Weblog by Dan Stevens

Securitron Price Book Update

Today we posted the new pricing for Securitron effective February 2010.

Price List Updates - Effective February 1, 2010

I just finished uploading the new pricing the goes into effect tomorrow, February 1, 2010.

Here's the list:

AdamsRite (Adams Rite - ASSA Abloy)

Best (Best Access Systems - Stanley Security Solutions)

HES (HES and Folger Adam - ASSA Abloy), includes new cut-sheets as well

Markar (Markar - ASSA Abloy)

Precision (phi - Stanley Security Solutions)

StanleyDoorCloser (Closers - Stanley Security Solutions)

Rockwood Price Book Update

Today we posted the new pricing for Rockwood Mfg. effective January 1, 2010

Arrow Price Book Update

Today we posted the new pricing for Arrow Lock effective January 15, 2010.

Price Book Updates for January 1, 2010

The following price book updates were posted today.

Corbin

Hager

McKinney(Hinges), McKinneyFG, McKinneyTW & McKinneyFull

Norton

Pemko

Rixson

Sargent

2009 Holiday Travel

I decided not to publish that we left on "vacation" from Dec.23 and returned Dec.31.  With our OneBox Virtual-PBX, a Wisconsin-Cell(Verizon), WiFi & MiFi...I was never out of reach.  We spent 4-days driving to-and-fro (975 miles each way) to the in-laws.  2 days there were spent working on price book updates.  Somewhere in there we had Christmas, and attended a funeral on Monday morning for Heather's grandmother.  I did make time for some fun...taking my 18-year-old daughter to see Avatar 3D (great flick).  My wife Heather, and the boys (Nic-8, Ben-7 & Matthew-4) went to see Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel.  I passed on that...so I can't offer a review ;-)

Upcoming Price Book Updates...In The Works

We have the following Price Book updates in the works for January 1, 2010.  Let us know if you hear of any others.

Corbin

Hager

McKinney

Norton

Pemko

Rixson

Sargent

Arrow Price Book Update

Joe posted an updated Arrow configurator today for the List price Book No. 22 effective March 1, 2009.  Apparently this was update was not mailed out because it was not a price increase.  Existing product pricing remained the same...and they added the 7800 series operator.  This update also includes the new GL series that was added after this book was published.

Road Trip October 2009

Well...I'm back in the office today after a 8-1/2 day, 3,700 mile, 4 city tour (Memphis, Austin, Mobile & Cincinnati).  It was the perfect time of year to view the countryside.  I gave my iPhone/iPod a real workout...and even tried out  a new app (InstaMapper.com). Several people that I spoke to during my trip were able to log on an see my live location as I moved around overlaid onto Google Maps.  The Hybrid (Satellite & Map) view was pretty cool stuff.

TOP Reports

Today I finished rolling out the 2nd generation of TOP Reports. This latest version is a structural change to support multiple top servers. In fact we already have 5 implemented. We'll continue to deploy servers from our recently acquired rack...and now TOP Reports will be preinstalled.

More New Features Added to C.R.T. (Catalog Replacement Tool)

I just posted another build v.1.09.0902.2

Here's a list of the new features:

1. The main data-entry grid now has a right-click context-menu with (Copy, Paste, Move Up and Move Down functions).

2. Copy Function - start by selecting a row (either click in the row, or click the gray row-selector).  Then right-click and choose "Copy". This will copy all of the data for the current row into memory.

3. Paste Function - right-click and choose "Paste".  A new row will be added to the bottom of the grid with the data you copied using the Copy function.

4. Move Up Function - start by selecting a row (either click in the row, or click the gray row-selector).  Then right-click and choose "Move Up". The current row will move up 1 row in the grid.  There is also an new "Up" button just above the grid that can be used the same way (the button is easier if you need to move the row up several positions).

5. Move Down Function - start by selecting a row (either click in the row, or click the gray row-selector).  Then right-click and choose "Move Down". The current row will move down 1 row in the grid.  There is also an new "Dn" button just above the grid that can be used the same way (the button is easier if you need to move the row down several positions).

6. This build also improves the saving and re-opening process in regards to persisting Default Markup, IBF Markup, OBF Markup and the calculated Markup that results during the re-open.

