I've recently been presented with an opportunity to outfit a local Puppy Day Care with computers. Currently their whole system is on paper except for the credit card machine. They want to be able to do typical POS for the sales side and they want a check-in system for the day care side. Preferably this check-in system would integrate with an invoicing system, but it's not entirely necessary, I think I can work around that. I know there's Kid-Check type software for windows, but being the Linux loving kind of guy I was hoping the OSS community would have something out there to work with.

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!

Intersting project. Just the type I've been working on in my "previous life"...

Are you willing to write the software yourself? If so, I'd go with a web-based setup. Consider a webserver central to the system. It serves PHP pages. A subscriber would check in the pup via a barcode scanner, the barcode sits on a personal badge. This ID would be sent off to the server to be checked for validity, and outstanding payments. Upon clearance, the next page can be presented where the pup can be enrolled for the day. Each kennel/cage could be suplied with a barcode. Now, imagine this: an owner checks the pup in, the pup is cleared and a ticket is being printed. On that ticket there is a barcode. Scanning the ticket first and the kennel next (done by an employee using an RF barcode scamnner), effectively "links" the pup "into" its place.
The registration of each transaction can be bundled for billing.
On the billing side, again, a PHP webpage would be presented, this time not for a pup, but for an employee, logging in. The rest is as simple as creating an appropriate page, or a PDF to be mailed to the owner for payment.
As I stated, intersting project.
May I look "over your shoulder"? Maybe I could pick up some extra's...thanks

Thor

For a simple database it might be possible to create one in openoffice's base.

It might be that turnkey linux has something that may help you get going.


I still don't see the dogs checking in. Must be well trained ones you get. Even then, their little paws seem to get stuck on the enter key sometimes. You may have to get the owners of the dumb dogs to sign in for them.

I suggest that you widen your horizons. What is a daycare other than a type of hotel?

Try googling for "hotel management software linux." There's a bit of stuff, but I didn't bother looking at it because I don't have your frame of reference.

I think Thor's idea is the simplest and most effective. The use of a scanner (barcode or chip) will allow a simple check-in check-out system to be developed. Swipe to check-in and when the pup leaves swipe to check-out. Simple, effective, and one person can operate it so other staff can do other things.

@ jefro - yeah, but I had the owner or employee in mind doing the checking in...

@ k3lt01 - Thanks, I hope OP can put that together...but it seems easy enough to do that...still, a lovely project though.

Thor

I'm not much of a programmer unfortunately. I can do a bit of web coding, mostly snippet size, I've never attempted a full on project. I don't think I'd even have time for that right now. I did find a Day Care project that is almost exactly what Thor was describing. I've been talking with the developer a bit and he seems to have this worked out pretty well, even has a billing module. I think a hotel reservation/billing system would be a bit over the top for this environment. I also need to look at ways to integrate it with a POS and something to track grooming. Maybe I can add a boolean entry in the database and toggle it with a check box in the day care system. I'm still mulling this thing through. Also any suggestions on POS software would be great. I've looked at a few, but they don't seem complete to me. I probably just need to work with them more.

...so, what would be a complete POS software? To me (and I had this discussion years ago with a -then- colleague) anything that bills (in any way) to the satisfaction of the user is complete. In other words, you may not even have to go that far. Are the clients happy with a simple PDF being mailed? Would a payment tracking be needed?

Maybe the colleague you spoke to is willing to adapt-and-sell his solution...would make your job super simple. Virtually no more after-sales worries...

Thor

@ OP

Wil you manage with this?

Thor

Actum Ne Agas: Do Not Do A Thing Already Done.

Consider:

1. The company exists to board puppies for the day.
2. The company wants to use computers to help them.
3. That's it.

Linux doesn't fit into that picture unless there is existing software .. no one has to develop anything .. out there, for Linux, that does everything. And, furthermore, that "does everything" best.

Otherwise: they want a solution, not your new project, and I cannot and do not believe that there is not a suitable piece of software out there right now that can do the job. Because that's what they're saying that they want: "best," not necessarily "Linux." They're asking for a product off the shelf; not a custom-built home. If it runs on Windows, then buy Windows, just to run it. If it runs on an IBM 704, buy one of those, just to run it.

Do not "impose Linux upon" that scenario. Do not impose "writing new software" upon any scenario unless you truly cannot avoid it. And there just aren't that many altogether-new things left to do in this world.

I'm not trying to force Linux on anyone. I just figured if there was already something available that I haven't found yet that I might get an answer here. Don't assume something just because you woke up on the wrong side of the keyboard this morning.

As an update, we ended up going with Kennelsoft Atlantis since it is by far the most complete system for the job and the company actually responds to emails and phone calls. Now I have to find computers at a decent price that have Windows of some variant on them.

Good for you, Naviathan.

If you needed something written, okay, then write it. If there is existing software, fair enough, because it unburdens you from the technical hassle.

Glad you worked it out!

Thor