I'm curious as to how many companies that are currently using DBA will very likely go to Ezijobz?
 
Would love to hear responses on this.

I'm not sure I'll make the jump right away even though it is what I really want. I feel DBA, as they promised years ago, should be making improvements to the standard software. Lynn does a great job at this  I'll problably buy her interface in the near future but I still feel it should've been DBA's responsiblity to improve the interface.

We don't intend to to switch to Ezijobz anytime soon. One major conversion every 5 years or so is enough of a challenge for us.  
 
Also, it does not appear to have enough power on the build-to-stock manufacturing side to warrant a change.
 
I think Lynn's package, plus some some improvements in MRP would satisfy our needs for the next few years.

They cannot offer the source code to you, as DBA (ss you know it) doesn't have access to it.

At this point I have no plans to convert to anything other than Evo DBA.

We just converted to DBA about 1 year ago.  We are still learning this system.  We do not have any plans to invest in anything other than making our current system work.
 
Tara Cook

Current DBA users will not get the new software as a free upgrade, so I'm not sure how you will get a copy without buying it.  I was told in Nov. 2002 that the new system will be twice the price of current DBA cost.  You may get a credit for your current DBA purchase price toward buying the new software.  It will also not be feature compatible with DBA.  This was directly from DBA sales manager.

Tommy,
 
You MAY have gotten some mixed messages.  When I talked to Mike afew weeks ago, what he stated unequivocally was that current up-to-date with annual maintenance and lifetime maintenance agreement customers would receive the version with a conversion utility at no charge.
 
Any additional licenses would have to be purchased at the new Ezijobz price point.  A price point which is still very reasonable in comparison to mid-range offerings.
 
He also indicated that the lifetime maintenace agreement thing would carry over to the new software as well, although I have some difficulties believing that he is going to continue to cut into his revenue stream with that, without finding some way to recoup some of that money.  But maybe....

We have not "heard the news" either.  There doesn't seem to be anything on the DBA site.  When this Ezijobz was first mentioned, I figured it was another program, not something DBA was migrating to.

We to will evaluate it, if the "free" copy is forthcoming. But, no plans to switch, as we have not even finished getting DBA up and running yet.

At least for us, it is simply a data entry issue. Not too many snags yet, just too few people working on it.
 
(And all of us, only when we aren't doing any of our 10 other jobs.)  

Well....if the posts on this topic so far are a reasonable statistical indication of the likelihood of adoption for Ezijobz, then I would have to say that Mike had better roll out the marketing and sales machine to start seelling it to NEW customers.....

Quote from aricon   on 04/12/03 at 10:38:44:

Kathy,
 
Obviously no one except Mike could answer this with certainty.  What I can say, is that in my experience with Great Plains when they re-wrote GPA DOS version into Dynamics, they supported GPA fully for 2 years after the launch of Dynamics.  They then did limited support for another 2 years.  And then clients were cut loose on their own.
 
Now, Great Plains was an $500 Million+ corporation at that point and that is the longest they were willing to go.  DBA is NOT $500 Million.
 
So you will have to make your own conclusions.... ???

We plan on converting to the new Program, we will wait for a while to see on it is doing in the real world.  
 
We had a IBM system and we made the mistake not to keep updating  the system.  Then one day we started having programs and found we would have to update if we wanted any support because no one have the old code available.  The Cost of the update was unreal.  That when we switched to DBA.

Bill,
 
While I would agree with your statement as it is now, I would make one defense for the database design in that when it was originally planned in like 1991, it was fairly consistent with the state of things at that time.  Problem is that it never changed and grew with the rest of the industry.
 
Ezijobz is Mike's answer to that long, long, long long overdue change.

Quote from David Waldmann   on 04/14/03 at 14:38:28:

 
Just to clarify, I do plan to get my "free" copy of EJ-SME and check it out. It seems like it would be foolish not to.

It's overdue, thats true. However, the new program quite frankly looks like it will suck.
 
One of the main things I like about DBA is the availability of source code. Granted it's in an archaic programming language that no one I know programs in... but it's still available. I'm not sure why any of us would want to switch from a program w/ available source code that is working for us to a program w/ no source and that doesn't even import all of our data.
 
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out how to do a near total data import when you are designing the new system and you have the source code to the old one. With all of the problems they've had getting Ezijobz out I'm starting to wonder if they hired highschool VB programmers to do this thing...
 
Quote from aricon   on 05/06/03 at 11:58:56:

kkmfg,
 
The difference with Ezijobz and DBA is that because you are given an open SQL editor, it is FAR less necessary to have access to the source code.
 
Consider.....if you make a modification to the source in DBA, you must constantly maintain that with every new mainstream update.  Maybe that is a problem, maybe not.  Depends on your situation.
 
With access to the SQL, if you want to make an application "on-the-side" so to speak, you can write the app in whatever language seems appropriate and connect it directly to the database through the SQL.  If there is an update, then your related application should not have to be re-written.  Unless of course it is a quite significant change in the manistream app.  But even DBA tries not to do really major changes too often.
 
And the open SQL editor tied to the open report writer in Ezijobz should solve one of the most frustrating problems with DBA in that it should be possible to get reports that provide the information that YOU want in the format that YOU want.
 
All of that said, according to Mike, there are still some BIG limitations on the import of the historical transactional data.  The reason for this is the totally different structure of the information in Ezijobz.  It is FAR more complex than you think to convert data when you have to change and combine and cut and paste and such with that data in order to get it in to a new format.
 
And, of course, it has to be done WITHOUT error or it should not be done at all.
 
