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AM-Win software of choice for Forests NSW.  From Kevin Sturgiss - AM-Win programming Director.

Forests NSW formerly the NSW Forestry Commission have recently chosen to use AM-Win as their software of choice to manage their fleet of vehicles as well as to manage their 13 workshops and annexes around NSW. 

This came about after almost 9 months of evaluating, testing and examining AM-Win for its suitability,  not only as a workshop and fleet management package but also as a package to export data into their finance software. This opens the door to many other possibilities throughout similar government departments. 

After various meetings with their workshop, fleet, accounting and IT staff and also several management meetings,  Forests NSW have now committed considerable resources to the implementation of AM-Win and the process of automating their workshops will continue over the next few months. 

AM-Win version 7.5 - From Kevin Sturgiss - AM-Win programming Director.

Like everyone we need to update our own computers and software on a regular basis to keep up with the latest and greatest and each new update of our programming software offers new and exciting tools that enable us to enhance AM-Win.

As we mentioned in our last newsletter 18 months ago we updated the software language that we use to develop AM-Win.  The new version allows us much better internet connectivity and as such we are now able to bring new features such as direct emailing and URL links which were far more difficult in previous versions. For example the provision to checking ABN numbers live from the ATO and linking to banking and other web services while working in AM-Win is now a reality. 

The new version also allows us to re-introduce some features which had to be taken away due to issues with Windows XP compatibility, for example the ability to checking minimum profit margins when selling stock items has been returned.  The new version also allows us to update our screen displays and icons to match Windows XP look and feel.

In general the new version of our programming language provides us with a much faster, cleaner and more efficient programming environment and we have spent the last 18 months enhancing AM-Win with functionality that previous versions of our programming software couldn't provide. 

So having said all of that what's coming in AM-Win version  7.5

Windows XP Screen Display
The first thing you'll notice in Version 7.5 will be the new look rounded buttons and fields giving it a much more attractive XP style look throughout the software.

Date Entry Screen
When the system is in a period before the current date (the system is in March and its the 2nd of April) the entry date is automatically changed back to the last day of the current period

Customer and Supplier E-Mail Addresses
The system now has 3 customer/supplier email addresses. 2 on the front masterfile screen for accounts and 1 on the delivery tab for workshop use.

Customer, Supplier and Job URL
There is a URL link [web address] available in the Customer, Supplier and Job item masterfile, which enables you to link to either a website, email address, a file on your computer or even a folder which contains files relating to the customer/supplier/job item. Now if you have quotes or other documents on your computer relating to the Customer, Supplier or Job item a quick click of the mouse button will take you straight to them.

Customer and Supplier Intellisearch
The Intellisearch button (binoculars) in the masterfile screen allows for a much more advanced search for customers and suppliers.

Job in Progress Report
The Jobs in Progress Report now prints the outstanding jobs for a particular customer.

No Labour on Invoice
There is now a tick box in the control file, which, if ticked, will alert you if an invoice does not have any labour charged on it, when the job is saved, after the initial save.

Minimum Profit
The minimum stock profit feature has been re activated in V7.5.

Rounding to 10 Cents
The system now allows you to round an invoice to the nearest 10 cents.

Customer and Supplier Payments
From the customer/supplier masterfile screen, if you click on F5 Payment Enquiry, the Payment Register appears with the payment details for that particular customer/supplier.

Customer and Supplier Listing
The customer/supplier listing by group report now prints in alphabetical order when a group has been selected.

Purchase Order process Date
If a supplier purchase order is placed say on the 15th August and some of the goods arrived on the 20th,  you process the goods received and backorder the others not received,  you can now process separate dates in purchase orders. This means you can retain the original order date for information while setting a different processing date for the receipt of goods and invoices. 

Purchase Order Total Button
In Purchase Orders the Total button ["<$"]  has been placed at the bottom right of the screen to adjust the purchase invoice total. This button will allow the user to total price of a purchase order to allow for rounding of purchase orders and then adjust the line items on the invoice to equal the original paperwork from the supplier. 

