What's New for Version 5.40.0.xx

At Windward Software we are continually working to provide increased efficiency and more flexibility in our products.  The latest version of System Five includes several new features and enhancements.  The following topics provide an overview of some of the new features, changed behaviors, and improved documentation you will find in the software.

The Advanced Inventory Control module allows you to represent a physical location with up to a 20 character code that can be created in segments that relate to physical partitioning of a location (for example; zone/row/shelf/bin). Each location can be associated with one or more inventory items and vice versa. This way you can run reports on all locations in which a specific inventory item resides in or identify what inventory items reside in a specific location. Additionally you can further define a location by:

• Designating a special returns location where goods that are returned by customers can be placed.
• Designating a cross-dock location where goods that are received and sent directly out to a customer or job site are placed.
• Setting "Pick" and "Put Away" locations priorities at the inventory item's location level.  When receiving stock you can assign it to put away locations the system suggests and when invoicing you can pick from suggested pick locations.
• Specifying a high quantity value for an inventory item at a location to indicate the maximum quantity for reordering purposes. High quantity is also used when receiving stock to indicate when a location is full or overstocked.
• Indicating locations as "fixed" when there is a permanent link between the inventory item and the location whether there is stock in it or not.
• Indicating locations as "random" when there is only a link between the stock and location while there is stock in the location. Random locations are generally used for areas where stock moves in and out of frequently and it is not the permanent holding location for the item (i.e., Cross-docking, Returns areas, Customer pick up areas etc.)
• Quarantining one or more locations if you want to reserve an area while reorganizing the warehouse or if you want to reserve stock for a period of time. You need security privileges to sell from a quarantined location.
• Setting location segment setting defaults.

You can also print location and inventory linked to location labels. You can print items requiring picking on one pick slip or on multiple pick slips (and multiple printers) based on the items pick location. You can print a receiving report showing only items with associated put away locations. You can set the type and frequency of stock count cycles for this inventory item at various locations. And you can force a count for specific stock (if you find a problem at Point of Sale such as a customer walking up with stock when the system says you are out or not having stock when the system says you do).

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Appointments 

• You now have an option in the Setup Wizard to set Business Hours and apply them to the Task List window; the time period is colored differently for business hours and the scroll bar is positioned to the start time by default.

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Bills

• Bills Details window - now shows individual PO receivings, including different receivings from the same day.

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• A change to the Setup Wizard allows Mercury Payment's fail-over-to-dialup using Dial pay and Datagram to work.
• Certification for Sterling Payment Technologies (U.S.A.) - supports Credit/Debit Cards (CARD PRESENT ONLY), Gift Cards, Check Verification and E.B.T. (plus batches and receipts sub-tabs). Notepad server is hosted by Sterling Payments.

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Customers       

• The Customer Details window - Invoice tab grid is now customizable with unit information.
• The list of lookup words for customers and suppliers has been separated.
• A Salesperson filter has been added to the Find Customer window.
• It is now possible to have a blank state or province value in a customer record.
• Customer routines now allow a user without edit permissions to add new records.

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Data Load

• A Default Ledger Number was added as a selectable column to map to in Supplier Load.
• For Advanced Inventory Control, you now have an option to adjust the stock quantity in a specific location or adjust all stock in a department if no location specified in the file.
• There is now a Gift Card load option.

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Employees and Time Sheets

• Employee and time sheet options are now available outside the Job Costing module as its own Navigator menu module.

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• System Five check templates are in accordance with new Canadian Payments Association check standards. These new templates are available for new customers as part of the shipped templates. However, existing customers need to download the templates from the web repository.
• The item number can now be included on the forms (Designer - Items tab) and printed on both Purchase Orders and Receiving Reports.
• Changes have been made to Invoice Form Designer to allow you to show taxes for tax exempt customers for accounting purposes. There is a new column available on the Items tab, six new exempt taxes are available in the Total and Footer tabs and a new check box on the Options tab that allows exempt taxes to be included in the Smart Total.
• When serial numbers are enabled, the Invoice Form Designer has a new option available to allow serial numbers to always be printed horizontally on the invoice, regardless of the number of serial numbers attached to a given line.

