I've been using Microsoft Outlook to keep track of my work/projects. It doesn't lend itself well to more than one person. I also carry a yearly calendar for quick notes and phone calls when I'm out of the office. It helps keep track of things but is difficult to 'search' for notes, names etc later in the year.

Does anybody have experience with a scheduling calendar that works well for service work? It would need to be flexible but easier to understand, minimal cost, possibly link to QB, etc.

I'm not in the field, and I'm also stuck with Outlook. As an appointment organizer for one person I reckon it's OK, but as a record keeper it stinks, even for one. I've toyed with trying to create something in MS Access as a database application but have done nothing yet beyond thinking about it.

I use Palm Desktop on both the office computer and the PDA. I believe that you can have more than one user, but don't know if it would show multiple users on the same calendar. I thought that Outlook was supposed to be able to show everyones meeting and time out of the office.

The search function is pretty good, but has a few quirks, like if you are showing customers and search for a supplier the search will come back empty.

Go to www.handango.com for time tracking software for use on PDA type devices.

QB Customer Manager syncs with QB but is only good for one schedule not multiple.

Which Outlook are you using? I just picked up MS Office Professional 2003. This one you can open up more than one calander at a time and show them side by side. One thing I do is use the label feature. I schedule who's where using colors. My van is white, one guy is a bluish grey, and the other guy is a yellowish tan. Get's tricky when you schedule two guys at the same place. Since I use blue or yellow for the two trucks, naturally green is when they are together.

I also just picked up a book Outlook Inside & Out. I figured it's about time I learn this program's limits. It really seems more versatile than most other software. I just wonder if they could have accomplished the same thing with a slightly simpler concept.

But my point is, Outlook may have a solution, it's probably just a matter of finding it. BTW QB will sync to outlook and pocket PC.

PE&Master,

If you ar still looking for a scheduling tool, I just ran across this http://www.insightdirect.com/electrician-software/ Service CEO.

Looks like pretty good stuff. anyone using it?


[This message has been edited by Jps1006 (edited 11-28-2006).]

I've used it. As with any system, it has its quirks. The main problem that I had with it was its integration with QBs. It did not import customers and invoices directly into QB, rather it made all invoice entries into one customer(service ceo) through journal entries. You really had to drill down through the details to get info about any transaction. Also, once an invoice or dispatch were created, they could not be deleted at all. Once it was completed, it could not be modified or changed. It does have some nice features, but I now use and prefer Electronic Service Control.

The Service CEO does NOT have a demo version to try, and also after you purchase it, you can not sell or transfer the license agreement. I found that out the hard way

REW,

That looks like good software too. http://www.coastalcomputercorporation.com/html/whatsnew.html

I'm curious if I could ask....

How much for a single user? (didn't see prices readily available on the website)

Do you track inventory?

I'd like to track inventory as a method of jobcosting and I might look into this to see how simply it could be done.

We are using AyaNova, hands down beats most service and sched software out there, our inventory, quotes, price book, and sched calander, the price is very good, try the demo, www.ayanova.com

The cost is $2k for a single user. I do track inventory. Inventory can be tracked only when it is applied to a JOB. That means each DISPATCH must be assigned a JOB. It is just another couple of steps, so it is worth it for us. It can also track travel time and working time, and it has all of the regular reports, plus a technician profitability report.

You didn't hear it from me, but there is a little negotiation room with the cost. Tell them that you were looking to spend $1k on Service CEO and that you don't have $2k in the budget right now. Ask them to meet you in the middle. My salesman agreed, but then gave me a few freebees for the full $2k.

"The cost is $2k for a single user"

The reason we went with AyaNova, does all that, and more at $145, we looked at all the others out there and they were up there in price, and we wanted a lot of features. with ease of use.

REW, Nice Web Site!

[This message has been edited by LK (edited 11-29-2006).]

thanks, but I can't take any credit for it, it is just a template. I did however write the copy for it.

I have been using the Sheduler in Ayanova,I really like it

http://www.ayanova.com/images/sshot.jpg

I'm trying the demo version of AyaNova but not too happy with it.

We don't keep the scheduling software on the same PC as the QB software but AyaNova makes you keep a copy of QB on the PC that it physically resides on. In other words, I can't use my LAN for linking my QB with the scheduling software. Maybe I'm missing something though?


[This message has been edited by PE&Master (edited 12-02-2006).]

We try to make it a simple as we can, we bill with AyaNova, then just post to QB, posting, lets us bill and send statements, from QB.

The scheduling software is designed to work on a server, so if both QB and Aya was on the same server, or the same computer, there should be no problem, operating on seperate computers, would present a problem with any lic software.