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(The Original) " G I S T " GENERAL INVOICE SALES TRACKER Robert F. Keber Jr. 336 Swain Blvd. Lake Worth, FL 33463-3342 (407) 969-3643 PROGRAM AUTHOR: ROBERT F. KEBER JR. COPYRIGHT (C) 1990 All Rights Reserved WHAT IS (Original) GIST? GIST (pronounced "Jist") is a program for small firms who use pre- printed, "Hand Written" Customer Invoices on most of their sales. GIST's purpose is to allow those firms to use a computer for business purposes, but WITHOUT the need to change any of their existing paper work or procedures. There is also NO NEED for a computer operator who is proficient in Bookkeeping or Accounting skills. GIST is NOT an "Accounting Program", but it is a "GROSS INCOME" and "CUSTOMER BILLING" program. As such, GIST provides all of the "Income" information that most Accountants or Bookkeepers require from a small business. In most cases, they only need some GIST Printouts, your Bank Statements and Check Stubs to maintain your firm's books. But, in addition to organizing and preparing your Income Data for your Accountant, GIST will provide "You" (as a Manager) with a great deal of very useful business information. It will also automatically handle routine monthly chores (such as Customer Statements) without most of the usual mistakes, "Short-Cuts" and oversights that occur when these same tasks are done by an employee with a typewriter. Customers: - Shows "Last Sale Date" & "Total Amount Spent" for every customer. - Prints a Customer Telephone Directory (2 phones with extension #s). - Prints Two Customer Address Directories (Long & Short Versions). - Prints Customer Mailing Labels (by Name/City/State/Zip/Area/Etc.). - Large "Comment Field" for every customer (Special Terms, Etc). - Prints a Customer Statement or Customer Invoice for any account. Invoices: - Use normal "Hand Written" invoices or let GIST print your Invoices. - Prints Accounts Receivable Statements with matching Mailing Labels. - Prints a list of invoices with totals for any Time Period. - Prints a list of invoices with totals for any Employee. - Prints a list of invoices with totals for any Customer. - Prints a list of invoices with totals for Accounts Receivable. - Provides 11 "ReNameable" Sales Categories + Sales Tax & Shipping. - Double checks "Calculations" on hand-written employee invoices. Income: - Displays each "Unpaid Invoice" on screen. - Displays "Income Totals by Sales Category" for any time period. - Displays "Income Totals" from any Employee for any time period. - Displays "Income Totals" from any Customer for any time period. - Displays "Outstanding Income" for current Accounts Receivable. General: - Holds about 725,000 Customer Records & 725,000 Invoice Records. - Data files NEVER need "File Maintenance, Sorting or Purging". - Word Processing style commands for the majority of field entries. - Use "NAMES or NUMBERS" for retrieving records. - Find "Strong & Weak" categories of employee's performance. - Unique "BROWSE" mode for viewing Customer & Invoice records. - "Date & Time" appear on many screens. System Requirements: - Computer - PC/XT/AT or Compatible - DOS or MS/DOS Version 3.0 or higher - Ram Memory - 512k minimum - Hard Drive Recommended - Monitor - Mono or Color 80 column - Printer - 80 Column - Dot Matrix - IBM or Epson compatible. - CONFIG.SYS FILE - "FILES = 25" (Important!) DIFFERENCES - "GIST-ORIGINAL" vs. "GIST-PLUS" Some time ago we released the "original" version of GIST. Over time, that version (this program) has come to be known as "GIST-ORIGINAL". As it was originally written, the first version was only designed for "Keeping Track" of "Hand Written" or "Typed" PAPER Invoices. The program itself, did NOT print or produce any kind of Invoice at all. "GIST-ORIGINAL" was well received, and it quickly became apparent to us that there is a BIG GAP between the simple and small "Personal Budget" type of programs, and the much more complicated "Accounting & Inventory" programs. "GIST" helped fill that gap. In the beginning, the most often requested improvement was that the program should be able to print "some" kind of Invoice on it's own. So, after many "Rapid Fire" revisions, we eventually DID add the ability to "GIST" to produce it's own Invoices. But to keep GIST compatible with earlier versions, the information on those Invoices was (of necessity) somewhat limited when it came to "Descriptions". To make GIST produce and store invoices containing the kind of "Descriptive" information that some Users requested, would mean writing an entirely new program, incompatible with the original. And so "GIST-PLUS" ("GP") was born. It's purpose is NOT to replace "GIST-ORIGINAL", but to provide an alternative solution for the different needs of Users. While very similar in appearance and operation (especially at first glance), the two programs are very different from one another, and each has it's own unique advantages. "GIST-ORIGINAL" is still meant to be used in situations where paper invoices are produced by employees during "out of office" sales (such as in a service company). Entering the information from those invoices is FAST & EASY, as only "Numbers" are entered, and not descriptions. The Data files are very compact (numbers take up less room than text in a file), allowing better use of smaller disk drives, and easier "Backup" ability. Since the paper invoices already list all of the "specifics" about each and every sale, there's no need to have the same (redundant) Data in the computer too (Saves Time & Space). On top of that, most Accountants are only interested in the "Money Numbers", and they could care less about the Parts, Labor & Merchandise Descriptions. "GP" on the other hand, is meant to be used in situations where the majority of Invoices are produced "in the office", and "Hand Written" invoices are rarely used (Mail Order, Contractor, Retail Store, etc.). "GP" allows the User to store all of the "Money Numbers", PLUS (Catchy Term...) all the Part Names, Part Numbers, Special Instructions, Expiration Dates, Notes, Special Terms, Work Performed, Make, Model, Serial#, and just about anything you might "write" on an Invoice. All of that Data WILL appear on the printed Invoices and IS saved in the Data file. This