7. CRT now offers a User Guide(Online) under the Help menu (PDF format).

New Features Added to C.R.T. (Catalog Replacement Tool)

I just posted v.1.09.0829.2 which adds some seriously cool new features:

1. We extended the "Edit, Maintain Manufacturer Discounts" feature with a new button called "Advanced Vendor Discount Programs".  This new tool will help you create & maintain complex buying programs both for manufacturers and wholesalers/alternative vendors.  You can create your own product discount groups and/or use the series list (populated by the configurator).  You can assign a discount group to a single series, multiple-series, or ALL.

2. If the above feature is implemented...Once you click "Save & Exit" on a configured item...C.R.T. will evaluate "VendorDiscountPrograms.xml" file for an applicable discounts.  It will rank them and display them as the most-likely at the top.  Discounts are consider "more likely" if they match by Manuf, Vendor & Series. C.R.T. will display any discount-groups with matching series as well as entries of 'ALL'.

3. The "File" menu has a new "Print Hardware Sets" feature.  This can be helpful to check a large bid takeoff against a spec.  Or if you're using C.R.T. as a spec-writing tool.  The Print Preview screen for the Hardware Sets even includes and "Export to Word(RTF)" feature.

4. In addition to the auto-number [#] button on document-detail screens....we've added a new [SO#] button which will assign the same DocID as the Sales Order.

K2 Configurator Updated With New Pricing - Price Book Vol.2

Today, we posted the new pricing for K2(Price Book Vol.2). The "effective date" is April 1, 2009. Unfortunately we were not advised of this update until this week.

Detex Configurator Now Available

Detex was added to our Configurator offering today.  The current Price List is August 1, 2008.

AdamsRite Configurator Now Available

AdamsRite was added to our Configurator offering today.  The current Price List is July 14, 2008.

Markar Configurator Now Available

Markar was added to our Configurator offering today.  The current Price List is July 14, 2008.

Kelley Bros TOP & SFH FrameDesigner Update

The latest update to the SFH FrameDesigner has been applied to all KB TOP servers. This enhanced version includes a new component-splitter.

NGP Lite/Louver Configurator Now Available

NGP Lite/Louver was added to our Configurator offering today.  The current Price List is July 1, 2008.

Securitron Configurator Now Available

Securitron was added to our Configurator offering today.  The current Price List is Feb., 2009.

The Biggest Thing Since Sliced...PDFs?!?!

It's so simple...yet so revolutionary.  This $80 tool could change the way the world uses PDFs forever.

Today - we're thrilled to announce the public release of "Add-Libs" a new tool for acquiring, organizing, annotating, splitting & merging PDFs.  Got Product Catalog Cut-Sheets, Price Books or Template files?  "Add-Libs" can help you organize and leverage those files in a whole new way!  You can add individual pages to a new Merge-Job by simply checking the box next to each Page#/Bookmark.

Check out the new website - http://www.Add-Libs.com  You can be up and running immediately!

You could be the HERO of your office. Be the first...and show them all how easy it is.  Get even more out of "Add-Libs" by adding your own Bookmarks...and then easily share them with your entire team.

Tomorrow's Child (a poem to inspire sustainability)

Without a name; an unseen face
and knowing not your time nor place
Tomorrow's Child, though yet unborn,
I met you first last Tuesday morn.

A wise friend introduced us two,
and through his sobering point of view
I saw a day that you would see;
a day for you, but not for me

Knowing you has changed my thinking,
for I never had an inkling
That perhaps the things I do
might someday, somehow, threaten you

Tomorrow's Child, my daughter-son
I'm afraid I've just begun
To think of you and of your good,
Though always having known I should.

Begin I will to weigh the cost
of what I squander; what is lost
If ever I forget that you
will someday come to live here too.

© Glenn Thomas

Falcon-DorOMatic - New 8200 Series

Joe posted "r3" of DorOMatic today, which adds the new 8200 series auto-operator from a new price page 7 effective January, 2009.

Falcon-Monarch - New 24 & 25 Series Exit Devices

Joe posted "r12" of Monarch today, which adds the new 24 & 25 series exit devices from a new partial price book effective March 2, 2009.

Curries Configurator "r30"

I just posted the "r30" update to our Curries configurator.  This update completes the remediation of issues found in our own test-suite.  Mostly these were add-ons that would not resolve a price, and...as such would not allow a Save & Exit when these specific attributes were chosen.

