By Angie Kilbourne
Shop Site of the Month
West Loop Auto Body - Chicago, Ill.
www.chicagocollision.com
A slick presentation on the home page includes links to automotive tips for consumers, a pictorial of the shop's repair process, and a gallery of its best repair work. But it's the FAQ section that really shines with expert answers to questions such as, "Should I drive my car after an accident?" and "How is a vehicle determined a 'total loss'?"
Nominate your shop's site for a Net Worth profile.
E-mail your Web site address to angiek@asashop.org.
Web Wise
Drowning in a Sea of Paper?
Receipts: We've all got them. Those little slips of paper from our credit card, debit card and cash purchases. Doctor visit invoices and prescription receipts. Utility bills. Mortgage and property tax statements. In this information-driven world, many of us find that the promise decades ago of a paperless society has just never materialized.
So what do you do with these little pieces of paper? If you're like me, they move from your wallet to a big pile on the dining room table to the office to one single folder marked "Taxes."
Until now.
Enter Neat Receipts, a portable scanner with software specifically designed to help organize those of us who quake at the mere thought of tax time. Not only will the unit scan and save a digital image of the receipt, but the receipt's data can also be exported to Excel, Quicken, QuickBooks, MS Money, and TurboTax, as well as in .csv and .html formats. Now you can store, search, print and export the information to manage your expenses - and keep your dining room table clean in the process.
But the unit isn't limited to receipts. You can also scan business cards into a digital format that syncs with Outlook or vCard. How's that for keeping your customer list up-to-date?
The unit accepts paper up to 8.5 by 11 inches long, allowing you to scan personal and business documents in color. The software can convert the information to a .pdf document or organize it in its own database.
Think about it: Scan and extract the information. Export it to your computer's spreadsheet software, and now you have time to create detailed, professional business reports, analyze your spending, and, at tax time, you'll have digital copies of everything in a format that is accepted by the IRS.
There is one drawback, however. The scanner's software is compatible only with a PC; the company says it's working on a Mac version.
To view an online demonstration of the unit at work, visit www.neatreceipts.com. And if you decide to make the purchase online, be sure to visit www.cheapestneatreceipts.com. This authorized reseller offers buyers a $20 off coupon good at the manufacturer's site, as well as tips on using the scanner; accessories such as a wall mounting kit; and other exclusive offers.
Net Numbers
Three-quarters of U.S. households with Internet access now subscribe to broadband. Nearly two-thirds of these households say they subscribe for the speed.
Source: eMarketer.com
ASA Web Ways
Online Registration Open for CARS, NACE
Online registration for the 2007 Congress of Automotive Repair and Service (CARS) is now available at www.CARSonline.org. ASA members and nonmembers who sign up for the full CARS registration package before Sept. 20 will receive an early-bird discount. One-day packages also are available for Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Online registration for the 25th annual International Autobody Congress & Exposition (NACE) is available at www.NACEexpo.com. Attendees can easily choose from member and nonmember full-Congress packages, as well as Expo-only registration.
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