Software of the Month Club 1995 December/SOFM_Dec1995.bin/pc/dos/biz/auction/aucgd102.txt

Text File | 1995-10-31 | 12KB | 269 lines

AUCTION Program User's Guide
Version 1.02

23Sep95











Copyright 1994, 1995  Stephen J. Slager
INTRODUCTION

This program was created with a rather limited intent:  to make the annual
gifts and crafts "Time and Talent" auction of the First Reformed Church of
Cary, NC easier to handle.  It's not particularly elegant.  But it achieves
its purpose fairly well...  most of the important functions needed for a
church or charity auction are included, it isn't too difficult to master
and when things go wrong the program usually recovers (or restarts, if
necessary) gracefully and without losing much of its hard-gained data.

There are two executable files, AUCTION.EXE and PRINTLOG.EXE.  The main
program, AUCTION.EXE, will present the user with menu screens to handle
basic auction functions.  It is small, fairly fast and reasonably robust.

The PRINTLOG.EXE file has (so far) never been needed.  It will simply print
out the transaction log recorded by the AUCTION program should that program
become unusable for any reason.


PROGRAM OVERVIEW

The AUCTION program implements a straight-forward method of preparing for
and carrying out an auction.  Users of the AUCTION program can:

1. Create and update a numbered list of items to be auctioned, optionally
    including the identity of the individual or business providing the
    item.
2. Create a list of buyers and assign an identification number to each
    buyer.
3. Customize headers for Bills of Sale.
4. Print out a list of auction items for buyers to peruse.
5. Print out a list of buyers with buyer numbers assigned.
6. Print out buyer certificates for donated services.
7. Print out cue cards for use by the auctioneer.
8. Record auction transactions as the auction proceeds.
9. Optionally provide for including "silent auction" or "craft table"
    transactions in the Bill of Sale for each buyer.
10. Print out a Bill of Sale for each buyer who purchases an auction item.
11. Print out a summary of the proceeds of the entire auction.


PROGRAM CHARACTERISTICS

1. AUCTION runs in standard DOS mode, in MS Windows DOS windows and in OS/2
    Warp DOS (full-screen).
2. AUCTION does not provide mouse support.
3. AUCTION stores its information in four data files (BUYER.DAT,
    AUCTLIST.DAT, SALESLOG.DAT and SETUP.DAT) which will normally need
    to be erased and recreated for each auction.
4. AUCTION's user interface is line-oriented.  When you are editing a
    record or title, hitting the Enter key will normally retain the
    information displayed.  If you change anything shown on a line, you
    will need to re-type all of the information you wish to save in that
    line.
5. Most menu screens in AUCTION will permit you to back out to the previous
    level by typing a "9", a "space" or an "Esc".


GETTING STARTED

System requirements:
AUCTION requires an IBM-compatible PC running DOS.  It has been run with
DOS versions 3.20 through 6.0.  It has been used with machines having 512K
of RAM or more, but should be able to run with considerably less RAM if
necessary.  It has been used with b oth monochrome and color monitors.
AUCTION uses only ASCII characters in printing, so it isn't too fussy about
the type of printer that it's directed to use as long as it's attached to
the LPT1:  parallel printer port.

Installation:
Nothing fancy -- create the directory you want AUCTION to run from, then
copy AUCTION.EXE and PRINTLOG.EXE to that directory.  Enter "AUCTION" at
the DOS prompt to start the program.  The following sequence would suffice:
   C:> md auction
   C:> cd auction
   C:/AUCTION> copy a:auction.exe
   C:/AUCTION> copy a:printlog.exe
   C:/AUCTION> auction
You can also run AUCTION from a diskette in the A:  drive quite
satisfactorily.


FIRST TIME SETUP

When you first start AUCTION, feel free to poke around a bit.  The main
menu, like most menus in the program, asks you to choose an option by
typing a number.  Doing so will take you to another menu or invoke an
action.

To begin setting up for an auction, type "7" and you will see the "Set up
for the coming auction..."  menu screen.  If you've used AUCTION
previously, you'll want to use menu option 1 ("Start everything fresh') to
clear out data records from the previous a uction.  Option 2 ("Erase
records from prior auction") will keep the existing buyer list and the
existing list of auction items intact while erasing the record of actual
auction transactions.  This is very useful for doing practice runs before
an auction.

To register as a user of AUCTION, follow the instructions found in option
4. Use option 5 to edit the identification information which will be shown
on the menu screens and will be printed on Bills of Sale.  Option 9 will
return you to the main menu screen.


PREPARING A LIST OF ITEMS FOR AUCTION

From the main menu screen, option 5 "Add an Item to the auction list" will
provide several functions to create and maintain a list of auction items.

Option 1 "Add a NEW item" is the basic tool.  It presents a template of
information fields for the next available item number.  Use the "Enter" key
to move from one field to the next.  If you do not type in new data,
AUCTION will leave the information field unchanged.  If you make a mistake,
press "Enter" repeatedly until you have moved through the rest of the
information fields, type "n" to return to the Item menu screen and then use
option 2 "EDIT and existing item" to enter the correct information.  The i
nformation field "Item type......:"  deserves special mention.  Most items
for auction are objects, but AUCTION allows certificates for services (such
as baby-sitting or yard work) to be auctioned as well.  Type "c" to
identify an item as a Certificate for s uch services.  Type "m" to identify
the item as a Miscellaneous auction item.

