Business Contact Manager

[Guest Oxo]

Ahh see dont use outlook.

Be good if you could see, might convince me to get it.

[Adi]

also some web app thing i cant remember and mobile conectivity

http://www.microsofttraining.net/versions/office-difference.php

[alterEGO]

http://www.pcworld.com/article/182504/office_2007_vs_office_2010_ribbons.html

[Adi]

An inbuilt PDF writer

[Rulland]

I use Office Student 07-this is what I get, would be interested in 2010 tho......

[Adi]

the new one is still using the ribbon layout, just its swapped the office button in the top left corner

[Guest Oxo]

Cannot see anything there that making me want to upgrade TBH.

Ta for the links.

[MrHappy]

An inbuilt PDF writer

used cute pdf for yrs,

@ work all cleints are xp have one machine on offic xp, others are 2003, visio 2007

my laptop & net book are 7 + office 2010 + visio 2010

personally I prefer office 2003 & xp pro & can find & do stuff quicker, it once too me over an hr to proctect & unprotech a doc with word 2007 to fill forms, there mere tools I don't use half the features as it is !

@ work I think my server requires a patch to more over to 2010 so for the ime being I saying a couple of yrs behind in the IT game

[digitalwitness]

I jumped to office 2007 when it came out and I am still regretting the decision. Way too often I end up saving documents in 2003 as many people could not read the 2007 version, not really a problem doing it other than I have no clue which ones can open 2007. Maybe we are just more backward over here :'(

2007 also has BCM, have to admit it was useful for the odd email campaign but do not know the difference to BCM in 2010.

I remember there used to be a briefcase setup some time ago for keeping all docs in sync if edited by multiple locations, no idea was it any good though.

[Guest Oxo]

I run two desktops with XP Pro, word 2007 pro.

Lappy is Vista Pro and I like it, word 2007.

All run Firefox and Thunderbird. Removed IE and Outlook.

Tried Chrome,not impressed. No faster IMO.

Of course all have had RAM taken to maximum...........well memory is so cheap now. Although would not mind using solid state, rather than HD is it still £100 a Gig?

Seen one machine with it and it was rapid!!!!

[Adi]

Cannot see anything there that making me want to upgrade TBH.

Ta for the links.

the only reason i was to upgrade is to get contact manager to email service reminders. Im quite happy with office 07

[james.wilson]

Well sia towers runs xp on the desktops and office 2000 (except outlook which is 2003)

More than a couple of years behind, but no problems

[Adi]

I jumped to office 2007 when it came out and I am still regretting the decision. Way too often I end up saving documents in 2003 as many people could not read the 2007 version, not really a problem doing it other than I have no clue which ones can open 2007. Maybe we are just more backward over here :'(

2007 also has BCM, have to admit it was useful for the odd email campaign but do not know the difference to BCM in 2010.

I remember there used to be a briefcase setup some time ago for keeping all docs in sync if edited by multiple locations, no idea was it any good though.

All my docs to clients are sent as pdf, mainly because of my business name font, but also keeps the file layout as intended.

Ive never used BCM before so no idea on differences

[digitalwitness]

the only reason i was to upgrade is to get contact manager to email service reminders. Im quite happy with office 07

Office 2007 has business contact manager also, but not all editions, maybe you can add BCM to your exiting office 07?

[Cubit]

There may be some restriction on using it professionaly etc. Might be worth checking and be careful etc

there is.

but who would know

as to original question, BCMis a an absolute memory hog. virtually unusable.

[Adi]

Office 2007 has business contact manager also, but not all editions, maybe you can add BCM to your exiting office 07?

think its a few hundred quid to add on.

there is.

but who would know

as to original question, BCMis a an absolute memory hog. virtually unusable.

That scares me, even on a decent machine?

[digitalwitness]

think its a few hundred quid to add on.

Ouch! Not worth that then.

That scares me, even on a decent machine?

