JobBOSS Reviews

"Great system, once you learn to use it"

Comments: Super powerful software; the only issue is that when you start, you know so little, you tend to make mistakes I wish I could start over right now after using it for 5 years!

Pros: Customizable

Cons: Somewhat hard to make it do what I want, instead of what it wants

"jobboss for our growth"

Pros: I like that there are more features available to take us into electronic scheduling etc. tracking of jobs feature is good but not quite complete.

Cons: I wish there were more locally offered specific topic trainings offered, half day seminars on scheduling etc.

"Easy to use. Modifying Reports is a downer."

Pros: How easy it is to Navigate around the program. I have had no "formal" training in navigating around the system when i started, but after about 2 weeks it was pretty easy to catch on.

Cons: The inability to modify reports unless you export them to excel or pay a lot off money to have an outside source do it, or spend big bucks to have an individual trained to be able to do Crystal Reports.

"JobBoss is a life saver"

Comments: Would gladly recommend to any Job shop or production shop.

Pros: East of use and Customer Support are the best in the industry. Almost a necessity nowadays if you own a manufacturing shop!

Cons: Customization. Sadly there's not that much, although! You can customize all your reports and that makes a huge difference.

"I own a manufacturing business that uses JobBOSS"

Comments: With the purchase, I'd like to see the software get better support and maybe create a user community where questions can be asked.

Pros: It is very powerful and seems comprehensive. The floating seats is key for us as we are a small company.

Cons: The learning curve is steep and it is difficult to get questions answered (unless I don't know where to ask)

"Good but could be much better"

Pros: I like that this is fairly easy to use. Also, it is somewhat intuitive and has some good "canned" reports that are already included.

Cons: There are some features that I feel should be there that are not. Simple features like copy and paste in the portal view were taken away after upgrades that didn't make sense.

"Great for Small - Medium Business"

Pros: All required modules in one package and ability to customize based on your own business needs. Good software when used correctly.

Cons: Upgrades, if you have been a Jobboss customer for a long time and have been upgrading to newer versions, the database is not clean anymore, along the way so sort of data corruption occurs causing some unreasonable errors.

"Garbage in garbage out. ."

Comments: User prompts and FAQs should be tailored to 3 categories: beginners, regular and expert users.

Pros: Ease of use, customizable and works well in a metals fabrication business. Stable engines and comprehensive data sets. This systems needs real, factual and accurate data input to produce reliable reports

Cons: Not cheap. Needs AI assist to increase new users productivity and learning curved in a shorter period of time.

Comments: LifeLine has been in business since 1991 and has grown to a mid-size business, with a 100,000 square foot warehouse and 75 employees. We used a lot of Excel spreadsheets and manual tracking, prior to Job Boss. We also had a manual punch time clock! In 2005, we began our search for new software that could meet both our current needs and continued growth. We needed software that could integrate and streamline our inventory, time and attendance, job costing, and accounting function all in one. We evaluated several different software systems, but decided on JobBoss based on a number of factors including cost, ease of use, service after the sale, and the ability to adapt the software to our specific setup. We purchased JobBoss, including the accounting and data collection modules, in March 2006 and provided ourselves with a nine-month window to implement it, going live on January 1, 2007. Implementation went well, with no major problems. We purchased and used 32 hours of on-site consulting to assist with the implementation, which I highly recommend. The consultant saved us a significant amount of time with implementation by providing one-on-one training, explaining set up options that similar companies successfully used, and helping us with importing data. We also took advantage of the free on-line training available through the portal. Fast forward to 2012, we have been extremely happy with the overall service, tech support, software upgrades and efficiency that JobBoss has provided our organization. JobBoss has eliminated the manual tracking and reporting system we previously used, has provided us with accurate job and labor costs, and continues to support our business needs as we continue to grow.

"Concise Data in One Spot"

Comments: Add the ability of multiple people working on a quote simultaneously, i.e. one person working labor & one person working material. Also, add the ability to see who is working inside a quote.

Pros: The ability to have production data and metrics in one system. Seeing this real time data is critical to making decisions for the company.

Cons: Difficult for users to create custom reports. Needs to have better method to store data, for example, all quote data files from the customer

