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>Anyway, I'm not secure about this person and I've not been offered to be paid to write a manual. He wanted to see the manual (or what I can do or understand, I guess) first.
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>Thank you (ALL).
>
>Mal

Mal,

What I would recomend is that you go to www.hentzenwerke.com and buy the Software Developer Guide. After you buy it you can download the online version of it.

This is a guide for developers to use when getting accounts. One thing Whil, the author, does is describe how he works with a client. After the initial meeting the next step is for you to write a spec. This is a definition, from your interviews with the potential users what the software will do, you may also prototype some screens and include captures in this document. This spec is developed by you and paid for by the client on a time/materials basis. With the spec you calculate your time and deliver the spec and a fixed price quote for the application.

You may want to call the client back, or write a followup letter... explain to him that you will be custom building this application so there is no 'user manual' for it. Explain how you work with the client to develop a 'spec' (explain to him what it is) of what the client requries working with him and that this is billable. Whil also describes how to estimate the time it will take you to do the spec... of course, the more you do the better your estimates will become.

The book also has sample specs, sample agreement letters, how to handle meetings... etc... I know as I am just starting to get into some consulting it has helped me imeasureably.

You may want to tell the author that you would be happy to research existing POS systems (modifyable in foxpro) for him. Once you find one that meets his requirements you can get the manual and give it to him. Charge him for this research, since it may be the only work you get, but likley you would be able to get paid for installation, customization and training.

Good luck with this, and remember, it is a short day that you don't learn something. Even if you don't get the account/job, you did make a GAIN on this!

BOb