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marvinloveless

Order Forms

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Hello all,

 

I am just getting strated and I need some help.  Does anyone have a standard form they use when taking orders that covers all possible job types or are you using different forms for different jobs?  Would any of you be willing to share your forms with me that I could develop my own form from?

 

Thank for your help in advance.

 

Marvin

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There is no standard form.  That's where trial and error and experience comes into play.  

Every job is different.  The people on this forum are great and will help with specify question about a job but you really just need to get out there and learn. 

I think everyone here will agree that we've all made a BUNCH of mistakes but that's the nature of business.  You have to learn from them.   

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Thanks to all of you for sharing your insight it is greatly appreciated.  What I am trying to do is develop a order taking form to be used when recording the interest of my client for example if I am responding to a vehicle graphics request or a window graphics request, I will use a form that will capture all information necessary to fully understand the client needs and at the same time be able to properly calculate pricing information.

I was hoping to learn from those of you doing the business for some time and knew what information to capture to best work.   I use quickbooks for my invoicing, and being able to provide quote statements, invoices, and statements is no problem.  My issue is that I lack the experience to best know what information beyond the basic common sense information should be collected.  (I don't know what I don't know)

I guess I am referring to a work-order form...

Thanks for all the responses I understand that I must walk the line to gain experience but many mistakes can be avoided through advance research and asking those like you for advice...

If you would be willing to share your Work-order Form with me, this would give me insight into possible scenarios.

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There comes a point where you reach past the line of helpful advice from others in the industry, to asking them to share pieces of their business that they have worked hard for.

 

This is one of those points. Be thankful that these professionals share as much as they do with their competitors.

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There comes a point where you reach past the line of helpful advice from others in the industry, to asking them to share pieces of their business that they have worked hard for.

 

This is one of those points. Be thankful that these professionals share as much as they do with their competitors.

If you are implying that I am not appreciated you are mistaken. I understand where your opinion comes from. I have read many post here and I do not agree with your assessment. This question falls right in line with questions asked and answered. If you don't want to help answer a question I post, then please keep moving, I understand that some people feel that answering basic questions will threaten their business but I doubt it will be because they shared the types of information they have learned to collect thru trial and error. I myself would have no issues helping someone with a similar request which I posted.

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I don't think it was ever intended to sound mean but many treat that info like proprietary technology. Me on the other hand do 99% of my estimating and pricing off the top of my head so there is no "form" I can offer and I know several who do it the same as me because there are way too many variables to list on a sheet of paper. That knoweldge is stored in my head and pops up as a memory of a mistake previously made to help me not make the sake mistake twice. If this sounds confusing you should spend a day in my head and learn the true meaning of confused :)

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I don't have a special form..... Here is what I do.  I use regular "guest checks".  Yup, thats right.  The same kind they use like at a deli or coffee shop.  They work great for me for what I do.  I use the front for the basic info but I also use the back for notes.  Like font types, sizes etc.  

 

I have one of those (two actually) long (4') ticket holder bars on my wall.  I hang tickets like at a restaurant!  It is how I stay organized and I can see all my orders at a glance.

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Here is what we use.....works for most  items.

Print it on a bright color paper so it is easily located

in your work area or on your desk.

 

If you do a lot of garments you need to add spaces

for sizes & colors or put it in the instructions.

 

If you do installs, you need to add instructions for that.

 

But, it covers the basics.

 

Sue2

Work Order 2.pdf

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If you need the Work Order with a few changes let me know I can send a pdf.

 

Sue2

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If you need the Work Order with a few changes let me know I can send a pdf.

 

Sue2

Sue you are awesome, thank you so much. If ever I can return the favor I will do so first in line. I like your form, it is easy to understand and helps me with my thought process.

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Job Order Form.
Slice & Dice,

Thank you for your insight, your method made me realize I needed to address fonts types. I really appreciate your professionalism and willingness to help.

If ever I can return the favor I will..

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You are welcome!

 

LOL...we are a print shop first so we better be good

at form design!

 

Sue2

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Slice & Dice,

Thank you for your insight, your method made me realize I needed to address fonts types.

 

Don't worry too much about fonts...

Very few customers actually know/care what fonts they need....

YOU are the professional, you should choose based on what will

work best on that sign/banner/sticker, etc.

 

Often customers do request a particular font that just won't work...

The infamous Papyrus is a good example!

YOU have to tell them why it won't and have a suggestion ready.

 

Sue2

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You're welcome, I forgot about this thread -- it's from last year and I never checked back in.

 

 

My JobSheet is nothing more than a quick evaluation of what the work will entail. It's not rocket science, and we all quickly develop an internal workflow model which suits our shops and types of jobs.

As for Fonts, I always discuss with the client a general font style they want to have -- at a minimum we review serif & sanserif, and what they consider as appropriate for their "look" (and sometimes that involves their business card and/or logo). I normally don't get into specific fonts at this stage.

 

The exact font(s) chosen (and this usually is done during the design phase) should be noted on the jobsheet.

I hate going back later and having no idea of what font had been used !!! (especially one I've already converted to curves and it doesn't any longer tell me what font it was)

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You're welcome, I forgot about this thread -- it's from last year and I never checked back in.

 

 

My JobSheet is nothing more than a quick evaluation of what the work will entail. It's not rocket science, and we all quickly develop an internal workflow model which suits our shops and types of jobs.

As for Fonts, I always discuss with the client a general font style they want to have -- at a minimum we review serif & sanserif, and what they consider as appropriate for their "look" (and sometimes that involves their business card and/or logo). I normally don't get into specific fonts at this stage.

 

The exact font(s) chosen (and this usually is done during the design phase) should be noted on the jobsheet.

I hate going back later and having no idea of what font had been used !!! (especially one I've already converted to curves and it doesn't any longer tell me what font it was)

 

 

Been there, done that...too many times!

Now I save the live fonts with the design on a second page before converting the text to curves.

It does help....when changes are needed.

 

Sue2

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I'm one of the Mac users and I uses (numbers) and they have pre invoices I just edit out and print If you don't use Mac gmail has something similar also .. Good luck

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