From: hardlines-request@cornells.com Sent: Monday, August 31, 1998 12:05 AM To: Hardlines Subject: hardlines Digest - V01 #27878 hardlines Digest Mon, 31 Aug 1998 00:04:31 -0400 V01 #27878 Today's topics: 'Cotter (forgive me: Tru-Serv) Market in Houston' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 30 Aug 1998 16:43:01 -0700 (PDT) From: "Ralph M. Witkin" Subject: Cotter (forgive me: Tru-Serv) Market in Houston What are the dates for the Market? == "It's just not necessary to do extraordinary things to produce extraordinary results." RALPH M. WITKIN P.O. Box 319 New York, NY 10163 212/560-0913 _________________________________________________________ DO YOU YAHOO!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27878 ********************************** From: hardlines-request@cornells.com Sent: Thursday, August 27, 1998 12:03 AM To: Hardlines Subject: hardlines Digest - V01 #27877 hardlines Digest Thu, 27 Aug 1998 00:02:49 -0400 V01 #27877 Today's topics: 'Re: EFM' 'TruServ Members using Triads' 'y2k compliance service opportunity' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1998 06:57:39 EDT From: RICKSS1@aol.com Subject: Re: EFM In a message dated 8/25/98 12:32:29 AM Eastern Daylight Time, hardlines- request@cornells.com writes: > EFM to update Oh, I forgot to say -- the EFM should be Qued up for a night run when the system is Quiet since the report calculations can take up to 6 hours to work. This is one program one does not want to run during the day since it will turn the computer into molasses and create llllong lines at the registers. Have fun Rick Schwartz Schwartz True Value Fall River, MA 02724 ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1998 16:28:28 -0400 From: Bill Round Subject: TruServ Members using Triads Of interest to: TruServ Members using ERP on Triad. Note: This may be happening with other systems using the TruServ data feed for electronic receipt posting. Dear Folks, The day after we transmit our orders to TruServ, we receive the ERP acknowledgement which posts against our purchase order. We run our RRP option C (totals only) to compare the total being received value against the total for the A-Copy invoices. Once the order arrives and the a-copies are in hand, we balance to what we call "perfection." This is the A-copy total assuming TruServ sent exactly what they are billing us for. If our A-copy total (MDSE.$) for all a-copies matches the RRP option C for the PO, we call it balanced, post our exceptions and run the option F. If it doesn't, then we search by comparing the line numbers found on the A-copies with the RP screen or RRP report. We start from the back of the main RDC A-copies ( the central ship, hub, paint, and miscel. a-copies mercifully sort in line AFTER the main a-copy). If the last number of the main a-copy does not match the last line of the purchase order, then something is wrong. This is how we found the substitution problems, the price tags at 26 cents each, the Central ship program, pricing problems, phoned-in orders, non-sku merchandise, my Brother ordering merchandise with my member number, and other maladies which make the business so exciting. We have been off since the middle of June by $25 to $65 on each order. As a percentage of the total order, it's not much. I know a lot of people just who just "pray and post." They don't do any balancing; they trust in some higher power that the ERP file is.... correct. I suggest this activity is more like the animists smearing animal grease over their bodies to stop rifle bullets. Balancing is quick and easy. Anyway, we found sku 256076, an 8-pack Raid ant bait posting at .283 instead of $2.83. This is similar to what happened to the price tags. Has anybody else seen this trouble? Could it be in the TRIAD ERP? Could it be in the TruServ purchase order management system? Could there be a problem in price changes? I saw nothing in the IMU screens which would point to problems. No stock/purch unit problems. No price per foot, cost per box problems. This is something to watch, even for the stores which send merchandise directly to the floor. Regards, Bill Round Round's True Value Hardware 290 Main Street Stoneham, MA 02180-3506 Phone: 781-438-0116 FAX: 781-279-9123 E-Mail: billr@roundshardware.com ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1998 20:47:54 -0400 (EDT) From: rhfil@nh.ultranet.com Subject: y2k compliance service opportunity My manager just recently pointed out to me a tremendous service opportunity which will be made possible by the arrival of the year 2000. Tombstone date resanding. Many people who have prepurchased cemetary tombstones had their name and bithdates chiseled onto the surface of the stone so that most of their funeral costs will have been prepaid. Many of them also had the first two years of their aniticipated death chiseled into the stone. So many of the stones now have "19 " in anticipation of the owners demise during this century. But unless they hasten, they will soon need to have that "19 " changed into "20 ". What a tremendous service opportunity that provides some enterprising individual. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Richard Filion rhfil@nh.ultranet.com Filion Lumber 603-659-3361 Newmarket, N.H. ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27877 ********************************** From: hardlines-request@cornells.com Sent: Wednesday, August 26, 1998 12:02 AM To: Hardlines Subject: hardlines Digest - V01 #27876 hardlines Digest Wed, 26 Aug 1998 00:01:34 -0400 V01 #27876 Today's topics: 'Lightning and the Triad' 'TruServ Market' 'RE: TruServ Market' 'Re: hardlines Digest -EFM Updates' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 25 Aug 1998 09:21:48 -0400 From: Tony Brinkmann Subject: Lightning and the Triad Thanks to all those who responded to my posting on this bulletin board about my problems with lightning and what it was doing to our Triad. I got some usefull suggestions. We are checking all our surge suppressors - I didn't know they had a life and eventually wear out. We are also studying the need to install suppressors on our phone system and satellite network. And we are having an eletrician study the possibility of a suppressor for the entire main electric panel. Somehow we need to stop the electric storm power surges which have on three occasions this year disrupted our business and also caused thousands of dollars in damages to our Triad and phone systems. Tony Brinkmann Brinkmann True Value Hardware Sayville, LI, NY brink@li.net ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 25 Aug 1998 17:50:14 -0400 From: Bill Round Subject: TruServ Market Dear Folks, Anybody going down to the TruServ Market in Houston? I will be down there on Thursday for the "Retail Leadership Conference." Sounds like the same stuff ACE has been doing. I wonder if there is any difference in the presentation. I'm going to try to leave Sunday Night. Is John Fix throwing a reception anywhere? The Portland True Value Member group always threw a good party. Perhaps TruServ would spring for a room somewhere on Friday night where member recipients of this forum's e-mail could get together over beers and plot.... I mean socialize! Just an idea. I would like to go out to dinner Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, anyway. The Beach Boys don't appeal to me. Aside from the fact the music has attained elevator muzak immortality, the group's picture in the Fall Market package makes them look like detox program poster boys. Regards, Bill Round Round's True Value Hardware 290 Main Street Stoneham, MA 02180-3506 Phone: 781-438-0116 FAX: 781-279-9123 E-Mail: billr@roundshardware.com ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 25 Aug 1998 18:08:14 -0400 From: "John Fix 3rd" Subject: RE: TruServ Market Bill (and others), Unfortunately, I won't be down at the show until Saturday late, so I will have to miss all the leadership stuff. Perhaps the thing to try this year is some sort of breakfast get-together at one of the hotels near the market? Sunday AM for those who aren't too overdosed on Geritol from the Beach Boys (shouldn't it be Beach Men?) show. Plenty of time to plan, so let's start batting ideas around. John ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 25 Aug 1998 21:28:21 EDT From: Subject: Re: hardlines Digest -EFM Updates In a message dated 8/25/98 12:32:29 AM Eastern Daylight Time, hardlines- request@cornells.com writes: > > Would like to have input on running weekly EFM to update between quarterly > CAT > tapes. (Triad) Work good ? Worthwhile ? What should we watch out for ? Etc. > , EFM updates weekly -- a Must! between price changes, discontinues, new sku's, substitutions ( a dreadful word) and all the other happenings in Chicagoland, one needs to update this weekly to try to stay in touch with Chicagoland. Also, RDC balances should be updated M-->Sat to know your RDC stock levels. Now the fun part -- the EFM updates misses a lot and has its problems such as not getting a cancel Discontinue Flag, update phone numbers and ........ That's where TRIAD got us on the Tape. The Tape (which now must be returned or you get charged for the Tape too -- never mentioned before) supposedly will fill in the gaps -->in general it does. However, with all the changes I am already finding SKU's not in TRIAD but in CIS!!! and the "Not Found List" from EFM is growing rapidly even though the tape update was within 1 month. A short answer, but in sum -- Yes to EFM weekly and Tape quarterly. Now do you want a real big discussion on the EFM product descriptions????? Have fun Rick Schwartz Schwartz True Value Fall River, MA 02724 ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27876 ********************************** From: hardlines-request@cornells.com Sent: Tuesday, August 25, 1998 12:03 AM To: Hardlines Subject: hardlines Digest - V01 #27875 hardlines Digest Tue, 25 Aug 1998 00:03:02 -0400 V01 #27875 Today's topics: '(no subject)' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 24 Aug 1998 21:33:37 EDT From: Subject: (no subject) Would like to have input on running weekly EFM to update between quarterly CAT tapes. (Triad) Work good ? Worthwhile ? What should we watch out for ? Etc., etc. Thanks, LG Las Vegas, NV ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27875 ********************************** From: hardlines-request@cornells.com Sent: Saturday, August 22, 1998 12:04 AM To: Hardlines Subject: hardlines Digest - V01 #27874 hardlines Digest Sat, 22 Aug 1998 00:04:11 -0400 V01 #27874 Today's topics: 'Lightning and other power issues' 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27873' 'Coupons' 'Re: Lightning and the Triad-Pwr Failures-Offline Sierra POS' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 21 Aug 1998 08:18:57 -0400 From: "John Fix 3rd" Subject: Lightning and other power issues We use uninterruptible power supplies (UPS's) for all the PC's in our store. We also have them attached to our telephone system and a few of our terminals. This helps with protecting from surges as well as preventing the PC's from resetting from even a momentary power blink. We had many situations where a momentary power blink required us to wait for the PC's to restart while customers fumed. Power blinks also would disconnect our phones, which resulted in additional fuming customers. As far as running the Sierra POS stations off of the UPS's, your mileage may vary. Most of the more economical UPS units are rated at 500va, which will run a Sierra for only about five minutes. We recently bought a few new units from TrippLite with 1000va rating (model PS-1000). They cost about $540 each, but can run the stations for about 1/2 hour. The bigger benefit, however, is that they also will run from a generator. Most generators don't put out proper current to run a PC (I think it's because there's no sine wave in the voltage output of a generator), and cheaper UPS devices will not "recognize" a generator power as current. We had tried during a few blackouts to plug our 500va UPS units into our generator in order to keep the POS stations running, but the UPS never recognized the voltage from the generator (and thus it depleted it's battery). The newer more expensive UPS devices from TrippLite have no problems with generator output, so they go back online and build up a charge while powering the POS stations. John Manager Cornell's True Value Hardware www.cornells.com ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 21 Aug 1998 08:45:00 -0600 (MDT) From: gkhj@netrix.net (Gary Hanson) Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27873 Cindi We have the Sierra system in all 4 of our stores. I would not go back to a VDT/FDT for anything other than a back-up cash register. The upload could be a little easier but it only take a few minutes to up load and it uploads charges as well as all cash sales and gives a signature copy for the charge sales out of the cash receit printer. We have not tried it yet with backup power supplys yet but have heard that it works really good. Get ahold of me if you want more info. Gary Hanson Cardinal Building Center Kalispell, Mt ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 21 Aug 1998 20:29:46 -0400 From: Bill Round Subject: Coupons I've lost the original hardlines message this refers to, or it's at the store and I am at home. This is a few weeks after the orginal posting. My apologies to the readers and the author of the letter I refer to. BR. Dear Folks, Here are some comments on coupon books, customers, etc. >In response to Bill Rounds complaints about coupon books, I am glad you have >the luxury of being that selective about who you want for a customer. I, for >one, am delighted with every customer who lightens my door. Luxury? Perhaps it is a necessity. Without insistent training and constant reinforcement, my nut and bolt aisle can swallow up more payroll time than a paint spill. Quickly lead the customer to the tray or drawer. Put a pencil and bag in their hands, a 10 second lesson on how to price and where to get the price, then onto the next customer. That takes care of 98% of the people going into that aisle. The sales person behavior which covers the greatest number of customers most efficiently has to be pushed. Same thing with store layouts, merchandising, signage, lighting, merchandise selection, systems, promotions, etc. How many of us have decided that power equipment is a loser unless there is a good mechanic in the back room doing volume repairs? This category can be a real profit killer beyond the number needed as "part of the business." I want customers, and I'll take as many of them as I can get... to a point. There is such a think as qualifying a customer. If this has to be done too often, then perhaps the product line has to be qualified. Sometimes we discontinue an item because the return rate is too high (in our estimation). The "coupon critter" may be a Massachusetts native pest, like Ted Kennedy, but I do believe there are variations found in every market. > There are many ways to get and keep customers, service is only one, >but you can't impress them with your service if they are going to the >competition for the prices. Variable pricing should allow you to offset some >of the costs of competitive pricing. Promotions can pay. Advertising pays. I haven't figured out what the mix is for my market... yet. Merchandise will sell at the market price. Continuous promotional pricing in the marketplace have established these prices as the regular price. It has become a given. How many items do you have which sell only on sale and never at the regular price? Most paint sold is at the promotional price. This is all a spiral which eventually brings merchants down unless they are very good. This means that they operate efficiently, buy right, create the proper image and atmosphere for the stores, then sell the customer.... what they want to sell. Damn, how many times have we had a hotly-priced rake on a True Value flyer cover... a rake I normally don't stock... then the leaf bags go on sale... and the sell-up rake is on sale inside the flyer? What's going on? I'll tell you: Sales of rakes are cannibalized. People come in to buy a rake. They see the sale rakes. Those sell. The rakes you bought on direct ship because you normally sell them at a profit every year sit on the shelf. The bags sell as they normally do, but you can't use them to bring up the margin on the sale. And when one of the sales floor staff actually tries to sell up, his or her