[X4U] Heavy duty job trafficking & tracking software

[Brett Conlon]

I hear you, and thanks for your input, but there are realities that I 
can't avoid:

1) Management are pushing for one.
2) Automatic reports can't be extrapolated from paper timesheets - reports 
the client is requesting and we must deliver!
3) Another thing this software needs to be doing is assisting us in 
SCHEDULING work, which, without the assistance of software, would require 
a full-time position alone - a position we're not willing to spend on 
administration unless absolutely necessary. Hopefully the coordinators, 
with the assistance of the new software, can easily take care of 
scheduling the work themselves.
4) Archives of old jobs are a quick search away - difficult, time 
consuming if impossible with paper records.
5) We're currently using Lotus Notes databases to capture our job details 
(quite well) but there are no reporting facilities nor scheduling.
6) We're using terminal emulation software to log into an old text-based 
unix proggy for time capture and invoicing but that is to be replaced 
soon, hence the need for the software I'm looking for to be able to 
integrate with other systems and not be completely proprietary.
7) Capturing time on jobs is currently as simple as logging a job number 
and letting it run as long as the work is being done. Swap jobs - change 
numbers in the time capture software. I don't want the designers to get 
bogged down with having to log every tiny thing they are doing: - now I'm 
designing; now I'm doing production; now I'm printing; now I'm reading 
emails; now I'm taking a dunny break, etc.

A solution, they want, so a solution (or perhaps after much research a 
report stipulating there is no solution)  they will get.

Cheers,

Cojcolds





nk <netkat at comcast.net> 
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Subject
Re: [X4U] Heavy duty job trafficking & tracking software






this is not what you want to hear, but I'd recommend sticking with 
paper and pencil or some kind of printed sheet people can fill in as 
they go.

I have worked in many studios larger than the one you describe, and 
have seen all kinds of schemes designed to capture every minute doing 
every task so that efficient billing can happen, but they all fall 
flat, the software-based methods do.

You're still relying on somebody DOING something to record their time! 
but with software you have many layers of issues and complications 
setting it up, getting it to run, configuring, etc.

just my 2 cents, but if the bigs can get it done with paper and pencil, 
odds are your firm can, too.

nk

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