I ACTIVANT ACTIVANT PROPHET 21 Prophet 21 ADMINISTRATION NEW FEATURES GUIDE (SS, SA, PS) New Features Guide Version 11.0 Version 11.5 Pre-Release Documentation
This manual contains reference information about software products from Activant Solutions Inc. The software described in this manual and the manual itself are furnished under the terms and conditions of a license agreement. The software consists of software options that are separately licensed. It is against the law to copy the software on any medium, or to enable any software options, except as specifically permitted under the license agreement. In addition, no part of this manual may be copied or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of Activant Solutions Inc. From time to time, Activant makes changes to its software products. Therefore, information in this manual is subject to change, and the illustrations and screens that appear in the manual may differ somewhat from the version of the software provided to you. Created by: Yardley Technical Communication 2008, Activant Solutions Inc. All rights reserved. Activant and the Activant logo are registered trademarks and Activant Prophet 21 is a trademark of Activant Solutions Inc. All other company or product names are the trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies. Activant Solutions Inc. 7683 Southfront Road Livermore, CA 94551 Version 11.5 Publication Date: 6.30.2009 ii
Revision History Date: Revision Description: Page: 8/31/07 General release. 5/16/08 Added Alert Enhancement: Credit Card Transactions 18 9/8/08 Added Warning for Large Print Jobs 25 9/30/08 Added Custom Data Streams 20 6/30/09 Added RMB Security on Print and Print Preview 23 iii
Table of Contents SUMMARY OF NEW FEATURES 5 Pricing Service 5 System Administration 5 System Setup 6 PRICING SERVICE 7 Pricing Service Enhancements 7 Creating Pricing Service Templates 7 Applying Pricing Service Templates to Layouts 12 Using Pricing Service Templates in Build/Updates 12 Importing Pre-Defined Values for Item Builds 13 Selecting Multiple Locations in Layout Maintenance 15 Removing Special Characters using Layouts 16 Changes to Item Maintenance 16 Changes to Item Defaults Maintenance 17 SYSTEM ADMINISTRATION 18 Alert Enhancement: Credit Card Transactions 18 Custom Data Streams 20 Creating Customized Data Streams 20 RMB Security on Print and Print Preview 23 Data Archiving 24 SYSTEM SETUP 25 Warning for Large Print Jobs 25 iv
SUMMARY OF NEW FEATURES This list is organized by module. PRICING SERVICE Pricing Service Enhancements (23940) Changes to the system consolidate processes within Pricing Service, allowing you to do with one build/update what used to take several. Additionally, you can now perform more functions within Pricing Service and no longer have to resort to other applications as part of the process. See page 7. SYSTEM ADMINISTRATION Alert Enhancement: Credit Card Transactions (Sc609277) This feature provides an alert that enables the system to notify personnel via email if various conditions exist during import. For example, you could create an alert that would warn Accounts Receivable if the credit card transaction failed. See page 18. Custom Data Streams (23546-1) The forms that ship with the system contain a wealth of important information designed to make your forms effective business documents. However, some businesses may need information that the existing forms simply do not include. The Custom Data Streams feature enables you to add fields from the system database to your forms data stream so that you can place that information on your customized form. See page 20. RMB Security on Print and Print Preview (42274) This feature enables you to limit who can use the Services > Print and Services > Print Preview options on the right mouse button menu, so you can prevent users from printing large selections of sensitive proprietary information from reports and other areas of the system. See page 23. Data Archiving (27335) Enables you to archive data to a separate database rather than purging it. Archived data can still be retrieved if necessary, while purged data cannot. See page 20. This feature is not yet available. It will be released in a future build of Prophet 21 11.5. 5
SYSTEM SETUP Warning for Large Print Jobs (34345) Enables you to set a warning threshold for print jobs, and any print jobs for a number of documents that exceeds that threshold will display a warning, enabling you to cancel the print job before it starts. See page 25. 6
PRICING SERVICE PRICING SERVICE ENHANCEMENTS Feature Reference#: 23940 Changes to the Pricing Service module add the ability to perform the following functions: Specify defaults per supplier, class, or several other groups for builds through the creation of pricing service templates. Build items for several locations at once. Specific field character filtering during builds and imports. Import new records such as discount groups, manufacturing classes, etc., as part of the build/update process if a matching record does not already exist. These changes consolidate processes within Pricing Service, allowing you to do with one build/update what used to take several. Additionally, you can now perform more functions within Pricing Service and no longer have to resort to other applications as part of the process. CREATING PRICING SERVICE TEMPLATES Navigation Path: Pricing Service > Maintenance > Pricing Service Template Maintenance Templates can be used for any type