Monster Media 1994 #1/monster.zip/monster/WILDCAT/OLCAT201.ZIP/OLCAT20.EXE/OLHELP.DAT

Text File | 1994-02-01 | 28KB | 457 lines

      The On Line Catalog, by Andrew Brown Computing.
                An AMOEBA WARE product.
 This help file contains descriptive information on all
 features of The On-Line Catalog. Most screens allow for
 [F1] to be pressed, bringing up this file with information
 about the item currently selected. At some points in the
 program [F1] is not available but brief help is displayed
 where needed.










GENERAL SETUP contains the following options:

         Company Information
         Tax Information
         Financing Options
         Shipping Information
         External Protocols
         File/Path Options
         Colors






COMPANY INFORMATION: Company Name, Address, Phone, Fax,
Sysop's Name, Sysop's Security Level, BBS name,
and Price Codes.

BBS NAME: This is important, when you register
The On-Line Catalog you will recieve a key file which uses
this field to enable all registered features.
Once registered, do not change the BBS Name or you will
need to get a new key file from us.

SEC CODE: This is the SYSOP'S security code, as sent from
bbs software in DOOR.SYS. Olcat.exe recognizes when the
sysop is online remote and allows him/her full access to
modify items and prices. This allows for routine pricing
updates from the comfort of home (or where ever) with no
risk to security.

PRICE CODES are an important function offered here, when
entering a new invoice you can select which price code
applies to THIS specific customer. Usually we want to
offer those big spending customers a better deal as an
incentive to attract future business.  New Customers
default to price class 1.






TAX INFORMATION: Sysop can create, edit, and delete taxes.
Tax description and percentage to charge.
NOTE: Format is #.#####  ie 5% would appear as 0.05000
Because many countries have as many as 4 or 5 taxes which
apply to sales, you are allowed an unlimited number of
entries in this database.






FINANCING INFORMATION: This option is designed primarily
for credit cards, although COD cash and any other FORM of
PAYMENT can be entered.  Description and card format are
the options.  For instance you may have 2 entries for
VISA CARD, since there are at least 2 different formats
used for VISA card numbers. You can attach a surcharge to
any form of payment, this is mainly designed for COD's
which traditionally have an extra charge attached.
This database allowes an unlimited number of entries.






SHIPPING INFORMATION: Sysop can create shipping options,
add, edit, delete. Shipping Description, price for first
pound, and price for each additional pound.  When a quote
is entered, if shipping is selected the cost is calculated
according to the WEIGHT of each item entered in the
Inventory  Listing. This database also allows an unlimited
number of entries.







FILE/PATH OPTIONS:
When olpos.exe is run for the very first time, the
sysop is placed IMMEDIATELY into this area to set these
paths.

COMPLETE PATH TO DOOR.SYS caller information file.
This is not necessary if you wish to send the parameter at
run time from your .bat file,
ie. olcat.exe c:\wc30\wcwork\node1\door.sys
This is how a multi-node operation is performed, if you are
only running a single node all you need do is place the
path and file name here.

DRIVE AND PATH for DATA FILES, this is the subdirectory
where you will be storing all the data files of your
inventory, customers, vendors, invoices, etc.
This path defaults to the current directory plus "\DATA"
when the program is installed for the first time.

DRIVE AND PATH for DOWNLOADING, this is where user's quotes
are written as text files to be downloaded. This directory
will be empty most of the time but needs to exist.
This path defaults to the current directory plus "\QUOTES"
when the program is installed for the first time.







EXTERNAL PROTOCOLS:
To allow users to download quotes while on line, you can
utilize external protocol batch files. DSZ.EXE is commonly
used for Zmodem, Ymodem, etc, and is implimented using
batch files which pass the baud rate, com port, and file
name to the program.
Which external protocols you use is up to you.
This section only allows you to put the NAME of the
protocol and the BATCHFILE NAME to call when a user
requests to download with this protocol. These batchfiles
should exist in the main directory where you run
The On Line Catalog, Paramaters sent are:
%1 - com port
%2 - filename
%3 - initialized speed of modem (hardware speed)
%4 - time remaining, can be used with third party
utilities to terminate carrier after time limit exceeded.





