What do you guys that run service shops use for software???

[tim]

Hey all...I am looking at new software for my shop....for 5 years I have been using a very inexpensive package I bought and it seems to do OK for some stuff...I think I paid $30 for it then. I wanted something that was a bit more in depth that would track my inventory better and do my banking etc too. I chose and bought the new version of Quickbooks Pro '07. Besides the fact that it's very overwhelming, I'm already thinking it's not really designed to be used in a shop like ours...I mean it won't even let you put text on the invoice telling the customer what you did to fix their equipment...what kind of invoicing software is that? Even my $30 program lets me do that! There are some I've looked at but they are very expensive, more than $500 and up from there....my QB pro was $160 which is about all I can afford (fortunately they have a 60 day warranty, moneyback, if it doesn't work out for the me). What do you all use? Is there anything out there that is made specifically for our industry?
Help

[Newt]

Quickbooks should work fine.

You should have no problems using QB Pro. I fooled around the standard services invoice. You can put anything you like in the description column, either overwriting a standard item or by itself. Examples attached. I'm not sure what export capability is built in to Pro 2007, but many documents/reports can be exported to Word or Excel and edited there and printed.

Nelson Harrell (Newt)

[Bruce / Mission Amps]

I use Quick Books Pro too and it is fine... Randy brought over and installed a program called Parts and Vendors EX which is fantastic but high $$ and a little more complicated.

Take a look at the SE version

http://www.trilogydesign.com/

[tim]

Third try trying answer this...clumsy fingers dumping me out of this forum twice..GOD I hate typing on my laptop!!!!!!!
I have the forms pretty much figured out in QB now. Thanks for all your help. I ended up calling support and talking to a girl that was having issues with English but we were able to get the job done after being on the phone for 2 and a half hours...I'm just glad it wasn't my nickle (30 days free support)....I'm sure the call went to New Delhi.
She suggested as you did Newt to put my comments in the description field. I guess I have no choice...I still think it's kind of kludgey but I guess they are trying to be all things to all people and it ends up making no one really happy with the results. I wish I knew more about Microsoft Access..I'll bet there's a great way of doing what I want in there somewhere (of course I'd have to write it) but industry specific software is just too pricey for me right now. The $150 I spent on QB was about the max I could afford right now.
Thanks again!
tim