of pricing service build and can fill a number of functions. For example, you might sign on to a service that provides weekly pricing updates from several different suppliers at once in a single file. In this case, you can use pricing service templates to set fields with specific default values for one supplier but use a whole separate set of defaults for another supplier. Also, when building new items, you may wish to add a prefix to the item ID being built that identifies the supplier. By specifying these values in a template and using that template in a build, you prompt the system to identify the supplier associated with the item being imported and then apply the template s defaults, prefixes, etc to fields for the newly created item. Pricing service templates allow you to define default values by supplier or other key columns for use with specific fields when creating new item records during pricing service builds. Create and manage pricing service templates in Pricing Service Template Maintenance, found in the Pricing Service Maintenance menu. 7
Creating Default Header Information Creating a template begins in the Template tab. Field: Template ID/ Description Key Field Status Description: The ID and text description of the template. The Item ID field is searchable, and you can enter new values here to create a new template, or recall an existing one by entering the template s ID. The field that the system uses as the identifying characteristic of newly built items to determine if the template applies to them. For example, if you select Supplier, you can set default field values to use for builds for several suppliers in the same template. You may choose from the following options: Manufacturing Class, Price Family, Product Group, Purchase Discount Group, Sales Discount Group, and Supplier. Determines if the template is active or deleted. Deletes performed with this menu are soft deletes, meaning the record is rendered inactive, but remains in the system and may be restored by changing this setting. Once you ve populated the Template tab, the Key Field tab appears. This is where you define the values for the specific key field first created in the Template tab. For example, if you set the Key Field to Supplier in the Template tab, this is where you d define the specific suppliers to which this template applies. Note: This tab opens with a single line, but you can press Enter to create additional lines, allowing you to designate multiple entries for the key field. For example, if the template keys to supplier, you could set the same template to apply to five different suppliers. Field: Company ID/ Company Name Key Field Description: Your company ID and name. This carries over from the Template tab. There is no field in this tab called Key Field. Rather, this pair of fields takes the name of whatever you specified as the key field in the Template tab. For example, if you set the Key Field to Supplier, this tab shows the Supplier ID and Name fields. 8
Append Determines if the system appends something to a value mapped to an item ID during an item build using this template. You can set this field to blank (no value appended), Prefix, or Suffix. The latter two options activate the next two fields and make them required. # of Characters The number of characters that should be appended to values mapped to an item ID during an item build using this template. Item ID Prefix/Suffix Delete The characters that should be appended to values mapped to item IDs during an item build using this template. This field cannot contain more characters than the value entered in the # of Characters field. Removes this row from the template; the system will not apply the template to the key field in this row. Once you ve populated the Key Field tab, the Item Defaults tab appears. This is where you define the default values for item fields when the system creates items using this template. Notes: Item field defaults defined in this tab apply only to the item header fields. The detail of this tab relates to the specific key field value in focus on the Key Field tab. These defaults are applied only when an item record is built during a pricing service build that uses this template and that item record specifies the particular key field value in the designated key field column. This tab opens with a single line, but you can press Enter to create additional lines, allowing you to designate default values for multiple fields. Field: Key Field Column Description: Like the Key Field tab, there is no field in this tab called Key Field. This pair of fields shows the ID and description of whatever key field you placed in focus in the Key Field tab. For example, if you have three suppliers defined in the Key Field tab and placed your focus on Galvan Garage, Galvan Garage s supplier ID and name would appear here. The item field for which you want to define a default value. While you can create new lines endlessly, you cannot create two lines with default values for the same column; the Column menu for each new line excludes all those fields already selected in previous lines. When you retrieve the template later, rows on this tab sort alphanumerically by this field. 9