makes for MUCH larger Data files, but with a Hard Drive, that's not much of a problem. It takes a little more time to enter each Invoice into the computer.., but time is saved "Later" by having ALL of the Invoice Information instantly available, and NOT having to sift through a filing cabinet trying to find what you need. Which is best? ....depends on your needs. BOTH versions are kept "Up- To-Date" as much as possible. When a new improvement is made on one version, (if possible) it is also made on the "other" version. If you wish to compare both versions of GIST, and are unable to obtain a Shareware copy of "GIST-PLUS" from your local suppliers (some of whom can't see the wisdom of carrying BOTH versions), send us $4.00 to cover Shipping & Handling and WE'LL be glad to send you the latest "Shareware" version. Make sure you specify WHICH version you need (also.., look at the last page or two of this text for a list of our other software packages). REGISTRATION GENERAL INVOICE SALES TRACKER (GIST-ORIGINAL) is a Shareware package. This means that we provide you with a fully functioning sample of the program for you to "try out" for a short evaluation time. After a few weeks of use, you are required to either dispose of the program or send us the purchase price for registration. Extended use without proper registration is a violation of our rights under the Copyright Laws of the United States. You can tell if this program is Registered (or not) by looking at the bottom of the "Main Menu" screen. Telephone and written support are available primarily for "Registered Users"! But we will not "turn our backs" on anyone who needs help or information with any of our products. Because we produce and support many totally different software packages, please have the following information available whenever you contact us for any reason..., - Program's Full Name - Program's Version Number - Serial Number (even if NOT Registered) (Example: "GIST-ORIGINAL Version 5.8 - Serial# 121519902617") (Serial Numbers are listed on the bottom of the Main Menu screen). <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> BONUS FOR REGISTERING <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Of course, all those who register will always receive the latest updated, improved and "Debugged" version of "GIST" and all of the related files (as well as "Customer Support"). In addition to all of that, they also receive another program called "GISTTOOL.EXE", which is a "support" program for "GIST". "GISTTOOL.EXE" let's the registered user do four (4) very useful tasks related to manipulating "RAN" files (and the list keeps growing). 1 - EXTRACT Invoices from your "INVOICE.RAN" data file and create assorted "smaller" invoice data files. This allows "Date Specific" Invoice files to be created with "Yearly, Semi-Annual, Quarterly or Monthly" data only. Another side benefit of this feature is that it allows the User to keep their "current" Invoice file much smaller in size. A Smaller file size will allow GIST to work at a faster speed during data searches, and will allow GIST to be used on some of the "smaller" disk drives. 2 - MERGE Invoice files. Allows you to merge together two or more GIST Invoice files into a larger Invoice file which can contain many years worth of invoices (up to about 725,000 separate invoices). 3 - CLEAR the "Last Sale Date" & "Total Amount Spent" fields from all the records in "CUSTOMER.RAN". Then Recalculate and insert new values for both those fields, based on the 4 - Offers additional ability to fix or repair corrupted "RAN" data files through a "File Maintenance" routine. This routine will remove all records marked as deleted, and all records it finds to be corrupt. This will usually shorten larger files, and many times this routine will "repair" a corrupted Invoice or Customer file with only a minimal loss of data. This routine is well worth having at your disposal. HOW DO I REGISTER? Mail a Check or U.S. Postal Money Order (Payable in US Dollars To "R. KEBER JR.") Robert F. Keber Jr. 336 Swain Blvd. Lake Worth, FL 33463-3342 PRICE: $69.00 Per Copy (Florida Residents Add Sales Tax) Retail Dealers & Site Licenses Please Write for Information Using Your Business Stationery (Prices & Features Are Subject To Change Without Notice) GIST FILES Files included with GIST ================================ GIST .EXE - Main Program SCREENS .OVL - GIST Display Screens (Compressed) GIST .DOC - This Instruction Manual CUSTOMER.RAN - Data file of sample records INVOICE .RAN - Data file of sample records INSTALL .EXE - Installs GIST on a Hard Drive & Prints This Manual. CNF-58 .EXE - Allows User To "Set-Up" GIST To Individual Needs. BRUN45 .EXE - MicroSoft "Run-Time Module" - Allows Smaller EXE Files. GISTTOOL.EXE - Shipped With Registered Versions only. Files which are created when GIST is run ============================================ CUSTOMER.RAN - Random Data file for Customer records CUSTNAME.NDX - Index file - Customer Names CUSTNUMB.NDX - Index file - Customer ID Numbers CUSTOMER.BAK - Backup file - Copy of CUSTOMER.RAN INVOICE .RAN - Random Data file for Invoice records INVNAME .NDX - Index file - Invoice Customer Names INVNUMB .NDX - Index file - Invoice ID Numbers ACCREC .NDX - Index file - Unpaid Invoices INVOICE .BAK - Backup file - Copy of INVOICE.RAN GIST .CNF - Configuration File For GIST's Default Settings. EXTRACT .RAN - Random Data file of GISTTOOL.EXE extracted Invoices LEFTOVER.RAN - Random Data file of remaining Invoices after extraction SETTING UP GIST "GIST" has been written in such a manner as to make it very adaptable to different Tax Laws, User needs, and hardware abilities. As a result there are many features which can be changed (or "Configured"). Most changes are made by selecting "RECONFIGURE" from the Main Menu. The Reconfigure routine will create a new disk file called "GIST.CNF" which will contain a list of all the custom changes you may have made. When GIST is run it will "Look" for "GIST.CNF". If found, it will read the list of settings inside the file. GIST.EXE will then "run" according to the instructions in that list. If the "GIST.CNF" file is NOT found, then the following DEFAULT settings will be used. CONFIGURABLE GIST SETTINGS CONFIGURE CATEGORY DEFAULT