Fishbowl

Avantages

This software was easy to use and easy to implement. The hardest part of the entire process was inputting our huge inventory into the system. Once we had a great method set up though, that part became easy. With the ability to scan barcodes, this program became our go to for inventory tracking. Would happily recommend this to anyone working in a warehouse who needs to keep track of all of their material.

Inconvénients

I just wish that they had a cloud backup of all of the data we collect. Other than that, everything about this software has helped tremendously.

Avantages

It's a very efficient to provides features that helps businesses to manage their inventory effortlessly. The software is very easy to use and offers great features like Inventory management, Sales and purchasing, Manufacturing management, etc.

Inconvénients

It's little bit hard to fix problems without having support from their team. Other than this I didn't have any issue with the software.

Avantages

Easy to use. Intuitive and easy to learn. Works well to manage our inventory. Some good reports that are standard. Integrate well with other programs.

Inconvénients

Troubleshooting can be challenging. The length of time it takes to get a call back from support isn't ideal when your down.

Avantages

How robust the software was and how versatile it can be.

Inconvénients

Don't have any dislikes yet. We have only been using for about a month.

Alternatives envisagées 

Avantages

straight forward interface. intuitive to use

Inconvénients

hard to fix problems without having to talk to fishbowl. but they are usually very responsive when i have a problem

Avantages

Easy to use, it is always growing with our company. This software is always evolving. This is our main database. Customer Service has always been great.

Inconvénients

We would love if we could make our own reports and labels with out using ireport. Unless you have knowledge of crystal reports, its not easy. The ability to change how our invoices look and add more information our pick reports from the sales order.

Avantages

Super Customizable. able to track all the things. Auto triggers other departments to take actions when needed.

Inconvénients

User interface feels clucky. No Cloud options. Very Limited LTL integration

Alternatives envisagées 

Pourquoi passer à Fishbowl

Avantages

Easy to use, lots of customizability options, and the mobile app is great especially for taking pictures.

Inconvénients

I appreciate regular updates but I am afraid to update to new versions; twice now we've experienced problems upon updating (within 6 months of owning the software). The first update corrupted the images in our database and replaced our images with the bike shop demo images. The second problem occurred with a recent update, we can't export to QuickBooks because it says sales tax isn't set up. The other problem I seem to have is my labels don't print with my Brother printer, they print ok with the Zebra printer purchased, but better printer support would be ideal.

Avantages

Fishbowl is easy to use and is consistently updated to fix bugs and offer changes or new features.

Inconvénients

Would love to see an update to the email function as it could be easier to use. There are also a few limiting factors that we work around when we integrate a new EDI Trading Partner.

Avantages

Seems to be a one stop shop for full inventory management

Inconvénients

Still discovering all of its features, would like to learn how to utilize it fully.

Avantages

Seamless integration to quickbooks made the setup a breeze

Inconvénients

The software is not easily manageable where fluctuations in yields can be present

Avantages

Ease of use, it hasn't taken more that a day or so to get new users up and running in their departments. WE have several Fishbowl subject matter experts that have picked up the more advanced stuff in a few weeks.

I've never had to wait more that 24 hours for a support issue, and if its urgent I can usually get support that day.

Our integration partner has been fantastic and Fishbowl is working flawlessly with our Quickbooks and website, we've even had a few custom reports made to expand our inventory control.

Inconvénients

The one feature i would really like to see is a "make from" function. So I can use raw material, make parts from it, and have Fishbowl consume the raw material and add in the parts made from it. I know I can get around this with a bill of materials but it can consume a lot of time for a simple procedure.

Avantages

It is easy to track and trace different products and lot numbers.

Inconvénients

It would be beneficial to have the ability to view/print pick reports after a work order is finished. It does tend to freeze if the program is left open but unused on our computers.

Avantages

They are affiliated with quickbooks (which does nearly everything Fishbowl will do with a couple add ons).

Inconvénients

Sales will say the software can do everything needed for inventory/purchasing, customer support really doesnt understand your business so they cant effectively address software concerns, you have to pay prior to onsite training, you cant really get your concerns fully addressed until onsite training, you can get the "satisfaction guaranteed" (read the fine print) training cost back if your concerns are not resolved. Inventory and purchasing modules did not seem to work well for just enough just in time manufacturing. Your work flow from sales order to work order to BOM to inv levels better be perfect for the software to even allow you to get paperwork to the shop to start a job (regretfully at our company we have to improvise on occasion to get a job going). You hear we can customize for your application often. If you start hearing that a lot from them, this is not your solution.

Avantages

Hard to imagine what I could recommend about this software. About the only positive is the screen layout is easy to read.

Inconvénients

Where to start... to print any info you need to call it a report, of which you only get a few with the price. Every additional is hundreds per report. So we were extremely limited in how we used it. We had to work around it rather than it working for us.

