Frequently Asked Questions About Perfect Fit Software
How is Perfect Fit sold?
Is there a limit to the number of users I can have?
Are the modules integrated with each other? Can
I add modules later?
How is Perfect Fit installed?
Why do I have to download it?
Do you have references that you can give me?
Can I import data from other programs?
Can I export data to other programs?
Can I write my own reports?
Am I buying or leasing the software?
Is there a payment plan available?
What happens if I don't pay my bill?
What is not included with thePerfect Fit sales contract?
What kind of hardware do I need?
What kind of network do I need?
Can I run Perfect Fit from different locations?
What kind of database is Perfect Fit?
What kind of computer skills do I need?
What kind of support do you offer?
What is not included in support?
Can I get training?
How are upgrades distributed?
What kind of maintenance tasks must I perform?
How do we back up data?
How is Perfect
Fit sold?
Perfect Fit is sold in modules. The base module includes important functions
that everyone needs—customers, orders, invoices, etc. We have many
other modules that you can add on depending on what your company needs—accounting,
production, purchasing, EDI, etc. All modules are fully integrated with
each other no matter what combination of modules you buy. You can also
add modules quickly and easily any time you want. We sell it this way
because we want our customers to get what they need, without having to
pay for what they'll never use.
Is there a limit
to the number of users I can have?
You will pay an upcharge for each additional user (beyond one) that you
need. The real limit is imposed by the type of network that you have.
Most small companies can function very nicely with a simple peer-to-peer
network. If you are a medium sized company with several users, a peer-to-peer
network may be too slow and you may need to switch to a server based network.
For very large companies with many users, we can structure Perfect Fit
to run as the front end of an Oracle database, which removes any limitations
to the size of your network.
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Are the modules
integrated with each other?
Yes, fully. We were one of the first companies to create an affordable
software solution for smaller businesses that has integrated accounting,
eliminating the need for outside accounting software.
Can I add
modules later?
You can add new modules and extra users any time you want.
How is Perfect
Fit installed?
Once you have signed the sales contract and sent in your first payment,
you will be faxed instructions for installation. Typically, you will need
to download the necessary files from the internet. We can send you disks
if you do not have internet access, but be forewarned: we may need to
add sales tax to your contract if you do not download from the internet.
Why do I have
to download it?
Distributing the software by internet allows us to keep our costs down
(no fancy packaging, no disk printing costs, no postage) while at the
same time making the most recent version of the software available immediately
to everyone. There is an advantage to this—you can get upgrades
and replacement files easily, without having to search your office or
order discs!
Do you
have references that you can give me?
Of course. Give us your address and the type of business that you are,
and we will send you several references from other companies like yours.
Can I import data
from other programs?
You can import Customer and Supplier lists quite easily. Since your old
program may not have exactly the same fields as Perfect Fit, you may have
to edit your data in excel or lotus first. You may be able to import orders
and invoices as well, but most people find that converting that type of
data into an import-ready format takes as long or longer than simply typing
it in.
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Can I export data
to other programs?
Yes, exporting can be done several ways—either directly from a report
or screen shot, or using the export utility. The export utility allows
exporting in the DIF, SYLK, dbase, Lotus, comma delimited and tab delimited
(excel) formats. The first time you need to export is a great time to
call tech support! You can also connect to Perfect Fit using Crystal Reports,
which is an effective way to get custom reports without exporting data
or incurring custom programming fees.
Can I write my
own reports?
Yes, the Perfect Fit ad-hoc report writer module is an easy way to write
simple reports. You can also export data to Microsoft Excel or Lotus 1-2-3
and work with it there. Perfect Fit is ODBC compliant, and some of our
sophisticated users use Seagate's Crystal Reports to create their own
reports (please note that we don't sell Crystal Reports). But Perfect
Fit comes with so many canned reports, you won't need to write your own
very often.
Am I buying
or leasing the software?
You are buying the software, plus user licenses for the OMNIS database
tool that is used to develop and run Perfect Fit.
Is there a payment
plan available?
Yes, we have special monthly payment plans for small businesses. Just
like a car loan, you are responsible for remembering to pay your installments.
We will not invoice you each month. The actual plan depends on the total
dollar amount of the package that you buy. Please contact us for more
information.
What happens
if I don’t pay my bill?
The database for new users has an expiration date. If you don’t
make the payments, the database will cease to function on the expiration
date. You will get a warning message well in advance of the expiration
date, asking you to call us for an access code. If your account is current,
you will be given the code and the whole process will only take a few
minutes. If you owe past due payments, your database will not be reactivated
until your charges are paid in full. READ YOUR CONTRACT CAREFULLY!
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What is not
included with the Perfect Fit sales contract?
