Originally Posted By: gromicko
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Nick Gromicko
Founder
dues=79cents/day.
I much prefer email to private messages.
I much prefer email to private messages.
Originally Posted By: Nick Gromicko
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Donna in tech at 3D has offered to host a users group discussion here so all can benefit.
If you have questions about the software please post them on this thread.
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Nick Gromicko
Founder
dues=79cents/day.
I much prefer email to private messages.
Originally Posted By: Donna @ 3D
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Hi Y’all!
Donna, with 3D here (www.3dinspection.com)
We'll try to check this thread periodically and do what we can to answer any general questions about 3D Inspection System Software here!
Users who may be online, feel free to share how 3D has benefited your business, that is if you have any time to spare in between all the business you get  We know how our users just constantly seem to have the inspection orders rolling in.
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Donna, 3D Inspection Systems
www.3dinspection.com
Originally Posted By: dmusielski
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Dear Donna…
First, its good to see this thread started. To start...I would give compliments to Paul who works at 3D. Attitude makes the "world of difference" when dealing with any company...and he is always positive and helpful.
As of yet, I have not purchased 3D. I will probably be making a decision in the next couple weeks. I was 85% sure I would purchase 3D. That has changed for a few reasons. To List a few...an inspection that went "bad" last week(not by me), but an inspector with a bad attitude; repeated calls by one of your friendly competitors; and no discount to NACHI members.
Lets take all (3) points in reverse order...1)no discount to NACHI. In my opinion this is a bad move. $50-100 discount shows good will. Often its not about the dollars and cents...its the gesture. Once you have a customer, they will be with you for years during upgrades, new service plans, tech support, etc. Many people getting into the business are on a tight budget, and can afford additional expenses down the road easier than up front. Customers like to "feel" good about their decisions! It often doesn't matter if you have the best product. A Chevy and Vette with both get me to the same place.
(2) Your friendly competitors call me monthly to see if I have made a decision, and not in a pushy way. I wasn't really considering their software...but I am now. They do offer the NACHI discount.
(3)Last week, I was called into look at a house where an inspector put the fear of God into his verbal summary for the SELLERS to witness. This was a well maintained home, where the inspector was supposedly a personal friend of the BUYER. Agents of both sides are unhappy, Not with the report, but how the inspector conducted himself!! Some people should just not be in the business. He used a Checklist narrative;my point being, many format styles will work just fine...as long as all the info is covered.
People's decisions are based on several variables. To increase you Hit-Ratio...the list above I'm sure are important to many of us out here!
Once again..thanks for offering a great product!
Regards,
Dan Musielski
Assured Home Inspections
Batavia, Illinois
Originally Posted By: Donna @ 3D
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
They may be a misunderstanding about the “discount”. I checked with our main office, and we DO have a special for NACHI members. It just changes every couple months. You just need to order through the special link for NACHI members to get it.
As you can see from the link posted on your own NACHI board here http://www.nachi.org/bbsystem/viewtopic.php?t=10074 this months special is a free Stinger flashlight worth about $150 So that's a pretty nice discount!
Right now, there's also a chance to win a free copy of 3D by entering the drawing on our website. Stop by and enter- maybe you'll win! The special on our website also changes periodically too, so things stay interesting.
We encourage folks to definitely check out all other software out there before making a decision. Get various demos and information, and try them all out before you buy. With 3D, you can even completely set up our Evaluation copy for your business entirely before purchase. Whatever you customize in the evaluation copy will stay there when you buy.
With the flexibility that our software provides there is no limit to your creative and business needs. And we're really easy to use too.
Admittedly any software will get you started, and 3D is one that will keep growing with your business and needs as time goes on. For example, 3D lets you do any types of inspections, including residential, commercial, termite, mold, etc, pretty much anything you need to do, all included in one package. 3D even lets you design new forms whenever needed for any purpose.
Anyway, I hope the info helps. Definitely check out everything you find if you're still undecided. And Paul will be glad to give you the names of some 3D users if you'd like to chat with them first hand.
(Edited this to make it shorter. I talk too much  )
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Donna, 3D Inspection Systems
www.3dinspection.com
Originally Posted By: dmusielski
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Donna…
Thanks for the input! But as a note....I called 3D last month....and at that time, I was told there was no discount to NACHI. I hadn't checked it out further yet.
Regards
Dan Musielski
Assured Home Inspections
Batavia, Illinois
Originally Posted By: cradan
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
. What do you think I may be doing wrong? Thanks for listening.
