The Decorative Painter Data Base is the only program that comes in modular form. No other company offers this feature. This is extremely important for the user because you don't have to purchase several programs to acomplish what you need. Also, because the DPDB program is designed in modular form, you only purchase the modules you need and not wasting money purchasing programs that you don't need. However, the modules are always there for your review and purchase (as add-ons) when your needs grow. After you decide which module you wish to add-on, after payment is received a serial # is emailed to you to allow unlimited entries. Since the module is already on your computer, there is no need to download it and install it.

In addition, how many software packages allow you to "Try It before You Buy It!"? The Trial Version of the DPDB is fully functional. Although you are limited up to 10 entries (depending on module) it remains functional until you decide to delete it.

you can enter your own information, play with the "Value List", perform searches and even print a report.

The Main Program allow the user to operate each module as a separate program.........

 Book Module

This module will help you keep track of each book you own and where you have stored it. You are able to enter its cost, where you purchased it, when it was purchased, the date it was published and the publisher. This information may be of benefit if you ever need to replace it or if you need it for insurance purposes. Also, you have a field named "ID#". For easy identification, you could label each book with an ID# on the spine of the book. The other fields are self-explanatory, however, you should give some consideration on what you will be entering into each field. Most importantly, be consistent in your descriptive words. This will especially be of importance when you are doing a search.

The strength of the Book Module, as well as other modules, is in the programs ability to locate fields listed above, provided you have entered the information. Within seconds you can have a list of all the information that you are interested in base on your search criteria. You do not have to enter all the information requested on the Find Data Entry Form, however, keep in mind that if you ever want to do a search under a particular field (data entry box), it is important that you enter information in that field. For example....if you ever have a need to look for something based on a Season, you will need to enter something in the Season field, such as winter or maybe Easter. Searches can be perform using one or several fields. This allows you to perform a "wide" search as well as a "tight" (more specific) search. A wide search may be just looking for something on wood surface. All you have to do is select wood from the Surface field, and click on the "Perform Find" button. The program will show you how many records were located (upper right corner of the View-Report page) with a wood surface. To get a tighter search, you could enter wood in the Surface field, a category in the Category field and/or Sub-Category, and select a season from the Season field. This module also has a place for you to enter Notes for both the book and projects.

A very unique feature of this (and some of the other) module is the Duplicate Record button vs the New Record button. Let's say you have entered all the information you wanted on the data entry form for a particular book. Now you're ready to enter a 2nd project from that same book. Instead of clicking on the New Record button, click on the Duplicate Record button. This erases all the information about the project from the previous form and keeps all the data that has to do with the book, including any notes you have entered in the Book Notes section. This eliminates having to reenter information about the book each time you want to enter information about a project within that book. A real time saver. The Project Notes section is for each project. Unlike the Book Notes, entering information for one project will not effect the Project Notes for the other projects.

Another feature is the "Value List". This is a field drop-down list where you can enter information simply by clicking on it. Your list can be as long as you want it to be and can be changed anytime. If you ever decide to remove a descriptive word from the list, it only removes it from the list and does not remove the word from the fields that you have entered the word into earlier. No other data base for the decorative painter allows you to create a list of your "own" descriptive words.

The Book Module (as well as some of the other Modules) will also allow you to print out a 5.5 x 8.5 size (for a shopping list) as well as on 8.5 x 11 inches paper. The smaller size will fit into one of those 6 x 9 inch binders that you can find in most office supply stores for as little as $3.00. Some of them come with a plastic sleeve. Here you can be creative and slip in your own art work to match your mood or maybe for a season.

Magazine Module

This Module is very similar to the Book Module. Unlike a book that is usually written by one author, a magazine has several articles and projects by various authors and teachers. Also, magazines are published by month(s). Therefore, it was felt that it would be best to have a separate module for magazines. Once again, you do not have to use all the fields. For example, if you entered something in the Project field, you probably will not enter anything in the Featured Article field or vise versa. The Feature Article field should be used for something that teaches you to do a specific "brush stroke" or maybe "how to use a scroll saw" or "how to select brushes". The idea here is to be consistent on how you enter your data. You probably will still want to use at least the Category field. The reason being, is that it would be hard to do a search for a Feature Article because of its title. So let's say that the article is named "Scroll Sawing for Beginners". What you may want to enter the following: Feature Article = Scroll Sawing for Beginners; Category = Scroll Saws; Difficulty = Beginner. Now, when you're trying to find articles about scroll saws, on the Find Record form you would enter the following into the fields: Category = Scroll Saws or do a search where Category = Scroll Saws and Difficulty = Beginner.

