Laser measure, Bluetooth,Invoices

[Steve Lawrence]

Has anyone here used their laser measurer with bluetooth and an Ipad or tablet to create invoices easily on the spot?

What equipment and application are you using? How do you like it?

Thanks,
Steve

 

[Wandslinger]

Is there such a thing?

 

[Desk Jockey]

https://www.toolexperts.com/toolsma...urment-with-bluetooth-general-tools-TS01.html

 

[Old Coastie]

Steve, I use Zoho and have all our services already defined and described, with prices.

So carpet, residential.
Carpet, commercial
Tile, ceramic

And so forth.
Prices are per unit, be it square feet, room or what have you. Then, i just select the item, enter the number of units and percentage of discount (if given) and it generates the whole invoice.
Other software does the same thing.

Measuring is by wheel, it is fast and I can adjust for eccentric shapes. I keep a running tab on the iPhone calculator and then enter the total as described above.

A bluetoothed laser sounds neat, but wouldn't be any easier for me.
Ymmv.

 

[jwfoulk12]

Steve, I use Zoho and have all our services already defined and described, with prices.

So carpet, residential.
Carpet, commercial
Tile, ceramic

And so forth.
Prices are per unit, be it square feet, room or what have you. Then, i just select the item, enter the number of units and percentage of discount (if given) and it generates the whole invoice.
Other software does the same thing.

Measuring is by wheel, it is fast and I can adjust for eccentric shapes. I keep a running tab on the iPhone calculator and then enter the total as described above.

A bluetoothed laser sounds neat, but wouldn't be any easier for me.
Ymmv.

I used to use a wheel, After getting my laser I realized how much I was constantly shorting myself by using the wheel. It just wasnt accurate enough. I bet I paid for my laser the first week I had it just by no longer shorting myself.

 

[hogjowl]

Even I use a laser measurement tool.

Idiot

 

[Old Coastie]

Probably stare into the bright light for hours...

Banana

 

[Bob Pruitt]

Even I use a laser measurement tool.

Which one?

 

[Nate The Great]

https://www.toolexperts.com/toolsma...urment-with-bluetooth-general-tools-TS01.html

Up to 100' gtfo...... I still love my Letica D2... it's not Bluetooth, but gives your the sf, total for the room and running total of everything you measured... We measure commercial jobs and 100' is so limited.. I think mine goes up to 197'..

 

[Desk Jockey]

Is it Blue Tooth?

 

[Goomer]

https://www.toolexperts.com/toolsma...urment-with-bluetooth-general-tools-TS01.html

Measuring distance is one thing.....Sending the data via BT to a device is another thing.

What your device can do with the imported data, and what it cannot, is the question.

Unless the measurement data can be seamlessly integrated with your invoicing app of choice, then you would still have to manually enter it from the measurer's proprietary app to your primary invoice app.

If it cannot, which it most likely, what would be the point of sending it via BT to any other device, if the source device already saves it?

Prob easier just to enter the data it to your invoicing device while looking at the measuring device log, instead of going back and forth between different apps on one device.

 

[Steve Lawrence]

https://www.toolexperts.com/toolsma...urment-with-bluetooth-general-tools-TS01.html

This sounds pretty cool, and at $79 very affordable but the 100' max on measuring could be a nuisance.

 

[hogjowl]

Which one?

I have no idea
It's blue

 

[icleancarpetz]

One thing to remember when using any laser measuring device, it can cause you to become lazy and not to do a complete visual inspection of the flooring thereby missing preexisting conditions.

 

[Russ T.]

Bosch GLM 40 Laser Measure, 135 Feet https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00VI7WC32/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_ni38ybKQXAGWK

That's the one I have. I'm rarely out anywhere near 135 ft so you might save money by going with one with a shorter range.

Goomer is right to question whether the Bluetooth will translate to a meaningful difference in the field.

Service Monster on my iPad with the laser tool has been working great for a couple years now....

 

[icleancarpetz]

Wanna save a few dollars while correctly doing a visual inspection?

 

[jwfoulk12]

Up to 100' gtfo...... I still love my Letica D2... it's not Bluetooth, but gives your the sf, total for the room and running total of everything you measured... We measure commercial jobs and 100' is so limited.. I think mine goes up to 197'..

This is the one I use as well. Love it. Its paid for itself 100 times over just in money that I was leaving on the carpet.

 

[Old Coastie]

Justin, that's great. However, I've never felt as if I accidentally left money, as I can adjust for shape and obstruction. No customer has ever questioned the numbers. On the other hand, as you guys do multiple homes a day, perhaps it saves time and effort.
I do wonder though; are these true laser measurements, or is the laser simply an aiming pointer for a sonic device? The latter has given me unreliable measurements many times (which is why I now use a wheel).

 

[hogjowl]

Who cares?
Just go with it.

 

[icleancarpetz]

I do wonder though; are these true laser measurements, or is the laser simply an aiming pointer for a sonic device? The latter has given me unreliable measurements many times (which is why I now use a wheel).

 

[Nate The Great]

Justin, that's great. However, I've never felt as if I accidentally left money, as I can adjust for shape and obstruction. No customer has ever questioned the numbers. On the other hand, as you guys do multiple homes a day, perhaps it saves time and effort.
I do wonder though; are these true laser measurements, or is the laser simply an aiming pointer for a sonic device? The latter has given me unreliable measurements many times (which is why I now use a wheel).

Times have a changed since the 1990's and sonic meters.... When I got my first Leica D2 is when Ken Snow told me about it... The price was $230 at the time... I thought I lost it so I had to buy another one after trying the Bosch one from Home Depot... That thing didn't compare... So my second one cost $179 I believe... Now I leave one in 1 van and the other at the shop, so if my pops or mom needs to measure a job, they don't have to dick around with the Stanley Tape... A wheel can still be off... My laser is accurate down to the 7/16" or there a bouts... You literally measure a whole house in less than 2 mins and get the total SF times your price add tax and wallah you've impressed your clients with up to date equipment...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/122406000789?lpid=82&chn=ps&ul_noapp=true

And it looks like the new models have Blue Tooth and goes up to 330'............ @Desk Jockey

 

[Old Coastie]

Pretty nifty!

 

[PrimaDonna]

We have a disto. It is blue tooth but we don't sync up with anything. We just enter info in service monster. Mostly use in commercial situwtuins since we price by the room residentially. But we use it to verify if a room is over 250 sq ft since that is our cut off for a single room.

Very easy to use. Saves so much time and errors in manually calculating sq ft.

 

[Russ T.]

ref=sr_1_1

I just got one of the smaller Bosch units for like $28. It only goes up to 35 feet but something like this should be great for residential.