I am starting a NEW 61-shop route on January 1st (if I decide to work) or January 2nd if I am a bad "shopper" on NYE. This is a new client for me and I will need to stay super organized prior to my trip, during and after. I will have to fill in hard copies of the report after performing each shop while everything is fresh in my mind. And photos are part of the project so I have to keep them organized within my camera. (That is a breeze for me.)

Is it less expensive to print the 14-page blank forms (again 61 shops!) from my home printer using my toner and lots of paper? Or would it be more economical to go to a self-copy store and suck up their toner and paper? Either way, my expenses are business-related and therefore tax deductible.

{Did I spell therefore correctly? It looks "weird" to me. I hate it when that happens. I am usually right the first time but then I wonder...}

I have a similar route coming up and will be going to my public library and making my paperwork packets there.

When I do large routes with multiple shops for the same client I create my own report sheet. A slim edited down version.

I do a lot of gas stations with photos. One station in particular I create a table with multiple boxes. Three tables/jobs to a sheet of paper. I only need to write down time in/out, name of cashier, description of cashier, if food service area was clean or dirty. I have small columns labeled ID/Canopy/Pump/Store/Overall in those columns I make quick notes that would refer to the pictures I have taken. For example if the canopy had peeling paint, dirty columns, column damage. I would quickly just jot down in the Canopy section... dirty/damage/paint bad. The rest of the story is told in photos. It saves me tons of paper and gives me an accurate report while saving time.

When I do these I do go to a copy store and print. Cheaper by far, I think my printer eats ink.

Also, just in case, many places don't allow their stores to be shopped on the 1st because it is a holiday. So you may check your guidelines and be bad on NYE!

My question is do you really need all 14 pages of paperwork? For the gas client who recently left CORI I created a cheat sheet. Their paperwork was seven pages with color including the LOA. My cheat sheet was only one page saving five sheets of paper and all that ink for each and every audit. In addition to the savings my cheat sheet also followed what I considered a more logical order for the audits and included boxes I could check off after taking a photo.

Since the audit began with pump purchase that was also my first photo for each location. After completing all the others my last photo would be the LOA. This gave me an easy to see beginning and end for each shop. I always have a mini stapler in the car so the report form, LOA and receipts would all be stapled together before driving off.

The cheapest copy store is the best! Even printing on quick print or draft my printer eats cartridges like crazy. If the report has lots of blank spaces , I print my original in a 2 page, horizontal form ( Landscape). My 14 page form is now 7 pages. It only works if you can still work with it at that size. The company I do this with wastes too much paper with too large of spaces for yes / no answers or check offs, so I can easily shrink and still read.
61 stop route! You people are truly ambitious!

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/30/2013 11:58PM by cindy55.

Great ideas everyone. Quick and productive responses...I love it!

@ SecretAgentMom ~ During the training session for this project, I asked the project manager if it was okay to perform the shop on January 1st and she said yes. Maybe I should get it in writing though.

@ Cettie ~ I didn't really think of the library. Due to economical cutbacks, most libraries in my area do not have the convenient hours like they used to have. Many are not open on weekends anymore. Kinda sad.

@ SecretAgentMom and LisaSTL ~ Which program did you create your "cheat sheet" in? I tried to do a copy and paste from the blank form (no idea what program created it) into MS Word and it came out pretty funky.

If this wasn't my first time performing this shop for this client or the large number of shops involved, I wouldn't be so worried. Since I will be on the road a lot, I just want to be as organized as possible prior to leaving home base. I have a milk crate that fits paperwork and files perfectly. And it is collapsible when not in use.

I heard one route is 110 shops or so. Is that you, Cettie? We can compare nightmare travel stories on the forum. :-D

Unfortunately most MSCs use formatting that makes it almost impossible to copy/paste. I used Excel because of how easy it was to create actual boxes for things only needing a check mark. At the time it was created I knew it would be used for dozens, if not hundreds of audits, so the time invested was worthwhile. As time went on I was able to add/delete or make other adjustments when changes were made.

I use MS Word because I most proficient in it. I don't copy/paste anything, but instead look at the original and recreate the questions to fit me.