Paint Module

The Paint Module will keep inventory of your paints. The data entry form has three places for you to enter paints. Normally, you would only use one (1) field for each color you have. The number of bottle of that color would be entered in the "Amt in Stock" field. The remaining two (2) fields are used for color blends. These can either be blends that were suggested in a project or one that you created. The amount of each color used would be entered in the "Ratio #" field. To be able to find (using Find Record) the blends you created, you could enter your name in the "Brand" field. Since you used several different paints, you would not enter a value in the "Amt in Stock" field. Each of the colors you used are already (hopefully) entered as individual paints. The "Notes" section, which is unlimited entry, is a great place for you to enter information on how a paint reacts to a particular surface or how it handles with humidity. This module will also allow you to print out a 5.5 x 8.5 size for a shopping list.

Packet Module

The Packet Module is also used for inventory purposes. It not only keep track of the packets you have purchased, it will also locate projects that you are interested in doing and show you where you stored it. You know.....under the bed in box #3. If you make your own packets, you can enter them here, too. There's also places for you to enter where you purchased the packet, who you spoke with, what their position was and how much you paid for it. To make dialing easy, just click on the phone icon, and the program will dial the number for you. To help you in determine what it cost you to make a particular packet, you probably will want to check out the Project Module.

Inventory Module

This Module is used for everything else you need to keep track of. Here you can enter your hand and power tools, brushes, wood, small hardware, finished projects, etc. A little thought needs to go into how you want to enter your information. First, let talk about tools. You have "hand tools" and "power tools". These tools can be entered into the Category field. In the Sub-Category field you could list the type of tool it is, such as, screw driver and electric sander, respectively. For your finished projects, you could enter "angels" in the Category field and "Christmas" for the Sub-Category. If you started a project but haven't finished it yet and plan on doing it several months down the road, you could write the word "unfinished" in the Note field. To find where all your unfinished projects are, just do a search by entering the word "unfinished" in the Note field and click on the Perform Find button. The Quantity on Hand field can be use to keep track of finished projects as well as hardware, wood, etc., if there is a minimum that you must have on hand.

Project Module

Data Entry Fields

Project #	Project Name	Designer	Packet
Source	Issue	Pg #	Location
Category	Sub-Category	Difficulty	Rating
Packet ID #	Surface	Season	Date Finished
Quantity	Description	Unit Cost	Cost
Material Cost	Hourly Calc	Teacher Calc	Labor Cost
Total Cost	Teacher Labor/Expenses Worksheet

 

If you need to determine what it cost you to make an item, this module is for you. Not only will it allow you to list your material and sum up the cost of those materials, it will also help you determine what the fair value might be. After you have determined the material cost, you have 2 choices for determining your labor cost. One method is the so-called Factor Method (Material Button). This is where you multiply the cost of material times some number. The other method is the Hourly Method (Hourly Button). Using this method, you multiply the hours it took you to make the item times an hourly dollar value for your labor. By clicking on the Material or Hourly button, you will be able to see which method appears to be the correct value for you. Don't be surprised if you find that the Factor method is a lot higher than that of the Hourly one. Flipping between the two methods should give you a good idea what you should sell the item for when selling on consignment or directly to a customer. Now, if you teach, there is a special section that you will use for determining your labor and expense costs. Teachers will be able to enter expenses for things such as travel, lodging, prep time, advertising, etc. After you have enter the required information, the program will calculate a labor/expense prep cost based on the number of students you enter. To determine what the total cost of teaching that project is, just click on the Teacher button (vs Material or Hourly). The program will calculate the total cost per student for materials and labor/prep cost. Since this module works with the Class Module, it is important that you enter the Project #. When you enter the Project # in the Project # field of the Class Module, the material and labor/prep expense cost as well as some information about the project is transferred into the Class Module. So how will this module make your life easier? Let's say you want to make something with a Christmas theme and using wood. Click on the "Find Record" button. Enter "Christmas" in the Season field and "Wood" in the Surface field. Click on the Perform Find button and select the report you want to view. Now, if you're a teacher and you wanted something that you can teach the above example to beginners, enter "Beginner" in the Difficulty field and perform a find. You will now get a list of all the records you entered that meet those criteria. What's also nice about this module is that if you teach and sell the same project, you can see what the cost is without doing anything other than selecting the "Material, Labor, Teacher" button. And for teachers that find themselves going out of town periodically, thereby increasing their travel expenses, can make those adjustments and instantly have a new "cost per student" value.

