JCL Process Optimization & Automation, LLC

03/15/2025

What exactly is software automation?

I'm sharing an example here for fun. RPA is capable of very complex tasks but sometimes you just need something simple.

This software robot goes into my Dollar General account and assigns any new digital coupons. Once it gets to the coupon page, it looks for the "add Deal" button and clicks on it. Then it moves the page down slightly as it continues to look for more buttons. At one point you notice the 'Add More" button becomes visible so the robot sees it and clicks on it so it can continue to add the new ones.

I don't ever have to wonder if my coupons are in my account when I am in DG. 😏

You will notice the process is slow. That's because the DG website can be slow to reload after clicking the button. The robot can move as fast as you can click a mouse but if we did that here, it would error because the webpage would lag.

When you write automation, the top priority is accuracy. Once you get accuracy then you have to get consistency. Only after you have those two solid do you worry about speed. In this case, I don't care about how fast it can click the button.

If you have tasks that could benefit from this type of technology or anything data management related, please feel free to contact me to explain your challenges and see what I might be able to do to help!

03/10/2025

There is a lot of focus on the workings of DOGE, the Department of Government Efficiency. The exercise of reviewing existing business processes can often be very beneficial in finding inefficiencies within your day to day business operations.

Reviewing how you do your job or operate your business can be eye-opening. You may discover new ideas/systems that can improve your throughput and save money. You could even learn that you are missing out on capabilities within your existing systems simply because you were not aware of them.

I have over 20yrs of doing just this, finding those efficiencies within business processes and computer systems. I currently have some availability to help in these areas and would love to have a discussion with you about the process challenges you are having.

No project is too big or too small.

Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions!

- Chris

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01/03/2024

Is your company or business thinking of switching to a different software vendor in 2024?

Switching from one software application to another can be a daunting task when you think about getting your data out of the old system and correctly entering into a new one. Sometimes the amount of effort required might prevent you from even considering moving applications because of the amount of data, the complexity or even the amount of cleanup that needs to happen to move from one system to another.

Maybe you have a system where you would love to get data out of it but it doesn't provide any export options to easily get your data into a format that you can manage such as an Excel spreadsheet.

If you are facing these types of challenges with your business data, I can help to greatly reduce or completely eliminate the burden.

Don't let the overwhelming thought of data management keep you from moving forward with the goals for your business!

11/24/2023

Hi everyone! It's been a long time since I have posted here!

In 2020, I moved away from working on computer hardware and began to focus on the software side of things. Over the years, I have always tried to be aware of trends in tech. I started working on desktop computers then gradually began working on laptops when they became affordable and were a staple for college students to use for mobility. When smartphones and tablets started to become widely used, I embraced that technology and brought them into my world of repair and support.

There came a time where hardware was basically disposable. Where the cost of repair was to the point that just replacing was a viable option. Also, I felt that the quality of replacement parts had really gone downhill, especially in regards to phone and ipad screens.

Around 2018/2019 there started to be a lot of talk around software automation in the business world. This technology had been around for awhile but there were a few companies that were starting to refine options for big businesses. As finding dependable workers became more of a challenge, automation was getting more and more interest.

Long before I did computer hardware work, I was doing data management. Working with Excel, Visual Basic Macros, etc.

In December of 2019 I became certified as an Adv Software Developer in Robot Process Automation. This type of software automation is mainly utilized in large companies.

It is now my goal to bring this tool along with all my other tools and knowledge of data management to any business in need regardless of size.

I will begin to post more about this and try to give examples of how this tech can impact your business. I am currently doing software automation projects as well as helping with Excel and even converting documents to fillable PDF. If you are struggling with any type of data management, reporting, etc. Please don't hesitate to reach out to me. You likely will be surprised with what is possible!

Thank you!
- Chris

01/02/2020

Happy New Year!!

In 2020 I am interested in expanding my consulting in the area of automation and process streamlining for businesses.

