How are you using your computer?

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Jim A

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What ways are you using your computer(s) in your businesses?

Used for the internet?

Take orders?

View art online?

Any other things you might be doing?

Anything that can help us all.
 
I spend a good part of everyday in front of the computer (and not just "grumbling" either.
)

First there's QuickBooks for normal bookwork, but then I also use it for quarterly reports showing how many, of whatever, for which zip code, we've done. I use Access for the customer database for mailings, etc.

I use Publisher to design and work on newsletters and postcards. I scan photos and artwork for whatever "project" I may be working on at the moment.

I answer a ton of e-mail. Some are orders for caning supplies, some are "how-to" questions. Many people send us photos and ask advice. Our website, which at this stage, is just pretty much an "online brochure" is still bring in quite a bit of correspondence.

And I write. I have 2 booklets finished and 3 more in the works.

And of course I do "grumble" some. In fact, the Grumble is directly responsible for a new addition and direction that our business is going.

It has amazed me how much I do rely on and use the computer. My next addition is going to be a laptop so (maybe) I can cut down on all the scraps of paper all over the house where I've jotted notes and ideas. Maybe?

Betty
 
I don't use my computers to their maximum potential, but we run a pos, (write all our tickets, barcode merchandise, etc), Quickbooks (bookkeeping, invoicing, etc.), Works and Picture It publishing (for all the little arty projects we do, also e-newsletters).

We use the internet to look up prints for customers; it is so easy with a cable connection.

We also answer e-mail from customers, and inquiries generated from the website.

My husband scans in his 35 mm slides, uses Adobe Photoshop (soon to be 8., I guess) and prints his pictures. We sell those pretty regularly, so it's very handy for that application, although I don't really have the patience or desire to learn it.

I place some orders online, but not all.

It's also good for Grumbling, though I usually save that for "home".
 
In addition to the usual office stuff you suggest (correspondence, viewing art, record keeping), I use the computer for pricing (via spreadsheet rather than POS), designing mats (Illustrator and MoM), digital photo restoration (Photoshop), fax (faxSTF), newsletter composition (old PageMaker).

Even if something can be done easily by hand, I’ll often go out of my way to use the computer.
 
Originally posted by Bill Henry:

Even if something can be done easily by hand, I’ll often go out of my way to use the computer.
Click to expand...
Bill, I've often found myself doing that as well. I think it's due to the old adage "time is not the factor, it's the accessability."

The computer is just there while anything else would have to be "prepared" for.

Betty
 
Order writing (POS)- most usage
Updating McAffee or Microsoft products!
Customer lists & Records (now part of POS)
Bookkeeping & accounts payable
Check Writing
Payroll & some payroll forms
Grumbling
Hitchhiking
Word Processing--letters, etc.
Updating & messing with POS
Graphics -- fliers & ads
Picture viewing, cropping, etc. (& then printing)
Obtaining government forms or publications.
Occasional customer e mails
Deleting a lot of e Mail ads from places I'm signed up with.

Occasionally business related on line:
Once a year -- W-2's and 1099's.
Looking for sources of frames or framing related materials & equipment.
Ordering on line--like for that print we messed up or from a few occasional use suppliers.
Other business surfing sights & or bulletins, etc.

And a few other things I'm sure I forgot about.
 
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