I also decided to change any adders to display on separate lines below the base product (rather than as suffixes as with hardware items).

Dorma Configurator Updated With New Pricing - Price Book #20

This afternoon I posted the new pricing for Dorma(Price Book #20). The "effective date" is April 6, 2009.

McKinney (Flat Goods, Thresholds & Weatherstrip) Configurators Now Available

The 2 remaining McKinney catalogs have been added to our Configurator offering. 
The current Price Lists are June 30, 2008 (for hinge & weatherstrip), and January 2, 2009 for the Flat Goods.  After surveying our customer-base we decided to break the offering into 4 choices:
1 - "McKinney" - unchanged Hinges-Only catalog (classic)
2 - "McKinneyFG" - Flat Goods
3 - "McKinneyTW" - Thresholds & Weatherstrip
4 - "McKinneyFull" - All Products - Combined

CRT Enhancements - PO Saving w/Auto-DocID

The current version is now v.1.09.0405.3
Release Notes:
1. If you're using our Auto-DocID feature you will now be prompted to save your POs as a new ".xpo" format.  This will allow you to retrieve and reprint POs as needed.  This also begins to provide a sense of order-status, which we will continue to build on.
2. As PO are saved they will also be added to the "Print PO"  menu.  You can also delete POs by click the submenu "Delete" item (next to each existing PO).

CRT Enhancements

This current version of CRT is now v.1.09.0404.92
Release Notes:
1. Replaced the GZip beta-feature with "Email CRT as Zip" (see Tools menu).
2. Change the "Order Profit Status" to display on 2 lines (better for smaller screens)
3. The default Save As filename will now default to the following - CustomerName_DocAutoID_JobName.
4. Fixed the DocAutoID # button to save changes to the prefix & suffix values.

Arrow Configurator Now Available

Arrow was recently added to our Configurator offering.  The current Price List is July 1, 2008.

the ROAD AHEAD or the ROAD BEHIND

I think the fates must grin
as we denounce them and insist,
The only reason we can’t win
is the fates themselves have missed.

Yet, there lives on the ancient claim-
We win or lose within ourselves,
The shining trophies on our shelves can
Never win tomorrow’s game.

So you and I know deeper down
There is a chance to win the crown,
But when we fail to give our best,
We simply haven’t met the test

Of giving all and saving none
Until the game is really won.

Of showing what is meant by grit,
Of playing through not letting up,
It’s bearing down that wins the cup.

Of taking it and taking more
Until we gain the winning score

Of dreaming there’s a goal ahead,
Of hoping when our dreams are dead,
Of praying when our hopes have fled.

Yet, losing, not afraid to fall,
If bravely we have given all,
For who can ask more of a man
Than giving all within his span.

That giving all, it seems to me,
Is not so far from VICTORY.

And so the fates are seldom wrong,
No matter how they twist and wind;
It’s you and I who make our fates,
We open up or close the gates

On the ROAD AHEAD or the ROAD BEHIND

-George Joseph Moriarty (June 7, 1884 – April 8, 1964)
an American third baseman, umpire and manager in Major League Baseball from 1903 to 1940.
He played for the Chicago Cubs, New York Highlanders, Detroit Tigers and Chicago White Sox from 1903 to 1916.

More CRT - Enhancements

v.1.09.0322.2 was just posted with the following enhancements:

1. "Internal-Note" has been added to the Manuf drop-down.  This will allow for notes that will only be displayed on-screen & on the Costing Report (no other reports).

2. New columns available for Weight/ea., Inbound Freight Cost/ea. & Outbound Freight Cost/ea.
These can be exposed by checking the appropriate "Show..." menu item on the Tools menu.
Once exposed...CRT will remember these settings.

3. New IBF Markup & OBF Markup fields (optional)

4. The Costing Report will now show the Order Profit Status

5. New menu choice for "Edit, Manage Hardware Categories"...allows you to edit the "User Description", Default IBF, Default OBF & Default Weight by Hardware Category.

6. new "Email CRT as GZip" (Tools menu) feature provides embedded emailing functionality, and will automatically compress and attach the current file. File Open will now allow you to open GZipped files as well.  These files take a little longer to open, since they need to be decompressed first.

