Joe Stoddard is an industry consultant and the director of builder operations for Dynami Solutions; www.joestoddard.com.
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To convert a file to PDF, send the file to Acrobat by "printing" the file and selecting the Acrobat printer that will appear on your printer list after installation. Once created, PDF files retain the formatting of the original document and will look the same when printed.
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For many remodeling design chores, SketchUp beats even contractor-friendly CAD programs like Chief Architect or SoftPlan. Here are just a few tasks that only take a few minutes with SketchUp but would cost hours using CAD (if you could do them at all).
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Want to track your customers' kids' birthdays or take credit card orders but can't find a place in ACT! You can add fields for any information you need to capture and custom design screen layouts with different fields for individuals in your company who perform different jobs.
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Last month we distinguished between pre-sale estimating and post-sale estimating. It's an important distinction, but there are estimating products, developed specifically for remodelers, that handle both.
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I wish I had a nickel for every time a remodeler told me that if they only had better estimating software, they could handle more leads, produce more quotes, and make more money. This is when you think about whether this project is a good fit for you -- it's not the time to stay up all night...
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The Quick Launch bar speeds you up by bringing your key applications and files within one click's reach of your desktop. If your Quick Launch bar isn't already loaded, right-click in any blank spot on the task bar (the bar at the bottom of your screen).
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It's a good bet that by now most of your customers have e-mail accounts and Internet access. Unlike spam, electronic newsletters allow customers to "opt in" by contacting you or clicking a link on your Web site.
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Know the importance of keeping multiple computers in sync. Here are several proven solutions.Step up to PeerSync, starting at $299, to sync a whole network of users (www.peersoftware.com).LapLink starts at $100 (www.laplink.com), and PCAnywhere costs $180 (www.symantec.com).
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Spam (unsolicited commercial e-mail) is a growing problem for remodelers. Cloudmark SpamNet connects your MS Outlook to a free online community that blocks spam by consensus.
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If you're into technology, the International Builders' Show was a great place to be. Punch List lets you track project loose ends on a PalmOS handheld and communicate with whoever's responsible via fax or e-mail.