Crafting business software

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Mannie - Alan Shaw downloaded and reviewed it last night. I suspect he will give us some impressions. I don't use Quickbooks as I developed my own accounting software years ago. I will probably give this a test run over the weekend. Why not? It's free!
 
I have been searching around for a while now looking for and checking out various inventory software.

Just an off the wall guess, but if this software sells for $200 normally and it's being offered for 'free' with no time limit, then you will not be able to save any files...just a guess, but how a lot of trial software works...

..on another note DCBluesman, when you say you "...developed my own accounting software...", is that a piece of software than you wrote the code for, and which language did you choose to develop it in.

Just curious is all...I have been looking around on www.sourceforge.org and doing a search for 'inventory' software finds over 300 programs....just trying to figure out where to start is all...

Originally posted by DCBluesman
<br />Mannie - Alan Shaw downloaded and reviewed it last night. I suspect he will give us some impressions. I don't use Quickbooks as I developed my own accounting software years ago. I will probably give this a test run over the weekend. Why not? It's free!
Click to expand...
 
I have been working with this software since last night. I now have my entire business on it now. Before I was using many spread sheets which was ok but not a good way of storing data. I was a programmer and database manager for 20 years. I concerned writing a package a while a but never got around to it.
This is one of the best business software packages I have seen in a long time.

Yes I could create a database and write sql to access the data that I need. But my business now is pens not software. This package has reduced my paperwork and data entry by at least half. Plus now I can create a work order with all the steps in making a pen. Again I have turned my hobby into a business and I need to track my production and productivity.

I have not bought the full version yet but will do so in the near future. I still take the program through all of its steps.

Any one serious of tracking their work, product, parts this is the program for you.

Alan
 
Even though this is a free version it is fully functional. You can save all of your data, Print reports, print invoices. What this will not do is interface with any of the accounting software. You need to purchase the full version.

I spoke to Jason today about the software and from what I got from him is that once you use the software you will buy the full version. Also the new version (full) has a lot more information that can be capture.

Currently I run 3 different type of inventory and data dase programs. They do not interface which means I do alot of data entry into a spread sheet for the information I need. This by far is the best package I have seen.
 
Alan,
Maybe I don't know enough to even know if this is possible, but will this program download/interface/merge (whatever you call it) with PayPal?
 
You can download your PayPal info to a .csv file. I believe, though have not tested it, that the sofware will import a csv file, although it may need some formatting.
 
Originally posted by ashaw
<br />What this will not do is interface with any of the accounting software.
Click to expand...

Alan,

I'm not sure I understand. Does this mean that it WILL interface with Quickbooks if you have the full version? I'm also interested in the PayPal question. Currently I have to copy everything over from a PayPal order to my Quickbooks. Time consuming. Will this change any of that?

Thanks for your time a effort!
 
Alan,
Thanks for the writeup..!

You say: I have been working with this software since last night. I now have my entire business on it now. Before I was using many spread sheets which was ok but not a good way of storing data.

Just curious how you got so much information into the new software so quickly..? Does it have the capability of importing data 'into' the database..? Or did you have to hand jam all data into it manually..?

You say: Yes I could create a database and write sql to access the data that I need. But my business now is pens not software. This package has reduced my paperwork and data entry by at least half

And me, myself, and I all hate paperwork, so if I could cut mine in half it would be very useful. I am curious though if this 'half' is just merely speculation on time saved, since you are only using the 'free' version and loaded it only last night. And don't you have to input the same data into this software as you were before when you were using spreadsheets..?

You say: Currently I run 3 different type of inventory and data dase programs. They do not interface which means I do alot of data entry into a spread sheet for the information I need.

Since I have not had a chance to d/l and try this software, how do you think this software compares to Quickbooks which I am pretty sure costs less if you need to purchase the full functionality that the paid version provides of interfacing with accounting software.

Thanks for your time and input
 
Since I am evaluating different inventory/accounting software packages, still curious if the software package you 'developed' is commercially available COTS software..??


