GOING PRO Jobs Database, more Functions
This page is for people who are using GOING PRO, whether as a trial or for real. I will answer any questions here that are put to me and where I think they will advance people's understanding of my system.
Let's have a closer look at the Entry Layout; let's check out Job 100-3. When you open it, you'll see there are a few fields that are red. Please pay particular attention to them, you probably will have to alter them for every Job, like for instance the Usage Terms (Media, Duration, Territory and the Usage Loading). Another field to be clear about: How much of a 'Prod. Advance' do you want? Let your client know in no uncertain terms.
Talking about Terms, there are more to be aware of: 'Terms B Inv' ... these are the payment terms as stated on your Balance 'B' Invoice. The default is 7 days ... you may want to contact your client and discuss these terms, and you may get a surprise! My experience is, it's good to talk to the accountant and see where they're at ... meaning to say (regardless of what you put on your invoice) when they will pay you.
You also need to in-put the 'B Inv date' manually ... the Cost Estimate date is the date of the creation of this record; the A Invoice is today's date. Note how the default payment terms stated on your Cost Estimate are ... 'Terms: 50% upfront, balance 7 days'. No ambiguity there! So the payment terms on your A Invoice by default are: 'terms: due on receipt of invoice' ... you can change this default in SET UP.
Finally, as soon as you get approval for your quote and you have reason to believe the Job is going ahead, you must obtain that precious 'Order No.' (or whatever system is in place in your country) ... make sure you insert it before you send out your A Invoice, and make sure you get a 'Job No.' from your client, preferably even before you send out your Cost Estimate.
The remaining fields to fill in are the 'Name Code' - you can either type the code in or use the drop-down list to choose your Contact's Address, then in the 'Contact' field you copy the name of the person you're dealing with, from the Address Database; 'Dear' uses the name you copy into this field in the Cost Estimate Cover. And don't forget to input 'Client' and 'Project' ... who you're working for and what it is you're working on.
'Job' shall contain a comprehensive description of what you'll do for the money they'll pay you. In the Cost Est Cover (click on the button at the top) there is another section where you shall enter additional job information (addressed to your contact, most likely the art director, in the case of the first record in the database - 100 - it's addressed to 'Dear Jeremy ...'
Back to Data Entry ... at the bottom is a field 'Jobs Comments, Info & Instructions': This is only for you. This info doesn't appear anywhere in your client communications; make notes here ... stuff you may want to be able to recall later on; I like to enter names of associates who are working with us - though they may also appear on the 'Call Sheet' - as well as info about props sources etc.
The other fields to pay attention to are the Item Headers, the headers of the five categories on your Cost Estimate and your B Invoice. In case you don't need five categories, just delete their Header.
Keep checking this section, there soon will be more ...