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Text File | 1996-10-24 | 26KB | 685 lines

Library Hire ver 2.0 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Copyright (c) 1996 Douglas Marko Yobe ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ INTRODUCTION ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Library Hire is a rental management system for use mainly by organisations that rent out books, films, compact disks, audio and video cassettes. Management reports available make it easier to delegate and control. INSTALLATION ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Operating System Configuration ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Config.Sys ~~~~~~~~~~ Your Config.Sys file must contain the statements: "Files = 255" and "Buffers = 15" Autoexec.Bat ~~~~~~~~~~~~ If you are going to run LibrHire from a directory other than the one you installed it on, modify you PATH statement so that it includes the directory you have installed LibrHire. System Requirements ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ IBM compatible computer with a 386 or better processor, minimum of 4MB RAM, 3 MB Hard Disk to install the software and another 8 MB Hard Disk for the Virtual Memory Manager (configurable). Monochrome, CGA, EGA, or VGA monitor DOS 3.3x or higher Specifications ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 65 000 stock items 65 000 stock categories 65 000 customers N.B. The amount of available memory may impose a lower limit. RUNNING LIBRARY HIRE ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Type LIBRHIRE to start program. HELP ~~~~ Press F1 to get context sensitive help. You can also access the help file by pressing ALT + H at the main menu or clicking on the Help menu Setting Up LibrHire ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1) Select Housekeeping Menu a) Enter Company Information b) Enter Hire Defaults 2) Select Files Menu a) Select Library Maintenance Menu i) Enter Category Details ii) Enter Stock Item Details b) Select Customer Maintenance Menu i) Enter Customer Details LIBRARY HIRE MENUS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ FILES MENU ~~~~~~~~~~ Customer Maintenance ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Customer Maintenance (Hot Key F6) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To add new customers, simply type over the new customer code, press TAB to move to the NAME field and enter details. When the systems senses a new customer code, all the other fields will be blanked. To modify a customer's details, mouse click on the down arrow button on the customer code field, or press ALT and DOWN ARROW keys simultaneously. Typing the customer code will cause the list to scroll until you have the correct code highlighted. Press ENTER to complete and then TAB to move to the NAME field and modify, or TAB again to any other field you intend to modify. Complete your entries by TABbing to the ACCEPT button, or press ALT and A letters simultaneously, and then press ENTER. Subscription Renewals (Hot Key F8) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Select customer code as mentioned above. Highlight the subscription renewal type by either TABbing or pressing the ALT and the highlighted renewal type key simultaneously. Complete your selection by pressing ALT and A keys, or TABbing to the ACCEPT option, and then pressing ENTER. The system will highlight the option to Print the Receipt. Press ENTER to print, or TAB to any other option if you do not wish to print the Subscription Renewal Receipt. Library Maintenance ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Stock Maintenance ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Stocks Maintenance ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1) Enter/Modify Stock Item Details Enter a new stock code by simply typing over an existing selection, and then TAB to the TITLE field. When the system senses a new code has been entered, the TITLE field and all other fields will be blanked. Enter all the other fields and then complete your selection by TABbing to the ACCEPT option to register, or highlight and press ENTER on any other option. Modifying an existing stock code by selecting it using the method mentioned above. 2) Copy Stock Item Details You can copy the details of one stock item to the other - useful where you have got more than one copy of a popular title. You would enter the details in one stock item, and then copy the same details to one or more stock items. a) Select the stock item as per above. b) Press ALT + Y or click on the COPY DETAILS pushbutton. c) You will be presented with another screen where you are prompted to enter the new stock id - enter an id that is not already on file, otherwise an error message will be generated if you enter one that is already on file. Category Maintenance ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Enter a new category code by simply typing over the existing selection. TAB to the DESCRIPTION field to enter the description, then ACCEPT to record your changes. Modify an existing category's description by selecting it by clicking on the right arrow or pressing ALT and DOWN ARROW keys simultaneously, then type the category code. TAB to the DESCRIPTION field and enter the description. External Stocks Maintenance ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ You can export your stock item details to an external file LibrExp.Exp which you can then use to import the details into another branch. This is handy say when you have a centralised distribution point, you only enter the details once and export them for distribution to your branches where they do not have to reinput. When you import your stock item details at the other branch, LibrHire will only import details for stock id's that are not already in that branch's library database, thus avoiding duplication of stock id's. Exporting and importing stock item details can be quite useful where you want to synchronise the stocks in your outlets. 1) Exporting Stock Item Details a) Press ALT + S to bring up screen to select stock item details you want to export. Select the items you want to export details for. You can quickly select an item if you know its Stock Id by pressing ALT + I and then entering the Id. You can also press ALT + down arrow key for a list of id's, and then type first unique characters for an incremental search. To access the browse table, click on the BROWSE TABLE pushbutton, or press ALT + B. You can then use the Up or Down arrow keys, and PgUp or PgDn keys to navigate upwards or downwards. b) After your selection, export the selected stock item details by pressing ALT + E or clicking on the EXPORT STOCK ITEMS pushbutton. Details for the selected stock items will be exported to file LibrExp.Exp. If this file already exists, you will be warned appropriately before it is overwritten. 