Software for the independent jeweler. [Was: working at home]

Jewelry Discussion
1

Hello Again - Perhaps this is a separate topic - Software for the
independent jeweler.

Related to working at home is the multidimensional reality of
taking care of all aspects of the business - marketing - record
keeping - etc.

Does anyone know of a good recordkeeping software program for
small production (and one of a kind) sales - both retail and
wholesale - and especially tracking consignment accounts? (It
would be great too - to have a way of tracking raw materials
used - for tax purposes.)

Anyhow, I tried Quickbooks and it was a basic disaster. There
is no way to accomodate consignment sales. I have called toll
free numbers for software listed in Crafts Report and never have
gotten a reply. Unfortunately. consignment is still a reality
with my work - and I have created recordkeeping in excel - but
an applicable software program would be great.

BTW - I have received wonderful free business counselling
through an organization in Honolulu called the SBDC - Small
Business Development Center. They provide seminars on the ABC’s
of starting and running a business - taxes, business plan etc.
Seminars are a nominal charge. It is a great service to the
community - partially federally funded and UH Hilo - state
funds. The BBB referred me to this organization about 5 years
ago when I was inquiring if a Gallery shop had any record of
problems. I’ve heard some horror stories and so, I look before
I leap.

If anyone is interested I’ll ask the SBDC if there is a mainland
registry of similar organizations in the US - and hopefully
online. In the mid 80’s I attended several accounting /
recordkeeping seminars with SCORE - very nominal cost.

Also, I have taken Thomas Mann’s modified Design for Survival
workshop and picked up his software for pricing - still need to
take the time to try it out. :slight_smile:

As my business counselor says, " Gee, Cynthia, you are more
interested in product, aren’t you!"

Well, It is that time of year. I would be delighted to find a
wonderful easy software program for our needs - and how about
eliminating consignment (or at least partial wholesale and
partial consignment)!! - another topic. Sorry to be so lengthy
here -
Cynthia

2

Great question, Cynthia. While I don’t have an answer about the
software, we have a SBDC here in East Texas, along with SCORE, in
the same office. They are housed in a small business incubator,
where people like us can get a start with low investment start
ups. It seems to work really well, I had an employee get started
there with appraisal work, and after a couple of years, she is
now doing more business in prefab housing mortgaging. I, too
would be interested in the response to the software question.
Curtis

3

I have not seen any software which would meet your descriptions, but I sure would
like to. The accounting program I ran when I had a previous small business made
“manufacturing” out of inventory components a nightmare. I cut my own stones from
rough and set them. The program I used would require more time to enter the process
than to do it. John E McLaughlin jemstone@amug.org