A Guide to Purchasing Software
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Introduction |
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Many times over the telephone, or during trade shows, we are asked to compare our software with our major competitors. Since our founding in 1986, we have declined to respond directly to such questions, for it is our belief that our job in presenting our software is to describe and demonstrate its capabilities in an honest and truthful manner, leaving the job of comparing programs to the consumer. We have a great deal of respect for our major competitors, who have been in the industry for the same length of time as we have, and have also put forth an incredible amount of time, expertise, and money in developing their software to the degree of excellence that they currently enjoy. Of course, the same should be said for our own software, Cabinet Pro. |
So this page covers a sensitive area,
where we want to be careful not to offend our competitors nor unjustly compare
our program features to theirs. In fact, we have not worked with their
software so a true comparison is really not even possible. However,
the comparisons that are being made on this page are general enough to be
relatively accurate and non-offensive, and have come about as a result of
observations, talking with customers, and knowing the general capabilities of
their software, as well as ours. In choosing a software program for your shop, you should compare a number of features of the software you are considering with the features of similar software. This process of comparing software packages can be somewhat confusing, especially for a first-time buyer. |
Although we have a rather thorough comparison chart listing the features of the various programs we offer, this page reflects an honest attempt to compare our program with our major competitors, so as to give you an idea of what kind of general categories are offered by the major software vendors for the Kitchen and Bath Industry. Probably the most effective tool that you may have is your ability to ask the right questions to a given software vendor. We have compiled a list of questions that you might want to ask when interacting with a salesperson representing any software package in this industry. This list, of course, is not exhaustive, but will at least give you an idea of some important issues you should address. | ||
| The following chart describes the rating system we will be using in the features listed below. | ||||||||||||
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Feature |
Description |
Our Rating |
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How important are Cutlists and Door Reports to you? |
If you compare our cutlists to others in the industry, you will find there is no equal to the formatting choices, accuracy, and completeness of our cutlist reports. This is the area on which we have concentrated the most since our beginning in 1986, and in which we take great pride. Our cutlist reports include numerous choices for batched cutlists for entire jobs, chosen rooms, or a single cabinet. Our door and drawer reports are also able to be customized by the user. The drawer box reports, edge banding reports, and material summaries are but a few of the outstanding features of our cutlist capabilities. |
A+ |
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How important is Program Cost to you? |
Obviously, cost is a factor in any purchase. If it is true that "you get what you pay for", then selecting a program would not be confusing at all. One would simply purchase the most expensive program available. But what if a given company had values that did not revolve around making the maximum dollar? We at Cabinet Pro LLC have a different vision in mind than simply making money. Our aim, since 1986, has been, and continues to be, to provide a very high quality software for a very affordable price to as many people as possible. We strive to keep our prices low by keeping our overhead down, our representatives at a minimum, and our advertising costs reasonable. |
A+ |
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How important is installing the program on Multiple Computers? |
Cabinet Pro and Door Pro are designed to synchronize information so that one computer's data is a mirror image of the other. Work on your laptop at home or in the field and then easily transfer the information to your desktop at your office. And if your computer breaks or is stolen, you are not charged anything else to install the program on a new computer. (See the Note on Keys below.) | A |
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How important is Job Scheduling to you? |
Although we have plans to include this in future updates, Cabinet Pro does not presently support Job Scheduling.. |
