Goldenseal Pro

[Dennis]

We recently started work on a major overhaul to the basic code that runs Goldenseal. The core programming code is more than ten years old, and a rewrite will make it possible for us to add many requested features, such as:

* scroll wheel support
* formatted text in fields
* support for UniCode and alternate font systems
* web links and automatic sending of email
* more modern interface and appearance
* more reliable networking

This is a one or two year project, but we will continue to do regular updates to the existing code while we are rewriting the basics. You shouldn't notice much difference until the big roll-out is ready.

A few specific things:

1. We are considering whether to drop the Chart of Accounts window-- it was written by a programmer who wasn't very good, and it will consume a lot of time to update it. If you love this feature, please let us know!

2. We may also drop the Short Forms, which are alternate layouts for some accounts and transactions. If you use them, please let us know.

3. If you have added picture fields, please let us know. We may need to do an export and import to move data to the new format, and it will help us to know how much time to put in on the export system for pictures.

[glbuild@verizon.net]

Dennis, I'm all for it. I don't use the accounting so some of your questions don't apply. Yes for scroll wheel support. More options in the finished reports can only improve things. Links and emailing would be great. Keep us up to date!

[rjaley]

Never use the short forms so I'd like to see them gone.

Same for the category breakdown. Get rid of it as you can just use Sub unlisted, material unlisted, labor unlisted etc....in the cost area of an item breakdown and get the same result as a Category breakdown.

Never really look at the chart of accounts so I would not miss that either.

All the changes you list sound good.

While we no longer use the accounting I would consider moving back to it if there was more flexibility in configuring itemized job cost reports, is that a possibility in GS Pro?

[Dennis]

Originally Posted by rjaley

While we no longer use the accounting I would consider moving back to it if there was more flexibility in configuring itemized job cost reports, is that a possibility in GS Pro?

That's a possibility in the current version-- Goldenseal is already very flexible in how you set up reports. To answer this one, you should send more details to support@turtlesoft.com. An example file might help-- whatever will most clearly show what you want.

[glbuild@verizon.net]

What would be the chances of including a way of pasting in photos (of a rotten trim board) or clip art (of a framed floor) in an estimate report. It is not usually necessary but would save lots of words.
And speaking of words, I would like to be able to have a line item spread over more than one line, so the Comments could include more detail. In other words, the space on the page taken up by one line item could vary based on the length of the text string in the Comments portion. I use Comments to individually describe a line item. I refer here to the optional Comments field, not the field that uses the Comment text from the Assembly, for instance.
Thanks

[rjaley]

I'd like to see the more information box removed from material costs, labor costs & sub costs and have all reports and job cost information pulled from the break down table.

It is very repetitive to enter categories and subcategories in a breakdown table and to then do the same thing again in the "More Information” box. It would save much data entry time to only do this once.

I realize this probably involves a huge amount of re-programming, but I think it will simplify usability and vastly improve quality and flexibility of the reports that GS could generate.

[Dennis]

Originally Posted by rjaley

I'd like to see the more information box removed from material costs, labor costs & sub costs.

You can use the Custom Layouts command to do that yourself, right now. Just remove the button from the layout, and move any fields from the more info layout to the main layout.

We made a choice early on to allow layouts with and without breakdowns, which makes cost categorizing a bit more complicated (it's why there are categories for each line items, plus another 'main' category for the entire record). Some users always use breakdowns, some never use them, and most people use both, depending on the complexity of the purchase. I don't think we should change that, since it gives everyone what they want.

Reports under Reports--Expenses use the main category. Those under Reports--Projects use both. You could also use Custom Layouts to change those if you want, though you probably could just stick with the project reports, and ignore the others.

[Dennis]

Originally Posted by glbuild@verizon.net

What would be the chances of including a way of pasting in photos (of a rotten trim board) or clip art (of a framed floor) in an estimate report.

We have picture fields, but it would really take a page layout program to put them into reports. I'd suggest handling the pictures in a word processor or Powerpoint, and then reference them in the printed estimate from Goldenseal.

Originally Posted by glbuild@verizon.net

I would like to be able to have a line item spread over more than one line

We may add variable-height table rows in the future, but the benefit to complication ratio is low, so it probably won't happen soon. We recently added comment rows, so you could spread the text out that way. Comment fields allow up to 255 characters, so you could also widen the layout to fit that much text.

[glbuild@verizon.net]

Dennis, I didn't tweak to this when I first read it: "We recently added comment rows, so you could spread the text out that way." Does that mean I can insert a row in an estimate with just a comment, not the category, sub, u/m, etc.? I use a Comments field in an estimate report to describe the specific work priced in each line, not pulled from the estimate item itself. As I have it now, Comments is at the end of a row, and holds maybe 40 characters. More would be great when needed.
Thanks, Jim