Hello Tasha, Here at Scarborough I used to make out my own invoices which just involved a bit of cutting and pasting and quick changes on a sheet I'd made for each group, as previously invoices were made from some monthly trial thing which was very difficult. Our Area Meeting changed all AM Meetings to Quickbooks last year which I actually found takes longer than my 'old system' (which was only used in Scarborough, obviously) but it makes sense for all the Meetings to use the same invoicing system so I'm used to it now. I also use Google Calendar for room hire and find it very user friendly (for me!). We have three rooms we hire out, the large Meeting Room is coded red, the Small Meeting Room is coded green and the Committee Room the sort of...lilac colour. I wonder if , if you don't have rooms colour coded, it might be a help to do that? Because you can immediately see if that room is booked because of the colour. It also helps as a reference with invoices too. I've never used Hallmaster, as I say our AM has everyone using Quickbooks. So I may be describing something that is long-winded, but anyway that's how it is in Scarborough. I don't have anything stored anywhere else on paper. I don't really understand why that would be necessary, but maybe there are other people doing the bookings who perhaps can't access the Google Calendar. I'm the only person who accesses the bookings here even though the access codes are available for anyone who would like to look at the diary remotely and the computer connects to it at the click of a button. And the Meeting Hose mobile is synced to the Google Calendar so if someone calls and I'm not in the office at the computer, I can still take bookings. Just my rambling thoughts. In peace and friendship, Ann Ann Turner Warden, and Bookings Scarborough Friends (Quakers) Meeting House Quaker Close, Scarborough, North Yorkshire, YO12 5QZ ///honest.noise.ground m: 07763 763 792 t: 01723 362 756 (mostly answerphone) Please note I work part-time hours and will respond as soon as I can www.pandhquakers.org.uk On 28/09/2023 13:52, n.heny42 wrote:
Dear Friends,
I am a fan of Hallmaster, having used it at various MHs over the years. At Lancaster we use Google Calendar along with various paper based back up systems for our bookings diary (with different bits of info on various bits of paper/in books etc, hand written, depending on the nature of the booking), and we use QuickBooks for our invoicing. I would love to streamline our systems, decreasing the need for information being collected in various places, with hard copies meaning it can't be stored 'in the clouds' without even more steps involved. I also find its easy to double book rooms using Google Calendar. I have to explain to Wardenship/the tresurer etc why I think its necessary to change, and suggest alternatives.
I wondered whether Friends could answer a couple of questions that will help to focus my thinking, and my 'report'.
Do you use Hallmaster, and if so what system/s were in place before?
Do you have experience of integrating (is that the right word?) Hallmaster invoicing with Quickbooks? If so, is this straight forward? Is it worth the extra annual charge, or is it easier just to input manually?
If you use Hallmaster would you still choose it if you were going through the process of change?
Does anyone use a different bookings software that can take room bookings, create invoices, integrate with accounts packages (specifically QuickBooks)?
Any thoughts on disadvantages and arguments against changing?
Anything else I haven't thought to ask?
I'm finding it difficult to put my thoughts together, because to me swapping to Hallmaster is obvious - saves time, more efficient, great for multi users to be able to pick up where others left off etc. But I need to have more clarity in my thinking and in my 'presentation' to discuss the options with people who have no idea of our current system or of the alternatives.
Sorry, long email, but any responses, even if you don't answer the specific questions, would be very gratefully received.
All the best
Tasha
Tasha Heny Warden Lancaster Quaker Meeting House
Natasha Heny 07752920337
---- Ann Turner Warden, and Bookings Scarborough Friends (Quakers) Meeting House Quaker Close, Scarborough, North Yorkshire, YO12 5QZ ///honest.noise.ground m: 07763 763 792 t: 01723 362 756 (mostly answerphone) Please note I work part-time hours and will respond as soon as I can www.pandhquakers.org.uk