Studio Management Software?

idee und klang · 6th February 2008

Hi All

I need a solution to organice my Projects. Untill now I do it with I Cal, Mails, and OmniOutliner, in which I store the Project's Information and what I discuss with the clients. Then I write the Bills...

That does not do it any more, as I have several people and assistants to manage, I record often in other rooms and have too many projects. Often I do not even know how long I mixed about a project, because in I Cal once I entered the name of the Producer, once the name of the project, and once the name on the musician. Difficult to find all the Informations then.

The Best Possibility would be something like studio suite 8. It could do everything I need (including writing bills directly), exept one thing: I need a solution where all the people involved in my firm (about 7) and my self can acess the management tool at home or even in train, when they are not connected to the web. Just like it is with Ical. Every body has Ical on their powerbooks, and can edit the things, then when back to a hotspot it will sync and say if there are conflicts. No way studio suite can hadle that, as they told me....

Does anyone have any suggestion? I have not found anything on the web so far...

Thanks
Daniel
www.ideeundklang.com

drBill · 6th February 2008

Over the years I've customized a pretty extensive Filemaker Pro setup. Takes care of inventory, billing, studio equipment, session dates, templates for CD inserts & lables, etc. Works out great for me.

TML · 7th February 2008

Studio Suite.... uses Filemaker Pro as a foundation.
Tim

Tony Shepperd · 7th February 2008

IMO, Studio Suite is by far the best I've seen.

StudioSuite 8

Benmrx · 7th February 2008

Can anyone recommend a simpler/cheaper option than studio suite 8 for mac? I only need about 1/15th of the features in that program.

severe · 7th February 2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by Benmrx

Can anyone recommend a simpler/cheaper option than studio suite 8 for mac? I only need about 1/15th of the features in that program.

iBiz

nemisis633 · 7th February 2008

I wish someone would write a simple dedicated application thats native to OS X. Studio Suite does way more than what I'm after as well, its kind of like functionality to the point of slowing you down.

nemisis633 · 7th February 2008

Maybe we could get someone to write something like this.. What features would people be interested in if that were the case.

RichT · 7th February 2008

Don't know if you have a PC in the office you could use but we use this:

Job Designer

Scheduling Software and Billing Solutions by Acvatec Software

Cheers,
Rich

strewnshank · 7th February 2008

I use quckbooks. I have to use it for another buisness I own, so i figured I'd set up an account for my studio work. With a little creativity, I was able to work it into a pretty good tool, including the ablility to forcast my expenses for new gear throughout the year. Works well for me, but may have a bit of a learning curve for those who have never used it. In reality, QB is nothing more than an expansive excel file with a neat interface.

Byron Pierce · 7th February 2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by Benmrx

Can anyone recommend a simpler/cheaper option than studio suite 8 for mac? I only need about 1/15th of the features in that program.

Excel works for a lot of people...

BP

idee und klang · 10th February 2008

Hi there

thanks for the suggestions. Finally the perfect solution for me does not exist. If Studio Suite would work well with user's that are at home on notebook, and moreover that they could work offline, it would be THE tool for me. But since that is not possible, no way.

Most likly I will end with having an online Project manager (as Basecamp) to organize the recording projects, collect the assistants and material etc, then I will having a Task Manager (like iGTD or OMNIFocus) to have a Todo Programm for me, and maybe have the IBiz Software for Timetracking and Billing that someone suggested. Or I will make the bills in word, as I always did, not a big issu for me..

thanks
Daniel

wirerecording · 10th February 2008

I use quickbooks for $$$$ and google calender for scheduling of rooms/eng/asst/gear needs/misc

stuart

asmoritz · 10th February 2008

you might want to try Bento. I've never used it but they've been talking about it at Apple as a $50 File Maker option. I'm in the same boat but use Entourage, and Excel then some cheap invoice software.

hope that helps.
-a

micfreak · 11th June 2008

Maybe you could try out SessionLog: http://www.jesusreigns.co.uk/downloads.htm#slog

It´s Shareware and it has a 20GBP fee.

Ognjan · 11th June 2008

Try with this...
StudioFiles - Recording studios management products
works for me.

