how many orphaned core part sku's do you have ?

Wonder how many orphaned core parts you have with no matching part number .... run a 8-15 3 dot 6 and your report will spit out quite a few. These problems happen when something goes wrong at the DC more often than not. You are left with old sku's of cores.

9 times out of 10 this is not that important - but on that one time when you ADD the part --the part will not link properly with the EXISTING core --and you will sell the part without the core being charged ... there is not easy way to fix (normally) so you go to the 3-2 and manually delete the CORE part number (if the report says ..... AAA 12345 is missing .... you delete the AA9 12345 part number. Try 10 then re-run the 8-15 3-6 to see it works .... last time we ran it we had 200 parts but in past years we have had a TON of parts show up .... how is your list ?

Decimal key shortcut

This tip from Abe Enns at Petes Paint & Parts ---thanks Abe for sharing it .....Just a little short cut that I came across while closing a point of sale. If you are more comfortable using the number pad on the keyboard, then try this. When you are ready to close an invoice and you are ready to push either F2, F3, or F4, push the decimal button and that will get you right to the form of payment options at which you can type what form of payment you want and close the invoice. It saves having to look down at the keyboard and looking for the F keys. I find it saves a bit of time.

Hidden Treats

Every computer has hidden treats -- things that are special -- thy this at POS when finishing an invoice. Hit the DECIMAL BUTTON ( hint --works best for cash sales )

This tip came from Abe at Petes Paint

got another hidden treat --send to info (at ) dtauto (dot ) ca ---yeh --got to do the e-mail address this way to avoid splam --or post a comment to this item

Double Wildcard posts

Do you know the middle part of a part #? How do you find the full part #? Try this - use a DOUBLE WILDCARD search. How many batteries do you stock in the group 31 series ...use *31*

Try it. Very handy for the Canadian jobbers who sell Keystone and forget some prefix or suffix's

This is also available in Exploris --but since that system has such a bloated data base - the searches take longer. They don't use the Parts Source CD to keep track of 'all available parts'

overstock returns - something to try

Have you ever wondered what you have turned off on the PREVENT OVERSTOCK RETURN settings? Well- when we asked j-con help desk they told us there was NO WAY to get a report on how many sub-lines had been turned to Y to Prevent the overstock return. After some playing it quickly became apparent that the best way to test what is going on- is to turn the flags to N -- for all lines (we stopped at WSW to avoid touching out X lines which will stay turned off )

What happened -- the return list became HUGE. Some sub lines are obvious candidates - such as ABH s/l 0 (boxes of body shop screws) or BRK s/l 10 bleeder screws. We are keeping a LIST this time of what we turn back on --as some manual review has to happen at some point for these parts.

What happened -- we found lots of parts where we need to TAKE ACTION and - update levels - sell off - throw out, etc etc etc.

A good job for the winter when we slow down

84 Obsolete recalls ?

A few weeks ago we had a cute thing happen -- 84 OBSOLETE RECALLS showed up on the CQ LINK ...wow ... well here is some more background

1) Most of these are OLD - they showed up again due to a change on the LINK shows them -- mainly to have Cdn recalls show properly (these 84 probably only showed up on the Cdn link - also they have started to CONSOLIDATE recalls - so the one you see with ONE part # will not happen again )

2) I checked a couple of random recalls and called the Toronto DC -- well - the customer service person didn't know how to see what the warehouse computer ( ADIS ) so I called a higher up -- these classifications where STILL IN as a 7 or 8 ....

3) I called one of the guys who classifies in Raleigh -- he assures me that the ADIS warehouse class ( movement code ) SHOULD BE changed to a ZERO before the notice goes out .... so what is happening -- we have a call into Peter McNally in Toronto to see

4) There is NO EASY WAY for the J-Con to automatically list new mvt code ZERO items ... I just heard a story of someone at a jobber store who manually entered every part # to see if it was in the system -- wow - that is a time waster of extraordinary proportions .... so I called J-Con help desk and got one of the smarted people .... he suggested running a 2-20 report for just items with mvt code ZERO ...

