Changes in ver. 4.4.17

It always seems to be around this time of year that I release a new version of the Wessex Pricing Program. This year is no different - so here's version 4.4.17.

Lets see what's new.

1. When you look at the worktickets list - at the top of the form is a figure which is all the jobs on that list added up. The idea being that you could look at that figure and see how much money would be owed to you once all those jobs were completed. However, most framers take deposits, so that grand total figure does not really represent what we want to see. Now the figure displayed is the amount owed to you after the deposits. Much more useful.                                                       

                                         

    2. There are always little tweaks and bugs to sort out, and this year was no exception. They are the "if I press this and click that, and then try to go back - this happens" variety. They were mainly in the "WorkTickets > Views > List by Item" area. So you should now find things a bit less frustrating if you use those tools.                                                                                                                                                                                     

 

3. The last update probably doesn't affect most users. It's to do with where some of the data files are stored. By default the XML data files are stored in "C/ProgramData/WessexPictures/wpp4". This suits most framers, the program takes care of things like importing and exporting those files. But, if  you are operating on a larger computer network it's better if these files are stored in your personal space. 

      So, introducing "yourname/AppData/Roaming".

To use this go to "Setup >  Options" and choose the Netwk/BkUp tab. At the bottom you can select the location for those XML files. 

Though I'd suggest to leave things in their default location unless you have a reason to change.

You can download the new version by going to Free Trial Form on the Wessex website (remember to sign in). Don't worry that it says "Free 30 day trial" the program knows you have paid for it!

If you have problems with the download have a look at Picture Frame Pricing Programs: Download woes 

Enjoy!

Life after Windows 10

 Later this year (2025) Microsoft will stop supporting Windows 10. So this leaves us users with a dilemma  - upgrade (though many older computers will not run Windows 11), buy a new computer(s) with Windows 11 on it, move over to Linux, or soldier on with our fingers crossed?

Buying a new computer will be around £500 +, not a trivial sum. Using the Linux operating system is free, but involves dealing with a completely new system. Also, some specialized programs are only available for Windows (and funnily enough that includes Wessex Professional). Soldiering on means that you will quickly come to grief, but ONLY if you are connected to the internet. If you aren't connected to the internet at all then the baddies out there have no way of getting to you. 

It is obviously impractical for your main computer not to be connected, but if you end up with an old Windows computer it could be used in the shop as your pricing computer. Wessex Professional doesn't need to be connected to the internet in order to give prices, view job tickets and invoices etc. So that computer you were going to junk (recycle) could find a new lease of life.

But, if we're not connected to the internet how do we keep upto date with moulding prices and program updates? The answer is "Simples", by downloading the appropriate file(s) from a connected computer, and copying it\them onto a USB stick which is then inserted into the old computer that still has the pricing program on it. Thus, if we wanted to update Wessex Mouldings, on the connected computer we'd download the update file (by going to www.wessexpictures.com/Wessex-Pricing). Then copy the file to a USB stick, transfer the file to the old computer and from within the program go to "File" > "Update Mouldings" and when prompted tell the program that the file it needs is on the USB stick.

So, Microsoft switching off support for Windows 10 could be a positive after all!

The best just got better!

 It's now become a bit of an annual ritual - a new version of Wessex Professional. This time it is version 4.4.16 (You can check your version by going to "Help" > "About", and view which version you have).

If you are new to Wessex Professional - welcome!

If you already use the program I would really encourage you to take the trouble to upgrade as this will give you a more reliable, user friendly experience. Also, it's free to upgrade! 

Go to the Wessex Pictures website and navigate to the Pricing Programs section . Select the Free 30 Day Trial and download. Your web browser will probably come up with various warnings, but have a look at this post to complete the download.

Before you start the new installation it's sensible to take a copy of your database file (V3.mdb) and the Labels & Values file (user.xml). These two file contain all your data, so treat them well!

Double click on the downloaded file (SetupWPP4_4_16.msi) and install. Run the program and check that all is well - and you're done!

Below is a screenshot of the changes -

When you have got Wessex Professional up and running, if you haven't done it already, set up a automatic backup - it could save a lot of frustration. Have a look at this post for more information.

