Software: order taking through invoicing

[dwork]

We're a small shop (2 employees), and about 75% of our orders are from existing customers and sent to us via email. The email is read into our ticketing system (we use OTRS), which we use to track and prioritize jobs. We work up quotes manually, in Quickbooks or Excel, depending on the complexity and type of job. We then bill from QB and flip back to OTRS to close the ticket. My question is this -- is anyone using an integrated system that doesn't cost an arm and a leg to read in emailed orders, track them, then invoice them?

 

[dypinc]

Have you tried to create a job ticket form in Quickbooks? You can add a good bit of columns and fields. You can print out a sheet to follow a job or with a multiuser setup for Quickbooks others can enter that in as steps are completed, or they can just choose another form for different stages of progress. No need to enter things again in another program just to do invoicing.

 

[Sticks]

I looked at several different programs to do this function. Most are off the shelf and expensive. I think I will eventually use Filemaker to do a custom workflow but for now I use ZoHo. Their CRM program is fairly customizable and the subscription is not that expensive. They have a good phone app also so you can modify on the go. The only drawback is it is web based so if you loose internet connection you are dead in the water....

 

[dwork]

Quickbooks doesn't integrate with inbound email, so we're still stuck with two points of entry. Ideally, an emailed ticket could be converted to a quote or an invoice without losing the thread. Zoho Professional would be $40/mo and is web based, a definite minus. Most of our software is open source, and except for Flexi, not subscription. That said, Zoho looks promising.

 

[dmfahie]

We used to use SignVox, switched to Sign-Tracker, works AWESOME, create a quote, and it transfers into QB