Our three stores get their data from 2-20 and run it thru EXCEL --- but remember we all get short circuited if the Toronto ADIS is not updated with the mvt code updates ....

stay tuned ....


*************** update ***************

I am ASSURED by Mike Deal from classifications that the mvt code is set to ZERO BEFORE the bulletin is released ... and that my problem is with staff at the Toronto DC who do NOT know how to look up the data in ADIS .... this is being addressed

so - long story made short -- run a 2-20 ( that you can save for future use ) to list stock on hand with ZERO as mvt codes --

hint -0 in our stores go thru and FORCE DELETE parts with ZERO as mvt code that have no on hands .... something that I think EXPLORIS can't do as they can;'t figure out how to delete parts from the system yet

Defect Ratios - Part #2

In part 1 - you will notice that we use TEXT and not NUMBERS for the part number --that helps you keep LEADING ZERO's in part #'s - a tip that is handy

We found it easier to get TOTAL SALES from a 6-3 report and not add up every invoice here ...you use a similar method - but use your Ethernet line if you have one and go thru Acconnex --WAY FASTER ( 20 to 50 times faster )

The 6-3 report is a GREAT REPORT that we do every month to see where we are on select accounts (salesmen accounts and key other accounts )

I am sure I have written on how to take TWO DIFFERENT spreadsheets and take data from one into the other using something we thing is way better than VLOOKUP or HLOOKUP ( =INDEX( range , MATCH ( part #, range of part #'s, 0 ), x is the column you bring back ) --this is trickey at first - but very very handy

Use sub totals from your 6-9 report and get the values for the warranty returns by customer #.

NOW - great tip we found -- how do you get the SUB RTOTAL ONLY data .... use EDIT ... GO TO .... SPECIAL ..... VISIBLE CELLS ONLY ..... and copy the data. The PASTE SPECIAL for VALUES ONLY into a new spreadsheet. From here - import into your 6-3 report (or a clone of it ) and calculate defect ratio's

So - what steps might I have skipped - one is the reverse the negative sign ( older Excel programs like I use do not have it - so get the www.asap-utilities.com add on ( come on--make this for the MAC !! - so far only PC only )

There you have it --data that you can USE -- but with care & caution -- since habits take time to improve - and there might be valid reasons for specific warranty ratio's

Better data makes better decisions

how to calculate defect ratio's for customers

This is a bit complex - and assumes you have some good excel skills.

Master these skills -
1) get a laptop ( or regular PC ) and multiview PC software. Set up the 'capture screen data' option ( mentioned previously in this blog. You have to use a SERIAL line ( not the ethernet Acconnex fast line ) - so it will be slow for capture of the 6-9 data

Set up the laptop/PC as a PRINTER (call J-Con help desk) and have at the > prompt -=-do NOT sign into menu or the port will think it is BUSY. From another PC --send the 6-9 dump to the Laptop/PC ( which you are capturing the data).

If you get more than 500 pages you will need to open into a word doc and split into 500 page sections ( maybe you can go to 600 or 700 pages before you exceed the excel limit --since there is so much crap - extra lines and headers )

Import into Excel - click on the image to see the template setting to cut at what position ( found thru trial & error )

Now you have EVERY INVOIVE you have done in that time frame ---

Transaction code types
DR - Dept Return
FR - Fleet Return
IAP - Web-Link
IR - store return
IS - Store Use
RET - cust return
SR - Shop Return
SU - Store Use
SVC - ???
WHR - Warehouse Return
WR - Warranty Customer

You can sort and have fun ....... end of part # 1 --- see part # 2 on defect rations coming soon
WVR - Warehouse Warranty

Ont stores with enviro fees

Some J-Cons' didn't have an upgrade to the 8-15 control panel --and as such were not charging taxes on the new Ontario envior fees - this has now been cured for our stores -- how is yours?

