Fab's AutoBackup 6 Pro - a must have tool for techs

[pcpete]

That is not what I meant. Of course version 7 will be fine to make money, even for V6 customers who will want to upgrade if new features are worth it. The problem I had is that I was adding the features to V6 because of the time required for me to make a new V7 and current customers that would not want to wait that long for them.
The most valuable for me now is to keep these features for V7. When it will be out, current customers could ask for a discount if I sell it the same way as V6. I admit I am thinking about subscription plan with a very low price (I think about a price around $7 per month). That would not harm businesses that make money from the software and much more valuable for me, even with a small percentage of subscribers among my current customers. This is something I have to think about since that is not easy to do with the online shop I am running now.

7/month is too low. People who are using your product are making good money and don't have an issue paying for a product which saves them time(equals money). It probably saves us $500 to $1000/month in labor. Seriously $12.95/month is a bargain

 

[fincoder]

@fabs I just transferred data to a new computer for a client, using Fabs Autobackup Pro.

The emClient database restored onto the new computer cannot be opened by the newly installed emClient app. When run it gets an message that the database needs to be checked then FAIL due to the accounts.dat file being open by another process (same after restarting the computer).

This client has emClient v7.1.3 on the old computer, and I believe I've installed the exact same version (from the setup file in their download folder), also tried a newly downloaded setup file with the same problem.

Maybe something's changed in recent versions of emClient? Have you or anyone else tried this successfully in recent times?

For the case I'm working on, fortunately I still have the original computer that works so I'm trying the backup/restore feature in emClient.

 

[fabs]

@fincoder I do not know yet. This feature is a bit old now and emClient may have changed the way it works.
I am installing this on a Win7 VM, setup a mail profile (let's start with a default GMail account) and will try transferring it to a Win10 machine.
I will post back when I will have result.

 

[fabs]

Well, so far, same result restoring emClient to a different user profile name on the Win10 machine. This accounts database file is encrypted, so, whatever is inside, it does not look recoverable. Once the machine will have rebooted (installing updates...), I will try to delete the file to see what happens next.

 

[fabs]

If the file is deleted, the same things happens with 2 more database files and finally, emClient starts as new with nothing inside
Same issue if the Windows user name is the same between source and target computer.
Worse : same thing when transferring to another user profile on the same machine. Not good at all.
I have posted in their forum to know if they have tips to move emClient from a not booting computer to another: https://forum.emclient.com/emclient...t-start-after-manual-copy-to-another-computer

I hope they will have something good or I will have to remove that feature from Fab's AutoBackup

 

[fabs]

@fincoder :

Woohoo! , I got it (by myself!)
To make your emClient up and running again, you need to add a "dbcheckmagic" string value in the registry at "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\eM Client" and set its value to "2" (without the quotes).
I have been able to get it to work after that.
Then, I will update the emClient feature to handle this registry trick

 

[fabs]

OK, I have a development version that adds the registry value almost ready to be released. Just a few more tests with it and it will be out.

 

[HCHTech]

so I'm trying the backup/restore feature in emClient.

Anytime an LOB application has it's own internal backup/restore functionality, I would use that to take a backup before a nuke & pave (and do the restore from within the app on the new install). Quickbooks comes to mind, but I have used this idea successfully with many database apps - practice management stuff for docs, church membership applications, estate tax managers for attys, there are lots of examples. It's just good sense that this would have a better chance of success. Also, if something doesn't work and you call their support - you will have the right answer when they ask "Do you have a backup?". haha.

 

[fabs]

I have just released Fab's AutoBackup 6 V6.11.1.31299.
Change log:
Version : 6.11.1.31299
Date : 09/28/2017
Changed/Fixed :
- Data was copied to the current user profile when creating a new account in restore mode (I have found this one while investigating the eM Client issue. thanks @fincoder !).
- Latest eM Client versions (7.x) were not able to start after data restore or transfer.

The update is ready for download!

@fincoder To fix your customer's eM Client, just run the restore again with this version and the registry value will be set. Then you will be able to start eM Client again.

 

[glricht]

I have just released Fab's AutoBackup 6 V6.11.1.31299.
...

The update is ready for download!

@fincoder To fix your customer's eM Client, just run the restore again with this version and the registry value will be set. the you will be able to start eM Client again.

Once again, great customer service! Way to go Fabs!