New for 2023

 It's been nearly a year since the last update to the Wessex Pricing Program, there haven't been any embarrassing glitches revealed (phew!) so this new update sorts out some features that were fine originally but now feel rather "clunky". 

The new update is version 4.4.15 (you can check your version by going to "Help" > "About" on the main program screen).

The first change is - instead of the measurement system (Mm. Cm. or Inches) being shown as three separate selections below the dimension boxes, it is now in one box next to them. Simply click the box to change.

The next change is  to the collection dates. The collection date is derived from the turnaround time (in days) set in "Setup" > "Options"  and selecting the "Turnaround" tab. 

Previously if the collection date worked out to be a Sunday then that date would be moved on to a Monday. Now you can set the days of the week that you are closed and any collections for those days are moved on.

The messages printed at the bottom of the invoice have been made easier to change. Go to "Setup" > "Options" and select the "Print" tab.

You can choose to hide the collection date, just show the date, or show the date and a short message. 

In addition you can set a footer message of up to 115 characters. 

The final new feature is when you view an individual work ticket, by holding the mouse over the moulding Id you can see some information about that moulding, this now includes the current amount in stock. (This assumes you keep your moulding stock up to date.) Also this stock amount is printed on the work ticket.

Hope you find the updates useful. 😊

Download woes

 Computer security has improved vastly in the last few years. Systems really don't want us to do anything that might cause trouble. For instance if your browser sees you are trying to download a file it doesn't recognize and which has the potential for unwanted consequences it will try and stop you.

I noticed this when I was checking that the correct file for the latest Wessex Pricing Program had been put on the Wessex website.

I'm using Microsoft Edge (so other browsers may be different) when I downloaded the Free Trial (SetupWPP4_4_12.msi) I noticed that there was a yellow triangle against that file in the downloads list.

 Looking directly in the Downloads folder in File Explorer it was labelled as "Unconfirmed download".

So, back to Edge. At the right side of the toolbar is the download list. Select "SetupWPP4_4.msi" and you will notice 3 small dots to the right. Click on those and select "Keep". 

Then yet another warning message appears. This time above the Delete button select "Show more" and then click on "Keep anyway".

You are now treated as an adult and can run the file!

Size Matters

 I'm sure that you have noticed that the size of the Wessex Pricing Program is fixed. There is a reason for that (skip the following paragraph if the brain is feeling a bit tired).

Computer screens are not only measured by size (usually diagonally across the screen) but also by "resolution" stated in "pixels". The more pixels the better detail that the screen can show. The computer I'm writing this on has a resolution of 1920 x 1080. Not too many years ago a resolution of (say) 1200 x 800 more would have been considered good. When you set a size for a form in a program it is set in pixels, not inches or Cm. So it will look smaller on a higher resolution screen, and larger on a lower resolution screen. 

Wessex Professional has stayed the same size ever since it was released. This way it would be good for older monitors. However, the difference between old and new monitor resolution is becoming quite pronounced and although there are things you can do to show the program at a larger size, what is really needed is the ability to resize the program to suit your screen. This is easier said than done. There are at least 27 "controls" (buttons, textboxes and so on) in the main screen and each one needs to be resized in proportion to its neighbour.

The problem is finally solved in the latest version (4.4.12). You can now resize and reposition the main form to suit your screen and the program will remember that for the next time.

The above screenshot shows the standard size, with the program always starting centre-screen.

This screenshot shows the program enlarged and repositioned. It will remember the size and position for next time it starts.

By the way, the computer these screenshots were taken from is running Windows 11. Wessex Professional is perfectly happy running on that.

Also in the new version is an improved "Moulding Needed" section ("Tools" > "Mange Database" > "Mouldings", click "Views" and choose "Moulding Needed" to show the moulding you'll need for your current jobs, and which you're likely to have to order).

The "Save invoice as PDF" in the Print section has had some potential errors corrected and should be more consistent. 

All that remains is to wish everyone a Happy and Prosperous New Year.

Coping with the "new normal".

Over the last few months we have seen increasing shortages and, more recently, galloping price increases.

Wessex Professional and The Framers Pricing App can help you to keep abreast of these changes and keep your business afloat and profitable.

Let's deal with price increases first.