effort is wasted because the sell-up unit is on sale, too. This situation is a perfect example of TruServ "tailgate mentality." Let's call it "TTM." The thinking stops at the truck tailgate instead of continuing through the store to the cash register... and beyond to the end user. This arrested thought process has been displayed over and over through the years with water heater installation parts promoted along with the tanks, mowers and gas cans, paint and applicators, tools and blades, etc. The implications of changes and how they affect the sale and the operations required to complete the sale just aren't thought though to the retail level. I may need correcting here, so I would appreciate comments on what might be considered "my allegations." I have seen some hope and progress in the TTM condition since the merger, but not enough to breath a sigh of relief... yet. >We ease our burden, by not even requiring the coupon (except for a free item) >be presented at the register. This really makes some customers happy! We haven't required coupons for years. However, the person who played by the rules and carved out twelve coupons instead of playing with the kids feels abused when he sees the guy ahead of him dump the same stuff on the counter... and still get the sale price. How many people didn't pick up merchandise because they didn't have the coupons, or couldn't be bothered to cut them out? Regards, Bill Round Round's True Value Hardware 290 Main Street Stoneham, MA 02180 Phone: 781-438-0131 FAX: 781-279-9123 Email: billr@roundshardware.com ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 21 Aug 1998 22:43:56 EDT From: Subject: Re: Lightning and the Triad-Pwr Failures-Offline Sierra POS We are considering the same approach as Cyndi from Houston, that is UPSs on our Sierras and a "bigger" one on the CPU, we now have one that keeps the syst. up only long enough for it to shut down, as I' m sure many others presently have. We have been told the same by Triad; that we can get UPSs that will keep the CPU and a POS up for 45 min. to an hour for a cost (as I recall) of about $300 each. Cyndi asked about experience running offline with the Sieras. We have LOTS of it over the past four years, for various reasons. It works very well, considering "Promo" prices do not come up and no invoices can be printed. It serves it's purpose as a short time thing. Power failures are a real problem in an automated store, and eved in a non-automated one unless you happen to have hand crank cash registers !!?! One of the reasons have a lot of experience running offline is that it is taking our system about 15 min. to boot up after the power is restored, so we run offline during that time, every time we have a failure. Also we have had file corruption situations after power outages that have required "recover", so we have been in the offline mode for long periods at times. I would be happy to respond to any and all questions on this, or other, subjects. (Power failures and lightning in Las Vegas ?.......YEESS.....and, NO our POS Terminals don't deal Poker !!!!) Loren G. Rancho True Value Las Vegas, Nevada ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27874 ********************************** From: hardlines-request@cornells.com Sent: Friday, August 21, 1998 12:04 AM To: Hardlines Subject: hardlines Digest - V01 #27873 hardlines Digest Fri, 21 Aug 1998 00:04:14 -0400 V01 #27873 Today's topics: 'Re: Lightning and the Triad' 'Re: CAT Wishlist' 'RE: CAT Wish list' 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27872' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 19 Aug 1998 23:43:42 -0500 From: "Cyndi Martini" Subject: Re: Lightning and the Triad Hi Group, Tony's note about loss of his POS terminals brought to mind a purchase we are considering from Triad. We have had several power outages over the summer that have left us down anywhere from 15 minutes to several hours. While we have been lucky enough not to have received any damage to our system, we have been driven crazy for ways to handle the loss of our system during the power outage. We have a battery backup on our CPU and backoffice terminal, but not on the POS terminals. What we are considering is the Sierra POS station with a battery backup or battery backups for the POS stations if it possible and feasible to run the whole system that way. I was wondering if anyone was using a Sierra station and what experience they have had using it while the main system is down. Our customer service rep has told us that we can get a backup battery for the Sierra that would allow us to run for an hour or more, scan at POS, and then once the power is back on we can download the sales information back to our system. How well this works in an actual store though, is what I would like to know. It sounds like a great option considering that we do not price any merchandise and have to rely on a computer printout to look up prices and our sales staff has to walk each customer through the store with a clipboard and flashlight collecting skus and prices. I don't want to turn my customers loose in the dark, but it would certainly speed things up if the sales staff didn't have to be writing everything down as they assist customers. Thanks for your help and opinions. I really enjoy hearing from everyone. Cyndi Martini Martini Hardware Houston, TX P.S. I know it is still early, but if anyone would like to get together during the market in Houston this year I would be interested in helping to set something up. So let me know what you would be interested in doing and we'll see what happens. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 20 Aug 1998 06:31:24 EDT From: Subject: Re: CAT Wishlist In a message dated 8/20/98 12:15:32 AM Eastern Daylight Time, hardlines- request@cornells.com writes: > > We need a Catalog ADD options screen, where you can set up constants for a > bunch of new item adds. This might set up things like default order point > w Dave, John, and Bill To add to this wishlist for TRIAD is an interactive program between CAT and the IMU files to do mass updates. Presently, we must use CIS to get group of data to update the IMU files via Fredware. Also, a better CAT info file. Even with the quarterly tapes, the CAT is outdated to TruServe's files -- records missing, records not updated with the proper flags (especially the discontinue ones when taken off!), the screen does not fully update with the change of SKUs and better Telephone Numbers. I dread to even mentions pictures. Have fun Rick Schwartz Schwartz True Value Fall River, MA 02724 ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 20 Aug 1998 08:04:21 -0400 From: "John Fix 3rd" Subject: RE: CAT Wish list Re: Rick Schwartz's request for an automated update from CAT data... Rick, There is a new feature due out on Level 20 (possibly a phase 2 release) that creates a "load tape" type file on the Eagle from the CAT data. You can then run updates on your inventory file for small ranges of items using LTMRG (Load tape merge). If you've used a load tape for updates, then you know how this works (pretty well). John ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 02 Aug 98 15:00:57 PDT From: "Ron Barchfeld" Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27872 Aug. 20 Tony Brinkman REF: Surge suppressors 1. You may want to look into following: Whole Store surge suppressor which is placed in or near main electr= ical box. Suggest calling your electrical box manufacturer (siemen's, = Square D, GE). Many of these have very high ratings and give better defe= nse against lightning. There really is no defense against direct lightni= ng strikes; too much voltage to dissipate. 2. Are the surge suppressors in use now of good qualit? Higher the Joul= e rating, better the protection. $3.99 surge suppressors are really just= a promotional item that give very little protection. 