HI

[ChrisR]

Hello fellow Dental Techs,
I would like to introduce myself. I am the only employee of a lab owned by a family member who is a dentist. We are located in SW Pa and specialize in C&B. We have only been open for a little over a year now but are growing at a amazing rate. I love this field and the technology that it uses. I have been surfing the posts for a while now but have only now decided to post.
I was wondering what kind of production/billing software everybody is using and what their thoughts on them were. Thanks

[RetainerDesigner]

Hi Chris and welcome! Nice to see some people that the initiative to post finally. Good Man.

As for billing software I use Winvoice online. I like it because you can access it any where on any computer with an internet connection. In my case, I access it from a Mac and a PC at the lab, then my wife can access it from our linux computer at home. She does the billing. THe best part about it is it is cheap!. I believe it is .01% of your invoice total. and you dont have to pay to put it on each computer. Labdude one of the moderators here can tell you more about it. He is the one that told me about Winvoice.

You can play around with the demo version here
Demo Company
Login might be:
Demo
Password:
Demo

if this isn't the password you can just call them for a password and then you can try it out.

Anyways, welcome again
Cade (RetainerDesinger)

[trisha]

Hi Chris,
Glad you decided to post,~welcome

I do not use any special software for billing just Quicken

trisha

[labdude]

Trisha,
If you weren't so fragile...I might say something.
You know, Winvoice only charges 1/10 of 1 percent of your monthly net. It can be used from any computer anywhere. A plus when yours goes south, once in a while.
Mike.

[ChrisR]

Thank you guys n gals for the info. Right now i am using quickbooks for all billing/accounting and i really need a system that can help me with work load and case returns. Does the winvoice have something like that as part of it??? And has anybody hear or used LabNEt ?

[labdude]

By workload you probably mean schedule. It does that. For me my schedule is handled more up front and in my face. Less busy work.
Case returns, your still new, this will slow down and not be a concern hopefully. I don't charge or keep track of those particulars. They are few and far between.

Thing I like about Winvoice is you can assign a code # to all things you make or do. You just enter the code # and hit enter, fills in the invoice. All my items have a code, starting with #100 and on. No limit to the number of items.
I try, and always have tried, with success, to avoid busy work like entering into the computer when a piece of work comes in. Then tracking it with the computer. Or looking at a daily print out of what needs to be done today. To much busy work.

My cases come in and are immediately placed on a tray that is set up to be worked on. These trays hold work due "today"(local delivery) and shipping work due 2 days from today.(shipped FedEx) Top tray is Monday, tray 5 is Friday, bottom tray holds following weeks work.
I'll repost a picture in the gallery that shows the rack and tray system I have used for over 30 years.
Mike.

[ChrisR]

Thanks for the help Mike. Maybe i will try something like the tray to help with tracking.

[labdude]

Now let's have a beer.

[yooper886]

Chris,

I use Lab Manager from Laboratory Systems Group. The nicest feature of this program is that you can customize the invoices and reports to show and not show what you want. They seem to have gotten most of the bugs out of it since it's release a couple of years ago, like any program they are constantly coming out with updates to improve the program. I have gotten excellant support from the company whenever I have a problem or question about something. They are coming out with a scheduling module in the near future, not sure when because they can be slow coming out with updates. I do like the program and would recommend it to anyone with a small lab. I think it is very affordable compared to other programs out there right now. I have looked at labnet in the past but if I remember correctly it is something like double-triple the price that I paid for lab manager.

[magushnik]

hey bill i was thinking about getting my hands on that lab manager, what version do you have?

[ChrisR]

Thanks to everyone for the help. It sounds like the lab manager sceduling module might be exactly what i am looking for. Will have to look into it.

[labdude]

What do you find that winvoice is lacking in scheduling?? Just curious.
While purchasing a program has its advantage. Using an online program that is available from any computer I find to be more useful.
Winvoice cost is quite reasonable at 1 cent per dollar billed. There is a set up fee, but it isn't all that high either. Upgrades are free and automatic. I have used programs not online for years. Lab Manager , etc. The easy of online has been quite a good way to go.
Mike.

[yooper886]

magushnik,

I am running version 6.0 or I think they also call it the premium version. Another thing that I forgot about is that they are suppose to come out with wireless PDA interface and a dentist office interface. Not sure what all will be included with them or when they will come out but I am looking forward to taking a look at them. I used the scheduling interface on a previous version of lab manager and it was very nice, you would put in what steps you were doing and the finish date the dentist requested and lab manager would fill in the rest as to what date you would do each step so it would be completed in time for shipping and then you could print out a work ticket so you would have them all on the case pan right in front of you as you worked on it. I just emailed them asking about possible release dates for these modules. I will let you know when they get back with me.

[magushnik]

Thanks Bill, my name is Elias by the by...

[labdude]

Winvoice is accessable by your drs. for any info you wish them to have.
Who needs an interface when one already exsists. At no charge for an upgrade or module.

[yooper886]

Elias,

LSG just got back with me. They are hoping to have the scheduling interface available by the end of the year. I told you they are slow with the updates. Not sure about the others updates. Right now there is no charge for updates unless you are upgrading to a different version or you are adding another module to the program. Here is the website if you are interested in learning more about it.

Laboratory Systems Group, Inc. - Dental Laboratory Software

Mike,

I looked at winvoice years ago and I chose to go with lab manager partly because I was used to using it for years with the prior lab that I worked for so I was very familiar with the program. 1 cent per dollar for billing would have its advantage but using it for just one year I would pay more then double what I paid for lab manager. The one thing that I did not like about he online version is what would happen if I were to lose internet access for some time, which has happened at times when someone cuts a cable under one of the Great Lakes. It sucks being isolated at times. Plus living in Northern Michigan in some places we are still using dial up so just accessing the internet is a challange at times. Glad you are happy with the program, I have heard a lot of good things about it but it is not the program for me for reasons listed above.