Master Piece Solutions

Masterpiece Software FAQ

We've gathered the most frequently asked questions regarding the Masterpiece Manager Software, and placed the answers here for you.

How long have you been in business, and how did you get started?

In 1994, the founders moved to Breckenridge Colorado, where they purchased an Art Gallery. Not finding any appropriate gallery software to run their own art gallery, the owner began writing his own software, specifically tailored to the consignment based business.

After some months, one of their artists mentioned the software to another art gallery owner, who wanted to purchase the system. In early 1996, the gallery was sold, and the owners began the process of getting the gallery software ready for market. It was necessary to build in features which allowed galleries to enter information such as sales tax rates, artist names, and other details which were unique to their own gallery.

Formerly a software engineer, the owner's technical experience, along with the fact that he has personally owned and operated a gallery, gives him a deep understanding of the issues facing art galleries. This has allowed him to create a system which is able to address the concerns of consignment based businesses.

The Masterpiece Gallery Manager was released to Art Gallery Owners and Managers in August 1996.

The system is not only in use in Art Galleries. Artists, Antique Dealers, Fine Crafts, Wine and Jewelry stores have also purchased the system to manage their businesses.

There is NO OTHER ART GALLERY SOFTWARE on the market today that covers the many features of The Masterpiece Gallery Manager.

Can I add a new piece of inventory or add a new client without having to exit the sales screen?

YES ! While you are in the sales screen, you can use a QUICK sale to sell a piece which is not already entered on the system. This means you can use the system for POS beginning the first day you install it and still get the benefits of the sales, consignment, and other reports. And, if your client is not already on the system, his or her details will automatically be added to the mailing list directly from the sales screen. (If they are on the system, their details will be brought into the sales screen so that you don't have to type in their address and other information again!)

What if I need to do a discount on the sale?

The computer is, after all, a big calculator! If you need to discount an individual item, or all the items for the sale, the system will figure the discount for you! It will even compute the amount to discount the consignment to the artist (if you want it to.) When a piece is discounted, the system records what the original asking price and consignment was, so that you have a permanent record of the discounts made.

Does the system print Mailing Labels?

YES! The system will print mailing lists and labels for you. It will even generate a merge file for you to import into your word processor. When a client makes a purchase, the information is automatically related to the mailing list so you can print labels for a particular artist, location, or keyword. And you can easily add names to the mailing list for potential clients who have not yet made a purchase. Use these features to generate invitations, announcements, thank you cards, or any other correspondence.

BUT WAIT! THAT'S NOT ALL! The system ALSO generates EMAIL lists that you can use with other email programs, OR, you can broadcast an email, including digital images, directly from Masterpiece.

Can you copy my data from an old program so I don't have to enter it again? How much does it cost?

We can almost definitely copy your mailing list from an old system so you won't have to enter your client list again. Most client lists have pretty much the same information, names, addresses, phone numbers, etc. So, while there are no guarantees, we have done this hundreds of times in the past.

We have also had great success in translating Inventory lists from other programs, but this usually takes longer because not all of the information is the same for every system.

The fee for translating data is $100/hour. A typical mailing list usually takes us about 30 minutes. Inventory can take anywhere from an hour to a day. The more work you do to "clean up the list" before we begin, the better. We're happy to give you a quote before we begin.

Can the system run on a network?

Of Course! Network features are already built into the system so you don't need a different version to run on a peer-to-peer windows network, or a Novel network.

We also support SQL server. This type of database is what the "big boys" use to manage data over a wide area network. If you have lots of computers, or multiple locations, call us to discuss this option.

Can the system tell me how much, and when, to pay my suppliers?

YES! The system tracks all of your inventory, whether owned or on consignment. Even if you have a canvas on consignment and you put the frame on it, the system will distinguish who owns what. This means that when the piece is sold, the system will track the amounts due to the artists. This is true even if the piece has been discounted or is being sold on layaway.

I have loaded the CD and now it is asking for my Username and Password. What are they?

Obviously, we don't know the names of the operators you will be using with your system . As shown in the Operator Names section of the installation guide/tutorial, the system is shipped out with a generic operator name and password. Call technical support if the password shown in your guide does not open the program. Once you are in the system, you can change operator names by selecting the PASSWORDS option from the CHANGE menu. This is also the screen where you determine which operators have access to different levels of information about your gallery. You can use this feature to prevent new staff from viewing or changing items on the system.

When I am modifying a report layout, how do I save my changes?

Masterpiece uses a very powerful report generator which allows you to modify many of your own reports. This means that if, for example, you would like to add your own logo to the Customer's Invoice, you can do it. After modifying a report, press CTRL-F4 to save your changes.

What is VNC, and do I need it?

The staff at Masterpiece Solutions are committed to ensuring that you are and remain completely satisfied with the system. (Please see the Testimonials page on this web site.) As such, we offer various levels of training and support, depending on your requirements. VNC is a product which allows two computers to talk to each other and show the same screens and mouse movements on both computers. We use VNC for both training and support. We can actually see what you are doing and walk you through any questions you might have.

Although VNC is not needed to run Masterpiece, it is a valuable tool which will for us supporting you remotely. We do recommend you have a copy. It is available for download for free in our download center or it comes supplied on our initial CD.