3. Your phone lines should be on surge protection (as should your TV if = you have cable). Surges can come through phone lines as well as CO-AX. 4. Some facts about surge protectors: A. There are constant small surges coming through any electrical = line (household current, TV CO-AX, Phone). These small surges hurt unpro= tected sensitive electronic equipment on a daily basis and are not as not= icable as large surges caused by storms, downed lines, etc. B. MOV's in surge protectors are constantly being eaten UP (for lac= k of a better word) by the small surges. While this occurs, the joule rat= ing is diminished. (Joule ratings are only initial ratings) That is why = surge suppressors should periodically be checked to see if they are still= functioning. (most decent units have at least an LED indicator to show = that they are still functioning.) It is best to utilize surge suppresso= rs with both visual and noise indicators for end of life. Noise indicato= rs because surge suppressors are usually out of sight. Surge suppressors= will still transmit electricity even if the MOV is dead. (Most MOV's are= only good for about five years) Ron Barchfeld > Date: Wed, 19 Aug 1998 15:14:25 -0400 > From: Tony Brinkmann > Subject: Lightning and the Triad > > > Chaos at our hardware store this morning when two of our POS terminals > wouldn't "come up" when we opened this morning. We suspect it was > caused by the lightning storm of last night. The Triad field rep showe= d > up promptly when we called him - and he discovered a "blown" bios board= . > He patched us up so we can help our customers get rung up and out > quickly again. This was the second time this year that we had lost POS > after an electric storm. Each time we needed a board replaced. And eac= h > time it was very disruptive to our POS traffic flow because we normally > scan and without it cashiers have no price. > I was wondering if any one had similar electric storm incidents with > their Traid and if anyone had a solution. We have surge suppressors on > all our terminals and neither our phone system or our Truserv Satelite > Network system are ever effected. > > Tony Brinkamnn > Brinkmann True Value Hardware > Sayville, NY > brink@li.net > ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27873 ********************************** From: hardlines-request@cornells.com Sent: Thursday, August 20, 1998 12:05 AM To: Hardlines Subject: hardlines Digest - V01 #27872 hardlines Digest Thu, 20 Aug 1998 00:04:57 -0400 V01 #27872 Today's topics: 'Lightning and the Triad' 'RCIN discussion' 'Re: RCIN discussion' 'ERP and True Value A Copy' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 19 Aug 1998 15:14:25 -0400 From: Tony Brinkmann Subject: Lightning and the Triad Chaos at our hardware store this morning when two of our POS terminals wouldn't "come up" when we opened this morning. We suspect it was caused by the lightning storm of last night. The Triad field rep showed up promptly when we called him - and he discovered a "blown" bios board. He patched us up so we can help our customers get rung up and out quickly again. This was the second time this year that we had lost POS after an electric storm. Each time we needed a board replaced. And each time it was very disruptive to our POS traffic flow because we normally scan and without it cashiers have no price. I was wondering if any one had similar electric storm incidents with their Traid and if anyone had a solution. We have surge suppressors on all our terminals and neither our phone system or our Truserv Satelite Network system are ever effected. Tony Brinkamnn Brinkmann True Value Hardware Sayville, NY brink@li.net ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 19 Aug 1998 15:21:28 -0400 From: "John Fix 3rd" Subject: RCIN discussion I'm not sure that RCIN Combine Sku is the place for the setting of constants that Bill is looking for. I think the Catalog ADD is the proper place for setting up departmental constants and locations. Then the new SKU would have the right info, whether or not you ran RCIN. The item ADD is the place to put the data integrity check. Pressing ADD and then hoping that you clean it up a few weeks later when you get around to doing RCIN is the wrong way to do things. You might sell several of the new SKU in the interim, all into the wrong Dept, Class, etc., at the wrong discount. We need a Catalog ADD options screen, where you can set up constants for a bunch of new item adds. This might set up things like default order point when adding, departmental cross-reference (and class), etc. Also, you could set up a location to use for all items added this session, set the discountable flag, whatever. Catalog could also use a CHANGE option. Display the sku in catalog, press CHANGE, and the fields that you define (UPC, pack, cost?) would be updated immediately in IMU. We're acutely aware of the RCIN limitations because of the deluge of TruServ sku changes, when in actuality it's more of a limitation of our item load procedures. If Triad is going to spend development time on an enhancement, I'd say fix CAT first. If we're still using RCIN this much next year, we'll probably be more concerned with changing primary vendors than with changing sku numbers. John Manager Cornell's True Value Hardware www.cornells.com ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 19 Aug 1998 17:31:40 -0500 From: "David Casaletto" Subject: Re: RCIN discussion -----Original Message----- From: John Fix 3rd We need a Catalog ADD options screen, where you can set up constants for a bunch of new item adds. This might set up things like default order point when adding, departmental cross-reference (and class), etc. Also, you could set up a location to use for all items added this session, set the discountable flag, whatever. John, To expand on this, we need a set of options that we can program the "add" and a pop-up box would ask what set of options to use to add this item: such as, "contractor discountable, not discountable, etc. I do this now with the macro option in EZ software. After I add an item, I do a key stroke in IMU that goes to dept # and then waits for my input, it then puts "0" on QOH, 1 in OP, some user code stuff, product code, etc. The VDT also had a programmable keyboard that should do the same thing. I sure hope TruServ gets items straightened out soon. :) David Casaletto True Value Home Center Pittsburg, KS ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 19 Aug 1998 21:33:34 -0400 From: "Listmanager" Subject: ERP and True Value A Copy From: "Loren Godfrey" I realize, of course, I'm responding to a 4 month old posting, but I'm "new". Not to the business, but to the website. (I just found out about it...from TRIAD !!) Lots has happened since April on this general subject...ERP, etc. Some questions and "call for comments": 1. Did anyone get notice that TSV was starting the "Auto-sub" program ? 2. How has it worked (or failed !) for you? We have found, the hard way as usual,some solutions to problems. Appreciate any input.. Loren Godfrey Rancho True Value Home Center Las Vegas, NV To reply: mailto:inventory.65@tools.cornells.com To start new topic: mailto:inventory@tools.cornells.com To login: http://tools.cornells.com/~Hardlines ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27872 ********************************** From: hardlines-request@cornells.com Sent: Wednesday, August 19, 1998 12:00 AM To: Hardlines Subject: hardlines Digest - V01 #27871 hardlines Digest Wed, 19 Aug 1998 00:00:09 -0400 V01 #27871 Today's topics: 'RE: hardlines Digest - V01 #27870 Bill Round's RCIN suggestions' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 17 Aug 1998 22:56:41 -0700 From: NEC Owner Subject: RE: hardlines Digest - V01 #27870 Bill Round's RCIN suggestions ------ =_NextPart_000_01BDCA32.B76A1440 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Here, Here!! Bill you've done it again...verbalized in full color = e-mail the same irritation that we've found with the new "combine" = feature of RCIN. =20 In the spirit of a 15 year Triad work-around-artist, I think that I've = come up with a (not too ugly) work around to keep all our hard earned = locations, order points, etc etc. When you come upon yet another = TruServ substitution/replacement, add the new SKU from CAT ( so you get = the new UPC), then run RCIN with options RC from the new sku to the old = one (thereby tricking the clever Triad programers who assume that the = new blank info is always better than the old). Once you've combined the = two SKU's together, and saved the location, QOH, Order Point, and = histories, but subsequently lost the price/cost and order quantity of = the new SKU, you can run RCIN again but with option R and change back to = the new SKU. Although it doesn't do everything that it should, this keeps the = expensive experience that we've gained, and throws out the pricing and = pack information that we can get electronically updated automatically = through EFM. Aren't computers grand?!! Jay Farr End of hardlines Digest V01 #27871 ********************************** From: hardlines-request@cornells.com Sent: Monday, August 17, 1998 12:04 AM To: Hardlines Subject: hardlines Digest - V01 #27870 hardlines Digest Mon, 17 Aug 1998 00:04:17 -0400 V01 #27870 Today's topics: 'Triad RCIN Combine Sku Option.' 