1. Setting up TrackOrder

When you run TrackOrder for the first time the program will lead you through the setup process. If you don't have all the information at hand you can quit the program and start again where you left off later. If you make a mistake you can fix it later by selecting the appropriate item from the Setup menu.

1.1 Date format
TrackOrder allows you to choose dd/mm/yy or mm/dd/yy.

1.2 Company details
The company details will be printed on statements, etc. The only required field is the name of the company. Other information could be used, for example, for your tax number.

1.3 Taxes
You can enter up to 2 taxes which apply to your business. Select the number of taxes and enter the name of each tax and the percentage rate. Leave the fields blank if taxes do not apply.

2. The Setup menu commands

2.1 Company details
Here you can edit the company contact details. After you have registered TrackOrder you will not be able to change the company name.

2.2 Date format
Allows you to change the date format from dd/mm/yy to mm/dd/yy or vice versa.

2.3 Export reports
You can export most of the TrackOrder reports in csv (comma separated variables) format so they can be opened in Excel. Check the box to enable this option, and when reports are displayed a file named report.csv will be created and placed in the My Documents folder.

2.4 Invoice text
Here you can set up and edit the text that will be printed at the bottom of invoices.

2.5 Order droplists
On the order screen there are droplists for the status of the order (eg awaiting delivery) and the method of payment (eg credit card). These lists are already populated but you can add your own types of status or methods of payment by selecting the appropriate item from the Order droplists submenu.

2.6 Password
Here you can set up a password to protect the Setup menu commands so that an unauthorized employee cannot change the setup. Enter the password then re-enter it to confirm. If you forget your password please contact GrenSoft so we can tell you how to get a new one.

2.7 Print options
Use this command to specify (a) how many copies of invoices will be printed by default, (b) whether you wish to hide the print dialog box when printing, (c) whether you will be printing documents on your own headed paper and (d) whether you wish to print your company logo. The logo must be a 24 bit BMP file of size 200 x 200 pixels and must reside in the TrackOrder folder (C:\TrackOrder).

2.8 Remove old data
After some time the TrackOrder data files might become big enough to slow down the program. You can discard old data using this command.

2.9 Taxes
Use this command to edit the taxes which apply to your operation.

3. Adding stock

To add stock to the TrackOrder database click on the Cans icon on the toolbar, press the F2 key or select Add stock from the Stock menu.

Required fields are the description, the quantity in stock, the selling price and the stock number. TrackOrder will prompt with a sequential stock number but you can enter your own stock number here. Duplicate stock numbers will not be allowed.

The unit quantity could be kgs, litres, gallons, etc. You may leave this field blank if the unit quantity is "each".

If you want TrackOrder to calculate the dates when stock should be reordered you should enter the buffer quantity (below which the quantity in stock should never fall) and the lead time (weeks), which is the normal period between placing an order and receiving the stock. TrackOrder will calculate reorder dates based on these figures and the quantity sold in the last week.

To edit stock details click on the middle binoculars icon on the toolbar, press the F3 key or select Find stock from the Stock menu. Enter the stock number or the first few characters of the description and select the stock from the list.

To remove a stock item from the database select Remove stock from the Stock menu. Identify the item as above.

4. Adding customers

To add a customer click on the customer icon on the toolbar, press the F4 key or select Add customer from the Customers menu.

Required fields are the last name and the customer number. The program will prompt with a sequential customer number but you may override this.

You can also add a customer when you start a new order (see the following section).

If you want to add comments, click on the comments button. If the customer is exempted from paying one or more taxes click on the Tax exempt button.

To edit customer details click on the first binoculars icon on the toolbar, press the F5 key or select Find customer from the Customers menu. Enter the first few characters of the last name, the last four digits of one of the customer's phone numbers, the Zip code (or postal code) or the customer number, then select the customer from the list.

To remove a customer select Remove customer from the Customers menu and identify the customer as above.

5. Account holders

If you have orders which are paid for by an account holder rather than the customer, you can add account holders by selecting Add account holder from the Account holders submenu of the Accounts menu. The only required field is the account name.

To edit the details of an account holder select Edit account holder from the Account holders submenu of the Accounts menu.

To remove an account holder select Remove account holder from the Account holders submenu of the Accounts menu.

6. Creating a new order

To create a new order click on the order icon on the toolbar, press the F6 key or select New order from the Orders menu.

You will be asked if the order is for an existing customer. If it is, identify the customer as described in section 4. The customer details on the order form will be automatically populated.

To add a stock item to the order, click on Add stock. Identifty the stock item by entering the stock number or the first few characters of the description and selecting the item from the list.

Enter the quantity to be sold and any discount that you might wish to offer.

To add a non-inventory item to the order (such as postage or delivery charge) click on the Add other button. Initially the description droplist will not be populated. In the Add item section enter a description of the item and click on the Add button. Then enter the unit price and the quantity sold.

To remove an item from the order, click on the item to select it then click on the Remove item button.

