No more filing cabinets, no more paper invoices…REALLY!!!Have you spent hours, even days searching for a document your boss needed three days ago? Remember how frustrating that search was?  If your paper trail has turned into a paper avalanche, Timberline’s Document Management is definitely something you want to consider – a paperless office.

It’s easy to use and can be a real time-saver! Document searches will take you only seconds, not days.  Scan the document, assign a folder, lock it up in a virtual safe and shred the paper document.  That’s right, shred the original!

It’s a quick and easy installation, it integrates seamlessly with Sage Timberline Office  and we can have you up and running in a day.  Daren and I will be more than happy to talk to you about the many benefits Document Management can offer you and your business, all you gotta do is call!

You know the old adage “Measure twice, cut once”?   It’s a precaution many are taking with today’s stressful economic
climate.  Precise estimating is mission critical.  So what can a carpenter do for you?  A whole LOT if it’s Estimating Consultant Barry Cassell.

Despite today’s economy, Barry finds himself  working harder than ever.  More and more Construction Companies are fighting for the same jobs and what good does it do to win a bid only to lose money on the job?  That’s the reason Barry is working long hours these days.  Companies have to estimate much more accurately and analytically in order to get the jobs they need.   Barry can make your estimating system more efficient AND more productive.  In some cases, Barry’s knowledge has been able to double the amount of bids in the same amount of time!

Now Barry isn’t able to leap tall buildings with a single bound, it takes him two!  Seriously Barry knows good estimating is a first and vital step to a profitable job.  He’s a people-loving number cruncher who wants to help you succeed.  He’s provided some tips and welcomes your questions.  You can find him at www.cassellconsulting.com, or as always feel free to contact either me, Myrna,  or Daren.  We’re always just a phone call away!

Here are a few tips from Barry…
These are some Basic Settings every Estimator should know, and control. These are stored with your Windows User Profile, so they should follow you on different workstations on your domain.

1.  Display Overline Totals: This option displays the Subtotals and Totals for every column which accumulate a total. I can’t think of any reason why an estimator wouldn’t want to keep an eye on the big picture while estimating, yet the default program settings set overlines OFF.

a.  Definition: “Overline” is Timberline‐speak for Subtotals which appear above the lines, accumulating Totals and Subtotals above the rows of  detail.

b. To turn Overlines on: Select Edit / Options. The first screen display Spreadsheet Options.
  
c.  Check the second line, “Display overline totals when expanded”
  
d.  I prefer the additional settings displayed. Set as above, in addition to Cost Overline Totals, Marked‐up Overline Totals and Add on amounts  can be displayed directly on the spreadsheet to see both internal cost and contract valued on the same line as the item.

2.  Additional settings worth mentioning are whether to open the last estimate on startup, ( I choose to turn this one off ), as well as changing the fonts & background colors for the various elements in the lower third of the Spreadsheet Options screen.

What would you give to have little helper elves remind you of mission-critical issues?  Many of our DB Data Inc customers tell us they are bombarded daily with information.  It’s just too much to keep track of.  Enter our elfin helper  which comes in the shape of software called My Assistant.  This third-party software integrates beautifully with Sage Timberline Office.

It’s a virtual  helper.   One that never forgets to do what you ask it and is SO precise it does ONLY what you ask it to do.  Guess what?  Your prayers have been answered!  Your imagination is it’s ONLY limitation.  Really.

Lien waivers almost up?  Job costs over budget?  Is a vendor’s insurance about due?  Someone celebrating a birthday?  My Assistant alerts you right away.   Gone are the days of not knowing.  Best of all this assistant never sleeps in and never calls out sick! 

This easy-to-install and easy-to-use software savior is just a phone call away.   Remember,  Daren and I are always here to help make your life at the office a little bit better!

You need help RIGHT NOW!  Your consultant is NOT available and your boss needs information yesterday!

DB Data Inc is pleased to introduce you to Jeannette Engkraf.   Whether it’s a question about  Timberline Estimating, Accounting or  Payroll she can help.  If she doesn’t know the answer, she knows the  consultant who does.  BEST of all she’s just a few digits away.