Originally posted by DCBluesman
<br />Mannie - Alan Shaw downloaded and reviewed it last night. I suspect he will give us some impressions. I don't use Quickbooks as I developed my own accounting software years ago. I will probably give this a test run over the weekend. Why not? It's free!
Click to expand...
 
No, John, the software I use is strictly database driven...initially in dBIV and now in Access. It is not available commercially.
 
John

The reason it took me suce a short period of time is the organization of the program. I only carry 7 types of pens and about 30 or forty different materials. But last year I did about 150 pens. This years I am looking at between 300 - 400 pens.
You enter each of your components first with cost and qty amounts. Then you enter all of your products. All of the products are made up of 1 or more components.

I currently have 8 spread sheets for all of my stores and a master sheet for inventory.

Quick Books is very good but I still saw some areas where it did not fit 100% into my business it is also very pricely.

Remember this is a Free software package with no time limit. The full version is 284.00 but I believe they are have a special for 199.95 you need to check out the site.

You can also define the steps to make a pen and assign time amounts to each task. Again it just give you more information about the work withihc goes into make a pen.

I currently doing a complete write up on the product and will be ready within a week or two.

Lou all though there my be a way to access pay-pal remember this is not a replacement for you web site it is a support tool for your business.

Alan
 
Alan - I was just looking at a way of capturing sales and relieving inventory on sales that are automatically recorded by PayPal. I see it as a back-office automation tool. I certainly wouldn't want to add complexity to the shppoing cart process on my website.
 
From what I can see this is the only difference in the "FREE" version and the "PURCHASED" version.

"The Free Version offers all the features of the paid version, but has a limit of 15 records in any table in the program. This means you can enter up to 15 products, supplies, customers, sales etc."

This was taken directly from their web site.
 
Thanks for the tip, Lou. I downloaded the software...and their free PDF "book" and a very large audio file (53 MB, I think it was) with the guy talking about how to better market crafts.
 
Yea, I d/l'ed and saw the same thing:

The Free Version offers all the features of the paid version, but has a limit of 15 records in any table in the program. This means you can enter up to 15 products, supplies, customers, sales etc.

If I only had fifteen records in my business, I wouldn't need a database [:0]
But the 'free' version is certainly enough for a trial run to see if you wish to shell out that much.
It does seem to have a lot going for it, nicely laid out, though for some reason it reminds me of an access database.
 
Have you guys checked out the Penventory System that Jon Beard (webmonk) came up with? THis is what I have been using since he developed it. He is still making changes to it and if there is something you would like for him to incorporate into it, just ask him. If you want to check it out it is www.penventory.com

Here is a link also to a thread that talks a bit more about it.
http://www.penturners.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=16189
 
I was looking at upgrading my QuickBooks and did see that there is a way for QuickBooks users to use paypal. Through QuickBooks Merchant Services you can set up a godaddy.com shopping cart. It's all on the QuickBooks site. Just search for accepting paypal.
 
I use Quickbooks and I can't see them ignoring PayPal much longer. They are hoping for you to sign up for their merchant service, but there are too many using PayPal for them to not have some sort of add on to handle their business. Especially since MS just announced that their new SBA 2007 will accommodate PayPal.

Originally posted by Tanner
<br />I was looking at upgrading my QuickBooks and did see that there is a way for QuickBooks users to use paypal. Through QuickBooks Merchant Services you can set up a godaddy.com shopping cart. It's all on the QuickBooks site. Just search for accepting paypal.
Click to expand...
 
After talking with Jason today. I have even more information about the software.
Free trial version it will only allow 15 entries in each table. This should give you a start for the feel of the software. As far as a interface between your WEB site and the software there are plans in the near future for this. Jason said they are looking at the more popular Shopping Cart interfaces. This will be in the next version or two. Depending on depending on demand they will look at Pay-Pal. It may be some as simple as a cut and paste feature.

I also give Jason the web address to IAP and also thepenshop. Hopefully he can join our site and get the information right from author.

Alan
 
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