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Estimate Software LOCKED!!

Tim Aucoin

Tim Aucoin

New Member
Well, obviously my 1 year subscription to Estimate Software is up already, as the software has "locked" me out. I can view what I have done, but can't do anything!! I only used this software to price out printing on my Gerber, and I don't know if it's worth renewing the subscription just for this! :help

Can those of you who are using Gerbers give me some feedback as to how you are pricing out your Gerber produced products? I don't want actual prices, rather I would like to know if you are using a pricing program, spreadsheet, etc... to do your quotes and pricing. :thankyou:
 
C

CanuckSigns

Active Member
We also have estimate for pricing our edge decals, I'm not sure of your experience, but we have found it to quote extremely low, on occasion we have had to add 400 - 500% to it's suggested price in order to bring the job inline with reality. the other plugins work great but the thermal printing one is very low for us.

I have also heard of a member on here taking their cost per running foot and multiplying by 5 than divide by the number of pieces you can fit in a running foot, I have found this to be pretty close to market rate in this area.
 
Tim Aucoin

Tim Aucoin

New Member
watsons signs said:
We also have estimate for pricing our edge decals, I'm not sure of your experience, but we have found it to quote extremely low, on occasion we have had to add 400 - 500% to it's suggested price in order to bring the job inline with reality. the other plugins work great but the thermal printing one is very low for us.

I have also heard of a member on here taking their cost per running foot and multiplying by 5 than divide by the number of pieces you can fit in a running foot, I have found this to be pretty close to market rate in this area.
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Thanks! In the year that I have been using Estimate for pricing edge printing, I have also found it very low sometimes. I'm not a huge fan of the way it prices, but at the time, it was better than nothing! There are so many variables in edge pricing. It would be great if Gerber actually had a software solution for edge pricing, wouldn't it?! :rolleyes:
 
Kevin-shopVOX

Kevin-shopVOX

New Member
visual800 said:
the ecomnomy is crap estimating software does not work...let it go!
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Estimating software works just fine and is a valuable tool for your business. It only knows how to price based on your input. So if your input is off so will be its prices. The software is not designed to price "for you". At the core it is designed to offer consistent pricing, generate quick & professional looking quotes, and provide structure on the things to consider when pricing. Of course SignVOX does a lot more than this (online proofing, electronic job board, quickbooks and MYOB exports, sales lead management and more) but at the core of every pricing program is you. If you put garbage in you will certainly generate garbage out.
 
OldPaint

OldPaint

New Member
simple pricing: GET AS MUCH AS THE MARKET WILL BEAR))))) i been at this since 1986 full time, and have used a sq ft/linear ft for almost everything i do. if you set your price per sq ft at what you need to cover costs.............you got it covered.
 
Tim Aucoin

Tim Aucoin

New Member
OldPaint said:
simple pricing: GET AS MUCH AS THE MARKET WILL BEAR))))) i been at this since 1986 full time, and have used a sq ft/linear ft for almost everything i do. if you set your price per sq ft at what you need to cover costs.............you got it covered.
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Do you do Gerber printing OP? Just curious. I agree with you for pretty much everything else, but with the Gerber there are way, way too many variables to make it that simple, especially when I need two other people to be able to CONSISTENTLY price out work.

Thanks for all the suggestions guys. I am contacting a few companies for trial software to try and Fred has given me another option to consider also. I appreciate all the reply's. :thumb:
 
OldPaint

OldPaint

New Member
not a gerber but i have an encad 736. still price it at sq ft. iam the only one doing the pricing. you have others doing it so i see why you need a guide to go by.
 
C

CanuckSigns

Active Member
T3 said:
Thanks! In the year that I have been using Estimate for pricing edge printing, I have also found it very low sometimes. I'm not a huge fan of the way it prices, but at the time, it was better than nothing! There are so many variables in edge pricing. It would be great if Gerber actually had a software solution for edge pricing, wouldn't it?! :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Yeah, when the software is telling me i should sell 100 1 colour decals 8"x2" for $0.40 each, there is something wrong, that doesn't even cover my materials, let alone my time!
 
B

Browner

New Member
Back when I first started 12 years ago, a buddy and I put together a little program using visual basic. Use it every day. We input the size and quantity of decals, then choose the materials and foils, premask, and/or over laminates. Plunk in the time we think it will take for setup and production, and it calculates the rest! Of course, it required us to input the costs for all the aforementioned items, but take a day to do it once, and then just update as the suppliers increase their pricing.

I can't find it right now, but I'm pretty sure that not too long ago, my local ND graphics rep had sent me an excel spreadsheet with all of the Gerber pricing on it. In that file was a "calculator" that would price out things for you - to at least give you the cost.
 
Tim Aucoin

Tim Aucoin

New Member
Browner said:
Back when I first started 12 years ago, a buddy and I put together a little program using visual basic. Use it every day. We input the size and quantity of decals, then choose the materials and foils, premask, and/or over laminates. Plunk in the time we think it will take for setup and production, and it calculates the rest! Of course, it required us to input the costs for all the aforementioned items, but take a day to do it once, and then just update as the suppliers increase their pricing.

I can't find it right now, but I'm pretty sure that not too long ago, my local ND graphics rep had sent me an excel spreadsheet with all of the Gerber pricing on it. In that file was a "calculator" that would price out things for you - to at least give you the cost.
Click to expand...

Thanks Chris... sounds interesting! Yeah, I have the ND Graphics spreadsheet. It is somewhat weak and limited. They used it with me as a "sales tool" when they sold me the Edge system. I used it at first for basic stuff, but it had limitations. Think I might just have a plan in place... :rolleyes:
 
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