valdav Posted September 12, 2004 Report Share Posted September 12, 2004 I am looking for reporting software that is easy to use and doesn't cost an arm and a leg. If you have something I may be interested in please let me know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottpat Posted September 12, 2004 Report Share Posted September 12, 2004 With inspection software the quality and support of it are in direct relation to the price. Good reporting software will run in the $600 to $900 range depending on the bells and whistles your get. I personally like and use 3D reporting software. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hausdok Posted September 13, 2004 Report Share Posted September 13, 2004 Hi, You could check out our sponsor's software, Inspect Express. I use it and it works great for me. The demo costs you nothing and is fully functional - not dummied down - so you'll get a good feel for how it works. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonTx Posted September 13, 2004 Report Share Posted September 13, 2004 Take a look at Whisper Solutions software. It is a data base system as opposed to much of the software ou there now that is MS Word based. Whisper can do all the things you want it to at a cost a lot less than other "commercial" software ($225). I've tried most of the software out there and in my opinion Whisper beats it all hands down. Simple to use with powerful functions. Although it was originally intended for Texas inspectors, the owners will now modify it for your state. You can find it at; http://www.whispersolutions.com Donald Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chad Fabry Posted September 13, 2004 Report Share Posted September 13, 2004 I use Inspect Express as well. Aside from operator incompetence, the program works well for me and produces a very professional looking report. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisprickett Posted September 13, 2004 Report Share Posted September 13, 2004 I've been using Inspectvue 3 from Porter Valley Software. Until recently, I've been pretty much satisfied, but lately they seem to be more concerned with growth than customer service. The last three questions I've had have been given the blanket "it's a problem with your computer" answer. I was told (by PV in January) that I had a bad hard drive. Funny, but here it is September, and with the exception of issues with their software, I've had no problems whatsoever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
valdav Posted September 13, 2004 Author Report Share Posted September 13, 2004 Thanks to all who replied to my question about software. I appreciate your willingness to help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crusty Posted September 13, 2004 Report Share Posted September 13, 2004 Home Guage also works well and is very adaptable to different reporting styles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonTx Posted September 14, 2004 Report Share Posted September 14, 2004 Chris, I had a similar problem when I bought their QuickCheck software. I thought I could change it around to meet Texas' promulgated form. However when I changed it around too much it would lock up every time I opened the program. I'd have to completely uninstall the program and get rid of every folder associated with it and re-install it. After a half dozen times doing this I said "enough" and went back to Whisper. Got the same answers you did from PV. It was either me or the puter or "we'll research it and get back with you". Donald Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisprickett Posted September 14, 2004 Report Share Posted September 14, 2004 Donald, If you're like me, you're still waiting for them "to get back to you"! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurt Posted September 15, 2004 Report Share Posted September 15, 2004 The intitial price of software is, quite literally, meaningless. The cost is the amount of time you will spend customizing the programs to suit your requirements. You will not know what your requirements are until you try out a lot of software. Download all of the available stuff & start researching. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InspectVue Posted October 18, 2004 Report Share Posted October 18, 2004 Chris, We feel we have the best technical support in the industry. I have not heard from you since January and this is now October. If you have an issue, please call us. We have over 1800 Inspectors nationwide using our system and get many letters telling us how our software has saved them from litigation issues and are letting them do more reports than they could have ever done without our software. Originally posted by chrisprickett I've been using Inspectvue 3 from Porter Valley Software. Until recently, I've been pretty much satisfied, but lately they seem to be more concerned with growth than customer service. The last three questions I've had have been given the blanket "it's a problem with your computer" answer. I was told (by PV in January) that I had a bad hard drive. Funny, but here it is September, and with the exception of issues with their software, I've had no problems whatsoever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InspectVue Posted October 18, 2004 Report Share Posted October 18, 2004 Chris, our software was never designed to be used in Texas and if I knew that you where buying the software to modify for this, I would never had sold you the software in the first place. You are welcome to your money back. Originally posted by Donald Lawson Chris, I had a similar problem when I bought their QuickCheck software. I thought I could change it around to meet Texas' promulgated form. However when I changed it around too much it would lock up every time I opened the program. I'd have to completely uninstall the