UDS-ActiveApplications Newsletter
May 8, 2003
Topics in this newsletter:
NEW! Bar Code Scanner! Enhance your productivity for a small price.
Special Offer on Scanner
New Help and Word Help documents are available
Contacting support
ActiveApplications Version Reporting
Checking for new Program Updates
Unrecognized Database Error Elimination
ActiveApplications-SQL Enhanced Features
NEW Scanner that works with ActiveApplications
(Cheap)
Being in business today means you must deal with tight budgets, reduced personnel and greater productivity demands. We at UDS have been pushing remote applications and bar coding to increase your productivity for years. That efficiency was purchased at the cost of hand held devices with scanners. Historically these devices have been expensive. Our customers have been reluctant to purchase these one or two thousand dollar devices because they can be easily lost or broken by careless usage.
This created a situation where you cannot become more efficient in executing your business process without spending too much money to obtain it. Microvision has a new device they have made available to UDS that changes the cost to benefit ratio significantly.
Are you ready for greater benefit from your system? Are you ready to reduce data entry time? What job is it that you do every day that requires too much time to capture the data? Chances are this device will solve a number of those problems.
Click on this link to see the device: http://www.udsgis.com/flic_bar_code_scanner.htm
It is a laser bar code scanner with two modes of operation. If connected directly to your computer it acts as a laser scanner. If not connected it stores what is scanned until it is connected then dumps it into your computer for processing.
With this device and a little UDS supplied creative programming, you can automate the data capture job that most irritates you. Automate your order entry application or speed the physical inventory process and do it Cheaply. Capture materials as they are issued to a job. Scan a point of sale transaction at the car or in your nursery. Plug it in when back at the register to process the sale.
Because it is a simple scanner it cannot look up information like a Pocket PC or a Tablet PC application can. It can only record the scanned information. It also has no long term memory of what was sent to your PC so information could be lost if you are not careful. The Flic can be used with the POS application just like the Pocket PC I have demonstrated at trade shows for years but the cost is much less.
The routines we develop will have to classify transactions and add a special import routine but we will make sure you have the functions available for the device.
Get free interface programming and support ($499 value) with your purchase as the programs become available.
What is the cost you ask? It is not $1000. It is less than $500. It is less than $300.
IT IS ONLY $169.90. That consist of a $129.95 plus a $39.95 interface kit is required. That is right for under $200 you get a scanner and the attachment cables. Add an optional $49.95 if you want to use USB.
At this price you should buy several. Buy one for each landscape crew. As an item is planted scan the tag. This will create a job cost transaction.
Buy three for each POS register. That way you can scan two people in line before getting to the cash receiving station.
Order the quantity you think you need plus 20% additional. Once you start using this device you will find more jobs for it. If you were going to spend $1000 on one laser scanner you can now buy 6 Flic.
Call Sales and ask about where it could apply to your business and an exact quote.
Buy a Flic Scanner ………. $129.95
And an Accessories Kit ……$39.95
Shipping and Handling …… $10.00
Total ……………………… $179.90
Add Sales Tax where applicable (MI) and subtract $10.00 if you purchase by May 20, 2003
FROM
The SUPPORT DESK
A newer version of Help is posted to www.activeapplications.com
The AR Payment Entry Help topic has been expanded with more information pertaining to its’ primary functions as well as suggestions on how to make corrections or changes to transactions if the need should arise. Supplementary information is also provided on features such as: using and setting up Payment Types, entering Miscellaneous Cash Receipts, Changing G/L Numbers, reversing Invoices, and Returns. A couple case examples serve to summarize how the functionality contained within the AR Payment Entry program could be used to resolve an issue.
Clicking on the following link, will take you directly to the ‘login page’ found in the Active Applications web site: www.activeapplications.com/login.asp Enter your Username and Password then Login display the ‘Downloads’ page. Half way down on the Downloads page you will find two links. The first is to download the Help Manual and just below it is the HTML Help file and is your Context-Sensitive or “F1” keyboard Help.
