jb-eye
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Posts posted by jb-eye
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7 hours ago, MrHappy said:
**clicks** like on Norman's post
Yer. But I thought that was clear. Should have said.
”I agree” To H and “sounds good” To Norm (with a like).
Perhaps a Brumie would understand that and not think I was being a male bird.
2nd time this year I’ve been pulled by the Brumie
And. Explain it I did!
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4 hours ago, MrHappy said:
sounds ace, I'd make way more £as self employee alarm monkey, rather than having the mad idea or employing people ?
Wouldn't we all. I made shitz loads more in contracting but can't say I would ever want to go back.
Now I'm going to give the other post a like.
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7 hours ago, MrHappy said:
I doubt it will work like AM once did?
IF a DB saves you a single salary PA then that’s surely a guide to its value.
why have a DB that only replaces a single admin role, the more jobs it does the more it’s value.
To “poke around” on parts isn’t enough, if you control PO your in charge of stock and able to analyse P&L on a per job basis. You can identify your SWAT and adjust or ditch those loss disaplins. I assume you do time sheets for yourself as well as staff.
I completely understand how most self employed people work and why they only need MS diary, spreadsheet and typing. The proprietor is the DB and this works ok to a level.
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Sounds interesting
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I can't even make a recommend. I'm hands on with Cash 4another and that's not going smoothly (it's not for us). Ours is too new to have any opinion.
I think your probably right about investment of time.
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You will have to start a new way of thinking.
I feel you pain, we are about to go live with our new DB. The design was closely based on AM with a wish list. We accept that we’re just going to have to do things a different way.
I get some training or more likely a walk around on Monday. Data is constantly updating although I’m told there is already a bug being worked on, something to do with versions of word.
PDA software is different but it does the same thing. I suppose it’s like Android v Apple.
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4 hours ago, MrHappy said:
when I was paying customer I don't think I got much in the way of support ?
I'm still at loss why they bought a company & shed most of the customers with the 1st year ?
When I was a paying customer I didn’t need much in the way of support.
Pretty much the way things are with all nearly all the things we do. Learn them inside out. This way a general rule means tech support can’t help us, escalation to TSI is more common. -
No one I know here has had support from AM for at least 2 years.
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Stay with AM as long as you can. Im currently struggling to make the switch although I can say I feel sure we can’t go with Mentor.
If you leave things for a few months take the time to come over and check out the progress we’ve made into a comprehensive management system. -
20 minutes ago, PeterJames said:
Of course I used reports I still do for things we need to keep an eye on such as maintenance, 4hr response, who has what panel and on what type of comms.
However, I still do not get why you would need to report on every asset. Maybe its because we dont have that many products that fail? Maybe its because I have one person that handles returns that is savvy enough to notice if there was a particular product constantly failing.
If I needed to get the information you are talking about from my database I could, not as easily as you but I still could, but then again I cant think of a time I have ever needed to.
So the way I see it time saved by doing something v the time it saves you in the long run equals costed time.
Dont get me wrong I get the planning ahead part, in case something happens, but wearing your big coat in the middle of summer just in case you catch a chill is just daft.
If I needed to get the information you are talking about from my database I could, not as easily as you but I still could.
CASH hmm!
Your already inputting the info, so why wouldn't you?
Record the device location, type, IP address etc =asset (includes suplier, purchase, guarantee, fitter, model, firmware etc etc etc.
Recall, update, Stat analysis, KPI. All at your fingertips for NO! additional work. It's a no brainer. Fire alarm device check, all just done. Signaling device etc. All just done.
TBH there is no advantage to selling common sense you either get it or you don't.
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5 minutes ago, MrHappy said:
I think a better deal would be 44k to buy the assets of small co. with a current version of Cash ?
Don't get hung up on an alarm Dbase identify your direction and get something to fit.
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2 hours ago, PeterJames said:
What it does we already understand its why you do it and what use you get from it? Or probably more the point how much use.
I thought I had answered thoroughly. Did you ever use reports in AM? Statistical analysis to identify anything? You possibly wouldn't have had thd best results if you were using a bit of this and that to achieve x, (not a dig) any AM user will tell you the power of those reports. Logically the asset is a move onwards and upwards.
We have a local NSI gold company that use paper only systems. Procedures are hand written and apparently immaculate, jobs are good, I guess they don't see the point in our systems. I would like some of their clientel but I don't want their work ethic.
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1 hour ago, MrHappy said:
I was under the impression you had talent employed in the office with database skill & some programming / development skills ?