7. new "Manage My-Other-Vendors" feature allow you to add your own vendors to the Manuf drop-down, for items that are manually priced.

de La Fontaine Pricing Update

I just posted the new pricing to all 3-Kelley Bros T.O.P. servers (effective March 15, 2009).  The changes represent approx 15-17% price reduction.

Twitter

You can now follow me using Twitter  (www.twitter.com).  My new username is dan_toadllc.  All postings to Twitter are limited to 140 characters, so I will not be posting the same info I send to this blog.  Twitter can be used for a number of reasons.  I am just beginning to explore it.

New! Hardware Sets Feature for TOAD-CRT (Catalog Replacement Tool)

Our latest version (1.09.0315.1) offers a new feature for doing Estimates using Hardware Sets.

Here's how it works:

1. On the Tools menu, click "Show Hardware Sets" to make the appropriate columns & controls visible.

2. By default the "Hardware Set ID" drop-down will say "ALL", replace this text with the ID of your first Hardware Set (for example "01A")...then click "Filter"

3. Start adding/building hardware items (set the Qty to the # of each item for 1 set...this will get extended later)

4. Once you have all the items in set "01A"...type your next set ID (e.g. "02A") into the drop-down...and click "Filter" (the items in the previous set will disappear).

5. If some of the items in "02A" were already built...you can use the new "Quick-Set" button
When you click "Quick-Set" you'll get a new pop-up screen where you can check the item you need for your new set...then click "Apply & Close"
any items that were "checked"/selected will be added to your new set...you can then add/build additional items as needed.

6. Repeat this cycle.

7. After all sets have been built...click the "Set Counts" button, and enter the Qty of each set
When you hit "Save & Close" on this screen, you should see your Qtys on the main grid get multiplied/extended.

8. You can change the HdweSetID back to "ALL" and click "Filter" to see the entire job (HdweSetIDs will be listed in a column on the far right....you may need to scroll)

9. All of the reports have been modified to provide the option to consolidate "like-items".

SchlageES Book 20A - New Pricing

We posted the new price book today.  The Effective Date is March 1, 2009.

CRT Enhancements - Auto-Number, Roll-Up Proposals, Product Descriptions and more...

We've added a few new features to CRT lately.

New! Web-Service based Auto-Numbering for Sales Proposals, Sales Orders, & Purchase Orders.
This new feature is available at no extra charge.  You just need to tell me if you want it turned on, and provide the starting document IDs.
Here's how it works:
You specify the starting IDs for each Document Type (email them to me)
for example...
SP-10000
SO-30000
PO-70000
I add one or more SiteIDs to your users logins on our Web-Server.
These site IDs are passed down to CRT when it connects to our Web Service (upon program launch).
If site IDs are detected the "Details" pop-up screens will have some new controls available.
Document-Prefix textbox, Document-Suffix textbox, Site-ID drop-down, and a new button simply labeled "#".
When using for the first time, the user set the values they want for Prefix, and Suffix...then clicks the "#" button.
CRT contacts our Web-Service and requests the next available DocID for that Document Type.
It appends the Prefix, DocID & Suffix...and sets the document # field.
CRT also saves the Prefix and Suffix (based on SiteID) to your Windows Registry for next time.

I set my Sales Proposals to start at 10000, my Prefix to "TOAD-", and my Suffix to "-DS" (my initials)
when I click the "#' my next new DocID is set as "TOAD-10001-DS'

Because this is web-based...it works seamlessly even when you're working remotely (as long as you are connected to the Net).
If you have people that work on behalf of multiple branch locations...we can associate multiple SiteIDs with their PCs authentication.

If you don't request us to enable this feature...the new controls are not even visible.

You will also notice that I've added a new Proposal Type ("Roll-Up By Tag Hide Details").  This provides the ability to show a roll-up price for each unique tag# you've assigned.  To use this, you also add an additional line per tag# with the Manuf column set to "Note".  Use the new Description column (optional) to provide an abbreviated description of what you're providing for each tag# (e.g. "New Frame, Door & Hardware").  This allows you to drive the price with product detail...but make your proposal to the customer in a more narrative style.

