has anyone built their own software?

[ericheartsu]

Or hired a company to build something for them for shop management?

Still having some issues with some software that we bought not to long ago (i.e. tons of bugs, and 1 response a week/see other posts), It's got me looking at other software. Everything else that i see isn't really striking my fancy at all, so i'm thinking about building out some software.

Just looking to see if anyone has done the same?

[ebscreen]

Yessum. Filemaker Pro, which almost all shop managament software (inc Shopworx) is based on. Been developing it over the past few years or so, off and on. Initially just to get pricing (uses Sanmar db for products/pricing and our own pricing spreadsheet) in line and make the billion estimates we send out daily way easier. 

Now it does everything from put approved estimates into Quickbooks to organizing customers folders/art, automates mockup sending and approval, print setup (Put in the colors/mesh counts/sequence/squeegees/flashes output to Illy for the artist to make the seps the way I want the job to print) press sheets, ink mixing, blanks ordering, financial forecasting (how much I make this week?) etc etc.

It really is amazing and I do not know what the hell we would do without it. There are those that will tell you that your time is better spent doing other things and they are probably right but in the end I have a complete shop management program that does exactly what I want it to do, and if it doesn't I can probably make it. I will post screenshots if I remember tomorrow.

[Get Shirts]

I would love to see it!  I'm having a lot of difficulty settling for any of the product out there. 

[whitewater]

Priceit is nice....just sayin...

[ericheartsu]

Priceit is nice....just sayin...

Price it is great if you use the big companies for apparel. I use a ton of smaller vendors. Also with Price it, or any of this software, it doesn't fit the need of what i'm doing. I've spent a ton of time building a calculator on our website, to knock out the majority of what alot of these software offer. What i'm in need of is a good system that can make tech and spec sheets, and so far everything i've seen hasn't been that great.

[Sbrem]

I'll second FileMaker Pro. Lay it all out on paper first, that should cut down on the corrections later... We used it 20 years ago when we started out, but eventually switched to QB. Now that we're going to Price-It, we needed to have a copy of FMP, and it all just came back...

Steve

[blue moon]

Priceit is nice....just sayin...

Price it is great if you use the big companies for apparel. I use a ton of smaller vendors. Also with Price it, or any of this software, it doesn't fit the need of what i'm doing. I've spent a ton of time building a calculator on our website, to knock out the majority of what alot of these software offer. What i'm in need of is a good system that can make tech and spec sheets, and so far everything i've seen hasn't been that great.

tech and spec sheet for the ppl on the press or the customers?
If for the ppl on the press, TeeCal has a pretty comprehensive layout. It is a couple of menus down, but it covers more than you'd want.

pierre

[printavo]

I ran a shop in college for a few years and ended up building software for it.  Sold the shop and now I focus on growing the platform (in my signature).  It's been a fun time so far.

[ericheartsu]

I ran a shop in college for a few years and ended up building software for it.  Sold the shop and now I focus on growing the platform (in my signature).  It's been a fun time so far.

i like your software, but it's not the right fit for us! but do like you and printavo a ton!

[Doug S]

I just started using TeeCal.  It may not be geared towards huge outfits, but for me it's perfect.  Not to mention the ease of intalling and networking.

[Sparkie]

I write code/apps for my own personal use. I am currently working on an app to help me stay consistent when quoting jobs.

If you let me know what your exact software needs are, maybe I can whip something up for you. If not, I've got connections to other coders who might be able to help.