And THAT is where Evolution comes in.  You can slowly get some new capabilities without making that leap.

Yes, the SQL interface will be nice. It would be better to be able to add on w/ seperate programs than to have to add on to source code that will change (of course, that's what diff, perforce, cvs, etc are for.) I agree that the new program will be far easier to interface with. Still, to a lot of people it might seem like a ripoff when they are used to source. I guess it isn't a huge deal really. My biggest problem w/ making interfaces to DBA was how stupidly the database format was laid out. It was probably fine in 1991 but it's terrible now. The new SQL interface will be a breath of fresh air.
 
And, I happen to have had the distinct honor (if you want to call it that) to have done some of that cutting/pasting/restructuring of database fields from one format to another. You are right that sometimes it's really tricky. Still, these people had the old design in front of them. They had an OPEN slate for the new design. Maybe hindsight is 20/20 but I would have thought that their overriding goal would have included support for a total conversion of data. It should have been possible to facilitate that to a large degree. Granted it does have to be done 100% or nothing but I still maintain the someone with access to the old should be able to design the new to be not impossible to convert to. Granted the old database layout is terrible... So maybe they just shot themselves in the foot 12 years ago.

We've been running dba since 1999 and don't plan on switching until the day that dba no longer supports it. Have enough trouble everytime we update. Don't want a lynch mob coming after me.
 
Gary Lampka
S.A. Day Mfg. Co.

Has any one run the EziJobz demos?  Comments?
 
 
Bill Leventhal
Circle Gear
 
 

We need to wait and see what kind of manufacturing capabilities are in the new product, specifically build-to-stock.  The demos I watched showed a product geared towards a service-type business or maybe a small job shop.
 
I assume the new product is still under development and that the intention is to modify the original Ezjobz product to make it attractive to the same user base as DBA.

I am really torn - I see some serious advantages to Ezijobz but am reluctant to migrate because of the time-learning curve.  I am the office manager and responsible for learning new software - Have had DBA for 2.5 years and just really liking it, limitations and all.  I can identify with the earlier "lynch mob" comment.  Most of the folks I work with use computers only because they have no other choice.  They don't enjoy them at all.  Can anyone indicate just how much data will migrate? I will not go thru all that cold entry again if I can help it- that is awful.  I too want a copy that I can play with.  We are a manufacturing company that builds to order with some special equipment building and some standard - We stock very little.  Need to actually see how it will fit our needs.
 
Rhonda
Linn Enterprises, Inc.

kkcables,
 
Well if you do ever want to look at a new software, I am a VAR for another very nice product line from Epicor Software and could make some suggestions on which way to go and could also set up some preferred pricing through a VAR close to you.

Jeanette,
 
According to Mike, Ezijobz will have an integrated payroll this year.
 
And it already does have an integrated GL.  Apparently with the capability to even have up to 3 COA's for one company and a map that translates the postings across those 3 different GL's so that you can have one GL for internal use and operational reportability, another that is structured more simply for submission to the bank, and yet another for your CPA that is set up in whatever wierd way they like to have it for tax purposes.

Steve -
 
We have made some headway into inserting the F&O Components into the appropriate lower BOM levels, have you looked at it recently?  Call me if you would like to discuss whar functionality you still need that it doesn't yet have.   866-516-3282

Actually I had talked to Mike about 3-4 weeks ago and he indicated that they were in the process of creating the new site....
 
So, I guess it truly was coincidence....

Can only tell you what Mike told me.....
 
August 15 supposedly and by 1st quarter 2004 there will be a full DC capability.
 
That is what he tells me.

You should see what it is like from a consultant's point of view!
 
Would be nice to actually get some traction with this thing....but even I dont have the bloody software yet.

No, I think the point of getting the 1st version out is to let people finally see the wayyyyy overdue product.  Mike is quite aware that until the full conversion routine is perfected that extremely few people will switch.  Even then, it is going to take quite a while before there is any significant switch in the customer base.

At this point we have no plans to convert to anything other than DBA. My company is currently using MS-Access, MySQL and DBA. We won't need another program to learn. We need our current apps. to get better ...!
 
Besides I used the current conversion program (DBA -> Ezijobz), It's  
not enough. I need all the data in DBA to get converted before we can use Ezijobz.  
 
We currently hold 10 life-time licenses
Estimated time to convert ---> @ 1-3-2005.

Hmmm, my information source paints a slighty different picture.  First, a new conversion program was setup on DBA's web site a few days ago.  Here are the details:
 
v2 (10/27/2003) Everything from v1 plus:  
 
Now supports DBA versions back to 2001.1.  
Now fully clears all Ezijobz data before starting  
Transfers DBA Shop Calendar, Work Centers, Machines and Tools  
Machines and Tools go into Ezijobz as Assets, with service Events created for each  
Ezijobz Resources and Descriptors are created for each WC, Machine and Tool  
v1 (10/13/2003) Initial posting of the conversion program:  
 
Supports DBA versions 2002.1 and higher  
Transfers company setup info from DBA (e.g. bank accounts, next SO#, etc.)  
Transfers GL Chart of Accounts, GL Mapping (defaults), accounting periods  
Transfers Customers, Salespeople, Territories, Lead Sources, and Tax Authorities  
Transfers Vendors  
Transfers Inventory, Locations, and Location UOH  
Stock items end up as Ezijobz Items, non-stock items as Ezijobz Descriptors  
 
BOM and Routings will be coming up on the next data transfer update, but I'm told there are still no plans to include transaction data.  I'll do some more checking on this though.