Originally posted by FramerDave:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr /> I was wondering if there were people out there who were experiencing the some problems with the software, and if anyone wanted to talk about it.
Perhaps if you had mentioned exactly what your problem with it was and asked others for their input, or asked what features other people would like to see you would have gotten a better response. </font>[/QUOTE]I didn't want to join and then list everything that I have ever had a problem with while using Lifesaver.
We -have- written them tons of emails telling them what we think should happen to the software.
The guy that runs the joint told us that they try to listen to everyones views on the software and do what they hear the most of. that got me thinking that I should join here and get lots of folks to talk about lifesaver.
Some things that would RULE if lifesaver were amended are as follows:
*It would be my dream come true if that opening screen worked as a background and you could have many tickets open and then minimize them. If you could have one ticket open, minimize it, open a new one, minimize it, accept a payment, etc.. that would be ideal. As it is now, you can either write up a ticket, or accept payment. If you're helping someone in the shop and writing up a ticket, you would have to put it on hold and go back to it to accept payment from the guy who's just come in to pick up. Then you would have to fish it out of Lifesaver's dungeon to resume.
which brings me to my next point.
*There should be an area on the main screen of the software that reads "Tickets on hold," or something like that where I can mash that button and come up with a list in alphabetical order or by date. That way, you could easily manage files, or even call Ed and ask him if he had thought any more on a design he had to ask his wife about, etc.
*The Find should work like any standard search engine, and give me a little list of "hits," like google would... but you guys know how I feel on this point.
*numerical fields should accept numbers only.
*backspace should NEVER change fields.
*why the **** is there a seperate box for w and h in the image size, but not in the finished size? why do I have to type the x?
*when you go to find something by ticket number, you have to highlight the entire field or it puts a zero and screws up what you're typing.
*something is wrong with fields where you are supposed to type in dollar amounts.
it gets all hung up! like today, I was typing in that this lady was giving me $260.00 cash. it got all hung up and wanted to only let me type in $26.00. Why doesn't this work? I can't make it any clearer that I want to TAKE THIS LADY'S MONEY and its giving me hastle so I have to highlight and start over like 2 times. MAKE IT EASY.
*There should be a keyboard shortcut for virtually everything.
for instance, when you get a prompt like you would for shutting a ticket and it says something like do you want to save it this way? Yes/No.. I should be able to mash n for no. Every other program would let me. Not lifesaver.
*there should be some type of on-mouse-over that displays the description of a moulding/mat. I don't know how many times I have looked up a customer's ticket to find out what frame they had or something. All I get is L29384928349! some of them I can remember, but not all. Then I can either print the work order so it might tell me there, or I can go to the mldg database and search! MAKE IT EASY. THE COMPUTER KNOWS WHAT THIS MLDG IS. JUST SHOW MEEEEE. it doesnt have to show all the time, but I should be able to see it if I want. It would also keep me from typing in something wrong, which doesn't happen often, but if you type in a mlgd you know to be black and type it wrong and it says 3" gold, you'd go, OOOPS.
*There should be a way to mark a ticket as picked up, like you can mark it done. (Like FullCalc.) Then at the end of the week/month/whatever, I could print a paper that says this stuff hasnt been picked up and I can call around to remind folks. I won't have to look all over the place and at every ticket to say, oh I should call her its been a while.
*The ticket should print out the reveals instead of only the fractions for the mats. Then I can just stab the number into the wizard and not have to think about the fact that 5.25 minus 4.875 is .375.
I don't know. there are a hundred things!
some of it just boils down to crappy programming. things should be streamlined. I have never cursed at a program as often as lifesaver and I grew up using the computer. Like I said, I have a lot of ideas just because I feel like I have been using computers for ever and it doesn't feel like a regular program.