SETTING -------------------------------------------------------- Sales Tax Rate .05 (Five Percent) Sales Tax On Labor Yes Printed Headings Use Non-Graphic Characters Use GIST Letterhead Yes Use User's Stationery No Use "Window" Envelopes No Starting Customer # 1 Num. Invoices Printed 1 Sales Category #1 "Sale Cat #1" Sales Category #2 "Sale Cat #2" Sales Category #3 "Sale Cat #3" Sales Category #4 "Sale Cat #4" Sales Category #5 "Sale Cat #5" Sales Category #6 "Sale Cat #6" Sales Category #7 "Sale Cat #7" Sales Category #8 "Sale Cat #8" Sales Category #9 "Sale Cat #9" Sales Category #10 "Sale Cat 10" Sales Category #11 "LABOR CHRGS" Header Line #1: "YOUR COMPANY'S NAME & ADDRESS GOES HERE" Header Line #2: "To insert your own Data in" Header Line #3: "these six lines of text," Header Line #4: "Hit RECONFIGURE from the Main Menu." Header Line #5: "Then Hit 'P' (for PRINTED OUTPUT) on" Header Line #6: "the Configure Program's Main Menu." Footer Line #1: "TERMS: NET CASH - 30 DAYS" Footer Line #2: "To Insert your own Data in" Footer Line #3: "these six lines of text," Footer Line #4: "Hit RECONFIGURE from the Main Menu." Footer Line #5: "Then Hit 'P' (for PRINTED OUTPUT) on" Footer Line #6: "the Configure Program's Main Menu." Any (or all) of the above items (and a few "Sub-Items") may be changed as often as you like. You may run "RECONFIGURE" over and over, and it will simply "Read" and then "Re-Write" the "GIST.CNF" file every time. However, a bit of caution and thought should be used BEFORE you make substancial changes IF you have already entered a large list of "for real" invoices. Changing or rearranging "Sales Category Names" in such cases can "mess up" the Invoices already entered (and your "Sales Totals by category too). So we suggest that you "play" around with various arrangements and choose the one you like best "BEFORE" you start using this program "for real". Also, it is highly recommended that if you intend to hire an employee to enter all of the Invoice and Customer information, that you Remove, Rename or Delete the file called "CNF-nn.EXE" ("nn" stands for the current GIST version number) after you get everything set the way that you want it. By doing this, you can prevent anyone else from changing or re-setting anything in the program. Get a "Printout" of your settings too (just in case). Once the Configure program has been removed from GIST access, if an operator chooses the "RECONFIGURE" Menu Selection, they will only get an error message stating that the file is missing, and they will then be returned to the Main Menu to choose another selection. As time goes by, we receive more and more "feedback" from Users. They let us know about special tax laws in their area, or make suggestions and requests for improvements. As a result, the "Configure" file will undoubtedly have new "Configure Routines" added to it as time goes by. So it's a good idea to always check this program on all new upgrades. SETTING UP GIST ON YOUR HARD DRIVE If you have a "Hard Drive C:" installed in your computer, the easiest way to set up GIST is to run the GIST Program called "INSTALL.EXE". "INSTALL.EXE" will NOT erase or delete any of your existing files. It will simply "check to see" if a Sub Directory called "C:\GIST" already exists on your hard drive. If it does exist, it will warn you and then give the option to "Quit" or "Continue" operation. If you choose to "Continue" (as in the case of an "Upgrade"), then "INSTALL.EXE" will "take a peek" at the destination sub-directory. If INSTALL.EXE finds there already are data files present in the target directory (INVOICE.RAN, CUSTOMER.RAN, HEADER.DAT, FOOTER.DAT), it will then ONLY copy the "Upgraded" GIST files, and not copy the "sample" data files. This will avoid the loss of good data files, by being over-written with "sample" data. But if there is no such Sub Directory, GIST will create it, and then "Copy" ALL of the GIST files to "C:\GIST". It will also create another file called "GIST.BAT", which it will store in the Drive C: ROOT Directory. This file is created for those Users who may not know their way around a Hard Drive too well. Simply typing "GIST" in the ROOT Directory will automatically switch to the "C:\GIST" sub directory and then run "GIST.EXE" for the operator. INSTALL will also check to see if there is an existing file called "CONFIG.SYS" in the ROOT Directory of the hard drive. If CONFIG.SYS does NOT already exist, then INSTALL will create such a file for the operator. The "CONFIG.SYS" file will contain the following very important commands... FILES=25 DEVICE=ANSI.SYS BUFFERS=20 BREAK=OFF If there already is a "CONFIG.SYS" file existing, then "INSTALL.EXE" will examine it's contents and either insert or adjust the "FILES=" command to "FILES=25" which is necessary for GIST (and lots of other programs) to run properly. You can read the commands listed in "CONFIG.SYS" by entering the following command from your system prompt: TYPE C:\CONFIG.SYS ..... and if there is such a file, it's contents will be shown on your screen (or you can edit or read the file with your Word Processor or Text Editor). It is "VERY IMPORTANT", for the "FILES=25" command to be set to at least 25 or more files, or GIST will run into a "Brick Wall" as it tries to create and access many of it's associated files. The same is true for many (lots & lots) of other programs as well. So it's not a bad idea to set this to "25" files, and never change it again (unless another program tells you to increase it to an even higher number). The "FILES=" command is one where "Too much won't hurt, but too little will" (within reason). Another important command line for your "CONFIG.SYS" file is one which allows the printing of "Extended Graphic" characters. This other command line should be "DEVICE=ANSI.SYS". ANSI.SYS is a file which you received either with DOS or MS/DOS. It can (and should) be loaded into memory as a printer device driver by means of the above command line. For the above command line to work, the "ANSI.SYS" file MUST be present in the ROOT directory of your "BOOTUP" disk. NO HARD DRIVE? The same instructions as above are true about the "FILES=25" and the "DEVICE=ANSI.SYS" command lines being put in a "CONFIG.SYS" file even if you don't have a Hard