List Price - more than you wanted to know

How to set LIST PRICE ...gee ...on the onset that would seem simple enough. Thanks to Adrian from CARQUEST Woodstock ON for the tips

First --look at 4-11 screen field #72 for the specific customer info

Then look at the 8-4 settings ... the Min setting is field #50 and the max setting is field #49. This 8-4 setting trumps the 4-11 setting. If you are multi-store --like we are -- check to see if you have all the stores set the same ( hint )

Hope this helps - if not - send feedback

multi store connection problems

Most multi stores connect thru very old technology using dial up or dedicated phone lines and multiplexers ( to join and re-split the various lines to terminals & printers.

Newer technology uses the Internet and boxes called jetstreams to do the job of multiplexers. We have several problems with jetstreams and to make matters worse - Activant doesn't want to stock a replacement in Canada - delaying our repairs by a day and a half when it clears customs.

We have recently found out that the routers used set up a VPN tunnel from the branch store to the main store - this has been a problem at times as well - and takes a systematic process to shut down and re-start to see if it solves the problem

Further -- we have found out that we can TELNET from the multi-view PC emulations (forget this if you use dumb green terminals) --and we are also looking at testing the linking of a serial printer to a host PC

This is all very brief-- it only applies to multi-stores with internet connections -- stay tuned ...

How to LINK an X line to a regular line

Have some sku's in rotors you buy from outside CARQUEST ?? Want to make sure your staff and more importantly your customers can see them when they look up parts on WEB-LINK ....

Make sure your regular part has a special DESCRIPTION .... ise '@XAB 1234 there the line is XAB or what ever and a 'space' and the part number.

See the images -- this is how it works
. Got a problem - if you have a line code with TWO digits ... you need to have TWO spaces then the part #

This ALSO links the parts in the counterman's e-cat screen in J-Con as well .... and at POS when you go to invoice.... a handy trick if you didn't know this.

Note --if you are OUT of the X line --it will NOIT show the link .... only if you have stock of the X line linked part

Merge data in excel

Check our sister blog

We have posted a first ( in a series ? ) of tips on how to take data from one excel sheet and match the data and import into the 2nd sheet ---say you wanted to know what your sales are in line ABC for your 4 stores -- you can use this to build a consolidated sheet ( there are other ways on the J-Con data as well ).

We use this to match USA jobber net cost to compare to Cdn Jobber net cost and the parts that match --we compare.

Click here to go to the Exploris Blog

Misc tips

From time to time I would write down a tip I thought worthwhile -- now - where did I put that piece of paper I wrote that on ...? TOO bad we don;t have a searchable data base for good idea's .... since I am an absolute FAN on WIKI's you know I have repeatedly asked the IT dept all the way to Joe Z for a WIKI on Exploris ...

anyways -- here are some tips I had written down over the years .... send a comment if you see something I have missed...

>VERIFY that End of Month ran well

We had an End of Month have a problem that we don't see until te next day. The resulting action of running the end of month during business hours SIGNIFICANTLY slowed down POS - to a point that many thought their terminal or printer was frozen - but it was just that CPU intensive

Do we want to start End Of Month early and see if it ran well?
-if so -- log in after an hour ( guess ) and look at 9-6 --- do for ALL stores separately ( if you are multi store ) ---if you get a status of 1 (one) it has yet to start that store --you want to see a status of 87 to know all is well ( do NOT change any status .... hint then you can check 8.3 and see if all are complete - this is the product and customer file rolls
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

> killterm kbxx to kill a frozen terminal
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
** Break points for movement codes
35 25 15 10 6 4 3 2 = 100 for all 8 codes
used in 3-13 mvt code build
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
> force printing for more labels
8-15-2-9 option # 3 and make sure you go all the way thru to print

> clear Corupted Part Chain -- 8-15 3-2 ( this also removes duplicate parts - Re-Hash - run monthly ?? along with 3-14 re-sort -- needs to be run after hours but in a pinch on our fast system we can usually get it in live time

