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View Full Version : Synchronizing contacts/invoices/bookkeeping/etc



tomciara
07-04-2005, 01:07 AM
I am completely asynchronous with an OLD database program that does invoicing, a Palm pilot that's pretty decent for contacts, but they can't talk.

I don't want some fat telephone with a keyboard on it because my phone is in my pocket a lot. My last one hung from my belt and was always getting stuck on things when I crawled around.

I don't really want to do a Microsoft Outlook plus build some Access database that does invoicing. It just doesn't sound practical to me.

You are probably thinking that nothing is going to be satisfactory for me and maybe you are right. I'm interested in how you guys keep stuff straight.

It would be nice to be able to keep customer info synched to their invoices, ready to merge into Word for letters to them, and ready to dump to the Palm for out in the field stuff.

Maybe I just need to get real and make a big change in what I'm using. I don't make changes quickly in some areas.

Thanks for your input.

Gary
07-05-2005, 07:53 PM
This is one of those areas where I think a lot of people are looking for some all in one software package that will "manage their business" the problem is software doesn't manage businesses, people do.

The real solution for this requires a combination of written procedures and software. We have a check list that called the "Master Project Workflow Document" it starts with the first meeting and ends with client training and project close out. The check list references written procedures for most steps, including when and how client contact info is entered into both Outlook and QuickBooks.

To keep everyone's contacts and calendars in sync we use an outlook add-on called ShareOutlook. This software allows us to share a single contact database and multiple calendars among our entire team.

http://shareoutlook.4team.biz/

So if I want to make an appointment for my service manager, I can open my Outlook click on his calendar, add the appointment and it is propagated to everyone else via e-mail.

For phones/PDAs we use Blackberry's, they sync well with Outlook and have great e-mail functionally.

lowvoltguy
07-05-2005, 09:26 PM
This is one of those areas where I think a lot of people are looking for some all in one software package that will "manage their business" the problem is software doesn't manage businesses, people do.

The real solution for this requires a combination of written procedures and software. We have a check list that called the "Master Project Workflow Document" it starts with the first meeting and ends with client training and project close out. The check list references written procedures for most steps, including when and how client contact info is entered into both Outlook and QuickBooks.

To keep everyone's contacts and calendars in sync we use an outlook add-on called ShareOutlook. This software allows us to share a single contact database and multiple calendars among our entire team.

http://shareoutlook.4team.biz/

So if I want to make an appointment for my service manager, I can open my Outlook click on his calendar, add the appointment and it is propagated to everyone else via e-mail.

For phones/PDAs we use Blackberry's, they sync well with Outlook and have great e-mail functionally.

Any chance you can send my boss an email on this subject??? ... I'd love to have a Blackberry :) ... I'm still trying to convince him I need a laptop ... :)

Theaterworks
07-06-2005, 08:19 AM
Any chance you can send my boss an email on this subject??? ... I'd love to have a Blackberry :) ... I'm still trying to convince him I need a laptop ... :)

Tell your boss to get with it, and explain why you will be more productive with a laptop. If you can make a case that the laptop will pay for itself in a year in increased productivity, he will be more inclined to pony up the scratch.

Theaterworks
07-06-2005, 04:04 PM
More on the topic, I'll second what Gary has said; stick with a plan. Whenever we depart from our plan, bad stuff happens.

We use a contact manager for customer info & scheduling. Quickbooks for billing and time records, inventory and purchasing. DTools for bidding, project management, drawings & documentation. A filing system that rarely lets us down, and is backed up eight ways to Sunday. This was built up over a period of years, and seems to work well, but is always subject to change. I would love an integrated, one application system, but it ain't going to happen any time soon.

AHEM
07-06-2005, 11:52 PM
For what it's worth, Peachtree 2006 is now supposed to integrate with ACT.

However, since ACT 2005 is a complete POS, I'm hesitant to suggest using it.

vwpower44
07-07-2005, 04:56 PM
We use access for Inventory, Sales, Service, and OTC Invoices. We use quickbooks for accounting stuff, and Excel, Visio, and Adobe for Proposals.

Mike

idodishez
05-20-2006, 11:25 PM
To keep everyone's contacts and calendars in sync we use an outlook add-on called ShareOutlook. This software allows us to share a single contact database and multiple calendars among our entire team.

http://shareoutlook.4team.biz/

So if I want to make an appointment for my service manager, I can open my Outlook click on his calendar, add the appointment and it is propagated to everyone else via e-mail.

.

Guess it pays to read old posts:) This should get me by for a while.

Theaterworks
05-21-2006, 09:52 AM
The real solution for this requires a combination of written procedures and software. We have a check list that called the "Master Project Workflow Document" it starts with the first meeting and ends with client training and project close out. The check list references written procedures for most steps, including when and how client contact info is entered into both Outlook and QuickBooks.


Would you be willing to share this document? I understand if not, but this could be a great help to those of us that are a little procedurally challenged.

Gary
05-21-2006, 10:27 AM
Would you be willing to share this document? I understand if not, but this could be a great help to those of us that are a little procedurally challenged.

There's our file naming procedure in the files section, that will give you an idea of what our procedures look like. I think about uploading some small pieces of it.