D |
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How important is bidding and pricing to you? |
For bidding purposes, Cabinet Pro takes into consideration material costs, hardware costs, edgebanding costs, door style up-charges, lineal foot charges, square foot charges, cabinet list prices, installation charges, finishing charges, customer discounts, overhead, local and federal taxes, and just about any labor charge you can think of, as well as user-defined costs. In addition, the program then graphs the charges in your job as bar graphs, pie charts, and stacked graphs, for easier viewing. We have what are called "Smart Hardware Rules" where the appropriate hardware is automatically assigned to each cabinet during design! |
A |
How important is CNC Support for Cabinets and Doors to you? |
Our competitors support CNC routers via a link to CAD/CAM software packages. We do not. Cabinet Pro supports CNC routers by generating the g-code directly without a CAD software package. There are pros and cons to these two methods. Our method is less expensive, requires tech support for one program rather than two, and is less prone to error for two reasons: because one program is used rather than two, and because the exporting routines and importing routines of the programs involved are eliminated. Our software is designed specifically for the Cabinet manufacturer, whereas CAD software is more general in nature, and written for a wider audience. CAD software allows free-lance drawing, whereas Cabinet Pro produces 3D renderings according to how parameters and variables are defined. The drawback is that Cabinet Pro does not allow alterations of graphics without altering the parameters that govern them. The advantage, however, is speed, efficiency and and manufacturing precision. In addition Cabinet Pro offers what we call, "Smart CNC Rules" that place machining at the precise locations while designing! |
A |
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How important is CNC Non-Cabinet Support to you? |
Our CNC support writes g-code for cuts and drilling patterns that are specific to cabinet making, and it does this very well. But our software is much more limited than a CAD software package that one of our competitors may export to. We are limited to making dado cuts, drilling patterns, holes, arc cuts, and rectangular cuts, whereas a CAD software package can make statues, intricate signs and carvings, and much more. What our software does for the cabinet manufacturer, it does extremely well. But what it does not do for the person who needs more intricate designs, it does not do at all. So if you need this type of more intricate CNC support, you would need to purchase a CAD software package in addition to Cabinet Pro. An inexpensive, yet capable software solution costing in the neighborhood of $500 is V-Carve Pro, out of England. |
D |
How important are Versatility and Customization of Cabinets to you? |
Our program is extremely versatile in the design of custom cabinets. There are only a very few programs that can make long custom cabinets with one continuous faceframe covering the entire face, or one-of-a-kind entertainment centers with multiple openings as a single cabinet. Two out of the three major competitors of Cabinet Pro are also outstanding at this function, as is Cabinet Pro. |
B |
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How important is Company Stability to you? |
We have been in business since 1986. Our major competitors have been in business the same length of time, plus or minus a few years. After 20 or so years of being in business, company stability has already been proven by all of the companies providing full solutions to cabinet shops, and is not really an issue. However, due to our low overhead, and our policy of making sure everything that is purchased by our company is paid for so that we have no debt, we are able to weather financial dry periods better than most. |
B |
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How important is Ease of Use to you? |
Regardless of
what any salesperson tells you, any program that performs a multitude of
tasks for custom cabinet makers will involve a learning curve to master
the software. Although we strive to make our software as easy as
possible, it is, unfortunately, not easy to learn and will require
dedication on your part to understand all facets of the software.
Our competitors are no different. Perhaps a better question would
be, "How dedicated will you be to learn whatever program you
decide to purchase?" |
B |
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How important are Presentation Renderings to you? |
We offer three different qualities of 3D
Renderings. We offer
Hidden Line
drawings, Standard Presentation
renderings, and Premium Presentation
renderings.
