How much does the program cost?

The SoftLight lighting package is so reasonably priced that we have actually had customers think the program could not be powerful enough for them since it is priced so low. There is a small installation charge, and a very reasonable monthly charge. You then get free software updates, new program features, manufacturer's price updates, and unlimited tech support via email and the forum. There is virtually no limit to the number of computers you can have on your network, all for the same price. Please call 1-888-LIGHT-09 for current pricing.

Who handles SoftLight's support?

All our support personnel have owned or worked in lighting showrooms. When you have a question, you communicate with someone who understands the unique business of lighting. You won't get a person who doesn't understand your question because they may have never even been in a lighting store. LIGHTS from SoftLight has been written by and is supported by people in the lighting business. It is not a converted package from the furniture or plumbing industry.

Is LIGHTS easy to learn?

Any software package takes time to learn. We have designed LIGHTS to be extremely intuitive, and have kept our screens simple and our methods logical. Each screen walks you to the next with a selection of choices that can be made with either a keyboard or a mouse. On most pages of the program, pressing the "F1" key brings up a help screen of instructions and explanations of the page you are on. No searching through the manual to find out what to do next.

If you are impressed with multi-colored screens with spinning logos and exploding boxes, you probably should investigate another package. If you are looking for understandable software that is easily learned and understood, then you have found it.

For those who are starting a new showroom there are methods and procedures in LIGHTS that can get you started, such as accounts receivable and payable, billing, checking, payroll, inventory, etc. If you are an established showroom, LIGHTS can provide solutions to problems such as collections, inventory turnover, and defective fixture returns. These are procedures in LIGHTS that have been designed by showrooms that can save you thousands of dollars a year. With LIGHTS you don't have to reinvent the wheel or adapt your business to what works in another industry. There are no confusing parts of the program that you have to ignore because they are for a furniture or plumbing showroom. LIGHTS is lighting industry specific.

Ask someone that is already using LIGHTS. We like to say that LIGHTS is not just software, it is an entire way of doing business.

Call us today or click on the "Request A Demo" button above. We'll send you a full featured version of LIGHTS that will run on your computer for 45 days. Discover for yourself the full power of LIGHTS.

Other software companies charge me when I add more computers to my network. Does SoftLight?

Some other software companies start you with a seemingly low price and then charge you thousands of dollars when you add more computers to your network. SoftLight does not. With LIGHTS you can add up to 89 terminals and never pay a dime more. This gives you the flexibility to change and grow your computer system as you change and grow. Some of our customers use laptops in their showrooms for sales people, or connect their outside sales people via the internet, or their owner or managers from their homes via the internet. With LIGHTS, you can change your business without being charged for it.

Other software companies see you as a customer, we like to think of you as our partner, helping us all grow and improve the LIGHTS program.

How long does it take to get started?

When you purchase LIGHTS we create your fixture file from the dozens of major manufacturers already in our data base. You choose the ones you want and we'll help you put them in your software. All you have to do is set up your customer and employee files, select your options, and you are in business. We will train you and your staff via telephone, and give you unlimited tech-support for as long as you use the program.

With this website, you can have access to the training manual, can browse the "Frequently Asked Questions", and can exchange questions and ideas with other users in the "Forum".

Getting you up and productive as quickly as possible is our goal.

Besides a training manual, what other way can I learn to use LIGHTS?

While a training manual is important, SoftLight also provides several other ways to learn and become proficient with the LIGHTS program.

Throughout the program, "what to do next" usually appears in the line at the bottom of the screen. You can also press the "F1" key at almost any place in the program and a box will pop up with an explanation of the procedure you are in, what to do next, and an explanation of your choices. This is a feature few other software programs can match.

Once you become a registered user, our website provides a "FAQ" (Frequently Asked Questions) section, a "Tips and Workarounds" section, as well as a "User Forum".

In "FAQ" you can browse through the most common questions that users have about the program and it's features, "how to's", etc. Most users find answers to questions that they had not even thought of.

In the "Tips and Workarounds", we put ideas and tricks that other showrooms have discovered to help them use the program, solve a specific problem, or even create a new way to get something done. You won't have to reinvent the wheel when you start using LIGHTS.

On the "User Forum", you can ask and browse through questions, tips, suggestions, etc., that the other users of the program have. You can also ask your own questions, and they don't have to be related to just the program. Some use the forum to find available inventory from other showrooms, ask how the factories are treating them, ask others how they are handling a specific problem, or just to keep in touch. The forum is also a great place to make suggestions for the program, and the staff at SoftLight is constantly listening to the users and adding features and improvements to LIGHTS.

And, as always, you can call or email us with specific questions, and our staff will respond as quickly as possible.

Do you have price updates available for the major suppliers? Do you charge for them?

