How to make bookkeeping and taxes FUN!

Carol Dekle-Foss

Ok yes, that was just a ploy to get you to read this post, but stay with me!  I'm going to review an indispensable software program called Jewelry Designer Manager by Barbara Carleton. It's not only amazing for keeping track of finished jewelry, but it's also great for keeping track of handmade components as well.

I have been using it for 3 years now and absolutely love it! There are just so many unique ways you can utilize the program. I'll be honest though, you have to enter all you data and that can be a bit time consuming. But once that's done, you have a powerful tool that can track and manage every aspect of your business. Seriously, this program rocks! 

Ok, so here are the top reasons I use this software.

NUMBER ONE. Inventory! This is where the genius comes in. You input your beads and other components into the Jewelry Parts section, and then when you make a piece of jewelry, you build your piece in Jewelry Assembly. (See next pic)  You select the parts that are included in the finished jewelry piece and the program adds up the total cost of materials. 

NUMBER TWO. Pricing.  Basically the program does this all for you. It takes into consideration all your raw materials, your labor and any other costs, and recommends the price according to the mark-up options you have set up. It helps you calculate your prices so you get paid for what you are worth, and also so you are charging a fair price to your customers.

So now, not only do you have raw inventory data for all your beads and components, you also have finished pieces data. This comes in very handy during the dreaded tax season when you are calculating your COGS. Now that's fun stuff!

NUMBER THREE: Keeps track of customer purchases. The above pic is the field where you enter customer data. Below is the invoice field.

You can also print detailed invoices to send to a customer.

NUMBER FOUR: Lastly, the software creates comprehensive reports. Being a detailed person, ok, obsessive, I like to track things. You can manage your sales, parts, customers, create PDF catalogs to send to customers via email, and create professional labels.

This program keeps me organized and on top of things so I can then spend more time in the studio. Well that's the theory anyway. Now if I could get it to feed my animals and do the laundry that would be great! 

Check out the program for yourself here and see if it's right for you!

I would love to know how you track your inventory. What works for you, do you use spreadsheets or Craftybase? 

Here's a collage of some of my recent studio creations.

 I hope you have a wonderful and safe holiday!