Management Software

[Coin Operated Group]

I think some software that you can program frequency of visits and it flags up when one is due is what is needed as a neccesity.

So, if would alert you when you are due to visit and tell you what you need such as what stock and equipment?

Just to tell you when a refill is due, and maybe what lines the machine has would be a good start

regards
matt

[callmoo3]

Sounds good :)

[PGBrew]

Andy,

I do the same & use a manual system too and it works well! You want to know your usage......count your boxes periodically. I spent a year entering stock usage data onto a spread sheet and did nothing with it. Site usage varies, between sites in the same area and also with the time of year, weather, functions etc. I only collect financial information, Sales & purchase daybooks summarising vending sales & listing purchases invoices - over to accountant - done.

Pete

[Coin Operated Group]

I agree not to over complicate it, but surely a system that tells you when a set time period has lapsed would help.

[callmoo3]

Andy,

I do the same & use a manual system too and it works well! You want to know your usage......count your boxes periodically. I spent a year entering stock usage data onto a spread sheet and did nothing with it. Site usage varies, between sites in the same area and also with the time of year, weather, functions etc. I only collect financial information, Sales & purchase daybooks summarising vending sales & listing purchases invoices - over to accountant - done.

Pete

Some people do prefer manual entry but I have always liked stuff on spreadsheets or on a database rather than on paper, probably because my handwriting is so messy.

[PGBrew]

What I mean by manual, is not a fully automated computer program (eg Sage accounts). My data is on an Excel spreadsheet instead of writing out I type in the data line by line so I still call it a manual system, but it is not the automatic double entry system of sage.

[alexlg]

Spreadsheets definitely help if you have to do monthly returns to the site/charity, e.g. Starlight!

Personally I love my little 'account tracker' app with which I record every pot sold, on site, and then if its dark when I go back to the car to fill up my bag, its back-lit too unlike the forms tubz vending gave me to fill out!

I do little else with the detailed data, despite early-on intentions, except its useful sometimes to flick back and see which lines I've removed from that site because they never sold etc. All via my iPhone and without a scrap of paper in site.

[callmoo3]

What I mean by manual, is not a fully automated computer program (eg Sage accounts). My data is on an Excel spreadsheet instead of writing out I type in the data line by line so I still call it a manual system, but it is not the automatic double entry system of sage.

Ahh right, I see.

This is basically the same but presented in a different way. You of course still need to enter all the data etc.

[Mark@MightyVending]

Sounds very interesting. Would be interested in trying it out

[Mark@YorVend]

I was having a conversation a few weeks ago with our maintenance guy (he's a former electrical engineer) about how you would go about having a machine with a real time sales update!

Apparently you could quite easily fit 9 lasers in the lid of a machine that would measure the distance between the lid and the top of the pot in each column. It would then send a data message each time one of the lasers recorded a change via either the sites wi-fi or mobile GPS device fitted in the base of the machine. This would then add the sale to a spreadsheet on your computer.
I think the possibility of your towers telling you every time they sell a pot,or sell out of a particular line, is something I would sell my granny for!!!

The only problem is finding someone to write the relevant computer programme to interpret the signals it was getting, and then paying to convert the machines.

If I ever manage to get the maintenance guy to knock up a prototype for me I will let you know