Estimating Software

[JTBoh]

What do you :signs101:guys use for estimating jobs and keeping your records? Just curious.

 

[john1]

SignVOX

It's a monthly charge of $129 and it's so worth it. Estimating, custom management and invoicing all in one. Send proofs and invoices through the system and all.

Estimate and the others are a waste compared to this system IMO

 

[Letterbox Mike]

+1, Signvox. Ridiculously awesome. Has revolutionized our business. I can't say enough good things about it and the company. Some smaller shops seem to initially scoff at the price ($129/mo) but trust me, regardless of how small you are, you'll recover that money almost immediately in time saved. For us it's entirely eliminated a full-time staff member in the amount of work it saves us.

 

[cgsigns_jamie]

+2 for SignVOX... Awesome product and Awesome people!!

 

[LarryB]

+3 for SignVox. Saves so much time entering orders and billing. Also pricing is more consistent. Just do it.

 

[thewvsignguy]

I re-installed a program called Estimate 4 years ago on a XP machine and use it everyday. I bought it for $350 well over 8 years ago, I can't see paying $129 a month for something you will never own. I have heard good things about signvox but the prices has me running far, far away.

The downfall to the Estimate software is it used a license to "unlock" the features you want to use. When I re-installed the software 4 years ago I was told that they are not supporting that software anymore.

 

[HulkSmash]

I re-installed a program called Estimate 4 years ago on a XP machine and use it everyday. I bought it for $350 well over 8 years ago, I can't see paying $129 a month for something you will never own. I have heard good things about signvox but the prices has me running far, far away.

The downfall to the Estimate software is it used a license to "unlock" the features you want to use. When I re-installed the software 4 years ago I was told that they are not supporting that software anymore.

130 a month is like 1 small banner...

 

[CheapVehicleWrap]

I re-installed a program called Estimate 4 years ago on a XP machine and use it everyday. I bought it for $350 well over 8 years ago, I can't see paying $129 a month for something you will never own. I have heard good things about signvox but the prices has me running far, far away.

The downfall to the Estimate software is it used a license to "unlock" the features you want to use. When I re-installed the software 4 years ago I was told that they are not supporting that software anymore.

So what you're saying is you got screwed anyway? BTW, that program SUCKY SUCKY.

 

[mopar691]

I re-installed a program called Estimate 4 years ago on a XP machine and use it everyday. I bought it for $350 well over 8 years ago, I can't see paying $129 a month for something you will never own. I have heard good things about signvox but the prices has me running far, far away.

The downfall to the Estimate software is it used a license to "unlock" the features you want to use. When I re-installed the software 4 years ago I was told that they are not supporting that software anymore.

I agree. A tad over 1500 bucks a year is a trip to Vegas for me.

I feel my workflow can use a bit of improvements but not at that high of a price tag. I do not feel that any software can improve the estimating that much. Making the estimate and billing all flows so fast within quickbooks I do not know how I can make it any more streamlined.

I am optimistic and maybe if I see how this works and what it can actually do then I can give a better opinion. But I can not see this being a catch all. Every job in my shop still has a packet that follows it thru, whether its a simple coro sign or a 1000 pcs screen print order.

 

[Letterbox Mike]

I agree. A tad over 1500 bucks a year is a trip to Vegas for me.

I feel my workflow can use a bit of improvements but not at that high of a price tag. I do not feel that any software can improve the estimating that much. Making the estimate and billing all flows so fast within quickbooks I do not know how I can make it any more streamlined.

I am optimistic and maybe if I see how this works and what it can actually do then I can give a better opinion. But I can not see this being a catch all. Every job in my shop still has a packet that follows it thru, whether its a simple coro sign or a 1000 pcs screen print order.

You'd be surprised. $129 is a very very very small price to pay for what this program does. $1500 per year is not that much. It eliminated a $25k/yr. AR/bookkeeping person for us, and I'd estimate it saves just me alone 15-20 hours a month not having to babysit the shop or chase down orders like we used to, not to mention everyone else here. And believe me, our previous system was dialed in and ran like a well oiled machine (we used an estimating program, job board, detailed work orders/job packets, and Quickbooks).