Examples of how they will appear on the Downloads page is shown below, so that you will be able to recognize them readily when you see them:
Active Accounting Manual (4/30/03)- Click here to download a self-extracting Microsoft Word document containing the Active Accounting Manual.
Active Accounting HTML Help (4/30/03) - This document, once downloaded, will allow you to view the help in a much more usable fashion than the Word Document. If you are on Version 6, save the file to the Active Accounting folder on your server to be able to access the help from within UDS Active Accounting Version 6.1 or greater.
How to Contact Support via Email:
Unless this is a special situation, please remember to address your emails requesting support to Support@udsgis.com rather than to a specific support person at UDS. We would like to avoid the potential for new support calls going unanswered because a particular support person happens to be out of the office. This will also insure that your issues are logged into the Support database and will receive the attention they deserve. To those customers currently using the Support@udsgis.com email address, Thank You!
“Thanks” goes to those of you on Level 3 Internet support that have been sending your UDS version number along with your first email that seeks support. This could save anyone time because a definite percentage of responses you will receive back from Support will hinge on the version you are currently running. Seeing your version number on emails has allowed us to also inform many customers of a critical update that has recently become available. Select from the main menu- Help\About Active Accounting, to see your UDS Version number in the window that appears. Those of you on Level 1 Direct Access support and are calling in – you have the advantage that Support can simply ask you for your UDS Version number if we believe it may be pertinent to the issue.
Checking for New Program Updates:
UDS wants to be sure you get all report updates and do not miss any. Check your email inbox for UDS “report” program updates at least once a week. These report updates are being sent to the email address you have given us. If your email address changes please let Support know. We will update your email address immediately so that you do not suffer any ‘gaps’ in coverage. When you receive an emailed Report update, also check the ‘Downloads’ page on our web site www.activeapplications.com for any new “m” main type updates that may have been placed there for download. It is important that both types of updates are applied as soon as possible. M type upgrade messages are sent when a new main program is available on www.activeapplications.com
Many calls and emails sent to Support have been resolved by applying report updates previously available. Also, try to avoid allowing your support agreement to expire as updates cease being sent to you and your username and password are deactivated during this gap in support.
You will get the most for your Support “Dollar” no matter what level of support you choose, by staying up to date.
If you are running Windows 2000 Server, Windows NT or simply Windows 2000 on your Server computer, you should disable a feature named “Oplocks”. Errors referencing “Jet Database error” and “Unrecognized Database” could otherwise result.
Contact Support to get the Procedure to disable OPLOCKS
As you ponder the migration to SQL this section of the newsletter will have articles on the enhanced features of the SQL version of the ActiveApplications. The features explained in this column most likely will not be put into the Access version of AA.
The feature under the microscope today is Location Grading. Enhancing the inventory system is the purpose. In simple terms it is way of sub classifying the inventory in your locations.
In addition, a list of grading codes can be assigned to customers to control which grade of items a customer gets access to. Using grading can significantly reduce the sales staffs need to know where the best quality plants are in your nursery. Giving the Inventory Management Department greater control of what items are sold first.
These grading codes can give you a way of controlling the availability of inventory without having to put items on reserve in a location. By putting a Location Grade that is not being used in the customer grade list, those items will not be automatically sold. Making them available for sale becomes as simple as changing the grading code. These grading codes are printed on the pull sheets required to fill orders, giving your pullers the information needed to fill the orders.
Valid grading codes are setup in the control file to allow for system wide control. This creates a consistent coding scheme. Each location can have any number of unique grading code records so the locations can be sub divided.
Because it is a subdivision of or an addition to, the true inventory it does not have to follow the same rules of an accounting system generated inventory system. You can sell material that is graded even if it is not yet inventoried into your accounting system inventory.
In summary, though not a cure all for inventory management issues, grading gives you another level of control and power. Grading your stock gives the sales staff more information about inventory. Inventory Management still controls the “real” inventory necessary to count inventory accurately. According to one user: “It lets spend less time on inventory because we see where we have problems. We spend a lot less time on inventory and more time determining what we have to sell to various customer sets.”