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An Open Letter to Printers from your friend, Dr. Bob

Dear Printer,

About 1974 I began to study cost accounting for printers in a serious way. I became aware of the problems facing estimators. Estimating is tied directly to costs. What was needed then, was an estimating program that works the way the estimator works. That is why I wrote Estimates for Printing.

Printing is in a state of flux. You are so busy with everyday tasks that you don't have time to consider how to best do your estimating. I am very fortunate. I have the time, the experience and the training to understand the urgent needs of today's printer. I have been involved in the printing field since 1946. During that time I have seen many changes. Technology is, of course, the major change. How can we use the changing technology to increase profit and, provide better service to our clients?

You need a way to produce estimates that will let you . . .
. . . get back to your customers quicker than you now do.
. . . spend less time than you are now spend.
. . . be more consistent.
. . . stop doing the same arithmetic over and over.

You need an estimating program to save you time, and therefore money. Estimates for Printing does just that. No inventory, no scheduling, no accounting. Just estimating. That is what you need.

I have produced an estimating system that works closer to the way your estimator thinks. Estimates for Printing will let you produce a simple estimate for 5 quantities in less than four minutes. When you have done your estimate, you will also have produced a cutting ticket, a quotation, a summary of prices for the different quantities, a job ticket, a shop job ledger and some other production information. Coincidentally you will also have produced other reports and information in your computer that you can get whenever you want it.

Estimates for Printing is not complex. It will let your estimator override things at every step of the way by changing the difficulty level or by adding or subtracting fixed dollar amounts. This feature lets your estimator use his/her judgment when it is needed.

Simplicity is the reason that I made Estimates for Printing mouse driven. Point and click with the mouse rather than type. Some typing is necessary for special instructions etc. but it is minimal. As you become more practiced, standard keyboard shortcuts will make things even faster.
Estimates for Printing is a stand alone system. That is, it does not need any other program to make it run. Estimates for Printing is also available configured for a network multi-user arrangement on a negotiated price. 

If you are still doing estimates by hand, you can start saving that time and become more profitable by using a program that does Estimates for Printing Call me. I will be happy to arrange for a demonstration.

Sincerely

Robert E. Shaw

Job Ticket to be taped to your envelope.
Pricing Review for . . . to be used to review, approve, or discuss an estimate.
Printing Quotation in Microsoft Word to send to your customer.
Business Office Report to give to person who pays the bills and collects money.
Stock Cutting Ticket to send stock information to the bindery to get started.
An Invoice can be produced with two mouse clicks.