I have one original form that has 4 questions about the food service area.
Is there a food service area? Was the food service area clean? Is it well stocked? Is there hot food?
My form simply has a box that says, Food Svc Y/N Clean Y/N Food? and then a space to add a word or two. I can circle my Y/N and add a word if needed like- filthy. You will remember (most likely) the details once you get into the reports online. You will remember when entering Oh yeah the cashier was a real pain in the butt and the restroom was filthy without having to make specific notes.

My columns for canopy, ID, Overall etc also represent each picture with a check box so I know I took the picture. Two things for one.

When you go on your route, take at least 1 original form with you. Since this is new to you, you will need to get a feel of the shop for yourself and make sure you don't forget anything. Are you doing all 61 in one shot or breaking it up? If you break it up, you will get a feel for how and in what order things get done for you. You will be able to make a smaller cheat sheet form easier this way too. As LisaSTL I carry a stapler in my car and staple the receipt to the shop form after I take a picture of it.

If this is an ongoing route, have you looked into a cheaper laser printer? I think the price per page should be cheaper, especially if you just print black and white. Who needs all that color? I change all of my printouts to use black ink only as it's way cheaper.

the chances of me ever printing 14 pages per a shop is never. As others
have said, there is no need to waste that much paper.

Shops that need photos of all negatives etc I dont even bother
with any separate sheet for each shop. I just have a single excel
made spreadsheet that lists all the locations with space for each
one to write down names/descriptions and unusual happenings

However, since this is your first big route, I would make a slimmed
down version. Having to fill out 14 pages at each shop is time consuming.
Most important thing is remembering the negatives. Then any questions
not marked you know are positive...

This may be a simple question, but then I am a simple person. Do you all set your printer to print in draft mode rather than regular? Save a lot of ink and looks fine.

Maybe I take chances that I shouldn't, but I only print one master evalution for all routes that I have to print my own stuff for. I then print the address page for each evaluation, (in draft mode), and I take numbered notes on the back of it at the location using the master eval as a reference. If the question is a 'yes', then I don't write down anything. I only take notes for 'no' answers.

How do you print in draft mode? I have never heard of that. I print on both sides but something new I needed to print was 24 pages! I had a cow. But, just this one time will I do that!

bjbrad02 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> How do you print in draft mode? I have never heard
> of that. I print on both sides but something new I
> needed to print was 24 pages! I had a cow. But,
> just this one time will I do that!

Click on preferences or properties when you print....then you should have an option for advanced settings or print preferences, it depends on your printer. You should see an option for 'economy', 'draft', or something similar. Click it, and your printer will print about twice as fast using half as much ink.

I have an Epson, and it is in 'properties', under the 'main' for me.

I always print in black only, in what I call "cheap-o" mode (draft), and our printer automatically duplexes, so two-sided printing is a snap.

The only time I use color is the rare occasions when I do a shop where I have to present a certificate. Even LOA's get all black and cheap-o printing. They're for me to keep, after all.

And, I like doing my own checklist for frequently done shops, too. Like Lisa, I am usually able to put things in a much more logical order!

Draft mode is great. But somehow my HP printer knows ways to override my settings and print in more ink-wasting modes. It loves presentation mode.
Oh, it is sneaky. It also refuses to print so I press the print button several times and then it spits out 7 copies, wasting ink. It also stops printing halfway through a page.

I have to reset my Lexmark to quick print, and black only every time I print anything. But it still takes less time to reset than to wait for a regular page to print. I also use my cartridges about 3 months after they say they are empty. This is for my no real need to look great printing. I use a Brother for all the photos, and all the really good looking print outs.

bgriffin Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If this is an ongoing route, have you looked into
> a cheaper laser printer? I think the price per
> page should be cheaper, especially if you just
> print black and white. Who needs all that color?
> I change all of my printouts to use black ink only
> as it's way cheaper.


Yes, I already use a laser printer in the "save toner" mode or whatever it is called. I never got into the color printers and I have always preferred the sharpness of a laser over an inkjet. I also buy the high yield toners on Amazon.com which are more cost effective. I buys reams of paper in bulk when it is on sale at Office Depot. I am a rewards member there.

I use Fast Draft printing on my HP Inkjet which is found under Preferences. I am currently dog sitting and having to use the SIL's Canon which just says "Fast" when I bring up the options. It's currently running out of ink so I will have the job of going to Staples and picking up new cartridges. I don't think he and the family know about the draft feature as he says he goes through the cartridges pretty quickly. I used up my cartridges fast, too, until I started printing everything in draft.