Purchase Order Notes
Each Purchase Order now has a notes record which is appended any time a certain process is performed. When a kit or Job is imported into a Purchase Order the Kit Code (or job), operator and the time and date stamp of the entry is added to the notes record. Other processes that update the notes include the orders allocation to a job button. The notes are also updated if a purchase order,  updated from job invoicing using the customer allocated order process is used. 

The notes can also be viewed either from the supplier history module within AM-Win buy pressing the same ALT-N combination. 

Auto Orders Consignment Stock
You now have the option to auto order consignment stock.

Price Group
A new group has been added to the stock master files called a price group. This price group is specifically available to be used for pricing data in the stock file. On conversion from previous versions of the software, the price group is given either the existing sub group or group code. More price groups can be added from the group maintenance process. The price multipliers by group, price change by multiplier and price increase process now uses the stock price group. 

Stock-take
You can now apply notes to a stock take sheet to be recalled at a later date. This applies only to the stocktake module.

Suspended Ledgers
In supplier invoices, when selecting ledgers, if a ledger is suspended, it will not show on the ledger list.

PAYG Installment on BAS
You can now directly enter the value of PAYG installment income on the BAS.

Stock Report
Stock enquiry from the stock masterfile now has a qty column total when printing the report as well as the dollar value.

Stock Purchases report
Ability to print report for stock purchases between dates with various sort options.

Marketing
In the marketing module, there is now tick boxes to choose active, suspended, third parts and contact type customers.

Audit Trail to CSV File
There is now an option in the Audit Trail to output a comma separated data file suitable for reading into Excel. This is very useful when wanting to check balances or dissect information not available in other reports.

Email Documents in PDF 
In the customer and supplier master files there is now an option to flag a customer or supplier for their invoices and other documents to be emailed by default rather than to be printed and sent by mail or fax. 

If the tick box is ticked then when an invoice or other document is printed, it will create a PDF file and attach that PDF file to an email using your default email program. You can then add comments to the email if required and send the email in the usual way. The system uses the first email address from the master file but you can change the address if required prior to sending the email. 

E-Mailing Statements
In the customer masterfile there is now an option to flag a customer or supplier for their statements to be emailed by default rather than to be printed and sent by mail or fax. If the tick box is ticked then when the statements are printed, it will create a PDF file and attach that PDF file to an email using the first email address from the masterfile. Because this is done as a batch process (unless a single statement is sent) you are unable to add comments to the email or change the email address. A record of the email is recorded in your default email program. 

All Reports can now be Printed in PDF Format
All reports that can be generated in AM-Win can now be saved as a PDF file which can then be later printed or manually emailed. When the print preview window is displayed prior to printing the report you can select the file menu option and then select the option to save as PDF. You can then nominate the location and saved file name.. [great for sending information to your accountant or price lists to your clients]

Purchase Order Export / E-Mail
Many Suppliers now expect electronic orders that can be interpreted by their computer systems. Version 7.5  now allows you to select the export button in purchase orders and export the purchase order to an XML file [that can be interpreted by the supplier's system] which can then be either emailed or sent directly  to the supplier. After saving the order, the Export button becomes available. If you then click on the export button it will sent the XML data to the order.exe program. The orders program then interprets the XML data and processes it depending on how the supplier is configured.

Deal Sheets

Stock Deal Sheets
Allows you to allocate then always invoice this client or a group of clients at a special price without having to remember or to change the price at time of invoice. From the stock menu select the stock > deal sheets > stock option. Click on the insert button to add the deal sheet and then enter the deal sheet name. You can then select a list of customers that this deal sheet will apply to and click the save button. Once the record is saved you can then select either part code, stock group, subgroup or price group. Then select the appropriate part or group to be added. Then select the re-price type which can be any selling price, the cost prices or the list or a fixed price. You can then select a calculation method which is a fixed amount, by a factor or using a discount rate and then enter the appropriate rate or value. When a selected part or group is then sold to a customer who is on that deal sheet the customer will receive the cheapest available price for the item. This could be the deal sheet rate, the customer standard discount rate, the discount matrix rate, the customers usually price rate even the usual price of the item. The customer always gets the lowest possible price. 