2) Importing Stock Item Details File LibrExp.Exp must be located in the current directory of LibrHire for this function to work. If LibrHire cannot find it an error message will be displayed to this effect, and import will be aborted. Import stock item details from file LibrExp.Exp by pressing ALT + I, or clicking on the IMPORT STOCK ITEM DETAILS pushbutton. Exit ~~~~ Press hot keys ALT + F4 keys simultaneously from anywhere on the main menu, or ALT + X keys on the FILE MENU to exit. TRANSACTIONS MENU ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Library Issues (Hot Key F3) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1) Select customer code by pressing ALT + C, and then ALT + down arrow key and type in first unique characters for an incremental searach. If you do not know the customer's code, LibrHire can search for a name that sounds like your search query. For example, a search for "dagls" will yield search results with names like "Daglas","Douglas","Dagilas", and so forth. You can then browse through the search results and select an exact match. Customer Name Search a) Press ALT + N, or click on CUSTOMER NAME SEARCH pushbutton with the left mouse button. b) Press ALT + N on the search screen to enter the name you want to search for, minimum six characters. c) Press ALT + S to search for the given string. d) If any matches are found that sound like your search query, a browse table will be presented on the screen with the search results. Use the up or down arro keys, PgUp or PgDn keys to highlight the exact match, and click on the ACCEPT pushbutton, or press ALT + A 2) Contract Type TAB or highlight the contract type. 3) Stock Id Code TAB to highlight the stock code item list. Select stock code by pressing ALT + down arrow key, and then typing first unique characters for an incremental search. 4) Due Date TAB to the DUE DATE field. If you want to assign a return date different to the default date supplied, use UP or DOWN arrow keys to scroll, click on the UP or DOWN arrow key, or enter the return date using the keyboard. 5) Accept TAB to ACCEPT option, or press ALT + A, or click on pushbutton to accept entry. The system takes you back to the stock code item list for you to repeat the process for any additional stock items for this customer. When you have finished entering all the stock items for one customer, you can choose to Print The Issues Invoice. A customer and file copy invoice will be printed. 6) Print Invoice You can optionally print an invoice for the item(s) you have issued to the currently selected customer. Make sure your printer is online. Press ALT + P or click on the PRINT INVOICE pushbutton. 7) Reprint Last Invoice You can reprint the last invoice that was printed, this is ideal if say the last invoice was jammed in the printer. Press ALT + L, or click on the REPRINT LAST INVOICE pushbutton. 8) View Issues You can view the issues made to the currently selected customer for that day. Press ALT + V, or click on the VIEW ISSUES pushbutton. Library Returns (Hot Key F4) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Choose stock code of item being returned from the available list. If an item is overdue, the system sounds a warning bell and a warning message will be printed on the screen. TAB or select ACCEPT option by pressing ALT + A keys simultaneously and then enter. The system will go back to the stock item list for you to register any additional stock returns from the same customer. When you have finished entering all stock returns for one customer, you can Print the Receipt. REPORTS ~~~~~~~ Top 20 Selling List ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Select the range of the period you wish to print by entering the dates on the START and END fields. You may use the UP or DOWN arrow keys, or click on the UP or DOWN arrow keys to spin values. Issues Invoice Audit Trail ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Select the range of the period you wish to print by entering the dates on the START and END fields. You may use the UP or DOWN arrow keys, or click on the UP or DOWN arrow keys to spin values. Stock Returns Receipts Audit Trail ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Select the range of the period you wish to print by entering the dates on the START and END fields. You may use the UP or DOWN arrow keys, or click on the UP or DOWN arrow keys to spin values. Subscriptions Renewal Receipts Audit Trail ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Select the range of the period you wish to print by entering the dates on the START and END fields. You may use the UP or DOWN arrow keys, or click on the UP or DOWN arrow keys to spin values. Overdue Stock Returns Report ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Select the range of the period you wish to print by entering the dates on the START and END fields. You may use the UP or DOWN arrow keys, or click on the UP or DOWN arrow keys to spin values. Labels ~~~~~~ You can design and print labels from your customer and stock item files. 1) Designing Stock Labels a) Enter label name if new, else select from available list to modify. b) Enter description c) Enter number of labels across the page d) Enter number of rows (lines down) e) Enter the row and column positions WITHIN the label to print the Stock Id f) Enter the row and column positions WITHIN the label to print the stock Title g) Enter the row and column positions WITHIN the label to print the Author name h) Enter any descriptive text you wish, and the row and column positions WITHIN the label. Descriptive text is printed on each and every label, and might be used to describe the fields being printed, or maybe your company name. i) You can optionally change the printer pitch for each label. Press ALT + P to highlight, and the press SPACE to scroll through options Pica, Elite and Compressed. The setting you choice affects only the current label and not your global settings pitch, which are preserved. j) You can test the alignment of your labels. LibrHire with prints "xxx"'s where text would normally be printed on the live run, the descriptive text as it will appear on the labels. 