We have chosen to concentrate on the manufacturing end of a cabinet business, while our presentation graphics are mere representations that are intended to be drawn quickly and rendered within seconds. The degree of quality of these renderings is left to the user, based upon his/her needs. |
C |
How important is Networking to you? |
Do you need to have more than one person operating Cabinet Pro at the same time from different computers, sharing the same information and inputting different jobs simultaneously? Although we support transferring jobs from one computer to another quite easily, we do not support true multi-user networks. |
D |
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How important is Technical Support to you? |
From what we have heard from our customers who have owned other software, we excel in this area quite a bit. Compliments in this area fill our Letters of Recommendation. However, we recognize that a dissatisfied customer from one software package can be somewhat biased, so we are assuming that, because both our competitors and Cabinet Pro LLC have been in business for quite a while now, that we all recognize the importance of providing excellent technical support. Those software companies that advertise "free" technical support usually have these fees buried in their increased prices or in their charge for "optional" updates. We have chosen to keep our prices low and let the customer decide whether or not he/she requires technical support or program updates. Read more. |
B |
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How important are Pre-packaged Cabinet Catalogues to you? |
Our program is exclusively for the manufacturer, either modular or custom. As a result, we do not support pre-made cabinet catalogues distributed by large cabinet suppliers who have lines of modular cabinets. |
D |
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How important is Inventory Control to you? |
Truly Automatic Inventory Control is very rare in Cabinet Manufacturing Software. In fact most of our competitors do not even offer Automatic Inventory Control. But Cabinet Pro handles this very well. Panels, Lumber, Hardware, and Accessories are automatically deducted from Inventory. Hardware Assemblies can be broken down into sub-Assemblies and processed together or separately. Inventory In-Stock reports, Re-Order Reports where Re-Order points are assigned per Inventory Item, and a number of other features make Cabinet Pro stand pretty high in this area. |
A+ |
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A Note on "Keys" |
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In 2005, I received a telephone call from a company that provides "dongles", sometimes called, "keys", to software providers. Dongles are small mechanical devices that attach to a port of a computer, allowing a specific software program to operate on that computer. Without the dongle, the software does not operate. When I told the salesman on the other side of the phone that we did not use dongles in our software, he informed me that our competitors did, and that we were losing out on a guaranteed source of income, because our customers would either lose the dongles or break them, thus requiring replacement. He asked, "Did you know that your competitors charge somewhere between $500 and $1,500 per replacement dongle, or per additional dongle?" He referred to our competitors by name and I was impressed that he knew who our competitors were. I answered, "yes, I was aware of their replacement charges.." He then asked, "Do you know how much we charge them for the dongle?" I answered, "No." $17 dollars was the answer! |
My response to the salesperson was something like,
"Being able to sell a dongle for $1,000 that was purchased for $17
represents quite a profit margin. But I would rather risk losing
money because a few of our customers might pirate our
software, than knowingly extort this kind of money from our customers as
standard policy. So we are not interested, now or in the future,
in making such outrageous profits from your dongles. I don't think
that is an honorable approach to business, so thank you, but we are not
interested." We haven't been contacted since. Perhaps the
use of the word, "extort" was a bit too strong. We have not ever, do not now, and never will in the future protect our software with "keys" or "dongles". If more seats are needed, then a reasonable fee is charged. And if your computer breaks or is stolen, you are not charged anything else to install the program on a new computer. |
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A Note on Renting Software |
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Renting software without an option to purchase is sometimes referred to as "vaporware", because, in the long run, it is a waste of money and there is nothing to show for your expenditures. Some software companies rent their software but restrict technical support to email, web-based "knowledge bases", and customer forums. Telephone support is an extra charge, usually per incident. If you have ever used a program designed for cabinet and door manufacturers, then you know that direct telephone support is not a luxury, but rather, it is a necessity. If you have a problem with software, you need an answer immediately. Most shop owners do not have the time to go through so many pages of a "knowledge base" or ask questions to other users via a forum. Most shop owners need an answer immediately so as to be able to get back to work without delay. |
Cabinet Pro LLC does in fact offer a Rental-only program
for those who wish to rent rather than purchase. However, it is
our opinion that even our own Rental program is a waste of money that is being spent on
vaporware. Cabinet Pro LLC also offers a Rent-To-Own option. And even though this option is more expensive than the outright purchase option, at least there is something to show for your investment after a year or more. The very best option, and the least expensive option, is the outright purchase. But whether you select to purchase, rent-to-own, or simply rent Cabinet Pro or Door Pro, you can rest in confidence that your purchase will be fully supported by live telephone support, as well as remote access to your computer to solve any problems you may encounter. |
