I'm getting ready to open the doors on my "Cakery" !!!!!! I purchased the CakeBoss software and plan to use that for my bookkeeping etc. I have started entering my recipe info and am trying to figure out the rest. What I am wondering is who else uses this for their business? And what sort of advice would you have for me? Thanks so much!!!

Same here, would like to know if this is a great investment tool?
Hammy

No one uses this software?? I really like the little bit of it that I've looked at...just was looking for some other opinions or pointers...

I was considering buying it as well.. .. is the process extremely time consuming... adding in all your information?

I suggest doinga search of the forums for "cake Boss" I know there are a lot of people that use it. I used it during the beta process and really liked it, however I only do this as a part time business so for me I did not need it right now.

Kimmy...it has been a little time consuming. I'm not sure yet if it's because I'm not real familiar with the program yet or if that's just how it is.

Leily, thanks for your reply. I've tried searching and for some reason am not ever sucessful on this site using the search. It seems like I get every single thing going on in the forums to come up instead of just specifically what I'm looking for

I've been using it for about 3 months now and it is THE BEST thing that has ever happened to me! Using the program enabled me to quit giving away my cakes. For example, I sold a cake before CakeBoss...$297. Then once I started using Cake Boss, I sold the same cake for $515. I was able to account properly for my time, misc expenses (contact paper, ribbon etc.) and ingredients. It felt wonderful knowing that I was being fairly compensated for my work.

As for advice..take your time and enter all the base information correctly. Watch the videos. And if you have any questions...ASK!

Cake boss is awesome!! I had it before but I didn't use it enough (at the time) to justify the cost. But I will be getting it again as soon as I am ready to open for business. If you have any questions just ask kelleym.

No, I am talking about the videos on the website. I watched them before using the software, then again after. I understood it better then.

Thanks so much! I'm headed there right now!

KelleyM is the cakeboss lady! She can give you tons of links to cakeboss threads. You should just PM her.

Duh! Why did I not think of that!! LOL! Thanks cylstial!!

I love it. Makes working out costs so much easier than in my head or on a piece of paper. Just enter your 'recipes' (i.e. to make a box mix cake, add cost of mix, eggs, water, oil for one total; to make BC, add powdered icing, Crisco, milk, meringue to make one total), then you just tell the program how many of each you're making (2 cake mixes, 3 BC recipes) and it will automatically calculate the total for you. I enter the cost of the box and boards by themselves, as each size costs are different. Also include your hourly rate and the number of hours you worked (or anticipate working).

Voila! No more brain strain!

Best of all, there's no licencing fee, no yearly renewal. Once you buy it, it's yours! They'll even help you if you need to make a duplicate for another computer (say desktop and laptop).

Good luck.

BTW: There's a spot where you can tell them you belong to CC and you get a 10% discount.

[quote="CutiePieCakes-Ontario"]Also include your hourly rate and the number of hours you worked (or anticipate working).quote]

This is where I have a hard time. Can anyone just talk to me here. I ALWAYS under anticipate hours.... If the price is more than I WOULD PAY I lowewr the hours or give a discount. Take a peek at my photos is you like. Sometimes I plug the numbers into the matrix I down loaded from here and think NO WAY I would never pay that. so really??????? WHY do I do that????
I do LOVE the Cake Boss to keep trac of things.... I am wondering how do you determine how much time say sheet cakes take?
Fancy cakes I can do better but the easy ones just seem to get to me.
Any advice? Or averages on sheet cake costs from you all?

I totally concur tirby!! That's the part that gives me the most problem as well. I do have the software but have only gotten as far as entering my recipes thus far. I'm getting ready to open my shop though and I really feel like I need to have this system in place before I get in the door to legal. Does that make sense? IT's so hard for me to pick the hourly rate I'd like to be paid and to estimate the time thing. I'm getting a little better with the time on some things like you said but I still feel kind of stumped! LOL

As far as lowering the price or whatever because "I" would never pay that.....I'm feelin ya there too! But you have to stop thinking about it like that. Honestly I think about everything that way, oh I could make that for so much less than they are charging. But obviously people are coming to you because you do beautiful things that they are NOT able or willing to do. Hope that makes sense to you.

I am going to watch that video again and see what I can get done today!

I have everything in place and I do love the software...Tax time is so much easier now....But I always mess up on pricing. I am a penny pincher to the max.
Compared to the matrix on here I WAY under charge. Any one feel the matrix is more accurate?? I live in a tiny town. Max wedding prices here are $2.75 per serving....Any one else in the same situation??