It is important to remember that all suppliers in their terms and conditions reserve the right to change prices without notice. Obviously they try not to, but with prices so volatile it makes sense for us to go by the invoices we receive rather than waiting for a new price list to be issued. 

For mouldings this is easily dealt with in Wessex Professional by going through the invoice and Editing the moulding record to give the correct wholesale cost per metre. (If you are not registered for VAT make sure you include VAT in the figure to reflect the price you have paid.) In the App if you use # codes then redo the code for each of the mouldings in the invoice (Settings > Get Moulding Code). If you use a file imported into the App then you will need to open the file on your computer and edit it, save and import again.

For mountboard and glass there are a couple of ways to deal with price changes.

1) The easy way

If (for example) a mountboard increases from £6.00 to £6.60 a sheet (10%), then simply increase the mount cost by 10%.

For instance - I charge a plain (whitecore) mount at 0.32 pence/sq. cm. So I would increase that cost to 0.352 pence/sq. cm.

I would keep the "Start From" charge the same because that really represents the labour cutting the mount (presumably that will need to increase at some point, but it's not directly related to the material cost).

2) Getting back to basics

There are 9,930.8 sq. cm. in a Larson Juhl board. (122 x 81.4) divide that by the cost of the board in pence to get how much the board is costing per cm. (£6.00 per board = 600 pence = 0.06 pence/sq. cm. Actually 0.0604180932049785 pence!)

Multiply that by a markup (between 4 & 7 usually) to get the main cost figure. Nb. markup is quite high because of the amount of wastage in glass and particularly mountboard.

To make the changes - in Wessex Professional go to Settings > Values and choose the Mount or Glass tab. Select the type of glass or mount you want to change from the dropdown list. Put in the new value and "Save", then go on to the next one.

In the Pricing App go to Settings and choose Mount Values or Glass Values. Tap the top panel for a list of Labels and their values. Select one, change the figures and Save Item. 

Both the Pricing App and Wessex Professional work out prices in the same way. 

Now let's look at how to deal with shortages.

 Because the Pricing App doesn't keep a record of stock or jobs you are going to have to rely on good old "memory mark 1"! 

But Wessex Professional can help. If you know a moulding is unavailable you can check whether you have taken jobs for it by going to Tools > Manage Database > Worktickets. Then choose Views, List By Item. Select "Moulding" and enter the moulding code in the pop-up box. You will then see a list of all the jobs to be completed which use that moulding.

Similarly, you can check glass in the same way. The program won't make the shortages go away, but at least you'll have the information on which to base a decision.

(At the moment the Mount option only shows the type of mount, not the colour. So, unfortunately, that won't help when a particular colour is not available, though it's usually possible to get a acceptable alternative from a different manufacturer).  

All that is probably a lot to take in, but for some bedtime reading have a look at Picture Frame Pricing Programs: Frame Pricing Talk (stevetheframe.blogspot.com) for a overall view of pricing.

 

 

  

What the # ?!

 I mentioned in a previous post that I would explain about price codes.

If you think about it all the program needs to work out a frame price is the cost of the moulding and its width. Once it knows the rebate dimensions it can work how much moulding will be needed (2 * X + 2 * Y, + 8 * moulding width)

This was the principle that the first Wessex Pricing Program (WPP1) used.

The idea was resurrected in the Framers Pricing App. Here the App can work out a cost either by using an Id number from a csv file (for instance "PW112"), or a pricing code which contains the information needed.

How does the App distinguish between the two?

The price code always is always preceded by "#" (eg. #34G). The numbers represent the moulding cost, while the letter represents the width.

In practical terms, there is a utility in the App (and now in the desktop program) whereby you can enter the cost and the width of a moulding and it will issue a code that you can write on the moulding sample.

(App - go to "Settings" and tap "Get Moulding Code". WPP4 - go to "Tools" > "Get Moulding Code") It is now easy to give a price - put in the dimensions, look on the sample for the price code and enter that, together with glass, mount and sundries.

It is good practice to check the code each time you get an invoice for that moulding.

The sharp-witted amongst you will have spotted that the code does not identify an individual moulding, A moulding with the same cost and width will have the same code. So, if you are recording a job, you will need to be able to identify the particular moulding.

