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Aaron Namba started following the problem "mail.showCondensedAddresses needs to be honored" in Postbox, Inc..

Aaron Namba replied on February 06, 2009 23:02 to the question "How do I get images into the system?" in Reflect | Connect:

Hi Tara, we did receive some error notifications from the system in regard to this problem (it emails us automatically when customers encounter issues). In one case, there was a temporary problem and it has been resolved. A few of your other images were kicked out as duplicates, the system automatically identifies and rejects duplicate images.

Please try your upload again (with new images) and it should work. Once the upload has completed, a message to that effect should appear at the bottom of the window and you can close it like any other window by clicking the close box, or you can upload another image.

If this does not resolve your issue, please contact me directly via email so we can get this worked out.

Aaron Namba replied on April 27, 2008 17:01 to the discussion "Ready for Prime Time?" in Reflect | Connect:

Hi Michael,

Yes, it is! Backdrop has come a long way since we first talked last year. We had a very successful 2008 pilot season, and we are now accepting more studios for the 2009 season. We would greatly appreciate your referrals.

Aaron Namba set one of Aaron Namba's replies as an official response to "Number of Units and Extra Pose Product" in Reflect | Connect

Aaron Namba replied on March 03, 2008 22:04 to the question "Number of Units and Extra Pose Product" in Reflect | Connect:

For other folks following this topic, this question relates to creating and editing Packages in Backdrop.

When you create a Package in Backdrop, you can define it as a collection of pre-defined Products, or by a number of units (1 unit meaning 1 8x10, 2 5x7s or 8 wallets), or as a combination of both. So when you create a Package with 2 units, 1 8x10 and 2 5x7s, what that really means is the customer gets 1 8x10 and 2 5x7s, and additionally, 2 more units that they get to pick out on their own (say, one more 8x10 and 8 more wallets).

The Extra Pose Product feature allows you to charge a fee for extra poses beyond what's included in the package. Most studios simply create a Product called "Extra Pose Fee" and select that in the dropdown. If you create a Package that includes 2 poses and a customer goes online and orders that package and selects 4 poses, Backdrop will add 2 of your selected Extra Pose Product to their order automatically (after informing the customer, of course).

Aaron Namba set one of Aaron Namba's replies as an official response to "Prints, Packages, Products, & Product Groups" in Reflect | Connect

Aaron Namba replied on March 03, 2008 20:15 to the question "Prints, Packages, Products, & Product Groups" in Reflect | Connect:

Hi Matt, you basically have it figured out. I think I know which part may be confusing you: the significance of the Prints function is not really well documented at the moment.

The idea behind it is that the Prints screen would contain the entire menu of products provided by your lab. When you create Products, you can associate them with Prints. That way, no matter what name you give to your Products, your lab will know what to do with them because you have created an exact mapping of the products you offer to the products the lab offers.

Product Groups are usually used to set up product ranges, for example College vs. High School, or you could even do something like Economy, Mid-Range, Deluxe. One thing to keep in mind, though, is that all items in a given Package must be in the same Product Group.

You don't have to create separate Product Groups for online vs. studio, because Backdrop lets you select which Products and Packages to offer online for each Client Group.

I hope I've answered your questions, let me know if there's anything else I can do for you.

Aaron Namba set one of Aaron Namba's replies as an official response to "Backdrop is advertised as a product for school photographers. I shoot [weddings/events/stock/sports/etc.], will Backdrop work for me?" in Reflect | Connect

Aaron Namba replied on January 31, 2008 07:46 to the question "Backdrop is advertised as a product for school photographers. I shoot [weddings/events/stock/sports/etc.], will Backdrop work for me?" in Reflect | Connect:

Backdrop is highly specialized software, and is built especially for school/senior/yearbook photographers. Many of the features simply wouldn't be useful for other specialties. We hope to be able to expand Backdrop in the future, but the earliest I would expect to do this would be 2010. In other words, don't hold your breath.

That said, we won't stop you from signing up. Support will be limited, and you will be paying for features you will probably never use, but if it helps you, great!

If you decide to give Backdrop a try, make yourself known to us. Let us know what is helpful and what is lacking, and if it doesn't distract too much from our current goal of helping school photographers, we'd be happy to accommodate your request.

