ChartSmartXL FAQS

The ChartSmartXL is a single user perpetual license. You need to purchase one license for each user, regardless of whether the software is loaded on a network or on individual PCs. There are no annual maintenance fees.

This perpetual license agreement is a legal agreement between you and KnowWare International Inc. It permits you to use one copy of ChartSmartXL on a single computer. By opening and using the ChartSmartXL software, you are agreeing to be bound by the terms of this agreement. The ChartSmartXL is owned by KnowWare International Inc. and protected by U.S. Copyright laws. You may transfer one copy to a hard disk. Any enhancements added to the existing macros are considered the property of KnowWare International Inc. You may not copy, rent, or lease the ChartSmartXL or the documentation accompanying it.

Unlicensed Users

Companies are required to ensure they have purchased licenses for every user. If a company finds they have unlicensed users, they need to purchase new licenses at the undiscounted price of 299 per license plus an upgrade to the most recent version of the software for $99. If a company finds that multiple licensed users loaded a single upgrade, they need to purchase upgrades for the other users at the undiscounted price of $99 per upgrade.

Quantity discounts are calculated on a per order basis so make sure you consolidate your orders to receive the best possible price. Pricing, shipping and other order information can by found on our purchasing page.

ChartSmartXL item #W430 Quantity Discounts

You can order in one of the following ways:

1. Order and download immediately using our shopping cart.
2. Call our order line at 1-888-208-4554 or (303) 757-2039 Monday thru Friday 8:00 am - 5:00 pm Mountain time
3. Fax an order to 1-888-468-1536

Orders are filled in 24 hours and shipped Priority mail. Overnight service is available; it just costs more. For item # and pricing information your can view our shopping cart.

Please Note: customers are responsible for customs duties and fees on orders shipped outside of the United States.

For more information about shipping, visit our purchasing page.

Use our shopping cart to get a quote, just don't go all of the way through the check out process.

Memory: The ChartSmartXL only use 3.5Mb of memory, but to run Excel will require a minimum of 2Gb of memory in Windows 7, 8 and 10 and OSX, you will need at least 2Gb; 4Gb is better. When Excel runs out of memory, it can present all kinds of weird errors.

Excel: Install the latest service packs. The early versions of every new release are buggy.

PC: Supports ALL VERSIONS of Windows 7, 8, 10 even networks (just load the macros on your PC and tell Excel to look in your alternate startup directory).

Supports Office/Excel 2007, 2010, 2013 and Office 365.

Macintosh: Supports Mac OSX and Excel 2016 or Office 365 for Macintosh.

Windows 8/10 Tablets will run a full version of Excel 2013/2016 running VBA and will support a full version of the ChartSmartXL.

While every new release of the ChartSmartXL seeks to be backward compatible with as many releases of Windows and Excel as possible, it cannot pretend to be forward compatible with future changes (i.e., service packs and new versions). We seek to support recent Excel changes, however, we do not provide endless support.

To meet varying customer needs, we offer:

• To fix any bug for free as long as it is reported within 12 months of your purchase date.
  
• Bugs that are identified and compatibility problems that occur after 12 months will require the customer to purchase an upgrade to the latest version of the ChartSmartXL.
  
• On-demand upgrades for $99 (lower with quantity discounts) for ChartSmartXL purchased after 1/1/2007.

The ChartSmartXL are enhanced on a regular basis whenever customers request new functionality or when Microsoft comes out with a new version of Windows or Excel. Recent upgrades contain many time saving enhancements and new tools.

Upgrades are optional and are provided to our current customers at a discount. You need to purchase one upgrade for each license you own. Quantity discounts are calculated on a per order basis.

Check pricing, order and download immediately on our shopping cart.

Answers to frequently asked questions and common error messages can be found on our ChartSmartXL technical support page.

We also provide technical support via phone and email from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm Mountain time Monday through Friday.

Customers can email their files and questions to support@chartsmartxl.com or call 1-888-208-4554.

ChartSmartXL questions are answered free of charge. However, there is a $95 fee for Excel and Statistical Process Control (SPC) coaching (up to 1/2 hour). Customers will be notified in advance if their question is considered an Excel or SPC question requiring payment.

Visit our technical support page for information about uninstalling ChartSmartXL.

If you order on our website, you can download. Please make a backup of the setup file immediately.

• Lost files under 12 months old: There is a $35 charge for replacing files that are under 12 months old.
• Lost files over 12 months old: We cannot replace your file if it is over 12 months old. You will need to purchase an upgrade to the latest version of the software.

Based on the number of calls we get, we can assure you computers crash! Protect your investment - make a backup by copying the setup file to a CD and store it in a safe place where you can find it.

Should you need to inquire about a replacement, please have as much of the following information as possible:

• Date of your original ChartSmartXL purchase
• Company Name of original purchase
• Name of individual who placed the order
• Street address where the ChartSmartXL was shipped
• Invoice # or purchase order # if available

If you do not have all of this information, we may have to search our database for your record and your request may be delayed.

The ChartSmartXL are so easy to use, most folks can learn to use them in as little as 5 minutes. Here are the training resources that are available.

Free Training Resources

• Free One Hour Webinars - Register for future webinars or view recordings of past webinars.

Training Resources Available for Purchase

• ChartSmartXL On-site Training

• Aircraft
• Auto
• Computers
• Education
• Government
• Healthcare
• Manufacturing
• Telecom

In working with improvement teams, I have found that most people are fearful, even phobic of two things: math and computers. Drawing graphs and charts sometimes made team members feel stupid, and they transferred that feeling to the improvement process.

More complex software is fine for statisticians, but a complete turn-off for most folks. I found that everyone wants is a simple, easy-to-use, all-in-one set of tools for documenting their improvement efforts. Like most people, I feel more comfortable using a familiar tool like Excel than I do trying to learn a bunch of new software. So I created macros to draw the graphs and a menu bar to make them easy to use. Then I added fill in the blank templates that are even easier to use. These tools and a laptop PC can accelerate your team by allowing you to immediately create graphs in team meetings. Just-In-Time documentation!

Sure you could, if you had thousands of hours to spend recreating and maintaining these macros, templates, and their associated documentation. The companies that have done this evaluation, including the U.S. Postal Service, concluded that the costs in time, money, and product delay simply wouldn't be worth it. After all, they're only 299 + S&H, and there are quantity discounts when you buy more than one copy.

Because the charts and graphs are in Excel, you can Email them to anyone who has Excel and they can SEE them. You can also copy and paste the charts and graphs into any Microsoft Office product - PowerPoint, Word - other presentation tool (e.g., Pagemaker).

First, most companies are hesitant to spend $300 on a new tool without a lot of research. Even then, in today's tight budgets, not everyone can have a copy. Limiting tool availability limits your speed, quality, and profitability. I found that the bestselling software in the world is priced around $150 to $300. I'd rather sell more at a reasonable cost, than a few at a higher cost.

Second, because the macros use the power of Excel for data handling and graphic displays, my development costs are lower than for traditional statistical tools. This also holds down the cost of technical support.