Small workshop software with parts and wholegood functions

[dan.taylor.1]

Hi folks,

I was this last week made redundant at work, Some of you may know of them in the north west, C T Hayton Ltd. 96years or trading, 2 depots and 30 odd staff gone in effectively 3 days.

I worked as a small engine/groundcare technician, but also did the sales of new machines, parts and consumables.

I was only part time and still had my own metalwork business running in the background, I took the job for some stability and due to health reasons, wanting to get away from the bigger jobs of railings and gates etc.

I have decided to give it a go basically taking over from where I was working, so service and repair on chainsaws etc. I've bought a load of the spares and kit from the workshop, and have been in touch with suppliers.

I'd like to do things a bit different to how I used to with the gates etc. More organised and more digital with the impending making tax digital initiative. So I'm looking for some software to aid with this, at work we used Ibcos Gold (both windows and classic versions, I used classic) so I'm used to that but I know it's not cheap and I'm not sure how it helps with the accounting side of it. Obviously there's apps like xero, or quickbooks but I have no experience with them and don't know if they allow for wholegood listing's (machines basically, something more than a spare part usually with a serial number) and parts listings, even better if they use price tapes as such, where I can import an excel doc from a manufacturer with current prices, descriptions etc.

It would also need a workshop section for job cards, allocation of about and parts etc.

As always, any help would be much appreciated.

Cheers, Dan

 

[sako243]

To be honest I'd just get familiar or better with Excel and build a system that works for you. Unless you're dealing with a lot of people then dedicated apps I tend to find a pain and slow things down.

Years ago our company accountants suggested moving over to quickbooks. After about 2 months they said could Mum go back to the old Excel spreadsheets as they just worked better. I have a similar system now and it just spits out the required boxes for the online VAT forms. There's a free service (mtdonline) that allows you to submit the old 9 boxes via their website like the old VAT website used to.

 

[hotponyshoes]

Who do you bank with?
Some banks are offering free software (well, included in the possible monthly account charge) that's compatible with mtd and obviously with the banks account etc

 

[dan.taylor.1]

I'm not vat registered at the moment. Pending a conversation with my accountant.

I bank with Nat West, but only a personal account at the moment.

 

[hotponyshoes]

I'm not vat registered at the moment. Pending a conversation with my accountant.

I bank with Nat West, but only a personal account at the moment.

FreeAgent is free with a natwest business account.
But various other ones are free with various other banks accounts so may well be worth looking at the charges for the various accounts before opening a business account.

I'll point out that it's mostly always against the t&c's of the bank to use a personal account as a business one. Natwest seem to turn a blind eye to this if you have a platinum (etc) account. That's £18 a month

 

[drjim]

You will be wanting a card reader thing so people can pay you. Sumup ones can be set up with a "free" business account which solves those issues. They do POS software as well but probably more restaraunt oriented.

 

[addjunkie]

Some of the smaller newer business accounts might be worth a look, if you just want a no frills basic account, Monzo, Tide, Zempler etc but they all have a cost. The tool you use for card payments will depend in the numberof transactions you think youll be doing. Low volume Sump up, Zettle would do-to get you going, higher volume there are others with small monthly charge but much lower transaction fees, that can be tided to fancy tills for stock control / accounting etc.

Cant offer much more but will point out a couple of things
Money tied up in stock & spares is money not working for you, be careful to keep levels sensible.
Talking to customers, though necessary doesn't put food on the table, that doesn't happen till the jobs done and they pay you. Dont undersell your services or youll end up working for nothing.

Good luck.

 

[Blobber]

Nothing constructive to add but good luck with the new venture

 

[plewlandsbob]

At work, Agricultural Engineers, we use, Catalyst. It won't be cheap either.
In the workshop, a job comes in and a job number is raised. We log on and off to every job. Take pictures, of every machine , serial no. , the reg no., machine hours failed parts/ parts replaced etc. This is all recorded on system. You can go in and search , by customer , serial or reg. No. And you can see every job done for it.
Stores side , has entire store inventoried on it. You get nothing without a job number. They scan barcode or enter part number and it goes on job. Labour / parts price total is always updated when you log on.
End of job, we write up job description.
In office , they check through jobs, and if everything ok, the invoice is raised and emailed to customer.
Engineers all have app on works phones , so.everything is done , even when working on site. You write up job , before logging on to next job.
There is a lot more to it than that, but that is part , I use. Tom a wee while to get used to it, but it is second nature now.

 

[dan.taylor.1]

At work, Agricultural Engineers, we use, Catalyst. It won't be cheap either.
In the workshop, a job comes in and a job number is raised. We log on and off to every job. Take pictures, of every machine , serial no. , the reg no., machine hours failed parts/ parts replaced etc. This is all recorded on system. You can go in and search , by customer , serial or reg. No. And you can see every job done for it.
Stores side , has entire store inventoried on it. You get nothing without a job number. They scan barcode or enter part number and it goes on job. Labour / parts price total is always updated when you log on.
End of job, we write up job description.
In office , they check through jobs, and if everything ok, the invoice is raised and emailed to customer.
Engineers all have app on works phones , so.everything is done , even when working on site. You write up job , before logging on to next job.
There is a lot more to it than that, but that is part , I use. Tom a wee while to get used to it, but it is second nature now.

Sounds very much like how Gold works tbh. That lists customers account details, all their machines etc, supplier details.