Aaron Namba asked a question in Reflect | Connect on January 31, 2008 07:40:

Backdrop is advertised as a product for school photographers. I shoot [weddings/events/stock/sports/etc.], will Backdrop work for me?

Aaron Namba set one of Aaron Namba's replies as an official response to "Do I have to agree to a 1 or 2 year term?" in Reflect | Connect

Aaron Namba replied on January 31, 2008 07:37 to the question "Do I have to agree to a 1 or 2 year term?" in Reflect | Connect:

Backdrop is offered as a prepaid monthly or yearly service, period. Cancel anytime, no termination fees or last-minute special offers or other hassles.

If you are fairly sure you'll be with us for the next year, great! We'll give you 10% off, and if you do end up canceling, we will refund any unused whole months.

If you're not sure or just don't want to pay yearly, no problem! Just pay monthly.

We have no firm restrictions, but when you first start with us, we do ask that you commit yourself to the program for 3 months. Give yourself some time to learn how everything works, and talk to us as you go. We're here to help! If you hit month 4 and it just doesn't feel right, then canceling is probably the best option.

Aaron Namba asked a question in Reflect | Connect on January 31, 2008 07:30:

Do I have to agree to a 1 or 2 year term?

Aaron Namba set one of Aaron Namba's replies as an official response to "How do I get images into the system?" in Reflect | Connect

Aaron Namba replied on January 31, 2008 07:26 to the question "How do I get images into the system?" in Reflect | Connect:

With regular software, you would put files in some folder on your hard drive, or maybe drag them into the application window. But because Backdrop is a web application, it's not immediately obvious how you get images into the system.

Fear not! There are many ways of importing images into Backdrop.

One you've probably already seen if you've played around with the demo is the Single Image Importer, found on the Client Card (it's a little button called Add Images). "Single Image" is something of a misnomer, because it can also accept zip files. This is not what you want to use on a daily basis, but it does work in a pinch, especially if the computer you are at is not the one you normally use.

The next step up is the most commonly used importer: the FTP Bulk Importer. By "bulk importer," we mean a system that can be used to import images and assign them to clients (students) automatically, based on the file or folder name. As long as the Backdrop Client ID is somewhere in the file or folder name, the images will end up in the right place. Backdrop assigns you an FTP server and a username, but you can supply any password you like.

One of the more unusual ways to import files is what we are calling the "FedEx Bulk Importer." This is nearly what it sounds like, just ship us memory cards, DVDs, hard drives, or any other storage medium, and as long as everything is named properly, we can import them for you. We will charge you for the shipping if you want your media back, so DVDs are probably best.

If none of these three methods works for you, there are others. Just give us a call and we can work together to figure out the best importing strategy for your own unique situation.

Aaron Namba asked a question in Reflect | Connect on January 31, 2008 07:15:

How do I get images into the system?

Aaron Namba set one of Aaron Namba's replies as an official response to "What happens to my data if I cancel my Backdrop account?" in Reflect | Connect

Aaron Namba replied on January 31, 2008 02:14 to the question "What happens to my data if I cancel my Backdrop account?" in Reflect | Connect:

First of all, obviously we'd like you to stay. We believe in our product, and we do honestly think most studios will be better off using Backdrop than not. Please contact us if something is not working for you, and we'll do our best to resolve the issue. We can do some custom programming for you or perhaps help you to find a feature you might have missed.

That said, we know there are many reasons to cancel, so we've tried to make it as simple as possible.

When you cancel your account, you can request lists of all your data (clients, orders, products, appointments, etc) in CSV format. You can also request a DVD library of your images. The data is a free download, and the DVD library is available for a nominal processing fee plus shipping.

You must request these, we will not send them automatically (most cancellations are from folks who were just experimenting during their free trials).

After you cancel your account, we keep your data for 30 days just in case you change your mind. After that we will purge your data from all data centers and backups to ensure your complete privacy. No data can be recovered after this point.

Aaron Namba asked a question in Reflect | Connect on January 31, 2008 02:04:

What happens to my data if I cancel my Backdrop account?

Aaron Namba set one of Aaron Namba's replies as an official response to "What are the minimum/recommended system requirements to use Backdrop?" in Reflect | Connect