Option 2 allows you to modify the information for an item already entered
into the auction list.  Type the number of the item to be edited in the
first field and the information for that item will be retrieved.  Press
"Enter" to keep the data originally rec orded and move to the next field.
To change the information in any field, type in all of the information for
that field, then press "Enter".

Option 4 will show a summary of the entire list of items for auction.
Option 5 will print out a copy of that list.  Option 7 erases the data file
containing the all of the information entered for the auction item list.


PREPARING THE BUYER LIST

From the main AUCTION menu screen, use option 6 "ADD a Buyer to the auction
list" to create and modify the list of buyers for the auction.

Option 1 "Add a NEW buyer" is the basic tool.  It presents a template of
information fields for the next available buyer number.  Use the "Enter"
key to move from one field to the next.  If you do not type in new data,
AUCTION will leave the information fie ld unchanged.  If you make a
mistake, press "Enter" repeatedly until you have moved through the rest of
the information fields, then type "n" to return to the top of the entry
screen to enter the correct information.

Option 2 allows you to modify the information for an buyer already entered
into the auction list.  Type the number of the buyer to be edited in the
first field and the information for that buyer will be retrieved.  Press
"Enter" to keep the data originally recorded and move to the next field.
To change the information in any field, type in all of the information for
that field, then press "Enter".

Option 4 will show a summary of the entire list of buyers for auction.
Option 5 will print out a copy of that list with all of the identifying
information that has been entered.  Option 7 erases the data file
containing the all of the information entered for the buyer list.


DURING THE AUCTION

From the main menu screen, use option 1 "Auction an item" to record auction
transactions while the auction is in progress.  When you first enter the
auction screen, enter the number of the item being auctioned.  AUCTION will
prompt you for the sale price of the item being auctioned and the prompt
you for the buyer number.  After these have been entered, AUCTION will give
you a chance to verify or re-enter the information (type "n" if the
information is NOT correct).  If the information is correct, press a ny key
except "n".  Another prompt will appear asking whether you wish to
continue; press any key except "n" and you will be prompted with the next
sequential item number.  Type in the number of the next item or press
"Enter" to accept the prompt.  If the quantity of any item is greater than
one, you will be prompted for the same item until all have been sold )or
until you enter a different number).  If you accept the prompt, the price
paid by the previous buyer will be displayed for you to accept or chang e.


CLOSING AN ACCOUNT

Use option 3 "Close an account" from the main menu screen when a buyer is
ready to leave the auction.  Enter the buyer number; you will be prompted
with the buyer's name and asked to verify that this is indeed the account
to close.  AUCTION will present t he sum of all items purchases and provide
an opportunity to add in purchases from "silent auction" or "craft table"
sales if those options were included when setting up for the auction.  When
the totals have been entered, a Bill of Sale will be printed an d AUCTION
will mark the account "Closed".  AUCTION will not allow any further
transactions for that buyer number.

NOTE that if the printer is not attached to the parallel printer port, or
is not responding, AUCTION will wait patiently, forever, until the problem
is corrected.  If the problem cannot be corrected, you may have to turn off
your computer to get out of the situation.  If so, know that AUCTION will
retrieve all transactions execpt the one in progress when the program
terminated.


CLOSING THE AUCTION

Use option 4 "Close the entire auction" when all accounts have been closed.

Option 1 "Summarize and close the auction" will total the entire auction
receipts, display them and print them out.  It will also give you an
opportunity to register or renew as a user of the program.  All buyer
accounts must be closed before closing the auction; AUCTION will display a
list of unclosed accounts if you try to close the auction before closing
all buyer accounts.

Options 3 and 4 enable you to print a copy of the items sold at the
auction, sorted by item number and by buyer number respectively.  These
have proven to be very useful records to retain.


GENERAL OBSERVATIONS

It's a really good idea to make up a short list of auction items and buyers
and to practice with those before getting into a real auction.  Things
happen quickly, often with some confusion, during an auction and you'll
want to be comfortable with AUCTION when that happens.

Note that you can add new items and new buyers during the course of an
auction with no ill effects.  You can also close accounts of buyers leaving
early during an auction -- though it helps to have a fast, quiet printer.

We hope you find AUCTION useful in achieving your organization's goals.  We
do request that users make an annual donation of $25.00 to the memorial
fund established in memory of the originator "of this program, Paul Kosht.
Checks can be made out to "First Reformed Church - Kosht Memorial Fund" and
mailed to the address shown above.  And, yes, your donation is tax
deductible.  Thank you.

For an additional $15.00 registration fee, you may register as a user of
the program.  You'll receive a User's Guide with some potentially useful
information and a 3.5" diskette with the current version of the program or
with the next version (if there ever is one) if you already have the
current version.

First Reformed Church of Cary, NC
Kosht Memorial Fund
PO Box 4373
700 Old Apex Rd
Cary, NC  27511