Comments: As a Manufacturer we use Exact JobBoss throughout our organization. Our two locations are in SW Ohio, each with 30+ employees and 35,000 square feet of machining, welding and assembly operations. Most of our customers want a quick response. So scheduling is important, as well as tracking our costs. Using the JobBoss data collection system we are able to track jobs on the floor in real time. Our travelers are bar coded to reduce errors and allow employees to scan job information from the traveler. JobBoss does a nice job of continually improving the software. The current version is 11.5. Version 11 includes an upgrade to the scheduling module as well as improvements to other areas. Typically an upgrade is offered every 2 - 3 years with minor revisions each year. JobBoss input screens have a logical process layout and icons are placed so that you can check information easily in other areas. For instance, when entering an order it is easy to check stock status, profitability or quality data for past jobs. JobBoss has two very handy viewers. The first is ShopView, which is very helpful for checking order status and details on past orders. Right down to when the material was pulled and by whom. The second is ShopStats, which provides an excellent overview of the company. There are four tabs, Customers, Production, Vendors, Financial: each with key statistics for the past 6 months. JobBoss created a handy system for communicating events within your shop called ShopAlerts. Almost any event within JobBoss can be designated to trigger an email or an alert to any user. Re-order material, New Order release, Part scrapped, etc. Exact JobBoss is central to running our businesses and continues to be a valuable tool for us.

"Very happy for many years"

Comments: We got on board with Jobboss in the end of 1999 and have never looked back. We are a job shop and don't really take advantage of all the things jobboss can do but it really does work for us. We have the basic set-up and use it for simple quoting, time tracking, PO's (outgoing) and material tracking, job cost details. We have customized a few things in the house so this all works for us. Some of the old school things we can do are print a customer and vendor phone list and we put into a 3 punch folder. This is very handy when non-logged in departments just need a quick phone number. Job boss has a great learning tool that I have taken the time to watch videos and after years of working with job boss, I still learn something new. I really like their export tools as for the fact we live in a digital world.

Pros: Easy to use and understand. It can be a detail as you like. Sometimes you just need something quick.

Cons: There is a yearly cost to be on maintenance for every seat and if it is linked to accounting software like quickbooks

"JobBoss is a stable SQL database structured ERP. Good data in = Good data out!"

Comments: Some of the add on modules such as Serialization can be difficult to fix errors when users make mistakes.

Pros: JobBoss is a flexible and modular system that can expand with business growth. When utilized fully it can provide a complete view of order status and companywide financial health.

Cons: As with all database built ERP systems if you do not setup the system and your processes to flow with the core database links, you will have a difficult time getting useful data out of the system because you are not putting useful data in.

"Solid ERP System"

Comments: JobBOSS has allowed us to quickly create work orders from quotes which has saved time. Scheduling on JobBOSS has helped our supervisors/foreman plan much better than before.

Pros: I like that I can run the complete shop through one software. From quoting, purchasing, quality, scheduling and tracking. It has made operations run much smoother with all the information in one place.

Cons: The accounting module was not the best when we first started using it. I believe it has gotten better but have not used it again.

"We were able to reduce production lead time and increase on time delivery significantly, not to mention track costing more accurately"

Pros: Adaptability between job shop type production to repetitive manufacturing, real time labor tracking, finished inventory tracking.

Cons: All modules are contained within jobboss, meaning you cannot break modules out in separate windows to work in multiple modules at a time next to each other. the flipping back and forth causes errors from time to time. Raw material is not that easily maintained. It only shows you total amount of material in stock, and the work around ,per Jobboss support, to track individual pieces is too cumbersome to maintain with accuracy.

"JobBoss for a Sheet-metal Fabrication Shop"

Comments: We have used this product for over 2 years. It took a little bit to get the hang of it but it is one of the strongest tools we have in our shop now! There is no way we would go back to our old way of doing things!!

Pros: The one thing we like a lot is the quick overview that jobboss allows

Cons: we attach drawings and pictures to all of our part numbers. There is not a straightforward way to just say "ok I have attached a drawing right here now allow it to be shown on all operations" you have to manually enter the drawings on each operation which is ok but can take some time. If this was cleaned up then it would get my 5 starts for ease of use

"JobBOSS Review"

Comments: The company I worked for has had JobBOSS since 1989. I have been using JobBOSS for 3 years now. Overall it is straightforward and fairly easy to use. I'm looking forward to the 12.0 release which will hopefully improve the software even more.

Pros: Overall Ease of use.
Great tools available for custom reporting and database monitoring.

Cons: Scheduling module is tedious.
Quote, quantity specific tool can cause headaches with complex quotes.

"Jobboss review"

Comments: Jobboss is easy to use. It needs a lot more features and flexibility.
I do not think it has kept up the times. It has done a few updates here and there, but it has not done a major overhaul or improvement in years.
We have looked at other software and it can do so much more than Jobboss.
All Jobboss had done is add on utilities that you need to buy and they are not part of the program.
Most of the utilities should be part of the core of Jobboss. The main part of Jobboss just doesn't change or improve any.
I don't want to buy a ton of utilities to make Jobboss work like it should.

Pros: Easy to use.

Cons: No major improvements for a long time, only add on utilities or fixes.
Seems outdated compared with other software.
Not flexible to our needs.

