This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment ----- Original Message -----=20 From: "Cy Shuster" <741662027@theshusters.org> >I use Quickbooks and a Palm. There seems to be a natural division of = data=20 > between customer tracking, scheduling, and accounting. >=20 > For example, in Quickbooks, I don't have a full customer database (and = their=20 > customer database add-on is very primitive): I enter most transactions = as=20 > Sales Receipts (since I'm paid on the spot), and use a handful of = dummy=20 > customers: Mr. Cash Taxable, Mr. Cash Non-Taxable, etc.; those totals = are=20 > good enough. I only enter into Quickbooks the customers who don't pay = the=20 > same day (and those I enter as Invoices). These are the only ones = that I=20 > enter twice -- and I don't need driving directions, etc., in = Quickbooks... I'm familiar with Quickbooks - I used it back when I did environmental = consulting. I see you idea of the dummy customers - indeed, that would = keep a lot of stuff real simple. Do you give your customers a receipt? = If so, how & what kind? I know the functions/features of Quickbooks are quite extensive. My = guess is that we would only use the basics. Would something like Quicken = Home & Business have all the functionality the piano technician might = need? FWIW, I have been using PTBiz for years. I like it - I don't love it - = but it does what I need it to. The one BIG thing I don't like about it = is that I can't run it on a PDA-type computer like a Palm Pilot or = whatever it is they have now. =20 > My full schedule and customer database are on my Palm, so my schedule = is=20 > always at hand and current. On the Palm, you can enter data into the = Note=20 > field on almost any record type. For customers, I put driving = directions=20 > and service history there (there's a nice shortcut "ds" for "date = stamp"=20 > that inserts today's date; see Prefs | Shortcuts). Don't forget that = data=20 > flows both ways between the Palm and Palm Desktop, so you can do major = data=20 > entry on your PC and then just sync up. Are there places for recording stuff for calling for next appointment? = Piano type, model, serial number, etc.? Can you search the database? Can = it do things like give you weekly list of calls for appointments that = need to be made? This is critical for me because I have a group of = clients that wish for me to call them at their regular intervals to = schedule the next service appointment. Terry Farrell > I looked at Time and Chaos, and honestly didn't see many more features = than=20 > what Palm Desktop has. >=20 > Of course, I'm only tracking 150 customers, but I'm still only using = half of=20 > my Palm's 2 Meg of memory. >=20 > --Cy Shuster-- > Bluefield, WV ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/pianotech.php/attachments/08/88/55/50/attachment.htm ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment--
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