When you have finished adding the required items, select the Status of the item (you can add types of status by selecting Add status from the Order droplists submenu of the Setup menu), select the payment method if appropriate (you can add payment methods by selecting Add payment method from the Order droplists submenu of the Setup menu) and select the account holder if not the actual customer (self).

If you want to print an invoice or email confirmation click on the appropriate button. Note that for TrackOrder to send an email your email account must be non Web based and use an email client such as Eudora, Pegasus or Outlook.

7. Editing orders

To edit an order (eg to change the method of payment from unpaid after the customer has paid) click on the last binoculars icon on the toolbar, press the F7 key or select Find order from the Orders menu. Enter the order number or the first few characters of the customer's last name and select the order from the list.

8. Printing invoices

8.1 For an account holder

To print invoices for an account holder who has unpaid orders press the F8 key or select For an account holder from the Print invoices submenu of the Accounts menu. Select the account holder from the drop list.

8.2 For all unpaid accounts

Press the F10 key or select For all unpaid accounts from the Print invoices submenu of the Accounts menu. Select the range of dates and the status of the orders.

9. Backing up your data files

TrackOrder allows you to back up your data files so that you will not lose your data in the event of a problem such as hard disk failure. Select File backup from the File menu and identify the folder where you would like the files to be copied. We recommend that you back up your data to a flash memory drive at the end of business each day.

DO NOT back up the files if you think there may be a problem with them as you might overwrite good files.

If your computer fails, reinstall TrackOrder then copy all the files from your backup and paste them into the TrackOrder folder. Alternatively you can run the program Restore.exe (which you will find in your TrackOrder folder) and select the folder containing the backup files.

10. Reminders

TrackOrder allows you to set up reminders to prompt you to perform specified tasks. To set up a reminder select Add reminder from the Reminders menu, click on the light bulb icon on the toolbar or press the F9 key. Select the date and time for the reminder. If the reminder is to be repeated at regular intervals, make sure the box is checked and select the number of days or weeks.

You can also edit or remove reminders from the Reminders menu.

If reminders are not set up to be repeated they will be automatically removed from the system when the date has passed.

11. Networking TrackOrder

TrackOrder is network ready. If you wish to run TrackOrder on a network, follow the following steps:

1. Run the TrackOrder installation program on your server. Make the TrackOrder folder a shared folder and be sure to check the box to allow other users to change files.
2. Run the TrackOrder installation program on each of your workstations (this will register some files with the Windows registry).
3. Modify the TrackOrder shortcut on each of your workstation desktops, so that the target is the TrackOrder.exe file on your server and the “Start in” folder is the shared TrackOrder folder on your server. An alternative to this is to delete the desktop shortcut. Then open the shared folder on the server from the workstation, right drag (holding the right mouse button down) the TrackOrder.exe file onto the desktop on the workstation and select Create Shortcut Here.

12. Delivery lists

TrackOrder allows you to set up delivery lists. When you create an order and set the status to "Awaiting delivery" a button will be shown with the caption "Add to delivery list". Click on the button and select the delivery list. To create a new delivery list, select the date and enter the delivery area, then click on Add.

To remove old delivery lists, select Remove delivery lists from the Orders menu and specify the date prior to which you want delivery lists to be deleted.

13. Reports

13.1 Accounts

Account holders: Shows the status of account holders.
Receipts: Shows receipts for a specified period, according to the method of payment.
Revenue: Shows revenue for a specified period, including revenue from unpaid orders.

13.2 Customers

List customers: Displays a list of customers.

13.3 Orders

Delivery lists: Displays a specified delivery list. Select the delivery list from the drop list.
List orders: Lists orders since a specified date or for any date. You can filter the report according to the status of the order, the payment method and the account holder. For example you could show all unpaid orders for an account holder.
Returns: reports on returns for a specified period.
Sales summary (non-inventory): reports on sales of non-inventory items for a specified period.
Sales summary (stock): reports on sales of stock items for a specified period. You can filter this report by supplier and category.

13.4 Reminders

All reminders: lists all reminders currently in the system.
For a specified date: Reports on reminders for a specific date.

13.5 Stock

List stock: displays a list of stock. You can filter this report by supplier, category and location.
Requiring reorder: reports on stock requiring reorder within a specified number of weeks. You can filter this report by supplier and category.

14. Printing labels

TrackOrder allows you to print address labels for orders and barcode labels (Code 39) for stock.

The labels print on a label printer such as the Brother QL-500. The preferred label size is 29 mm x 90 mm.

15. Managing returns

To return items from an order which is complete and paid for, select Return items from the Returns submenu of the Orders menu.

Identify the relevant order.

You may return all the items from the order or select an item and click on the Return item button.

Edit the amount of refund if necessary and select the method of payment for the refund.

If you do not wish inventory items to go back to inventory (eg if they are damaged) clear the box.

To cancel a return, select Cancel return from the Returns submenu of the Orders menu and identify the order from which the return was made.