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Chris
http://www.inspect4me.com
Chicago Illinois Home Inspections
Originally Posted By: Donna @ 3D
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Hi Dan,
There are soooo… many different organizations and schools out there that have 3D specials (some through us, and some resellers or schools may offer directly), it’s truly impossible for all our sales staff to keep up with what specials offers may be available to different organizations at any given time. So it’s best to check your own organization’s site or periodicals (like your forums) for any current specials.
Plus, any specials or discounts are usually either web-order specials only, or must be purchased through the respective company, reseller, or special link in order to apply. I do see a special 3D discount link for Jan was posted on your NACHI Special Offers forum (http://www.nachi.org/bbsystem/viewforum.php?f=58 ), so maybe you just missed it there.
If any NACHI member ever wants to find out what their current 3D special is, please check your Special Offers forum.
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Donna, 3D Inspection Systems
www.3dinspection.com
Originally Posted By: Donna @ 3D
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Hi Chris,
I presume you mean your raw .R3D report file stored in 3D (and not the final PDF report you send to clients, which would be much, much smaller).
As a handy organizational covenience, the .R3D report stores other job related items besides just your report data and pictures, so that could account for its larger size. If you combine images, this might also be a factor. For more details, see this topic, which I decided to post on our site in case anyone else had the same question: http://3dinspection.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=506
Our tech support dept could probably determine the specific reason in your case. But it may not be a big deal anyway, since most folks choose to archive final reports as the PDF files they email to clients.
I hope that helps answer your question!
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Donna, 3D Inspection Systems
www.3dinspection.com
Originally Posted By: dmusielski
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Thanks Donna,
I actually talked to "your people" at 3D today. They have always been great.
I have reviewed most of your "major" competitors beyond a simple form evaluation. Many have a nice printed format....but you are 100% correct...you really have to go beyond the printed screen to see how well that database works when you want to create custom formats. Personally....you have have one the "better to work with databases" out there. That is really the heart of what makes your product stand out.
Once again, Paul was very helpful with questions I directed at him. Unless I win your raffle, I can see my self going with your product in the near future.
Best Regards,
Dan Musielski
Assured Home Inspections
Batavia, IL
PS. As a side note for those searching the term "3D" in the search engine of the NACHI message board....the search function usually wont deliver a result for a 2 character search.
Originally Posted By: Donna @ 3D
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Hi Dan,
Thanks for the comments and compliments! By the way, just so you know, you we don’t actually use a “database” based system for our reporting engine, but have programmed it from the ground up. Which is why we are so flexible.
I wonder if there's any good terms or combination of terms that can be used for searching the forums. I hope this thread will help in that regard. Of course, if you want more info on 3D software, you can always visit our website, or order or download a free evalution copy to try it yourself.
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Donna, 3D Inspection Systems
www.3dinspection.com
Originally Posted By: dmusielski
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Donna…sorry for calling it a Database
. Your explanation says a lot about why your product stands out! That also explains why I couldn’t get “Access” to do what I wanted it to, or even other Inspection programs. My back ground is engineering, not programing…but I did first learn Basic on a TI64 and had to write my programs to a cassette tape…eee gatsss! Complying Forms in you editor reminded me of Fortran and C from long ago when I did some of that stuff in high school and college. Now I ask my 14 year old son how to do things.Thanks for all the input.
Regards,
Dan Musielski
Assured Home Inspections
Originally Posted By: lschmid
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Just a note of encouragement for 3d users. I have been using it since I started and clients and agents really like the reports. Donna has helped me several times with problems and questions and the support has been great. I highly recommend it.
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Larry Schmid
First Choice Home Inspection,Inc.
South Carolina Chapter President
www.1stchoicehomeinspection.com
A SAFE HOME IS A HAPPY HOME
Originally Posted By: gluck
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
I too use 3D to compile and produce my reports. I tried several other “demo” report writers and found them to be slow, incomplete and worst of all unstable. There is nothing like preparing your report just to have the whole thing disappear into mega-byte oblivion. Definitely not good for the heart!
I have found 3d to be very easy to use and am able to change the wording, add and subtract paragraphs as I need them. I can even do this in the field when necessary. The addition of digital photos is easy and gives the report a definite edge over my competitors.