I'm looking for one or two small to medium sized businesses, to start, who would be interested in re-evaluating manual steps in their business processes. This could include forms that are still filled out by hand and/or having to key in data from one system into another daily. Maybe it's a challenge of getting data into your systems as soon as it arrives via email as a spreadsheet or a pdf file. It might be filling out a form online and needing to seamlessly transmit that info into a formatted Word document or PDF. Maybe you are spending time running or compiling reports every day and you would love to just have them ready for you when you come in each day.

I have extensive experience in streamlining and automating business processes using inexpensive but effective tools. Recently I became a Certified Robot Process Automation Advanced Developer. This is another tool to get you out of the data entry/management business and back to servicing clients.

If this is interesting to you, I would love to discuss your challenges managing data from clients and internally.

10/07/2019

Hi everyone. Sorry I haven't posted here in quite awhile!

Wanted to make sure everyone is aware that in January of 2020 Microsoft will end support for Windows 7. That doesn't mean that something bad will happen to your Windows 7 computer on that day, but it does mean that your PC will not receive anymore security updates from Microsoft.

This leaves you with 2 options:

1. Do nothing and keep using your Windows 7 PC and hope that you don't get an infection from a security breach. There is also a possibility that a new printer you buy after January may not have drivers compatible with your computer.

2. Upgrade to a computer running Windows 10.

There is a 3rd option. Even though it's not advertised, you still can upgrade your Windows 7 computer to Windows 10 for free. Microsoft does not make this known but I have, as recently as a week ago, still been able to upgrade Windows 7 computers to Windows 10.

Now, I wouldn't recommend upgrading just any Windows 7 computer to Windows 10. If your PC has a low-end CPU or only 2GB of ram, it would not be a good path considering the low cost of decent computers. If you happen to have a computer with an i5 or i7 CPU and 4-8GB of memory, then this might be something to consider if you really like your computer.

It's not always obvious, but if you see a little square blue Intel sticker on your PC with "i5" or "i7" written on it, upgrading might be an option.

I am offering the option to upgrade Windows 7 computers to Windows 10 for $60. Be warned that there is always a chance that your old program that worked with Windows 7 may not be compatible with Windows 10.

If this is something that interests you, feel free to give me a call or send me a message to set up an appointment or to see if your computer is a good candidate.

- Chris

04/29/2019

Extended support for Windows 7 ends in January of 2020. If you have trouble with your Windows 7 PC, it would be a good time to put that repair money towards a new or refurbished PC with Windows 10. For most Windows 7 computers, paying to upgrade that PC to Windows 10 won't be worth the money.

Feel free to let me know if you have any questions.

- Chris

02/04/2017

Hi, all. Something to be aware of if you are still using a PC with XP or Vista.

"f you are a Windows XP or Windows Vista user, you need to act soon. Google has confirmed that Gmail will stop working on Chrome Browser version 53 and below, starting February 8, 2017. This means that users who are still using Windows XP and Windows Vista desktops and laptops will not be able to use the emailing platform by Google, if they are using Chrome Browser."

01/07/2017

Cell Phone Screens:

All, I get called all the time about replacing phone screens. Many are surprised by the prices. It's understandable that as phones get more advanced, the screens are more advanced and will cost more. It's also worth noting that if you bought the latest phone, the replacement screen alone is going to be in the $200-300 range for at least the first 6 months to a year.

Now, there is also something else to be aware of. Quality of screens can be all over the board and not readily obvious to the average person. In the world of iPhone there are at least 3 grades of screens.... A-, A and A+. Personally, I only buy the A+ screens. I have one vendor who carries screens that are original spec for some models so I buy those. For me, whether I install a quality screen or a cheap screen the labor is the same. Chances are that if I install a cheap screen you are going to be back to me at some point because the touch has stopped working, color issues, etc and you will expect me to replace at no cost. Just like your time is valuable to you, so is mine.

I say this as information only. I do not buy any of my materials from Amazon or Ebay. All my screen purchases are from vendors who provide warranties. Does this mean every screen is perfect every time? Nope. It does mean though that I am trying to get you the best part and I am going to stand behind it.

Now you know why, at times, you see a large discrepancy between what I might quote you and the price you find elsewhere.

- Chris