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<P align=left><FONT size=3>Avery,</FONT></P>
<P align=left><FONT size=3>I believe you can use the program at=
work and home...</P>
<P align=left>The HOLY GRAIL is ONE program that=
is a customer database, scheduler and financial accounting=
program. It doesn't exist and if it did it would be a huge=
unwiedly program. I will say, that Quickbooks now has a=
Customer Manager program which does link to Quickbooks but it=
doesn't come close to Time & Chaos as a customer=
database/schduler especially in ease of use. It is=
something to check though and it might work for you. </P>
<P align=left>Once you can get over the hurdle of not having=
all this stuff in one program you can get on with your=
life. I have! You also have be realistic=
about what is REALLY necessary in day to day customer=
relations. I think many folks want an elaborate system of=
keeping track of every iota of info on a customer. As=
the years go by you come to the realization that 90% of that=
info is never looked at again. Why keep it in the first=
place? KISS...Keep It Simple Stupid.</P>
<P align=left></FONT>I use Quickbooks for all accounting=
work. I use Time & Chaos for my customer database and=
scheduling. Here is my problem with $ and my database=
program. None of the database programs can do what=
Quickbooks can do with my financial information. They can=
keep track of money coming in and who owes $ etc. but all=
of the other financial stuff such as checkbook and other=
banking is beyond them. Why would I want to=
enter that financial info twice?Because I want to have a REAL=
financial program handling all my $ concerns including billing,=
accts receivable, invoicing & whateve, I KEEP=
THEM SEPARATE! </P>
<P align=left>A typical usuage: </P>
<P align=left>A new customer Mr. Jones calls. I enter his=
info into Time & Chaos' Telephone Book/All Contacts. I=
can name as I want numerous fields in T & C Telephone=
Book/Contacts such as Cross Street, Directions, Piano Name,=
Serial Number, Referral, Childrens Names, etc., but my Palm only=
shows the first 4 custom fields so I need to put the most=
important info first. I use Cross Street, Directions,=
Piano Name, Serial #. I can use the Notes area for service=
records with Time Stamp, children's names or whatever=
I think is important to know at the service call. Now=
Mr. Jones & I decide on an appt. I go through my=
calendar and find the appropriate day, drag his=
name from Telephone Book into the appt. area for that day=
and up comes a edit box for that appt. in which I set the time,=
duration and what ever else I want to go in there. Each=
appt. has a separate notes area for info pertinent to that=
particular appt. These and all notes do show up=
in the Telephone Book. On the day of that=
appt.,I will sync with my Palm and all Mr. Jones info is=
available in shirt pocket. T & C syncs with Pocket PC=
so you could conceivably also have a tuning device in your shirt=
pocket if you have a Pocket PC!. I use the Palm for time=
of appt., directions and entering service info at the time of=
the appt. I typically get a check when finished. I=
don't give a receipt unless asked and use a generic receipt pad=
when necessary. One less thing to do and unnecessary=
except with customers I bill such as hotels, restaurants. =
At the time of appt. Mr. Jones & I decide to tune again in 6=
months. I can set that future appt. in my Palm which=
will come up in T & C after syncing or as I prefer I can=
make a note of this and schedule a To Do in the future in T=
& C when I get home. The To Do will come into=
view on a specified date telling me to call Mr.=
Jones. At the end of the day I sync with my computer=
and any changes from my Palm go into T & C. The $ is=
entered into Quickbooks as a Sales Receipt and hand enter=
the name and amount entered. </P>
<P align=left>Now when I go back after a few years and look at=
Mr. Jones service record, my notes are in T & C show with=
Day Stamp what kind of service I did that day. If Mr.=
Jones changes the appt. it is as simple as dragging the appt. to=
another day and editing the time as necessary.</P>
<P align=left>Having said all this I will admit that a college=
technician taking care of 100 pianos for one school might find=
this program lacking for them. An Excel spreadsheet might=
be better for keeping track of numerous pianos for one=
customer. You could set up T & C using the Telephone=
Book/Contacts with each studio or location of a piano in the=
Last Name field. </P>
<P align=left>I think the typical self-employed piano tuner will=
find Time & Chaos does all you really need.</P>
<P align=left> </P>
<P align=left>David Ilvedson</P>
<P align=left> </P>
<P align=left> </P>
<P align=left> </P>
<P align=left> </P>
<P align=left><FONT size=3>----- Original message=
----------------------------------------><BR>From: Avery Todd=
<<A href="mailto:atodd@UH.EDU">atodd@UH.EDU</A>><BR>To:=
<<A=
href="mailto:dm.porritt@verizon.net">dm.porritt@verizon.net</A>&=
gt;, College and University Technicians <<A=
href="mailto:caut@ptg.org">caut@ptg.org</A>><BR>Received:=
Thu, 26 Feb 2004 10:11:40 -0600<BR>Subject: Time & Chaos=
(was RE: Client database)</FONT></P>
<P align=left><FONT size=3><BR>Dave & others. <BR><BR>I'm=
considering trying T & C and I have two questions for those=
of you who <BR>already use it:<BR><BR>1. Is there a way to also=
enter amounts earned, expenses, that type of thing?=
<BR> Or do you have to do that with a different=
program?<BR><BR>2. The site indicates that it is registered by=
user, not by computer. So it <BR> seems that I could=
have it on my school AND home computer for the=
same<BR> price. Is that correct? <BR><BR></P>
<BLOCKQUOTE class=cite cite="" type="cite">I think you can try it=
for 2 weeks or so. </FONT></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><FONT size=3>I=
just looked at the site and the free usage is for 21 days. The=
$45.00 price <BR>is correct. <BR><BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE class=cite cite="" type="cite">By then you'll know if=
you like it. You can get it from:<BR><A=
href="http://www.chaossoftware.com/chaos32.html"=
eudora="autourl">http://www.chaossoftware.com/chaos32.html</A><B=
R><BR>dave</BLOCKQUOTE><BR>Avery <BR></FONT></BODY></HTML>