I use 3D in conjunction with my Dell P.D.A. ( because my P.D.A. has a much better memory than I do) and find that it stream lines the whole process. I can take notes on my findings and then download the entire report to my lap top ( where I correct the spellings!) and quickly produce my finished report. My clients are particularly impressed with the " high-tech" look of the system and the agents like the whole idea of the inspector being on top of the technical side of the business.
Just about the best part of the whole system is the Tech department. Paul, who is ensconced in some air conditioned office in Florida ( he laughs at the weather up here in Canada) is a God send. The few times I had to call for help during the initial learning curve, he was helpful, good natured about my "stupid" questions and made me aware of several features included in the programme that I might not otherwise have found. Keep him 3D.
"Two thumbs up!" for 3D.
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Hi! I have a university degree. You want fries with that?
Dominion Home Inspectors
domspec.net
Originally Posted By: dbowers
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
This looks like it will be a very useful thread. I had a problem recently loading Version 8.0 - to do so I had to delete 5.0 from my CPU. The add/remove feature in my PC’s “Control Panel” kept telling me that 1 file was missing and wouldn’t let me remove 5.0 (even with the old disk in the computer).
I knew from talking to your people what time they quit. Paul actually called me 25 minutes after closing time - then pulled up a copy of the missing file at his end, emailed it to me then called back to help me through the unzip process & removal of 5.0 to get 8.0 loaded.
Will I tell anybody asking what great service I got - you can bank on it.
As far as a NACHI discount goes - if its there fine, if not fine. I would hope that anybody basing their buying choice on whether or not someone discounts their fee, gets exactly the same type of consideration from their future home buying customers.
Originally Posted By: rboyer
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
George,
I am close to ordering software and hardware this week, what do you have Axim? Portable Printer?
Do you ever do entire report on site with PDA only, or have to finalize with laptop?
Originally Posted By: Donna @ 3D
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Hi Ron,
Some folks print on site and others don’t. However, I came across this thread, where Jason Vezina says he prints directly from Pocket3D to his printer on site, with no cables: http://www.nachi.org/bbsystem/viewtopic.php?t=10505 Maybe he could give you more details about his equipment
If you're looking for a portable printer, I would Not recommend a Canon, as I have heard of numerous problems using them. HPs seem pretty reliable however from what I hear. You might also check the Hardware forum on our site for more suggestions and user discussion.
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Donna, 3D Inspection Systems
www.3dinspection.com
Originally Posted By: sbyrnes
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Donna,
This is actually cool, I don't have to go post on your site to write you! 
2 questions for you:
1) Does 3-D come with the adobe writer or reader attached? I ask because I'm using an old version of adobe writer and I don't want to give it up since I use it for more than just 3-D.
2) I love the upgrades you've done to the program, but was curious about the next upgrades. What might we look forward to in the future? Any chance you are working on being able to copy an entire page without going into the Custom Form Studio?
OK, that's 2 and 1/2 questions
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All Corners Home Inspections, Inc
Serving Pasco, Hernando, N. Pinellas & N. Hillsborough counties
Originally Posted By: Donna @ 3D
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
For general or non-urgent questions/comments, this thread is definitely fine. But please use our site if you have a technical question, since we check it much more often, usually several times a day. Or just contact tech support directly for the fastest reply.
1. Why would you have to give up your Adobe writer? It's just another printer driver, and really has nothing to do with 3D specifically. You can use it with anything. 3D does include another built-in PDF writer so users can easily email reports, whether or not they have Adobe Acrobat. That way no extra purchase is required. But if you have Adobe Acrobat also, then you have a choice as to which PDF writer to use.
Adobe Reader is just the standard viewer for all PDFs- it's a free download from adobe.com for anyone.
2. Check the Company News section on our site for information about the latest update. Our new version 8 allows you to Add a whole form on the fly to your report. Version 7 already let you quickly copy entire headings, and add new headings and subheadings whenever needed. All these features work without having to access Custom Form Studio.
Right now, we're in the process of shipping subscription hundreds and hundreds of updates for version 8, starting with those with Office Management and Pocket3D. If you have a sub plan, you copy will be on its way soon! You're going to LOVE our newest features 
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Donna, 3D Inspection Systems
www.3dinspection.com
Originally Posted By: lschmid
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Donna, do you ever put on training seminars for users?
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Larry Schmid
First Choice Home Inspection,Inc.
South Carolina Chapter President
www.1stchoicehomeinspection.com
A SAFE HOME IS A HAPPY HOME