Comments: Griffin Industries has been in business since 1983, and specializes in prototype and low lot machined castings. Working in the prototype world, timing is everything and our customers have come to expect quality parts in a short period of time. With the help of Exact JobBOSS and Synergy, we are able to see real time data for all of the jobs in our shop and manage them effectively. Throughout the years as Griffin grew, more and more excel spreadsheets and access databases were required to track the variety of information required. This often led to data entry errors, information not available when needed, and frustration throughout the organization. In 2008 we decided to pursue a software solution that was capable of handling the multitude of data required. We discovered Exact JobBOSS at IMTS in Chicago. After several demos and discussions with the sales staff at Exact, conversations with other Exact JobBOSS users, and internal meetings we made the decision to switch to Exact JobBOSS and Synergy. We went live in January of 2009 and have not looked back. Our implementation process went fairly smoothly, all things considered. I definitely recommend relying on the expertise of the consultants at Exact to help you through the conversion. They were able to review how we run our business, which helped us to let Exact JobBOSS do the work for us. Our biggest challenges were training shop floor personnel who had never touched a computer before to use Data Collection. Also, for the users to learn the system, to obtain the data they were looking for rather than relying on administrative support to supply it for them. Today we are using version 11.3.8 of Exact JobBOSS along with Exact Synergy ASP, and are very happy with it. We have eliminated almost all of the extra reports that were used outside of the system, to track information, with the reports supplied by JobBOSS. We have even written some custom reports. As a result, we have reduced our administrative staff from five full-time employees to three full-time employees. We continue to improve our processes and our use of the system. We look forward to upgrading to the newest 11.5 version of JobBOSS along with Synergy ESE with the help of the support staff at Exact.

Comments: We are a small manufacturing company (about 30 employees.) We have been in business since 1987 and have gone through a few systems prior to JobBOSS. Previous to JobBOSS we were using a program that would only run on an old UNIX system and the company we purchased it from was no longer in business. We researched a few companies after the decision was reached to switch to something more up to date and JobBOSS came to the front for a number of reasons. When we purchased JobBOSS back in 2002 they were not part of Exact. We felt that a smaller local company with a track record of success would provide us with more personalized support should issues arise. The ability to access the data directly (via MS Access or SQL) was important to us. With our old product the data was in a black box that we had no direct control over. The price was competitive for the features offered. Since purchasing the software in 2002, we have continued to be impressed by their support and commitment to their customers. We like that JobBOSS surveys customers for improvements that they add to the software. This makes us feel like we are really a part of the team and our opinions and needs matter. Support is, for the most part, very responsive. Short hold times and support representatives are friendly and knowledgeable. Since being purchased by Exact, JobBOSS’s commitment to customers and service hasn’t diminished. (As can be typical when smaller businesses are acquired) We like the ability to schedule our shop floor using the program. As well as how interconnected all aspects of the manufacturing processes are in this program. If material is late in arriving it lets you know the schedule is going to be affected. Before we purchased JobBOSS, scheduling was accomplished using paper/binders and calling or running back in forth to different people to get status updates. With JobBOSS all our information is a click away. The program had about a month long learning period but to get up and running it only took about a week. The program is also fairly intuitive, in our opinion, so that helps lessen the learning curve. I would have little trouble recommending Exact JobBOSS to any manufacturing shop. It has helped us become more aware of the bottlenecks in our own shop. It also provides in-depth insight into the entire manufacturing process from quote to shipment.

Comments: Starr Manufacturing Inc. has been using JobBoss for over 10 years. During this time, Starr has more than doubled the number of employees in production and grown from a $5M a year company to over $12M in yearly sales. This would not have been possible without our ERP backbone, JobBoss. Starr has purchased and utilizes just about every module JobBoss has to offer. The top reasons for Starr's success in using JobBoss are: - The ease and accuracy of setting up detailed quotes or job templates for one time or repetitive work and then launching very detailed information packets to the production floor. This has minimized the amount of work in process questions and the cost of quality.
- The MRP and inventory control functions have allowed Starr to minimize on hand raw material balances by 70% or almost $1M. By using JobBoss and some lean efforts to track and purchase materials we have the correct amounts of material when we need it but not in excess tying up valuable cash flow.
- Another huge step in our ability to service customer accounts was the implementation of customer parts inventory systems. We are able to define certain common customer parts as finished goods, and to produce them in larger batches using our MRP reports rather than producing one part at a time to a particular order.
- Data Collection has drastically improved our job cost reporting and eliminated the need for 1-2 employees to manually enter in old job transactions days or weeks after they occurred. This has transformed all of our JobBoss status reports. Giving us vital data to make important business decisions.
- Lastly JobBoss's integration with Exact Synergy has allowed Starr to go almost completely paperless with regards to our ISO 9001: 2008 quality system among many other benefits Synergy brings to the table. The document control feature and most importantly the definable process flows Synergy adds, ensure that quality processes are addressed promptly and by the correct people at all times. ISO audits have never been easier and participation by employees in the quality process has never been simpler and less dreaded. Starr could not generate or facilitate the amount of sales, with as few administrative employees that we have, without using this ERP solution. Exact Software and the JobBoss developers have been listening to customer feedback and we cannot wait to see some of the upcoming enhancements the team has made to make JobBoss an even better tool.

