Keeping Up
Have you ever let anything go for a bit and then it all pile up on you? I bet most of you have! I have usually been faithful about keeping up with business records, but I hadn’t been for the last 5 or 6 months. Things that I am SURE I will NEVER forget, I look at them and go “What?” And I use a database to keep track of all sales because I want to be able to show that there is a market for my paintings. So, there is an entry for every card sale, print sale, etc. – for each image that I have. So a little overwhelming. I am not sure if I am making things way too hard for myself … but this is the track I am on. It is no big deal if I enter data pretty quickly (for the most part).
Peach Ponderings, Digital © Diane Clancy
But I also have quite a bit of items on consignment in local stores … and so when they send me a check, most of them don’t say WHICH card or mat sold. So someday I should go figure that all out. I guess. Outright sales are much nicer. Also I set up a system today to keep track of sales at my CafePress Shop and Etsy Shop. And, of course, fees are taken out .. so then it is also documenting those. But I am not complaining – I LOVE sales!!! And I am a bit of a techie, so I enjoy this in moderation.
I would love to hear your own travels with this issue!
How do you like this signature? I sure do … they are beginning to look bare to me without a signature!! So that is good! I have made the leap.
~ Diane Clancy
Technorati Tags: business records, market, signature, CafePresss Shop, Etsy Shop
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Diane Clancy creates vibrant paintings that feature color and vision to inspire and uplift people. Says Diane, "I feel very blessed to have this opportunity to express myself through painting. I love that people say my artwork enhances their lives."
November 11th, 2007 at 8:51 pm
Some things are unavoidable and best done as you get the input data. I too get behind, and I am only trying to keep up with my purchases. I think it would be better if it were more important that I do it. In any case I wish you well and fleet fingers!
November 12th, 2007 at 12:57 am
Lovely work. I understand about letting stuff pile up. I finally…after a couple months, got around to doing my expenses. It’s not tough to do, but somehow it’s like pulling teeth with me. I avoid it like the plague. Would rather do other stuff.
November 12th, 2007 at 5:39 am
It is just not interesting to do, I guess, and the longer we leave these things, the worse they are. The only way I can ever keep organised is if I make a system that is really easy to use and set aside a little time each day to do it. If nothing needs doing on any one day, all the better, that’s a bit of free time. Needless to say, I find these things slip and I have the same problem of coming back later and not being able to make sense of things.
November 12th, 2007 at 9:12 am
I think the new signature looks great! I don’t do any selling so don’t have this problem but remember years ago when I used to run a Toy Library and because it was taking in money I had to be accountable, I used to keep an accounts book which had all sorts of complicated tables and sums to be filled in. I remember looking at the page and it was a mess with Tippex and the sums never used to add up so there were lots of scribbling. I do think computers make things easier in this respect as you can make them do your sums for you and also you can erase things at the touch of a button!
November 12th, 2007 at 10:20 am
I am in the process of setting up books in Quickbooks and having to go back and enter bank statements, cc statements, etc from the beginning of the year. I feel your pain, girl. In the midst of lots of internal disorganization, it looks like one of my check registers is MIA.
I like your signature. Do you use a Wacom tablet to do that?
~Sue O’Kieffe
November 12th, 2007 at 2:26 pm
Hi Bobbie, I think you are right that it is best to input as it comes along. I think part of what gets me is … sometimes it takes as much time to input 1 thing as 10 … so then I space it out. But clearly I spaced it way way too far out this time!! Thank you!
Hi Carla, I appreciate that you understand! It is tough to do .. at least at times. And I know many people just hate doing it. I have to have a new system here! Good luck yourself!
Hi Frances, I think thi sis a great idea … and easy system and setting aside time each day to do it. Perhaps that is what I need to do … with the mail too!! Oh yes … trying to make sense later!!
Hi Beverly, delighted you like the new signature!!! The old days were hard that way. Part of my problem is there are so many ways I have to store each piece of data … I think my system might be too unwieldy! Glad you don’t have to do that now!
Hi Sue, Quickbooks is good – I like it a lot. But entering from the beginning of the year – NOT FUN!! Ouch – I hope you find your check register … I feel your pain too!!! Good luck.
Signature … I wrote my name a whole bunch of times on a paper and scanned it in and decided which looked the most like the way I sign my physical paintings … and bingo! I chose it. Ha ha … days long process, if not weeks and I wonder why I have no time!
Thank you!!
~ Diane Clancy