Should I Use PayPal on My Laptop for Shows?

[northern_sunshine]

I'm considering loading PP on my laptop (currently only on my desktop) and taking it with me to shows. I find the Canadian order forms insanely confusing and have had more than enough mistakes where I'm out (less than a $1) or owing the customer (less than $1) money when I enter it into PP (no matter how many times I do the calculations). What's all your opinions on doing this? Also, how would I "balance/reconcile" PP on my laptop with PP on my desktop and vice versa?

TIA!

 

[crystalscookingnow]

I currently use only my laptop for P3. I love doing it this way b/c like you, I was making errors & it really irked me. I'm sure with all of the Canadian taxes, it would be even more difficult!

I think with PP you could do a backup/restore each time, but why can't you just use your laptop & not worry about transferring to your desktop? I've got both & only keep my laptop updated. That way I don't have to worry about switching back & forth.

 

[Tara1021]

I use a laptop as my main computer. I always take it to shows to avoid the math!

 

[northern_sunshine]

When taking your laptop, do you also hand print the receipts? Or do you do that at home and give them out later? Or do you take a small printer and print off receipts that way?

I give out outside order forms for the "wish list" and then write over the actual order on a real order form because with there being 3 different sections and 3 different tax rates depending on what's ordered, the customer (and often me!) figures it incorrectly and I ended up writing it over anyway (which ends up costing me in supplies).

I guess I just wanted it on both because the laptop has no printers loaded on it and I would always have a working copy. That makes no sense but it does in my head!

 

[jenniferp417]

You can have it on both.You'll want to
*back up from the desktop version
* put the back up file on a "thumb drive" or disk you can transfer between computers
* install p3 on laptop
* restore p3 on laptop using the backup disk you made
* after you use the laptop, back up onto that disk,
* restore desktop using diskyou'll have to always be certain that you're using your most current files - you won't want to use the desktop after using the laptop unless you backup up the laptop and restored the desktop.So it CAN be confusing, using the two... but it CAN be done!

 

[ShanaSmith]

I have been using my laptop at shows and my desktop at home for about 3 years. I can't imagine going back to the old fashion way. I do the restore and back up like Jennifer explained. And I print reciepts when I close the show.

 

[northern_sunshine]

Is P3 what I have? It just says PP 8.1 or something like that?

 

[heather9892]

hi angela
our pampered partner is the canadian version
i always just charge the 14% on everything, if i'm over it goes to round up
it can be confusing but your in a hst province so other than the spices and oils just charge 14%
i just hosted another home party here for my friends and she was still charging 15% and its been almost a year since they changed it, no one said a word to her but me, go figure!

i'm thinking of doing the laptop thing as well, but i would try to find a small printer and print of receipts as they order, im sure you could find a used one somewhere

btw which receipts are you using? the long ones? or the write ins?

 

[northern_sunshine]

I'm using the write ins. Are the other ones easier?

 

[PCJenni]

I take my laptop and enter my all the show orders when I am totalling guests sales. It gives me an opportunity to talk to each on personally while I enter the orders. I avoid math mistakes and I can give the hostess and absolute exact show total.

 

[chefann]

Angela,I'm assuming that your itemized order forms are like ours. They can be a pain for customers to find items on them. BUT- they do have good points. Some consultants get higher sales with them, because people see things on there that they add spur of the moment. And it would help with your tax issue, because the Pantry and Library items would be listed separately.

 

[northern_sunshine]

Yeah, my biggest issue is people writing the pantry/library items in the products section and in the confusion of "check out" not noticing until after they pay.

 

[kcjodih]

I bring my laptop to shows as well. I use the first page of the outside order available on CC and then I have PP to correct any 'errors' right at show time. Then if it's a small show I enter all their contact info rather than just their name and they take their outside order home so they know what they ordered and I mail copies of the PP receipt to the host after I get home, transfer to my desktop and print them off. If the show is a large one I will just enter their name and order and payment info and tell them they get their official receipt with their order and I take their outside order home with me and enter all their contact info then. I don't want to take forever to do 10-15 people including talking to them about hosting etc.... Either way I save it to my jump drive AT the show, come home and load it into my desktop, save it on there and then when I'm closing the show over the phone with the host I use the desktop, print receipts, save to my jump drive and when I reopen my laptop the next time, transfer the info from my jump to my laptop.

So everytime I open my desktop or my laptop for PP I automatically insert my jump drive, and click restore from backup and I'm good.

Even after 2 1/2 years I can't stand these darn Canadian outside order forms or write in order forms because I would always just total up the order not paying attention to WHAT they ordered and then noticing a spice or book later. Now PP does it for me. It will also catch any errors in the outside orders the host collected before the show while I'm AT the show and I can inform her we need more of a payment/less of a payment etc rather than finding the error when I get home. And I absolutely refuse to use the itemized ones!

 

[ChefBeckyD]

I use my laptop at shows, and use the write-in forms....but I tell everyone that I will figure out tax/shipping for them at checkout.
I FORGOT my laptop a couple weeks ago for a show......and I was completely lost! I would really hate to have to do it all by hand everytime - it streamlines checkout, and I am also able to give my host all her stats very quickly.

 

[northern_sunshine]

Is the only "official" receipt the tear out one from the write in/itemized order forms? Are the printed ones from PP "official" (for warranty purposes?)

I was also curious, I have a USB flash drive that has the ability to run programs from it (as opposed to loading on every computer I own). I wonder if that would work (would backup to either a CD or another thumb drive)?

 

[kcjodih]

Yes the printed PP ones are 'official' as well. You order them on supply for $4 and they are just blank on the front and have all the warranty info on the back.

 

[chefann]

The PP receipts are official receipts for warranty, etc. IF they're printed on the receipt paper that's available on supply order. It's probably the same in Canada.

 

[PamperedK]

If you're taking your laptop to your shows, you might want to put a little note about it into your recruiting talk. Talk about how TPC helped you buy your laptop, or how you use a laptop to tally but TPC is so easy, it's not required, something like that. You don't want to scare away potential recruits because they think you need to bring a computer to every show.

 

[chefann]

That's what I do. I mention that the software is one of the great ways that HO supports us, and we don't even have to pay for it! (Some direct-sales companies charge for their software.) Then I inform the guests that I get chatty when I'm taking orders, so doing them on my laptop means fewer mistakes.