AM-Win Support Solutions

The Buy In Button

The Buy In button is designed for easy entering of the supplier invoice at the same time as entering the stock item onto the Job. This is designed for a a Buy In of 1 item only, with the stock item being specifically bought in for the job. The entire entry is handled through the ledgers, and the sale and purchase of item are allocated to 6030 and 7030.
When you click on the Buy In button the following screen appears:-

Only basic information is required to be entered, such as the Supplier Code, invoice number, cost and description. The markup% will prompt to 150% markup, but this can be overridden if required.

If the markup % is changed, then the selling prices will be automatically recalculated on the bottom half of the screen, which is the price which will be charge to the customer. This information will be used for the system to process the supplier invoice and update all required areas of the program.

On the bottom half of the screen, fill in the description of the item as you wish it to appear on the invoice and a discount rate if applicable. 

Core Stock Tracking

Core stock tracking allows you to process and track core stock deposits that are charged for when exchange units are supplied. An example of this is when an exchange alternator, starter motor, engine, gearbox etc is supplied to a customer and a core deposit is charged for that exchange unit.

You may charge for example an exchange gearbox for $600 with a core deposit for the old box of $200. This deposit is charged in an attempt to ensure that the old core is returned to you so that it may in turn be rebuild into a replacement exchange unit. This will then allow you to ensure that there are sufficient cores to allow you to replenish your stock of exchange units.

The core stock module requires you to understand several basic rules in order for you to successfully operate the core stock module. Firstly your system must contain 2 separate stock items for each exchange unit / core item. You must have the exchange unit (say the exchange gearbox) and also the core item (the gearbox core). We will call these items GB-Unit and GB-Core. Usually you will have a different part number for each different type of exchange unit and core item. Note that the core stock deposit currently requires that core stock is supplied from the head office in a multi-location setup.

Firstly we will concentrate on the core unit. You first need to add the core deposit item into the system as you would for any normal part through the stock masterfiles screen.Stock_Masterfiles When adding this item you are required to tick the option that says ‘is core deposit’ which lets the system know that this is a core deposit item and not in fact a normal stock item. Remember this is the core deposit and not the exchange unit which you will also charge to the customer. The prices entered must be the prices that are charged to the customer for the core deposit only and not the price for the exchange unit.

You can now add the exchange stock unit into your stock file through the stock masterfiles screen.

Stock Masterfiles  

When adding the exchange unit you are required to update a few specific fields used for core stock tracking. There is a field on the screen called “core stock deposit. This field can be misleading so please note the following. You will only place a value in this field if the price of the exchange unit includes the core stock deposit. For example. If the exchange unit including the core stock deposit sells for $800 and you decide to use that price in the selling price of the item then you must place the $200 core deposit value in the core deposit field. This means that the $800 item will actually be sold for $800 - $200 = $600. Usually you would just put $600 as the selling price of the exchange unit and leave the core deposit value at 0.00 and let the core item itself apply the $200 charge. The deposit value is only used so that you can quote the item inclusive of the deposit over the phone but then this is deducted from the value of the exchange unit when it is sold. The core stock item is then also sold to make up the total value of $800 being $600 for the exchange unit and $200 for the core deposit.

You are then required to “relate” the core deposit item to the exchange unit. This is done from the Related Parts TAB. Related parts can also be used for other purposes whenever a item sold is usually accompanied by another item. For example a cylinder head would also be accompanied by a head gasket. In this case the exchange unit will usually if not always be accompanied by the core deposit.

When in the exchange item (GB-UNIT) click on the related item button to access the stock lookup screen. You can then locate the core item that is to be related to the exchange unit (GB-CORE). You can then select the quantity of the related items to be related. In the case of core stock it is usually only ever a qty of 1. However, in some cases you may relate a quantity of more than 1. For example you may relate 4 litres of oil to every 1 air filter you supply although it’s debatable whether or not that would be an appropriate situation.

Once the core stock and the exchange unit is setup and you have made the appropriate relationship between them and also ticked all the right boxes you are now able to process and track your core deposit transactions.

You process the sale of a exchange unit and core deposit item through the invoicing modules the same as you would with the sale of any other part. The system will automatically charge the exchange unit and the core deposit which is related to it. The exchange unit will be charged at the appropriate customer price rate less the core deposit value against that item. The related core deposit will then automatically be placed on the invoice at the core deposit value. The true deposit value is the value against the core deposit item (GB-CORE) and not necessarily the value of the core deposit field in the exchange item (GB-UNIT). This field is the discount off the exchange unit and not necessarily the core stock price. (Although they should in a prefect world remain the same). You may want $200 for the core deposit but in fact only value it as a discount of $100 of the full price. This could get confusing though.

