jrb: thanks for the info. I like the idea of putting each company as a seperate tab, but didn't start it that way and now I'm too far in LOL

So 30/month is small potatoes? Really? I know I would love to do that many a month but so many of them don't allow kids and I'm a stay at home mom.

I am going to look into Google calendar now. I think it will make it such much easier. As of lately, I've just been writing them in on a small monthly calendar.

Thanks again for the feedback all.

I appreciate all the information here on "getting organised". I have just started using a free program from Google called Google Calendar. I think it will work out well.

A lot of divergent and convergent views are great! I learn everyday!

Don / Las Vegas


jrb51503 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I'm pretty small potatoes (only 30/month) and
> here's the method that works best for me:
>
> When I'm assigned a shop, I set up an appointment
> in Google calendar with date, time and a 1-day
> reminder. It shows me at a glance how many shops
> I have scheduled (I color-code mystery shops in
> blue since I use the calendar for other things).
>
> Then I go to my Excel Mystery Shopping Worksheet,
> where I have a separate tab for each mystery
> shopping company. The main heading on each
> company's tab has a link to the log-in on their
> website, my u/n & pw, notes, such as "use ie
> explorer" or "pays by check". Then, the column
> headings are: Paid, Completed, Date Due/Scheduled,
> Company Name, Address, Mileage, Reimb Amt, Fee,
> Confirmation #, and Notes.
>
> When I get a new shop, I enter the info and move
> that tab to the far left so all of the upcoming
> shops are in one place. When I complete the shop,
> I move the tab to the right of the last unfinished
> shop tab. When all shops on that tab are paid, I
> move it to the far right. So on my worksheet, the
> upcoming & unpaid shops are on the left and the
> paid shops are on the right.

Strevel Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I appreciate all the information here on "getting
> organised". I have just started using a free
> program from Google called Google Calendar. I
> think it will work out well.

Google Calendar and more so Gmail changed how I do things. As recently as a month ago I used Yahoo mail exclusively. The problem with Yahoo is that the free version doesn't support any type of forwarding. I kept wanting to pick up a business verification with Trendsource but was always late to the party when the emails would go out. I learned that with a simple filter I could have Google forward an email from Trendsource directly to my phone as a text message, so I would be notified instantly when one of the BV emails came out. I was hooked. Changed the primary email for each of 60+ MSC accounts and never looked back. I can turn it on and off at will and forward any other company's email if I wish.

As for Google Calendar, sort of the same thing. Notifications by email and/or text message are huge for me. I never, ever forget a shop, and my memory isn't that great. Good stuff, and free!

I too use3d to use Yahoo exclusively for all my email. However, they are so "me me mine mine" in the way they operate their email system and all that touches it that it is damned difficult to use them. I tried toi use them for Google groups and they would change things, or far worse, refuse to operate within normal parameters period. In order to use a google group you would have to do things that would render the services of Google / Yahoo useless. Useless I can do on my own . I do not need Yahoo to ~"insure "useless"., hahahaha

So, I moved everything over to gmail and really love it. I can forward easily, I can create and send PDF files (the scanning we have to do as shoppers)! as well as other things are great. I can search my emails by job number, I can do so much more using gmail that i was not able to do before gmail. I can even make all the shopping related mail go into one folder so that I do not have to sort thru all my emails to get that several I want. Its great. In some ways its about like cooking over wood and fire and then the very next day have a wonderful gas/elec oven with a microwave. There is cat, a calendar program , the ability to respond to emails offline then send them later when online (I learned that in our group here) and a lot more.

I love gmail! www.gmail.com www.google.com for reference. Its really a personal thing, some will like it and some will choose to enjoy where they are.

Don, Las Vegies, NV.



I might add at this point that i do not work for google and do not beneit from them in any way.

raisitup Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Strevel Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I appreciate all the information here on
> "getting
> > organised". I have just started using a free
> > program from Google called Google Calendar. I
> > think it will work out well.
>
> Google Calendar and more so Gmail changed how I do
> things. As recently as a month ago I used Yahoo
> mail exclusively. The problem with Yahoo is that
> the free version doesn't support any type of
> forwarding. I kept wanting to pick up a business
> verification with Trendsource but was always late
> to the party when the emails would go out. I
> learned that with a simple filter I could have
> Google forward an email from Trendsource directly
> to my phone as a text message, so I would be
> notified instantly when one of the BV emails came
> out. I was hooked. Changed the primary email for
> each of 60+ MSC accounts and never looked back. I
> can turn it on and off at will and forward any
> other company's email if I wish.
>
> As for Google Calendar, sort of the same thing.
> Notifications by email and/or text message are
> huge for me. I never, ever forget a shop, and my
> memory isn't that great. Good stuff, and free!

Strevel Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> I might add at this point that i do not work for
> google and do not beneit from them in any way.
>

:-) I don't work for Google either, but I benefit from them in a whole LOT of ways.

It is for a reason that to "Google" something has become an acceptable and understandable transitive verb in the language for researching something.

Even after using my Gmail shopping address for more than 5 years and saving emails like a packrat, I am using less than 1/8th of the available space for my emails and it is still darn accurate about figuring out what is junk to send to the junk mail folder.

I touch base with family members just about every day, regardless of where they live, by IM, even if it is just sending a wave. It makes for a good way to know that everybody is ok without the interruption of a phone call or email, though both of those are used if/when there is more to be communicated.

And yes, there are other providers that can do the same things. I just don't happen to find that they do them as well--or at least they didn't do them as well when I tried to use them, and now I am Google-spoiled.

I'm an IT tech person with a little shopping on the side...

I use Dropbox on my PC and Android phone so I can see every shop report, receipt, etc I have ever done from anywhere I am. Also, my shop instructions are there. It's free.

I use Google Mail, Google Calendar, and Google Voice. All shops are scheduled thru my Google Calendar. Before a shop, I add a text version of the instructions to the calendar entry so I can quickly look at it. I leave some space for names, descriptions, etc. Every time I update on the pc or phone, it syncs.

I also built a local website with all my shop data, expenses, etc. Kind of like excel but easier for me and I wanted a challenge. If anyone is a tech person and wants it, I can send it. It does require some knowledge of SQL database & IIS web... and if you have that, maybe you can help make it better!