Default Value The value the system inserts for the item field. Note: Values entered in this field must meet all normal requirements for field values; the system performs a validation for all entries in this field when you save the template. Delete Removes this row from the template; the system will not apply the default value to the specified column when creating new items using this template. Creating Location Specific Defaults The above is all the information you need if you want to create a template that defines default values for item header field. However, pricing service templates can also create default entries for location specific fields. This is done in the window s footer tabs. To create location specific defaults, you must first define the locations to which this template applies. Do that in the Location List tab. Field: Company ID/ Company Name Location ID/ Location Name Description: The ID and name of your company. This information defaults from your user profile. The location ID and name of the location that uses this template. You can add additional locations in this tab in several ways: Pressing Enter on the final line provides a new, blank line. The RMB menu Add Location provides a new, blank line. The Location ID field is searchable, and the search window it opens lists all available locations. Each row in the search window includes a Selected checkbox. The system adds all the locations for which this box is enabled. With your locations entered, the Key Field by Location tab provides a list showing a list of each key field and location combination. 10
Field: Location ID/ Location Name Key Field Description: The location ID and name of the locations entered in the Location List tab. As elsewhere in this window, there is no field in this tab called Key Field. This pair of fields shows the ID and description of whatever key fields defined in the Key Field tab. For example, if you defined three suppliers in the Key Field tab and three locations in the Location List tab, those three suppliers each appear under the three locations (assuming the locations are set up with each supplier). This field provides no editable fields. It serves strictly as a filter for the Location Defaults tab. All the entries on that tab apply only to the location/key field combination placed in focus here. Define field defaults in the Location Defaults tab. This tab appears nearly identical to the Item Defaults tab, and functions similarly. However, in this tab, the Column menu offers only location specific fields. Notes: This tab opens with a single line, but you can press Enter to create additional lines, allowing you to designate default values for multiple fields. Field: Location ID Key Field Column Default Value Description: The ID and name of the location selected in the Key Field by Location tab. Like the Item Defaults tab, there is no field in this tab called Key Field. This pair of fields shows the ID and description of whatever key field you placed in focus in the Key Field by Location tab. The item field for which you want to define a default value. While you can create new lines endlessly, you cannot create two lines with default values for the same column; the Column menu for each new line excludes all those fields already selected in previous lines. When you retrieve the template later, rows on this tab sort alphanumerically by this field. The value the system inserts for the item field. Note: Values entered in this field must meet all normal requirements for field values; the system performs a validation for all entries in this field when you save the template. 11
Delete Removes this row from the template; the system will not apply the default value to the specified column when creating new items using this template. APPLYING PRICING SERVICE TEMPLATES TO LAYOUTS Navigation Path: Pricing Service > Maintenance menu > Layout Maintenance In order to use a pricing template, you must apply it to a pricing service layout. You can apply an existing pricing service template to a layout by adding it to the Form View tab of Layout Maintenance. This field is fully searchable, but does not activate unless you set the Layout Type field to either Build or Build + Update. If you populate this field, the List View tab adds the templates key field to its field list. The system protects this key field as long as the Template ID field is populated. When you perform a build or build/update with a layout using a pricing service template, the system inserts all the default values defined in the template into the item record. The Template ID field also appears on the Query tab of this window. USING PRICING SERVICE TEMPLATES IN BUILD/UPDATES Navigation Path: How it Works Pricing Service > Transaction menu > Build/Update Items When Pricing Service builds new items, you can set particular fields to a default value by selecting the Use Default checkbox for that column on the List View tab. When the item is built, the system looks to default values for these fields defined in Item Defaults Maintenance in order to populate the particular columns. If you include a template in your pricing service layout, the system first determines if a default value is indicated for the template s key field that matches the value from the input file. If it is, the system uses the template s default values instead of those appearing in Item Defaults Maintenance. Notes: If you do not flag a field to use the default value during the build, the system does not use either Item Defaults Maintenance or the template to determine the field s value. If you flag a field to use the default value, but one is not specified for it in the template, the system looks to Item Defaults Maintenance for the default value. In addition to using the template default values, the system also attaches any prefix or suffix noted in the template to the item ID for the item records it creates. 12
