JCSM Shareware Collection 1993 November

home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search

/ JCSM Shareware Collection 1993 November / JCSM Shareware Collection - 1993-11.iso / cl060 / exqte11j.lzh / EASYQTE.DOC next >

Wrap

Text File | 1989-11-08 | 16KB | 358 lines

EASY QUOTE Version 1.1 This price quoting program is for those seeking an easy to use program for that purpose and only need a product file with a single unit cost and price for that purpose. Two overhead factors are provided for projected cost purposes. Program design allows for the printed quote to be used as a billing invoice also. It uses auto look up tables and scrolling record windows. Quoted products are displayed with extensions in the multiple record windows. Totals can be displayed by simply pressing the F5 function key in the registered version described below. I think you will agree that the program fit's the name. The program provides a customer name and address file, product file, multiple company file and quote files. It offers virtually unlimited record capacities. It will even blank your monitor screen after 10 minutes of inactivity to protect it from burn in. Contractors wanting to use this program for cost estimates will have to establish their product costs as completely in place. Requirements for this program are at least 512k ram and a proper CONFIG.SYS file in the root directory. A hard disk is also highly recommended. This is a large application and a separate directory should be created for it's use. Please see CONFIG.SYS below for further information concerning this file. If you like this program, the registration is 35.00. You will then be sent the registered version which will allow you to display the total amounts at any time while in the quote record tables as described below. You will also be able to add your own bottom comment line in the printed quotes. Please feel free to make copies of this program for anyone who may have need of it. I. J. Smith 9795 Rustling Oaks Baton Rouge, La. 70818 Please read the following instructions before using, especially the section explaining the use of the keyboard keys in the program. Sample files are included for setup and test purposes. You can simply delete the records when through with them or you can copy the EASYQTE.EXE file only. It will create the necessary data files. To start the program, enter EASYQTE at the prompt. The program is straight forward with the following steps: 1. Add Company records. Main Menu option G 2. Add Customer records. '' '' '' F 3. Add Products. '' '' '' E 4. Create Quote Name record. '' '' '' D 5. Enter quotes. '' '' '' A or B 6. Use reports as needed. '' '' '' C The order shown is for first time use. Many items can be added when their tables are displayed for lookup purposes from various data prompts by simply pressing the INSert key. FUNCTION KEY USAGE The following keyboard keys are used in the multiple record table windows. A popup window will appear from these keystrokes. A description of the action will appear in this window such as 'This record will be added' or 'Press ENTER to delete'. You can press the ESC key to cancel or in the case of the deletion, press ENTER and the record is then removed. You may find it easier to add records by being situated where you want to add the record... thus the use of the INSert key. KEY FUNCTION ------- --------------------------------------------- INSert Used for adding new records. Record will automatically be inserted in proper position. DELete Used for deleting highlighted records. ENTER Used for changing highlighted record. ESC Cancel or exit. ARROWS These keys are used to scroll thru the records one at a time. PgUp Displays previous window of records. PgDn Displays next window of records. CTRL PgUp Displays records from beginning of file. CTRL PgDn Displays records from end of file. LOCATOR Locator fields are used to locate records more quickly. As you enter the number desired, the program will highlight the nearest record found. These are located in the upper left corners of the record table windows. The data entry windows are fairly straight forward. You simply add or change data as needed with the ENTER key. Use of the ESC key can also restore data if you wish. The ARROW keys can also be used to step through the data fields. If your data is correct, you can also press CTRL-ENTER and not have to step through the fields. Lookup fields are also used thruout the program. If prompted for a number for example, you can enter the number desired or if blank simply press ENTER. Choices will then be displayed in a table. The table will also be displayed if the number you enter does not exist. If the number is new, it can be added by simply pressing the insert key. Where appropriate, some tables will automatically pop up for your choices. SCREEN BLANKER The program has a built in feature that will blank the monitor screen after 10 minutes of inactivity. This feature is to help protect your screen from burn in. Simply press one of the arrow keys to refresh the screen display. Main Menu option A Price Quotes Use this option to enter your quote items. You will be prompted for the quote name so make sure you have one established. The quote names table will appear for your choice. You can also enter a new name (descritpion) at this time by simply pressing the INSert key. The name record will also require the customer number and company number to be used. If there are no item records for this quote, the popup data entry window will automatically appear for your entry of a new item. Select or add record items with the keyboard keys as described above. When adding new quote items by pressing the INSert key, you will be prompted for the item number, product number and quantity. You can simply press the ENTER key for the product number and you will be able to highlight and select your choice from it's record table. It will be added to the quote item. When changing an item, the product file is no longer used. You will then be allowed to make changes to most of the information. This allows a fast way to make last minute cost changes. It also means you do not need to have a product record for every item quoted. You can simply use dummy product records for entries and enter new data with the change option. The total of