I tried out version 1 of Customer Manager (don't know if there's a newer version), and was very unimpressed. You only had one or two custom fields; you couldn't search on anything but last name (not first name, not city, zip code, nuthin'); you couldn't *sort* on anything but last name. I found it much less powerful than the Palm's contact manager. And I don't bother putting every single customer into QuickBooks; for accounting, cash received on day of sale I enter as a sales receipt. --Cy-- ----- Original Message ----- From: "Roy" <roy.peters@mindspring.com> To: "Pianotech" <pianotech@ptg.org> Sent: Thursday, December 15, 2005 11:42 PM Subject: Re: Piano Service Software > List: > > Quikbooks makes a Customer Manager program. It's not too expensive..I > think it was $89. > > I made the switch from PTBiz at the start of the year. I was able to > import names, addresses, and telephone numbers from my PTBiz customer > database via the process that John previously described...creating a CVS > file using the mailmerge function. > > QBCM can sync with data in both Outlook and Quikbooks. So, any changes > you make in one program will change info in the other two. You can set > QBCM so that it uses the Outlook calendar as it's primary calendar. > That's what I did. So, my PocketPC syncs with Outlook on the desktop, > and then QBCM syncs with both Outlook and Quikbooks. You can add a > customer in Quikbooks, for instance, and the info shows up on your > PocketPC, and vice-versa. > > There are two minor drawbacks. > One) The syncing process with QBCM is a little bit "clunky". You have to > have QBCM, Quikbooks, and Outlook all open to sync them. > Two) Appointments don't appear in the QBCM customer history unless you > make them from QBCM. Appointments made in Outlook (on the PocketPC, for > instance) do appear on the the Outlook calendar in QBCM, they just don't > show up in the customer info. > > Overall, the switch to Quikbooks and QBCM is one I've been happy with. > PTBiz really isn't an accounting program. It keeps track of income, but > not expenses. It's good, as far as it goes, but it's much nicer to have a > program which keeps track of both. The whole goal is to have less work to > do come tax time. Also, Quikbooks is putting out updates just about every > year, so I'm not stuck with an obsolete program. I expect they will > upgrade the QBCM program as well. I've already recieved one update. > > Another thing about Quikbooks is that they offer seminars through > associated accounting firms so you can learn how to use the program. I > went to one last fall, and it was well worth it. > > It sounds like others out there have found good solutions also. I think > that we all have our own ways of operating, and just have to find what > works well for each of us. > > Roy Peters, RPT > Cincinnati
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