program and get rid of every folder associated with it and re-install it. After a half dozen times doing this I said "enough" and went back to Whisper. Got the same answers you did from PV. It was either me or the puter or "we'll research it and get back with you". Donald Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisprickett Posted October 19, 2004 Report Share Posted October 19, 2004 Originally posted by InspectVue Chris, We feel we have the best technical support in the industry. I have not heard from you since January and this is now October. If you have an issue, please call us. We have over 1800 Inspectors nationwide using our system and get many letters telling us how our software has saved them from litigation issues and are letting them do more reports than they could have ever done without our software. Originally posted by chrisprickett I've been using Inspectvue 3 from Porter Valley Software. Until recently, I've been pretty much satisfied, but lately they seem to be more concerned with growth than customer service. The last three questions I've had have been given the blanket "it's a problem with your computer" answer. I was told (by PV in January) that I had a bad hard drive. Funny, but here it is September, and with the exception of issues with their software, I've had no problems whatsoever. Lorne, Actually you last heard from me in September, and before that, July. In July, I was having problems transferring libraries to my employees, and some data was being lost when I tried to use an existing library to create a new one. Just like when we spoke in January (on another issue) you blamed my computer. You requested that I send you an archive of the affected library. I did, and that's the last I heard from you. I left a voice mail a few weeks later to follow up, and still got no response. About a month ago, I had another issue with printing to Adobe Acrobat. When you returned my call, you told my wife, once again, that it must be a problem with my computer. It wasn't. When I was having problems last January, you said my hard drive was dying. Now it's October, and I've had no issues whatsoever with the hard drive, which I use every single day. Now I'm sitting here with over 2K invested in your software, and rapidly losing faith. You called yesterday, I returned your call immediately, and as of 1:30 today, I haven't heard back. If I had, I wouldn't be airing my problems on a public message board. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisprickett Posted October 19, 2004 Report Share Posted October 19, 2004 Originally posted by InspectVue Chris, our software was never designed to be used in Texas and if I knew that you where buying the software to modify for this, I would never had sold you the software in the first place. You are welcome to your money back. Originally posted by Donald Lawson Chris, I had a similar problem when I bought their QuickCheck software. I thought I could change it around to meet Texas' promulgated form. However when I changed it around too much it would lock up every time I opened the program. I'd have to completely uninstall the program and get rid of every folder associated with it and re-install it. After a half dozen times doing this I said "enough" and went back to Whisper. Got the same answers you did from PV. It was either me or the puter or "we'll research it and get back with you". Donald That was Donald's issue, not mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaws Posted December 12, 2004 Report Share Posted December 12, 2004 Here I an two months after the fact with my 2 cents worth. I have to say this topic is right up my alley as I have been searching for the right reporting software. I'm currently using the Matrix and am tired of being limited to what I can report on and other issues which don't help me as an inspector. Lorne i've met you at your seminar this past summer in San Jose and again at Creia's Delta chapter meeting. The PV software is my strongest consideration so far due to the positive feedback i've recieved from other inspectors who are using PV software. As far as Lornes response time to his clients, I have been informed by Peter of A 2 Z inspections that he always responds in a very timely manner. With 1800 PV software users Lorne must get spread a little thin now and then, however you know in business you better do what you say you'll do or the word will get out and spread like wildfire. John Metzger Applied Research Inspection Creia(can) Delta Chapter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisprickett Posted December 12, 2004 Report Share Posted December 12, 2004 I had a long conversation with Lorne, and we have resolved our issues. I'm satisfied that the support will be in line with my expectations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hausdok Posted December 12, 2004 Report Share Posted December 12, 2004 Hi, You should check out the latest version of our sponsor's software, Inspect Express. The program runs in MS Word and can be learned in under 15 minutes. It's fully customizable, and you can choose to either prepare reports in full narrative or semi-narrative format. I haven't played with a lot of demo versions of other programs - mostly because I'm a cyber idiot and can never figure out how they work. For whatever reason, I was able to figure out IE in less than 15 minutes the very first time I tried it. With me, that was key. I'm not a fan of checklists or semi-narrative type reports. My reports are full narrative. However, IE's semi-narrative format is ideal for the inspector who is going to be doing on-site reports using a pen-tablet or notebook computer. You can switch between a full-narrative or semi-narrative report in IE by simply clicking on a checkbox in settings before you start to prepare the report. It gives one the ability to