If the layout you plan to use to perform the item build uses a template, that template ID appears in the Form View tab. This is an informational only field and cannot be edited. IMPORTING PRE-DEFINED VALUES FOR ITEM BUILDS Prophet 21 requires several fields, such as Discount Group and Manufacturing Class, already be populated before a value can be specified in a related field on an item record. If these fields are blank and you try defining them when creating or updating an item, that record fails during a pricing service build/update. One way to avoid this problem is to import a record before performing a pricing service build/update. How it Works Enhancements to the Layout Maintenance window allow you to set up the import of new values for these fields directly from the Pricing Service module. The system stores your pricing service file in a temporary file, and references this for both the build/update, and any required imports. If you flag a field for import, the system looks at the column in the input file mapped to this field prior to performing the build/update to determine if it holds a value that matches one already in the system. If not, the system first creates these records through an import, drawing from the pricing service file held in the temporary file, then it performs the build/update. When creating new values through these imports, the system uses the value in the field for both the ID and description. For example, if your pricing service file has the value 100 for the Discount Group field, and the system has no discount group with that value, it creates a new discount group with the Discount Group ID of 100, and the Description of 100 as well. When creating new class IDs from import values, the system uses the import value for the class ID and description, but it also sets the class type to Inventory, and sets the class number to match the column name (so Class ID 2 is 2, Class ID 5 is 5, etc.). When creating new product groups or default product groups, the system uses the value in the field for both the ID and description, and the company ID and description from the layout file, but it also prompts you with a popup window where you must enter additional information for the system to create the record. You must enter a valid value for each of the three accounts listed in this window in order to continue the build with this field. 13
Flagging Fields for Import You can flag any field in the build file for import consideration by checking the Import New Values checkbox in the List View tab of Layout Maintenance. This field only displays a checkbox for rows where the Column field is set to one of the following: Class ID 1 Class ID 2 Class ID 3 Class ID 4 Class ID 5 Commission Class Default Product Group Default Purchase Discount Group Default Sales Discount Group Manufacturing Class ID Product Group If you set the Column field to anything else, the Import New Values field is blank and provides no checkbox. When you run the build/update process, the system checks the values populated in each column marked to import new values, identifies values not previously specified in the system, and creates records for those new values prior to creating or updating item records. 14
SELECTING MULTIPLE LOCATIONS IN LAYOUT MAINTENANCE Navigation Path: Pricing Service > Maintenance menu > Layout Maintenance The Location ID field in Layout Maintenance gives you multiple options in choosing the locations to which to apply a build or update. Setting: For Build: For Update: For Update + Build: All Locations The system creates a record for each item in the build at each location associated with the company noted on the layout. The system updates the item record at each location within the company noted on the layout at which the item already exists, but ignores locations at which the item does not exist. The system updates the item record at each location within the company noted on the layout at which the item already exists, and creates the item at any company location it does not exist. Purchase/ Transfer Group This setting is not available for Builds. The system updates the item record at each location within the purchase/transfer group noted on the layout at which the item already exists, but ignores locations at which the item does not exist. This setting is not available for Build + Update. Select Location The system opens the Locations tab, where you can specify the locations at which the system creates new item records. If you specify a location for build that already has an existing record, the system skips that location. The system opens the Locations tab, where you can specify the locations at which the system updates existing item records. If you specify a location for update that does not have an existing record, the system skips that location. The system opens the Locations tab, where you can specify the locations the system examines. Those locations that possess an existing record are updated. Those that do not receive a new one. 15
