Service material estimating software/database

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bigjohn67

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We are researching putting laptop computers in all of our trucks. Can any of you suggest a database program or template that would work like the supply house programs. Here is what we want to do.

All of our techs are skilled with estimating the time it takes to do a job. We want to inventory the truck stock and have sort of a point of sale program that will calculate the cost of the material that comes off the truck in a quick and simple manner. We want to create the "inventory" and the pricing.

When our tech does the job, he just points and clicks on the item and it places it in the "invoice" When all items are entered this way, it gives him a quick and easy total.

Does anyone have a suggest of a good inexpensive program that is ready to use for this purpose?

Thanks
 
Re: Service material estimating software/database

Hi BigJ,
Do you really need laptops? Why not some sort of PDA. Will you need a live wireless connection back to the shop or can you do a sync-up off-line? I think PDAs would be cheaper. Laptops are big and they have more things to break than a PDA.
 
Re: Service material estimating software/database

I think I get it. You don't care about syncing it in real time with the shop, you just want the tech to know what's in his van, and what it costs, right?

Still seems like a huge undertaking, depending on how far you want to go with it. I think our service trucks stock 3 or 4 different colors of devices, alone. :D
 
Re: Service material estimating software/database

WE have over $7,000 worth of stock on our trucks.
Hard to keep track of every price and be fair and make a profit off of it.
Example: a tech uses the following on a job

30ft 12/2 romex
9 red wire nuts
4 duplex ivory outlets
4 " plates
4 metal sw boxes
4pr f-clamps
20 9/16 staples

We want them to be able to click on those items and get a total cost to the customer within minutes without guessing to ensure we get paid for the cost of the items plus a fair profit.
 
Re: Service material estimating software/database

It sounds cool, but I think you'd be a long time before a laptop paid for itself, put to this use.

Why not just a spreadsheet printout of the inventory, broken down in a logical and efficient manner, that the tech could just jot down on his invoice and tally by calculator? Even with a reasonably decent sized font, it would probably be max, ten pages long, right?

How much would you guess you lose in inventory not charged to customer? Are there other factors than that?

Do you have an estimate of the time until the laptops would pay for themselves? Just curious. :) Does sound nifty, though.

[ March 17, 2005, 10:47 PM: Message edited by: georgestolz ]
 
Re: Service material estimating software/database

The internet is a wonderful place. We can get the laptops for under $500 each.
We figure we loose that much in a year in material not being billed correctly per truck.
Red wire nuts alone cost 8 cents a piece.

So in the first year they will pay for themselves and still have money left over. We already have 750 watt inverters wired in the trucks that we use when we do service changes when no power is available.
 
Re: Service material estimating software/database

The laptop idea is not suited for an electrician's van. The hard drives will fail if bounced around, the keypads will lose keys if rapped with screw driver, razor, pliers....The screen cracks too.
Use a solid state PDA or Pocket PC, no hard drive, no keyboard. They are able to run many of the same programs that run on PCs. My iPaq is 3"x5", runs xcel, outlook, word. I have used and owned many laptops, I would never put one in my van. I have my iPaq in my breifcase or on my console every day.
 
Re: Service material estimating software/database

There are programs available like EPIC electrical pricing inventory control by vision software. They give you the list plus 3 columns of pricing. The only trouble is commodities change so fast and are affected by area that they are never accurate.

You can create you're own discount schedule if you like.

The cost per month is dependent on how often you get updates.
 
Re: Service material estimating software/database

I just got done doing a Sears service center remodel, and all of there vans had a laptop in them. they had a bracket in between the seats that held them in place. There was a GPS also so they could track the van and give good estimates for arrival times. For software there are a bunch of time and material programs out there. Here are a couple that come to mind-
Vision
I2 trade service

Dont let the pricing scare you, they all can be brought down with a little effort.
 
Re: Service material estimating software/database

We have a pricing sheet that each electrican carries in his truck based on standard materials. It has the resale prices on it. Some of the material listed is not on the trucks. In the event the electrician uses something not listed, he will call the shop for a price via nextel. He then generates an invoice with a calculator.
I also would not put a laptop in a service truck. It would be like hanging a sign on the window "Take Me"
I do like the PDA idea. I may have to explore that.
 
Re: Service material estimating software/database

I was going to use my laptop and get a small printer from Staples for $250.00 until the laptop got knocked onto the floor and doesn't work anymore. I have a Treo 300 PDA phone with a free software on it called "Best Price". You can put in info like Store, Item, Price, if its on sale or not, if you bought it, if there is a rebate. It works good for tracking prices of large items like Load Centers, etc... I use this same PDA for taking business calls and checking email too.
 
Re: Service material estimating software/database

Also, you can get the Craftsman-Books National Electrical Estimator for 2005 for $24.99 which lets you download it in a file online. I think it is $52.00 if you order the CD-Rom
 
Re: Service material estimating software/database

bigjohn67, I think your on the right track. I don't use any specific program but I do have a laptop in my van to write and log my service tics, do my mileage, keep an endless library of O & M's and I gota tell ya it's my most important tool in my box. The laptop idea is suited for an electrician's van. The hard drives do NOT fail if bounced around, the keypads do NOT lose keys if rapped with screw driver, razor, pliers....and the screen never has cracked. With Wi-Fi becoming more & more prevalent, the possibilities are endless.

Keep thinking out of the box bigjohn67!

[ March 22, 2005, 04:05 PM: Message edited by: lghtning4u ]
 
Re: Service material estimating software/database

I use a T & M program from CA called Power on my laptop for servive work and small jobs,it pad for it self in a few months. There is also a estimating program for biger jobs,a great tool.
 
Re: Service material estimating software/database

i2 Trade Service has what you may be looking for with their Relay software. You still need the Tra-Ser pro sowtware for the pricing.

i2 Trade Service has a Price Guide and an Electrical Sales and Service Manual with pricing of many of the materials that you would need. This book is updated quarterly.

The electrician could have it in his truck and look up the prices for hand written invoices.

Saves a lot over the bells and whistles of a laptop in the truck. The truck is a very harsh environment for a computer, expect some downtime-at least have an alternate solution.

Here are some links to i2 Trade Service.
Trade Service

i2 Tra-Ser Pro

i2 Price Guide

i2 Electrical Sales and Service Manual

i2 Relay
 
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