Workflow software, what works for you?

[Chriswagner92]

I found Airtable just before while looking at youtube video reviews on infinity. so far it seems to be great. might put it to the test for a few weeks.

I just like the table view. I dont know how much more i will really use. We just use it for job tracking and to follow up jobs that are still sitting there. Seems to have automations too. haven't tried yet.

I use Airtable, it is wonderful. I have one set up for my inventory and pricing that we all have access to, and one for my job database, linking vinyls and pms colors, proofs and production files, deadlines, everything, all in one place. If you format it correctly you can easily look up jobs for a specific color or anything you want.

 

[Pauly]

There is a downside to that though.

How often does one change software solutions because each one doesn't offer (and that lacking may be different from each one) exactly what is needed at any given time?

You also run the risk since you aren't in control of that solution that something could happen to the solution itself, the direction that it's going in etc or it flat out dies. I have to wonder about some of the solutions that have been hocked on here with their owners as MMs on here and now nowhere to be seen and the people that used to love them are using something else. So always have to be willing to move on to the next one. Rolling your own provides more stability in that regard. One solution may offer what you need, then down the line, that is no longer an ability or they change it in such a way that is it no longer efficient and have to learn a different way. And I have to tell you, we as end users have less control with the direction that software is going now.

Find a solution now and then over time, here and there put something together. May take longer then two wks from start to finish spread out even though it may only be two weeks if compressed it to full work days, but at least it won't seem like the daunting task of all right here, right now.

And if you want something to be done quicker, roll it out using web languages (since you mentioned PHP knowledge) and just deploy it over a server (or use webpack and deploy it that way on a NAS that everyone can get access to)

But like I said, I'm a zealot when it comes to something like this, the swift change of the direction of software in this past decade, I just don't like it at times and I love tinkering with computers, but I just don't like the direction that some vendors are going in.

Oh trust me. I'd love to have my own solution running on a dedicated server, all integrated etc. But again, I just dont have the time for it. And right now i dont think spending a lot of time building a solution like that will benefit us at this point in time. That will come when i probably have 5? employees and then id know exactly what i need.

I suppose this stuff does take time. I love optimising workflows and removing bottlenecks.

At the start, we ran around with USB sticks! now i have a dedicated RIP server on a network. Every job is on that server, all organised into folders. now anyone can work on any job anywhere in the our shop and we keep track of the jobs with our workflow software. When the print file is ready to go, we can RIP it on demand. no delays at all. (i plan to set up hotfolders for the rip eventually)

I just eliminated dropbox and google drive for clients sending us files by having our own dedicated file uploader on our website. works much smoother than relying on dropbox.

next will be new invoicing software that can integrate with our ecommerce. maybe a solution that can integrate ecommerce, invoicing and workflow all in 1. maybe filemaker is the solution? im not sure here as i haven't looked into this yet but this is probably minimum 6 months - 1y away.

 

[Pauly]

A

I use Airtable, it is wonderful. I have one set up for my inventory and pricing that we all have access to, and one for my job database, linking vinyls and pms colors, proofs and production files, deadlines, everything, all in one place. If you format it correctly you can easily look up jobs for a specific color or anything you want.

View attachment 149428

absolutely love this.
May take some notes on your layout.
How many people do you have on the plan for that to all work for you?

I don't have production files on mine, to large and easier on my server. but we keep proofs and measure files on mine

Do you use separate boards for your inventory? i like this idea. Will implement our inventory on ours.

Only thing i do differently is once our jobs are done, we delete them as i don't see any reason to keep them. We keep importable files (client logos etc on file though)
I did this years ago and all it did was waste storage space.

 

[Pewter0000]

We've moved to CoreBridge as well, just recently. The quoting is good, but since we're a small workforce it might be pretty expensive for what we need.

 

[ColorCrest]

Is that how long it would take a seasoned FM pro to make something like that or a beginner? I really want to play around with it but like Pauly I don't want to add another distraction to my ever-growing pile

Perfectly understandable of one's time, but yes, the newbie can build what is commonly known as a "WIP List" in just a few minutes. It actually takes more time to write a tutorial than create the end product. (More later.)

 

[WildWestDesigns]

It actually takes more time to write a tutorial than create the end product. (More later.)

Very, very true.

