Hi David! Thanks for the response. I've enjoyed my past 10+ years with the dinosaur named PTBiz. What I like about it is that I have my client database, with three or four clicks I can have an appointment scheduled when they call (the appointment will have dat/time, piano, service history, appointment tasks, directions, etc. After my appointment, one click turns the appointment on my calendar into an invoice (manually add services rendered). And then after that I can enter payments, or track past due amounts if they didn't pay that day. I can generate reports of how many/who's pianos I have serviced over a month or year. I can generate accounts receivable reports, etc. I can also generate call lists (a list of people who are due for their yearly service call). From what you are saying about Daylite for Mac coupled with QuickBooks, it appears you can do much of what I'm currently doing on PTBiz. Can it do everything I've listed? More? I was looking at PianoScheduler - it looks really nice and is ready- made. Pricey though....... You were one of my fellow techs who told me (and I thought about) in the past (couple/few years ago - Rochester?) that your experience was that hiring administrative help really was a boon to your business. It may take me a long time to do some things, but eventually I get there! Thanks! Terry Farrell On Oct 4, 2010, at 12:45 AM, David Andersen wrote: > Look at Daylite for Mac. I've been using it for a year (almost;) > very, very good. Pricey but flexible and unbelievably adaptable; > works great with QuickBooks. We've got 5 computers synced up and > it's an excellent system for us. I use it with my IPhone, my laptop, > my office manager's laptop, my bookkeeper's laptop, and my second > technician's iPhone. Once you get the hang of it, it gets pretty > seamless. You may need some help (a Mac consultant) to get it set up > and running right....things become very, very automated and very > easy to track, inspect, and manipulate. So far, very reliable and > enjoyable after the initial (for us) glitchy period. > DA > > > > On Oct 3, 2010, at 2:05 PM, Terry Farrell wrote: > >> Hi Folks. Looks like another round of software for client >> management questions. >> >> I've recently initiated arrangements with a woman to do most of the >> administrative tasks associated with my piano service business. >> I've been using PTBiz for more than ten years now. However, as it >> is not being upgraded or supported any more, relying on it for >> anything in the future is precarious at best. >> >> So what's the latest and greatest? Basically, I'm looking for the >> functionality of PTBiz (I like that silly little program!), with >> something that can be synced among two or three remote computers >> (mine, hers, and a field computer). I would prefer something for a >> MAC, but can possibly work with a PC. >> >> Talking with a few computer-savvy friends and digging on the web, >> it looks to me like File Maker Pro 11 might be the way to go. >> Anyone using it? >> >> Thanks! >> >> Terry Farrell >
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