Avantages

Easy to use, interfaces with Quickbooks.

Inconvénients

The exportable reports are not user friendly. Even the .csv file need significant manipulation.

Avantages

Easy to navigate and I love the lay out of general screen.

Inconvénients

When we use it sometimes we put it in first name then last name, however if someone else puts it in last name then first, it creates a double name and that is very so confusing. I would love for it to be all uniform.

Avantages

Competence of support. I don't think I've ever called in and been able to speak to someone right away (that would be nice) but I always get a call back within an hour. The support techs always fix the issues and always take the time to work through things carefully, regardless of time.

Inconvénients

Frequent hang ups with Quickbooks connection forces us to restart FB server. Overall database slowness for MS Access reporting.

Avantages

For me most impactful features are inventory management and shipment tracking functionalities.

Inconvénients

I have not come accross any disadvantages of the software

Avantages

The ease of use is what I love most about this software!

Inconvénients

So far everything has been great and I haven't had too many issues.

Avantages

Their tech support is nonexistent their software updates are horrendous. Not forthcoming about lack of development one their system

Inconvénients

everything, their tech support is probably the thing I dislike most

Avantages

Easy to navigate and easy to understand and troubleshoot.

Inconvénients

Every time I create a location, I need to log back in. I have to create one location at a time and it is a waste of time.

Avantages

A powerhouse for inventory control. Works well with ecommerce. Customer support is second to none.

Inconvénients

Moderate learning curve. (But, you'll get over it). Its a little bit ugly looking. There are a lot of updates. But, that isn't so bad. Don't be lazy.

Avantages

Speed to implementation and value. The customer support team is also one of the best teams I have worked with in a long time. The people who answer the phone can solve the challenge. Very great to work with. USA based! I feel confident with them that they will solve the challenge when I call.

Inconvénients

What I like least is what I say is the most important to avoid. I tell all customers to minimize customization of products and keep them as close as possible to out of the box. This is difficult with business that are accustom to their old processes. Simply it has good workflow but it is what it is. Make sure it answers your needs.

Avantages

Ease of use; well supported. The software is intuitive. If there is something we can't figure out, the fishbowl staff is there to help.

Inconvénients

Clicking and dragging the pick location order can take forever.

Avantages

I do think that the software is easy to use, but I've never used another inventory system. the system was not designed for food products which we use it for

Inconvénients

The customer support chat is useless. I have never had them be able to fix a problem. they always point you to their phone support. The phone support does not have a live person. you MUST leave a message for them to call you back, which could take between 24-48 hours, which is not always ideal when you have a problem. Once they call you back, they can usually help, but it's just not timely

Avantages

Fully capable ERP system. Accommodates a good deal of complexity in both manufacturing processes and pricing structures. Works really well for our business.

Inconvénients

Have had a few issues with the plug-ins but nothing major. There's a good news / bad news aspect to the number of software updates, which are close to monthly. It gets new capabilities out quickly, but it can be a lot of updates to keep up with.

Avantages

The toggles are easy to use and see. Each manager can quickly navigate to their business.

Inconvénients

Freezes often. Luckily it’s only Fishbowl and not other applications.

Avantages

User interface is easy to use. Navigation by hovering over clickable areas helps to discover and explore.

Inconvénients

Not considered validated software recognized in medical devices for quality management system.

Avantages

The inventory system is great and richly functional. It is good for manufacturing. The plugins are excellent. Support is great!

Inconvénients

Upgrading the system is problematic and usually requires support to address problems. The checkout program is slow, cumbersome & not designed for transactional retail stores.

Avantages

It has a robust inventory system which works well. The order system is involved a performs well.. that is all I can say even though I am prompted by this section to write more. Seriously? What type of survey system is this?

Inconvénients

F/B causes our server to crash several times a month. This results in lost wages and productivity, as nothing can get processed with F/B in our firm on a daily basis.

Avantages

Great Customer Service (via help line), Easy User Interface, Generous Basic Reports, Gets the Basics of Inventory Management Done

Inconvénients

Difficult when the store has thousands of SKUs to manage, some reports aren't as intuitive as they could/should be or able to be adjusted/customized, formatting of exported reports for some do not make sense for Excel use, Integrations are often very "bumpy"

Avantages

This product is easy to use and the reporting is very helpful in our business. We plan on improving our internal processes to be able to use more of the Fishbowl features.

Inconvénients

Sometimes we have issues with sales orders that get stuck but hoping this gets better in newer versions.

Avantages

-It seemed cheap compared to what they promised.
- They tried to help, but the software was just not designed to support ecommerce.