Drive and are trying to operate GIST from a removable disk (which will work, but is really not recommended). The newer 720k and 1.2 or 1.4 Meg disks have some ability for running GIST, especially if the Registered version is obtained. This is because the GISTTOOL support program can keep INVOICE.RAN as small as necessary to stay within the disk's smaller size limitations. Usually, when there is no Hard Drive, most users make a "BOOTUP" disk which they use to start up the computer all the time. Many Users just simply use a backup copy of their original DOS System disk. On such a "BOOTUP" disk is where you should also have the "CONFIG.SYS" file. This file can be very important (even without GIST) because the "CONFIG.SYS" file is what sets many very important features in your computer's system during the BOOTUP process. If you have problems, see your DOS or MS/DOS User Manual for more information on creating your "CONFIG.SYS" files. GETTING STARTED Once you have gotten all the GIST files installed, all that is necessary to "RUN GIST" is to BOOTUP and.... .... Enter the command.........: GIST <enter> GIST will then load, create several new disk files, and present you with the "Main Menu" screen. To make things a bit easier for you, we have included a couple of "sample" customer and invoice data files. This will save you the time of having to enter your own data just to try out the GIST program. Feel free to play around with these sample files, and "get the hang" of how the program works. That's the easiest and fastest way to learn (most fun way too). Run through all the different Menus and features, and try everything. Find records, add new records, edit records, delete records. Print out some labels, directories, statements and invoices. Make sure that everything in GIST works well with all of your equipment. That's what "Shareware" is all about,"Try before you buy". If you find you are having trouble with "printing" any of the various "print" items, look farther into this text for a heading of "TROUBLE" and "PROBLEMS" for suggestions on what to check for. The following page or so describes the methods used in GIST to enter data into "Fields". A "Field" is just another word for a "blank space to be filled in with information". Example: "NAME:____(field)_______" We suggest that you take the time to at least glance through this information, as most of it has been put there to make life (and GIST) easier for you. Some of it will describe "Short-Cut" methods of entering data, while some of the others will answer some questions before you even think to ask them. DATA ENTRY & CURSOR CONTROLS FIELD EDITING -- CURSOR MOVEMENT INSERT KEY: Toggles between "Insert" & "Overwrite" of characters. Cursor changes shape for each mode. DELETE KEY: Deletes character at cursor position. BACKSPACE.: Deletes character to left of cursor position. LEFT ARROW.: Move cursor left one space. RIGHT ARROW: Move cursor right one space. UP ARROW...: Jump to previous field. DOWN ARROW.: Jump to next field. CTRL LEFT..: Move cursor left one word. CTRL RIGHT.: Move cursor right one word. HOME KEY...: Move cursor to beginning of field. END KEY....: Move cursor to end of field entry. CTRL END...: Delete field entry from cursor position to end. PAGE UP....: Jump to top field. PAGE DOWN..: Jump to bottom field. F-1 KEY....: Exit "Current Routine" and return to the previous menu. F-5 KEY....: Use for "Quantity" entries in Invoice Sales Categories. F-10 KEY...: Exit from the GIST program. YES/NO QUESTIONS: In the majority of cases, when GIST asks a question to be answered by a "Y" or "N", hitting the "Enter" key is the same as entering a "Y" (for Yes). But there are a few places where the reverse is true (Enter = "N"), and still a few other places where you MUST hit a "Y" or "N", and the "Enter" key won't be accepted. It sounds confusing, but (believe it or not) it works well and makes good sense in practice. However, when in doubt, just hit the "Y or N" keys. DATE & TIME FIELDS: There are several places within GIST where the "Date & Time" are displayed on the screens. There are also several places where the "Date" is automatically inserted into a field or printed on a form. If you find that the "TIME & DATE" displays or entries are NOT correct or accurate, then the problem is NOT with GIST. The problem is that "YOUR" Computer System's "Clock & Calendar" are not properly set. All that GIST does is to "Read" what your computer says is the proper date and time. You can set the correct Time & Date by entering the commands "DATE" or "TIME" at any System Screen Prompt. For more information on how this is done, read your DOS/MS-DOS manual. The Date's format is always "MM/DD/YY" Anywhere in GIST where you enter a "date" into a field, the date will be checked for validity (eg: 02/30/90 is no good). If the date is invalid, a "Warning Window" will appear on screen, and the date will not be accepted. Dates may be entered as 01/02/90 or 01-02-90 or just 010290. All Invoices require an Invoice Date. You will not be able to save an Invoice record to disk without entering a proper date in the "Invoice Date" field. Just hitting the "Enter" Key (or the F-5 Key) while in the "Invoice Date" field will automatically enter "Today's Date" (if your System Date is properly set). To enter "TODAY's DATE" in either of these two date fields, just hit your "F-5" Key. Naturally, your System Date must be correctly set for this to work properly. To mark an Invoice as "UNPAID", don't enter anything in the "Paid Date" field. You accomplish this by just hitting the "Enter" key. The OLDEST date GIST can handle is 01/02/50 (Year = 1950) The NEWEST date GIST can handle is 12/31/49 (Year = 2049) This range effectively gives GIST a 100 year date range. SEARCH KEYS: When GIST asks you to enter some information to search for a particular record..... If asking for an ID Number, for the best results try to enter the entire number (not just part of it). If asking for a Customer's Name, for the best results only enter the first three or four characters of the last name. First names are ignored. Never enter more than 18 characters of any last name for a search key. If GIST is unable to find a record which matches the "Search Key" information which you provided, an "on screen" message may appear saying so. You then have the option of trying again. But in some cases, if an "Exact Match" is not found, GIST will present the "Next Closest Match" for your inspection, and it will then ask if that record is correct (as in the "Browse" mode). "CUSTOMER DATA ENTRY" SCREEN =============================== "LAST SALE DATE" & "TOTAL AMOUNT SPENT" FIELDS These two fields are located on the "Customer Data Entry Screen". They are "calculated", "filled in" and "maintained" automatically by GIST. They cannot be changed or edited by an operator. As you enter "New" invoices, these fields will be updated with the new data automatically. The amount displayed in the "Total Amount Spent" field is always "rounded off" to the nearest dollar amount, and there will never be any "cent" value shown (other than "$ .00"). As a result, the values displayed are "close approximate" values. When an Invoice is "Deleted", the amount of that invoice will be subtracted from the "Total Amount Spent" field. When an Invoice is "Edited", if the Invoice "Total Amount" field is changed, the "Total Amount Spent" field will be adjusted "Up or Down" by the amount of the change in the "Total Amount" field. The GIST "Support Program" called "GISTTOOL.EXE" offers the capability of "Clearing & Recalculating" the "Last Sale Date" & "Total Amount Spent" fields in each customer record. The new data placed into these fields will be based upon the Data in the Invoice file in use at that time (with "Registered" versions only). TWO "NAME" FIELDS GIST provides two "Name" fields for entries. The Last/Business name field contains 30 characters, and the First name field contains 20 characters. Combined together, the two fields total a maximum of 50 characters for names. For reasons of spacing on paper and labels, only the first 30 characters of the combined two name fields will be printed on any GIST printout. For this reason, we suggest that you keep all "First Name" field entries as reasonably short as possible. NAMES & ID NUMBERS AS "KEYS" After a "Customer" or an "Invoice" have been assigned an "ID number", and the record is saved to a disk file, you will no longer be able to change those numbers through any of the GIST "Editing" routines. Once assigned, the "ID Numbers" are "Keyed" to the "Names", and "Vice Versa". They are permanently "MATCHED" to each other. The only way to change those "Names & Numbers" is to "Delete" the entire record, and then re-enter it all over again. THE "ZIP CODE" FIELD The Zip Code field has some special features. The nine digit Zip Codes may be entered as "12345-6789" or as "123456789". Five digit Zip codes need ALL five numbers (no partial Zip Codes), or GIST will not accept the field entry and will "clear" the field. THE "TELEPHONE NUMBER" FIELDS The Telephone Number fields have a special feature in that the entries may be made as "123-4567" or as "1234567". "INVOICE DATA ENTRY" SCREEN ================================ THE "DATE" FIELDS Both "Date" fields have some special features. Dates may be entered as "01/02/90" or "01-02-90" or just as "010290". The "Format" for ALL date entries in GIST is "MM/DD/YY". To "Mark" an Invoice as "Unpaid", don't enter anything into the "Paid Date" field (just hit "Enter"). All date entries are checked for "Validity" before being accepted by GIST. CATEGORY OF SALES GIST breaks your sales down into 13 different categories of "income", eleven of which can be renamed by the User by using "CNF-GIST.EXE". If you operate a "Service" type of business (with "Per Hour Labor" charges), we offer the following suggestion. Use the existing "LABOR CHGS" sales category for your "Labor" charges, and "Sales Cat #1" for your "Parts" charges. Most "Service" invoices only have 3 charges listed on them (parts, labor & Sales Tax). By arranging the categories as we suggested above, data entry is faster by using your "Page Down" key to jump directly to the "Labor" field. DISCOUNTS & PARTIAL PAYMENTS We suggest that "Sales Cat #10" be used for "Customer Discounts". To make this type of an entry, just enter a "negative" number as the discount amount in the field (-25.00). GIST is not really designed for accounts with "Monthly Payments" or "Partial Payments. But if you occasionally run into this situation, you can handle these payments much the same as a discount. Use "Sales Cat #9" for "Payments" and simply enter the amount of the Customer's payment as a "Negative" number. By so doing, the Invoice "Total" will change to the new balance due after partial payment. But leave the Invoice "Paid Date" as "unpaid" until "Payment In Full" has been received for that Invoice. This method will keep your customer balances correct for "Statements" and "Accounts Receivables". BUT it will give your Accountant "a fit" if you don't "delete" the "Partial Payments" field once the Invoice has been paid in full. That's because "NOT Deleting" any negative partial payment entries will improperly decrease your reported taxable "income". So when you mark your invoices as "Paid In Full", don't forget to delete any amount in the "payment" field at the same time. CASH REGISTER SALES If you use a Cash Register for sales (as well as employee invoices), reserve one of the "Sales Categories" for "Cash Reg", and make an entry in that "Sales Category" at the end of each day's business. The easiest way to do this is to create a "Customer Record" for your own office by entering your firm's name and address in the customer file, or by creating a customer record with a "Name" of "CASH REGISTER SALES" (or something similar). Then, at the end of each day, create an Invoice for "CASH REGISTER SALES" (or whatever) and enter the amount from the Cash Register. If you have several Cash Registers, issue each Cashier an Employee ID Number, and use the "Employee Number" field on each invoice to keep track of "Who" turned in "How Much" on "Which Day". ************* Note: "RECONFIGURE" makes all of the above much easier and simpler, for it can "Rename" all of the GIST "Sales Cats" to whatever name you wish (Parts, Supplies, Sales, Flat Fee, Lease, Rental, Etc.). Those new names then will appear on the screens and on printouts in place of "Sale Cat #". You also have the option of renaming the field named "LABOR CHRGS". We suggest that you ONLY rename this field to something else if you operate a type of business that doesn't ever charge for any type of Labor charge. Also, if you do rename "LABOR CHRGS" to something else, then MAKE SURE that your "Sales Tax" is set to "LABOR IS TAXED" in the "RECONFIGURE" Sales Tax menu. AUTOMATIC "QUANTITY" PRICING In the "Sales Category" fields (1 through 10), as well as in the "LABOR CHGS" field, you have the ability to calculate "Quantity" math problems such as..... 379 Items at $14.37 each = ? 