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ArtLady

SGF, Supreme Grumble Framer
Founding Member
Joined
Oct 13, 1999
Posts
1,245
Loc
Lawrenceville, Georgia
I have reviewed many software packages for this industry and can not find one to replace the now unsupported frameworker package that I use now. I reviewed a popular one recently and found that they only occasionally use invoice numbers. All accounting audit trails need a consistently used invoice number. Everyone comes close but not close enough. Since I was a systems analyst for 8 years before changing careers I find that every package falls short. I would like to find a package that uses invoice numbers, has a due date reporting descending sequence by date, the ability to enter and change items and customers on the fly, the ability to specify chop or length on orders, the ability to connect an inhouse work order to a piece of framed art to look up how it is changed, the ability to change a workorder so with or without affecting the price so look ups will be correct in the future when the customer comes back, the ability to export data to other packages so I can do my own reports, inventory control to the extent that I can maintain the number of feet with over/under transactions, multiple workorders on an invoice with a separate number for the invoice for audit trails, the ability to close one of many workorders on an invoice without closing the whole invoice to allow accurate need reporting, the ability to lookup old orders by customer in an easy and convenient fashion, Windows 95 compliant, the ability to hook up an inhouse frame order to piece of framed art to conveniently lookup how it was framed, password protection for certain facilities, instantaneous customer balance updates, split customer payment transactions (ie part cash, part credit card), customer lookups for cash receipts at pickup time, the ability to post messages on an invoice for condition and value estimates of the artwork, build a frame with unlimited mats, frames, mounts,a link to quick books, etc...and much more. I will limp along until I find all of these. Help, I anyone knows of a package that can do all this let me know.

[This message has been edited by ArtLady (edited 10-14-1999).]
 
ArtLady,

You listed many areas of concern, but didn't indicate which programs you've thourghly examined.

I can only say that as popular as Lifesaver and FullCalc are, I had found two others that I liked.

Not as well known, Ferensoft is a really good looking, friendly program, written by John Ferens of Washington State. Go to: www.ferensoft.com for more information.

We have personally installed Specialty Software Systems and we're doing this as I post this reply. We chose it, because if was the only framing software currently written that we felt, seriously addressed pricing and selling gift items. Contact Jeanette and Jeff King in North Carolina for further information: www.specialtysoft.com They are great to work with, and are typically at all the major trade shows.

Regards,


John

-------------------------------------
John Ranes II, CPF, GCF
www.theframeworkshop.com
jerserwi@aol.com
Appleton, Wisconsin

[This message has been edited by John Ranes II, CPF, GCF (edited 10-14-1999).]
 
The frustration expressed here is no surprise. Although it is directed at the software companies it should really be directed at both the users who expect one package to do everything, accounting, point of sale, visualisation, work orders, customer contact etc all this at a relatively low price in a small industry. The other group which is responsible for this state are the major suppliers. Companies who sell millions of dollars of art, mats and mouldings but are not leaders in the introduction of new systems and in fact try to get the smaller software companies to shoulder much of the cost for both development and maintenance of the information that helps to sell their products. I know this because through one of our products, Custom Framer software, we deal with it every day. Even some of the major contract framers expect to get the ideal system for a fraction of what other industries know it costs to develop.
 
Dear Marsh,

I hear your frustration. However, I believe that my requests are not too excessive. There are ways to design packages that make a lot more sense from an accounting and auditing point of view. Consider also that some of us users are computer literate when the application development software is chosen. There needs to be a way to get additional information from the core database that is beyond the scope of a software package (ie dabase files, foxpro, access, etc.). Limiting exporting to name and address lists is frustrating for us folks.

Lets get more functionality with more user defined fields.



------------------
Timberwoman
AL
I cut the mat, I pet the =^..^= cat.
 
Art Lady- This is near and dear to me and our similar problem. The biggest stumbling block we've encountered is the inabilty of most programmers to fully understand the need for the issues you so rightly bring up. Let me share an example of several similar responses.

We are different than most ma and pa operations, and have some complexities that are unique. But asking for simple additions (we use Fullcalc) like totalling usage on history reports was met with "Why do you need those figures?" or setting a simple option of selecting a specific cost and then a separate retail the typical response was"You are the only person that has ever asked for that". Until the people writing this industry software expand their own knowledge of the business at hand, we will get what we have. Someone needs to take the initiative to move the industry to a higher level of performance, not to a lower level of expectation. And I get tired of the apologists saying that I need to get my own program, that the industry doesn't need any better than what's offered. That is precisely the point of what's wrong. If you ask any (every) current software vendor, I'm sure to a company, they feel they are offering a state of the art sysytem. Maybe the market is too small to deserve serious entree by the real pros of the software trade, but it doesn't mean we shouldn't expect better, a lot better. But as long as it is dominated by framers turned programmers, that probably don't have a fundamental grasp of the issue you and I talk about, I dont expect it will change. But I continue to suggest that the limit of the program is driven more by limit of the programmer than the limit of the market

ArtLady-You are so dead on right in your criticism
 
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