In WPP4 you can do this in the "Notes" section when saving the Job. With the App the world is your oyster! You could record the details in a duplicate-book or you could take a screen-shot of the price and a photo of the work and sample(s), being careful to marry up the two images (rename them in file manager), or a mixture of the two.

Also, the width part of the code (the letter) covers a number of Mm. and so is not quite precise. In practice the effect on the final cost is minimal.

So why go with this form of pricing when other more exact ways are available?

Simply because it is so straightforward and easy to understand. There are no databases to maintain, no csv files to wrestle with. The costing is slightly less exact (by pence not pounds), but if your margins are that tight then use a different system. 

Another reason to include these codes in WPP4 is to better integrate the program with the Pricing App. Already you can export a file of mouldings from the desktop program to the App, now you can go the other way and use the App's pricing codes in the main program.

Networking - using the Pricing Program on 2 (or more) computers

Everyone is different. Many framers just need their pricing system on one computer, but others perhaps have a large shop, or a separate workshop, or even more than one premises. All of these scenarios (and I'm sure there are many others) need the pricing and job information system on more than one computer.

It doesn't cost you any more to put Wessex Professional on all your devices (you just need an enabling code for each one from Wessex). But merely installing the program on each device will mean that they will each use their own (internal) database. Ideally we need the group of programs to use the same database, and of course, we can configure Wessex Professional to do just that.

Before we continue I need to point out that this solution is only suitable for a small scale system. Larger systems with many database transactions per second would need the database held on a server which would handle the transaction requests.

So, down to the nitty-gritty. 

• Having installed the program on our devices we need to put the database file that we want to use ("V3.mdb") somewhere that all the devices can "see". If you have created your own private network it could be in a folder somewhere on that (Look at the Networking section in the "Help" file, press "F1"). 
• The easiest way, however, is to use a cloud storage location such as "Dropbox" or "OneDrive". Make a folder there and copy your database file into it.
• In the program go to "Setup" . "Options" and select the "NetWk/BkUp" tab.

• At the top tick "Use networked database", and  then click the box below that to bring up a dialog to select the location of the database you are going to use.

• Select the file (click "Open") and the network box should look something like this - 

• Remember to click "Save".
• Repeat this for each computer.

Now all the devices will use the same database. (For instance, if the workshop marks a job as "Complete" then the shop can immediately see that.)

The database file contains all the information for Customers, Mouldings and WorkTickets. There is one other file that contains information for prices and labels ("User.xml"), this is not networked and needs to be put on each device individually ("Setup" > "Values" and then click "Export" or "Import").

So, why not be able to network this file as well?

Two reasons

1. The file is only modified occasionally, unlike the  database file. So it's not too much of a chore to copy it to each device when it's changed.
2. It could be that you need the device to issue different prices. For instance one device issues trade prices, while another issues retail. Or one branch of the business only deals with simple jobs, while another deals with more complex framing.

NB. One point to remember is that you will need to make sure that the database file is regularly backed up, as the program's automatic backup feature does not work with a networked database.

All in all setting up Wessex Professional to use a network is not too difficult to do, but I suggest you choose a quiet time (a lockdown project?)

version 4.4.6

Wessex Pricing Program version 4.4.6 - so what's new?

Basic and Full versions
Well, the first thing corrects an anomaly where if you changed the default moulding markup only the mouldings added subsequently to the database used that new default. You would have to change the existing records individually if you wanted them to use the new markup. Not user friendly!
In the new version any moulding which has the old default as its markup will be automatically updated to the new default.

Full version
The database has room for 50 characters (inc. spaces) in the mount record (made up of the mount type and the colour(s)). It was possible to get all the way to the point where you saved the invoice only to find an error because in one job you had tried to use more than 50 characters in the mount record.
Now, if you try to use more than 50 characters you are warned when you try to add the job to the invoice.

Full version
The other noteworthy change in this version had me thinking "Why didn't I think of that before?"!
The workticket has two dates - the date the work was received and the date that the job needs to be completed by.
Now, when the work is collected and you edit the workticket to tick the "collected" box, the complete-by date is changed to that day's date, thus giving you a record of when the work was taken by the customer.