Musiclab · 12th June 2008

there's also Studio ease

6th February 2008	#1
idee und klang Gear maniac Joined: Aug 2005 Location: Basel - Switzerland Posts: 172 Thread Starter	Studio Management Software? Hi All I need a solution to organice my Projects. Untill now I do it with I Cal, Mails, and OmniOutliner, in which I store the Project's Information and what I discuss with the clients. Then I write the Bills... That does not do it any more, as I have several people and assistants to manage, I record often in other rooms and have too many projects. Often I do not even know how long I mixed about a project, because in I Cal once I entered the name of the Producer, once the name of the project, and once the name on the musician. Difficult to find all the Informations then. The Best Possibility would be something like studio suite 8. It could do everything I need (including writing bills directly), exept one thing: I need a solution where all the people involved in my firm (about 7) and my self can acess the management tool at home or even in train, when they are not connected to the web. Just like it is with Ical. Every body has Ical on their powerbooks, and can edit the things, then when back to a hotspot it will sync and say if there are conflicts. No way studio suite can hadle that, as they told me.... Does anyone have any suggestion? I have not found anything on the web so far... Thanks Daniel www.ideeundklang.com

6th February 2008	#2
drBill Gear Guru Joined: Jul 2006 Location: So Cal Posts: 11,508	Over the years I've customized a pretty extensive Filemaker Pro setup. Takes care of inventory, billing, studio equipment, session dates, templates for CD inserts & lables, etc. Works out great for me. __________________ Mindseye http://www.mindseyeprod.com IMDB Composer - Orchestrator Scoring & Mix Engineer - Music Editor

7th February 2008	#5
Benmrx Lives for gear Joined: May 2005 Location: Seattle Posts: 4,300	Can anyone recommend a simpler/cheaper option than studio suite 8 for mac? I only need about 1/15th of the features in that program. __________________ www.mysteriousredx.com "Sorry man I played guitar instead of going to school." -- James Lugo

7th February 2008	#7
nemisis633 Gear maniac Joined: Nov 2002 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 262	I wish someone would write a simple dedicated application thats native to OS X. Studio Suite does way more than what I'm after as well, its kind of like functionality to the point of slowing you down. __________________ -------------------------------------- http://www.smokinggunrecording.com

7th February 2008	#9
RichT Lives for gear Joined: Jul 2003 Location: Portsmouth, UK Posts: 1,469	Don't know if you have a PC in the office you could use but we use this: Job Designer Scheduling Software and Billing Solutions by Acvatec Software Cheers, Rich __________________ www.oldblacksmiths.com www.myspace.com/theoldblacksmiths

7th February 2008	#3
TML Lives for gear Joined: Nov 2002 Posts: 1,029	Studio Suite.... uses Filemaker Pro as a foundation. Tim

7th February 2008	#4
Tony Shepperd Lives for gear Joined: Oct 2006 Location: Los Angeles, CA. Posts: 3,728	IMO, Studio Suite is by far the best I've seen. StudioSuite 8

7th February 2008	#10
strewnshank Lives for gear Joined: Dec 2007 Location: Boston Posts: 1,604	I use quckbooks. I have to use it for another buisness I own, so i figured I'd set up an account for my studio work. With a little creativity, I was able to work it into a pretty good tool, including the ablility to forcast my expenses for new gear throughout the year. Works well for me, but may have a bit of a learning curve for those who have never used it. In reality, QB is nothing more than an expansive excel file with a neat interface. __________________ Chris Thomas Chris@strewnshank.com "facts are stupid things" -Ronald Reagan I want to purchase your Sony MXP3000 series EQ modules. Email me.

10th February 2008	#12
idee und klang Gear maniac Joined: Aug 2005 Location: Basel - Switzerland Posts: 172 Thread Starter	Hi there thanks for the suggestions. Finally the perfect solution for me does not exist. If Studio Suite would work well with user's that are at home on notebook, and moreover that they could work offline, it would be THE tool for me. But since that is not possible, no way. Most likly I will end with having an online Project manager (as Basecamp) to organize the recording projects, collect the assistants and material etc, then I will having a Task Manager (like iGTD or OMNIFocus) to have a Todo Programm for me, and maybe have the IBiz Software for Timetracking and Billing that someone suggested. Or I will make the bills in word, as I always did, not a big issu for me.. thanks Daniel

10th February 2008	#13
wirerecording Gear nut Joined: May 2006 Location: Austex Posts: 130	I use quickbooks for $$$$ and google calender for scheduling of rooms/eng/asst/gear needs/misc stuart

10th February 2008	#14
asmoritz Gear interested Joined: Sep 2007 Location: Spring Hill, TN Posts: 9	bento? you might want to try Bento. I've never used it but they've been talking about it at Apple as a $50 File Maker option. I'm in the same boat but use Entourage, and Excel then some cheap invoice software. hope that helps. -a

11th June 2008	#15
micfreak Gear Head Joined: Feb 2007 Location: Madrid, Spain Posts: 30	Maybe you could try out SessionLog: http://www.jesusreigns.co.uk/downloads.htm#slog It´s Shareware and it has a 20GBP fee.

11th June 2008	#16
Ognjan Gear nut Joined: May 2005 Location: Belgrade, Serbia Posts: 84	Try with this... StudioFiles - Recording studios management products works for me.

12th June 2008	#17
Musiclab Lives for gear Joined: Sep 2002 Location: Elmont NY Posts: 6,273 3 Reviews written	there's also Studio ease

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