CRT now offers Product Descriptions as well.  Behind-the-scenes, the Configurator has always outputted a 4-digit HdweCategoryID.  These have been used to drive preps when integrated with other software systems (such as TOP & SFH).  We now provide a new file in the ProgramData folder called "HdweCategories090301.xml"  This file translates the 4-digit ID into a full description such as "Hinge - (4-1/2 Std Wt(.134))" or "Cyl. Lockset (with thru-bolts)". The user can over-ride this description if needed.  I will soon be adding a feature for users to set their own descriptions for these.

I've also added 3 new menu choice under the "Tools" menu.
"Explore User Data Folder" opens a new Windows Explorer window showing the files where your .CRT files are stored.  This is helpful if you need to email a CRT file to another user.
"Explore Program Data Folder" opens a new Windows Explorer window showing the data files that drive CRT.  This includes the catalog files, as well as AddressBook.xml, HdweCategories090301.xml,  MyCompanyInfo.xml, QuickPicks.xml, VendorAddressBook.xml, and VendorDiscounts.xml
"Explore Program Files Folder" opens a new Windows Explorer window showing the program files that drive CRT.

New! Costing Report - this report prints on legal (8-1/2 x 14) paper...and shows the list of products along with List Price, Discount, Cost, Markup, Sell & Sell Extended. This is documenting fixed-markup change-orders for contract work..or to put in your estimate file for bulk-takeoff style bids.

Trimco Configurator Now Available

We've just added Trimco to our Configurator offering.  The current Price List is April 30, 2008.  To view our full list of catalogs click here.  You can also click here for our configurator-catalog price list.

Improvements to TOAD-CRT (Catalog Replacement Tool)

I just posted v.1.09.0131.2 with the following improvements:

1. Added "Default Sales Proposal Notes" to the My Company Info screen

2. Added a checkbox "Save Copy of Documents to Network Share"

3. Added a checkbox "Do Not Save Locally (mobile users - do NOT check this)"
If you check #2 and not #3...the Network Share also becomes your default "Open" from location.
It is recommended that Laptop/Mobile users do NOT check both boxes.  That way their docs travel with them.

4. Added "Notes" for the "Request for Quote" feature.

5. Updated Configurator v.2.09.0131.1 which increases the # of rows displayed in the Series DropDown to 20, and includes added functionality required for upcoming Hollow Metal configurators.

H.E.S. Configurator Updated With New Pricing

This morning I posted the new pricing for H.E.S.. The "effective date" is February 1, 2009.  The increases varied from 2% to 7%.

Taxes...Taxes...Taxes

I am usually about the furthest from being a political activist...but it's gotten to the point that I would expect people marching the streets with pitch forks.  "...But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security...."  July 4, 1776.  And so I pass along the following for your consideration (author unknown).  

There's much work to do.  Good Luck & Godspeed to our new Leaders.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I hereby declare that it’s time for a 2nd Boston Tea Party.

The Tax Poem

This is not about Democrats or Republicans...it's about both, please read.

The Tax Poem

At first I thought this was funny...then I realized the awful truth of it. Be sure to read all the way to the end.

Tax his land,
Tax his bed,
Tax the table
At which he's fed.

Tax his tractor,
Tax his mule,
Teach him taxes
Are the rule.

Tax his work,
Tax his pay,
He works for peanuts
Anyway!

Tax his cow,
Tax his goat,
Tax his pants,
Tax his coat.
Tax his ties,
Tax his shirt,
Tax his work,
Tax his dirt.

Tax his tobacco,
Tax his drink,
Tax him if he
Tries to think.

Tax his cigars,
Tax his beers,
If he cries
Tax his tears.

Tax his car,
Tax his gas,
Find other ways
To tax his ass.

Tax all he has
Then let him know
That you won't be done
Till he has no dough.

When he screams and hollers;
Then tax him some more,
Tax him till
He's good and sore.
Then tax his coffin,
Tax his grave,
Tax the sod in
Which he's laid.

Put these words
Upon his tomb,
Taxes drove me
to my doom...'

When he's gone,
Do not relax,
Its time to apply
The inheritance tax.