3.7 Hours Labor at $49.39 each = ? As soon as you move the cursor into any of the "Sale Cat" fields, at the bottom, center of the screen a message saying "F-5 = Quantity" will appear. That simply means that if you have a problem like the one shown above, just hit the "F-5" key. When you do, an "On Screen Window" will appear to take your "Quantity" and "Price Each" information. GIST will then automatically insert the correct total into the "Sales Cat Field", and the "Window" will dis- appear. By using this "Window" method, we give you the convenience and accuracy of automated "Quantity" pricing, without wasting a lot of your time and screen space (especially if you seldom have a need for "Quantity" pricing). To add a "Quantity" and "Price Each" field into "EVERY" GIST sales category in a conventional manner would create 22 additional data fields for you to "Wade Through" as you entered each and every invoice, whether you needed them or not. THE "SALES TAX" FIELD The Sales Tax percentage rate varies greatly from State to State. GIST come with a default Sales Tax Rate of 5% (.05). You can reset the Sales Tax Rate (from 0 to 99.99) to match your local Laws, by running the GIST program called "CNF-GIST.EXE". If you live in an area where you have a City or County Sales Tax in addition to a State Sales Tax, then you will have to combine the two tax rates into one figure. Example: 6% State Tax + 4% City Tax = 10% Combined Sales Tax rate. When you run "RECONFIGURE" use the Menus to reach the "Set Sales Tax" part of that program. Then....., If your tax rate is "Zero" (no tax), just enter ".00" If your tax rate is "5%", just enter ".05". If your tax rate is "6.5%", just enter ".065". If your tax rate is "7.53%", then just enter ".0753" If your tax rate is "12%", then just enter ".12" When you move the cursor into the "Sales Tax" field on the Invoice Data Entry Screen, a Pop-Up Window will appear saying, "Tax? (Y/N):". If you are entering a "Tax Exempt" invoice (such as for a church), then enter "N" (for NO), and no Sales Tax will be charged. If you enter a "Y" (for YES), or just hit the "Enter" key, then Sales Tax WILL be charged to the Invoice. SALES TAX ON LABOR CHARGES? Another consideration is whether or not your State requires that you include or exclude "Labor Charges" from your Sales Tax calculations. The "Default" setting for GIST is to "Include" all Labor Charges in the Sales Tax calculations. The word "Default" means "What the program will do unless you take steps to change it". If you operate in a State where Labor Charges are always Sales Tax "EXEMPT" (like California), then you need to change GIST's default Sales Tax setting with the "RECONGIGURE" menu selection. CLEARING THE DECKS FOR ACTION Once you have gotten GIST up and running, play around with the sample data files. Get samples of all of the various "Printouts". Change the Names in the various Sales Categories. "Edit" and "Delete" records. "Add New" records. Try your "Print Screen" key on several different screens. In general, make sure that GIST works well with all of your equipment. When ready to eliminate the "SAMPLE DATA" we have included with GIST, DO NOT just ERASE EVERY RECORD in the Customer & Invoice files. Instead, both of the sample data files must be completely erased from the disk. This can be easily done through the "RECONFIGURE" menu selection. TROUBLES & PROBLEMS GIST ERROR MESSAGES - GIST REBOOTS REPEATEDLY - In extreme cases where GIST has been running without problems for an indefinite period of time, and it suddenly starts to give lots of Error Messages and keeps repeatedly "ReBooting" the computer (and nothing you try seems to cure the problem) try this. Exit from GIST back to your System prompt (F-10 key). Erase all the "NDX" files with the System Command "DEL *.NDX". Then run GIST again, and it will create all new "NDX" files (and hopefully cure the problem). GIST has several routines to detect improper or corrupt "NDX" files and automatically replace them as needed. In such cases, GIST will display an "Error Screen", delete ALL of your "*.NDX" files, and then "ReBoot" your computer to clear your RAM memory of corrupted "Binary Indexed Tree" arrays. But occasionally a bad "NDX" file won't be detected by GIST. In such rare cases you will have to manually erase the files. If the above attempt didn't work, and you are a Registered User, then another suggestion is to use GISTTOOL.EXE and run "FILE MAINTENANCE" from the main menu. This routine will remove records marked as "Deleted" from GIST Data Files. At the same time it will also check for bad, duplicate or corrupt records, and will eliminate them. Many times this routine will "Repair or Fix" a corrupted Data file with minimal data loss. Run File Maintenance on BOTH the Customer & Invoice random data files. But, if all the above doesn't work, then it's time to get and use your Backup "RAN" data files and replace the current "RAN" files with your "BackUp" copies (make backup copies often). OTHER REASONS FOR ERROR MESSAGES: - Make sure that the version of DOS or MS/DOS you are using is version 3.0 or higher. Older versions won't work properly. - Make sure "CONFIG.SYS" is set as described in the previous pages. - Your Printer is NOT ready for action, or is incompatible. PROBLEMS WITH PRINTED OUTPUT: - Make sure that you are using a "Dot Matrix - IBM/Epson/Compatible" printer. Daisy Wheel, "Serial" or "non-compatible" printers just won't work properly (or some won't work at all) with GIST. - Make sure the printer's "DIP SWITCHES" are properly set to print "EXTENDED IBM/EPSON GRAPHIC" characters (see your owner's manual). - Make sure the printer is plugged into your "Parallel Port #1". Many computers have more than one Printer