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Free Technical Support |
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Technical Support Offered by Cabinet Pro LLC Don't be duped by misleading claims of unlimited free technical support as you investigate different software packages! Most software companies, including Cabinet Pro LLC, give limited free support, especially immediately after a purchase has been made, for that is when support is most needed. But as we all know, a business cannot survive if it gives away services or materials on a continuous basis. We have all given away products or services in order to make right something that may have gone wrong with a customer in order to keep that customer happy. But none of us can afford to give away on a regular basis that which costs us money. Most of our competitors charge for technical support and will let you know what those charges are before you buy. Whether those charges are expensive or inexpensive, those companies have one thing in common: honesty and integrity in divulging to you what you can expect. But there are some companies who advertise "free" unlimited technical support. Is Technical Support really free with those companies that advertise their "free" support? With a little investigation and some common sense thinking, it is easily determined that those who advertise "free" technical support actually charge for their services in other ways because one or more of the following compensate for their not charging for technical support:
Most of our competitors are honest, transparent, and will divulge to you their technical support charges. But when a software company boasts of "free" onsite sales demonstrations, or claims "free" technical support, beware of that company and rest assured that those services are in reality being paid for by other hidden costs. A business simply cannot survive without paying for its services in one way or another. And as a business owner yourself, you know the truth in that statement. On the other hand, we at Cabinet Pro LLC have always chosen to be very transparent with our costs and our prices:
Generally, technical support is most needed at the beginning when a new software package if first purchased. Therefore, a 30-day period is usually more than enough time to have Cabinet Pro or Door Pro fully up and running. And you are guaranteed truly free technical support during this most important initial period. In addition, we offer a free self-paced series of Video Tutorials that guide the new customer step by step through the setup process and the use of our software.
Technical Support Offered by Cabinet Pro LLC |
Before you call one of our representatives, or one of the representatives of our competitors, study the specific features Cabinet Pro offers by looking at our comparison chart, review the Do's and Don'ts below, and make a list of your needs from the chart above. You should then be pretty well equipped to ask informed questions to our representatives and to those of our competitors. Know what your needs are and ask the questions that will determine if a given software package will fulfill them!
Some Do's and Don'ts when looking for a software package
Do not
put too much importance on references. References are fine, but generally
they are hand-picked by the vendor. We would
certainly not give you a reference who was dissatisfied with our program
(hopefully, there are not many who fall into this category).
Instead, we would give you a reference in whom we had confidence that he would
be complimentary towards our program! You can read some of our
complimentary references
by clicking here.
Software
Representatives practice their sales presentation to perfection and are trained
to keep control of the demonstration. By taking the salesman out of his
comfort zone, you will see how flexible the software is, how easy it is to go
from one screen to the next, and how complicated or easy it is to make changes
in the middle of a job. Remember: whatever software you are investigating
will not only be costing you quite a bit of money, but more importantly it will
be helping you run your business, and therefore your livelihood. So ask
questions as they come to you during his demonstration. For example, while
you are looking at a beautiful 3D rendering of a room filled with cabinets,
point to one of the cabinets and ask, "How would I change the material for this
one cabinet, raise its toekick one inch, and change the drawer guides to some
heavy duty guides?" Once he shows you how to do that, ask if the cutlist,
pricing, and CNC code has been appropriately changed. And of course, ask
to see the changes.
It cannot be
over-emphasized for you to be prepared to ask in-depth questions and ask the Software
Representative to demonstrate the making of
cabinets you make. Even though his
existing setup will not produce the cutlist according to your method of
construction, he should be able to design
the style of cabinet you expect, and then show you the bid and cutlist that is
currently generated by the existing construction method.
Do not expect a salesman to know the answer to every question you ask,
but ask them anyway. Although you should expect the salesman to be able to
answer the majority of your questions, there will be some he cannot. This
is to be expected because of the diversity and custom features built into
programs designed to accommodate all cabinet shops. But those questions he
cannot answer should be responded with something like, "I don't know how to make
the program do what you are asking, but I will find out and get back to you."
That kind of response is honorable and should be respected without affecting
your opinion of the software you are investigating. But if he tries to
fake it with a quick answer without showing you how it is done, you might have a
problem.
Ask about technical support! What is the charge for support and updates?
How does the company provide technical support? If you are required to
purchase another program to generate CNC code, will you need to pay additional
technical support fees to that other software as well?
What happens
if your computer is stolen or crashes beyond repair? Will you need to pay
a fee for a new program? If you are provided with dongles, or keys, to
operate your program, what cost of replacement can you expect if you lose or
break a dongle?