Jeannette has worked with Timberline Software for more than three decades, so she’s pretty hard to stump.  She spent six years as a New Employee Training Manager, one year as a Certification Manager and six more as a Consultant.  During business hours, Jeannette is just a phone call away.  Keep this number handy!  You never know when you might need rescuing!

If it’s after hours, a holiday or the weekend and you STILL need immediate help call us at DB Data Inc.  We can get a hold of Jeannette for you!

Jeannette’s Timberline Hotline 503.304.2985

At the January 2009, International Roofing Expo at the Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas, I spoke with several owners of roofing companies about the software they use for cost accounting, estimating and project management.  In a couple of the breakout training sessions, there was a general agreement that Sage Timberline Accounting is recognized as the best cost accounting software for medium to large roofing companies.  This made me happy since I represent Sage Timberline.  There was also alot of rumblings about consolidating all of the various softwares into a single integrated software that can handle processes of a typical roofing company.  For example, roofing companies need Customer Relationship and Sales Tracking software which is commonly referred to as (CRM software).  CRM software is more important to Residential Roofing companies opposed to Commercial Roofing companies.  These companies would love a solution that allowed the CRM software to track and create sales proposals and then flow seamlessly into the Cost Accounting software if the work is awarded.  From here, the accounting department can buy the materials, manage the job and bill the client. 

There is a little known solution using a software created by EnablingIP that connects Sage CRM to Timberline.  You can attend a webinar on their website www.enablingip.com or contact www.dbdatainc.com

Then smile because we’ve got just the thing!  Timberscan can quickly and easily automate your approvals and AP data entry.  Here’s how it works…

It scans the invoice and automatically routes it.  The approver then codes the invoice just like it’s already done in Timberline.  It also allows you to track the invoices several way.  You choose the filter, job, vendor, dates, etc.  It takes only hours to learn and once you start using it you’ll wonder why you didn’t get on board sooner!  But don’t take our word for it!  Take his…

“When we first considered TimberScan we were given a number of references.  The first comment that almost all of them made was  ‘I don’t know how we ever did without it’. And now that we’re on TimberScan I would agree with that.”

Investors Real Estate Trust
Joel P. Metz
Director Property Management
Accounting

There are plenty more references and we would happy to send them to you!!!   To read more about Timberscan and what it can do for you click on this!

You have equipment.  You have Timberline Accounting Software.  What you don’t have is a way to marry the two, right?  This need is not unknown to us.  Over the years, there has always been a need for equipment maintenance software that works with Timberline accounting software.  Sure, Timberline has it’s own equipment cost module, but it lacks the ability to schedule maintenance and track which job your equipment is at. 

I have seen the Equipment Maintenance application created by Enabling IP, a company in Australia.  It looks just like the rest of the Timberline applications and promises to do all the cool things you wished the Timberline Equipment cost module did.  Check it out at www.enablingip.com.   It integrates with Timberline Payroll, Accounts Payable, Purchasing, Inventory and Equipment modules.

If you like what you see, why not let us know?  You can comment here or contact us at DB Data Inc, we’re just a phone call away!

Welcome to our Sage Timberline Forum!  My name is Daren and I am the Director of Business Development for Ledgerwood Associates, Inc. (LAI).  This is the blog you can count on to find information on all things related to Sage Timberline Office.  Updates, new releases, complementary products and much more.  This is also the place you can come to if you are looking for advice or need some help troubleshooting a particular issue.  If  you do not want to post a comment or question here, feel free to send me an email.  Thanks for stopping by!

Welcome to our Sage Timberline Forum!  My name is Daren and I am the Director of Business Development for Ledgerwood Associates, Inc. (LAI).  This is the blog you can count on to find information on all things related to Sage Timberline Office.  Updates, new releases, complementary products and much more.  This is also the place you can come to if you are looking for advice or need some help troubleshooting a particular issue.  If  you do not want to post a comment or question here, feel free to send me an email.  Thanks for stopping by!