'RSO just won't do what I want....' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 16 Aug 1998 14:07:01 -0400 From: Bill Round Subject: Triad RCIN Combine Sku Option. Dear Folks, Given the sku chaos with TruServ, as well as the general background consolidations in our industry, the ability to move from one sku to another is very handy. When vendors change, when vendors start warehousing merchandise previously drop-shipped, when items are discontinued by mfg's, when duplicate skus show up in the inventory, the problems telegraph through the store and usually result in lost sales until the skus are fixed. Triad's RCIN option RC is very handy. It does need more work. Here is the usual scenario: 1. Vendor adds new item... discontinues old item... gives a reference number for the new one from the old one. 2. Buyer adds new sku. 3. Now new sku needs fixing up. Class, Dept, fineline, location, description, order multiple, category pricing codes, messages, receipt tag messages, quantity price breaks, tax status, seasonal codes, promotional reference, and, near and deal to all of us: THE ALTERNATE VENDOR INFORMATION... which we use when our primary vendor is OUT of the merchandise for the 4th week.... much of this information will not carry over. 4. We use Function RCIN option RC to combine the new sku so the sales history and QOH (if any) goes to the new sku and the thread of information continues. 5. The buyer then realizes that it is too much trouble to first ADD the new sku from CAT, clean it up, then, combine with the old. He gets bogged down. Suggestions for Triad: 1. The Combine function assumes that the new skus has all the correct information. They never do. They are new, after all, and have to be "trained." They haven't been sold a thousand times during which all sorts of info gets attached. 2. The improved combine function might be more or a migration. The old sku static information would take precedence over the new one. If sku B replaces sku A, it is safe to assume that the location is the same, the discounting stuff is the same, the codes are the same, the department, class, fineline info is the same. The CHANGING information would change: Mfg part, mfg vendor code, pack, costs, retail. 3. It should be a one step process. Skus could be batched or done individually. 4. This function enhancement would save people out here in the trenches BIG TIME. Payroll dollars would be saved. Sales would be saved. No, sales would be rescued... 5. Triad, please had this request over to one of your handy young programmers to create. Give the raw application to your corral of ever-willing "bleeding edge" users to stabilize, then put it on the next software level tape for reset of us. It would be worth a few bucks a month.... Regards, Bill Round Round's True Value Hardware 290 Main Street Stoneham, MA 02180-3506 Phone: 781-438-0116 FAX: 781-279-9123 E-Mail: billr@roundshardware.com ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 16 Aug 1998 16:20:56 -0400 From: Bill Round Subject: RSO just won't do what I want.... --=====================_903313256==_ Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Dear Folks,=20 For the extremely daring or the extremely frustrated, here is an RQ= procedure for purchasing. It needs more work, but the time will never come. =20 I use this procedure to see what might be worth adding to a "slop" order for TruServ after the main order has been transmitted. I also use it to review what new order quantity work has been done by the crew. It's a basic Suggested order set-up on the left hand side of the page with= all sorts of info which the "canned" RSO does not show. The search statement= can be altered to suit the user once you get it into the system. The procedure will not put new order quantities in the system, nor will it print these. If a sku would show up on an RSO with an order quantity, it would show up on the procedure with a zero in the new order quantity field. =20 The procedure works with: Triad Level 20 versions after July, 1998, ReQuest 3.0 software, TruServ as the primary Vendor identified as COT, and the= Cotter (TruServ?) CAT on the Triad. The assumption is that the user uses New Order Quantities when purchasing. =20 In our store, the RSO runs overnight and is available in the morning. The guys work it and send an order. =20 The RQ procedure will ignore all the skus below order point which have not sold on the day it was run. Only those skus which have sold today and are below the order point for the prime vendor will show up on the report. The report is manageable as it is not a rehash of work done earlier in the day. =20 I am notorious in our store for ordering stuff which the guys had rejected from the earlier RSO. This report keeps me away from that situation while= catching the sales action for the day. =20 The procedure will pull some CAT information. If a sku has a substitute sku in CAT, this is a sure sign TruServ is doing something... and will probably discontinue the sku on the report soon... so a message will print for the buyer to "CHECK." If the item is deleted in the local system, "*DELET* will= print.=20 It's not much, but it is a lot more than we have now. =20 I have a few of these procedures. This one handles skus selling today.=20 Another handles skus having sold within the past three days. A basic layout can be used for several reports by varying the SEARCH statements. I put the procedures in ques to either run on demand or through autopilot. TODAYRSO= is the one for the "Round's Today RSO". I haven't had the time to set up a procedure to create a file of New Order Quantities (NOQ's) which could be uploaded to the Triad so they could be used to create a purchase order. The files which accompany this e-mail would have to be put on a floppy disk.= =20 The disk would have to have a directory called IN with a PCO file visible. The procedure would be in the IN directory of the floppy accompanied by the IQ procs file. I haven't tried this. If you'd like, send a floppy to me via mail and I'll do the EXPORTRQ thing for you. Get the floppy back and import the procedure into the Triad with a few keystrokes. Typing it in by hand is the worst option, though I have successfully cut and pasted between a word processor and EZ software working in WIN95. If it is a later model PC, this might work for you. It is a pain. Here is the procedure. Have it for what it's worth. You're on your own, of course, Triad will disavow any responsibility for it and provide no support. I am embarrassed in advance by the sloppy "programming." I am not a= programmer; I can barely run a hardware store. THE PROCEDURE BEGINS JUST AFTER THIS LINE OF TEXT: #This procedure will run on Triad Level 20.1759 equipped with #function CAT for a TruServ Store with COT as the primary Vendor. # MOVE SKU TO SKUTEMP. IF SKUTEMP < '-' SUBSTRING SKUTEMP FROM 2 FOR 14 TO SKUTEMP. IF SKUTEMP < '-' SUBSTRING SKUTEMP FROM 2 FOR 14 TO SKUTEMP. IF SKUTEMP < '-' SUBSTRING SKUTEMP FROM 2 FOR 14 TO SKUTEMP. IF SKUTEMP < '-' SUBSTRING SKUTEMP FROM 2 FOR 14 TO SKUTEMP. IF SKUTEMP < '-' SUBSTRING SKUTEMP FROM 2 FOR 14 TO SKUTEMP. IF SKUTEMP < '-' SUBSTRING SKUTEMP FROM 2 FOR 14 TO SKUTEMP. IF SKUTEMP < '-' SUBSTRING SKUTEMP FROM 2 FOR 14 TO SKUTEMP. IF SKUTEMP < '-' SUBSTRING SKUTEMP FROM 2 FOR 14 TO SKUTEMP. IF SKUTEMP < '-' SUBSTRING SKUTEMP FROM 2 FOR 14 TO SKUTEMP. IF SKUTEMP < '-' SUBSTRING SKUTEMP FROM 2 FOR 14 TO SKUTEMP. IF SKUTEMP < '-' SUBSTRING SKUTEMP FROM 2 FOR 14 TO SKUTEMP. IF SKUTEMP < '-' SUBSTRING SKUTEMP FROM 2 FOR 14 TO SKUTEMP. IF SKUTEMP < '-' SUBSTRING SKUTEMP FROM 2 FOR 