I can see what Cubit is saying here, I thought it was maybe my setup but BCM is buggy for me. Reminders I have never set popping up and hanging outlook for a while, I cannot seem to find where to turn them off either :'( My overall experience with BCM, It does leave me believing there must be a better software for doing it, its not a high priority for me so I have not looked.

[hpotter]

still on 2003 here.

outlook for what we call our 1-31 & access for customer info. most of customer records are paper with scan for backup to bt server updated end of each day.

all rm's are booked by telephone call.

been looking again at AM only really for quotes & stock control, not so sure want a steep learning curve nor complex system. Our V simple system works for us & our customers (& we do ask), & being simple, mistakes are easy to correct quickly.

most accts done by ddm or bp, again checked daily.

[Adi]

dont think id rely on software for quotating unless someone can prove me wrong.

I can use MA to do it if i set it up, but as each site can be different i reckon pen and paper is best BUT BUT BUT

im getting increasingly (do not bypass the bwf) with trying to find quotes ive done or part done or have ended up on ten different bits of paper, then cant find them all quick enough, me office has gone to pot lately, i used to alright and on top of everything.

I did do an excel quote sheet, but never use it. By the time ive openned it, typed in what i want then a price each item, i may as well just wrote it down.

Anyway got to get it sorted soon, get back on top of things, stress is giving me head aches the last few weeks.

[Guest Oxo]

In another guise I set up Sage to cross reference with prices and units.

Just set up templates, sure you can do it with Excell.

[hpotter]

dont think id rely on software for quotating unless someone can prove me wrong.

I can use MA to do it if i set it up, but as each site can be different i reckon pen and paper is best BUT BUT BUT

im getting increasingly (do not bypass the bwf) with trying to find quotes ive done or part done or have ended up on ten different bits of paper, then cant find them all quick enough, me office has gone to pot lately, i used to alright and on top of everything.

I did do an excel quote sheet, but never use it. By the time ive openned it, typed in what i want then a price each item, i may as well just wrote it down.

Anyway got to get it sorted soon, get back on top of things, stress is giving me head aches the last few weeks.

bog std quotes no probs with paper unfortunately getting more complex ones & turning up on site with item(s) forgot (composite to vga converter today - to make use of server monitor not one we supplied), hence looking around.

what i like about paper (all in own folder) is i can spread the lot out and get overall view, whereas on pc, one, maybe two sheets at a time. dont just mean installs, also looking at history of site if issues. thats prob just me working in old money .

[Adi]

In another guise I set up Sage to cross reference with prices and units.

Just set up templates, sure you can do it with Excell.

i can do that in microsoft accounting, i add more but not in public, dont why i started the post here, i wont again.

And then for time, each site is different so you couldnt have a set time per item.

This is why i cant see software quoting working unless your a big firm with big customers who expect big bills

[Guest Oxo]

Sage had a "factor" which could be applied. For variations, time could be another.

[alterEGO]

i can do that in microsoft accounting, i add more but not in public, dont why i started the post here, i wont again.

And then for time, each site is different so you couldnt have a set time per item.

This is why i cant see software quoting working unless your a big firm with big customers who expect big bills

It works mate, it all depends how many quotes you are doing.

We got to a stage where i was doing over 20 SDP a week(and we are a very small firm), i've had to hold back on some of the contractors as i couldn't keep up. Alot were off plan.

I know alarm master will sort alot of this out for me, as for rates etc, you can have all different labour rates to cover all these issues.

It can and does work, and the bigger you get, the more you will need it. Try that servicelife trial.

[Adi]

i downloaded it last night mate, i think you have shown us that before, quite a while ago.

There are a few bits in there that seem ok, things that ive seen or heard of in the bigger software that you all use.

But alot of it, is what i already have.

I wouldnt use it for invoicing.

If i was going to use quoting software, i have MA.

Outlook looks after me services with reminders 2 weeks before.

Site details would maybe benefit me.

and some other bits, its on me lappy, i'll have a look again later and post.