Method Community

Hello,

I've been using Method fro some time. I've not done any customiztions or set-up actions and such.

In th estimates there are two nagging issues that I am not sure if they are method issues or end user issues.

When creating an estimate there is no sequential numbering. I was under the impression that this infromation would pull from Quickbooks or be pushed to quickbooks.

I use Method estmiating exclusivly vs QB. Is this a feature that can be set-up so that we don't run into issues of having random estimate numbers put in due to user input or no estimate numebr at all due to user neglect

The seond part of the issues is that when a numebr is put in manually and the user types in all the line items they need and clicks update the estimate number disappears. USers are not catching this and we get a lot of estimates with no est number. We are using the default layout in Method.

Any help or guidance is greatly appreciated.

Kyle

Hi Kyle,

You are correct.  Estimate number, by default at least, will be set by Quickbooks.  Method has a setting under the Quickbooks tab > Syncronize that allows  Method to set numbering on estimates, invoices, sales orders and the like.  Can you check your settings and see if this is checked or not?

If this is checked, then you can assign the numbers in Method, without waiting for Quickbooks.  However, Method should still number sequentially, so long as a user is not manually inputting the numbers.  By default this is not checked.  This is so that duplicates do not occur if a user is inputting an estimate while another user in inputting in Method.  Method instead will wait for the estimate to be synced with Quickbooks.  Quickbooks will then assign the number and sync that with Method.

As for the update, it will reset the number, however either Method or Quickbooks should still assign a number depending on the setting above.  Is this not the case?

- Adam

Adam You are correct .

Method_Adam:

As for the update, it will reset the number, however either Method or Quickbooks should still assign a number depending on the setting above.  Is this not the case?

However after some sampling I see where we ran into some problems. First off we were not allowing the sync to happen. Leads by default have wait for sync approval. If the stimate doesn't sync, it doesn't get an estmiate number when leaving ths Assgining reference numbers in Methdo unchecked. So then esitmate numbers are input manually. When we update the line items we loose the esimtate number, this I believe is due to the estime sync functionality in Method.

I've created 2 estimates one for a lead and one for a customer, when leaving the wait for sync unchecked estimate numbers are pulled from QB provided it is open and syncing.

The problem with this process though is that a lead I create and estimate for now becomes a customer in Quickbooks once I sync the estimate to get the number. I've got alot of leads that are just that, shoudl I not get the order they are still a lead, but now are showing as a customer in Quickbooks.

If I check Assign Ref numebr sin Method will this mess with Quickbooks numering sequencing for Invoices, Sale Receipts and such. Agin we do not use these functions in Method as of right now.

Kyle

Kyle,

You can still assign estimate numbers after inputting the line items if you wish.  However, if they do end up syncing with Quickbooks, the number will not be overwritten.

The reason your Lead synced over to Quickbooks was because you unchecked "Wait for sync approval".  By unchecking this, you allowed the estimate to sync with Quickbooks.  This is done by design.  In order for an estimate to sync with Quickbooks, there needs to be a customer.  Method knows this, and therefore converts the Lead to a Customer and sends it over to Quickbooks before sending the estimate over. The "Wait for sync approval" option will prevent the estimate from syncing over, and as a result, keep the customer as a lead.

Perhaps the best case would be to leave the estimate number blank?  You could also customize the screen to include a field for a number to identify each Lead Estimate.

- Adam