Ask how you
are expected to learn the software. Is there written documentation?
Video tutorials? Classes to attend? Onsite instruction? What
are the costs involved in learning the software? What is a realistic
timeline for you to be up and running?
Know what
your needs are before inquiring about software! Do you need design
capabilities? Shop Drawings? Bidding? Cutlists? Door
Reports? Face frame and/or Frameless? Do you need CNC support?
Do you need panel optimization? How many computers do you need to install
the software on? Job Scheduling? Automatic Inventory control?
What costs
are involved in upgrading to a higher version later on? For example, if
you are thinking about purchasing a CNC router in the future, can the software
grow with your business as well? How much would the upgrade cost?
Would you have to purchase the program all over again? Would you have to
purchase another program to generate CNC code?
Do not allow
yourself to be pressured into making a hasty decision. You have done
without software for quite a while. Take your time to think it through
before you purchase.
Find out what
kind of computer you will need. How much memory will you need? Disk
space?
How many
computers will you be allowed to use the program on? Is there a charge for
using the program on more than one computer?
After a
cabinet is totally finished and placed on a floorplan, how easy is it to change
every aspect of that cabinet?
Don't just
view the reports that are generated by the salesperson demonstrating the
program. Ask how they can be customized to your liking.
If you are
investigating CNC, ask the salesman to design just a
single machining operation on a cabinet part of a newly created
cabinet style that was not already existing
in his library. Then ask him to generate the actual g-code for the part.
This is very important. You will be able to see the steps
necessary to setup your machining, as well as how the CNC files are made.
Do not be satisfied with the DXF files that are made, for these are simply
graphics files with embedded machining information. Make sure you are viewing the
g-code files that will be
sent to the CNC router itself! This way, you will see the
entire
process, and not be surprised later. (If
your CNC router requires code that is something other than G-Code, such as
Woodwop (Weeke & Homag), Biesseworks (Biesse), HOPS (Holzher) or Xylog (Morbidelli), make sure the software you are investigating
supports those languages.)
Don't ask a
sales representatives from our company or from some other software company to
compare their product with those of their competitors. That is an
unprofessional question and places the salesperson in an awkward spot.
Remember: it is the representative's job to present their software, while
it is your job to do comparison shopping.
Beware of the
sales representative who degrades his competitors without the competitor being
present. This behavior is
a statement defining the representative's character and integrity.
Software should be sold on its merits and capabilities, not on the assassination
of its competitors.
When you ask
a question, some representatives, like politicians, can go on tangents and not
really answer what you asked. Make sure your questions are answered
clearly and to your satisfaction.
No software
will create 100% of all cabinets made by all cabinet shops.
But make sure the software you are considering can create the majority of
cabinets you expect to build. So don't ask the sales representative to
create the most complicated cabinet you have ever
built. Instead, ask him to create the most complicated cabinet that you
usually build.
Find out at
least one capability that you know the software you are investigating
does not perform, and then ask the salesperson about that
capability. You will be able to conclude a lot about the salesperson and the
company from his answer.
Find out the
total
cost of the program you are
investigating, for the capabilities you need. Are there hidden costs,
setup fees, etc.? Are there extra costs for face frame vs. frameless
construction? Is there a charge if you change your construction method for
all your cabinets or even for one particular cabinet?
Ask how one-of-a-kind cabinets are handled. What if they
require a totally different construction method than your usual cabinets because
they are built very uniquely?
Just because a program advertises it supports faceframe
construction, does not necessarily mean it supports
your method of constructing face frames.
Show the salesman your method of making face frames and ask the salesman to
reproduce it for you to see. In like manner, make sure the software can be
customized to reproduce your method of frameless construction, if you build
frameless cabinets.
Before you give any money via credit card or check, be sure of
precisely what you are purchasing. Sometimes a buyer purchases a software package
in this industry, only to find out later that panel optimization, or pricing, or
frameless construction, were additional charges and not included in the purchase.
