# How to price shop software for managing a t-shirt printing shop?



## mikelmorgan (Nov 1, 2008)

I have been running my business for years with a program I designed using a software called Filemaker. It literally runs every aspect of my shop. From bidding a job out to shipping the order to the customer. It keeps track of every job, customer and anything I need it to do. I have had several of my contract customer ask about using the software for their shop (smaller shops). So i have designed one that most any shop can use, the problem is, what is something like this worth to your company? I could sell the template for as little as $100 but you have to buy the software from Filemaker to run it. If you buy the Filemaker software, you can buy up to five copies and run the database on all five at the same time and they will sync with one main database. Or I could make a runtime version but it could only run on one computer, multi users would not be able to use it. I can make several copies but they won't synchronize with each other. The software and system really works great and is simple to use. I have found that in this business most companies run on a very tight budget. They don't want to spend money on anything, but this software will save a ton of time and keep you on top of every step of the screen printing, embroidery, dtg or whatever you may run in your shop. Any insight would be appreciated. 
thanks
Mike


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## Printmark (Sep 25, 2011)

I would encourage you to put your experiance to use in the form of these templates. If they are helpful to you, they may be able to help someone else.

I found myself in much the same situation, where I have 27yrs in the screen printing industry and never found a product that was a good fit for the small to medium size shops I was working with. So I developed my own method for estimating and quoting orders. It had to be fast, because I am big on customer service and wanted to be able to give price quotes right when I had a customer on the phone. (without guessing that is)... then email them a copy of what we just talked about, just moments after the call.

My solution was created using Micosoft Excel and Microsoft Access and has real world usage of about 7 years, then finally it hit me... someone else could probably benefit from this amazing tool that our shop has become so accustom to using. Over the years I tweaked it and tried different methods of calculation and entry systems, and threw every senerio that passed though our doors at it. If it couldn't do it.. I would just redesign it to make it do it. In the end, what I ended up with is a program that is the fastest, easiest most flexiable program I have seen.

The only "networked" element of my software is the customer database (which holds other variables in addition to contact information). This way the product can be licensed per computer but still share the customer data between all. The garment data actually exists in Excel as named ranges (this loads all garment data into memory instead of retrieveing info from a database) which results in near instantious response times while being able to draw on more garment information than you will typically see. (it proofs your entries and alerts you of errors). It even knows how difficult the style is to print and adjust the pricing accordingly.


My advise to you would be to follow your instincts and ask lots of questions. Keep the templates practical and don't loose site of usefulness. Software can quickly become overkill, which is what I believe has happened with many of the software products being offered in our industry.

Printmark


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## mikelmorgan (Nov 1, 2008)

Thanks for your input. I looked at your website and downloaded your trial. Then found out it only runs on PC's. Well I run a Mac. I hate that I can't try what you have created so I can compare. Reading what your system does, it sound impressive. My self I have owned this business for 17 years. I learned it back in the 70's. This software really does run my shop. We have done 2,400 work orders this year alone and have not missed one deadline. So I know how well it works and what it takes to run a shop. It is very easy to learn and everyone in the shop knows how to run it. I'm just trying to find out if other printers are interested in a software like this or not. I know there are other softwares out there, I have tried several of them and found them very complicated. Again thanks for your input.


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## Flagrant-T (Nov 11, 2009)

Hi Mike,

I would definitly be interested. I am not familiar with Filemaker, but it looks like it gets pretty good reviews on Amazon. Hopefully it is nothing like MS Access! I've never been able to figure that one out.

It would help to see a list of the task it does/features. Maybe a couple screen-shots? Does it do quotes and invoices?

$100 seems more than fair if it is easy to use and ready to go. Filemaker looks pretty reasonable on Amazon. The version 10 is really cheap if that would work with your templates. I also like that they have come out with an iPad version (even though I don't have an iPad yet)

Thanks!
Nick


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## SuperDave512 (Oct 12, 2011)

I've used industry specific software that utilizes the Filemaker Pro engine in more than one shop. In one, the owner did pretty much what you are, where he worked with his own developers to create templates, build tables, etc. to meet his personal needs. While he wasn't able to solve invoicing (at least not then), it did a great job of going from quote to work order and for tracking design/print variables. He may be trying to market his creation in the future as well. 

