Lisa Salvatore

Jess,

I am just at the stage of incorporating the tracking details you describe. I’m just trying to figure out how best to document it.
Are you using the Long Text field type? Do you add Date Received or just the fact that it’s arrived?

I’m also interested in when a TAB is the best approach vs. a VIEW?
I like the link to fabric!

Thanks for sharing,
Lisa

Vita,

Re: Airtable Calendar View

Is there a way to block off a day to avoid assigning that date to something else?
Lisa

Vita,

Thank you for sharing your Airtable approach. I have been using it for about one year. It has definitely improved my organization. But as you said…garbage in, garbage out. I can see some areas where I need more details. My data is very simplistic. I need to take a good look at your columns to determine how to best apply them. I think it’s critical to structure it in a way that flows with your process. The flowcharts help define this from the outset.

As a smaller workroom, I also need to see the work before me in a different order. I prefer to see the projects that are currently being fabricated first. What am I working on this week/month? Those are top of the list for me. I also break down each project to finer levels.

I may start off with a very high-level project called Salvatore Home. Once the scope is more defined, that might open up to multiple projects….
Salvatore Living Room
Salvatore Dining Room

In some cases, I break it apart even further…

Salvatore Living Room Drapes
Salvatore Living Room Cushions
Salvatore Living Room Pillows

Each of these line items has details that I track. I prefer this finer detail because I also assign a “Work Date” to each line. This is the day that we plan to start working on it. The Calendar View then shows me what we’re doing and how far out I’m booked. Once done, it moves to the “Awaiting Installation” status. That moves it down the screen and offers a huge sense of accomplishment. In fact, my STATUS field is what drives the order of the worksheet. The status changes as the project moves along, but the sequence is based on how I want to see it. This is an evolving approach. I might combine some of these.

1. In Process (being fabricated)
2. In Queue (orders placed)
3. Approved (Deposit Received)
4. Quoted
5. Measured
6 Awaiting Installation
7. Completed (Installed)
8. Cancelled

Lisa

Vessie,

I too would love to hear how others check in fabrics and even organize their client folders. I don’t care so much about going paperless. I can keep better track of details if they are printed in front of me. I do not print out all vendor paperwork (estimates/invoices).

When I quote a job, I print out all the tear sheets from fabric vendors. If their website doesn’t provide them, I create my own in PowerPoint. I can staple a piece of the actual fabric to it once received. I also save the packing slips for received fabric (and everything I receive). I would organize fabrics by room, rather than the overall job.

I’ve asked designers to provide a link to the fabrics they are using in the same email they specify the project to be quoted. It saves us both time.

Lisa

I started as retail, added designers and then dumped the retail. Trade only is the only way for me. It works with my personality and skillset. I’m not interested in selling fabric and talking about design with homeowners. I generally don’t like other peoples taste and I’m not interested in pretending I like it. I do offer advice/ideas to designers but they generally have a good idea of what they want. There are many projects where I never even meet the homeowner. I love that!!!

I’ll never understand pricing retail vs. trade differently. It takes as much time to make a roman shade regardless of who the client is. I think labor pricing should be the same for anyone you work for. The extra “retail” pricing comes in when you have to provide design advice. Are you behaving like a designer? In that case the retail client should pay for that service. There should be a price for every service you provide…regardless of who the client is. Measuring, consulting, quoting, advising, fabric sourcing, design ideas, renderings. A good designer generally has all her ducks in a row. Doesn’t waste your time.

I think it comes down to “What kind of work do we want to do?” Do we want to design, fabricate or both? I don’t have the capacity or interest to do all of it.

Also…FWIW…many designers do not tag their workrooms. I suspect they don’t like to share their “secret weapon”. I have mixed feelings about it.

Lisa