Client Database

[Rick Bunzel]

I am considering moving over to HIP from 3D. One of the components that HIP is missing is the client / office manager. HIP encourages users to use Inspector Support Network (ISN). But ISN charges $4 per client entry. The first price break is at 50 entries (in a month) so with my current forecast is going to cost me $1,000 plus a year.

I am looking at alternatives and wonder what other inspectors are using to track clients and reports?

//Rick

[Scott Patterson]

Rick, I'm in the same boat.. I'm looking at FileMaker Pro. For $339 it looks like it can do the client tracking and much more fairly easy.

I agree with ISN being too expensive for what I need and I will never use two thirds of the bells and whistles they offer.

[Phillip Norman]

Buy FileMaker Pro v5 or v5.5. This is a sweet spot in the evolution, about ten years old. Newest versions of software get embellishments more often than improvement. I use FileMaker daily for many personal and business needs, and will offer templates and advice if asked offline. I am quite a zealot for this, and for Adobe Framemaker (similarly at v5.5.6 sweet spot). You should wish to try FrameMaker too, but older versions are purged.

Search ebay:
filemaker | eBay (http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trksid=p2053587.m570.l1313.TR11.TRC1.A0.Xf ilemaker&_nkw=filemaker&_sacat=0&_from=R40)

Right now find v5.5 at $50:
FileMaker 5 5 Pro PC Full Version | eBay (http://www.ebay.com/itm/FileMaker-5-5-Pro-PC-full-version-/321290299671?pt=US_Office_Business_Software&hash=item4ace64e917)

$50 is the going price for v5.5. I bought a copy of v5 a year ago at $30, for a backup person with my high school fifty year reunion. Ability with a general, easily printable database gets me stuck being the organizer of reunions. The reunion database even printed sheets of name tags.
FWIW I attach name tag photos. I will be grateful for site instructions for shrinking photos. I'll find more uses for that.

[Rolland Pruner]

Don't do it... I think 3D is the best out there!!!

My opinion...

[Scott Patterson]

Don't do it... I think 3D is the best out there!!!

My opinion...

It is a good program with some features that I miss but their customer service just stinks and I got tired of their BS! I stayed with them way too long the last straw was when I needed to upgrade for Windows 7 and also install it on an additional laptop and they wanted me to pay almost $1000. I won't event talk about all of their upgrades that never installed properly and when you called they made it your fault...

Life is so much better with Home Inspector Pro and the support that Dom and his team offer to the profession.