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General Ledger          

• You can now define book months by the 4-4-5 or 5-4-4 accounting method or by a custom date range in the Setup Wizard.
• A new financial year is now automatically created based on the previous financial year, if the system date is in a new financial year. The minimum book month error messages have been modified to provide more clarity.

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Inventory

• You can now have more than one picture per inventory item and assign one as the default. Additionally, you can assign lookup words and a caption to each graphic.
• Inventory Details window - Inventory tab has a modified quantity display.
• The Design Inventory Report function works with both Standard and Advanced Inventory Control when filtering the report design by location.
• The Part Find window now supports Standard and Advanced Inventory Control search by location.
• The Inventory Details window, Part Find window and Inventory Reports Location field is now 20 characters instead of 6.
• The Inventory Details window - Sales History tab now includes an option for History invoices.
• Lines in the Cost and Stock Levels grid (on the Inventory record) that show in grey are not able to be edited because they are currently reserved by the system (i.e. on a work order, or as special order stock for an invoice).
• Part Find - now checks Virtual Warehouse for barcodes; a barcode column can be added to results grid via customization.
• You can now replace an image on all inventory items with the same image at once.
• When the Setup Wizard’s Use Supplier Default when adding new items option is enabled, supplier defaults for inventory now work for sub-categories as well as a Master Supplier Default.  The system checks the selected sub-category, then the Supplier Master Default and finally the Master Inventory Default when adding new parts from the Virtual Warehouse, Part Find and with the New Item command.
• The Setup Wizard’sShow only first 35 characters of part descriptions setting improves the performance of Part Find‘s Contained In Description check box.

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Invoicing

• You can now set an invoice to Always round down with an option in the Setup Wizard.
• System Five can now export invoice and customer information to O.N.E. Portal. Averitt Express specializes in managing shipping processes for its customers. Businesses use O.N.E. Portal to sent invoices and customer information to Averitt Express who then imports the information to determine the best price and shipping method for their product to their customer and creates a Bill of Lading.
• The Setup Wizard has a new option to Make food stamped items non-taxable when paying with food stamps. This allows food stamp items to be taxable when NOT using food stamps.
• An option has been added to Setup Wizard for Mercury Payments allowing you to show purchase card level II information on the invoice and display zero taxes for tax exempt purchase card holders.
• Two new URL options for Address Mapping and Driving Map were added to Setup Wizard> Network Settings> Internet Tools which allow you to select the preferred Google or MapQuest choice. This enables a Delivery Map command and a Delivery Driving Instructions command on the Invoice Options button drop-down menu and a [View Map] button and a [Driving Instructions] on the Deliveries tab.

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Labels

• A new field is available in the Shipping Part Label Designer that allows you to put a scannable customer part number barcode on your shipping part labels so your customers can scan received stock.

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 LeaseQuest – Enhanced

The LeaseQuest module has been enhanced to modify existing features and add new functionality for increased usability. This includes nice touches such the rate table selected is based on customer country code. The following list details some of the specific improvements:

• A facility is now provided to deploy new versions of the LeaseQuest rate table.
• When you select multiple lease terms you can create a customer application form using the longest term (not all the terms selected).
• Selects rate table based on customer country code.
• Available terms are now all selected by default.
• The application form is now automatically attached to email.

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Miscellaneous

• New menu item for Windward User page was added in the Help menu of the Main window.
• Now have the ability to create user-specific startup pages where all or portions of the page are customized for each user.
• Enhancement of synchronization tool for options to auto-synchronize and restart after sync, with a cleaner and simpler interface.
• Lookup words have been increased from 10 to 20 characters.
• You can now insert an inventory item with modifiers between two line items on an invoice using the [Add Item] button.

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The new National Subsidiary Accounts feature allows customers accounts to have subsidiaries.  Invoices are normally made to the subsidiary customer account. The national account or parent company pays the invoices for its subsidiaries.