the quote can be displayed at anytime by pressing the F5 function key. It will also display the sales taxes added, if any. (This feature only available with registered version.) Negative amounts can be entered by pressing the minus key after the number entered. This may be useful for some special discount. Main Menu option B Cost Estimates This option is similar to option A above but will display costs and extensions also. Press the F5 function key to display the price total, costs, cost factors and net profit (hopefully). (Feature only available with registered version described above.) Main Menu option C Reports This option will display the reports menu. Most of the reports are file listings and should be self explanatory. As mentioned above, the quote layout makes it very feasable to use as the invoice also. Print the sample quote provided. You may also want to use your own letterhead forms at a later date. The estimate report will reflect the costs, prices, customers and the information needed for your records. The price list leaves a margin at the left making it easy to place in binders. The customer contacts listing can be useful for sales purposes. Customer labels will print one across. It will only print the customers with a Yes in the labels field. The program will print the customer name first (blank lines after the address). Align the forms accordingly. Use the quote names listing to maintain the quotes needed and and those needing to be deleted. Use the product, customer and company data listings as needed. Main Menu option D Quote Names Use this option to establish a new quote name record. The name or description used will be used to identify the quote. It will also be printed on the quote. The number used could also be useful for identifying the quote. You will also be prompted for a date, customer number and company number. If you would like to print a single quote to be used for multiple customers, see customer file option F below. Deletion of a quote name record will also delete all quoted records as well. Use the delete option only for this purpose. Do not change the number if you have quote items or they will be left in the file with the old number assigned to them. Main Menu option E Product File This file is the most important one of course. It will be used to establish your quote items. Good maintained costs and prices will really make it easy for you to establish your quotes. You can use letters as well as numbers to establish your product numbers. Use the keyboard keys as described above for entries. You will be prompted for the descriptions of the product and unit, unit cost and unit price. Main Menu option F Customer File If you do not need a customer file, simply enter a dummy record for this purpose. You do not have to enter any names and addresses. Keep in mind however, the program does provide for labels which could be very useful otherwise. Consider creating a blank record to use when needed. You could then use the labels for multiple copies if desired. Customer numbers can be a mixture of letters and numbers. You can also tag the customers you want to use for labels by choosing Yes for labels and No otherwise. Main Menu option G Company File You may need to spend a little time creating a few records for this file. Multiple records can be useful in several ways: Multiple company quotes Different sales tax percentages (or none) Different overhead cost percentages Different comment lines with different terms, etc. Different comment lines to use quote for invoice purposes Use of pre-printed customized forms by leaving blanks As you can see, the program can be very versatile. The sample files included should be helpful in establishing your own. Use them to print sample quotes and check their layout in their respective records. Simply change the company number in the quote name record for different uses. If you do not need the sales taxes added, leave the description blank and the percentage as zero. Two overhead cost factors are provided. The factor on costs is based on the total costs. It should be used for fixed overhead costs. The factor on prices should be used for commissions, bond premiums, insurance or other factors based on sales volume. CONFIG.SYS file As stated above, the program will not work without a proper CONFIG.SYS file in your root directory. It should contain lines of code such as: files=24 buffers=16 You can use your editor to check for these lines of code. The numbers are not critical and can be less. What's important is that you have this file. You can check for it's existence by simply entering TYPE CONFIG.SYS at the prompt of your root directory. If DOS returns a file not found message, you can copy the CONFIG.DTA file included with this application. After it has been copied into your root directory, rename it CONFIG.SYS. You must restart your system for this file to take effect. This file can be sent to your printer by typing the following at the DOS prompt: COPY EASYQTE.DOC LPT1: ================================================================ DISCLAIMER ---------------------------------------------------------------- USER ASSUMES ALL LIABILITIES IN THE USE OF THIS APPLICATION. DUE TO THE NATURE OF THIS PROGRAM AND THE MANY VARIOUS COMPUTERS AND OPERATING SYSTEMS BEING USED, IT IS THE USER'S RESPONSIBILITY TO INSURE THE FITNESS OF THE PROGRAM FOR IT'S INTENDED PURPOSE. THE APPLICATION HAS BEEN TESTED. HOWEVER, IT IS STILL THE USER'S RESPONSIBILITY TO UNDERSTAND AND USE IT PROPERLY. NO WARRANTIES ARE EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED. AS WITH ALL COMPUTERS, BACKUPS OF ALL IMPORTANT DATA FILES SHOULD BE MADE PERIODICALLY. ================================================================ Some other programs by this author you may want to look at also: PC-BID PLUS & BID-BIZ Contractor's Estimating programs EIMS Equipment Inventory and Maintenance Scheduling SPC-INVENTORY PLUS Purchases, Sales and Inventory SALES-BIZ Sales Tracking WYS-AR Accounts Receivable COST-BIZ Job Cost NOTE: If you have a color system and this program does not come up in color, try entering MODE CO80 just prior to executing the program. If this problem is consistent with this program or others on your system, you may consider running them from BAT files with this line of code in it.