Jewelry Software

I’m sure there are many of you who really have no idea how Bead Manager Pro jewelry software actually came about

With the release of Bead Manager Pro version 5 the other week it inspired me to take a look back at some of the previous versions through the last 4 years and put together a brief little history of who we are and how far we have come.

Back around 2006 my then girlfriend (now my wife) took up beading as a hobby.

Like many others she trawled through different forums reading the latest techniques and how to get started when she found a thread about people who were talking about how to manage their inventory.

This thread was alive with the conversation, the problems these people were having and what they wished they had to resolve it.

Now I’m not a beader, and have never professed to be, but I know a thing or two about managing business and developing solutions for markets and a lot about online marketing so we ran some surveys to see what the demand was and what people actually wanted.

Once we got the results back from our online marketing test that was it, Bead Manager Pro was born!

So here’s a few screen shots from through the last few years of some of the different life cycle stages of Bead Manager Pro:

Version 1:

This is actually the second concept of Bead Manager Pro, its been so long I cant even find the original one.  But, I do remember it was so ugly it never even made it off the drawing board to release, thankfully.

Looking back now this one is not all that inspiring, but at the time for the first revision it did the job and we were pleased to get something out the door, even though it certainly wasn’t pretty.

Version 2:

We started to get a little bit more design with the second concept which came out for version 2.  Still wasn’t the pretty design I was looking for but it was practical and easy to navigate.

Versions 3 & 4:

After the previous design there were just a few changes, making the graphics a little better and the navigation became more universal with toolbars throughout the system.

This design ran through versions 3 & 4, and while improving the past designs we were still focused on adding features, getting the code better and bringing the jewelry software program to life that everyone wanted and kept feeding back to us.

As we approached version 4 things were getting better and better.  Filemaker, which Bead Manager Pro is developed in, was also improving which allowed us to add new features to the list views and the quick find and overall improvements throughout the code

Version 5:

This is the version I have always personally wanted to get released and was heading towards.

It looks as good as it runs, it’s packed full of features that are practical and easy to use and we are still the best value for money jewelry software program on the market with free upgrades and free support and a rock solid guarantee.

All the previous designs had been done by the actual programmers.

Now if you know programmers they are great at programming, but normally not so great at designing.

For version 5 we found a great designer who we worked with to go through every layout and re-work them to bring a softer gentler program that was more easy on the eye and more designer friendly.

We created a totally new navigation structure to keep everything at the top of the screen in a nice easy to use logical pattern as well as the back button so you could always just flick back into the previous screen.

We also added a ton of new features such as:

• Bead Calculator – allowing you to work out materials you need instantly
• Adding purchases through the vendor screen – easy addition or import of parts
• Parts Stock Reports – run reports on what parts you have in stock at any time
• Pieces Stock Report – run reports on what pieces you have in stock at any time
• List Subtotals – create quick lists of data summarizing information
• Print List Views – print your list view directly from the screen

There were a whole bunch of other tweaks and general improvements that all out users loved, especially as we stick to our free upgrades promise.

Like we said, it wasn’t so much an upgrade this time for version 5, it was more like getting a brand new piece of software.

The feedback we got on our Bead Manager Pro Facebook Page was nothing short of sensational with 5 star reviews coming in like these:

You can read more of these reviews here, or add in your own.

If you haven’t got your copy of Bead Manager Pro yet you can get it here.  You’ll be glad you did so you can spend more time doing what you love, making jewelry, while Bead Manager Pro takes care of the admin side of life for you.

Get Your Copy Of Bead Manager Pro Now

Technorati Tags: bead manager pro, jewelry Software

Last week was great getting you all the new version 5 of Bead Manager Pro and the feedback has been great.

We’ve had some great feedback and some eagle eyes who found a couple of minor things that we have fixed so this is just to get you to download the new version 5.1 which has fixed these.

