ARM Club 1/ARM_CLUB_CD.iso/contents/comdemos/progs/mtrader/Help

Text File | 1992-12-11 | 8.2 KB | 181 lines

The 'Micro-Trader' Business System Demonstration Disc

USING ArcFS

The 'Micro-Trader' Business System does not run under ArcFS. In order
to run this demonstration program, it needs to be copied onto another
disc. The easiest way to do this is to copy it onto a hard disc. To do
this, simply drag the !MTrader application, and the other files in this
directory, into a suitable directory on the hard disc. To copy the
application onto a floppy disc, it is recommended that a RAM disc is
used to avoid excessive disc swapping. Backup copies can also be taken
if desired.

THE SYSTEM

The 'Micro-Trader' Business System consists of a range of computer
programs covering accounts, stock control, payroll, and the printing
of labels and letters for mailshots. Each section is known as a
'module' and they build together to form a powerful yet a very easy to
use range of business computer software.

The system complies with VAT requirements. Although not included on the
demo system, the new VAT Return for the single market from 1st January
1993 and the new EC Sales Listing are now provided.


Specification

The complete 'Micro-Trader' Business System will run multi-tasking
with no restrictions on any Archimedes, A3000 or A5000 computer with
1mb of memory. A minimum of 1 floppy disc drive is required, but it
will also run on a hard disc, and with any printer supported by
RISC-OS printer drivers.

USING THE DEMO SYSTEM

This leaflet is in the form of a tutorial that will explain how to
start up the system and will demonstrate the methods used to access
the many facilities, with some examples of the multi-tasking
operations. To run the system, double click on the !MTrader icon.

STARTING THE SYSTEM

To enter the system, click on the !MTrader icon on the icon bar. The
Working date dialogue box is displayed.

The Working date is used as the standard date throughout the system.
This can today's actual date, but other dates can also be used. Once
set, items can still be entered with a different date if the need
arises. For this example, just click on OK and the 'Micro-Trader'
Control Panel will be displayed.

The Control Panel displays the modules that are present and provides
access to the facilities in each module no matter how many, or how few
modules are in use, The Control Panel shows the name of the company
that owns the system followed by the Batch number and the Working
date. The Control Panel displays the modules in two rows of four
pictures with names below them. The top four pictures are the accounts
modules of Sales Ledger, Purchase Ledger, Nominal Ledger and Stock
Control. The second row are the modules of Payroll, Mailer, Final
accounts and Maintain. These pictures appear as white silhouettes if
the module is not available and appear darker, or with a full colour
picture if the module is present.

In this example, we will use the Sales Ledger to send out an Invoice.
To see the way that items are selected, move the pointer over the
Sales picture and click select. A menu entitled Sales will appear. A
menu of this type will appear by clicking on any of the pictures in
the Control Panel.

Move the pointer down the menu to the word Transactions. Move the
pointer to the right and the Transactions menu will be displayed.
Click on the Invoice option. The menus disappear and the Invoice
dialogue box appears.

There is a range of facilities to allow a particular account to be
selected. If the account number is known then enter it and press
Return. The account name and address will then be displayed as we see
here. It is possible to move through the accounts by clicking on the
browse arrows. Click on the browse right arrow to move to the next
account and then left arrow to move back to the first account.

It is also possible to search for an account by name. First, delete
the account number and press the down arrow to move the caret down to
the name box. Delete the current name, type "smith" and press Return.
The system will search through the account names and display the first
name that matches. The system will match a name where any part of the
name agrees e.g. Mr Smith, Smith & Sons, and The Blacksmith,
regardless of capital letters. If the required account is not
displayed then click Find and the system will continue the search for
the next name to match.

Entering an Invoice

Having selected the customers account, press Return and the caret will
move to the Nominal box. This allows sales for various departments or
areas of the business to be allocated to different Nominal Ledger
accounts by using the search and browse facilities. In this example
just press Return. The next automatic Invoice number is displayed
here, but Invoice numbers can be entered manually if required. In the
next box, a customers Order number can be entered, followed by a Job
number and the Invoice date.

Press Return until the caret is in the Code column in the body of the
invoice. Type ABC123 and press Return. The details of an item from the
Stock Control system will be displayed. The quantity sold and any
discount can be entered. The details displayed can be altered if
required. Without Stock Control, the details of the stock sold would
be entered by hand.

Move on by pressing Return until the caret is in the description
column on the next line. Type the description of some work done. Keep
typing even when the column is full, and the column will 'word wrap'
and move down. Press Return when the description is finished. Enter
any other items required on the Invoice and click OK. A print/save box
is then displayed. (see Printing, below).

Multi-tasking

The multi-tasking facilities of the 'Micro-Trader' Business System
mean that it is not necessary to abandon a partly finished operation
in order to do something else. Click on the Sales picture to display
the Sales menu and select Edit accounts. This is used to create new
accounts and to alter the details of existing accounts. Let us assume
that there is an urgent need to change the rate of VAT.

Click on the Maintain picture to display the Maintain menu. Now click
on the Edit VAT rates option. This opens the VAT rates dialogue box
and the rates can be altered. This is an extremely useful facility.
For example, while entering an invoice, it is realised that the
customer has moved, and the new address has not been entered. There is
no need to abandon the partly completed invoice. Edit accounts can be
selected, and the new address can be entered. The invoice will remain
on the screen, and can be completed.

Similarly, while a Nominal Ledger transaction is being entered, a bill
outstanding in the Purchase Ledger must be checked. The Purchase
Ledger account can be viewed, and the Nominal Ledger transaction
completed later.

Printing

Any report or printed document will display a Print/Save dialogue box.
To print a document either drag the text icon to a RISC-OS printer
driver, or click on the Print button. To save the document as a text
file, drag the text icon to a directory viewer. To view the document
on the screen, click on the Screen button and a window will display
the report on the screen.

The document can also be viewed on the screen using the !Edit
application. Before selecting the report, run the !Edit application.
Drag the text icon from this box onto the !Edit application on the
icon bar. The report will be displayed. This principle can also be
used for other applications, e.g. drag to DTP and add styles before
printing.

Follow the principles of this example to examine the other modules.
This demonstration disc is a fully working program with two
exceptions. Firstly, nothing will be saved onto the disc. The disc
contains sample data files and the information from them will be
displayed where appropriate, but no changes and no new items such as
invoices will be saved.

Secondly, the print routine will only print a selection of sample
documents. When any print option is selected from any reports menu or
from an Invoice, the invoice that has been created on the screen WILL
NOT be printed. As this program is for demonstration only, it is only
possible to print the sample invoice stored on the disc.

NOTE: The Final accounts module requires a password which is 5780

For further information please contact:

  P.R.E.S. Ltd,
  P.O. Box 319,
  Lightwater,
  Surrey
  GU18 5PW
  Tel: [phone]
  Fax: [phone]