gopher basic or groundskeeper lite?

[joea27]

i am looking at buying software for the business so i downloaded the trial version from both companies. From what i have seen groundskeeper seems to be a little easier to function and learn. i do want to spend the least amount of money but i want to get everything i will need, this includes: scheduling, billing, accounting, late fees, expenses, and a few less imortant options (all normal features a lawn company needs to function). which program is most useful?

[GreenN'Clean]

I have been using Lawn Pro for the past 4 years its worked great for me and it has all the above that you mentioned and was $50.00

[TJLANDS]

Your going to get different opinions on this. I tried most and went with Gopher. I think it is very easy after you learn it, just like all the rest.

[IN2MOWN]

Gopher is a snap to use.

[gene gls]

Gopher also has several "quirks" in their program that are irritating.

[IN2MOWN]

Gopher also has several "quirks" in their program that are irritating.



What have you noticed so far?

[dekalb lawn man]

I have not tried gopher yet but i have groundskeeper pro and really like it.

[joea27]

i think i am going to look into lawn pro. if it does all the same stuff and i can get it for $74 i'll probably buy it.

[TJLANDS]

What have you noticed so far?
No spell checker

[gene gls]

What have you noticed so far?

Customer Addy Info: You have to jockey around the customer name and information to get it to list and show in the customer file and in the envlope address, somtimes.

Auto Fill: I uncheck the Auto Fill Box, it still fills in all the information automaticly.

Route List: If you have a few ( less than a page full ) names in the top list and want to print thoes names on a piece of paper, you can't. It will print thoes names and whatever is in the next list to fill a page.

Customer List: All past customers show up in the customer list when creating a Route List even thou you have some marked as " inactive".

A/R Report: I always have one customer listed that has a zero ballance.

Program Settings: Issue with tax setting. I do work in MA. and CT., have to pay special attention to CT. entreys.

I'm not a computer person and this program is cheaper than others. Maybe its not designed to do things in a simple fashion as I see them.

[IN2MOWN]

Customer Addy Info: You have to jockey around the customer name and information to get it to list and show in the customer file and in the envlope address, somtimes.


Mine fits in the envelope and I never changed it. I use #10 dual window envelopes from Office Depot

Auto Fill: I uncheck the Auto Fill Box, it still fills in all the information automaticly.

Ive never used that feature. Cant help.

Route List: If you have a few ( less than a page full ) names in the top list and want to print thoes names on a piece of paper, you can't. It will print thoes names and whatever is in the next list to fill a page.

Customer List: All past customers show up in the customer list when creating a Route List even thou you have some marked as " inactive".

A/R Report: I always have one customer listed that has a zero ballance.

Program Settings: Issue with tax setting. I do work in MA. and CT., have to pay special attention to CT. entreys.


The rest of these sound like a program error because I dont have any of those problems. Have you tried going to the Gopher Forum and getting help?

I'm not a computer person and this program is cheaper than others. Maybe its not designed to do things in a simple fashion as I see them.

[joea27]

i dont really want to buy gopher because i want to have the feature of late fees and i'll have to buy gopher pus @ $300 and i really didn't want to spend that much, but if it has all those problems i don't want it anyway. does anyone have any complaints about lawn pro?

[IN2MOWN]

i dont really want to buy gopher because i want to have the feature of late fees and i'll have to buy gopher pus @ $300 and i really didn't want to spend that much, but if it has all those problems i don't want it anyway. does anyone have any complaints about lawn pro?



Gopher has late fee features.

About the above...i think it might be more of the operator then the program iself ;)

[IN2MOWN]

Joe, I know it seems expensive now and thats what I thought when I bought it, but as you grow you will need all those features. It will pay itself off in the long run.

[gene gls]

[QUOTE=IN2MOWN]Gopher has late fee features.


If you bill every 30 days, late fee's don't show until 60 days late. Or you have to bill one day later every month, whitch will screw you up in the end.

[gene gls]

Gopher has late fee features.

About the above...i think it might be more of the operator then the program iself ;)

And how long have you been using Gopher??

[Grass-Masters]

I just started using lawn pro, and the only thing I do not like, there is no route section. I had to make my own in excell. If I had known that I would have stuck with one of the others.

[IN2MOWN]

[QUOTE=IN2MOWN]Gopher has late fee features.


If you bill every 30 days, late fee's don't show until 60 days late. Or you have to bill one day later every month, whitch will screw you up in the end.


You can add the late fees anytime you want to. Just hit the function button at the top and then "calculate late fees".

[IN2MOWN]

And how long have you been using Gopher??



Almost 2 years now.

[TJLANDS]

Customer Addy Info: You have to jockey around the customer name and information to get it to list and show in the customer file and in the envlope address, somtimes.

Auto Fill: I uncheck the Auto Fill Box, it still fills in all the information automaticly.

Route List: If you have a few ( less than a page full ) names in the top list and want to print thoes names on a piece of paper, you can't. It will print thoes names and whatever is in the next list to fill a page.

Customer List: All past customers show up in the customer list when creating a Route List even thou you have some marked as " inactive".

A/R Report: I always have one customer listed that has a zero ballance.

Program Settings: Issue with tax setting. I do work in MA. and CT., have to pay special attention to CT. entreys.

I'm not a computer person and this program is cheaper than others. Maybe its not designed to do things in a simple fashion as I see them.

All these problems that you are referring to are operator problems not program problems. Just like you using a spell check....lol

[nysuz]

Don't use any of those programs, I use quickbooks. But don't save a couple dollars here. Not the place. It is a pain to change programs and then have to reenter all that data into yet another software program. Be confident that the business will grow and a good program will pay for itself in the time saved.

[stumpslawncare]

Never used Gopher, But have Groundskeeper Pro and love it. Works great for my company and easily transfers information if you upgrade to a better computer.

[IN2MOWN]

Don't use any of those programs, I use quickbooks. But don't save a couple dollars here. Not the place. It is a pain to change programs and then have to reenter all that data into yet another software program. Be confident that the business will grow and a good program will pay for itself in the time saved.



All the info from QB can be sent over to Gopher very easily.

[Team-Green L&L]

We used Gopher for a year or so, but then Quark sent me a demo of QXpress and I realized that there was so much better tools available. Check out QXpress. I think you'll be pleased. They will also rent the software to you if your budget is low at the beginning of the season.