 

[Your PCMD]

7/month is too low

Seriously $12.95/month is a bargain

And then you stand to have customers (we) looking for other options - generally free options - to do the job that paid software does. I'll admit, that's what I do. I don't pay monthly for lets say invoicing, I use InvoicePlane. Its free, open source and I can tweak the code to how I want it. There comes a point along the way that customers (we) think how much is too much. Its not the fact that $7/mo is too little, but do a bit of math. If @fabs has 200 customers, thats $1400/mo. Not bad considering it's a complete solution for what its intended for. But take something like RepairShopr @ $50/mo. The same 200 customers bring in $10k/mo for the OMA plan or $20k/mo for the RepairShopr plan. That is excessive IMO for something that is also a complete solution but is basically automated. Add to that the addons at an $xx/mo as well and your up there in monthly cost.

As I have said many times, I prefer the one and done method. However, I don't mind paying for something that makes me money, like @fabs, but things like RepairShopr doesn't make me money. As I stated, I use InvoicePlane for invoicing and I use my own ticketing system that I made with php, SQL and bootstrap.

I know, I am a cheapskate, but for small businesses, we look for the cheapest solution that works for what we intend to use it for. If your a company that makes thousands per month, then you probably have no issue paying monthly for certain things.

I have just released Fab's AutoBackup 6 V6.11.1.31299

Thank you @fabs.

 

[fincoder]

The update is ready for download!

@fincoder To fix your customer's eM Client, just run the restore again with this version and the registry value will be set

Wow @fabs you're a genius!

I wasn't putting pressure on you to fix it this quickly, as I mentioned I still have the original working computer so I used emClient's built-in backup/restore feature. I just tried it again on my workbench PC using your latest version and I can confirm it worked perfectly! Thanks for your efforts.

 

[Your PCMD]

I can confirm it worked perfectly! Thanks for your efforts.

Great to hear. Now send him $7.

 

[fabs]

Wow @fabsI wasn't putting pressure on you to fix it this quickly

I know that. The fact is that this issue could be some kind of disaster if someone had to deal with eM Client, wiped the disk and reloaded the files. In this case, there was no obvious way to get access to it again. This sounded like an emergency case for me.
BTW, keep your $7

 

[HCHTech]

things like RepairShopr doesn't (sic) make me money.

Then you are using it wrong. The automated two-week followup emails alone bring in a few jobs every month, which easily eclipse the cost.

 

[Your PCMD]

Then you are using it wrong. The automated two-week followup emails alone bring in a few jobs every month, which easily eclipse the cost.

I get that with my free ticketing software. But I see what your saying.

 

[fabs]

Well,
I cannot ignore that subscription model is annoying for most people because more and more software are going this way. Also, this will be a huge pain in the *ss for me to make Fab's AutoBackup subscription compliant, so, I do not feel comfortable with this either.
Instead, to ensure recurring revenues without going to subscription model, I am thinking about a one time payment including updates and upgrades for a year. This way, if someone orders let's say a "Fab's AutoBackup 7 Pro" license, updates will be free for a year and if a "Fab's AutoBackup 8 Pro" comes out within this period, the upgrade will be included without additional cost. Keeping it up to date every year should not be a problem for shops using it on a regular basis since it pays for itself pretty fast (if not then it is not even needed!). For people who do not want to renew their update/updgrade access, the program will still work like it used to do but without ability to download updates. Since it always points to the latest build, the download link on the order's history page will be disabled too.
Finally, I will also increase the program's price to EUR69 instead of EUR45 (80$ instead of 52$ at today's rates). That should not be too high and it is finally close to the 7$/month I used to talk about. That would be fine for me and in my opinion, it is fair enough for almost everyone.

 

[GTP]

Hey @fabs So that's a jump from AU$49 to AU$104.95 Still for that price it is worth having if updates are included for a year.
When does the new pricing start?
Thanks

 

[TAPtech]

We would be onboard as well. We probably use the tool about once or twice a month, and every time I use it I find that is doing even more work for me. Just noticed the QuickBooks serials being saved- that in itself is a big timesaver.

Actually, what would save even more time is if you could scrape the list of company files that were in QuickBooks so we can remap them all!

 

[fabs]

Hey @fabs So that's a jump from AU$49 to AU$104.95 Still for that price it is worth having if updates are included for a year.
When does the new pricing start?
Thanks

Is not that AU$68.38 to AU$104.95 instead?
The new pricing will start at Fab's AutoBackup 7 release. Its development is started but I have no road map for it. I work on this when I can. Nothing changes in a close future