COLORS: Sysop can modify both the POS system colors AND
the On Line Door (ANSI.SYS) colors from this option.
This is perhaps one of the most versatile (and unimportant)
features of the program. We think our users will enjoy this
kind of versatility.  Make sure that the ANSI.SYS driver
or equivilent is loaded before attempting to change the
Door colors.

NOTE:  When a monochrome monitor is detected the color
datafile is ignored and the built in monochrome defaults
are used.  Do not attempt to change system colors if you
are using a monochrome monitor.



VENDOR DATA FILE:
Vendors are displayed in alphabetical order by Vendor Name
ARROW KEYS - Move Cursor up or down.
PGUP/PGDN  - Scroll up or down a page at a time.
HOME       - First Page of data file.
END        - Last Page of data file.
ENTER      - Display full page information of Vendor,
             edit or modify Vendor's Information.
INS        - Create additional Vendor, this plces you
             straight into full page mode to enter
             information on the new Vendor.
DEL        - Delete selected Vendor from database.
ESC        - Exit back to Main Menu.






CUSTOMER DATA FILE:
Customers are displayed in alphabetical order by Name
ARROW KEYS - Move Cursor up or down.
PGUP/PGDN  - Scroll up or down a page at a time.
HOME       - First page of data file.
END        - Last page of data file.
ENTER      - Display full page information of Customer,
             edit or modify Customer's information.
INS        - Create additional Customer, this places you
             straight into full page mode to enter
             information on the new Customer.
DEL        - Delete selected Customer from database.
ESC        - Exit back to Main Menu.






DISPLAY CATEGORY LISTING OF INVENTORY:

Categories are displayed in alphabetical order

ARROW KEYS - Move cursor up or down.
CRTL ENTER - Edit Category Description.
PGUP/PGDN  - Scroll up or down a page at a time.
ENTER      - Display Inventory listing of Category.
INS        - Create another Category.
DEL        - Delete an Entire Category,
             Be careful, this will eliminate an entire
             category. You will be asked to confirm this
             before the category is actually deleted.
ESC        - Exit back to Main Menu.







DISPLAY OF INVENTORY ITEMS BY CATEGORY:
Items are displayed in alphabetical order, by Part Number.
ARROW KEYS - Move cursor up or down.
PGUP/PGDN  - Scroll up or down a page at a time.
HOME       - First page of data file.
END        - Last page of data file.
ENTER      - Display full screen information of this item
             and edit or modify the item's information.
INS        - Create additional Item in this category
             This places you straight into the full page
             mode to add the information on the new entry.
DEL        - Delete an Item.
ESC        - Exit back to Category Listing.
SEARCH     - Typing any alphanumeric characters will begin
             automatic search for matching part number.






SALESPERSON DATA FILE:
Salespeople are displayed in alphabetical order by Name.
ARROW KEYS - Move Cursor up or down.
PGUP/PGDN  - Scroll up or down a page at a time.
HOME       - First page of data file.
END        - Last page of data file.
ENTER      - Display full page information of Salesperson.
             edit or modify Salesperson's information.
INS        - Create additional Salesperson, this places you
             straight into full page mode to enter
             information on the new Salesperson.
DEL        - Delete selected Salesperson from database.
ESC        - Exit back to SALES MENU.







DISPLAY OF OPEN QUOTATIONS:
ARROW KEYS - Move cursor up or down.
PGUP/PGDN  - Scroll up or down a page at a time.
HOME       - First page of data file.
END        - Last page of data file.
ENTER      - Display full screen information of this quote
             and edit or modify the quote's information.
INS        - Create a new quote.
             This places you straight into the full page
             mode to add the information on the new quote.
DEL        - Delete an open quotation.
ESC        - Exit back to SALES MENU.







