FileSquire

Thanks Kurt Did you find it tough for clients to tell you what they wanted or needed. Did you meet with all those doing data entry. Did you have different rates for different things. ie charge more for interface and core functionality than research and design? Also what kind of reduced rate would you give them for pre pay? FileSquire Cincinnati

Shay, Could you explain more of your situation. Properties? Do you mean the Format>Field Behavior? Is it entirely in a section of your layout. Not crossing say, the header | body boundry? What message are you getting if any? Is there a portal involved. FileSquire Cincinnati

Hello, I've been a lurker for a while to this forum. I'd like to generate some response about good practices for quoting work. I currently am a boarderline fulltime developer working in a Mac consulting group. One of the owners is also a FileMaker developer who also has Mac centric clients besides FMP work. We've progressed over the last five years to the point where we now need to develop our estimating and presentation skills. We currently are meeting with other "developing and building" professionals to help in the process. We know that there can be jobs of any size out there. From "can you create this report?" to larger "we would like accounting, payroll, data entry to tie in with our manufacturing process". A web building friend stated that his company only does original work. (This is a luxury we don't believe we can expect at this time). They prepare a proposal after about 3 interviews and charge $2 -$5k for it. Architechtural friends say they have three types of clients usually. Whole new construction, addition onto existing or renovation (and probably expansion / addition ) of existing. They also have different complexities of jobs: warehousing to hospitals. They generally don't get involved for less than a $2k fee. So when you quote work do you have a minimum. Do you draw up a plan that you charge for. Do you find that on larger jobs you quote more specific needs or sections of their "business process" to get an idea how the client will be to work with? Are there any estimating aids available that you know of? I have Brian Dunning's "To Market" that covers a lot of info for budding developers and I would recommend it. http://www.briandunning.com/ I thank you in advance for your comments, FileSquire

Clive, My first thought is the alignment of your price field? The first line can display and the rest may not show. I'm assuming a portal in quotes with the relation to products based on the product code. Hope this helps, FileSquire