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TPOSS v3.4 Documentation ---------------------------- (c) 1994 Drew Hershkowitz ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- CONTENTS OF FILE: ----------------- When unpacked, the following files should be present: TPOSS.DOC This File! TPOSS34.TPG TPOSS Program File CONVERT.TPG TPOSS Conversion Program (UPGRADE ONLY) ***** NOTE: ***** If this is an upgrade, run the CONVERT.TPG program from the TPOSS directory. Make sure the VENDORS.DBF and ITEMS.DBF are in the directory. They will be converted, and saved as VENDORS.OLD and ITEMS.OLD TPOSS will create its own database and index files. If this is an upgrade, keep the VENDOR and ITEMS databases in the homepath and TPOSS will convert them to the new file structures. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- OVERVIEW -------- TPOSS is an acronym that stands for (T)he (P)oint (O)f (S)ale (S)ystem. It is a self contained sales and marketing utility for use with TBBS and TDBS version 1.2 or higher. It allows vendors to maintain their own catalogs and has its own credit card/C.O.D. ordering system. TPOSS tracks shipping and handling charges as well as local sales tax rates. It is configurable and is printer ready, delivering a clear, concise printout of what was ordered, when, and other important info. An unlimited number of vendors is supported and each vendor can be taken on or offline at the sysop's descretion. Any type of product or service can be sold via TPOSS, including BBS subscriptions, club memberships, lodge dues or anything else your vendors carry. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- INSTALLATION ------------ 1) Place these files in their own directory, preferably named TPOSS. 2) In the SDL menu file, there should be 1 call: For Example: Entry: Key=$ Type=200 Opt Data=c:\tbbs\tposs\TPOSS34 /Q 3) Run the SYSOP utility module (TPOSS /Q). Use option [C] from the SYSOP utility. The TPOSS path needs to be entered so that the order files will be found without making it necessary to have the TPOSS directory in the TBBS PATH statement in your autoexec file. NOTE: If the PRINT option is configured, each order will be printed with all information that goes to the vendor. MAKE SURE THE PRINTER IS READY! If not, TPOSS will simply ignore the order to the printer and print to the vendor's file. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Using TPOSS ----------- TPOSS should be used as follows: Once configured and running, vendors will log in and register to be a vendor on your BBS. A vendor will receive a vendor ID as well as a vendor maintenance password which he/she or anyone for that matter may use to maintain the individual catalog. After this process, the vendor must be validated by the sysop, which can be done from the SYSOP module option [V]. Once validated he/she may configure their personal list of products/services. Upon logging in and going to VENDOR MAINTENANCE, a validated vendor may maintain item entries by adding items, deleting, editing, viewing his/her personal catalog or even editing the vendor information. These updates are immediately reflected in the database of items and products which are available to the public for possible purchase. The vendor(s) are solely responsible for retrieving their own orders, which is the reason that the ORDER FILE (on the vendor's maintenance menu) is downloadable. Depending on configuration, each order may be printed to any LPT port as well as being placed in the sysop's order file, which contains all orders as well as vendor activities re: retrieving orders. Any time a vendor retrieves or views his order file, an entry be placed in to the sysop's order file. The VENDOR LIST module is available for users to get in direct contact with a vendor for whatever reason he/she feels necessary. The ORDER module is the subsystem in which a BBS user can view and/or order a product or service with a credit card or COD (if the vendor specified COD as a form of payment upon registration). The SYSOP utility is a utility for use by any user who has access of 255. This utility allows editing/deleting of any vendor and or his/her items. The utility also includes a packing routine which can be invoked whenever necessary, at the sysop's convenience, as well as other convenient routines. SETUP NOTE: Each vendor that is validated should have his/her own directory. Directory names are VNDn where n=vendor id. This directory would contain ONLY description files. See the update log below for naming conventions. The newest naming standards are under the 12/4 revisions. 