The Location tab only opens when you set the Location ID to Select Location. At that time, the Locations tab automatically comes forward. Field: Location ID/ Name Delete Description: Enter the location ID for each location you want to include in the build/update. This tab only allows you to enter a location that is part of the company specified on the layout. Any line with this checkbox enabled is not included in the build/update. REMOVING SPECIAL CHARACTERS USING LAYOUTS Navigation Path: Pricing Service > Maintenance menu > Layout Maintenance The Extension Value field in the Extension tab in Layout Maintenance contains a new option called Replace Special Characters. This option causes special characters to be removed from the input field upon a successful build/update. CHANGES TO ITEM MAINTENANCE Navigation Path: Inventory > Maintenance menu > Item Maintenance The Audit Trail tab contains an additional field that tracks an item s pricing service update history. Last Pricing Service Update a time/date stamp that shows the last time any field on the item record was changed via pricing service. If the item has never been updated via pricing service, this field displays a null value. 16
CHANGES TO ITEM DEFAULTS MAINTENANCE Navigation Path: Inventory > System menu > Item Defaults Maintenance The following fields have been added to the General tab in Item Defaults Maintenance: Manufacturing Class ID Commission Class Class 1 Class 2 Class 3 Class 4 Class 5 Supplier Cost Multiplier Standard Cost Multiplier Special Cost Multiplier Pricing Service Option 17
SYSTEM ADMINISTRATION ALERT ENHANCEMENT: CREDIT CARD TRANSACTIONS Feature Reference#: Sc609277 In previous versions, if you use the automatic sales order or the shipping confirmation scheduled imports, there was no way to receive notifications regarding the results of credit card transactions; you could only check the error or summary import files. This feature provides an alert that enables the system to notify personnel via email if various conditions exist during import. For example, you could create an alert that would warn Accounts Receivable if the credit card transaction failed. You can find the new alert in Alert Maintenance (System Administration module > Maintenance menu > Alert Maintenance > System Setup folder > Credit Card Payments folder). For a list of the columns available, click <New Event> and then click the Column drop-down on the Event tab. Set up your credit card alert on the Event tab by selecting columns to trigger on, and values to trigger the alert. Then, on the Notification tab, select what information you want to include in the alert email. The following tokens are available for the header: 18
For more information on creating alerts, see Alert Maintenance in the online help. After you set up a credit card alert, you must rebuild your alert system. To do so, log out of the application and then log in as admin, bypassing application role security. Then open the System Administration module, and go to System menu > Rebuild Alert System. Click Start to start the process. 19
CUSTOM DATA STREAMS Feature Reference#: 23546-1 The forms that ship with the system contain a wealth of important information designed to make your forms effective business documents. However, some businesses may need information that the existing forms simply do not include. The Custom Data Streams feature enables you to add fields from the system database to your forms data stream so that you can place that information on your customized form. Note: Important! You must also modify the form itself using the Forms Design Package if you purchased that complementary feature. If you do not modify the form file, the field will not appear on your printed form. Activant can help add fields to the data stream and customize your forms. Contact Activant Professional Services Sales for more information. Using this feature requires knowledge of SQL (Structured Query Language) for Microsoft SQL Server (specifically, using fully-qualified column names, and creating joins), and also knowledge of your database. If you want to take advantage of this capability but do not have the required skills, you can contact Activant Professional Services Sales to schedule an engagement to get the help you need. Benefits of Custom Data Streams Improves the effectiveness of your business forms. Helps you to avoid the cost and inconvenience of software customizations. How Custom Data Streams Works The system uses a third party forms package to generate printed forms. To do so, it builds the data about a particular transaction into a data stream and then sends that data stream to the forms package. This data stream contains fields from the system's database, but it does not include all possible fields; rather, it includes only those fields that are most relevant to the transaction. However, in your business, you may need or want additional information to appear on your forms. For this to happen, you must do two things: first, you must add the data you want to add to the form to the form's data stream, and second, you must customize the form itself to include the new field or fields. Note: This document does not address customizing the form itself; it only addresses adding fields to the data stream. For more information on customizing forms, see the Forms Datastream Dictionary on the Customer Web Site, and review the documentation for your forms package. The Custom Data Streams window in System Administration enables you to modify the SQL statement that currently generates the data stream for a particular form (or section of a form). This includes adding field names, and joining tables. CREATING CUSTOMIZED DATA STREAMS Navigation Path: System Administration > Maintenance menu > Custom Data Streams The Custom Data Streams window enables you to customize the fields that are available on your printed forms. You can add fields to the data stream that supplies information for each form printed via the Forms Package. 20