• The Customer record allows linking to parent and multiple subsidiary customer accounts for this customer. 
• Statements can be printed for individual subsidiaries or can be printed for the national account.
• You can view national and subsidiary accounts in the Aged A/R report and select the listing order.

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Part Load

• System Five now has a standard Part Load settings template shipped with the software (available for use immediately on start up for lighting stores) that allows you to quickly and efficiently import Lights of America produced manufacturer part files.
• Virtual Warehouse now accommodates use of both Part and Supplier Part numbers.
• Virtual Warehouse now has a setting to Delete Discontinued Parts.
• Virtual Warehouse maintenance report now has a customizable grid.
• Part Load no longer uses spaces as delimiters in superseding part number lookup.
• It is now possible to build Matrix Header records from Part Load using information from the size fields of the matrix parts and the new Matrix X, Y & Z Dimension columns.

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Printing

• Picking slips can now be printed to multiple printers based on the item location on the invoice.  This allows printing of items to be picked in a specific warehouse that only have those items in that warehouse.
• You can now print a B-type invoice and display each item and its corresponding ship date.

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Purchase Orders

• The Clerk Name and Clerk Number are new to purchase orders and these fields can now be added to and printed on a Purchase Order / Add Stock form.
• PO Expected report - now has a customizable grid with two new items: Cost and Extended Cost.
• List of Purchase Orders report - can now be filtered by Clerk, has a department filter and now has a customizable grid that includes a Clerk column option. Specifying a supplier now automatically de-selects All Suppliers.
• PO Expected report - has a hint text about the report listing being of items expected but not received before the specified date.
• Multiple receiving against a purchase order on one day appear under separate tabs with packing slip reference shown on the tab.
• Purchase Orders -on the Items tab, inventory items that are linked to a Special Orders are now highlighted in light green. From one screen the receiver can then see that they need to print special order labels for that purchase order.

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The Fast Stock Entry function has been replaced by Inventory and Purchases> Physical Inventory Count which offers more flexibility by:

• Saving multiple scan results in a scan batch file so they can be applied to or detach from count lists without needing to recount. If necessary, you can easily detach the scan results, correct them and reapply them.
• Easily identifying parts that are not currently recorded as part of your inventory.
• Being able to count serialized items.
• The Count Sheet Page Break option automatically creates a page break by the current listings sort order (Location or Category) when printing the count list.
• The Variance Report has a before and after processing view, so that projected cost variance and actual cost variance can be displayed appropriately so you can make a General Ledger journal entry adjustment.

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Reports

• Customizable Supplier report - has a new column option entitled Bills paid over period.
• Design Customer & Supplier report - has two Last Purchased and two First Purchased columns added to the Available Columns list for the report. The results listed in these columns are dependent on the filter 1 & 2 settings in the Purchase Filters tab.
• POS Transaction report - when the rental module is activated a new Rental column displays on the Profitability and Unposted tabs of the report. Note: Previously the rental amounts were included in parts.
• List of AR Payments report & List of Purchase Orders report – both now have a department filter.
• The selected data range for an Invoice Report Template can now be saved.
• Added H invoices to the Invoice Type Selection list on the Invoice Report and Top Item Sales report.
• Tax Zone report - has had many improvements, including pop-up comments, line color, Australian specific settings and results. The report can now be run for cash tax reporting for countries other than Australia. The selection of the taxes to report on now is restricted to the Tax Number and area.
• Customer Yearly Sales report - all final invoice types are included in the report including B-type invoices.
• Billed Labor report – this new report is similar to the Mechanic report, but from the perspective of the final invoices to which the labor is applied. This report provides the actual billed labor on final invoices within a date range.  This report can be used to as a management tool to see how much time each of their tech/mechanics bills (on final invoices) in a date range.
• Floor Plan Payments report - now shows item taxes, bill balance and new payments which are editable.
• A Show Invoice Comment check box was added to the List of Open Work Orders & Layaways report.
• A Customer Lookup Words tab added to the Invoice report for filtering on customer lookup words.
• Added an Options tab and the ability to select invoice types & sub-types in the Main Category Sales report.

