Follow Me On:
The Adventurous Silversmith
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Portfolio
    • Metal Work >
      • Chasing & Repousse
      • Holloware
      • Jewelry
      • Other Wonderful Items
    • Fiber Arts >
      • Temari
      • Yubinuki
  • Resources
    • Library
    • Tools & Equipment
    • Links
  • About
    • Artist Statement
    • Curriculum Vitae
    • How it is Made
    • Contact

Business Geekery

10/28/2012

 
Yes, I am being geeky in this post, but it is in my nature I am an engineer after all. 

Why? 

Well, currently I am evaluating the various jewelry software programs for me to use.

Why? 

Because I want some way to not only track my finished pieces so I can sell them but a good program will also allow you to track the value of my finished pieces, what components, and their value, that went into making it, how much labor/time went into the piece, who bought my work, who do I buy my components, and the like. 

I know, some of you just use a spread sheet but not me, if I am going to do this, I am in all the way.

Why?

During my life as a manufacturing engineer I had to use an ENTERPRISE level program that did this. This is called an ERP package which is short or Enterprise Resource Planning. This allows you to record a sales order which drives purchasing the parts for the item being bought if the parts for making it are not in stock/inventory; which then causes production to make the piece; and the shipping department to send it out the person who placed the order. WHEW


After I left manufacturing engineer in went out into the world as I consultant, guess what I did for several years... I helped companies install and set up their new ERP packages and change their business processes to work with the new and improved software. 

Now, as a Software Engineer, I could actually write such a program but then I would never have time to play in my studio, which is why I am trying them all out.

And now you are going to ask, what programs are you looking at? Let me tell you what I am NOT looking at: Quickbooks, Sage, PeachTree accounting or any of the other general small business packages because I know how to set up and use these packages and some just have more than I need: Payroll and a full chart of accounts for example. I am not saying that I might not end up with one of these general accounting packages but for now they are on the bottom of my list.

I am looking at the software that appeals to the small jewelry maker since many offer the ability to add pictures and print out price lists and such. So here is what I am looking at: 
  • Bejeweled Software : http://jewelrydesignermanager.com/products/
  • Beading Software: http://www.beading-software.com
  • Beadia Jewelry Business Manager: http://beadia.net


There may be others but I have not found them. I have found many programs for actual Jewelry stores but I am not to that point, yet.

My other requirement is that it runs on my Macintosh as a native application.  I know, you are scratching your head again thinking why do you need that?

This is software that is written for the Mac OS (operating system, see I told you this would get a bit geeky) and not in a PC Virtual Machine (VM) or PC partition.  In case you did not know, the Macintosh computer now uses an Intel chip which is one of the chips that the Microsoft OS (you know what that is, I gave you this earlier) works on. Thus on a Mac, it is possible to divide (known as partitioning) the hard drive and install Windows OR we can use a Virtual Machine which is a program that allows you to set up the Microsoft OS and it is all contained within the VM program.  The problem with doing either of these is the following:
  1. It takes up more hard drive space than just the accounting software
  2. You have to buy a copy of Microsoft windows
  3. There is an entire second OS that is on your computer that must be maintained. Think of all the updates and virus protection that you have to deal with when using a PC, which is why I have a mac.
  4. You have to switch back and forth between the PC and the Mac


With this requirement, I am removing the various version of Bejeweled Software from my list because this software only runs on a Windows OS and I would have to set up a partition or VM to use it. That leaves me with the other two on the list above.

I spent part of last weekend working with Beadia which is a newer program. You can download and work with a free evaluation version.  I did find some bugs (that's geek talk for things that don't work) and have been in communication (email) with the developer about them; he told me that an update is due sometime in December and he sent me the list of changes. The program looks promising but until I try the next version I am not wiling to purchase it. It will cost around 50 USD.

Over the next week I will be testing the Beading Software. This is a 10 evaluation package and there are many videos on their website that show how to do various things in the software and from what I have seen this program looks pretty robust my only concern is that I have read that when you use the mark-up module, it only does so for the material portion, and if that is true, I will have to try a work around of setting up a part item named "LABOR" and then add it to the parts list for a completed piece.  This software cost about 150 USD. 

As you can see the price difference is big but it all comes down to does it fit my needs.

Comments are closed.

    RSS Feed

    How to Aquire Your Own Shop Elf

    Archives

    October 2020
    August 2020
    March 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    November 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010

    Jan - Nov 2010 History
    File Size: 2272 kb
    File Type: pdf
    Download File

    Jan - Dec 2009 History
    File Size: 2332 kb
    File Type: pdf
    Download File

    Categories

    All
    42
    A Year Of Repousse
    Blacksmithing
    Blogoversary
    Box Project
    Business
    Chasing & Repousse
    Commission
    Education
    Embroidery
    Enamel
    Entries
    Entry
    Exhibition
    Facebook
    Filing
    Fold Forming
    Gold
    Holloware
    Hot Forging
    Hydraulic Press
    Jewelry
    Keum-boo
    Learning
    Leather
    Market
    Metal
    Patina
    Photography
    Polishing
    Publications
    Raising
    Sanding
    Santa Fe Symposium
    Shop Elf
    Sinking
    Social Media
    Soldering
    Store
    Studio Visits
    Superbowl Challenge
    Teaching
    Teapot Project
    Technique
    Temari
    Tin
    Tools
    Vessels
    Visiting Workshops
    Weaving
    Website
    Workshop
    Yubinuki

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.