Catalogue Specials. 
This allows you to set a catalog special within a date range for a specific range of stock items. Select the catalogue specials menu option and then press the insert button. You can then insert the parts within a given date range that you wish to provide a special price for during the catalogue date range. This may be a part number or a group, subgroup or price group for the parts. When the item is sold within the catalogue date range, the customer will receive the cheapest available price for the item. This could be the deal sheet rate, the customer standard discount rate, the discount matrix rate, the customers usually price rate even the usual price of the item. The customer always gets the lowest possible price. 

CAPLINK
AM-Win in Version 7.5 is one of the first companies to successfully create a direct link between Capricorn suppliers and the Capricorn website. Firstly you must set up the Capricorn customer code by clicking on the Show CAPLINK Customer button in the Control System under the Inv/Statement/CAPLINK tab. Only one customer can be a Capricorn customer. You must then enter your Capricorn supplier ID, the remote port address of your internet link and also the remote IP address and then click on the save button to record these details. 

When you process a job invoice for a Capricorn customer,  AM-Win then performs certain tasks. When the save button is pressed the software will automatically (given that you have an active internet connection) transmit a XML file containing the job and customer data to the Capricorn website. The transmission then checks that the customer has a valid Capricorn account and that the account is not on stop credit. If the check is successful then the save will continue without any messages. If the software fails to connect to the Capricorn site or the customer fails the account check then a message will be displayed which is appropriate to the type of failure recorded. 

When the job is finalised, another check is done that checks that the account is still a valid account and that the value of the invoice does not exceed the credit limit available to the selected customer. If the check is successful then the invoice will be posted as normal and then during the posting process an XML file containing the invoice details will be sent to the Capricorn server. This then negates the need to provide Capricorn any further details about this invoice and to a large degree guarantees the invoice is approved and payment will be made. If the final process fails for any reason then an appropriate message is displayed

Bank Reconciliation 
For the last 2 years we have been redeveloping the bank reconciliation module in an attempt to create a much more powerful and user friendly reconciliation. As a result the new bank reconciliation is very different than the previous version. As such one of the most important things you need to learn when updating to V7.5 is the new format - however the help area for the bank reconciliation has been rewritten and is the best place to start. 

When you first open the bank reconciliation screen, you have 2 main menu options. Bank Maintenance and Bank Reconciliation.  Bank Maintenance allows you to setup the bank account details including the BSB and account numbers as well as the bank reconciliation start date which is required by the system before you start reconciling the data. The start date requires a month and year in the format of mm/yyyy or 07/2005 as an example. The system then reconciles your bank account from that date onwards. 

Timesheet Manager Module
The Timesheet management module allows you to track staff time and movement including both productive and non productive time. It also integrates with AM-Win to track job performance. This is a new option available with Am-Win. Please contact your local support person for pricing.

 Programming Director AM-Win Software.

AM-Win Tips

Stock Enquiry Screens

The Stock Enquiry screen allows for easy tracking of entries completed for the nominated Stock Code.



To view the sales of the stock item within a period other than the default period, choose the dates you wish to view in the From and To fields and click on the Refresh button. Click in the Sales box, to isolate the entries to Sales only. You may also select Purchase/Manufacturing or Stocktake entries, or All entries.

The selected Stock Item Code will be shown, or to view details for a different stock item, click on the Stock Item button. 