Once the invoice is finalised for the customer the system recognises that a core deposit has been sold to the customer and that’s when the benefits of the core deposit tracking system comes into play. You are now able to track all of the core stock you have out with customers either by the customer, by the stock item or by all items.

Under the Parts menu inside of AM-Win you have an option dedicated to Core Stock tracking. Select this option.

You are then provided with the core stock module screen. This screen initially displays a list of all of the core stock deposits that have been sold to customers which are still owing to you, or in other words, have yet to be returned by the customer. You can change this list to display all items that have been invoiced by changing the status to “ALL” or display only returned items by changing the status to “Returned”. You can also produce a report on the selected information by clicking on the report button.

The Customer Button -. Allows you to select the customer you wish to make a return for or an enquiry on. If you click on the customer button and select a customer the list of core units displays only the core deposits that are applicable to that customer. You can also click on the stock button and select a stock item to limit the list to only a specific core deposit item for a specific customer.

The Stock Button. – Allows you to select the specific core deposit you wish to make a return for or an enquiry on. If you click on the stock button and select a core deposit item the list of core units displays only the core deposits that are applicable to that item. You can also click on the customer button and select a customer to limit the list to only a specific core deposit item for a specific customer.

From and To dates. – The from and to dates initially display all of the core stock deposits for the current date and back 365 days. You may alter these dates to display core deposits for a lesser or even greater date range.

The Clear Button. – Clears the customer and stock selection and resets the core deposit list to display all core deposits within the selected date range.

The Clear All Button. - At the bottom of the screen you have a Clear all button. This allows you to untag all items that have been tagged for return on the screen.

The Return All Button. – Allows you to tag all items in the current screen to be returned. You can only tag items to be returned when you have selected a customer who will be returning the items. You may only return items from one customer at a time.

The Report Button. - You can produce a report on the selected core deposit information by clicking on the report button.

The Clear Button – Located at the bottom of the screen allows you to clear a single core deposit line that is currently selected.

The ADD Button will allow you to tag a record for return. You can then enter the qty to be returned and also enter the value the return is to be made for Usually the original deposit value). This may change if you decide the core is damaged and so you wish to discount the deposit or in fact not give a deposit back at all to the customer.

A salesperson can also be selected to credit the current deposit against.

The Process Button. – Is only available once a customer has been selected and at least once core deposit has been selected for return. You can return multiple core deposit items at once but they must all be for the same customer. Once you have selected the deposits to be returned you can then select the process button.

The system will then take you to a screen displaying all of the unpaid invoices which you can then allocate the core deposit to. Usually you would allocate the core deposit to the invoice that was originally used to charge the deposit. You can also decide not to allocate the core deposit which then places the item into the unallocated area for that customer and the account can later be allocated.

You can also chose to refund the customer from any of your cash or cheque accounts using a payment method that you have already setup from the methods area*Payment_Methods.

The System then credits the core stock deposit back into stock at which time you are to then use the manufacturingManufactured_Items area of AM-Win to recondition / rebuild the core into a exchange unit ready for resale.

The customers account or your bank / cash accounts are then adjusted by the value of the core return to ensure that all of the accounting functions are correctly dealt with. The bankrec file is also updated if a refund is applied from a bank account.

You are then able to print a copy of the adjustment / credit note for your customer and the transaction is now complete with full history and accounting and core stock tracking.

Business Tips - Promoting your business through Social Media.

Nowadays social media offers a great way to promote your brand due to its immense popularity and far-reaching exposure. More businesses are now thinking about social media and how they can use sites like itter, Linkedin and UTube to promote themselves and to drive traffic that leads to promotion and sales.

A quick search on Google will also reveal just how many "social media consultants" there are that offer assistance to make you a success.

The top three social media sites for many businesses are LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook although Google Plus may also soon be a powerful player. [see next article].  Although these social networks involve different models, they do have a common trait. They can make your brand a success, make your phone ring and draw traffic through your door.

LinkedIn is a social network which encompasses a more professional networking public. Through LinkedIn you will no doubt find some important business relationships.

