SmartTracker Inventory contains a number of features designed to help you quickly organize and catalog your personal/office possessions. Keep a record of your belongings for insurance purposes, to help calculate your net worth, or to simply be able to locate your personal property. The following notes will illustrate SmartTracker InventoryÆs flexibility and variety of features designed to allow maximum customization and ease of use. Equipped with the Borland Database Engine, SmartTracker Inventory is both fast and powerful.
<H3>Inventory Viewer</H3>
SmartTracker Inventory features a scrollable Viewer, similar in appearance to a spreadsheet layout, which lists the database elements. Configure the viewer to your personal preference by clicking on NAVIGATE/VIEWER. Select only those database items that you want to see in the viewer. Specify the order in which they appear and designate the space to allocate to each element. Expand or shrink the number of items in the viewer by adjusting the font size.
<P>
New features include the ability to edit data directly from the viewer, complete with pull down list boxes and check boxes in a 3-D format. Change colors in the viewer or add grid lines to suit personal tastes. All field names may be renamed to your liking and will be reflected in the Inventory Viewer as well as throughout the entire program. All data is now loaded into the viewer at once. Speed buttons are available to move you to the beginning or the end of the database
<H3>Searches</H3>
SmartTracker Inventory contains powerful search facilities. The Search Window allows you to enter specific search criteria to locate a set of items. You may select to search on one field or multiple fields. Alternatively, you may choose to search for different items in the same field, such as looking for all Sony, GE and Maytag brands. You can search for numeric and date values, locating items less than, greater than, less than "x" but greater than "y", or equal to the number or date entered. For example, you can readily find items purchased after June 22, 1994 or find all items with a purchase price of between $100 and $250. All matching search items will be placed into the Inventory Viewer. Check out NAVIGATE/ SEARCH from the main menu.
<P>
The Search and Replace function allows you to replace all occurrences of a field value with another value. Simply enter the data to search for and type in the replacement text. Optionally have the program confirm the replacement before it occurs. Click on TOOLS/ SEARCH & REPLACE from the main menu.
<P>
SmartTracker Inventory can assist you in locating records by searching on one field. Find this from the main menu, NAVIGATE/LOCATE. Choose a field, specify if the search value is case sensitive and an exact or partial match. Next, type in the value you are looking for. The first record found matching the criteria supplied will be highlighted in the Main Window Viewer. Click on "LOCATE NEXT" to find the next record matching the criteria given.
<H3>Sorting</H3>
You can choose the order in which your data is displayed and used throughout the program. You can choose any field to sort on as the primary sort. SmartTracker Inventory now allows you to perform second, third and fourth level sorts. If an identical field exists in the primary sort, then the items are sorted by the secondary sort, and so on, through the fourth sort. Check out the OPTIONS/SORT ORDER menu item.
<P>
Data will be displayed in the Main Window Viewer based on the sort order defined. Reports and Exporting Data also rely on the sort order.
<H3>Backing Up Data</H3>
SmartTracker Inventory offers a built in mechanism for backing up files used by the program. Select FILE/BACK UP DATA from the menu list. You may choose to back up three different types of data. These are the actual data files, maintainable lists and user defined reports. Simply select what you would like to back up, then choose the drive and directory where the data is to be saved. Click the "Start Backup" button to begin the operation.
<P>
Another alternative for backing up data files is to use the Export and Import commands. You may export your entire data and then import it. You may wish to do this if your database is so large that it cannot be backed up onto a floppy disk. An ASCII Delimited Export File will normally take considerably less space than the actual database file.
<H3>Multiple Databases</H3>
SmartTracker Inventory will support virtually an unlimited number of databases, basically confined by your hard disk space. When restarting the program, the last database used is automatically loaded. The previous five databases open will be displayed at the bottom of the FILE menu command. The name of the currently opened database is always shown in the caption bar of the Main Window.
<H3>Customization</H3>
Practically all aspects of the program can be configured and customized to the userÆs own preferences. All font styles (on screen and reports) can be changed. This allows support for foreign languages, as some languages require special fonts and characters. Field names may also be renamed to ones own preference or to provide foreign language equivalents. The screen colors are all completely changeable to oneÆs own tastes.
<P>
You may choose from three options for screen navigation, the use of speed buttons, lettered buttons or none at all. Other options include determining screen size, date and numeric formats, and making changes to the viewer and reports as described previously. Select OPTIONS from the Main Window.
<H3>Networking</H3>
SmartTracker Inventory will support usage over a network. Multiple users may have the same database open simultaneously and all may make updates to the database. If a change is made by one person, that change will show up for the other users after they have "Refreshed" the database. Refreshing is accomplished by clicking the REFRESH speed button or by scrolling the Main Window Viewer.
<H3>Export/Import Functions</H3>
You may choose to export your data to an ASCII Delimited File or to a Dbase Compatible File. Select RECORDS/EXPORT from the menu items. You can rearrange the order in which the fields are exported for each record. Just highlight the field you want to change the order on and use the "UP" and "DOWN" buttons to move it anywhere in the list. The "DEFAULT" button will set the field order back to the program default order. If a search is currently active, you may optionally export just the data that is available as a result of the search. You may still export the entire database even if a search is currently active.
<P>
Similarly you may import data from an ASCII Delimited File or a Dbase Compatible File. Check out RECORDS/IMPORT from the main menu. You can align the fields that are to be imported with the database fields of the program. Line up the fields however you like using the "UP" and "DOWN" buttons in the Field Alignment area. If you wish to ignore one of the import fields (not have it imported) then set the corresponding "USE" area to "NO". Setting this to "YES" means the field will be used for importing.
<H3>Reports</H3>
SmartTracker Inventory comes with eight pre-defined reports for immediate use. These layouts may be copied, modified, used or deleted. Look at NAVIGATE/REPORTS to see all reporting options.
<P>
Design your own report layouts. Practically every aspect of the report process is user configurable. Select reports with widths of 90, 120 or 150 characters. You may choose different fonts for the report titles, column headers, report body and footnotes. Select any font that has been loaded onto your computer. Up to three report headers may be assigned to appear at the top of each page, to use for name, address, phone number or for whatever seems appropriate.
<P>
You can select only those fields you would like to print on the report. Choose the width of the fields and the order in which the fields appear.
<P>
The reports may be grouped into sections based on the primary sort order or on the primary and secondary sort order . Column Headers, horizontal and vertical lines are optional for some report layouts (those in a spreadsheet style). Set the top, bottom, and side margins to your own specifications. Also optionally include the current date at the bottom of each page.
<P>
The reports may be viewed on screen before printing. Send the report to the printer or an ASCII text file to save on disk. Print one page, a range of pages or the entire report.
<P>
Three options are available to make submitting reports to your insurance company more convenient. At the bottom of each page you may have your insurance company and policy number listed. At the end of the report a line is added stating that to the best of your knowledge the inventory list is correct as of the date printed. A place to sign your name is provided along with your printed name.
