Software - For Small Bakery Or Home Based Businesses
Business By izzybee Updated 21 Mar 2016 , 1:50pm by thebakerybutler

OK, so I am getting so busy (YEAH!) that Microsoft Outlook and Word are not cutting it anymore. I use Cake Boss which is great for costing, but not working for me email. I also use Airset for scheduling. That's 4 programs for each order, I'm going crazy!
I do the majority of my contact with customers through email. I get requests, and I send Invoices and Quotes through email. I have dozens of customers, and right now I have a folder for each on Outlook, but the list is getting too long, and I just don't want to have to use 3 programs anymore.
So what I'm asking is:
I am keeping Cake Boss, it is the only software that I can use that helps with costing.
I would like software that manages email, invoicing as well as scheduling. Anybody have similar issues or have come up with a solution?
Thanks in advance!
Lauren


I looked at quickbooks, and am considering it. however it might be too powerful as I have no employees.
I actually have outlook express, and am currently evaluating outlook. It might take care of 3 of my programs, which would be great! Then I would be down to Outlook, Quicken, and Cake Boss. Better than 5!

I looked at quickbooks, and am considering it. however it might be too powerful as I have no employees.
I actually have outlook express, and am currently evaluating outlook. It might take care of 3 of my programs, which would be great! Then I would be down to Outlook, Quicken, and Cake Boss. Better than 5!

I haven't looked at Quickbooks, but do love MS Accounting Express 2007. It's completely free and sounds like it would work perfectly for what you need. Complete intregates with Word and you can email quotes, invoices with a click of a button. Like any software, it takes some time to get used to and figure it out, but for me - it's totally worth it!

I looked at quickbooks, and am considering it. however it might be too powerful as I have no employees.
I actually have outlook express, and am currently evaluating outlook. It might take care of 3 of my programs, which would be great! Then I would be down to Outlook, Quicken, and Cake Boss. Better than 5!
I'm using Quickbooks (make sure you don't confuse Quicken with Quickbooks) Online. I can create estimates, turn them into invoices, automatically email them and keep track of my finances all in that program. It even hooks up with my bank online and downloads/matches banking transactions every day. I also use their merchant processing, so I can accept credit card payments right in Quickbooks.
The two things lacking are the costing and the calendering. I've built myself an Excel workbook for costing that's working really well. It even multiplies my recipes for me. I use google apps to manage my website and email (so I can have a business email address, ie. rhienn at lookcupcake.com) so I've been using the calendaring function there. It seems to be working pretty well for me. Doesn't feel cumbersome, etc.

Here is a link to a free accounting/small business software download. I haven't used it, so I can't vouch for it. But, hey its free.
http://www.gnucash.org/

We use Streamline from http://mountainstream.ms
It's user friendly and our customers can order online, even manage their standing orders.
It does all ourt production reports, distribution and invoicing. The data is then exported to Xero.
We save so much time answering calls and processing data. It's amazing!
I highly recommend this to everybody - you will spend so much less time in the office. And you can access your data from the interent.
Absolutely brilliant.

Try www.mountainstream.ms
Does all your ordering, distribution, invoicing.
It's fantastic!

Hi there izzybee, have you found any good software for your small cake business? I am a developer that is currently working on something that might help you. I developed cakehollywood.com for edible cake images but it would be great if you could be more specific so I can make the tools bakers need.

Bakery Butler has done a lot of growing in the past year. I hope you find the time to check it out.
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