Check for program updates
Like all software companies, GraphPad occasionally issues minor updates to Prism. The full version number is not on the CD. Instead, drop the Help menu and choose ‘Check for updates’.
Check for answers on graphpad.com
If you can’t find the answers in these help screens, please visit our support web site. We update the Quick Answers database almost every week, and the answer to your question is very likely to be there.
Personal support
Drop the Help menu and choose the Contact Support command. This will open a support form that you can fill out so that we can better assist you. When completing the form, be sure to select "GraphPad Prism product questions" in the dropdown menu for "Please tell us more about your request".
When completing the "Additional Information" section, please include:
•The version of Prism you are running and if you are using Prism for Windows or for Mac. To find the version number, drop the Help menu (Windows) or Prism menu (Mac OS X) and choose About Prism. Windows versions have two digits after the decimal point (i. e. 8.01). Mac versions have a single digit after the decimal followed by a letter (i. e. 8.0b). Send us the actual version number (which you can see on the Welcome dialog when you start Prism. Don't say something ambiguous like "Prism 8" or "the latest version".
•In most cases, a problem is best demonstrated by attaching a particular project (.pzf) file to your email. Please make the project small and focused. If you are having a problem with one graph, send us a project with one graph, not 100.
•If you saw an error message, send us a screen shot or the exact wording you saw.
•Send screen shots when that would help us understand the problem.
•Don't send raw data in the text of the email and expect us to paste this into Prism, reproduce what we think you might have done, and then comment on what we see which may or may not be what you see. Similarly don't send data in Excel files.
We provide support for Prism, not statistical consulting
Your Prism license does not include free statistical consulting. Since the boundary between technical support and statistical consulting is often unclear, we often will try to answer simple questions about data analysis. But don't push your luck! While we are often willing to look over a completed analysis to offer our thoughts, we won't analyze your data for you.
No phone support
We've discovered that we can provide much better support by offering it via email only. We know that some companies use "email only" as a way to brush off customers and avoid providing support. We are not like that. We really do provide individual, helpful answers to your email questions, often within an hour or two.
GraphPad doesn't offer telephone support for several reasons.
•Our customers live all around the world, but we're only here during business hours on the West coast.
•When we return your phone call, you might be at lunch, away from your desk, or gone for the day. If we leave a message, it might start a round of telephone tag that could last for days.
•We often consult with contract programmers in a different country before answering questions.
•It is difficult to describe graphing and analysis problems on the telephone. When you email us a question, you can attach your Prism files, exported images, or screenshots of error messages. This helps us figure out the problem and provide helpful solutions.
•In many cases, our answers contain screen shots or links to pages on our web site. Trying to relay a URL via telephone doesn't work very well.
•We keep a record of problems and solutions. When you receive a email from us, you can always refer back to it -- even weeks or months later. And we can keep a record of the questions you asked and whether or not we solved your problems. We use these records to help others with similar questions, and to help design new versions of our software.
•We often answer emails while traveling or from home. This lets us answer much more promptly than we could by phone.