• To view Sales etc for an Alternative Stock item, click on the Alternative Stock button, to choose the required code.
• If you wish to view sales etc of this stock item to a particular Customer, click on the Customer button, and select the customer code required. Sales to this customer will be shown.
• If you wish to view sales etc by the General Ledger Code, click on the Gl Code button, input the General Ledger Code, and only the sales relating to this code will appear.  
• If you wish to see stock items sold etc for a particular Job Item, click on the Job Item button, and choose the required Job Item. 
• Various statistics on the stock item will be shown at the bottom of the screen. These statistics included MTD and YTD sales and purchases.
• If you wish to print the list, simply click on the Print Icon, then click on Go, and a print preview will appear ready for printing.

When finished, click on the Close button and you will go back to the masterfile screen.

Unleash the power of the referral engine - By  John Jeffrey- Director AM-Win Software.

Referrals are the consequence of others doing the selling for you. Why do referrals work and how do we generate more?

Referrals are a delightful consequence of others doing your selling for you. Why do referrals happen and how can you generate more? 

Business coach Robert Gerrish shares his secrets.
 
Isn’t it wonderful when the phone rings and you find yourself talking to someone who already knows what you do, probably has a good idea of what you charge and is, in effect, poised to become a client. Oh, what a feeling! 

Every good business – whether involved in the sale of products or services – can enjoy a steady flow of referrals and yet very few do anything about generating them; opting instead to sit by the phone, waiting and hoping. To build a powerful referral engine – and we all can – we first have to understand who refers for us.

The simple answer: advocates

Advocates are people who believe in us. They look to move us forward in our business and are proactive in their supportive behaviour towards us. 

Ponder for a moment: can you think of people around your business right now that fit that category? What are you doing to support their efforts? What more could you do? Advocates deserve our close attention. We should make a fuss of them and take steps to speak with them regularly. 

Sometimes we have advocates who don’t quite get it right (family members are a common such group); perhaps they don’t fully understand what we do or whom we do it for. For advocates to be effective they must have a good grasp of our business offerings and a strong sense of our ideal client. So, how do we enlist the support of more advocates?

In most cases advocates have made it to that position themselves. They may have experienced our business first-hand or heard of our expertise from others – either way they’re likely to have moved through a sequence.

Understanding this sequence and the categories that exist is the key to generating more advocates and thereby, more referrals. The sequence may be summarised as:

• Strangers - The contacts we’ve yet to make.
• Acquaintances - Those we have had minor contact with
• Friends – that is “business friends” - People with whom we have some warmth.
• Fans supporters, though not quite advocates.
• Advocates – Bullseye! 

Understanding this sequence and recognising where people are around us – in which category – is the key to unleashing the real power of referrals.  As an exercise, write down the names of people around your business under each category and brainstorm steps to move them closer. Here are some ideas to get you started:

Meet Strangers
Network - go to conferences, meetings, functions and gatherings - meet people - listen and be interested 

Moving acquaintances to friends:
Follow up and keep in touch -  show a genuine interest in what’s happening in their business and life.
 
Friends to fans:
Talk about your recent business successes; share your personal values and beliefs; demonstrate your integrity (which means it must be in good shape).
 
Fans to advocates:
Invite them! Often all a fan needs to become an advocate to step up to the position. Keep your advocates close to hand; regularly focus on referrals and your engine will bear fruit.

Now wait for those all important conversations that start with something like - John Smith/Mary Jenkins said that you could help me if I called you.

Whoops

Jokes 

Our thanks and compliments for the following yarns go to Brian and those who sent them to him, Mike Rusling and Ted Steward. - You are all definitely in need of help.

I BAPTIZED his hairy soul
A priest, a Pentecostal preacher and a Rabbi all served as chaplains to the students of Northern Michigan University in Marquette. They would get together two or three times a week for coffee and to talk shop. One day, someone made the comment that preaching to people isn't really all that hard. A real challenge would be to preach to a bear.

One thing led to another and they decided to do an experiment. They would all go out into the woods, find a bear, preach to it, and attempt to convert it. Seven days later, they're all together to discuss their experiences.

