|
Is Clear Estimates easy to use?
Yes, the program is designed to be easy and intuitive – getting you started quickly. Seven big buttons, available on every screen throughout the program, divide the system into its seven primary areas:
Customers Manager - to manage your customer database
Project Manager - to create and manage estimates for each project
Reports Manager - to produce proposals, cost update reports, and bid requests
Parts Tool - to manage your part library database
Templates Tool - to create templates that allow you to estimate speedily
Options Tool - to customize the program for your company
Update Tool - to automatically update part prices for your local area every quarter
What are the general hardware requirements to run Clear Estimates?
General Requirements
Windows 2000/XP/*Vista
Pentium II, 200 MHz or greater
100 MB hard disc space
800 x 600 resolution monitor (1024x768 and greater recommended)
Internet Explorer 5.01 or later
Is Clear Estimates an online application or software that I download and install on my PC?
Clear Estimates is software that you download and install onto your computer. You are required to be connected to the Internet, however, during the registration process and when using the Update Tool every quarter to receive the price updates.
How much does Clear Estimates cost?
Clear Estimates costs $100 for the first 60 days and then a monthly subscription fee of $50. The regular monthly fee is $59, but Mike got you a discount! The fee covers the cost of the software, the pricing updates, toll-free telephone support and updates to the program.
Does Clear Estimates link to QuickBooks Pro?
Yes, you can export project estimate data and customer contact information to QuickBooks Pro.
Is technical support included with Clear Estimates?
Yes, unlimited, toll-free technical support is included.
If I decide to discontinue using Clear Estimates can I cancel any time?
Yes. You may choose to cancel your subscription at any point. You are not bound to any contract that requires a minimum number of payments.
Is Clear Estimates Macintosh compatible?
No. The software will only operate on Windows operating systems.
Do I have to enter new customer information into Clear Estimates every time I do a new estimate?
No, Clear Estimates saves your customer information and keeps it well organized and easy to access.
What kinds of reports does Clear Estimates print for me?
Our Report Manager gives you the flexibility to control every aspect of the design and printing of your estimates, contracts and proposals. You can maintain your own ‘boilerplate’ language to insert anywhere in your document. Every item in the database has 3 different levels of ‘full sentence’ specifications, so you never have to hand your customer something that looks like a disorganized spreadsheet table again.
You can also save your documents in several different file formats, including PDF, which is handy for attaching to emails.
Can I include my company logo on the documents Clear Estimates prints?
Yes. There are many settings in the ‘internal’ word processor Clear Estimates uses that you can control, including logo placement, typeface, margins, point size, etc.
Can I create custom templates, or assemblies, with Clear Estimates?
Yes. Not only can you create your own templates, but we have included many finished templates for your immediate use.
Can I modify the existing items in Clear Estimates?
Yes, very easily. Simply click on an item in the Parts Tool and modify whatever you like. Every aspect of all the items in the database can be adjusted by the user.
Can I add my own items to Clear Estimates?
Yes. You can add as many items as you like and place them in any location in the database in any categories. You can even create your own unique categories for specialty items or brand specific listings.
Are the costs in Clear Estimates specific to my local area?
We research material and labor costs all year long so you don’t have to! We update material costs every quarter for nearly 400 cities across the United States. A few mouse clicks each quarter and your entire database is updated to reflect current costs in your area.
Can I use my own hourly labor costs in Clear Estimates?
Yes. There is a feature in the program called HRE – Hourly Rate Editor. You simply replace those labor rates with your own, and the program automatically adjusts all labor cost items to reflect your hourly rate.
How often are price updates released for Clear Estimates?
We provide updated regional pricing data for nearly 400 cities every quarter, released in January, April, July, and October. Labor rate recommendations are provided on a yearly basis.
Can I import my own spreadsheet database into Clear Estimates?
Yes. Our Part Export Wizard will help you create and format the appropriate file from your database and our Part Import Wizard will help you import that file into our software program. We would also be happy to help structure your database file for you.
On how many computers can I install Clear Estimates?
Each activation number you receive grants you the right to install and run Clear Estimates on one computer. If you are a user who would like to install the software on two computers for a single user (such as laptop and a desktop machine), please contact us for an additional activation number.
Does Clear Estimates work in a network environment?
Clear Estimates can be easily set up to work in a network environment. This allows users on multiple computers to simultaneously view and edit information on a shared database.
Are there drafting functions within Clear Estimates?
No. We have found that directly tying drafting to estimating generally oversimplifies the matter and can cause frustration. We are currently investigating methods to integrate popular drafting applications with Clear Estimates, but an expected release date for this has not been set.
|