These are:

1. The name of parts not updating in the Vendor purchase history if you updated the part name.
2. Adding tax rates in the admin section worked but could then not be selected and used.
3. There was an error on the tax rate calculation on part purchases.
4. Quickfind would not allowing deleting / typing over entered text

Thanks to the eagle eyed users who spotted these.  The main one is the tax rates on the parts which was definitely a bit of a blooper on our behalf which slipped through all ours and the beta testers testing and why we wanted to get this out to you so quickly.

You are only allowed to install Bead Manager Pro on two machines so each installation, even on the same machine, counts as a new install.

Because of this you need to follow some basic steps to make sure your license code does not get canceled.

For full details with screen shots download this pdf guide:

It is the same process followed last week when upgrading fromV4 to V5 with one exception, you must not activate.

These are the basic steps but please download the pdf guide for full details.

1. Take a backup first in version 5 and copy that to somewhere safe on your hard drive.
2. Install version 5.1 and copy over the backup file BEFORE restarting BMPro.
3. When you open BMPro Version 5.1 DO NOT ACTIVATE, open in TRIAL MODE and then go to the admin section and restore your backup.

This will import all your data and your license code so it will not get canceled.

Check your email for the links that we have sent out to all customers to upgrade.

Once your done please pop over to our new Bead Manager Pro Face Book Page, give us a quick like and write your review.

If you need any support though as always use our support section, please do not post support requests in Facebook.

Technorati Tags: bead manger pro 5.1, jewelry Software

If you’re one of the people who has trouble working out exactly what you should be charging for your jewelry then this is the page for you. We’ve put together a neat new little jewelry pricing software package that’s totally FREE and will let you…..

1. Work out the EXACT hourly rate you should be charging.
2. Calculate your overhead costs.
3. Total ALL material costs for your pieces.
4. Instantly calculate your Wholesale and Retail price.

Watch the video and then download from the link below. No email address or opt in is required.

Download & Installation Instructions:

1. Download the Jewelry Pricing Calculator and save the file to your PC.
2. Click on the exe file that you have downloaded.
3. Click on the install button and agree to the installation settings.
4. Once installed use the icon on your desktop to launch the program.
5. For help use the help prompts in the software. Also view the video above for further instructions.

Alternate Excel Sheet Download:

While the Jewelry Pricing Calculator was only made for PC there are many Mac users who are not running Windows on their machine or Windows emulator so we have made an Excel version of this program available.
Bead Manager Pro is still fully Mac compliant.

Even if you do not have Excel you can still use the jewelry pricing spreadsheet with Google Docs, just follow the instructions below.

For use with Excel:

1. Download the Jewelry Pricing Calculator Spreadsheet (right click and save as)
2. Save to your PC
3. Watch this video on how to use the Jewelry Pricing spreadsheet.

For use with Google Docs:

Watch this video on how to import the jewelry spreadsheet into Google Docs.

1. Set up an account at Google Docs
2. Import the spreadsheet using this URL. (You must right click and copy link location)
   
3. Use the spreadsheet according to the instructions.
4. Watch the video if you need help.
   

FAQ:

1. “Will this run on my Mac?”
   This download exe program is for PC or will run on Mac if you have windows operating system installed. Sorry to all you Mac users but this has only been developed for PC so you can try windows emulator or you need to get Windows installed on your Mac.
   The alternate for Mac users is to use one of the Excel spreadsheet options listed above.
2. “I Downloaded and installed the program but I’m getting this wierd .net framework needs to be installed’ message”
   If you receive an error message after downloading and installing that .net framework is not installed you will need to download the .net installer from Microsoft.
   ** You only need to download this IF you receive the .net error after you have downloaded and installed the calculator from the link below. Most Windows XP systems already have .net framework installed and Windows Vista has it as standard.
3. “So I download the jewelry pricing calculator does this mean I don’t need Bead Manager Pro then?”
   No, this software was built to help people out who needed a simple way to price their jewelry. Bead Manager Pro is a far more sophisticated program which takes care of many aspects of your jewelry business. It also completely automates the pricing process from your inventory, you can watch a video of how to price jewelry with Bead Manager Pro here.
   
