I searched and didn’t find a recent thread about this subject. Has anyone found a good solution for a cheap portable printer to use with a laptop on the road? I’m using Outlook BCM (made the dreaded switch after years with quickbooks cm) and want to limit my data entry. Ive been using sales books for years but now have thousands of receipt copies that i have to scan into the computer before i can throw them away. (use to enter them in qcm but im a visual person).
Anyway, small, cheap and easy. doesn’t have to perfect. My customers generally don’t care how the receipt looks…they care how their windows look. Any help is appreciated!
I was a the service manager for an air conditioning contractor and we had printers in our vans. I simply bought standard small printers (cheaper ones) and used an inverter to power it from the battery. It worked great and made the customers happy.
Get a 700+ watt power inverter so you can power a small laser printer. I did this for a while, could print nice color estimates and whatever else I wanted right from the truck. The benefit to a laser printer is 1) they’re cheaper to operate 2) the ink does not run if you happen to get it wet.
Why did you stop doing it?
Because I started printing invoices the night before. Then the next day I just do the invoices I have. I email a lot of my estimates now (PERFECT way to build a database of emails for future work or other services…), unless they’re something small. Then I hand write them on a business card and snap a picture of the card with my iphone so it’s recorded.
Plus, i wanted the space in the back of my truck back.
What program so you email your invoices from? Quickbooks?
Might be interesting to use the “air print” or wireless printing ability of the iPhone in conjunction with a mobile printer.
I’m a Mac guy. I know they’re expensive, but they work 100% of the time.
For invoice and printing I use:
• Canon MP620 - $40 used from Amazon. Scanner, printer. Hooked up to my power inverter I can plug this into my computer to print. With a CISS (refillable ink supply - $40 from eBay) I can print a billion copies for nothing - finding a CISS compatible printer guided my printer selection.
• iPhone: Invoice2go - an App that allows me to create on the spot estimates/invoices that I can show the customer on the phone, email it to them, or print it out. I just reenter the invoice into QB when I get home. For Windows, I2G and QB work together for a monthly cost…
• MacBook Air (11") - Small and portable laptop. Since my printer doesn’t support “air print” like Woody said, I use a program called “Printopia” - with a wireless network created by my computer (something I couldn’t do with a Windows netbook) I can print directly from my iPhone to my printer through my laptop.
I’ll put a vid up showcasing my van’s setup.
Your missing a great opportunity to do less I think. If a client ask for a paper invoice i tell them I usually use e-mail to save paper and do my part for the environment It seems small but, imagine how much paper we would save if everyone on WCR only used e-mail.
Really?
Then why the need for this forum?
Apple Notebooks - Mac-Forums.com
Over a thousand pages of Mac related problems.
Perhaps he meant to say that his own personal Mac computer runs perfect. That would not be unlikely.
Macs aren’t perfect… but they’re a whole lot “perfect-er” than anything else;)
Long live the Mac Vs PC war!! Lol
Good idea. Shows you are eco friendly saving paper and you get their email for future contact. I always seem to have a problem asking for email addresses. I personally hate to give mine out so I seem to think my clients might also. I know I need to get them, this seems like an easy way to get my customer email list going.
They’re both good in their own way, it’s hard to choose really.
Lol. If that’s the case then I’m as queer as a $3 bill.
Queer and PROUD!!
lol, That can be your new company motto: Woody’s Windows, We use Macs and we’re Queer and Proud. It’s unique… Kevin?
Thats awesome!
Though I would change it to “Big Woody’s-- We Use Macs and We’re Queer and Proud Window Cleaning”
Thanks for the great idea Steve!
Oh and can I borrow your pink tractor? I could really use that in my new marketing strategy!
You’re welcome, but no one gets to use pinkie…
Ah come on Steve…I’ll rent Pinkie from you and fly her out from Kentucky first class for the photo shoot. I promise to return her good as new;)
Wow! I’m a lil late here, glad to have started the convo! I’ve had no issues with my Mac, it works great for me…have you tried to set up a wireless printer with a pc? And the amount of hidden “settings” or IP addresses that need to be configured?
What you have with Apple is one company that makes or arranges all the pieces that go into one machine - no 1000 different manufacturers being forced to create inferior, mismatched pieces for the lowest dollar.
I email 98% of my invoices and estimates. For bidding wars I like to put something tangible in their hands and I print invoices for my commercial accounts. Green is good.
[SIZE=“4”]I totally get what you are saying[/SIZE]