 |
| PQM
has been designed for very fast quote preparation. If the customer is on
the phone or at the counter, or if your rep is visiting with his notebook
computer, only the barest information need be entered to prepare the quote.
If the quote becomes an order, or a serious enquiry, then you can add the
rest of the customer information later. |
|
| How
it works . . . |
PQM
works by using a series of database tables that contain the costs and rates
for all aspects of a printed job. These tables are easily amended using
the Maintenance Screens, so it is a simple task to keep the data up to
date. One of the key tables is the 'Jobsize & Film Table'. This allows
you to set your paper sizes and the number of smaller trimmed sheets that
can be obtained from the size at which you price. In Europe, for example,
it might be the number of A4 sheets from A1 paper, or A5 from A2, but PQM
can be used anywhere in the world by inputting your job sizes and the details
of the sheets from which they are trimmed. |
|
|
|
The costs
used at the Maintenance Screen level should ideally be your true costs
(for paper, ink, film, plates, machine time and outwork etc.) Then PQM
prepares the quote using various levels of pre-determined mark-up, (similarly
controlled using the Maintenance Screens - which is Password protected
to stop unauthorized use!). Mark-ups can be set for each individual
element that go to make up the quote, and can additionally be globally
applied, along with customer discounts. This way it is simple to see the
true costs of a job, as well as the profit margins, which is invaluable
when negotiating an agreed price. |
|
|
| Preparing
a Quote couldn't be easier . . . |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 'Customer'
- select 'Find Customer' to select from drop-down list or 'New Customer'
to add a new one |
|
| 'Quotes/Orders'
- Click here to revise an existing quote/order or to start a new one |
|
|
 |
|
| 'Maintenance'
- click this button on any screen to enter the Maintenance section (see
below). |
|
| 'New Quote'
- enter a full description of the complete job (this is how it will appear
at the top of the quote). Then click 'Items'
to go to the next screen. |
|
|
| The
'Items'
Screen
. . . |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 'Paper'
- select from the drop-down list of papers, sizes and costs. |
|
| Input job details (size, colors,
quantity, etc). |
|
| 'Overides'
- Ink, Plates, Film and Washup costs will be calculated (but can be overidden). |
|
| 'Printing'
- select press from the drop-down list of your equipment, customized with
hourly rates. |
|
|
 |
|
| 'Artwork'
- enter hours and select rate from drop-down list. |
|
| 'Outwork'
- enter hours and select from drop-down list of outworkers. |
|
| 'Finishing'
- go to Finishing Page to select processes. |
|
| 'Item Price'
- once the other fields have been completed the finished price will be
calculated and will appear here. |
|
| Click 'Finish'
to go to next window. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Click on
screen for a larger view |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Notes on
the |
| 'Items'
Screen |
|
|
| 1 |
|
If a job involves more than one
material (ie. a paper brochure with a board cover) then each material will
involve a separate 'Item' screen. Each material will be calculated separately
to produce the finished quote. Grouping allows items that belong together
to be described individually, but their prices to be grouped together,
eg. the various elements of a booklet or brochure. It can also be used
to group multiple jobs on the same quote, eg. letters, compliment slips
and business cards. |
| 2 |
|
The 'Item Price' panel allows you
to choose whether or not to apply tax. (Some jobs with mixed components
may attract tax on some elements but not others). |
|
|
|
| TIP |
|
When you set up rates and pricing
data in the 'Maintenance Screens', it is a good idea to put your presses
in more than once so that you can set different thruput speeds/hourly rates
to allow for differing complexities of job, ie. heavy ink coverage, etc. |
|
|
|
|
| The
'Finish
New Quote' Screen . . . |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 'Customer
Details' - if the quote is for a new customer you will be prompted
to complete the address and contact detail boxes. |
|
| 'New Price'
- the figures from the 'Item' screen will be shown here, and at this stage
you can apply discounts or settle on an 'Agreed Price' with the customer. |
|
| Click on
screen for a larger view |
|
|
 |
|
| 'Old Price'
- if you are working on a revised quote or order, this shows the old price
details. |
|
| 'Std Button'
- press this to see the Standard Quote Mark-up applying to the current
quote. |
|
| When you are happy with the quote
click 'Finish' to go to next window. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Notes on
the |
| 'Finish
New Quote' |
| Screen |
|
|
| 1 |
|
The 'Std
Button' (displaying the Standard Quote Mark-up) is useful for
seeing how much room you have to negotiate an 'Agreed Price' with your
customer. |
| 2 |
|
If an 'Agreed Price' is entered,
the system back tracks and aggregates the agreed price across all the components
and items. It takes into consideration any rounding discrepancies to ensure
that the financial results will add up to the correct figures when the
quote is converted to an order. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Here is your finished quote, ready
to print or fax to your customer. |
|
| For a larger
view Click either of the screens |
|
|
 |
|
| When the quote is accepted it can
be confirmed as an order, and then you can print out the Job Bag complete
with all the details of the work. |
|
|
| Use
the 'Maintenance Screens' to update your base level data . . . |
|
|
|
|
|
| SYSTEM
REQUIREMENTS |
| Pentium II
equivalent or better |
| Operating
system: Microsoft® Windows 95, 98, 2000 ME and XP |
| PQM requires
Microsoft® Access 97 or higher |
|
|
|
|
| PQM |
| is the |
| perfect |
| answer for |
| estimators |
| and for |
| salesmen |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
| CUSTOMIZED
VERSIONS ... |
| If you are
interested in having a version of PQM tailor-made to suit your exact requirements
we would be happy to quote you for the work involved. |
| The system
generates a permanent database that could be utilized for additional features,
such as producing Loading and Scheduling Reports or other customized Reports
and Forms. |
| If you would
be interested in additional features then please email us with your requirements. |
|
|
|
|
 |
| Your salesmen
will be able to run PQM on good spec Notebooks. |
|
| That way
they can prepare quotes whilst on customer visits! |
|
| PQM |
| makes |
| preparing |
| quotes |
| easy! |
|
|
|