Port. A Printer designed to be plugged into a "Serial Port" will not work with GIST. - If you find that on some of the GIST printouts you are getting printed lines of full "E's, D's" or other characters in place of solid lines or boxes, then one of two things are happening. Either you don't have your printer set up to print "IBM Extended Graphic" characters (see the Instruction Manual for your printer), or your printer is not capable of printing Graphics. In such cases, select "RECONFIGURE" from the Main Menu. Then choose selection "P" to set up GIST to produce printouts using only one of the three sets of "TEXT" (non-graphic) characters. Then try to print either an Invoice or Statement again. If all went well, (and your printer is compatable) your problem should be solved. ERASE THE SAMPLE ".RAN" DATA FILES When you think you understand the operation of GIST, then it's time to erase the sample data iles so that you can create your own brand new (and EMPTY) "for real" data files. The easiest way to accomplish this is to select "RECONFIGURE" and run the Configure program. On the Configure program's menu is an option to ERASE the data files. Using that menu option will eliminate the "Invoice & Customer" data files. But, DO NOT USE THIS OPTION UNLESS YOU HAVE BACKUP COPIES OF THE TWO DATA FILES. Once the "Sample" Data files have been erased, you're ready to run GIST and begin building your own "real" data files. IMPORTANCE OF MAKING BACKUP FILES GIST is a very complex program. It was written using a combination of three different programming languages, and contains many very advanced programming routines (Binary Indexed Trees, etc.). As such, it performs very well, but it doesn't "take kindly" to being mistreated by operators. The worst thing an operator can do to GIST is to take a "short-cut exit" from the program by simply turning off the computer, or by doing a Warm Boot (Control + Alternate + Delete Keys). During a proper exit (F-10 key), GIST does quite a large number of tasks related to closing all files properly, restoring the RAM memory to normal, and in general, just tidying up after itself. To intention- ally and repeatedly "bypass" those tasks is risking serious damage (or even a complete loss) of the Random data files. While we have taken every step we could think of to minimize that kind of disaster, on rare occasions it can still happen. This same problem can occur with most programs that access files, and it's not really a problem that's unique "only" to GIST. But because GIST accesses "Many Files", and those files all "Interact" with each other, we prefer to stress the importance of proper "Exits" and NOT taking "Short Cuts". Because of this possibility of Data loss, we can't stress strongly enough the importance of keeping "Backup" copies of your data files. By "Backup" files we don't mean just the backup files that GIST gives you the option of creating upon an exit (*.BAK). While those files are usually fine as "Backups", it is very easy to overwrite THEM with a badly scrambled file, leaving you with nothing but ALL scrambled files on your disk. So by "Backup Files" we mean other "insurance" backup copies of your "RAN" files kept on separate disks for safe keeping. WHAT FILES DO I NEED TO BACKUP? When you decide to make "Backup" copies of your records, you really only NEED to make copies of "CUSTOMER.RAN and INVOICE.RAN" (Assuming that your are already using a backup of GIST and it's related files). All the other files (DAT, NDX, CFG, BAK) can be recreated as needed. But the two "RAN" files are irreplacable without backups. CONVERTING & RENAMING "BAK" FILES TO "RAN" FILES If you should ever want to convert "INVOICE.BAK" or "CUSTOMER.BAK" to a Random work file, do so by entering the following commands from your system prompt: -... Erase the old "RAN" files.............: DEL *.RAN <enter> -... Erase all the old "NDX" files.........: DEL *.NDX <enter> -... Rename both Backup files..............: REN *.BAK *.RAN <enter> Then, when you run GIST again, it will automatically create new, updated "NDX" files, and you're ready to go again. <<<<<<<<<<**************************************************>>>>>>>>>> |||||||||| ADDITIONAL TypeRight SOFTWARE PRODUCTS |||||||||| <<<<<<<<<<**************************************************>>>>>>>>>> ADDRESS CONTROLLER: Powerful yet Simple Address & Phone List Manager: Handles Multiple Address Files. Does Multiple Label Outputs. Prints 2 Phone Book Directories & 3 Address Book Directories. Prints Index & Rolodex Cards. Find records by ID# or SEARCH & FIND on ANY field. Address Records have fields for 2 Telephone Numbers & 2 Extension Numbers. Also has a 67 Character COMMENT field and an Address CATEGORY field. BROWSE through Address Lists with Arrow Keys. Pick/Choose "Who" to print Labels for. LOCK-IN repeticious field entries when entering records from "City Directories". Sends ANY "Printed Output" (even Labels) to the printer OR to a "Disk File". Maximum size of address files is 9,350 records, with an unlimited number of files. Can MERGE, EXTRACT & SORT address files. CONVERTS address files To/From RANDOM, SEQUENTIAL & DBASE formats. By: BOB KEBER - Shareware $39 "SUCH'a NICE ADDRESS PROGRAM" ("SNAP"): HEAVY DUTY ADDRESS & TELEPHONE program. Has most of the same features as Address Controller, but handles up to 725,000 Records per Address File. NO LIMIT on Files. Files never need Sorting, as new records are sorted as they are entered. Finds records by Partial NAME or ID#. Mail Labels are printed according to the Oct-90 Post Office Address Layout suggestions. Does International Addresses. Many Other Features. Super Fast & Feature Packed. By: BOB KEBER - Shareware: $39 GENERAL INVOICE SALES TRACKER - ORIGINAL ("GIST-ORIG"): INCOME & BILLING program for firms who produce a majority of their Invoices from "OUTSIDE" of their own office (such as Service Firms). Provides all of the "Gross Income Tracking Information" required by most Accountants. Knowledge of BOOKKEEPING IS NOT NECESSARY! Prints Invoices, Statements, Labels, Reports, & Invoice/Customer Directories. Does Acc/Rec Customer Statements automatically. Holds about 1.5 million records. Quickly find any record by ID# or CUSTOMER NAME. Compact data files, good for smaller disk