"We have used JobBOSS in our Mixmode Jobshop for 5 years."

Pros: The biggest advantage that we see in JobBOSS is that it is well-suited to the small manufacturer and job shop. The modules are functional for our day-to-day operations, which allowed us to standardize and increase our workload and throughput by at least 20%. The interface is user-friendly. We were able to implement the software very quickly compared to the software we were using. The workstations in the shop have given us a good handle on time collection. We also use the QuickBooks integration and it works flawlessly. Exact employees are very friendly and knowledgeable about their product. We get answers to our questions very quickly, and they are very helpful in solving problems we incur. The online portal is a huge asset for training new users and enhancements to the software’s customization.

Cons: As good as the program is, there is room for improvement. We think it is just a few enhancements away from greatness. The software has several glitches that have not been fixed in the five years we have been using it. For example, you lose the information you are entering into a job or purchase order if another user is updating a related job or material. Sometimes, the software locks up and has to be forced to close and restart. This usually happens when you are trying to delete a raw material in a Job and select a different material; it's some kind of access violation. The updates of information changes between modules is slow and can be frustrating. For example, if a raw material is received from a PO and you want to add that material to a job and pick it from the inventory, you have to close the jobs module and reopen it to get the new inventory update; this should occur instantly. A few other enhancements would be nice (e.g.: autofill on names fields, uses of Return key to tab between fields, and a simpler method of customizing basic forms like can be done in QuickBooks). We purchased the ShopBoss scheduling module with high hopes of solving our delinquent deliveries. After about two years of trying to implement this module, we abandoned it for our old manual method. The JobShop module needs a simpler and more flexible scheduling module. it requires way too much time in operator maintenance to keep it functional. In a job shop environment the schedule has to stay on the balls of its feet because the priorities are always changing. We can do the job faster than we can change the schedule in JobBoss.

"Solid Product with good flexability"

Comments: Our company has now used JobBOSS for around 4 years. We have found that the user interface is quite intuitive and straightforward to use. This is a plus when training new people on the system. Functionally, it has met most of the needs that we purchased it for. We loved the idea behind the scheduling module, but have found it to not be a good fit with our shop. We are primarily a custom high mix, low volume shop. This leads to many jobs that have potential to run in more than one pathway on the floor and most jobs are first run where we do not have a history of expected production run times to fall back on. We also have split our shop floor into three self directed production cells that have a fair amount of cross work. The self direction means many production decisions are made at the cell level and not at a command level. Because of these factors, we found that matching our shop floor to the scheduling module was exceptionally difficult unless we were willing to dedicate a full time person to keeping it accurate. In the end, we believe that the scheduling module would work better in a higher volume production environment with more of a top down command structure than how we operate. The reports that come with JobBOSS are reasonable, however, we have found that digging deeper into the data (at least the directions we looked) required special reporting. It is handy to have someone on staff who is comfortable working with SQL tables, data mining and creating custom reports. Exact does offer custom report creating. Just remember, it come at additional cost.

Pros: As someone who does look behind the scenes and works to dig data out of the system, I am impressed with the amount of information that JobBOSS does capture. Additionally, it is quite well organized in its structure. On the front end, the user interface is intuitive and lends itself to easy training.

Cons: Reporting. The stock reports are reasonable for a company that does not need to dig into its data very deeply. But the analysis at deeper levels would either require purchasing many custom reports or have someone on staff that can dig into the data and create custom reports. The scheduling module works best in an environment with minimal chance of perturbation. Systems that have a high degree of variation become hard to model accurately.

"Exact JobBOSS review"

Comments: Good Service generally and helpful on custom apps. We have done a bunch of them!

Pros: Good first level entry product. Lots of options for expansion. Priced well. works well for most of what we do

Cons: Could be easier to use. Search in fields could search the whole field instead of just in order. Need ability to reschedule batches of jobs or ops. Looking in the future to need better paperless abilities for the floor. This would be drawings, capacity dashboards. Also as things become more connected we are going to need ability to integrate to nesting

"JobBOSS as an ERP"

Comments: Overall we like the product and have good results with the support teams.

Pros: JobBOSS as a standalone is good, with some nice Crystal Reports added on. What makes it great is that there are quite a few add-ons available (for Quality, CRM, etc.) , plus it it stores all of its data in a SQL format that works well with Microsoft products.

Cons: I work mostly in the Finance/Accounting side of the business. There are some basic things that could be added in the next version upgrades.