4. “So whats the point of the Jewelry Calculator then if I already have Bead Manager Pro?”
   There is functionality in the Jewelry Calculator which helps to work out your exact hourly rate. You can then use that hourly rate in your calculations within Bead Manager Pro. (We will be adding this functionality to Bead Manager Pro at a later date as well).

5. “I’m getting some weird error and I don’t know what to do – heeeelp me…!!”
   Please read EVERYTHING on this page first including the comments. If there is no answer you can post a comment and we will do our best to answer you, but PLEASE read EVERYTHING on this page first.
   
6. “I’ve posted a comment, sent you an email and lodged a ticket and you never replied to me!”
   We do our best to help out everyone but we have to reserve support time for paying customers of Bead Manager Pro. Emails or support tickets will not receive any answer, sorry. Please post your comment on the blog AFTER you have read everything on this page first and we’ll do our best. We reserve the right to remove/delete/disapprove any comments.

   If you find any problems and resolve them your self please post the solution in the comments to help others – Thank You.
   

Do you like this piece of software?

We have created this totally free program to enable as many people as possible to be more prosperous in their jewelry business, especially considering the current economic climate.

Help us spread the word in forums and blogs that you hang out in by letting others know about this free jewelry pricing calculator.

If you have a blog or website then why not review the jewelry pricing calculator for your visitors. You can even embed the above video for them to view on your site using this code:

<embed src=”http://blip.tv/play/AdL1bI24Rw” type=”application/x-shockwave-flash” width=”460.8″ height=”367.3″ allowscriptaccess=”always” allowfullscreen=”true”></embed>

If you have a website or blog we would really appreciate a link to this page using the text below.

<a href=”http://www.beading-software.com/blog/free-stuff/jewelry-pricing-calculator-software/”>
Jewelry Pricing Software</a>

Technorati Tags: beading software, jewelry pricing software, jewelry Software

The easiest way to keep track of information about your customers, and acquire the information you need to maximize your business profits is to use jewelry software. By entering information on your computer, you can create detailed “Rolodex” information about your customers, their preferences, and keep track of what and how they purchase from you. You can collect and organize other data, generate and analyze reports, and learn how to better market your jewelry for maximum profits.

In almost any store where you shop, you will be asked at check-out for your name or telephone number, or if you have a store card. Most people comply and whip out that card, because it entitles them to sale prices or special discounts. The requested information or the card keeps track of customer purchases, and the information is automatically entered into the store’s database. The collected data is used to determine and implement more productive marketing strategies.

Use your jewelry software to create an account for each customer. Along with the usual name, address and phone number, enter the following information:

· E-mail addresses
· Product purchased
· Purchase price
· Services, including repairs and appraisals
· Purchases of warranties and insurance
· Style preferences

· Special requests for items of information

With the jewelry software, you can assess relevant market conditions and sales data to determine your marketing strategies. You will see what items sell well, and which don’t. This will help you determine what inventory should be increased or decreased. The average price of items being sold tells you in what price range customers are most likely to make a purchase. Whether you make you own jewelry or purchase your stock, some items will have higher rates of return or need for repairs. If you make your jewelry and reports show that a certain brand or type of clasp or crimping bead breaks quite often, you will know to change to a more reliable brand. The same applies to brands or styles of ready-made jewelry.

Set specific goals for you business. For instance, you may want to increase the percentage of sales for a certain item, or phase out a product that doesn’t sell well to make room for a new line. Use the jewelry software to help you determine where to apply the correct strategies for attaining your business goals. As you become more experienced in using the software, you will be able to determine where to increase product investments and view your available assets, such as liquid assets, cash flow, equity and inventory. You may find jewelry software such a valuable tool that you’ll wonder how your business ever got along without it!

Technorati Tags: jewelry Software