EstiMate 2011 will be released October 1 – read the full announcement here.

Many folks have been asking us for a complete feature list in addition to the “feature of the day” blogs.

I’ve been struggling with how to present it, because it’s so long, and finally decided the best way would be to break it into “big picture,” “significantly helpful,” and “useful additions” features.  Then, as I write new articles about individual features, I can hyperlink the item in this list over to that new blog entry.  So… keep up with this list and you can learn as we go…

These features represent literally thousands of person-hours of effort, and I’m beyond excited to get them released with EstiMate 2011!

EstiMate 2011 “Big Picture” New Features

The following features really make a difference in the overall scope of EstiMate or how it impacts your work flow.

• A Windows Service version of the Multi-User Server so that the admin does not have to be logged in for the Multi-User Server to run on your network server machine.
• CRM (Customer Relationship Management) in the form of File Attachments (Enterprise level) and Multiple Historical Notes added to individual customer records.
• A Customer Dashboard that integrates all basic customer management into one screen.
• VRM (Vendor Relationship Management) in the form of File Attachments (Enterprise level) and Multiple Historical Notes added to individual vendor records.
• A Vendor Dashboard (Enterprise level) that integrates all basic vendor management into one screen.
• Purchase Orders (Enterprise level) – manage all your purchasing activities in EstiMate.
• Built in support for working days when scheduling jobs (Enterprise level).
• “Discount” line items that affect only the line items above them on an estimate or job.
• Waste material calculations have been added to the Wide Format Inkjet plugin using the same “best-fit nesting” engine as that in the Flatbed Digital Printing plugin.
• The last 10 Estimates, Jobs, and Purchase Orders you have worked on now appear in a speed menu for quick access to your most recent transactions.
• An easy “Find Screen” that lets you search transactions by amount, name, description, number, etc. rather than having to pop up the open list and sort through it.
• An integrated Job Timer (Enterprise level) that allows multiple logged in users to log into a job in the system and track actual work time against expected work time.
• File attachments have been added to individual Jobs and Estimates (Enterprise level) to keep all paperwork for a project in one place.

EstiMate 2011 “Significantly Helpful” New Features

These features make life with EstiMate a LOT easier, but don’t quite make the “big picture” cut (though I guess that’s in the eye of the beholder)!

• Drop-down lists in plugins now have the option to be sorted by category.
• Templates have been added to the “add items” menu for instantaneous access.
• You can now \”group\” and \”ungroup\” items on an estimate or job, so you don’t have to think ahead to which items you want in a line item group.
• Individual machines (printers, etc.) can now have a specific hourly rate rather than just using the default production rate.
• You can now set a flag in a customer’s record that causes a notification when selecting them for an estimate or a job – for example, if they have proven themselves to be a bad credit risk.
• There is now an (optional) signature line on the proof page so you can require a customer to sign off on artwork before beginning production.
• The watermark text on proof images is now customizable with your shop’s name, branding statement, or any text you like.
• Proof images have been added to the work order (Enterprise level).
• A “switch user” menu entry has been added to the main screen so that you don’t have to log out and log back in to switch users on a computer.
• Customers can now be assigned a specific salesperson, so that when selecting that customer for a quote the salesperson is automatically assigned to that quote.
• Customers can now be merged.  So, for example, if you create some quotes for a customer, and another user doesn’t realize they are already in the system and creates additional quotes for a new customer record, they can later be merged into one.
• Upcharges can now be a specific dollar amount rather than just a percentage of design or production time.
• Status flags are now available for Estimates and Purchase Orders, not just Jobs.
• Inactive or unused plugins can be hidden from the Quick Quote and Add Item menus.

EstiMate 2011 “Useful Addition” New Features

These features are super cool but don’t really fall into either of the above categories.

• You can filter “jobs only” or “estimates only” in the QuickBooks Link export screen.
• A “status” column has been added to the QuickBooks export screen so you can quickly see what needs to be transferred over.
• If you are logged in as an administrator or a manager, then when a job is profitable the “total” field is green – and when it is not, it’s pink.  This saves you having to look at the hard numbers and tells you at a glance if you’re making a profit.
• Instead of a “blank” entry there is now an entry that says “[No Tax]” in sales tax drop downs.
• The sell rate per square foot has been made visible in all plugins where it makes sense: Vinyl Signs, Thermal Printing, Wide Format Printing, Flatbed Printing, Window Graphics, Sandblasted Signs and Vehicle Wraps.
• The line item group plugin now “unwraps” all the items inside the group onto the Job Manifest report.
• When copying estimates or jobs in the open list, you can now specify whether the new copy should be an estimate or a job.
• Laminates have been added to the thermal printing plugin.
• Numbers in the open list now properly sort in numeric order.
• Overall job discounts now show up in the hard numbers.
• The checkout file extension has been changed to “.eco” so it does not get confused with backup .zip files.
• In the Wide Format plugin, you can now charge for transfer tape regardless of whether you are mounting the print(s).
• The last updated date for all list items has been surfaced so you can see when items were last edited.
• The customer’s shipping address has been added to the work order.
• The customer history report now has subtotals.
• You can select the default status flag for newly created jobs.
• The Transactions By Date report now has smart grouping that allows you to subtotal by salesperson, date, customer, etc.
• The Conversion Report can now be run for a single customer.
• The Conversion Report can be sorted by customer or by salesperson.
• Your account number with your vendor now shows up on the Job Manifest.
• Up/Down buttons have been added to the quantity field on upcharges.
• The open list now retains its settings between sessions when you resize the columns.

Pre-Release Sale Pricing

Read the full announcement here about our massive pre-release sale for EstiMate 2011! You can save 30-50% on your first year with EstiMate from now until October 1, 2010.

Your Feedback Is Welcome

Please leave a comment about new features as we blog about them, and let us know what you like and don’t like about where EstiMate’s new feature set is headed.  Our goal is to make EstiMate the most robust pricing and shop management software the sign and graphics industry has ever seen.