Macintosh or Microsoft Windows systems administration or training; network
setup; network support or training; word processor, spreadsheet or other
software packages or training for those programs; printers, printer drivers,
and printer technical support; upgrades to the OMNIS database program;
data entry, import or export; hardware; back up and utility hardware or
software; instruction in accounting or management; correction of data
entry errors; and source code (Whew!).
What kind of
hardware do I need?
Perfect Fit runs equally well on Macs and PCs. Unless your current hardware
is very old, chances are you can install Perfect Fit on the computers
you already own. If your computers are more than 2 or 3 years old or if
you aren’t sure what kind of computers you have, call us and we
will help you evaluate your needs. If you are going to buy new computers,
try to get the best computers that you can afford. Processor speed is
important because it directly affects the speed of Perfect Fit. If you
will be running very large reports, get at least 512 MB RAM to prevent
out of memory errors.
What kind of
network do I need?
If you have more than one user, you will need a network that allows two
or more computers to 'talk' to each other and share data. Perfect Fit
will run on Windows 95/98/2000/XP peer-to-peer networks, Windows NT networks,
Novell networks, and Apple Talk networks. In our office, we have PCs and
Apple Macs networked together, all running Perfect Fit simultaneously!
If you do not yet have a network set up, you should include the necessary
hardware and software in your IT budget. At a minimum, you will need a
network hub with enough connections for the number of computers in your
office, network cable with the correct adapters, and a network card for
each computer. If you have a number of users, you should consider getting
a dedicated server. Certain types of networks will require other additional
hardware and software. If all of this sounds like gobbledygook, it's time
to hire an IT professional!
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Can I run
Perfect Fit from different locations?
There are several solutions depending on what you want to do at each location.
If you want your sales reps to be able to enter orders while on the road,
you can purchase the remote order entry module. This allows them to monitor
their own customers with out seeing your sensitive financial data. They
can e-mail you new orders or send them on a disk, saving you data entry
time. If you want to work from home or another remote location, you can
use PC Anywhere or Lap Link and dial in to your network. This gives you
full access to the entire program (We do not sell or service PC Anywhere
or LapLink, but you can get them from Staples, Office Max, and a number
of online retailers). The drawback here is that it is only as fast as
your modem or internet connection, and it ties up a phone line and the
computer that you dial into in the office. The fastest solution is to
set up a Wide Area Network (WAN) or Virtual Private Network (VPN), or
use a Windows utility called Remote Desktop Connection. These solutions
require high-speed internet access and in some cases special networking
hardware and software. You will most likely need to get a networking professional
to set this up, especially if your network has firewalls or other security
services.
What kind of
database is Perfect Fit?
Perfect Fit is a relational database written in a multi-platform developer’s
program called OMNIS7. OMNIS7 runs on both Apple Macintosh and IBM compatible
PCs, making Perfect Fit a very flexible system!
What kind
of computer skills do I need to use Perfect Fit?
If you are familiar with Windows or Macintosh point-and-click type interfaces,
you will feel comfortable in Perfect Fit very quickly. You don't need
to know DOS or any programming languages. We do recommend that you have
at least one computer literate person who can act as a system administrator
and who will be available to do upgrades, back ups and database maintenance.
What kind of
support do you offer?
We offer an annual support package that includes telephone, fax, e-mail
or modem support and free upgrades.
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What is
not included in support?
The Perfect Fit support package does not include on-site training or any
custom programming. We will quote you separately for those services. It
also does not cover support for other programs (like Windows, Word, Excel,
etc) or hardware support (call your hardware or software vendor for help
with these items).
Can I get training?
We will do onsite installation and training on a per diem basis. The training
will be tailored specifically to your needs. We also have a new live,
online training solution. Contact us for the current rates.
How are upgrades
distributed?
Upgrades are also distributed by internet. We will e-mail you notification
of new releases. If you do not have an e-mail address, or if the upgrade
contains something that you specifically requested, we will also fax you
the notification.
What
kind of maintenance tasks must I perform?
Perfect Fit has procedures that you will run weekly or as needed. These
procedures look for potential problems with your data, like accounting
transactions that are out of balance. You should also have someone responsible
for backing up your data every single day!
How do we back
up data?
You only need to back up one data file. You do not need to back up the
program files because all of them are easily replaced by downloading them
from our website. Perfect Fit does not come with a back up utility, so
you will need to supply your own. Most people with small networks use
a recordable CD ROM or a zip drive and zip disks to back up their data
file. If you have a Windows NT or Novell server, you may have a tape drive
that is used to back up the entire server. We recommend backing up every
single day. If you are worried about fire or flood damage, store the disks
or tapes in a fire-proof, waterproof safe or assign someone to take them
home regularly. If this sounds like a lot of effort and expense, think
about how much it would cost and how long it would take you to re-enter
all of your data if the building burned down with your back-ups and paperwork
in it!
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