Accounts Receivable Tax
Building Permit Tax
CDL license Tax
Cigarette Tax
Corporate Income Tax
Dog License Tax
Excise Taxes
Federal Income Tax
Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)
Fishing License Tax
Food License Tax
Fuel Permit Tax
Gasoline Tax (currently 44.75 cents per gallon)
Gross Receipts Tax
Hunting License Tax
Inheritance Tax
Inventory Tax
IRS Interest Charges IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax)
Liquor Tax
Luxury Taxes
Marriage License Tax
Medicare Tax
Personal Property Tax
Property Tax
Real Estate Tax
Service Charge T ax
Social Security Tax
Road Usage Tax
Sales Tax
Recreational Vehicle Tax
School Tax
State Income Tax
State Unemployment Tax (SUTA)
Telephone Federal Excise Tax
Telephone Federal Universal Service FeeTax
Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Taxes
Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax
Telephone Recurring and Non-recurring Charges Tax
Telephone State and Local Tax
Telephone Usage Charge Tax
Utility Taxes
Vehicle License Registration Tax
Vehicle Sales Tax
Watercraft Registration Tax
Well Permit Tax
Workers Compensation Tax

THIS IS NOT FUNNY!

Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago, and our nation was the most prosperous in the world. We had absolutely no national debt, had the largest middleclass in the world, and Mom stayed home to raise the kids.

What in the hell happened? Can you spell 'politicians?'

And I still have to 'press 1' for English!?

Let us hope this goes around THE USA at least 100 times!!!

YOU can help it get there!!

Rixson Configurator Now Available

We've just added Rixson to our Configurator offering.  The current Price List is April 15, 2008.  To view our full list of catalogs click here.  You can also click here for our configurator-catalog price list.

Yale YM series expanded

I just posted "r17" of our Yale configurator.

The price-book we received for April 15, 2008 had a YM section with pages 231-241.

It was brought to our attention that a revised section had been mailed (at some point) with pages 231-261 with a few additional series(dated 4/08R). 

This update reflects the added series.

Contact Info-Revision

Today, I decided to place a disconnect order on our local phone and fax #s.

Our toll-free phone # remains in place, and we have a new toll-free fax#.
Ph-866-739-3953
Fax-866-887-5577 (New!)

Now, both our Virtual-PBX and incoming fax are managed by OneBox.com.

Burns Configurator Now Available

We've just added Burns Mfg to our Configurator offering.  The current Price List is June 1, 2007.  To view our full list of catalogs click here.  You can also click here for our configurator-catalog price list.

Stanley Price Book 58CH is ready

Stanley Price Book 58CH - Effective January 5, 2009

I finished this price update this afternoon. It will be held, and posted the evening of Jan 4.

This appears to be a major re-price for many items.  Some prices are 44% of the previous book, and on extreme other end...some are 263% compared to the previous book.  I will be contacting Stanley to confirm these rather drastic changes next week.

Stanley Price Book 58CH - Effective January 5, 2009

I finished this price update this afternoon. It will be held, and posted the evening of Jan 4.

This appears to be a major re-price for many items.  Some prices are 44% of the previous book, and on extreme other end...some are 263% compared to the previous book.  I will be contacting Stanley to confirm these rather drastic changes next week.

I finished this price update this afternoon. It will be held, and posted the evening of Jan 4.

This appears to be a major re-price for many items.  Some prices are 44% of the previous book, and on extreme other end...some are 263% compared to the previous book.  I will be contacting Stanley to confirm these rather drastic changes next week.

Re-Imagining the Door & Hardware Industry

To start the New Year, I thought I would "dust-off" this un-published article I wrote a while back and bring it up to date.

In 2003, Tom Peters (management guru) released a book titled "Re-Imagine! Business Excellence in a Disruptive Age". Being a huge fan of Tom's I grabbed the book right away.  Since then, I have read it cover-to-cover twice, and listened to it on audio-book several times. It passes the time quite well during a long drive.  As an operations manager, and a tech savvy guy...I really enjoy Tom's enthusiasm for changing the world.

I find myself agreeing with several points in his book.  "most innovation comes from pissed-off people" he writes. Six-Sigma/TQM/Kaizen had its run...and now its time to abandon Evolution, time to start a  Revolution. This article is written as a bit of a rant, intentionally, to pay homage to Tom.

