Who is a typical user of Pearl?
Pearl is used by a huge variety of different individuals and companies for a number of uses. It's broad capabilities suit retailers, distributors, e-commerce businesses and businesses selling services or information. If you have customers, you should have a Customer Management Relationship (CRM) system in place, and it goes without saying that you should have a powerful but easy to use accounting system too. Why not make them the same? Pearl's integrated solution provides CRM and accounting along with superb stock control, purchasing, call management and website management all in one.

Is Pearl suitable for small companies?
Yes. If you're a Sole Trader or a Limited Company with only a few staff members, or perhaps you work on your own, then it's even more important to have systems in place to keep on top of all the jobs that you do. Pearl is designed to make your business more efficient by dealing with jobs automatically, freeing your time up for growing your business.

Is Pearl suitable for companies with many employees?
Yes. We work with clients that have large numbers of users active on their company's copy of Pearl at any one time. All your business information is available at all times to every user (assuming you have given them access), every action and transaction is tagged with user and date information to make tracking and sharing easy. The task manager is ideal for keeping on top of delegation. Make most efficient use of your staff time with a complete one-system solution for the whole company.

I don't sell products, will Pearl be useful for me?
Yes. Even though Pearl is particularly powerful for product management, it will also allow you to raise sales invoices for service based items. You will get all the benefits of a single system where your contact management is directly linked to your invoicing system and your accounts, as well as your sales management and your website.

I don't sell online, will Pearl be useful for me?
You don't need to use the webshop part of Pearl to appreciate the ways that all your business data is managed within one system. Pearl has powerful e-commerce facilities but these are by no means the central function. If in the future you choose to branch out and sell online, then you won't need a new system, just add the PearlCart module to your existing business setup.

Can I keep my existing website and still use Pearl?
Yes, you can use your existing website but it will mean that you miss out on all the sales and contact automation that comes with a Pearl website. You will need to host your non-Pearl website with a different company and pay extra fees (website hosting is included in the PearlCart fee).

What is web based software?
A copy of Pearl is provided for you on our servers, which is accessed over the internet using a web browser such as Internet Explorer or Firefox. You can access your company information from wherever you are, as long as you have an internet connection. Nothing to install, no complicated office networking or specialist hardware, get up and running within hours. Multiple users can be logged on from different locations, all your data is updated live, in real time with no synchronisation required. Pearl is online all the time, so works particularly well with email and website integration. We provide a service; access to your business information using the powerful Pearl interface, for which we bill monthly, the amount depending on the modules you have set up.

Can I run Pearl from a server at my premises?
No. Pearl must be run from our servers - you will benefit from regular upgrades, daily backups and a level of support to keep you running at maximum efficiency.

How does Pearl integrate with email?
Currently Pearl does not integrate directly with your email; you will need to continue using Outlook or a similar program. Full email integration is planned for early 2008. If you are using Pearl for your website then we will include email addresses, inboxes and forwarding as part of the package.

How much does it cost?
Pearl is broken down into various modules. The core module is available in 2 different levels, and is required for basic operation of the system. Onto the core module you can add accounting, website and e-commerce (PearlCart), and EPOS (Till sales). For the latest prices click here.

How soon can I be up and running?
Once we have a signed user agreement you can have your own exclusive copy of Pearl set up within 24 hours (work days only). No software to install, no incompatibility issues, no stress.

How much training will I need?
We have designed Pearl to be as intuitive as possible, but as with any powerful system it is recommended that you have a minimum of training to get the most from it. We can cover every aspect of Pearl at a basic level with one day on-site with you or at our Bristol training centre.

Can I generate freeform text invoices?
Yes. Your sales invoices can contain items where stock levels are tracked as well as items where they are not (labour charges, for example). You can also set up templates so that your invoices look smart and match your company branding.

Can I use my existing accounting software with Pearl?
You can export accounting information from Pearl at any time for import into your existing accounting software using the accounting module, but you will lose the advantages of the integrated web-based system that Pearl offers. Sales invoices can be raised on Pearl without the accounting module, but these will need to be entered manually into your current system.

Can I customise the layout of my invoices?
Yes. All documents and emails sent or printed by your Pearl system are customisable using the web based template designer. Add images, text, links and so on, all from within Pearl with no previous web design experience.

What if Pearl cannot continue its services, for whatever reason?
You always own your data, and always will. We're not likely to be unable to provide the web based service (otherwise we wouldn't be selling it), but should the worst happen then you will be provided with your data, and also a copy of the Pearl software to run on your own server.

Can Pearl handle multi-currency?
Yes. Customers, suppliers and products can be assigned foreign currency prices, you can raise sales invoices and quotes in a variety of currencies, and display website products in a number of currencies, all base accounting transactions are in Pounds Sterling.

Will my company outgrow Pearl?
Pearl is designed for use by companies with up to 100 employees, but there is no limit to the number of products, users or transactions that can take place in a day. We are experienced with bespoke work for particular clients and are more than happy to discuss any requirements that you may have.

Do I have to pay for upgrades?
No. Pearl is updated regularly as we add functionality. This is all included in your monthly fees. No more annual upgrades!

Does Pearl work with Macs?
Yes. We recommend accessing Pearl using Firefox as your internet browser. No other software is required for full Pearl functionality.

How safe is my data with Pearl?
Our servers are hosted by Rackspace, the UK's leading managed hosting provider. Your information is backed up on a daily basis and the data centre is protected against physical and electronic attacks using the latest and strongest techniques. The Pearl administration area is accessed over a secure connection ensuring that only you and your employees have access to your data.

How reliable is access to Pearl?
Rackspace, our server hosting partner, has perhaps the most reliable record for maintaining server up-time of all hosting companies. In fact they guarantee 100% uptime, a claim not matched by many others. Put another way, our servers have not been inaccessible for even one second since we moved to Rackspace in March 2007. Your broadband connection is the link to Pearl over which we have no control, and we recommend a reliable and fast business deal with one of the major providers.

Can I move to Pearl from my existing software?
Yes. Pearl attracts users from a number of backgrounds, and as such we have made it as easy as possible to import your existing data. You can import your contacts and products from Sage, XCart, OSCommerce, ACT!, TAS, Joomla and many many more other packages, in fact from any system that will give you a csv file format, and many which don't. We have specal tools for automatically extracting the data we need; talk to us about your particular requirements and we'll help you out.