Note --we have a complete check list for end of month --send me an e-mail and I can forward copy in .xls or .pdf
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>To change the time in the J-Con simply:
Exit menu
TYPE - asktime
ENTER - correct time in military style( i.e. 4:30PM = 1630) no dots or spaces should be entered
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
> Stock Level move-ups
2.19 - see what levels are set at by sub-line
3.9 change any stock levels required
11.2 (or 8.15 3* 21 for right away ) for tomorrow add missing sku's
3.5 forcast
2.7 report of changes
3.7 set changes ( or 3.3 or 3.18 manual set changes by part )
2.13 manual return ( this is not automatic on end of day
7.1 do order ( or wait for end of day
NOTE -- Greg's way with Excel is SO MUCH easier ( drop e-mail for more info )
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>to check how full hard drive is
> sys/d
read the du0 line
>sys/d
Current disk status
Mount Dir Filesystem blocks used free %used
/ /dev/root 1000000 522848 477152 53%
/stand /dev/boot 40000 23068 16932 58%
/sds /dev/sds 1000000 108626 891374 11%
/du0 /dev/du0 32224684 5677832 26546852 18%
/cd0 /dev/cd0 322936 322936 0 100%
>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

> how to FIX a broken connection to Warehouse

if bad router daemon ( shown at top of screen )
shell out ( exit J-Con )
> restart_comm (cr)
wait a minute for '>' to come back
type reg then (cr) - do 5 times ( to be sure - you are logging back in to aconnextx server )

Now you should be good to go and can order from the warehouse or superstore ... and your FAST-LINK customers can now order again
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

J-Con Tricks #2
> how to FORCE a update to warehouse

8-15 #10 - # 8 to send request file NOW
#4 for CCInet
submit a file for transfer ( 1st option )
poll a node
DSID # -- is TOR001 for our warehouse
Type: is POLL

hit F-10 to send file
hit F-9 to back out

Reprint more price labels in J-Con
say you want to re-do price labels for a line ...
8-15 menu
- 2 ( inventory)
- 9 price labels
- 3 label utilities for shelf labels (do not use 1,2 or 4)
- enter defaults ( enter = default ) until you get to the name of the line you want
- enter one or more lines
- enter = screen
then end when you are done
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
DISPLAY LOCATION
999 = price labels

100 = price sensitive items we need to review ( test 4-07 )
we set special items that are very price sensetive at 100 so we can sort in Excel and review
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Function keys - J-Con
got your won terminal emulator program you want to try ( good luck ) - here are the function key formulas
F1 esc OP
F2 esc OQ
F3 esc OR
F4 esc OS
F5 esc OT
F6 esc OU
F7 esc OV
F8 esc OW
F9 esc OX
F10 esc OY
F11 esc OZ
F12 [24~

getting it from J-Con to Excel

OK -- so you got Multi-View installed and working on a PC
-- and you have the red and black record buttons showing
-- and you have set the column width to 132 ... lets go get some data

Try an easy report to record ? Say a 2-19 or a 6-4 report? Anything as a test.

Save the report on your PC where you will remember to find it,

Open Excel -- hey -- you can't find it ... change excel setting to open ANY file type --and now you file shows up. See Image#1

Excel says --what do I do with this ?? You have two options -- open with some de-limiters ( can be a comma or a tab or ? ) or open as fixed width and you will cut into columns. One way we handle new reports is to open as delimited - using the default tab as delimiter ... and the J-Con will open as the report with no action ( as you have no embedded tabs in the report) See Image #2

How does your report look? Image #3 shows the report in a 'normal' font - like Arial -- but it looks sloppy - nothing lines up

Change your font to a 'non-proportional' font like COURIER and all of a sudden the report lines up. Image #4

Remember we didn't chop up the report when we first opened it -- now we can using "DATA" then "Text to columns" in Excel See Image #5

Now it is in Excel - next post will give us some more tips on what you can do

Version 65

A tidbit of info - most of us are on some version of v60. There is a v65 that has several nice features. There where also some big problems --although they are probably handled -as a couple of CARQUEST jobbers in Quebec are running v65.

I have some doc's on what v65 does -- will trade for beer