Many web offset printers have developed complicated spreadsheets to estimate their printing. While such a solution has clear advantages over calculating quotes by hand, it falls short of what a database application such as the Presstimator has to offer. Is your spreadsheet difficult to use and maintain? Do you have to cut corners because your spreadsheet can only handle simple calculations? Can you easily update prices in a single place? Are you maintaining correct Budgeted Hourly Rates based on your current overhead to establish your rates? Are your old quotes hard to find because they are buried in a confusing collection of folders and directories? What happens after you finish a quote? Do you have to start from scratch to prepare a letter to the customer and a job ticket? The Presstimator gives you the tools you need to take your estimating to the next step!
- Sharing spreadsheets leads to outdated information
- Can't guarantee someone won't accidently delete an important number or formula
- Someone uses the spreadsheet incorrectly resulting in inaccurate results
- Hard to share among multiple plants and users
- Intellectual property in a spreadsheet can walk out your door
| Feature |
Presstimator
|
Spreadsheet
(e.g., Excel) |
| Automatic
calculations |
 |
|
| Quotes
ready within minutes |
|
|
| Old quotes stored electronically |
|
|
| "Save
As" to make changes, requote |
|
|
| Standards
stored in central location |
|
|
| Easy to sort, locate, modify old quotes |
|
|
| Easily
update old quotes with new prices |
|
|
| Easy to maintain and modify standards |
|
|
| Reports generated from quote |
|
|
| Logical design, Q/A format, tool tips |
|
|
| Easy for anyone to prepare quotes |
|
|
| Server-ready to allow multiple users |
|
|
| Auditor
tracks down mistakes and oversights |
|
|
| Quote
can include multiple stocks, presses, etc. |
|
|
| Include
multiple page counts and quantities within a single Quote. |
|
|
| Incorporate multiple estimates into a single Quote to include Covers/Inserts. |
|
|
| Estimates materials used and time by department |
|
|
| Uses exact costs, rather than averages |
|
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| Sophisticated calculations, configurations |
|
|
| Customer information easily imported into quotes |
|
|
| Efficiently store thousands of quotes |
|
|
| Incorporates Budgeted Hourly Rates to establish costing standards |
|
|
| Metric and/or English/US measurements | |
|
| Interface directly with Data Collection to capture Actuals | |
|
| Interface with accounting system (QuickBooks) | |
|
| Interface with browser for users to enter jobs without having to learn spreadsheet details |
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