Global variable in any framing software?

Andrew Lenz Jr.

MGF, Master Grumble Framer
Joined
Oct 18, 2007
Posts
673
Location
Santa Cruz, Calif.
Are there any global variables that can be set in any of the framing packages? I know FrameReady doesn't have it.

For instance, you could set a value in the program, say, AverageStaffHourlyPay. Then you could reference that variable in pricing formulas that are dependent significantly on labor.

Like:
canvasprice = AverageStaffHourlyPay divided by 60 x 3 x UI + 5
(or whatever, just made that completely up on the fly)

The idea is that you can change one value in the software and then it populates all the formulas appropriately when you have a staff pay rate increase.

In FrameReady, you have to manually go in and change all the values in the all the formulas. This might be 50 formulas! Kind of a pain.

Andrew
 
So if you want to increase prices across the board you just enter one number and instantly all your prices reflect that global increase?

Sounds like a cool idea.

framer
 
Yes, that could also be a use for it too, though that isn't what I specifically had in mind for the global variable.

We've been running a propriety program for pricing that I wrote in BASIC in the mid-1980s—over 90,000 hours of operation now. Early on, I wanted an easy way to do pricing creases in a pinch and added exactly what you just mentioned, a single variable that can raise (or lower) all the prices by a percentage. (In my program, glass wasn't included as we've been basing that on local glass shops and keeping our price less.) If I don't have time to analyze every item independently, I can still do a blanket increase on (almost) all our framing prices.

In my case, I'm hoping to have a global variable that I can use to update pricing based on payroll changes. For instance, California just passed a law that will be raising minimum wage to $15/hour over the next 6 years or so. It doesn't affect us immediately—our staff makes over current minimum wage, with the exception of our assortment of part-time student helpers who do . . . those positions will eventually be replaced with maybe one more full-time person instead. Unfortunately, we won't be hiring any more students for their first job. But I digress. I'd like a global variable to be able to easily update labor values in our pricing formulas. So not a direct percentage on the prices, but a value in the formulas that, in turn, affects the prices.

We bought a used copy of FrameReady, but haven't pulled the trigger on implementing it.

Andrew
 
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