 

[White Haus]

Perfectly understandable of one's time, but yes, the newbie can build what is commonly known as a "WIP List" in just a few minutes. It actually takes more time to write a tutorial than create the end product. (More later.)

Cool, thanks. Will set some time aside to play around with FM demo and see if I can wrap my head around it.

 

[Chriswagner92]

A

absolutely love this.
May take some notes on your layout.
How many people do you have on the plan for that to all work for you?

I don't have production files on mine, to large and easier on my server. but we keep proofs and measure files on mine

Do you use separate boards for your inventory? i like this idea. Will implement our inventory on ours.

Only thing i do differently is once our jobs are done, we delete them as i don't see any reason to keep them. We keep importable files (client logos etc on file though)
I did this years ago and all it did was waste storage space.

So I have 2 or 3 users added to each board, the inventory and job board are two different files; It can probably be integrated into one, but I'm not that great with spreadsheets. It's great because when you expand records you could see exactly who changed what, and when. We try to keep as many files as we can, it seems that whenever we delete an old one for a customer we don't think will be returning, they come in next day asking for a reprint.

 

[Pauly]

So I have 2 or 3 users added to each board, the inventory and job board are two different files; It can probably be integrated into one, but I'm not that great with spreadsheets. It's great because when you expand records you could see exactly who changed what, and when. We try to keep as many files as we can, it seems that whenever we delete an old one for a customer we don't think will be returning, they come in next day asking for a reprint.

View attachment 149454

Oh yep, I have something similar on an excel spreadsheet.
might be better having it on the software also, as if i change the spreadsheet, i need to update everyone.
More to think about. Thanks!

 

[FatCat]

I think we all look for the "perfect solution" for job/shop organization. I agree that a custom built software would be ideal, but how many of us are that tech savvy?

 

[ColorCrest]

We try to keep as many files as we can, it seems that whenever we delete an old one for a customer we don't think will be returning, they come in next day asking for a reprint.

Why do you find it necessary to actually delete records?

 

[WildWestDesigns]

I agree that a custom built software would be ideal, but how many of us are that tech savvy?

This is actually not the case. I know so many think that, I even thought that.

There are many, many frameworks that abstract away the computer science of it all. Even with frameworks that use C++, which has the nasty reputation as having a steep learning curve.

There also has been explosion of what is called "low" or "no code" frameworks as well.

I get not having the time or even the desire, those are perfectly fine reasons. But the "barrier to entry" is not the same like it was to programming like when I was a kid. There is some, my head still hurt a little while learning, but it isn't like it was when I was a kid. It really isn't.

 

[ColorCrest]

I think we all look for the "perfect solution" for job/shop organization. I agree that a custom built software would be ideal, but how many of us are that tech savvy?

My neighbor's cat wears a smart collar.

 

[Chriswagner92]

Why do you find it necessary to actually delete records?

Mostly just to free up space or superfluous garbage art files. We don't really need to, but it's nice not having to dig through 30 files to find the one good one.

 

[Pauly]

Why do you find it necessary to actually delete records?

We delete records also. most of them we will never use again.
we delete all client jobs after a week from pickup. unless it's a logo, branding or signage from repeat clients.

 

[ColorCrest]

We don't really need to, but it's nice not having to dig through 30 files to find the one good one.

Sounds like you might be able to use a good naming convention for better organization. Do you use job numbers for your progress calendar / board?

 

[ColorCrest]

We delete records also.

A system of just omitting records from view, instead of deleting records, is the norm.

 

[Chriswagner92]

Sounds like you might be able to use a good naming convention for better organization. Do you use job numbers for your progress calendar / board?

We only use number ID's for invoices, otherwise I have them grouped by the company we are building the sign for, then business name, and if there are multiples of the same business I add in the address. My folders just get cluttered with files of single elements, or low-res proofs etc.

 

[ColorCrest]

We only use number ID's for invoices, otherwise I have them grouped by the company we are building the sign for, then business name, and if there are multiples of the same business I add in the address. My folders just get cluttered with files of single elements, or low-res proofs etc.

You might consider a more common method of using those invoice numbers as job identifiers on your computer system. There are a lot of business organization benefits of doing so.

 

[ColorCrest]

I think we all look for the "perfect solution" for job/shop organization. I agree that a custom built software would be ideal, but how many of us are that tech savvy?

Are you using spreadsheets at your shop?