11/1/93 NOTE: *** SALES TAX UPDATE *** To enable use of this product in areas with unusual sales tax requirements, the following has been altered. If the vendor and the (billed) customer are in the SAME state, the sales tax is computed as follows: * If the vendor is set up with a rate of "00.00" as the local tax, the message "Appropriate taxes will be added" will be displayed. This will allow the product to be used in places where sales tax is computed in any way other than the norm. * ELSE, the tax will be computed as normal. If the vendor and customer are in DIFFERENT states, the tax will not be computed and the message will be "Not applicable." In most cases, intra-state sales are not taxed. IF THE TAXING FACILITY IN ANY WAY DOES NOT SUIT VENDORS, SIMPLY USE A RATE OF 00.00 AND THE VENDOR WILL CALCULATE ACCORDINGLY (MANUAL). SysOps are advised to archive the vndsysop.txt file regularly. Monthly archives work well for many users of TPOSS. NOTE: VENDOR ADVERTISEMENTS Vendors may now have a personal full screen advertisement. See 11/1/93 enhancements below. UPDATE LOG: 2/12/93: Several new options: 50 Character Field for Vendor Names. Discover and AmEx credit card support. Implicit Deletions: No pack routine necessary. Deleted items may be recalled until the time the item is overwritten by a new item, possibly by another vendor. This pertains to a vendor deleting his/her own items. Configurable labelling: The 'MAKE' and 'MODEL' fields of the previous version are now configurable. They are actually only seen to a person maintaining the vendor catalog or actually ordering an item. In the order list, these labels are not used because they vary from one vendor to another. These are defined at the vendor registration or can be edited at a vendor's will. Unvalidation of vendors: Vendors can now be unvalidated or basically put on hold. This is a way to temporarily disable vendors from maintaining their orders. If this is invoked, a vendor's items are still advertised, unless the vendor is actually deleted. These options are on the SYSOP menu. 6/28/93: Cosmetics, simplified registration scheme. 7/13/93: Added code to avoid error if printer is off. Added code to delete a vendor's order file when the vendor is deleted. 11/1/93: Version 3.0 Extended item descriptions: now 3 lines. Extended Zip Code field for international use to 10 characters. Renamed it Zip/PC for Postal Code, outside of US. Ability to disable sales tax for use with areas with unusual sales tax requirements. See previous NOTE re:Sales tax. Added facility to scroll through Vendors. Ability to view an 'ad' from a vendor. Vendors advertisements are called as a TYPE 1 file (ANSI if you wish) and should be named "VNDn.ANS" where n=Vendor ID. If the file exists, it may be viewed; otherwise, the consumer is notified that the vendor has no advertisement. Added "Store" functionality. Consumer is now able to browse all available "Stores" (vendors) and view only what the store offers. The customer can go through the same ordering process. Lengthened Local Tax field. New format is 99.99. 11/18/93: Version 3.4 SINGLE TBBS MENU CALL if you desire. TPOSS not has built in menus. If a sysop wishes to call a specific vendor's "store" DIRECTLY from a tbbs menu, just call TPOSS34 as follows: NOTE: the executable is now called TPOSS34. Key=$ Type=200 Opt Data=c:\tbbs\tposs\TPOSS34 /Q && 1 This will call vendor #1's store. Upon entry into each "store", the vendor's ad (see above for file name conventions) will be displayed. This can show general info about the store, or specials, etc. THIS IS ONLY VIEWABLE BY ANSI USERS! A new 'Business Type' field on the vendor master file. When entering TPOSS as a customer, the user will see a list of store names and at the right, the business type/industry. For a new vendor to register, user simply enters TPOSS as a vendor and types NEW. This will go to the vendor registration screen. The SYSOP function will only show on the main menu if the user access is > 254. 12/4/93: Added TPNEWS file. If the file TPNEWS.ANS exists in the homepath TPOSS directory, it will be displayed upon normal entry into TPOSS. It will not be displayed if directly entering a store using OptData. Each vendor has own directory called VNDn where n=vendor id. This is ONLY for description files. Files that include information on ordering, i.e. the vendor's order file, is not held in this directory. Moved vendor descriptions. If the vendor is to have his/her file displayed upon entry into store, the file is now called OPENER.ANS in the vendor's directory. ** Added extended descriptions for items. In a vendor's directory, the vendor can set up an ANSI file for each item, called ITEMnnnn.ANS where nnnn=item number. The file for item #1 would be ITEM1.ANS. THIS IS ONLY VIEWABLE BY ANSI USERS! Fixed non-ANSI user add item function. Screen now displays 4 digit item number. ** TPOSS CAN NOW HAVE A DOWNLOADABLE FILE AS IT'S ITEM! When adding an item, if the user says 'Y' for file, when the order is complete the customer will be able to view/download the file. Keep in mind that TPOSS does not detect a viewing of a file as a download, so do not put text files up in a readable format. If the download is unsuccessful, the sysop and vendor logs will say 'Download unsuccessful, do not charge!' If unsuccessful, the customer will be asked to retry, so that there is no need to go through all of the billing info again. ** Allow for strange shipping/handling charging structures. If an item's S/H field is set to 0, the user sees a message "Appropriate charges will be added." This allows for shipping structures where the first item costs more to ship than the next few, etc. *****************************************************************************