The Advice Note Parameters Form is used to set parameters for the operation of the Advice Note and Order Processing software. This is normally carried out by, or on advice from, a consultant.
Note: Advice note parameters must be set up for each Point-of-Sale (POS) company.
To view or amend the advice note parameters:
From the OPERATIONS menu, select the Advice note menu option.
The ADVICE NOTES MENU is displayed.
Select the Parameters option.
The Advice Note Parameters form is displayed.
Tip: The Advice Note Parameters Form can also be accessed via the Advice Note & Order Processing Form, by selecting File > Parameters from its menu bar. When you access the parameters in this way, the menu bar Save option and the option to cancel, are displayed as buttons.
Do one of the following:
create a new parameter record for a new company
open a parameter record for an existing company
To create a new parameter record for a new company:
Select File > New from the menu bar.
To open a parameter record for an existing company:
Select File > Open from the menu bar.
You are prompted to select the Purchase Control company.
Complete/amend the parameter fields. These fields are arranged under different tabs as follows:
Dealer options: Parameters relating to dealership functionality
Supplier settings: Parameters which vary between different suppliers
Communications: Parameters relating to the transfer of files
Files: Parameters relating to filenames, directories and permissions
After you have finished, select File > Save from the menu bar to apply the changes you have made to all subsequent transfers of advice notes and stock orders made between the manufacturer and this POS company.
Note: To abandon your changes to the parameters, select File > Close or File > Exit from the menu bar. Choosing Exit also returns you to the ADVICE NOTES MENU.
Warning: Selecting the Delete option will remove the parameter record you are editing, deleting both your changes and all previous settings for that company.
The Dealer options tab allows you to maintain parameters relating to dealership functionality.
Update parts prices from prices on advice note data: Ticking this box causes retail and cost prices (if sent with the advice note) to update stock management. Price changes do not affect the parts Master Price File.
Special maintenance options priority: This should always be set to 9 to prevent those unqualified from making changes to data.
Number of days to keep processed advice notes: Advice notes that have been linked will be purged from the system after the amount of days entered. The default is 14.
Number of days to keep unprocessed advice notes: Advice notes that have not been linked will be set to "processed" after the amount of days entered. Unprocessed raw advice files are also purged against this parameter. This field is normally set to 7.
Stock franchise code: The code for this franchise used in stock management for this manufacturer.
Default purchase account number for supplier: The account code in the Purchase Ledger normally used for purchasing parts from this manufacturer or supplier.
Search order options: Different orders for advice note identification. All, GRN, Order or Container. You can search by GRN number, Order number or Container number, or across All types. Setting this field to C allows you to link advised lines to Purchase Control by container/package number rather than the whole GRN. This enables you to load part shipments for a given GRN number into PURCHASE CONTROL and thus into stock without waiting for all parts to arrive.
Email address for parts advice messages: This is primarily used if the uploading or conversion of advice notes is automated. Enter an e-mail address (listed in the Autoline administrator) to receive automatically generated messages in the event that there are any problems.
Email address for automatic order emails: This is primarily used if the uploading or conversion of orders is automated. Enter an e-mail address (listed in the Autoline administrator) to receive automatically generated messages in the event that there are any problems.
Allow option to link to purchase order without updating: Allows you to link the advice note to the purchase order without updating advised quantities
Default POS operator code for EOD processes: This parameter is only used when advice note upload and conversion are run as a Timed Operation, and allows you to specify the default POS operator code to use for End-of-Day processes. The operator code entered here is defaulted into the prompt that is displayed when the Advice note maintenance option is selected from the ADVICE NOTES MENU. If you leave this field blank, the operator prompt defaults to 0 (zero). In the event that you manually upload and convert the advice note file, the POS operator can be selected from a drop-down menu.
The Supplier settings tab allows you to maintain parameters which vary between different suppliers.
Key path for special search option: Some franchises have a special key-path search according to the type of data sent. The default is 0.
Enable all automatic order options: When ticked, this option enables all forms and options for viewing and processing orders.
Scheduled uploads in use: If the raw advice file is loaded using a timed operation, this box must be ticked. This disables the Load button, preventing manual uploads by all except Priority 9 users.
Scheduled conversion in use: If the raw advice file is converted using a timed operation, this box must be ticked. This disables the Convert button, preventing manual conversions by all except Priority 9 users.
The Communications tab allows you to maintain parameters relating to the transfer of files.
File transfer method: Type of file transfer used by all file transfers. Choose from:
F: FTP A: API copy (transfer to/from local PC) K: Kermit (transfer to/from local PC on Rev 7 terminals) O: ODBC Use main parameter settings: When this box is ticked, the FTP information from the next 3 parameters is taken from the main MS parameters and controls, overriding settings in the fields below. This field is always ticked because file transfers are now handled by a Generic File Transfer (GFT) record.
FTP remote machine name: If using FTP, enter the IP address or hostname for the remote machine here. This field is rarely used because file transfers are now handled by a Generic File Transfer (GFT) record.
FTP remote user ID: Login name for remote machine. This field is rarely used because file transfers are now handled by a Generic File Transfer (GFT) record.
FTP remote password: Enter the password to log into the remote machine. This field is rarely used because file transfers are now handled by a Generic File Transfer (GFT) record.
Full or partial filename: When the system searches to see if any files are available on the remote machine to download, this parameter determines whether to search for the entire file name supplied or for longer file names beginning with the partial file name in the files parameters. Enter F for full or P for partial, to match the File fields on the Files Tab.
ASCII or binary: The type of file being transferred. Enter A for ASCII or B for binary.
Delete button priority: Depending on the priority entered (1-9) the 'Delete GRN' button is enabled, allowing the user to delete GRNs without processing them.
Delete local files: If ticked, raw advice files are deleted from the Autoline server after they have been converted.
Delete remote files: If ticked, raw files are deleted from the remote machine to prevent the possibility of uploading the file a second time.
Note: This tab is rarely used because the transfer of files is handled by a Generic File Transfer (GFT).
The Files tab allows you to maintain parameters relating to the advice note and stock order filenames, directories and permissions.
Warning: If you flag any of the following types of files as being In use, you must also specify the file name and location. The Advice notes group box does not have an "In use" parameter because it is assumed that it must be in use for the software to operate.
Advice notes:
Allow edit: Is the user allowed to change the data on the advice note file?
Dir: Remote directory of the advice note file
File: Remote file to be uploaded (can be a partial file name if the Full or partial filename flag is set to P on the Communications Tab)
Automatic orders:
In use: Is this function in use?
Allow edit: Is the user allowed to change the data on the advice note file?
Dir: Remote directory of the advice note file
File: Remote file to be uploaded (can be a partial file name if the Full or partial filename flag is set to P on the Communications Tab)Note: Up to three order files can be loaded.
Back orders:
In use: Is this function in use?
Dir: Remote directory of the advice note file
File: Remote file to be uploaded (can be a partial file name if the Full or partial filename flag is set to P on the Communications Tab)
Supersessions:
In use: Is this function in use?
Dir: Remote directory of the advice note file
File: Remote file to be uploaded (can be a partial file name if the Full or partial filename flag is set to P on the Communications Tab)