A lot of larger shops use ShopWorks, which is also based on Filemaker Pro. I am sold on the use of FM Pro as a engine for this type of application. I suggest a lot of trade shows, a good web site and some good video walk throughs, but not necessarily in that order. Good luck.


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## mikelmorgan (Nov 1, 2008)

Ipad has a great app for it. It works great on an Ipad. I down loaded it on my Ipod and it really works great. I am in the process of making a tutorial on it and doing some touching up. 

As far as invoicing, yes you can, bids, yes, and lists, yes again. It will itemize your list according to categories such as embroidery, screen printing or whatever and put them in order needed. I will try to up load some screen shots as soon as I can. I am reprograming the template now because I have run this for several years and have tweaked it multiple times. The one that I run in my shop is very much customized to my shop so i am making one that will fit most everyone in this business. Thanks for the interest.


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## Printmark (Sep 25, 2011)

Yea, I hate the fact that is only runs on PC's as well.

This is only due to the layer of protection that is needed to protect my Formulas, VBA code and the handle the licensing process. If I didn't have to protect it, it would run on Mac's, as Microsoft Office is compatable with a mac.

I'm looking for other ways of protecting/licensing it that would work with both Mac and PC, but haven't discovered it yet.

Printmark


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## nation03 (Sep 2, 2008)

I just bought T-Works Manager but I'm having issues installing it. Should have my issues resolved soon I hope. When I get rolling with it I'll share my experience with it. This is my first shop/pricing software. I really wanted it so I can print out a more professional invoice rather then using the hand written ones I've been using lol. Plus it will be nice to quote jobs a lot faster.


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## Gorillawhite (Sep 29, 2009)

mikelmorgan said:


> I have been running my business for years with a program I designed using a software called Filemaker. It literally runs every aspect of my shop. From bidding a job out to shipping the order to the customer. It keeps track of every job, customer and anything I need it to do. I have had several of my contract customer ask about using the software for their shop (smaller shops). So i have designed one that most any shop can use, the problem is, what is something like this worth to your company? I could sell the template for as little as $100 but you have to buy the software from Filemaker to run it. If you buy the Filemaker software, you can buy up to five copies and run the database on all five at the same time and they will sync with one main database. Or I could make a runtime version but it could only run on one computer, multi users would not be able to use it. I can make several copies but they won't synchronize with each other. The software and system really works great and is simple to use. I have found that in this business most companies run on a very tight budget. They don't want to spend money on anything, but this software will save a ton of time and keep you on top of every step of the screen printing, embroidery, dtg or whatever you may run in your shop. Any insight would be appreciated.
> thanks
> Mike


I'm very interested in this. Could you post a video on how it works, like a demo? $100 is very reasonable and having the ability to use it on the go with an Iphone/Ipad is very cool.


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## mikelmorgan (Nov 1, 2008)

Working on the video this weekend. Hopefully have something monday.


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## Rodney (Nov 3, 2004)

Please let's not turn this into a sales thread so it can stay on the boards and avoid it becoming self promotional  

It seems like the general question is "how to price" software like this. Which could not only be helpful for Mike, but for others who come up with software for the industry and are figuring out which pricing model to choose.

If you click on Mike's username, you can always send a Private Message about demos, pricing, etc.


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## mikelmorgan (Nov 1, 2008)

Thanks Rodney, I am not trying to make sales but get feed back on what to price it and also what are people looking for in this type of software. It probably won't be ready for sales for a couple of weeks at best. But I would like people's opinion on the software so they can judge it as far as the worth of it. I don't want to abuse this forum in any way. It is a really good resource. Thanks again.


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## mikelmorgan (Nov 1, 2008)

So my original question is how to price this software. I have gotten several questions about the software and requests for a video. I am posting a video but my original question is still the same. What would you price this or what would you pay for a software like this. This is still a work in progress, the one I run in my shop is very customized to my shop. I am trying to make it pretty standard so it will work for most any shop. It is not for sale yet. I may have it ready within a week or so. SO what do you think? Will it work for your shop and what do you think it is worth. Do you have anything like it and what are you looking for in a software like this.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tL4qAV_B6sI[/media]


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