14 TO SKUTEMP. IF SKUTEMP < '-' SUBSTRING SKUTEMP FROM 2 FOR 14 TO SKUTEMP. # This left justifies the sku. # IF DISC =3D 'Y' MOVE '*DISC*' to DISCONTINUE-MESSAGE else move ' ' to DISCONTINUE-MESSAGE. # If DISC <> 'Y' and SUBSTITUTE1-CAT <> ' ' MOVE 'CHECK' TO DISCONTINUE-MESSAGE. # This line will call an item to the # buyer's attention which TruServ is # probably going to discontinue, and at least currently has a sub # number for. # MULTIPLY NEW-ORD-QUANT TIMES REP-COST GIVING NOQ-COST. MULTIPLY NEW-ORD-QUANT TIMES RETAIL GIVING NOQ-RETAIL. ADD PER-13-SALE-UNITS PLUS PER-12-SALE-UNITS GIVING P13-P12. ADD PER-11-SALE-UNITS PLUS PER-10-SALE-UNITS GIVING P11-P10. ADD PER-9-SALES-UNITS PLUS PER-8-SALES-UNITS GIVING P9-P8. ADD PER-7-SALES-UNITS PLUS PER-6-SALES-UNITS GIVING P7-P6. ADD PER-5-SALES-UNITS PLUS PER-4-SALES-UNITS GIVING P5-P4. ADD PER-3-SALES-UNITS PLUS PER-2-SALES-UNITS GIVING P3-P2. ADD P13-P12 PLUS P11-P10 GIVING P13-TO-10. ADD P9-P8 PLUS P7-P6 GIVING P9-TO-6. ADD P5-P4 PLUS P3-P2 GIVING P5-TO-2. ADD P13-TO-10 PLUS P9-TO-6 GIVING P13-TO-6. ADD P13-TO-6 PLUS P5-TO-2 GIVING P13-TO-2. ADD P13-TO-2 PLUS CUR-PRD-SLS-UNITS GIVING LAST-12-MONTHS-UNITS. # # This line puts an asterick next to new order quantities found in # IMU. IF NEW-ORD-QUANT >=3D 1 MOVE '*' TO NOQ-INDICATOR ELSE MOVE ' ' TO NOQ-INDICATOR. SUBTRACT RETAIL MINUS REP-COST GIVING GP-DOLLARS. DIVIDE NEW-ORD-QUANT BY STAND-PACK GIVING CASES. SORT ASCENDING LOCATION ASCENDING SKU. ADD QOO PLUS QOH GIVING ON-HAND-PLUS-QOO. # # This is the Search statement # SEARCH FOR PRM-VND =3D 'COT' AND ((DT-LST-SALE =3D TODAYS-DATE AND ON-HAND-PLUS-QOO < ORD-PNT) OR NEW-ORD-QUANT >=3D 1) AND ORD-IND <> 'S' AND ORD-IND <> 'D'. # REPORT WIDTH 132 LENGTH 66 FOOTER 3 HEADING NEXT LINE 50 'Round''s True Value Hardware, Inc.' 117 'Page:' 123 PAGE-NUMBER NEXT LINE 1 'RQ:' 6 'Rounds Todays Sales RSO' 51 'Suggested Order Report Via RQ3.0' 117 'Date:' 123 TODAYS-DATE NEXT LINE 117 'Time:' 123 TIME NEXT LINE 86 'NOQ' NEXT LINE 2 'Sku' 14 'De' 19 'Mfg-Part-#' 38 'Loc' 46 'D' 49 'New Order' 60 'QOH' 68 'FOQ' 73 'OP' 78 'Cost' 86 'Cost' 96 'GP$' 102 'Cur' 107 'P13 Ytd' 116 'Case Lst-Sale' NEXT LINE 4 'Description' 38 'MSOP1234I' 51 '/Stk' 60 'QOO' 67 'Spord Min' 78 'Retail' 86 'Retail' 95 'Act %' 102 'Last P12 Year Mult Lst-Recpt' NEXT LINE 1 132 '-' DETAIL 68 FUTURE-QOO FORMAT '999' 73 ORD-PNT FORMAT '999' 78 REP-COST FORMAT '999.99' 86 NOQ-COST FORMAT '9999.99' 94 GP-DOLLARS FORMAT '999.99' 102 CUR-PRD-SLS-UNITS FORMAT '999' 122 DT-LST-SALE 117 STAND-PACK FORMAT '999' 107 PER-13-SALE-UNITS FORMAT '999' 38 LOCATION 19 MFG-PART-NUMBER 2 SKUTEMP SIZE 8 14 DEPT 51 NEW-ORD-QUANT FORMAT '9999' 59 QOH FORMAT '-9999' 55 NOQ-INDICATOR 43 DISCONTINUE-MESSAGE 116 FULL-PK-FLG-CAT NEXT LINE 52 '/' 1 DESCRIPTION 38 POPULARITY 39 SEAS-SALE-CO 40 ORD-IND 41 PROMO-SALES-CODE 42 USER-CODES 46 DISC 73 MIN-OP FORMAT '999' 68 COMM-QOO FORMAT '999' 78 RETAIL FORMAT '999.99' 86 NOQ-RETAIL FORMAT '9999.99' 95 ACT-GP-AVG FORMAT '99.99' 102 PER-2-SALES-UNITS FORMAT '999' 122 DT-LST-REC 117 ORD-MULT FORMAT '999' 112 LAST-12-MONTHS-UNITS FORMAT '999' 107 PER-12-SALE-UNITS FORMAT '999' 53 STOCK-UNIT 59 QOO FORMAT '-9999' NEXT LINE SUBTOTAL BREAK ON LOCATION 1 'Subtotals for Location:' 33 'Total NOQ Cost:' 25 LOCATION 50 SUBTOTAL NOQ-COST ZERO FORMAT '99999.99' NEXT LINE TOTAL NEXT LINE 1 'Grand Totals for the Today''s Sales RSO. All skus here should eithe' 67 'r have sold today and gone below order point or have new order' NEXT LINE 1 'quantities which were added manually to IMU.' NEXT LINE NEXT LINE 1 'Total Skus:' 33 'Total NOQ Cost:' 67 'Average NOQ Cost Item:' 100 'High:' 115 'Low:' 14 TOTAL COUNT 50 TOTAL NOQ-COST FORMAT '999999.99' 90 AVERAGE NOQ-COST FORMAT '9999.99' 106 MAXIMUM NOQ-COST FORMAT '9999.99' 120 MINIMUM NOQ-COST FORMAT '9999.99' NEXT LINE 33 'Total NOQ Retail:' 67 'Average NOQ Retail:' 100 'High:' 115 'Low:' 51 TOTAL NOQ-RETAIL FORMAT '9999999.99' 90 AVERAGE NOQ-RETAIL FORMAT '9999.99' 106 MAXIMUM NOQ-RETAIL FORMAT '9999.99' 120 MINIMUM NOQ-RETAIL FORMAT '9999.99' NEXT LINE NEXT LINE 1 'Run RSO' 10 '""2, V, blank, E, from and to COT"" to set NOQ for large numbers of ' 76 'skus to buy, otherwise use IMU to set NOQ sku by sku.' NEXT LINE 1 'Run= RSO' 10 '""2, V, S, F, from and to COT to create the ADD order.' NEXT LINE 1 'RSO totals will not match this report due to rounding and NOQ varia' 68 'tions.' NEXT LINE NEXT LINE 1 'END OF REPORT.' NEXT LINE. END OF THE PROCEDURE JUST BEFORE THIS LINE. Regards,=20 Bill Round Round's True Value Hardware 290 Main Street Stoneham, MA=A0 02180-3506 Phone:=A0 781-438-0116 FAX:=A0=A0=A0=A0 781-279-9123 E-Mail:=A0 billr@roundshardware.com --=====================_903313256==_ Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Disposition: attachment; filename="Pco" 201759 --=====================_903313256==_ Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Disposition: attachment; filename="Iqprocs.423" V0005 VARIOUS INVENTORY INFORMATION 99900000000080002 P0005Rounds Todays Sales RSO 08161515.P05 19980816151505 --=====================_903313256==_ Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Disposition: attachment; filename="08161515.p05" #This procedure will run on Triad Level 20.1759 equipped with #function CAT for a TruServ Store with COT as the primary Vendor. # MOVE SKU TO SKUTEMP. IF SKUTEMP < '-' SUBSTRING SKUTEMP FROM 2 FOR 14 TO SKUTEMP. IF SKUTEMP < '-' SUBSTRING SKUTEMP FROM 2 FOR 14 TO SKUTEMP. IF SKUTEMP < '-' SUBSTRING SKUTEMP FROM 2 FOR 14 TO SKUTEMP. IF SKUTEMP < '-' SUBSTRING SKUTEMP FROM 2 FOR 14 TO SKUTEMP. IF SKUTEMP < '-' SUBSTRING SKUTEMP FROM 2 FOR 14 TO SKUTEMP. IF SKUTEMP < '-' SUBSTRING SKUTEMP FROM 2 FOR 14 TO SKUTEMP. IF SKUTEMP < '-' SUBSTRING SKUTEMP FROM 2 FOR 14 TO SKUTEMP. IF SKUTEMP < '-' SUBSTRING SKUTEMP FROM 2 FOR 14 TO SKUTEMP. IF SKUTEMP < '-' SUBSTRING SKUTEMP FROM 2 FOR 14 TO SKUTEMP. IF SKUTEMP < '-' SUBSTRING SKUTEMP FROM 2 FOR 14 TO SKUTEMP. IF SKUTEMP < '-' SUBSTRING SKUTEMP FROM 2 FOR 14 TO SKUTEMP. IF SKUTEMP < '-' SUBSTRING SKUTEMP FROM 2 FOR 14 TO SKUTEMP. IF SKUTEMP < '-' SUBSTRING SKUTEMP FROM 2 FOR 14 TO SKUTEMP. IF SKUTEMP < '-' SUBSTRING SKUTEMP FROM 2 FOR 14 TO SKUTEMP. # This left justifies the sku. # IF DISC = 'Y' MOVE '*DISC*' to DISCONTINUE-MESSAGE else move ' ' to DISCONTINUE-MESSAGE. # If DISC <> 'Y' and SUBSTITUTE1-CAT <> ' ' MOVE 'CHECK' TO DISCONTINUE-MESSAGE. # This line will call an item to the #buyer's attention which TruServ is # probably going to discontinue, and at least currently has a sub #number # for. # # MULTIPLY NEW-ORD-QUANT TIMES REP-COST GIVING NOQ-COST. MULTIPLY NEW-ORD-QUANT TIMES RETAIL GIVING NOQ-RETAIL. ADD PER-13-SALE-UNITS PLUS PER-12-SALE-UNITS GIVING P13-P12. ADD PER-11-SALE-UNITS PLUS PER-10-SALE-UNITS GIVING P11-P10. ADD PER-9-SALES-UNITS PLUS PER-8-SALES-UNITS GIVING P9-P8. ADD PER-7-SALES-UNITS PLUS PER-6-SALES-UNITS GIVING P7-P6. ADD PER-5-SALES-UNITS PLUS PER-4-SALES-UNITS GIVING P5-P4. ADD PER-3-SALES-UNITS PLUS PER-2-SALES-UNITS GIVING P3-P2. ADD P13-P12 PLUS P11-P10 GIVING P13-TO-10. ADD P9-P8 PLUS P7-P6 GIVING P9-TO-6. ADD P5-P4 PLUS P3-P2 GIVING P5-TO-2. ADD P13-TO-10 PLUS P9-TO-6 GIVING P13-TO-6. ADD P13-TO-6 PLUS P5-TO-2 GIVING P13-TO-2. ADD P13-TO-2 PLUS CUR-PRD-SLS-UNITS GIVING LAST-12-MONTHS-UNITS. IF NEW-ORD-QUANT >= 1 MOVE '*' TO NOQ-INDICATOR ELSE MOVE ' ' TO NOQ-INDICATOR. SUBTRACT RETAIL MINUS REP-COST GIVING GP-DOLLARS. DIVIDE NEW-ORD-QUANT BY STAND-PACK GIVING CASES. SORT ASCENDING LOCATION ASCENDING SKU. ADD QOO PLUS QOH GIVING ON-HAND-PLUS-QOO. # SEARCH FOR PRM-VND = 'COT' AND ((DT-LST-SALE = TODAYS-DATE AND ON-HAND-PLUS-QOO < ORD-PNT) OR NEW-ORD-QUANT >= 1) AND ORD-IND <> 'S' AND ORD-IND <> 'D'. # REPORT WIDTH 132 LENGTH 66 FOOTER 3 HEADING NEXT LINE 50 'Round''s True Value Hardware, Inc.' 117 'Page:' 123 PAGE-NUMBER NEXT LINE 1 'RQ:' 6 'Rounds Todays Sales RSO' 51 'Suggested Order Report Via RQ3.0' 117 'Date:' 123 TODAYS-DATE NEXT LINE 117 'Time:' 123 TIME NEXT LINE 86 'NOQ' NEXT LINE 2 'Sku' 14 'De' 19 'Mfg-Part-#' 38 'Loc' 46 'D' 49 'New Order' 60 'QOH' 68 'FOQ' 73 'OP' 78 'Cost' 86 'Cost' 96 'GP$' 102 'Cur' 107 'P13 Ytd' 116 'Case Lst-Sale' NEXT LINE 4 'Description' 38 'MSOP1234I' 51 '/Stk' 60 'QOO' 67 'Spord Min' 78 'Retail' 86 'Retail' 95 'Act %' 102 'Last P12 