Field: Data Stream Inactive checkbox Description Columns Join Generate SQL and Script Syntax Description: Contains the name of an existing form data stream. Double-click this field to select the data stream you want to modify from a list of all system data streams. Determines if the new columns specified in the custom data stream will be included in the data stream. It does not deactivate the entire data stream; merely the custom fields added. The description provided for the form data stream selected in the Data Stream field. This field helps you to understand which part of which form the data stream is associated with. Contains the fully-qualified column names you want to add to the data stream. The field must start with a comma, and a comma must separate all field names. Contains the JOIN statement that is needed to include any columns you are adding to the data stream. Generates the new SQL statement and script syntax for the columns and joins you want to add, and then appends them to the SQL statement for the data stream. 21
SQL Statement Script Text Displays the existing data stream SQL statement when you first open the data stream. After you select the Generate SQL and Script Syntax button, it displays the new SQL statement, which includes your added columns and joins. Contains the basic syntax required to display your new columns in the data stream output file. This syntax is system-generated based on the columns you want to add. Activant recommends that you not change this syntax. Use the following instructions to add fields to your forms data streams. Steps marked with a * are mandatory. 1. Determine if the field you want to add to the form is already in the data stream. To do so, look in the Forms Datastream Dictionary manual located on the Customer Web Site. If the field you want to add already exists in the default data stream, then you do not need to continue with this procedure; merely add the field to your form using the forms customization package. If the field does not exist in the data stream, continue with the following instructions. 2. *From the Module menu, select System Administration. The System Administration module opens. 3. *From the Maintenance menu, select Custom Data Stream. The Custom Data Streams window opens. 4. *Double-click the Data Stream field. This displays a list of all the data streams available in the system. 5. *Select the data stream you want and click OK. The data stream's SQL statement appears in the SQL Statement field. 6. *Enter the fully-qualified column name for the field you want to add using dot-notation (i.e., table_name.column_name). You must have a comma between each column name. 7. If the column's table is not in the FROM part of the statement, you must create a JOIN statement for the table of the column. 8. *Click the Generate SQL and Script Syntax button. This will populate the SQL Statement field with new fields/joins you are adding. 9. *Click the Save button to save the custom data stream. 22
RMB SECURITY ON PRINT AND PRINT PREVIEW Feature Reference#: 42274 This feature enables you to limit who can use the Services > Print and Services > Print Preview options on the right mouse button menu, so you can prevent users from printing large selections of sensitive proprietary information from reports and other areas of the system. This feature has been added to the Application Security tab in User Maintenance. Navigation Path: Navigation Path: Setup > System Settings > System menu > User Maintenance > Application Security tab Option: Yes No Note: Result: The current user can use the Print and Print Preview commands on the right mouse button menu. The current user cannot use the Print and Print Preview commands on the right mouse button menu. This setting defaults to Yes for existing users, so that current users are not locked out of the Print and Print Preview options. 23
DATA ARCHIVING Feature Reference#: 27335 This feature is not yet available. It will be released in a future build of Prophet 21 11.5. Enables you to archive data to a separate database rather than purging it. Archived data can still be retrieved if necessary, while purged data cannot. 24
SYSTEM SETUP WARNING FOR LARGE PRINT JOBS Feature Reference#: 34345 In previous versions, it was possible to leave a pick ticket run or label run settings wide open and mistakenly start an enormous print job, which had to be manually canceled. This feature enables you to set a warning threshold, and any print jobs for a number of documents that exceeds that threshold will display a warning, enabling you to cancel the print job before it starts. The feature creates a system setting that named Maximum Generated Documents Threshold enables you to change the threshold: Navigation Path: System Setup > System menu > System Settings > System Setup folder > Printing 25
The Maximum Generated Documents Threshold enables you to set the number of documents that will trigger the large print job warning. To set the threshold, set the field to any number larger than zero. A setting of zero means that the system will not display large print job warnings at all, no matter how large the job. The system defaults to zero. The warning appears as follows: To continue with the print job, click Yes. To end the print job, click No. 26