I'm reasonably open about business & my abilities
wrong trade, wrong town, wrong time
Fair!
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2 hours ago, MrHappy said:
I never really rated the previous owners, I knew the product was very powerful.
The manner in which the product came set up as an installed product was a very long way from its protentional.
My greatest progress with moving forward with AM was aided by a former employee & your content from TSI
My list price quote from Mentor adds upto to 22k-
Posting in a trade forum is a funny business probay due to people not wanting to admit any lack of understanding. Most AM users were all over any q asked and answered. I am pleased that I was able to help so many reduce an otherwise painful experience.
I never understood why people speced in .doc or used. xls outside of the Dbase. I suppose its just habit. We have committed to shutting down Amaster and changing to our new system which should limit the pain period to just a couple of months. It's not about what we had its about architecture of where we have to be. I said before our job sheets are the best but tech changes and there are now better ways.
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16 hours ago, MrHappy said:
Its rather sad pcdata failed to exploit their product ?
We fully exploited the product. It’s sad the current owners tried to open customer a new relationship by exploiting their position.
The average pcdata user I came across bought a Ferrari to drive to the newsagents.
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6 hours ago, james.wilson said:
I'm a thick Brummie I wonder what the benefits are of "asset level"
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Think of everything in terms of “product” or “asset”.
Product is a system, service, cable, screws etc.
Assets are devices, CPU, batteries etc.Starting a quotation using the above allows the use of your DBase (even excel) and can be shown or hidden and includes attached variables such as preferred, sales uplift, labour, disaplin, allowed/disallowed etc.
A quotation becomes an order and you automatically have your PO to preferred supplier, stock etc. You also have a BOM as well as engineer spec, reflecting on to job sheets including the commissioning job sheet which reflects the asset element.
Moving on to service the asset by example a camera (could be a detector smoke/fire or extinguisher) has a location often determined at commissioning.
The service job sheet has (in our case) a small A=42 which gives the engineer a front page size of a job. On opening the job the eng then has a check asset (it doesn’t say this I’m trying to simplify for you) which is pass/fail etc.
Any asset that is worked on “replace asset xx room G16” due to water damage etc gives a life story of asset all the way back to birth. Add xTbite HDD and upgrade firmware to xx Asset xx in server room.
The process is simple and most are doing this without realising. It just allows a drill down at every level. You already record a meter, power tool reference to your plant and tool log it’s almost the same and the best part is no addition work is required and even less work in the finding stuff in the future.
Do you need more?
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13 hours ago, PeterJames said:
I never really got it working in AM we used filemaker which is easier and far quicker than both AM and cash to produce quotes. If it was down to me we would still be using FM for quotes but using cash makes it easier for everyone else, instead of having two places to look they only have one.
I dont understand most of what you have written, are you saying you know companies that dont state current standards on their spec?
I think your right on the last bit though, no one uses their phone to order stuff
Your definitely going in the right direction.
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12 minutes ago, PeterJames said:
The macro gets the parts from the products in CASH, now I have found a way of not showing superseded products it has made writing specs much easier. It writes the spec line for you you just have to say the room its in and the exact position (with detectors) obvs different for cameras.
Once you have finished the spec you export the products to the excel kit list add how many days cable and sundries batteries etc. Update the lot on cash (its all saved to the customers database) lastly you raise the quote, with prices options and service and monitoring charges.
it automatically takes these from the Excel document. I then PDF the spec and quote and email it. The quote can have several things added to it so if you are quoting CCTV intruder and Fire it can add all three.
The Excel also links to the purchase order, I am not sure how that works as its done by admin when the quote is accepted.
All the macro docs specs and quotes have standard info already on them, I just delete paras that are not applicable, the quote has the acceptance advice and terms on it.
This is surely almost exactly how you did things in AM!1 hour ago, MrHappy said:I've had an on premises meeting with mentor, Cash works better than my current provider (TP)
I think you have mentioned specs ?
They are a macro enabled word document they either can't or the chap does not know - can't refine parts by suitable grade or maybe even system type ?
Its rather sad pcdata failed to exploit their product ?
I’ve had the opportunity to view a few DBase systems, Pete spoke about simplifying things and although I don’t share his view on achieving this I know others use systems in a very similar way to what he described, CASH also confirmed his method would be quite usual for many companies.
By example I experienced a company that treble our business, they use such things as detectors, Dtec /PIR G2 or G3, Door Contact, 7ah battery etc! Signalling is Single or Dual path (no bs/en). The details are entered by other means elsewhere along the line and this is what I fail to comprehend.