Year Mult Lst-Recpt' NEXT LINE 1 132 '-' DETAIL 68 FUTURE-QOO FORMAT '999' 73 ORD-PNT FORMAT '999' 78 REP-COST FORMAT '999.99' 86 NOQ-COST FORMAT '9999.99' 94 GP-DOLLARS FORMAT '999.99' 102 CUR-PRD-SLS-UNITS FORMAT '999' 122 DT-LST-SALE 117 STAND-PACK FORMAT '999' 107 PER-13-SALE-UNITS FORMAT '999' 38 LOCATION 19 MFG-PART-NUMBER 2 SKUTEMP SIZE 8 14 DEPT 51 NEW-ORD-QUANT FORMAT '9999' 59 QOH FORMAT '-9999' 55 NOQ-INDICATOR 43 DISCONTINUE-MESSAGE 116 FULL-PK-FLG-CAT NEXT LINE 52 '/' 1 DESCRIPTION 38 POPULARITY 39 SEAS-SALE-CO 40 ORD-IND 41 PROMO-SALES-CODE 42 USER-CODES 46 DISC 73 MIN-OP FORMAT '999' 68 COMM-QOO FORMAT '999' 78 RETAIL FORMAT '999.99' 86 NOQ-RETAIL FORMAT '9999.99' 95 ACT-GP-AVG FORMAT '99.99' 102 PER-2-SALES-UNITS FORMAT '999' 122 DT-LST-REC 117 ORD-MULT FORMAT '999' 112 LAST-12-MONTHS-UNITS FORMAT '999' 107 PER-12-SALE-UNITS FORMAT '999' 53 STOCK-UNIT 59 QOO FORMAT '-9999' NEXT LINE SUBTOTAL BREAK ON LOCATION 1 'Subtotals for Location:' 33 'Total NOQ Cost:' 25 LOCATION 50 SUBTOTAL NOQ-COST ZERO FORMAT '99999.99' NEXT LINE TOTAL NEXT LINE 1 'Grand Totals for the Today''s Sales RSO. All skus here should eithe' 67 'r have sold today and gone below order point or have new order' NEXT LINE 1 'quantities which were added manually to IMU.' NEXT LINE NEXT LINE 1 'Total Skus:' 33 'Total NOQ Cost:' 67 'Average NOQ Cost Item:' 100 'High:' 115 'Low:' 14 TOTAL COUNT 50 TOTAL NOQ-COST FORMAT '999999.99' 90 AVERAGE NOQ-COST FORMAT '9999.99' 106 MAXIMUM NOQ-COST FORMAT '9999.99' 120 MINIMUM NOQ-COST FORMAT '9999.99' NEXT LINE 33 'Total NOQ Retail:' 67 'Average NOQ Retail:' 100 'High:' 115 'Low:' 51 TOTAL NOQ-RETAIL FORMAT '9999999.99' 90 AVERAGE NOQ-RETAIL FORMAT '9999.99' 106 MAXIMUM NOQ-RETAIL FORMAT '9999.99' 120 MINIMUM NOQ-RETAIL FORMAT '9999.99' NEXT LINE NEXT LINE 1 'Run RSO' 10 '""2, V, blank, E, from and to COT"" to set NOQ for large numbers of ' 76 'skus to buy, otherwise use IMU to set NOQ sku by sku.' NEXT LINE 1 'Run RSO' 10 '""2, V, S, F, from and to COT to create the ADD order.' NEXT LINE 1 'RSO totals will not match this report due to rounding and NOQ varia' 68 'tions.' NEXT LINE NEXT LINE 1 'END OF REPORT.' NEXT LINE. --=====================_903313256==_ Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" --=====================_903313256==_-- ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27870 ********************************** From: hardlines-request@cornells.com Sent: Saturday, August 15, 1998 12:02 AM To: Hardlines Subject: hardlines Digest - V01 #27869 hardlines Digest Sat, 15 Aug 1998 00:01:54 -0400 V01 #27869 Today's topics: 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27868' 'Accounts payable, Triad' 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27868' 'Ordering procedure' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 14 Aug 1998 09:40:52 -0800 From: "John O'Daniel" Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27868 John at Cornell's writes: >There are some new options available on Level 20 (possibly the phase 2 >release of 20) that allow you to run suggested orders (RSO) using alternate >vendor information. It's not as full-blown as running a report on primary >vendor, but it's an improvement over the manual methods. > Many times I will get items off the RSO from different suppliers, maybe the primary vendor, maybe the secondary vendor, maybe a vendor that we have never purchased from before. Running an RSO for a vendor rather than a department would be more work as you would have to go into MPO and delete those items you wouldn't want to get from them. Also, on some items, a particular vendor with be the primary and on other items, that same vendor will be the secondary vendor. Normally, this isn't a problem with us as I usually deal with the primary vendor. The only time that I don't consistantly is with our lumber orders. We have all our lumber under one vendor, but we order full shipper loaded flats from different vendors in order to spread our business around and keep in good standing with the different suppliers. One company has the best rates but doesn't carry beams, treated wood, or cedar products and I have to give them an additional day to get a flat delivered to them to load for us. Another company has good prices and good selection, but also has to have an additional day to get a flat in. The company that has the highest prices has a good selection and is extremely quick on the draw. I can call them Tuesday afternoon with a flat load order and it will be at the docks for shipping the next morning. OOPS....there I go....rambling on! Sorry! John To Vickie: >since most companys send bills quicker than merchandise. This is mostly true for us, too. We only have to call on a couple of vendors. >We write the check manually so as not to void out several check stubs. Good idea. We usually void at least one check each time. However, I believe that you can print a check with no detail on the stub, thereby saving the voids. I haven't looked into that aspect yet, but would like to explore it this winter when I am supposed to have more time. This hasn't happened for the last 3-4 winters. We just get out of the summer and then we speed up for the winter. >This method works for us and the >RIV inventory (which is updated by shrink, receiving & POS) is usually within >a couple dollars of the AP inventory (which is updated by debit invoices, >manual entry of shrink, cost-of-goods-sold from the RDI and credit invoices). Whoops....you just went by me like the speed of light! RIV inventory? AP inventory? Manual entry of shrink? Me thinks I am out of my league here! I'll keep watching and learning. Keep us informed on your progress. I can see I still have a lot to learn. >This is a rather long explanation of an even longer process, but it's a >practice we use that balances perfectly...and in accounting balance is heaven! >...and dealing with the different "billing languages" from different suppliers >this is sometimes a challenge. Well keep up with your comments and questions and information. Your explanation didn't seem long at all. I have enjoyed reading and commenting on your thoughts. John D. O'Daniel Skagway True Value Hardware Skagway, Alaska (907) 983-2233 FAX (907) 983-2948 ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 14 Aug 1998 07:41:31 -0400 From: Bill Round Subject: Accounts payable, Triad Dear Folks Just a quick mention here, we have found that the Triad RRP option I to finalize the purchase order with respect to quantity being received works fairly well. It minimizes the nightmares of guys on the floor fixing quantities and the girls upstairs posting the PO's with complete ignorance of what how each activity can be at cross purposes. The TruServ invoices will follow... and sometimes they don't. Nice when that happens. The merchandise should be recognized when it is physically received and made available for sale. That is when the inventory should increase in value. The invoice amount or value for the merchandise received should reside in some sort of "purchases clearing account" until the actually invoices are received or paid for under dating terms. Getting costs from vendors before shipment is tough. It's a function of the size of the operation. Sometimes they just ignore a little store like ours. Sometimes they'll be real prompt and accurate. The best case is where the PO itself is a legal document which binds the vendor to the printed pricing. I know of a guy who used to do all sorts of "charge backs" where the invoice pricing varied considerably from the PO pricing. Then again, how much time is available to make sure all this stuff is straight? Either we get a lot more electronic invoicing to make the office stuff go smoothly, or we have to dump all this detail work. Corporate chain stores do not have any of this expense in the local stores; it's at the home office. We have to have so much payroll just to open the doors and pay the bills which they would never tolerate... I wonder if my net profit is held hostage by accurate billing and payment efforts. Just like checking off merchandise orders where the occasional errors (exception: TruServ over the last several months) do not equal the receiving activity costs. Is there so much to be gained by accurate numbers? Regards, Bill