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A-SYSTEMS JOBVIEW 8.0 REVIEW

When A-Systems upgraded its job cost accounting software from MS-DOS to Windows, there was no doubt in the mind of Robin Kelley, office manager at R.W. Hyde Construction Inc., about buying the latest version. After all, the general contractor had a long, successful history of using Contractor III, A-Systems' DOS solution, and was eager to tap the ease-of-use and speed the Windows version promised.

The office manager has not been disappointed in either the job cost accounting software or the vendor. JobView 8.0 features automatic updates and a user-friendly interface. "I definitely like the fact it is Windows-based because that makes it easier," Kelley said. "Plus, it accesses [the Internet] by itself, so whenever A-Systems updates the software it does an update without me having to worry about it. It makes less work for me."

A side benefit is the vendor's bi-annual user conferences, which are often held in vacation destinations such as Florida and Hawaii. In addition to mingling with fellow users, the events offer clients the opportunity to speak to high-level A-Systems executives, attend classes and share their thoughts on the software and its future, she said, adding, "Not only that, at the conferences they show us new parts of the system and how to use it."

The user conferences are proof that A-Systems listens and acts upon its clients' suggestions, Kelley said. "Sometimes, just two weeks after we come back from a conference, we come in and see the update's already there. They are constantly taking our suggestions."

Kelley gave JobView 8.0 a ranking of 9 out of 10.

What kinds of construction projects do you mostly work on?
 
How long have you been using this tool?
 
Where did you obtain it?
 
How much did you pay?
 
How are you using this product?
 
Why did you pick this product?
 
Did you look at other tools on the market before picking this one? What was it you didn't like about them (or made    this product better)?
 
Comparing the way you work now with the way you worked before you bought this tool, what has changed?
 
Can you give us an example of a job where this tool really made a difference?
 
Can you estimate how much time or money you saved or other measurable benefits your firm realized using this    tool?
 
What are the best features (for your business) in this tool?
 
Do you think it's a fair value for the price you paid?
 
What would you change about the product if you could?
 
Are there features that you don't use? Why not?
 
Who would you recommend use this tool?
 
How much computer experience do you think someone needs to use this tool effectively?
 
Did it take much training (or studying) to learn to use this tool?
 
Have you ever called the company's support lines and asked for help? What was your experience like?
 
How would you rate the user documentation? Is it helpful?
 
When the next version of this software comes out, will you upgrade to it?
 
Overall, on a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate this tool?

What kinds of construction projects do you mostly work on?
Commercial construction renovations.

How long have you been using this tool?
We have been using JobView job cost accounting software for six or seven years. Before that, we used Contractor III, which was made by the same company (A-Systems).  

Where did you obtain it?
We bought it directly from A-Systems itself.

How much did you pay?
I do not recall.

How are you using this product?
We use it for general ledger, accounts receivable, accounts payable and payroll.

Why did you pick this product?
It had everything we needed as a general contractor. It spreads out all the cost accounting for us. No matter where we enter information, it spreads it out to every place it has to go without us having to worry about it.

Did you look at other tools on the market before picking this one? What was it you didn't like about them (or made this product better)?
Contractor III was a DOS-based program. JobView is basically the same program, just updated to Windows. We liked Contractor III and A-Systems and wanted to keep using their product.

Comparing the way you work now with the way you worked before you bought this tool, what has changed?
I definitely like the fact it is Windows-based because that makes it easier. It accesses online by itself, so whenever A-Systems updates the software it does an update without me having to worry about it. This means less work for me.

Can you give us an example of a job where this tool really made a difference?
I can't really give one example in particular because it does it for all our jobs. It keeps track of all our job cost accounting information. There's no specific way because there are so many ways it make things easier.

Can you estimate how much time or money you have saved or other measurable benefits your firm has realized using this tool?
The Contractor III did basically the same thing as JobView; JobView's just a modernized, more efficient version of Contractor III. With Contractor III, we could still find the same information but it took longer to find it. Now with JobView I just hit a number or letter or just use my mouse to get where I want to go; JobView processes the information a lot quicker.

What are the best features (for your business) in this tool?
There are so many great features. If you do your own payroll it's fantastic because it figures out the pay, it will tell you how much money a job's made and  how much money we've spent on it and in addition you can print your own W-2s. There are just so many things, it's hard for me to say.

Do you think it's a fair value for the price you paid?
Yes.

What would you change about the product if you could?
Nothing right now. Twice a year they have conferences where we can actually go somewhere like Florida, or this year they're going to Hawaii, and talk to people who make this product and give them feedback and suggestions -- tell them what we like and what we don't like, so we are actually helping them make the product even better. Sometimes, just two weeks after we come back from a conference, we come in and you see the update's already there. They are constantly taking our suggestions. Not only that, at the conferences they show us new parts of the system and how to use it.  

Are there features that you don't use? Why not?
We don't use the inventory feature of this job cost accounting software because we don't have any inventory.  

Who would you recommend use this tool?                
Any general contractor or subcontractor.

How much computer experience do you think someone needs to use this tool effectively?
Minimal knowledge is required. It's so easy to use and learn.

Did it take much training (or studying) to learn to use this tool?
It's pretty much self-taught, which is what I did basically. I learned mainly on my own or through calling the tech support line or by going to the help feature on the software.

Have you ever called the company's support lines and asked for help? What was your experience like?
When you call them for support, they often know your name. They're extremely helpful. There are two people in particular I speak with a lot about questions I have or technical support and they're very nice, they will walk you through everything and they don't get mad at you when you don't get it right the first time.

How would you rate the user documentation? Is it helpful?
It's so easy to learn and there are so many help features in the software you don't really need a manual. I'd fall asleep trying to read the manual!

When the next version of this software comes out, will you upgrade to it?
Yes.

Overall, on a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate this tool?
9