Just saying, people really need to look past the cash outlay every month (Colorado is right, it's 1 banner a month anyway) and consider what that $129 buys you. I guarantee you can't run your shop like a well oiled machine from an iPad while you're sitting on the beach in the Bahamas drinking a margarita with your current system... To me that alone is worth $1500/yr.

Do one of Signvox's free webinars to see what it's all about. It's worth it!!

 

[jmb474]

We also have been using signvox for a couple months now and it has really helped streamline how our office runs. Makes both our estimating and production run much smoother and more efficient.

 

[VTSigns]

I have used Cyrious Software in our shop for about 9 years now. It works well for what we do. Seems to me that we paid about $3000 for the software. It's not perfect but it does what we need it to do. We are small and don't really need advanced sales management features like some POS software offers. Cyrious works great for estimating and sales orders. We use it to email estimates and invoices primarily. I visited SignVox's booth at ISA last week and it looked more in depth for what my small company needs. I wasn't blown away with what I saw but it did look like a nice setup with a lot of advanced features. I'm never really one for a subscription based service like SignVox is but people on here who use it swear by it so it must be worth it for their company.

 

[john1]

I'm tired of hearing this hooplah on the $129 price tag on signVOX per month. I am as small as sign shops come and i can afford it and i LOVE IT.

I had about a half dozen quotes come in today and i quoted each one within 10 minutes each AND i knew what margin % i was making, my costs on the job and my profit on the job in dollars. Hell, when a customer gives you a deposit, it tells you the % of the job that's paid for on the job board and the remaining balance when you look at the open invoice. No guess work, no bullcrap.

Done a few jobs? Awesome, simply export to quickbooks and BAM it's all put in, no invoicing a second time or nothing. Have to send the customer a email with a proof, quote or invoice? No problem, simply email them from the software.

If a shop like mine can afford this with no problem, The rest must be doing some completely wrong because it makes perfect sense to have this in your shop.

I can't tell you how many times i have heard from a business friend of mine how unorganized he is because his current software only does estimates and doesn't invoice things or keep track of jobs. I sit and chuckle because i am using signVOX and it WORKS.

 

[CheapVehicleWrap]

I guarantee you can't run your shop like a well oiled machine from an iPad while you're sitting on the beach in the Bahamas drinking a margarita with your current system... To me that alone is worth $1500/yr.

Good Lawd, it's true?

 

[TwoNine]

I'm tired of hearing this hooplah on the $129 price tag on signVOX per month. I am as small as sign shops come and i can afford it and i LOVE IT.

I had about a half dozen quotes come in today and i quoted each one within 10 minutes each AND i knew what margin % i was making, my costs on the job and my profit on the job in dollars. Hell, when a customer gives you a deposit, it tells you the % of the job that's paid for on the job board and the remaining balance when you look at the open invoice. No guess work, no bullcrap.

Done a few jobs? Awesome, simply export to quickbooks and BAM it's all put in, no invoicing a second time or nothing. Have to send the customer a email with a proof, quote or invoice? No problem, simply email them from the software.

If a shop like mine can afford this with no problem, The rest must be doing some completely wrong because it makes perfect sense to have this in your shop.

I can't tell you how many times i have heard from a business friend of mine how unorganized he is because his current software only does estimates and doesn't invoice things or keep track of jobs. I sit and chuckle because i am using signVOX and it WORKS.

Okay - First off. I know SignVOX is a merchant member here. I know a lot of you use this system. But, John, I'd have to disagree with you in saying that there must be something wrong with you to not like this system. (Maybe cause I'd like to think there is nothing wrong with me??? Maybe.) I haven't said anything previous, but we tried SignVOX here - and the basis for the software is great. IT DOES HAVE IT'S QUIRKS THOUGH!

