Proof/Consumable Tracking

[acp]

My company is a marketing/design firm. I have brought our prepress in-house almost entirely supplying final PDF/X-1a files and Epson proofs via a GMG ColorProof RIP. I know I have over-simplified things but I am trying to keep it short.

We are producing more proofs than ever, having various catalogs that are over 200 pages and may have 2 to 3 rounds of page proofs. We have not been using any form of automated or manual tracking to attach each proof to a specific job. Nor do we have any form of consumable tracking to see our actual vs. waste. I now need to set up a system to account for billable and non-billable output from our three Epsons.

What are you using? Is there an off-the-shelf package, have you built your own system?
Any, and all, input is much appreciated.

 

[gordo]

What are you currently using to track your billable time. Do you use a job docket system? Can your proof usage be added to that?

gordon p

my print blog here: Quality In Print

 

[acp]

The system used is for design/marketing firms, time is entered manually. A line item is needed just to include proofs. I need to track how many proofs are made for each job then pass off that info to the account team for billing. For internal budgeting reasons I need to account for consumable usage. I want to automate both processes as much as possible.

 

[Luc St-Pierre]

We have transformed good old job dockets in a Filemaker database. Every revision, consumable, tech info is documented there by our operators. Our accounting dept can feed on some fields for invoicing, inventory, purchasing etc. Of course, the whole system relies on operators filling in the info.

 

[acp]

Yep, I have a FMP database together but now am trying to expand it , just having some issues with calc functions. I agree that it can all fall apart if the operators don't use the system. Is you DB proprietary? Could you send me a screen grab? Let me know, we can go offline if necessary.

 

[Luc St-Pierre]

Here is a window grab of our FMP worksheet. The actual calculations are made in our accounting database and the needed fields are imported from FMP to accounting. This was put together by an outsource programer. Hope this gives you some inspration.