Father Flannery, who has his arm in a sling, is on crutches, and has various bandages, goes first. "Well," he says, "I went into the woods to find me a bear. And when I found him I began to read to him from the Catechism. Well, that bear wanted nothing to do with me and began to slap me around. So I quickly grabbed my holy water, sprinkled him and, Holy Mary Mother of God, he became as gentle a lamb. The bishop is coming out next week to give him first communion and confirmation."

Reverend Billy Bob spoke next. He was in a wheelchair, with an arm and both legs in casts, and an IV drip. In his best fire and brimstone oratory he claimed, "WELL brothers, you KNOW that we don't sprinkle! I went out and I FOUND me a bear. And then I began to read to my bear from God's HOLY WORD! But that bear wanted nothing to do with me. So I took HOLD of him and we began to wrestle. We wrestled down one hill, UP another and DOWN another until we came to a creek. So I quick DUNKED him and BAPTIZED his hairy soul. And just like you said, he became as gentle as a lamb. We spent the rest of the week in Fellowship, feasting on God's Holy Word, and praising Jesus."

They both looked down at the rabbi, who was lying in a hospital bed. He was in a body cast and traction with IV's and monitors running in and out of him. He was in bad shape. 

The rabbi looks up and says, "Looking back on it, circumcision may not have been the best way to start. 

"What was that all about?
She was in the kitchen doing the boiled eggs for breakfast. He walks in and asks "What's for breakfast?"

She turns to him and says, "You've got to make love to me this very moment".

He, thinking it's his lucky day, gently lowers her unto the kitchen table and they have sex.

Afterwards he says, "What was that all about?"

She says "The egg timer's broken!"

Constable, what's the  hold up?
A man on his way home from work, comes to a dead halt in traffic and thinks to himself, "This traffic seems worse than usual. Nothing's even moving." 
He notices a police officer walking back and forth between the lines  of cars, so he rolls down his window and asks, "Constable, what's the  hold up?"

The constable replies, "It's Eddie McGuire. He's just so depressed about  his personal life - the thought of moving with Carla & Joseph to Sydney  and the state of disruption amongst his beloved Magpies, Channel nine losing the football coverage, having to give up The Footy Show, Who wants to be a Millionaire, and his Triple M radio show, that he's stopped his motorcade in the middle of the freeway and he's threatening to douse himself in petrol and set himself on fire.

He says he doesn't have the money to pay for  the new house renovations at Point Piper and to bring his current house in Toorak up to scratch to put it on the market. We're taking up a  collection for him."

"Oh really? How much have you got so far?"

"About three hundred litres, but a lot of people are still siphoning."

Could it be - surely not. It must be - it is 
While on holiday in Kenya and walking through the bush a man comes across an elephant standing with one leg raised in the air. The elephant seems distressed so the man approaches very carefully. He gets down on one knee and inspects the bottom of the elephants' foot only to find a large thorn deeply embedded.

Carefully and as gently as he can he removes the thorn and the elephant gingerly puts its foot down. The elephant turns to face the man and with a rather stern look on its face, stares at him. For a good ten minutes the man stands frozen - thinking of nothing else but being trampled.

Eventually the elephant turns and walks away. 

For years after the man often remembers and ponders the events of that day....... 

Ten years later the man is walking through the zoo with his son. As they approach the elephant enclosure, one of the elephants turns and walks over to where they are standing at the rail. It stares at him with the same stern look that he had seen all those years ago in the jungles of Kenya - could it be - surely not. It must be - it is - I'd know those eyes anywhere....... 

The man climbs tentatively over the railing and makes his way into the enclosure. He walks right up to the elephant and stares back in wonder. Suddenly the elephant wraps its trunk around one of the man's legs and swings him wildly back and forth along the railing, instantly killing him......

Hmmm - Probably not the same elephant then......... 

"Supersex"
A little old lady was running up and down the halls in a nursing home. As she walked, she would flip up the hem of her nightgown and say "Supersex". She walked up to an elderly man in a wheelchair. Flipping her gown at him, she said, "Supersex". He sat silently for a moment or two and finally answered, "I'll take the soup".

Have a great month

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