Was it a classic winter staple, a new breakout sport, or perhaps a moment of incredible teamwork that stood out to you? Share your favourite highlight in the comments! 💡 New to the Question of the Week? Each week, we post a simple but thought-provoking question. It might be about your FME journey, the power of spatial data, FME innovation, or even a bit of personal history like this one.Every answer you share earns you an entry in our monthly draw for exclusive Safe swag (a $50 value) — plus points toward community badges!🗓️ Answer all of this month’s Questions of the Week by Mon

Hi everyone! 👋We’re always inspired by the creativity in this community. Last year’s “create your own action figure” trend was such a hit, and we love seeing how you all bring personality and humour into your work. So this week, we’re leaning into that same spirit - with a fun new twist.This week's Question of the Week: If you were an FME caricature, what would you look like?Use your favourite AI tool to generate a caricature of you based on your role, tools, and day-to-day work - then share the result in the comments below!Here’s a starter prompt but feel free to customize it to better match your role, personality, or style: “Create a caricature of me based on my job and everything you know about me. I work as a [your role], and my day-to-day involves [key tools, tasks, or themes]. Include visual elements that represent my work, personality, and environment.”Once you’ve created it, share your image in the comments. Have fun with it and get creative!💡 New to the Question of the Week?

Our CEO ​@donatsafe decided to kick off the year by sharing a custom Google Gemini Gem he recently built.Watch the video to see Vibe Coding with FME Workbench - a sneak peak at how AI and FME are going to take productivity to a completely new level this year.Want to try it yourself? Drop a comment on Don’s LinkedIn post requesting to try it and he’ll send you an invite to try the Gem yourself.

Hi all! Everyone’s career has a starting point — sometimes unexpected, sometimes a little chaotic, and often pretty memorable. Whether it was a short-term gig, a summer job, or the very first step on your professional path, those early roles usually leave a story (or two).This week’s Question of the Week:💭 What was your very first job ever? 🤔It could be something from way back, a part-time job, or even a role that helped spark your interest in what you do today. Share your answer in the comments!💡 New to the Question of the Week?Each week, we post a simple but thought-provoking question. It might be about your FME journey, the power of spatial data, FME innovation, or even a bit of personal history like this one.Every answer you share earns you an entry in our monthly draw for exclusive Safe swag (a $50 value) — plus points toward community badges!🗓️ Answer all of this month’s Questions of the Week by February 2nd, 2026, at 5:00 PM PST to be entered into the draw.🎖️ Answer your fi

Hello and Happy New Year! 👋There’s no single way to use FME — and everyone has a transformer they feel comfortable with in their own way. Whether it’s a longtime favourite or something newer you’ve been experimenting with, your go-to transformer is all part of your FME journey. This week’s Question of the Week:💭 Which transformer do you think you’re strongest with?🏅 🤔It might be a transformer you keep going back to, a new one you’re exploring, or something you’ve been enjoying learning lately. Share your answer in the comments — and feel free to tell us why and how you like to use it!💡 New to the Question of the Week?Each week, we post a simple but thought-provoking question. It could be about your FME journey, the power of spatial data, FME innovation, or even the future of FME.Every answer you share earns you an entry in our monthly draw for exclusive Safe swag (a $50 value) — plus points toward community badges!🗓️ Answer all of this month’s Questions of the Week by January 31s

As 2025 comes to a close, it’s the perfect time to pause and reflect ✨ From big wins to small moments, there’s a lot to celebrate as we look ahead to 2026.Question of the Week:💭 Before we head into 2026, what’s been the best part of your 2025?Whether it’s an FME win, a work milestone, or a personal highlight, we’d love to hear about it 😊Share your answer below 👇💡 New to the Question of the Week?Each week, we post a simple but thought-provoking question. It could be about your FME journey, the power of spatial data, FME innovation, or even what inspires you beyond work.Every answer you share earns you an entry in our monthly draw for exclusive Safe swag (a $50 value) — plus points toward community badges!🗓️ Answer all of December’s Questions of the Week by December 31st, 2025, at 5:00 PM PST to be entered into this month’s draw.🎖️ Answer your first question to earn the Socializer (Ice Breaker) badge, and keep it up to reach the Socializer (Talker) badge after five answers!