2) Designing Customer Labels a) Enter Label Name if new, or press ALT + Down arrow key to bring up list of available names, then type in first few unique characters for incremental search. b) Enter or modify label description. c) Select/deselect the field you want to print by pressing ALT + the highlighted key of the field you want to select/deselect, and then press SPACE bar to toggle option ("X" print field, " " do not print field). d) Enter the row and column positions to print the fields on the labels. e) You can also enter any text that you want printed on the labels. This is fixed text which you can use as to describe some fields, for example you may want to print "Expiry Date:" before the subs_expiry field. f) Enter the number of labels across the page. g) Enter the number of rows (lines down) of each label. h) Enter the label width in print positions. i) You can also change the printer pitch of each label by pressing ALT + P, and then pressing SPACE to toggle through options Pica, Elite and Compressed. The selection you make here does not affect your global printer options, which are preserved. 3) Printing Labels a) Select the predefined label name you want to use to print labels. b) Select the items you want to print labels for. You can quickly select an item if you know its Stock or Customer Id by pressing ALT + I and then entering the Id. You can also press ALT + down arrow key for a list of id's, and then type first unique characters for an incremental search. To access the browse table, click on the BROWSE TABLE pushbutton, or press ALT + B. You can then use the Up or Down arrow keys, and PgUp or PgDn keys to navigate upwards or downwards. c) Make a final test of the alignment of your labels by running TEST PRINT. SEARCH ~~~~~~ Subscriber's Library Database Search ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This provides a means for subscribers to search the library database without the assistance of the libararian. One or more workstations can be situated in the library room and an authorised person would login to the system and access this menu. Because subscribers should not normally be allowed access to the other LibrHire functions, LibrHire will logout once one exists from this function, and only an authorised person can then login again. 1) Press ALT + S to call up the search screen. 2) Select the search option by using the up or down arrow keys to highlight either Title, Author or Review. You can also quickly select the desired option by pressing ALT + the highlighted key, or click with the left mouse button. 3) Press TAB, or ALT + S, to enter the search string. 4) If a record has been found that meets your search criteria, the details will be displayed on another screen. You can further search for the next occurance on this screen by pressing ALT + S or click on the SEARCH NEXT pushbutton. You can also view the Review by pressing ALT + R or click on the VIEW REVIEW pushbutton. If no record was found that meets your search criteria, a message will be displayed to that effect. Librarian's Library Database Search (Hot Key F2) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Librarian's Library Database Search should be restricted to authorised personnel only. If in doubt use the Subscriber's Library Database Search as mentioned above. 1) Press ALT + L to call up the search screen. 2) Select the search option by using the up or down arrow keys to highlight either Title, Author or Review. You can also quickly select the desired option by pressing ALT + the highlighted key, or click with the left mouse button. 3) Press TAB, or ALT + S, to enter the search string. 4) If a record has been found that meets your search criteria, the details will be displayed on another screen. You can further search for the next occurance on this screen by pressing ALT + S or click on the SEARCH NEXT pushbutton. You can also view the Review by pressing ALT + R or click on the VIEW REVIEW pushbutton. If no record was found that meets your search criteria, a message will be displayed to that effect. HOUSEKEEPING ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Company Information ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Enter details of your organisation. The company name will be printed on your reports, receipts and invoices. Hire Defaults ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Enter the default hire values. The information you enter on this screen will be used by the system to process the various tasks. 1) Days Due Back Enter the default number of days the stock item is normally due back. 2) Casual Hire Fee Enter the amount charged to casual hirers. 3) Late Penalty Fee Enter the amount charged for delaying to return the stock item. 4) Sales Tax Rate If you charge sales tax for your services, enter the sales tax rate , like 25.00 for 25% 5) Contract Hire Rate This version of LibrHire provides for six contract hire rates. This provides for an allowance for quantity discounts. You might wish to charge 10.00 for 10 stock items on the 1st rate, 20.00 for 22 stock items on the 2nd rate, 30.00 for 33 stock items on the 3rd rate, and so forth, thus providing for a discount on a sliding scale. 6) Fixed Term Contract If your organisation charges membership on a fixed term contract basis, choose this option. 1) Enter the number of days per term, say 365 days for an annual term, or 30 days for a monthly term. 2) Enter the amount charged per term. Delete Old Transactions ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ You can delete transactions that are more than 90 days old. Select the type of transactions you want to delete by pressing ALT + the highlighted key of the transaction type, or click with the left mouse button. Press SPACE to toggle option ON or OFF, "X" = ON, " " = OFF, and then press ALT + L or click on DELETE to delete. Global Options ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Set the global options for LibrHire. 1) Date Format Enter the date format for your country. Use UP or DOWN arrow keys to select and then press ENTER to confirm. 2) Printer Driver Select the printer driver for the printer attached to your computer. An incorrect printer driver might cause your printer to ignore your printer settings, like compressed print. 3) Printer Pitch Select the global printer pitch by pressing SPACE bar to scroll through options Pica, Elite and Compressed. 4) Page Length Enter the page length in print lines by entering a numeric value or using the UP or DOWN arrow keys to spin values, or clicking on the arrows to spin value.