What Programs do you use ?

[JVS]

I do not know if this topic has been brought up. But I would be interested in knowing what Lawn/Landscaping/Chemical/Designing ect.. programs are being used and get a discussion on each program to see what we as user rate best then "listening to what the makers of these programs tell us".
We have been using Clip Pro since 1996 and I find the scheduling for all types of jobs excellent. It links with Quickbooks well, but we do not use Quickbooks. I have seen many many programs so I would really like to read your thoughts.

Joe

 

[tpirobert]

I use Quickbooks and ye olde fashioned Franklin day planner. If I expand chemical apps I'll have to get software for that soon. Wordperfect or MS Word generates letters, flyers, brochures etc..It would take a really good lawn/landscape program to convience me to invest the $$ and time in it.

 

[TLS]

I only have 40 or so accounts for mowing and 12 more for snowplowing, so CLIP and other mowing only programs cost too much for me to use. I have no problem scheduling out of my At-a-Glance Monthly Planners. Each month, take info out of Planner and into "My Advanced Invoices" program ($29.95)and print the invoices, fold, stuff and stamp and wait for checks. End of each quarter, print state sales tax report. End of year print year to date. I probably do more typing in of dates and dollar amount, but it sure beats the $300-600+ programs that are engineered for Chemlawns and 300+ accounts with 4 crews etc. etc.. Im happy keeping it simple.

 

[Greenkeepers]

Quickbooks Pro, work and excel here for accounting and billing. They work very well for us and we plan on continuing to use them.

 

[mowerman90]

I've tried almost all of the big lawn service programs (clip, lawn monkey) and most of the accounting programs including Clip and Quicken and Quickbooks Pro. If you're a small business (less than 100) accounts) you don't need all that clip has to offer. I use Medlin Sharware Accounts Recievable for $35. Its fast, simple, can be customized for any type of business, you can use plain paper for statements, invoices or pre-printed from Nebs, or you can e-mail statements from witin the program to your clients. Plus you can download it from http://www.medlin.com and try it for free first. I've been using it for the last 5 - 6 years and haven't found anything I'd like more. For contracts, proposals, flyers, leaflets, Xmas Cards etc. I use Office 2000

 

[JVS]

mowerman90 what did you like or dislike about Clip or Lawn monkey ? I appreciate your input. Office 2000 is that expensive?

 

[lawn and stump]

I have been using clip classic and love it
I think they have a clip lite thats only a few hundred bucks
I used to hate writing out bills and when the state had use start charging sales tax that became impossible to do by hand.I have been a clip user since 1992 and have 135 active
accts and 55 snowplow accts.What I learned was to job cost it is the neatist thing to print out all your mowing jobs for the year with your acutal dollars per hr you made.
This list is then sorted showing you winners and losing jobs
now take your losers and raise there prices and make them winners.

 

[greenlawncare]

Lawn Monkey for me. Did my transfer from LM 2000 to LM 2001 last night - major improvments in detail. I'm very happy with mine. But like everyone said, look at what's best for you. I think LM, Clip and QuickBooks are all good programs, just pick the one more appropriate to you. Good luck.

 

[bob]

I use Quick Books and Perfect Works. If you do a search, you'll find more on this subject.

 

[landscaper3]

Well we got our demo of Clip and Groundskeeper. I am very disapointed in both, They look like the forms that came on our Navigator section programs. They didnt seem to do anything that our computer already does? We are going to try Quick books to help maintain up to 120 accounts. I see no advantages in these other programs they just look cheasy to me! Mabey you that have these programs have better software but the demos we got are just to cheasy looking. Sorry for this but like I said may be our demo copy. If I could see some of the forms they provide I may change my mind.