Inconvénients

- response rate to customer service issues or system issues is minimum 2-3 days to get a response. By that time your business is messed up.
- sales reps do and say anything to sell you but don't talk to you after so there is an interest in just getting their commission.
- software claims to be Magento compatible, but it is not.
- every update broke the system with my ltiple new bugs.
-every time we fixed a bug a new one came up.
- they want you to pay for the simplest of features to be customized. If you didn't identify all incompatibilities with the sales rep before hand, it will cost you double easily.
- we ended up just scrapping the software after 9-12 months of integration efforts with 2 inhouse personell.
- WE ended up getting a consultant that within two days concluded that the software is incompatible.

Avantages

Ease of use and excellent customer service.

Inconvénients

Cannot add to a purchase order once issued.

Avantages

Good integration with QuickBooks and a lot of functionality for business operations.

Inconvénients

The learning curve is a little steep. This platform can help you manage almost any function in your business, so you will have to have a clear understanding of your internal processes and how best to reflect those in FishBowl. This can take some time, but it is worth it in the end.

Avantages

I was chatting with the representative from Fishbowl support team. I had a question regarding database schema. He went out of his way to get it resolved for me. He had to take help from another team regarding my question. Rather than bluntly saying we don't handle these questions, he helped me out and my issue was resolved. I really appreciate his efforts and time. Kudos to the customer support team!

Inconvénients

Nothing.

Avantages

The idea behind the software is great, sadly not reflected when using the program. Fishbowl is very flexible and allow us to use close to the way we need.

Inconvénients

Tech Support. They are great when you can get connected but it took me a week to get a call back. User interface could be a little more friendly. A lot of grey buttons and some weird bugs often makes it hard to use.

Avantages

Ease of use. Getting to understand Plugins. We update system continually and appreciate how you are always adding and making it more user friendly

Inconvénients

Reporting features could be better. We just loaded plugins for Sales and Sales force so hopefully this will be better soon

Avantages

The software does a nice job of recording lot numbers, and tracking through the system. I am being forced to enter more data here, but I don't like much else about this product. We run Google sheets as a database to track our production.

Inconvénients

Customer service - I've been trying to reach someone for a week to resolve an issue. I have never reached a live person via a phone call, and always expect at least 24 hours or more to hear back from them. Also the reporting is dismal. Budget to purchase additional reporting.

Avantages

Fishbowl is powerful sales, inventory control, and purchasing software for QuickBooks users at a very reasonable price.

Inconvénients

I don't have any negative comments about Fishbowl. I've been using it for over 17 years, and I am still a happy customer.

Avantages

User friendly, lots of features, very nice inventory tracking. Easy to generate POs and receive them.

Inconvénients

BOM stages do not work properly as described in the Wiki. If we have sub-assemblies built already on the shelf, the manufacturing orders ignore this fact and try to say we need to build the entire order quantity's sub-assemblies from scratch. Everything is set up as "short quantity" and should pull from built inventory first, and then say we need to build the short quantity of sub assemblies we don't have.

Cost to manufacture order is not accurate and does not account for sub-assemblies properly. I have discussed with various members of the Fishbowl team and everyone is aware that the software does not work the way it is claimed, but they have no solution. The development team will supposedly fix this core function of the software within 2-6 months, but we need the software to operate properly now, so unfortunately we must seek another ERP software after pouring many hours into setup of this one.

Avantages

fishbowl is easy to use and the software package with the range of features at this price range it's awsome

Inconvénients

easy to use and most it's affordable and allow users to create theire own report's

Avantages

easy to use
helps keep track of all items by the IMEI and vendor/seller
easy to get reports from and add purchasing vs. selling price

Inconvénients

freezes out of no where
requires great attention to details
customer service is not the best out there

Avantages

Sales Dept really good promising you the world and telling you everything you want to hear.

Inconvénients

Complete Nightmare Implementation, Customer Service, Return Policy, Etc Etc Etc.

Avantages

Very easy to use. Super intuitive. I recommend it to small businesses.

Inconvénients

I would like them to update the look and feel of the software. It looks kind of old.

Avantages

It does most of what we've needed it to do.

Inconvénients

It can be sluggish, slow, and is very difficult to get custom reporting without having a jasper reports coder on staff

Avantages

There is, typically, more than one way/route to accomplish your tasks.

Inconvénients

I don't agree with the short timeout and having to log back in when away for a short time(30-60mins). I asked for it to lengthened and now the program just locks up after a short time instead, causing me to use the task manager to close it down and then reopen. I'm going to ask them to revert to the previous logout option.

Avantages

*Simple install and setup gets you up and running FAST!
*Import/Export features allow you to import inventory data from an existing spreadsheet or csv file, or export reports.
*Quickbooks integration
*Intuitive, user-friendly interface
*POS with integrated payment module
*Friendly and knowledgeable support staff, with Live! online chat.
*Integrates with common carrier shipping management software, such as FedEx Ship Manager or UPS WorldShip.

Inconvénients

Customizing reports is not easy, but Fishbowl support can do it for you, for a very reasonable fee.