offer a semi-narrative report at one price for the person who's in a hurry and wants it on-site, or a full-narrative report at a higher price which you prepare back at your office and deliver via email the next day. I used to use the InspectIt program, which was semi-narrative. Before that, my old franchiser's format was a semi-narrative type. I've played with the semi-narrative version of IE, and I think it looks cleaner and more professional than most semi-narrative formats I've seen, and there's no difference in the way the report is input into the computer, so there's no additional learning curve. Plus, one can archive up an unlimited number of versions of every single boilerplate comment. So, when you do have a situation where you need to modify your boilerplate a little to suit the home, and the custom comment you write is pretty good, you can instantly save it for use when the same type of situation arises in the future, without modifying your default boilerplate comment. When the report is done, I can print a 30 page report out - in color - in less than 5 minutes and punching and binding the report takes less than 3. I print my cover on linen finish ivory-colored card stock and the rest of the report on hi-grade, ivory-colored, linen finish paper. When bound with a cover, the end product looks very professional and just blows the clients away. It's worth checking out. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaws Posted December 12, 2004 Report Share Posted December 12, 2004 Thats good news Chris! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homespect Posted December 17, 2004 Report Share Posted December 17, 2004 I'm looking at matrix and 3D software and was wondering if anybody had any opinions on these two reporting systems,I can't seem to make up my mind which one to go with [] Benny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaws Posted December 23, 2004 Report Share Posted December 23, 2004 Hi Benny, I've been looking for about six months and I decided purchased InspectVue just one week ago today. I've done my homework, asked a lot of questions and found out a lot of things about a lot of companys selling reporting software. I'll only comment on the three at hand, the Matrix is what i've been using and with limited options I had to give it up. I won't elaborate. 3-D which you've mentioned, is having some problems in the back office or lack there of and getting support is difficult to say the least, but I heard that second hand and you should look into that your self. And third i've been to three presentations in the last six months given by Lorne Steiner of Porter Valley Softwares InspectVue and in the week that i've used it the agent are very happy because the report is easy for them and the client gets a lot of value out of the information. Plus e mailing or accessing the report on the web is very handy. Thats my 2 cents worth. If you would like to talk to me about it call me at 209-814-8803 I hope this helped as I know its an expensive endevour and making the right choice can be difficult. Good Luck...........John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonTx Posted December 23, 2004 Report Share Posted December 23, 2004 Originally posted by chrisprickett I had a long conversation with Lorne, and we have resolved our issues. I'm satisfied that the support will be in line with my expectations. I'm glad you got your issues settled. I returned the software for a full refund (as stated by Lorne elsewhere in this post) mid November. I'm still waiting for my money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renron Posted December 24, 2004 Report Share Posted December 24, 2004 I have been using Inspect Express for almost a year now, I think I have picked up 3 full time clients, (read Realtors) (not ZOIDS), because of the Report format. I personally love the Summary section and the photo drop. I typically take between 40 and 70 photos of every job. I drop about 7 or8 photos into the summary and make it easy for the "handyman" to do his job without calling me for directions as to "which rafter tail was it?". Took me a while to get the hang of the software and personalize the options to my liking, but I am Very happy with it. I have no financial interest in it or this website. (they advertise here) I have had 4 other inspectors ask me which report software I use, because they want to use it too. If they are within 50 miles I tell them it's mine, (which it is, I bought it), if further than that I am proud to point them to I.E.. Very happy with the software and If I have a problem, they have a HUMAN answer the phone..OMG!!! Ron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clambdin Posted December 30, 2004 Report Share Posted December 30, 2004 I have been looking into Quickstart 2000 pro software, Does anybody know anything about it ?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chad Fabry Posted December 30, 2004 Report Share Posted December 30, 2004 I use Inspect Express as well. I haven't had any REALTORS rave about the format yet, but one did tear up my business card into tiny bits while I was still at the inspection. I had some learning curve problems using the program, but they were attributable to 1) I'm as computer savvy as an average ant eater 2) I had no MS Word skills what so ever and my dog Gunther had to keep coming over to explain the margin thing. and 3) I had no computer skills what so ever. After writing maybe ten reports I felt VERY comfortable with the program and the newest update makes it even better. As far as Quickstart2000 goes... you gets what you pays for. clamdin... send mike@devwave.com and email and he'll hook you up with a fully functional program that'll let you test it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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