Just be aware that if/when you sync with a desktop computer, the custom field info you have been using will most likely get lost. .......... . jason kanter . jason.kanter@wamu.net . jkanter@rollingball.com . vp/manager . learning & performance development . consumer loan servicing . washington mutual bank . office 206 490 6708 . cell 425 830 1561 ............................... ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ron Koval" <drwoodwind@hotmail.com> To: <pianotech@ptg.org> Sent: Thursday, December 12, 2002 11:44 AM Subject: palm client list | It's been awhile since we've 'talked' about palm pilot use for client lists. | Anybody found a great package for record keeping? | | Here's my "kludgy" method, using the built-in database and to do list. I | still use a computer-based database to print invoices, but I wanted to have | all my client records with me on the road. I was able to import to palm | (via an ascii file) all of my client info, including name, address, phone, | piano, and directions. There are 4 custom fields that I use for directions, | last time called, and piano information. Palm only sorts using two fields: | Last name, and Company. I'm going to use the company field for some kind of | region shorthand. You know, hometown, close north, close south, way far | west, etc. That way, if I need to fill-in, I can quickly look up the pianos | near to an existing appointment. Since palm uses catagories to divide the | phone list, these are all under "piano" to keep them separate from my | personal list. | | A note can be attached to each record. This is an area for entering text. | I use it for a shorthand for service history. I try to keep typing down to | the minimum, so a note for the church I just tuned at (going back two | tunings)looks like this: | | 12/9/02 kv1.9 28% +10 $xx | 6/8/02 pen 44% +-3 $xx | | This lets me know the date, temperament, humidity, how far off the piano was | to begin, and the charge that day. I add notes for anything repaired, or | voicing, etc. I'm not sure how long the notes can be for the palm, so I go | in reverse order, showing the most recent visit at the top. | | Schools get the same treatment, but I'll list the room number or piano | number before the temperament inside brackets, so it's easy to see while | scanning down the list which piano was tuned when. | | Since I call people to set up appointments, I needed to have a way to remind | myself when to call. (I'm NOT chatty on the phone, I don't use much time for | this) | | Using the built in to do list, I made 12 different catagories. 01jan, | 02feb...... This will display them in order when you go to choose which | catagory to show. I then list the client name, phone# and town. I use the | "complete" box when I've scheduled an appt. It's a snap to move people from | month to month, as needed, or just leave open if they decide to skip a year. | When the next year rolls around, just uncheck all for that month, which | leaves the date from last year on the record. | | 6 month people get two entries in the appropriate month, with a note letting | me know it's a 6 month person. | | Now I just need to figure out the expense report thingee for keeping track | of income........ | | Ron Koval | | (taking the long road..) | | | | | | | _________________________________________________________________ | MSN 8 with e-mail virus protection service: 2 months FREE* | http://join.msn.com/?page=features/virus | | _______________________________________________ | pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives
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