SKU is an absolute, someone is doing the work anyway whether it’s
purchaser or supplier, no one phones up and orders a battery and 2 PIRs.
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On 08/02/2022 at 00:11, jb-eye said:
.. The issue of dockets with CASH is mathematical and work flow. If you just want tick box’s you will be fine and you can’t miss something you never had, unfortunately we have been spoilt as jobsheets are a major factor in streamlining our processes and Mentor have been totally forthright in confessing their PDA product can not produce what we have.
I received some news yesterday regarding CASH PDA. Apparently there is now going to be some movement in developing the Field side of the software to incorporate the stuff discussed. The sudden change makes me wonder.
To late for me but good news for some.
Our new field service device now highlights the number of assets (opening page A=55etc)on every job, all the way from quote-PO--install-service-replacement-ofLife. I actually hope this is working smarter. Got the open bank link sorted as well which should slash admin time.
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In 1979 I started working for a Gentleman called Paul Miller, his company was called Sonic Alarms. Paul went on to open his own ARC call National Monitoring. Sonic alarms introduced bar codes to all its stock items which were scanned on service etc. It took me almost 20 years to catch on.
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1 hour ago, PeterJames said:
This fixes my problem
I said It looked promising and I meant to have a look but ran out of time. I will check it out after school holidays to see if I can find an easier method.
I would seriously investigate looking at the way you setup your systems NOW and that’s not suggesting your current methods don’t work but from my own past experience it’s a long way back in the future.
Aaron suggested treating items as assets, I should have thought to say the same but sometimes I make assumptions.
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2 hours ago, MrHappy said:
whatever works best for you,
That’s not helpful it just means “whatever”.
Exclude from product looks promising, however referencing the word quote in cabinet doesn't sound like the best idea, it’s a work around.
A DBase is good for feeding info for printing docs to PDF, Word etc, BUT the data should remain the work horse. By example if you make changes to a job then those changes are recorded on the commissioning sheet and these are fed back to the DBase. This will automatically produce a new as fitted spec in PDF, Word etc (issue 002 xxxxxx) which goes to the filling cab.
This highlights my gripe with the PDA on CASH as the info will not feed to the DBase which means it has to be entered manually as the PDA is little more than an electronic form of paper albeit better.The referencing quoted by 6WB is crucial at the point of set up, we left chronological space for 100 detector types on setup and not using half dosent cause any issue.
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10 hours ago, PeterJames said:
What I dont need is superseded parts in my products list, especially the speed that the CCTV industry is changing, I want to be able to get my quotes out the door quickly and efficiently and most importantly using the latest products, and not accidently quoting something obsolete.
I think you do need them. When do you discover a part is superseded? At point of ordering? Contract review?
Whenever it is you mark the part in your parts section of your system so it can’t be added to future quotes but the record stays for past installations. It’s similar to marking graded product so you can’t include G2 on a G3 job or intruder on fire etc.
As for the latest product, that’s up to you how often you check and add new (superseded) product, but once you decide on what your approving remember to mark older product so it can’t be used in the future as well as altering your quote template, simple housekeeping tbh.
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On 01/02/2022 at 18:49, PeterJames said:
Our AM is still running on some PC's but it has fell over a few times since but we have managed to fix it, I cant get it to work on my machine at all now though despite copying the adata winini froma working machine (which usually fixes most problems). Not sure what the difference is between the AM and Cash ap but the CASH ap does everything we need I cant think of a thing that it cannot do. By the sounds of things neither can you
Just picked up on this. I’m very interested in your progression with CASH. I’m early days with implementation of our new DB and as I have already reported I believe some areas are weaker than AM where others are definite fixes such as the open and closing of pages you mention. The issue of dockets with CASH is mathematical and work flow. If you just want tick box’s you will be fine and you can’t miss something you never had, unfortunately we have been spoilt as jobsheets are a major factor in streamlining our processes and Mentor have been totally forthright in confessing their PDA product can not produce what we have.
Can a mod please give me access to these trade forums?
Cash for Windows
in Business Management Software
Posted
Well I’m 12 months on and the worst of it is I still haven’t implemented the new system.
We are still operating from Alarm Master and mirroring things on our new system. The largest single issue is transferring data, mainly as our specs, job sheets etc are not actually a doc, pdf, xls etc, they are data and therefore not easily transferable to a completely different system. The easiest thing would be to continue to have AM running but this alone is proving difficult. Asolvi have really wrapped this up. The new system should be running like a dream in let’s say 5 YEARS.