Twitter, in contrast is a more laid back social network where people make friends, share interests and enjoy a general social contact. The advantage with Twitter is the response time, which is immediate.

Facebook is the social network but should not be underestimated. The benefit Facebook offers is that you can generate your own profile page, create groups and make contact with possible clients or frequent customers. It is an excellent way to interact and generate new business-related connections. Anything that you can put on a website can also be presented as professionally on Facebook.

A great example of what can be done to keep your clients and prospects informed and up to date is our client Northbank Marine's Facebook page

Utube and similar video sites should also be considered useful if you have video advertising and promotional material. A great video [especially one that is humorous] can go viral very quickly and make you a household name in a matter of hours.

Google Plus

Google+ launched only recently and it is already creating buzz among social-media users and businesses.

Many are predicting that it could dethrone Facebook the same way that Facebook dethroned MySpace.

It may be too early for such lofty predictions, but it is clear that Google+ is already starting to gain notice, and it has the potential to be a powerful player in social media.

Here are some ways that you can take advantage of its new features to promote your business (assuming you can get an invite):

+Circles

Google+ allows you to organize friends into circles — such as acquaintances, co-workers, and so on.

Users can then choose which groups to share information with, allowing for greater privacy and control over the flow of information. Businesses can easily use circles to identify demographics and to target information and marketing. Promotions can be advertised to only those users who would find them most relevant, making marketing strategies more efficient.

+Hangouts

Hangouts are video chat groups that allow you to talk to up to 10 friends at once. Video chat options provide a great opportunity for businesses to connect directly with customers. One-on-one video chats would be ideal for resolving customer conflicts, allowing businesses to offer a more personalized approach. Group video chats offer great opportunities to conduct exclusive workshops or to roll out exclusive promotions to VIP customers.

+Sparks

Perhaps the most useful of all Google Plus’ features is +Sparks, which allows users to suggest news stories, videos, photos, and more to specific users or groups rather than automatically posting it to everyone. This allows for targeted marketing opportunities by focusing on those users who would find your content most useful.

Other Features

Google + is already winning praise for its increased security and privacy controls. For example, you are automatically signed in to an https server, ensuring a more secure connection. This is extra assurance for those businesses that handle sensitive information or that handle credit card payments or donations. Privacy is also more assured as you have more control over who sees what information. Photos and videos are automatically marked private until you select who can see them. This is especially useful for businesses by giving them greater control over their brand and their messaging. Overall, Google+ appears to be making social networking a more streamlined process that could have a great impact with its simplicity.

Click here to learn more about Google +

Windows Tips

Ribbon shortcuts

Are you quick with the mouse or the keys?  Either way, it pays to know keyboard shortcuts. With habit we get to be faster with it. The Office suite of programs has found a nifty way to show and  use keyboard shortcuts. Try it out by opening a new mail window.

• Press the Alt key to see the Key Tip bubbles appear for each tab.

• Press the key for any tab to switch to that tab. For instance, press N for the Insert tab. A press of the Alt again and you get the key tip bubbles for all the commands in the tab. For instance, pressing P in the Insert tab will open up Pictures. A few days and a few uses later, you can ditch your mouse.

 

Word Styles save time and make you look professional

Microsoft Office Word 2007 makes it easy to benefit from styles without having to know much about them. However, you may want to know how styles work behind the scenes, or you may want to know what's new with styles in Office Word 2007.

Microsoft have published a comprehensive article about styles on their website that is recommended reading for those who use Word 2007 on and who want to create well formatted and professional documents.

This article explains how styles work to save you time and make your document look good, and it discusses the relationship between styles and two new features in Word 2007: Quick Styles and themes.

The article runs to 14 pages and we thought it best not to reproduce it in this newsletter however we have provided a link to the document on the Microsoft site and a PDF that can be accessed and printed from this page.

You can click here to read the document on the Microsoft web site or  Click below for PDF version.

  

An Animated Roadmap for the Ribbon Interface

Have you got the Excel 2003 menu system so wired into your fingers that you get lost in the Ribbon interface of Excel 2007 or 2010?

Microsoft has a downloadable Flash-based animated guide you can use to find the Ribbon-interface equivalents of all the items on the 2003 menu.

Click here to open the flash tutorial or click here to open the page on the Microsoft site.

Launch the guide, which displays the 2003 interface, and hover over any menu command. A tip tells you how to find the equivalent command on the new Ribbon interface.