That being said - I didn't dislike it so much that I will never look to it again in the future for a possible solution. It just seems to me like the software is in it's ultra-infancy. Currently an excellent Beta build, but far from version 1 in my opinion. And right now...I'll just come out and say it....It's too expensive for all of the things that still need to get worked out.

Now I know that many will more than likely slice me open on this one - and so be it...But I have a difficult time paying 100% prices for 75% of a software package. I felt like I was paying to be a beta tester and note taker. (Sorry, Kevin - nothing personal here....)

This is a creative industry - and I feel that there are things in there that should be much, much more customization in certain areas. I have talked with Kevin about it - and he said they are working on it...Which I totally believe...But for reasons like this, I say, it is only partially complete.

So. If you're in the market - check it out - It does do what it says. It manages customers, gives quotes, sets reminders, etc, etc, etc, etc.

But, IMO, I think there is a lot of room for improvement (AS WITH ANY SOFTWARE) - but there are some things that were very frustrating for us.

-Chad

 

[MatthewTimothy]

I like it, but as others have said it's pricey and Id rather spend the money elsewhere. Gpysy introduced me to filemaker pro. Works clean, she added some video demos here and for starting out it works great for the price.

 

[Gene@mpls]

I re-installed a program called Estimate 4 years ago on a XP machine and use it everyday. I bought it for $350 well over 8 years ago, I can't see paying $129 a month for something you will never own. I have heard good things about signvox but the prices has me running far, far away.

The downfall to the Estimate software is it used a license to "unlock" the features you want to use. When I re-installed the software 4 years ago I was told that they are not supporting that software anymore.

Estimate is alive and well- they switched to a per month program a couple
years back but they still support the earlier purchased versions- they even
have free upgrades occasionally. I like it- it works for me. Gene

 

[Farmboy]

+1 for Estimate. Does what I need it to do.

 

[David Wright]

I'm tired of hearing this hooplah on the $129 price tag on signVOX per month. I am as small as sign shops come and i can afford it and i LOVE IT.

I had about a half dozen quotes come in today and i quoted each one within 10 minutes each AND i knew what margin % i was making, my costs on the job and my profit on the job in dollars. Hell, when a customer gives you a deposit, it tells you the % of the job that's paid for on the job board and the remaining balance when you look at the open invoice. No guess work, no bullcrap.

Done a few jobs? Awesome, simply export to quickbooks and BAM it's all put in, no invoicing a second time or nothing. Have to send the customer a email with a proof, quote or invoice? No problem, simply email them from the software.

If a shop like mine can afford this with no problem, The rest must be doing some completely wrong because it makes perfect sense to have this in your shop.

I can't tell you how many times i have heard from a business friend of mine how unorganized he is because his current software only does estimates and doesn't invoice things or keep track of jobs. I sit and chuckle because i am using signVOX and it WORKS.

Please John, spend your own money not mine.

 

[john1]

Please John, spend your own money not mine.

Here we go, Someone who is passionate about what works for them and everyone comes bashing them.

Look, i am not the only one who thinks the same about SignVOX. If you truly think $129 is a lot of money for something that does more than just estimating for your business on the fly, then i am sorry to hear that.

It works great for me and having used estimate and graphixcalc in the past, I can say those softwares work but that's about all it does. They are not as in depth as this program and it's totally worth it. There are no stupid sliders you adjust hoping your estimating correctly or drop downs with multiple levels of services to adjust the price, Just to the point estimating tools. I am sure the ones complaining spend $129 on coffee and skittles every month so really it's a investment.

I know people using SignVOX that are a $5,000 a month shop, and i know people who are a $50,000 a month shop using it so it really works great all around.

 

[MatthewTimothy]

I dont understand why estimating software companies are charging monthly fees. In reality you technically never own the software but are paying a usage fee. Also, I dont want my POS system online, its more accessible to viruses, hackers, and any malicious attacks.

EDIT:
By the way Kevin nice upgrade to the site