The technologies available today for enabling business process automation are nothing short of awesome. We now have the computing horsepower to remove most of the "grunge" of doing business. Moore's Law (named after Intel co-founder, Gordon moore) has delivered on its promise of doubling processor performance every 18 months since the late 1960s.  And the pace of innovation in software has increased on an equally impressive curve.  Any company that isn't actively searching for high-tech solutions to business problems will soon find themselves on the wrong side of the "haves vs. have-nots" track.

The call-to-action applies to employees.  Tom Peters predicts that within 15 years, 80% of the white-collar jobs in America will either disappear or be reconfigured beyond recognition.  Ask yourself...If you were a brand...how would you feel about yourself?  Today's employee should be looking at themselves as a one-person Professional Service Firm (PSF). Why shouldn't we look at our employers as if they were customers? Does your company have an environment that fosters innovation? How long do you think you can stand still (even in the Door Industry) before someone, or some company comes along and changes the rules...completely?

I have spent 20 years in this industry.  I have been an order-writer, a salesman, project-manager and on and on it goes.  We all wear many hats.  But over the past several years I noticed that the world was  spinning faster than it was before (or so it seems).  I taught myself how to program PCs because I wanted to automate the mundane tasks I was faced with everyday.  My commitment to keeping a cutting edge skill set has paid off over the years.  I now work primarily in an IS/IT role.  But - I still see my ambitions as being mostly driven by business operations.  It has become my mission to achieve the Holy Grail..."Business at the Speed of light" (another great book, by Bill Gates).

At times it can be difficult to rally troops to the cause.  It is very unsettling to many, to enter the unknown.  To me it is the very essence of what it means to be American.  My family first planted their
feet on American soil in the 1630s.  And I like to think that some of that pioneering spirit has been passed on through the generations.  The way I see it, this automation simply allows us to do more of what we used to do, back when things moved slower.  For example, if you spent less time on processing orders, you could dedicate that extra time to getting more orders (i.e. face-time with the customer).  In this age of online plan services, and web-based project leads...who needs to leave the office anymore ;-)?  Out of the 40 or 60 or 80 hours a week that you are working, how much of that time is spent on developing new business?  For those of you with AHC or CDC credentials, how much consulting do you really do?  You get my point.

I spend a fairly equal amount of my time working on both sides of our Industry (distribution and manufacturing). What really excites me these days is the real possibility of bridging the gap between those 2 sides. As a distributor, I have collaborated with Curries to integrate our line-of-business app called T.O.P. (Total Openings pro) with their COW program (Curries Order Writing).  And by collaborating, I don't mean a long drawn-out process.  I am talking about requesting a mechanism to import our data, and spending several hours to program the "plumbing" to make this happen.  Curries did all the rest.  After all, the benefit was mostly theirs (by cutting out the need for data-entry). The result was an end-to-end solution where our approved submittal is directly pushed thru into Curries' order process over the Internet.  We have taken a similar approach with Wood Doors, but lacking an order-entry portal...the automation stops short with paper machining sheets that are faxed or emailed.  We have already begun work on projects to connect this to VT-Online & Algoma as well.  The point being that we take each task as far as we can take it, utilizing the best tools and the best known practices of the day.  I have begun a similar process with Steelcraft, and look forward to bringing that solution online.

Several years ago, I started a project called a Hardware Configurator.  I wanted to build something that asked all the right questions and provided list pricing, ordering-nomenclature and cut-sheets.  I
wanted to go beyond what was currently being offered in our Industry.  After I prototyped my idea, I shared it with a long time industry friend John Petersen (developer of Software-for-Hardware). A few years earlier we worked together to integrate John's AutoCAD solution into our T.O.P. program.  my software efforts to-date had been mostly internal systems or web-based.  And I knew John could help me "product-ize" this.  Also, it helped that John was in need of an electronic hardware catalog solution for his product as well.  So we embarked on a joint-venture to co-develop a complete offering.  We released the product with a handful of catalogs in February 2005.  In 2008, with 34 catalogs to offer I decided to take our offering to the next level.  The time had come to provide a stand-alone software "client" that any company in our Industry could draw value from (distributors, reps & manufacturers).  This was not to compete with T.O.P. or SFH in functionality...just a slim software tool with a specific purpose.