Price updates are available for most manufacturers at no extra cost. They can be downloaded from the "Customer Support / Price Updates" tab and automatically updated in LIGHTS. We also include instructions so that you can modify an Excel spreadsheet containing prices and create your own price update.

LIGHTS can literally save you hundreds of hours a year updating prices. Some manufacturers have as many as 16,000 inventory items, and even the smallest manufacturers have several hundred. And they all seem to change their price sheets at the same time.

Imagine how much profit you are losing if you are buying inventory at new, higher prices, but selling it at the old price. Our users report that this feature alone is worth the price of the program.

Is there a limit on the number of terminals LIGHTS can handle?

Up to 89 terminals can be used on a SoftLight installation. Your only limitation may be any restrictions imposed by your network. SoftLight does not charge by the number of terminals, you can use from 1 to 89 for the same low price.

Is my data stored on my computer or on someone else's server in another state?

All of your business data is stored on your own computer system. You never have to worry about critical data being outside of your building unless you send it there. With LIGHTS there is never a possibility that your data is in the hands of a stranger, or inaccessable because someone else is careless or went out-of-business.

I spend 20 hours a week purchasing, can LIGHTS save me time?

Many of our users do their own purchasing to control their inventory, some taking as many as 20 hours per week before they began using LIGHTS. Without exception, they now report that their time spent has been reduced, some to as little as 3 hours a week, with improved efficiency and accuracy. LIGHTS has the tools, including sales history, suggested stock levels, and suggested orders, to streamline purchasing. Using LIGHTS to help you do your purchasing, there is no doubt that the time spent will be drastically reduced, freeing you or your employee to concentrate in those other areas of your business that you know you really should be giving more attention.

Whether you do your own purchasing or rely on an employee, this feature of LIGHTS alone is worth the price of the entire program.

Can LIGHTS help improve my profit margins?

No software package is more powerful than LIGHTS for managing inventory and improving profit margins. With the tools available, fixtures can be monitored and priced not only by manufacturer, but also fixture category, or a combination of both. LIGHTS has a complete module for identifying, tracking, and recovering defective fixtures, needed parts, and returns, which can eliminate your defective problem. Set and monitor sales margins, identify best and worst sellers, and improve collections, all part of LIGHTS. You can even track sales and profit margins by product category. Our users say that the best thing about our software is the huge improvement in profit margins with the business they are already doing.

I have a very small operation. Is LIGHTS designed for a large or small showroom?

We have lighting showrooms and wholesalers using LIGHTS that range from a single person with one computer, to showrooms using over 30 computers, and several with multiple store multi-state locations.

LIGHTS is designed to accomodate any size showroom, and is customizable to fit your operation. When you purchase a license from SoftLight, you get the entire program, not just "starter modules", and never have to buy more of the program as your needs change and your business grows. We are the only Lighting software package you will ever need.

Is the LIGHTS demo a full version so I can see what I am getting or just pictures of screens?

Unlike other software packages, we send you a full working version of LIGHTS with no file restrictions or hidden modules, that will run on your computer or network for 45 days. We want you to evaluate our entire software package, not just see pictures of screens of our choosing, or watch a video of a salesperson giving you a "sales pitch".

Since LIGHTS is written and continues to be improved by real lighting showroom owners, not just software programmers that might never have even been in a lighting showroom, we a confident that you will find we are a perfect match for your business.

Call us or click on "Request A Demo" now to find out for yourself why so many showrooms say that LIGHTS has been a major factor in the success their business.

I am interested in learning more about LIGHTS. What do I do next?

If you would like more information about LIGHTS and what it can do for you and your lighting business, call us toll free at 1-888- LIGHT 09 (1-888-544-4809) between 8:00am and 5:00pm Mountain Time, or click on the "Request a Demo" tab. Our staff will answer any questions you have, and email or send a disc for you to try. Our demo is a complete working version of LIGHTS with sample data built in, not a limited or incomplete copy with restrictions. You will get to explore our entire software package, change the inventory, print reports, write checks, and do everything in the program for 45 days. Schedule a telephone session with our staff at your convenience, and we'll guide you through the package and answer your questions.

Whether you are considering computerizing or thinking about changing your current software, please contact us now. You will be glad you did.

Is SoftLight's LIGHTS program converted from another industry?

No, LIGHTS from SoftLight was written and continues to be written by people that own or have owned lighting showrooms, some of them nominees and winners of ARTS awards. Unlike most other software packages, it was not designed for general usage in other industries such as furniture or plumbing, and converted to lighting. The Lighting industry is unique, and is continually changing. LIGHTS is a dynamic program that changes along with the industry, and has set the standard for computerization of lighting showrooms for over 20 years.