Jane42 Posted November 13, 2006 Share Posted November 13, 2006 My partner and I are trying to figure out what kind of program we should purchase to keep track of our inventory and all other necessary information that we would need at tax time.Right now, she uses excel to keep track of the inventory and our expenses, but we have no clue how to make this "work" for us...neither of us has experience in this side of the business. We are not even sure WHAT we want to track it or how. :undecided Is there a program out there that anyone recommends purchasing that could help us out? Or has anyone come up with a basic one using Excel?Thanks for any help you can give us!Jane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crowded House Posted November 13, 2006 Share Posted November 13, 2006 I use Excel right now to keep track of orders, but when I get more organized I'd love to go to Microsoft Access to keep track of inventory. I used Access at a former job to organize their files and the database setup makes it easy to query and cross-reference information so that accurate data is at your fingertips.My biggest problem is getting over to the computer to enter in what I've bought and what I've sold. I wish there was a very low cost POS handheld device so I could just enter in the wax, FO, container, wick, tab, and label as I make candles, or shoot it at a barcode when I sell one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest EMercier Posted November 13, 2006 Share Posted November 13, 2006 I was looking for the same thing. I've done a lot of reserach online. I just want something that I can keep on my laptop or desktop. It would really help on my laptop for shows. I want something that I can put in all my wax, wicks, and such. Then as I make it, it depletes the supply and I should know how much stuff I have and how much I can make with it. Then I can put in my inventory and assign it a faux barcode. THEN, I could use a cheap barcode scanner to take it out and how much I should have made. I know it'll be really hard unless I contact a software person, but I'd be cool right now with just an inventory system to scan a barcode as shows instead of writing everything I sold down. I could take my laptop, scan a list of barcodes and it'll take care of it. Quickbooks Pro, I believe has a retail software that can do that and I believe you can also run cards and print a receipt and you can do this all from a laptop. I'm still witing on my free trial. The software is $799 and you have the option to add a register to it as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherl Posted November 13, 2006 Share Posted November 13, 2006 I highlt recommend QuickBooks Premier. It keeps track of all the inventory, when I put together wax, jar wick, ect into a candle it removes that from inventory and adds a candle.. I run a laptop at shows and it keeps track of sales and tax. With the reports I get instant feed back of my sales less my costs.. I know exactly when I make a profit at a show. I just ran a comparison of last years show and this years.. same sales dollar amount aw before but sales were in different categories. I added B&B and that actually made up the difference in less candle sales. QB can be pricy.. watch EBay. When I got mine the software in the stores was $500.. EBay was going about $300. I got mine at the $300, unopened and unregistered with a $120 rebate back for upgrading, I had a previous version. It has more than paid for itself in the reports I get and the fact I print out a few sheets for the accountant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane42 Posted November 13, 2006 Author Share Posted November 13, 2006 I highlt recommend QuickBooks Premier. It keeps track of all the inventory, when I put together wax, jar wick, ect into a candle it removes that from inventory and adds a candle.. I run a laptop at shows and it keeps track of sales and tax. With the reports I get instant feed back of my sales less my costs.. I know exactly when I make a profit at a show. I just ran a comparison of last years show and this years.. same sales dollar amount aw before but sales were in different categories. I added B&B and that actually made up the difference in less candle sales. QB can be pricy.. watch EBay. When I got mine the software in the stores was $500.. EBay was going about $300. I got mine at the $300, unopened and unregistered with a $120 rebate back for upgrading, I had a previous version. It has more than paid for itself in the reports I get and the fact I print out a few sheets for the accountant.Thanks so much for the input!This sounds like what we are looking for. Is it a difficult program to set up? Is it pretty "user friendly"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest EMercier Posted November 14, 2006 Share Posted November 14, 2006 Off to do some research on QuickBooks Premier. When you take your laptop to shows, how do you keep track of your sales? Is this manual? This is what I might be looking for! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Funky Monkey Posted November 14, 2006 Share Posted November 14, 2006 I second the quickbooks recommendation. I use it for my web design business. Very easy to set up, and maintain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CC on Maui Posted November 14, 2006 Share Posted November 14, 2006 Waving hand.....QuickBooks here, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BubbleBath Posted November 14, 2006 Share Posted November 14, 2006 I feel like the odd one out here. I use Peachtree Complete Accounting, or rather I will be after the 1st of the year (Don't want to change this close to the end of the year!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karenmimi Posted November 14, 2006 Share Posted November 14, 2006 I use QuickBooks Accountant's version.I love it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherl Posted November 14, 2006 Share Posted November 14, 2006 My husband made me a nice cash stand.. there is a counter that customers can write checks on and under that is a shelf I have the laptop on. I have a small printer on the shelf below that. I do have to have electricity.. looking to get some additional batteries so I do not have to print reciepts until after the show if I need to. I designed a sales reciept that takes only 1/2 a sheet of paper and print the reciepts out as I go. CC sales get the copy of the signed slip stapled to it and I keep them seperate [keep stats on total sales/cc sales/ck sales and such]. I find the program pretty user friendly, I'm no accountant yet have been able to make it work.Essentially, I have raw materials as inventory. I make assemblies to make a candle, soap, ect. At a show I sell a candle, print reciept. At any time I can look at the customer job [the name of the craft show, each year is separate] and get a profitability report. The entry fees was already paid out of that job, if I have motel expenses I put those in and as the day progresses, the sales add up, the expenses and COGS are subtracted and I have a figure for my profit. When I get home I print out my profitability report, expense report and if a repeat show, a comparison, item by item on the profitability of each years show. Then everything gets filed and I start dreaming of the next show. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherl Posted November 14, 2006 Share Posted November 14, 2006 I do not know if the Accountant version allows you to build assemblies. I have raw materials that I turn into products and I like knowing how much wax or wicks as have as well as how many cinnamon candles are made. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karenmimi Posted November 14, 2006 Share Posted November 14, 2006 Sheri - the Accountant's version allows for all types of industries and business types; however, it is very costly - actually it is Enterprise Solutions: Accountant's Version. I use it because I also own a bookkeeping and tax business, and use it as well for my candle and soap business. QB Pro/Premier will do a great job.There is actually a QB Premier: Manufacturing & Wholesale Edition for about $400. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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