At the DHI-2008 show in Boston we introduced our new offering,  called "TOAD-CRT" (Catalog Replacement Tool).  In September, I had also given an early introduction at Access-IT's first customer conference for their contractERP product.  CRT is a tool that a distributor can use to work with all the major product lines.  They can build a quote on-the-fly that spans across all manufacturers.  The tool provides a simple estimating interface to handle multipliers or multi-level discounts that we use in our industry.  After creating a "laundry list"..."CRT" offers you a packaged PDF of all the cut-sheets you need.  CRT also provides other "Quick Docs" such as Sales Proposal, Sales Order, PO and Quote Request.  The tool itself is free...we simply charge for a team-based subscription to the "catalogs" ala-carte.  Every time you open the software it checks for program & data updates.  Each spreadsheet-style list can be saved to a file on disk (much like MS Excel).

The benefit to this electronic medium is that you can not only transmit the document, but all the related data.  This data can be "mapped" directly into the software at the plant.  The orders would be held in a queue, and pulled in by customer service.  It would still receive some human attention...but the data-entry lag is eliminated.  This is just one step on the way to frictionless business. 

We are offering free 30-day test-drives and we invite everyone to check it out.  We welcome the dialog about where we can take this, and how we call all work together for the greater good.  We are looking for manufacturers that would like to help re-define how business is done in our Industry.  We are also looking for distributors that share our vision.  And see the benefit in creating this community of collaboration.  If you have your own in-house software we would like the opportunity to discuss integrating our offering.

Here's to a healthy and prosperous New Year!

Hager Price Book #6 has been posted

Hager Price Book #6 (Effective January 1, 2009) has been posted.

The majority of the increases run 5% to 10%, with exceptions as high as 35% on some of the stainless steel thresholds.

Important Note: We have been told that the 2009 "Residential Hinge" section is to be ignored, and to continue using the 2008 (book #5) pricing.  Our pricing database reflects this.

This book also includes a couple new deadbolt functions, and new electric-lock functions.

Hager Price Book #6 (Effective January 1, 2009) has been posted.

The majority of the increases run 5% to 10%, with exceptions as high as 35% on some of the stainless steel thresholds.

Important Note: We have been told that the 2009 "Residential Hinge" section is to be ignored, and to continue using the 2008 (book #5) pricing.  Our pricing database reflects this.

This book also includes a couple new deadbolt functions, and new electric-lock functions.

The majority of the increases run 5% to 10%, with exceptions as high as 35% on some of the stainless steel thresholds.

Important Note: We have been told that the 2009 "Residential Hinge" section is to be ignored, and to continue using the 2008 (book #5) pricing.  Our pricing database reflects this.

This book also includes a couple new deadbolt functions, and new electric-lock functions.

Thunderbird & Lightning...

I wanted to take a moment and give some recognition to the software team at Mozilla.com, makers of  popular free internet utilities like Firebird (web-browser), and Thunderbird (email-client).  Several months ago I discovered a Thunderbird add-on called "Lightning".  What a great extension to an already great tool! Lightning adds a calendar and task list to Thunderbird.  While this might not seem revolutionary...just wait....there's more.   Thanks to PortableApps.com...Thunderbird & Lightning can be installed on a USB thumb-drive...making it easily portable (no synch required).  Who says you can't take it with you? I work on several PCs, laptops, servers (and even a Mac) during the week...and I travel a fair amount.  Having my address-book, multiple email inboxes & outboxes, and now calendar and task list portable...is really great.  Many thanks to Mozilla for making that part of my life much simpler.

Bommer Configurator Updated With New Pricing

Last Friday I posted the new pricing for Bommer. The "effective date" is November 3, 2008.  The increase was approx. 10%.

TOAD-CRT v1.08.1024.3

Today brings 2 more enhancements to TOAD-CRT:

1. File Menu: new item "Update Pricing for This Order".  This feature will loop through all configured items, launching the Configurator in "silent mode" and setting the List price to the current pricing.  This will be especially helpful to refresh an old quote, or to manage a static inventory pricing file.  If you have more than 1 manufacturer on the order...you can choose to update pricing per-manufacturer (in the event you have price-protection from some vendors).

2. File Menu: new item "Export to SFH".  If you are an SFH(Software-for-Hardware) customer you can use TOAD-CRT during the preliminary stages, and then upload your item list into a Sales Proposal or Sales Order.  You will need a custom reg-key to enable this feature (just drop me an email - dan@toadllc.com).