Excel Freeze Panes Overview - Excel 2007 on.

When working with very large spreadsheets headings located at the top and down the left side of the worksheet often disappear if you scroll too far to the right or down. Without the headings, it's hard to keep track of which column or row of data you are looking at.

To avoid this problem use Excel's freeze panes feature. It "freezes" or locks specific columns or rows of the spreadsheet so that they remain visible at all times.

Freeze the top row

1. Click on the View tab.
   
2. Click on Freeze Panes from the ribbon to open the features drop down list.
   
3. Click on Freeze Top Row option in the list..
   
4. A black border should appear beneath row 1 in the worksheet indicating that the area above the line has been "frozen".
   
5. Scroll down through the worksheet. If you scroll far enough, the rows below row 1 will begin disappearing while row 1 will stay on the screen.

Freeze the first column

1. Click on the View tab.
   
2. Click on Freeze Panes from the ribbon to open the features drop down list.
   
3. Click on Freeze First Column option in the list.
   
4. A black border should appear to the right of column A in the worksheet indicating that the area to the right of the line has been "frozen".
   
5. Scroll to the right in the worksheet. If you scroll far enough, the columns to the right of column A will begin disappearing while column A will stay on the screen.

Freeze both columns and rows.

The Freeze Panes option freezes all the rows above the active cell and all the columns to the left of the active cell.

To freeze only those columns and rows you want to stay on screen, click on the cell to the right of the columns and just below the rows that you want to remain on screen.

Example of freezing panes using the active cell

To keep rows 1, 2, and 3 on the screen and columns A and B:

1. Click in cell C4 with the mouse to make it the active cell.
   
2. Click on the View tab.
   
3. Click on Freeze Panes from the ribbon to open the features drop down list.
   
4. Click on Freeze Panes option in the list.
   
5. A black border should appear to the right of column B in the worksheet and below row 3 indicating that the areas above and to the right of the lines have been "frozen".
   
6. Scroll to the right in the worksheet. If you scroll far enough, the columns to the right of column B will begin disappearing while columns A and B will stay on the screen.
   
7. Scroll down through the worksheet. If you scroll far enough, the rows below row 3 will begin disappearing while rows 1, 2, and 3 will stay on the screen.

Unfreeze columns and rows

1. Click on the View tab.
   
2. Click on Freeze Panes from the ribbon to open the features drop down list.
   
3. Click on Unfreeze Panes option in the list.
   
4. The black border(s) showing the frozen columns and rows should disappear from the worksheet.

Note:

Please note that we do not provide support for our Word and Excel tips as they are provided by a third party. If you need further information why not try using Google - Cut and paste the heading of our tip into Google's search box. You'll be amazed at the information available.

Whoops

Jokes

Bugs-B-Gone

A woman was having an affair with an the inspector from a pest-control company..

One afternoon they were carrying on in the bedroom together when her husband arrived home unexpectedly.

'Quick,' said the woman to the lover, 'into the closet!' and she pushed him in the closet.

The husband, however, became suspicious and after a search of the bedroom discovered the man in the closet..

'Who are you?' he asked him..

'I'm an inspector from Bugs-B-Gone,' said the exterminator.

'What are you doing in there?' the husband asked..

'I'm investigating a complaint about an infestation of moths,' the man replied.

'And where are your clothes?' asked the husband.

The man looked down at himself and said, 'Those little b@#$%^&"

What's the food like here?

A bloke starts his new job at the zoo and is given three tasks. First is to clear the exotic fish pool of weeds.

As he does this a huge fish jumps out and bites him. To show who is boss, he beats it to death with a spade.

Realizing his employer won't be best pleased he disposes of the fish by feeding it to the lions, as lions will eat anything.

Moving on to the second job of clearing out the Chimp house, he is attacked by the chimps who pelt him with coconuts.

He swipes at two chimps with a spade killing them both. What can he do? Feed them to the lions, he says to himself, because lions eat anything..

He hurls the corpses into the lion enclosure.

He moves on to the last job which is to collect honey from the South American Bees. As soon as he starts he is attacked by the bees.. He grabs the spade and smashes the bees to a pulp.

By now he knows what to do and shovels them into the lions cage because lions eat anything.

Later that day a new lion arrives at the zoo. He wanders up to another lion and says "What's the food like here?"

The lions say: "Absolutely brilliant, today we had Fish and Chimps with Mushy Bees."

Until next month

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