QUOTE/INVOICE EDITOR:
ARROW KEYS - Move cursor up or down.
INS        - Add an additional item to this quote.  Select
             Category, select Item, Quantity, and Price
             which defaults to the selected price class for
             this quote.
ENTER      - Reselect this entry, defaults to the existing
             Category, Item, Qty, and price.
DEL        - Delete an Item from this quote.
ESC        - Save and Exit back to Listing of Quotations
[F2] - OPTIONS
       If INVOICE is selected, this quote is passed on
        to the permanent Invoice file and removed from
        the Open Quotation file.  Completed Invoices
        cannot be deleted or edited.

       SHIP TO address can be entered here, this defaults
        to customers address.
       SHIPPING can be selected from shipping data file.

       FORM of PAYMENT can be selected here, if Payment is
        a credit card, the number and authorization can be
        entered.

[F3] - LONG DESRIPTION
       Displays the Long Description of the current Item

[F4] - SHOW PROFIT
       Displays Net COST, Net SALE, and PROFIT of quote.

[F5] - PRINT QUOTE
       Print Quote to Screen, Printer, or File.

[F6] - PRINT PACKING LIST
       Print Packing List to Screen, Printer or File

[F7] - PRINT DETAIL TICKET
       Print Order Detail Ticket to Screen, Printer
       or File.







DISPLAY OF COMPLETED INVOICES:
10 most recent Invoices are initially displayed

ARROW KEYS - Move cursor up or down
PGUP/PGDN  - Scroll up or down a page at a time
HOME       - First page of data file
END        - Last page of data file
ENTER      - Display full screen information of Invoice
ESC        - Exit back to SALES MENU.









INVOICE VIEWER:

ARROW KEYS - Move cursor up or down
ESC        - Exit back to Listing of Completed Invoices.
[F2] - OPTIONS
       View all additional information originally
       entered into invoice.

[F3] - LONG DESRIPTION
       Displays the Long Description of the current Item

[F4] - SHOW PROFIT
       Displays Net COST, Net SALE, and PROFIT of Invoice

[F5] - PRINT INVOICE
       Print Invoice to Screen, Printer, or File.

[F6] - PRINT PACKING LIST
       Print Packing List to Screen, Printer or File

[F7] - PRINT DETAIL TICKET
       Print Order Detail Ticket to Screen, Printer
       or File.









SALES contains the following options:


         Sales People
         Open Quotations
         Completed Invoices
         Pass Invoices to History











MONTH END PROCESSING:
This feature is not necessary unless your drive space is
limited.  Invoices can be viewed and reprinted anytime
until they are sent to the Sales History file.
You are not allowed to process any Invoices from the
CURRENT month, and you are not required to ever send any
Invoices to History.
This is mainly a feature to allow purging of lengthy
data files while preserving a record of sales.
The Sales History file keeps a record of the following:
Invoice Number, Date, Customer Name, Taxable Net Sale
Non-Taxable Net Sale, Shipping, Surcharges, and Tax.










REPORTS:

All reports can be viewed on the screen or printed.
Reports can be printed to printer or file. PRINTER
defaults to LPT1, if a different printer is desired
use the file name option to print to that device.








TOP TEN REASONS WHY THIS SOFTWARE DOESN'T WORK:

#10 - I didn't read the help files, I NEVER do!
 #9 - But the guy at Sears said it would work FINE!
 #8 - A race of galactic beings are screwing with us!
 #7 - I'm only running it on top of 17 TSR programs.
 #6 - What's a subdirectory?
 #5 - What's a HARD DRIVE?
 #4 - I forgot to pay the phone bill....
 #3 - I forgot to pay the electric bill.....
 #2 - What does it mean, 'exact change'?
 #1 - Using Ancient DOS v1.0 with 64k