drives. Very Fast Data entry. Numbers only - placed into any of 13 Sales Categories (NO Descriptions). Eleven of the 13 Sales Categories can be "Renamed" to suit your type of business. Ready to use! No Inventory to type in, no special forms to purchase. Almost NO program preparation at all. Just set up "Your" Name/Address/Phone, Sales Tax Rate, etc., and it's ready to go to work for you. By: BOB KEBER - Shareware - $69 GENERAL INVOICE SALES TRACKER - PLUS ("GP"): INCOME & BILLING program for firms who produce most Invoices from "Inside" of their own offices, and who need "Descriptive - Computer Generated Invoices" which contain more than just "Numbers". Provides all Gross Income information required by most Accountants. BOOKKEEPING knowledge IS NOT NECESSARY! Prints Invoices, Statements, Labels, Reports, Invoice Directories & Customer Telephone/Address Books. Does Acc/Rec Customer Statements (with matching Mailing Labels, or set up for use with Window Envelopes). Holds about 1.5 million records. Find any record by PARTIAL NAME or NUMBER. Creates much larger Data files than "GIST-ORIG", so a Hard Drive is recommended. Saves BOTH the Numbers & Product/Part/Labor Descriptions. Many Adjustable features can set up "GP" to fit different business needs and local laws. Like "GIST-ORIG", "GP" is pretty much "Ready To Go To Work" for you, and very little program "Set-Up" is required. There are NO extra purchases required or needed. By: BOB KEBER - Shareware - $69 "R-TRIM": (AN ASCII Text File & Source Code Manipulator & Adjuster) ----------- STANDARD OPERATION: Shortens TEXT Files and ANY ASCII Source Codes by removing ALL "Trailing" Blanks, Spacebars and NULLS from the right end of each line of text and from "Blank" lines. ----------- OPTIONS: - INSERT or REMOVE a 1 To 9 Space wide LEFT MARGIN (Page Offset) - Make room for using Report Covers & for Punching Holes for Binders - Eliminate Excessive "Blank Lines" - MAX of 2 In-a-Row saves paper - Converts Wordstar "High-Bit" Files to Standard ASCII TEXT Files - UN-JUSTIFY: Removes Double & Triple Spacebars from between words. - Run from DOS Command Line or with on-screen HELP & OPTIONS MENUS ----------- Ideal for Authors & Editors. By: Bob Keber - PUBLIC DOMAIN TypeRight SOFTWARE SALES TRACKER ("SST"): A Sales Tracking program for Software Authors who distribute and sell their own software products. Handles multiple Product Files, changing files quickly through "Pop-Up Windows". Provides "Gross Income" information, displaying a wide variety of totals, sub totals and averages for an entire file, or for any range of dates you select. Issues Program Serial Numbers. File records store Customer Address & Phone, Serial #'s, Program Name & Version, Quantity, Price, Shipping, Sales Tax, Dates Sold & Paid, Purchase Orders & Check #'s (and has a 67 space COMMENT field). Printing routines include Mailing Labels, Customer Address & Phone Books, Invoices, Customer Statements (Acc/Rec), Index & Rolodex Cards, Shipping Labels, "Print To Disk Files", and much more. Software Sales Tracker - PATCH ("SSTPATCH"): A seperate program (but part of.., and included with "SST") for easily "Patching" a Customer's Name, Date Of Sale, and Registered Product Serial Number into any of YOUR "EXE" programs. Includes an "Automatic Bulk Disk Preparation" feature. When on "Full Automatic" SSTPATCH will read data from your "SST" product files, patch your "EXE" files with your customer information, and then print a mailing label and a disk contents label. It then follows a list of commands which YOU provide for final disk preparation (FORMAT, REDATE, ARC-IT, COPY, etc.). This "automates" the task of sending out hundreds of disks to Customers and Distributors. The only thing you need to do is keep blank disks in the drives, stick on the labels, and mail the finished product. Both the "SST" & "SSTPATCH" programs are part of the same software package, and are shipped accordingly. By: BOB KEBER - Shareware - $39 "POP-LABEL" ("PL"): A small, fast, "Pop-Up-Window" that will allow you to quickly type up and print a "Label" (or multiple copies of a Label) for most any purpose (contents labels, address labels, report cover labels, etc.). Each Label can hold up to five lines (32 characters per line) of data. Printed output is straight ASCII Text (Plain Vanilla - without any "Printer Escape Codes") and should work with most parallel printers. This program can eliminate many of those label typing sessions still done on your old typewriter. By BOB KEBER - Shareware - $10 TAKE ONE OF THE PROGRAMS ABOVE FOR A TEST DRIVE? If you would like to "Try" one or more of the above programs, and are unable to obtain them from your normal software supplier, we will be glad to send "UnRegistered Evaluation" versions directly to you for a small fee to cover Shipping & Handling expenses. ANY 1 PROGRAM = $4 ANY 2 PROGRAMS = $6 ANY 3 PROGRAMS = $8 ANY 4 PROGRAMS = $10 ANY 5 PROGRAMS = $10 (no extra charge) ANY 6 PROGRAMS = $12 Send us a note stating which program(s) you would like to try. Please specify the programs by NAME (not just "Send All Programs"). As time goes by, new programs will be added to this list. That's why we will need Program Names to properly fill your order. Be sure to include your Name, Return Address, Telephone and Check. Orders are are usually shipped within 24 hours of receipt. Make Checks Payable To: "R. KEBER" ROBERT F. KEBER JR. 336 Swain Blvd. Greenacres, Florida 33463-3342 (407) 969-3643 If you wish to purchase a "REGISTERED" version of any of the above programs, send a check for the amount shown at the bottom corner of each program's description. There is NO Shipping & Handling Charge on any Registered Version. Florida residents, ADD Sales Tax. After January, 1992 we suggest that you call us for an updated price quote BEFORE you send in your order. All prices and features are subject to periodic changes without notice. <<<<<<<<<<*************************************>>>>>>>>>> Copyright (C) TypeRight Corporation 1990 All Rights Reserved The term "IBM" is a registered trademark of the IBM Corp. The term "DOS" is a registered trademark of the IBM Corp. The term "EPSON" is a registered trademark of the Epson Corp. The term "MS-DOS" is a registered trademark of the Microsoft Corp.