 

Student Module

Data Entry Fields

Name	Address	Birthday	Send Card Y/N
Painting Level	Painting Media
Phone #	Phone Icon	Interest	Level
Notes	Project #	Project Name	Designer

 

This module is used to keep track of your students. Two fields that you will notice are the Interest and Level fields, which go together. In the Interest field you may want to enter things that a student is interested in learning, while in the Level field you would enter their knowledge level for that interest. When a student takes one of your classes, just enter the Project # (if the class was from one of your projects that was entered in the Project Module) and the Project Name and Designer information will be entered automatically. You also have the ability to override those fields simply by typing in them. There is also a field to select if you want to send them a birthday card. Just enter their birth date and click on the "Yes" button in the "Send Card" field. To get a list of students for a particular month, from the Search Form select the month you need and select "Yes" in the Send Card field. Then click on the Perform Find button. It's as easy as that. Now if you don't do birthday cards but you do send Christmas cards, forget about the birthday field but do select "Yes" in the "Send Card" field.

 

Class Module

Data Entry Fields

Today's Date	Project level	Project #	Project Name
Class Start Date	Class End Date	Start Time	End Time
Hours	Designer	Cost
Phone #	Student Name	Address	Stud Proj Paint Level
Phone Icon	Sale Receipt	Payment Record	Your Notes
Student Notes	Print Class Receipt	Student Status: Inquiry / Signed-Up
Cost of Project Materials		Teacher and Class Prep Expenses

 

Are you teaching classes? If so, this module may be just what you have been looking for. It works with information from the Student and Project Modules. "Today's Date" field is entered automatically by the program. Assuming you will be teaching from a project that you have entered into the Project Module and given it a Project #, all you have to do is enter that Project # in the Class Module and the following information will be entered automatically: Project level, Project Name, Designer, Teacher and Class Prep Expenses, Cost of Project Material, and Cost, which is the total cost for each student. You can also enter the Class Start and End Date as well as the Class Start and End Time. The Class Hours are calculated by the program.OK.....your flyers are out and the calls start coming in. If it's a new persons calling and just inquiring about the class, enter their information and click on the (Student Status) "Inquiry" button. If later they call back and decide to take the class, click on the (Student Status) "Signed-Up" button. When this is done, the class costs will automatically be entered into the Sales Receipt section. Now, if the caller was a previous student and you have them listed in the Student Module, just enter their phone #. All their information will be transferred automatically from the Student Module. The only information you will have to enter will be their Project Painting Level for the project you're teaching, if you need that information. As before, being consistent in your data entry is important. If the wrong phone # or not all the numbers were entered, the information will not be transferred. Therefore, it is suggested that you enter the area code, including the "1" (1-555-123-1234) in both the Student and Class Modules. There is also room on the Sales Receipt to enter any items a student may purchase during class. To print-out the Sales Receipt, just click on the Printer Icon which is located on the right side of the form.

 

Now lets suppose you had decided when entering your expenses on the Project Module that you also decided that your need at least 15 students. However, when all the calls came in, you actually landed up with 22 students. The Class Module will allow you to recalculate your expenses based on the new number of students and you don't have to go back to the Project Module. Just enter that new # of students in the "Enter Actual # of Students" box and the program will recalculate the expenses per student.

 

Consignment Module

Data Entry Fields

Store	Contact Person	Position	Address
Phone #	Phone Icon	Store Notes	Date
Item ID #	Item Name	Season	My Cost
Ask-Retail	Date Sold	% Fee	Cash Fee
Cash to Me	Sold Y/N	Terms	Pay Method
Date Received	Amount Received	Notes

 

The Consignment Module will help you keep track of where and how many items you have on consignment at all or each store. You will have to enter each item and you should give it a unique #, even if you have 5 of the same item in one store. However, you can assign the same # to like items. To save you from having to reenter the same item 5 times, use the "Duplicate Record" button. It will offer you several choices. The "New Record" button is for a new item that you have not entered yet. This Module will also help you keep track of what was sold, what has not sold and how much the store owes you for items that have sold. To help you with your pricing of your product, take a look at the Project Module. This may be especially helpful if an item is not selling. Click between the "Material" and "Hourly" buttons to compare the total cost of the item. You may find that using the Material (better known as the factor method) may not be the correct way of pricing your finished items. The % Fee and Cash Fee is what the store charges you. In the Cash Fee do not enter your monthly rental fee. This field should be used if the store charges a specific amount on each item sold.

 

Sale & Order Module

Data Entry Fields

Trade Show	Customer Name	Address	Phone #
Order Date	Due Date	Order Completed	Sale Receipt
Your Notes	Customer Notes	Payment Record

 

You would use this module to keep track of all your sales, sales tax collected, as well as open orders. You can print out reports of "Customer Purchasing History", "Outstanding Orders", a "Customer List", "Sales Tax Collected" and Mailing Labels. Also, when an order is completed, you can print out a Sales Receipt for your customer.

 

Artist Module

Data Entry Fields

Relation	Name	Address	Send Card Y/N
Birthday	Christmas	Anniversary	Phone #
Phone Icon	Email	Web Site	Notes

 

This Module is a personal directory. Here you would enter other Artists that you have met either at a class or maybe on a List or Chat Room.