Ostendo Update Notes from 11 June 2008 – What’s New

Ostendo Update Notes from 11 June 2008 – What’s New

Direct Invoicing Improvements

We have added to the functionality of Direct Invoicing to allow for where companies wish to use this screen as a replacement for Sales Orders or POS. The additional functionality includes:

1)       Ability to define a different Delivery Customer

2)       Salesperson and Shipping method in the Direct Invoice header

3)       Speed entry capability at the Invoice line level

Speed Entry – Field Order Definition

We have now added in the ability for specific field definition for speed entry. Speed entry needs to be turned on for the specific order screens (including Direct Invoicing).

On all Order Lines and Direct Invoicing Lines tab, a new option is available under the ‘Related’ button called ‘Set Speed Order Entry.  This will show all the fields that are in the lower part of the screen.  You can ‘select’ those fields that you want to enter data into.  When entering a line the cursor will go to the selected field(s) when the ‘Enter’ key is pressed.  NOTE: In the Speed Entry Screen you can also define the sequence by dragging the field and moving it further up or down the list.

Optional Credit Blocking

We have added a new field to the Sales Rules called ‘Optional Credit Blocking’.  Currently Ostendo will allow you to complete the current Order (and place it ‘On Hold’) when the Credit Limit and/or Debtor Aging Days have been exceeded, after which you are NOT allowed to create any additional Orders. If this new flag is set, you can create additional Orders and they will also be placed ‘On Hold’.  The status of ‘On Hold’ (as currently happens) will prevent picking or delivery of the order.

Customers – Membership Number

We have added an extra field into the Customer screen called ‘Membership Number’, located in the ‘Defaults’ tab. This field is used in POS (see POS Rules) where a new field ‘Customer Selection Style’ has been added that defines the method by which Customers are selected in Point Of Sale.  The options are:

Default Customer: Always pre-filled with the Default Customer Name identified in the POS Rules. This would normally be used in the true POS environment where the Customer is (say) the general public

Customer Lookup: The POS entry screen is fronted with the Ostendo Customer Lookup screen for selection of a Customer before the POS Order can progress.  This style would normally be used where the majority of Customers are currently held on file.

Membership Number: The POS entry screen is fronted with a panel that requires entry of a Customer’s Membership Number. On acceptance of the Membership Code the linked Customer is displayed in the POS Order screen.

POS – Customer Messages

We have added an extra field into the Customer screen called ‘POS Message’, located in the Defaults tab. This allows for a specific message to be displayed while in the POS screen.

Specific Forms Layout – Email File Name

We have added the ability to define a specific form layout file for use when emailing (Reporting Configuration>Specific Forms Layout). This is used in instances where the standard form is output to Pre-Printed stationery (that may contain your company Logo, etc).

Purchase Rules – Create Invoice When Receipting

We have added a new field called ‘Create Invoice When Receipting’ which sets the default for this option when posting Purchase Receipts.

Supplier Catalogues – Improved Functionality

We have improved the functionality in Supplier Catalogues. You are now able to make manual changes, add new, and delete lines to imported catalogues when in the lines tab.

Customer Statements & Aging – Speed Enhancement

We have significantly improved the speed of generating Customer Aging & Statement outputs. There is also a new field that has been added to the Sales Rules screen allowing for Unapplied payments to either be separated out (as they are currently) or taken off aged balances.

Workflow Links

You can now link an object to another workflow file, and when the object if selected in the current Workflow the linked workflow is displayed.

Advanced Searching – Improvements

We have added more capability into the Advanced Searching (Set in System Settings) functionality. We have allowed for searching of related transactions in appropriate screens (Where there could be a one-to-many relationship). As an example you are now able to enter the Order Number into the search box in the Batch Invoicing screen and all Invoices that are related to that order will be displayed, or when in the Purchase Invoice screen you can search on the Purchase Order number.

Job Rules – Schedule Price Style

We have added a new field into Job Rules called ‘Schedule Price Style’, this defines how the scheduled invoice claims are changed if the total Job value is altered.

Fixed Percent: This is the default, and will ratio the scheduled invoice/claim values based on the percent each was originally set-up for.

Fixed Value: This leave the scheduled invoice values as they were set-up – requiring the user to define an extra schedule/claim for any change in total Job Value.

Job Lines – Move Actual to Another Job

We have added the ability to re-assign an actual issue to another Job, for where a mistake has been made. This would normally be where a Purchase Receipt has been allocated to the wrong job.

Deleting Updated Purchase Invoices

We have added the ability to delete an Updated Purchase Invoice. All the necessary reversal financial transactions are automatically created.

Custom Scripts – Enhanced Functionality

We have extended the scope of Custom Scripts – following are the different styles available:

Standard Menu Script (This is the default style):

Adds the Script Name to the drop-down under ‘Custom’ on Ostendo’s top Toolbar (Selecting this will run the Script). This style of Script can be:

1)       Available to all

2)       Restricted to specific Users

Examples of the types of script are:

1)       Updating your existing system with information from Ostendo

2)       Updating Ostendo with information from your existing system

3)       Importing Supplier Catalogues

4)       Send user-defined KPI information via email, or to a Mobile phone

Related Menu Script

Adds the Script Name to the drop-down Menu held against the ‘Related’ button within specific screens. Typically used for where there is a need to link to other screens or information that relate to the specific record selected (eg: While a customer is selected display all open sales orders).

Order Script

This allows you to create a Script that is run against an Order as a whole in the following areas:

1)       Assembly

2)       Jobs

3)       Sales

4)       Purchase

5)       POS

and enables you to add extra specific functionality such as:

1)       Total Order Value discounting based on Order content (an example script is available from Development-X)

2)       Freight calculations based on Order content (an example script is available from Development-X)

3)       Order Authorisation Levels (Example: User Purchasing levels) (an example script is available from Development-X)

4)       Order Margin Control with User-defined Margin levels

5)       Order Validation and/or Checks

6)       Workflow actions (Example: send Email regarding this Order)

7)       Promotions (Example: 3 for price of 2, etc)

The Script can also be defined as ‘Mandatory’ in which case Picking, Receiving, Printing, etc is blocked until the Script has been run. Once the script is defined there is a new screen (File-System Configuration-Order Scripts) where the script is then linked to the specific order screen. A new Button will automatically appear (In the Lines tab or on the right side button panel for POS) if there is an Order Script linked to the screen, with the caption taken from the Custom Script name. Contact support at Development-X for examples.

Screen Data Script

This is related to Master, Order, Receiving, and Invoicing Screens where the action of Adding or Deleting a record, or changing any field within the record will automatically run the Script to provide a resultant action. For example

1)       Zero Price Check on Sales Order Lines (an example script is available from Development-X)

2)       Restricting Sales of specific Items based on Status, Customer, etc

3)       Update Sell Price based on Last receipt Cost

4)       In Purchasing check for best price from all Suppliers

5)       Have a pop-up Sales Message appear

6)       Specify a minimum order quantity

7)       Show active Promotion when Sales Line Entered

Accounting Link Script

This relates to a new setting in the System Settings screen for sending financial information to other accounting packages other than using the standard MYOB link application. Effectively scripts are defined to output in the appropriate format to suit whatever standard is required. As part of this we have also created a new screen for entering/importing the General Ledger codes from the nominated accounting package, and then you have the ability to link these General ledger codes to the Cost Centres in Ostendo. There will be more information released shortly of this new feature.

Various Small Fixes & Improvements

Various other smaller issues and enhancements that have been reported to us have also been fixed in this update.