If you really feel that you need the whole survey each time that you make notes, I suggest that you invest in a set of different color ink pens, of the el cheapo brands carried at Staples, etc. That way you can take as many notes on each cory of the survey as you have colors of ink. Just be sure to code at the top of the first page which location goes with with color of ink. When I did a new route of identical shops I wanted the extra security of having the who;e survey in the car and this worked just great.

I agree with you, walesmaven. Since this is my first route with this client and it is larger and a more widespread area that anything I have done in the past, I just want to make sure that I have all my ducks in a row so things will go as smoothly as possible. There are many factors that I will have no control over such as weather and car accidents/traffic. So why make things worse for myself like missing paperwork?

I already use blue and red ink pens. The blue shows up better on my B&W laser printer copies. Red is to flag an issue or I write DONE, the date and time the report was submitted, and a confirmation number if applicable. But I see a purple pen in my near future. :-)

Thanks everyone!

Cettie Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I have a similar route coming up and will be
> going to my public library and making my paperwork
> packets there.



I have shopped a long time, over 10 years, and I make my own 'cheat sheets' as I don't want to waste all that paper. Obviously, you know the co's want to know about employee's actions, attitude, etc.. so I don't add in that.. I completely use abbreviations, including my medical background ones & I can shorten most jobs up in one page..

Shop2LiveinFL Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I heard one route is 110 shops or so. Is that
> you, Cettie? We can compare nightmare travel
> stories on the forum. :-D


There is a route in my area that is 110 strong. I was looking into it... I laughed right out loud. At least in my area (Massachusetts) there is one shop that is out on Martha's Vineyard, this one little station is going to cost over $100 for who ever decides to take the route. The reason, you need to take the ferry. One way is 40 minutes and only runs every 1:15 minutes(so 40 min there, 40 min back and 1:15 waiting to return this is a total of 2 hours and 35 min) and the cost of going there (providing the ferry is running due to weather ect.) a total of $103 round trip.

I was looking into doing a route but this is not something I am going to take on. Yikes!

I have a route of a different brand with 150 shops. It is good money but miserable. All the extra gas become a burden. You have to have at least 10% done a week with not enough weeks to only do 10%. I can't get rid of gas fast enough to work. Never thought gas would be a burden, but it is.

They made a route of 50 of these and offered them to me. Half of them are an hour west. Half are 2 hours south. Some are night only and some any time. I am not familiar enough with the areas to even consider doing them because of the night time requirement. Gas stations aren't the best of places to hang out and depending on the area, night time isn't a good choice at all!

When I do multiple shops for the same company, I print the paperwork ONCE. I then number (in colored marker) every question. I take a sheet of blank (lined) paper, and number down the side.

I take as many blank sheets as needed. I head each sheet with the location, shop #, etc.

In effect, the questions are color coded to the original paperwork. After I do the first shop, I make any adjustments necessary.

I don't like the expense of all that copying, either.

And I don't like WASTING my time, my money, or paper.

cease

LisaSTL Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Unfortunately most MSCs use formatting that makes
> it almost impossible to copy/paste. I used Excel
> because of how easy it was to create actual boxes
> for things only needing a check mark. At the time
> it was created I knew it would be used for dozens,
> if not hundreds of audits, so the time invested
> was worthwhile. As time went on I was able to
> add/delete or make other adjustments when changes
> were made.




HINT: print key

I also created my own forms. I got it down to a single page. Saves a lot in printing. For the gas company that recently left CORI I didn't even use a sheet. I caught everything I needed to know in photos. If I didn't have a photo of the credit card applications by the counter then I knew that there were credit card applications by the counter. On the back of the LOA I wrote the numbers 1, 2, 3 etc depending on what order I was doing them and wrote the same number on the back of the receipt. Then on the back of the LOA I wrote how many pay points there were, the cashiers name and description etc.,

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/01/2014 09:13PM by jpgilham.

I use an 8.5x14 legal size sheet [landscape format] for my cheat sheet. I have the demographics that I abbreviate in boxes, then a space for notes, which is mainly to remind me if I need to listen to the recording of the shop for something special. I can get about 20 shops on a sheet.

I found the toner saver, but it took a while! I didn't realize it existed. So why have the other way when this can be used? What are the pros and cons.