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 Rentals – Enhanced

• The Items tab has been renamed to 'Reservations' and has a new option to preload quantities in the Available column when expanding a category.
• Barcodes can now be scanned to find/select invoices for returning items through a new tab in the Rental Scheduler.
• You can force the clerk to select serial number on an invoice for serialized rental items.
• Rental rates and minimum charge are now available for printing on inventory labels.
• When selecting Current Rentals, Overdue, No Shows, Conflicts or Returns from the menu, the data no longer automatically loads. Clicking the [Show] button begins the load. Switching tabs still loads the data for that tab.
• Modified the conflict display on the Schedule tab to make it easier to read and to prevent the currently loaded invoice, to show up as a conflict block.
• Rental items can be left out on A and C type invoices and then returned using a new rental return option available when loading the invoice.

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Setup Wizard

• A Use Modifiers option was added to the Setup Wizard.
• Setup Wizard> Inventory> Price Schedule Names now enforces the minimum price schedule to be 2.
• NAPA Catalog Setup has been enhanced to provide defaults to catalog URLs for United States and Canada.
• Setup Wizard> Taxes> Tax Number now allows up to 35 digits.

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Special Modules

• Job Costing now has a Setup Wizard option for secure time entry or not. If set up as secure (default), when the employee is signing in, only that name appears for time sheet sign in and sign out.

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Suppliers

• The Suppliers record, Australian EFT Account Number field now allows 10 characters.
• It is now possible to have a blank state or province value in a supplier record.
• Supplier routines allow a user without edit permissions to add new records.

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Touch-Screen – Enhanced

The Touch Screen Designer has been enhanced to modify existing features and add new functionality for increased usability. This includes nice touches such as grid lines in the Panel Layout and window functions available only when required. The following list details some of the specific improvements:

• In a touch screen sale, clicking a button that is set up to do a "part lookup for category" opens the Part Find window and auto fills the category number, and then goes straight to the Part Select tab, listing all parts for that category.
• The following new button actions are available: "Display Customer Name", "Display Customer Balance“, "Display Customer Credits", "Display Invoice Balance” and "Display Invoice Balance + Hide (default total)".
• New graphic resources are loaded automatically with upgrade or new user for including in button design (including new default layout design graphics).
• You can now set the delay duration when using a keystroke action button type with inserted.

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Units

• New icons are available for Unit types: Range, Fridge, BBQ 1, BBQ 2, Fireplace, and Power Tool.
• Meter reading for units now supports decimals. Added a configuration option called  Meter Decimals in the Setup Wizard > Invoice Setup > Unit Vehicle Options

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New Documentation of Existing Features

The main menu of the help has been significantly changed:

• The Welcome section groups one-time-read information for new users separately including information about using the help more effectively.
• The "What’s New" section gives details of changes since the past release for those who are updating (and a revision history for previous versions).
• There are two sections detailing additional special modules or integration options available for those who may wish to consider the upgrading or expanding the current operation.
• A Quick Reference Guide is available for information on tasks you don't perform regularly and wish to quickly update yourself on.

The existing documentation has been restructured for increased usability by documenting commands and separating task-based information from feature-based information. The configuration information is now summarized in one topic. Concepts are linked in both a forward and reverse direction so each task is linked to the prerequisite tasks (in order) and the next task. The following modules have been improved:

Accounts Payable
Accounts Receivable
Appointments
General Ledger
Gift Cards
Inventory - The Modifiers feature documentation has been reformatted.
Invoicing - The Pick Slip Checker option is now fully documented.
Miscellaneous - The Main window is now documented. Added instructions for updating using the FTP Update option.
Standalone LAN
Polling
Rentals - Added an example of how to set a week day and weekend rental schedule/rate.
Reports - Multicat report now has links to related features of XML Central and S5Script. Back Dated Inventory Value report is now documented.
Special Modules - Lights America feature documentation has been reformatted.
Touch-Screen - Added task-based instructions for example design layouts.
XML Central

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