You can view collection records by going to "Tools" > "Manage Database" > "WorkTickets" and then click "Find Record". Initially "Find Records by" and "invoice number" is shown. Click the downward pointing arrow and choose "Collection Date". Then you'll be able to pick a date to see the jobs collected on that day.
The program knows when you installed the update, so only worktickets after this date are changed. (ie. worktickets before that date will still read "Collect on" and the original completion date. Only records after that date will have the actual collection date.)

Gotcha!

As with many things to do with computers the Wessex Pricing Program has a few things that are not immediately obvious. Our transatlantic cousins call these "Gotchas". I thought I'd list the most frequent together with the solutions.

1. Trying to update the moulding records by clicking "Import Database" - Be careful! "Import Database" will (if you ignore the warnings) overwrite the whole of your existing database. Make sure you click "Update Mouldings" instead.
2. Running a moulding update correctly, but the records have stayed the same. - When you download the update file from Wessex it is saved in Downloads as "WessexMouldings" (or "FrintonMouldings"), If you download a new update file it is saved as "WessexMouldings(1)", "WessexMouldings(2)" and so on. However the moulding update process will only allow you to import "WessexMouldings" ie. the original one. The answer - delete all but the most recent update file and Rename that to "WessexMouldings" (or "FrintonMouldings").
3. An error message "......You don't have permission to access this file......." when the program tries to read the database. - The easy solution is to run the program as administrator. Right-click the shortcut and choose "Run as administrator". Note the program does not normally need administrator rights to run, the problem seems to occur when the User Account Type is changed.
4. An error message on startup ".....Root element is missing ......" - Make sure you have upgraded the program to version 4.4.2 or higher.

Easy really?

Keeping upto date

We woke up on Fri 24th June to hear that a huge change had taken place in this country. Whether your view is that "Turkeys have voted for Christmas" or "The bright dawn of a new era" as framers we need to keep upto date with what could be large price swings. (Much of the materials we use are imported and subject to currency fluctuations.) If we don't then our businesses will very quickly become unprofitable and untenable.

Wessex Pricing Program makes it easy to keep up with any price changes.

When you get an invoice for a moulding order check the cost against the database ("Tools">"Manage Database">"Mouldings" and enter your moulding ID in the yellow box. Click "Find" and the record will appear. If the whole cost/metre is different then click "Edit" (the boxes will turn yellow to indicate they can be changed) change the Cost and click "Save".
Some suppliers still price in imperial, so the program has a calculator ("Tools">"Calculator") one of its functions is to work out price-per-Metre from price-per-Foot.

You can also bulk update supplier's mouldings from an Excel file (there are a number of posts on how to do this), but bear in mind that even the supplier list may not be upto date.

Other costs are entered in "Setup">"Values". Including the Moulding markup and the various "base" costs for Moulding, Glass and Mount. Think of these fixed "base" costs as the cutting charge or minimum charge to cut a mount (or glass, or join a frame).
Below the "base" cost is the variable cost - this is the cost per sq. Cm. to the customer . So, if the cost of glass or mountboard rise this is the place to alter your price. Just put in the new figure and click "Save" for each item.

For some thoughts on pricing and pricing strategy have a look at this post.

Running Wessex Professional on a Mac

I'm often asked if Wessex Professional will run on an Apple Mac computer. In fact a previous post on the issue has had more views than any of my other posts.
As you may gather I'm a "Windows" man, but a few months ago I bought a reconditioned MacBook to see what the fuss was about. Of course that led to some research to see about running the pricing program on it.
I downloaded the free trial of CrossOver Mac from CodeWeavers. The result - well see for yourself!

I've only had a short time to tinker with the result and there are some problems with printing, but there seems to be no major issues with the Basic version of Wessex Professional.
I certainly hope to be able to come up with a solution to the printing errors which would make the full version useable. (At the moment everything is printed into the top quarter of an A4 sheet, instead of over the whole sheet.)

It was very easy to install Wessex Professional into what CrossOver calls a "bottle" (think of it as an oasis of Windows files amid a desert of Mac!). Then I needed to add extra files (dependencies) to get the program to run (very few programs these days are completely standalone). Again CrossOver made it straightforward to find and install them.  Just so you know, these files are .Net Framework 2, MS Jet, MDAC, and Core Fonts.

Very encouraging so far - I'll keep you all upto date with further developments.