Round Round's True Value Hardware 290 Main Street Stoneham, MA 02180 Phone: 781-438-0131 FAX: 781-279-9123 Email: billr@roundshardware.com ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 14 Aug 1998 08:32:46 -0600 (MDT) From: gkhj@netrix.net (Gary Hanson) Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27868 >Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1998 08:46:33 -0400 >From: "John Fix 3rd" >Subject: Alternate vendors RSO > > >Vickie (and John) > >There are some new options available on Level 20 (possibly the phase 2 >release of 20) that allow you to run suggested orders (RSO) using alternate >vendor information. It's not as full-blown as running a report on primary >vendor, but it's an improvement over the manual methods. > >John >Manager >Cornell's True Value Hardware >www.cornells.com YEA!!!! It is about time I have been complaining about this for several years but they should make it full blown. Gary Hanson Cardinal Building Centers Kalispell Mt ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 14 Aug 1998 23:07:05 -0400 (EDT) From: rhfil@nh.ultranet.com Subject: Ordering procedure My ordering procedure is much the same as John O'Daniels. It starts at my end-of-year with an elaborate RPA queue which reports my primary activity by department two different ways. First, by dollar profit, and places the results in Item code location C. Second, by number of items sold, and places the results in the primary activity location. I now RICU sort through the sku's that are A sellers in both categories and flag them in one of the expanded code locations. Each month, around the fifteenth, I match my departmental sales thus far with the previous years and try to incorporate the changes - percentage up or down - when I run my ROP queue. I then create an ROP queue for lumber items, seasonal items, other vendors, and then the A-A items, A-B items, B-A items, B items, C items, etc. Depending on the type of item, I use the previous years sales. For seasonal items, I use the previous years same month, next month and next month's sales. I.E. my August queue will look at sales in August 1998, August 1997, and September 1997. If it looks like my seasonal sales are running around 10% ahead of last year, then I set the total percentage of sales to 110%. For normal hardware items I usually use last months sales, same month last year, next month, and next month. I adjust the number of weeks supply by market conditions and other variables. With TS's recent low fill rate I increased the number of weeks by two. When lumber deliveries get stretched out I also increase the number of weeks. I also use more weeks back-up for the A-A items. You do not want to run out of stock on the items that you turn over the most and make the most money on. If you are making that much money on it you are probably overpriced and do not want your customers to find out by making them buy it someplace else. Because my order date is monday I have not placed the order sequence in a scheduled queue. I would have to run it manually every holiday. But I have it built as a couple of queues. Usually, one or two days before my due date I run a queue which reports a nonfinallized order by last inventory date. We then inventory any item on the order which has not been inventoried within the last six months. We also check order quantities so that we are not over or under ordering. We try to keep orders to four times a year. So the order quantity should not exceed 25% of the last 12 month's sales. Of course, some items are NBC, or full pack, and some items are so close to full pack quantities, that it makes financial sense to get extra. A good rule of thumb is to order the same quantity as the order point. I would really love it if I could automatically set the order point to the most sold in a single sale three months each side of the current date. But, for non-seasonal items, I have been using the minimum and safe stock quantities to reflect the single largest sale in the last twelve months and any inventory shrinkage. On my order date I run a queue which generates two different finalized orders. One for items which I do not use the TS recommended retail price, and one for items which I do use the TS recommended retail price. It also prints out an RIS report by store location with a defined report which has amongst other useful items, the date of last inventory and the date of last receipt. Items not inventoried within the last six months are then inventoried and items received within the last two months are checked for order quantities. I also have a queue for my secondary supplier who also accepts orders transmitted by BTC. After I generate an order for him for those items which he is a primary supplier, I then generate a recommended order for those items for which he is a secondary supplier and then manually add them to the order. I also have a queue which produces a recommended order by primary vendor for all my lumber items. I then sort through and combine them and manually make up orders. For most lumber items, that consists of making up a list of needs, shopping around the list, verbally placing the order, and then entering the order manually. I do not use the general ledger feature of the Triad. I only get transmitted price changes from TS. And after receiving price changes on Minwax paint at least every third week so far this summer, I am beginning to wonder at the need of getting any of them. The value of my lumber changes more every day than all the total annual changes of my hardware, and I do not usually know about it until I buy new stuff. It is costing me more to keep changing the prices on my stock than I am making selling it. I am a strong believer in just-in-time inventory and have undoubtedly lost some sales because I keep a very low inventory level, but I can not afford having stock just sitting there. Hope this helps. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Richard Filion rhfil@nh.ultranet.com Filion Lumber 603-659-3361 Newmarket, N.H. ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27869 ********************************** From: hardlines-request@cornells.com Sent: Friday, August 14, 1998 12:02 AM To: Hardlines Subject: hardlines Digest - V01 #27868 hardlines Digest Fri, 14 Aug 1998 00:02:13 -0400 V01 #27868 Today's topics: 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27867' 'Alternate vendors RSO ' 'TruServ Ap' 'Re: Planograms' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1998 09:01:25 -0800 From: "John O'Daniel" Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27867 Vickie, Here are some comments on your questions: >This is a question to Triad users that use more than one wholesalers. We want >to be able to electronically transmit orders,... We used to transmit orders to Morse Hardware in Bellingham, WA. (until they closed their wholesale department), and then we transmitted orders to Jensen Distribution. When we became a True Value in 1995, we were transmitting orders to both Jensen Distribution and Cotter. In 1996, Jensen Distribution said that we would not be able to transmit anymore orders to them until we upgraded our computer. A call to Triad advised us that $18000.00 was the cost of the upgrade so we started converting the remaining items still with Jensen over to Cotter. We still pick up the phone every once in a while and call in special orders to Jensen, but we don't transmit to them anymore. I had set up to transmit orders to Barnett Brass, but never had a need to order from them. We have since upgraded our system, but we only transmit to TruServ at this time. This winter, we may work on setting up transmitting to other vendors. To do that, you need to contact the vendor and let them lead you through the process (provided that they are set up with Triad). > download cost changes, recieve order, etc. You may find out that TruServ is the only one that you may be able to download cost changes from. Am I wrong? Anyone out there know of other vendors that will download cost changes (besides the other co-ops). >The problem is that there are only two vendor "areas" (primary >vendor & manufacturer) that can be used thru all the ordering procedure. We get around that problem by running a general RSO and then build the MPO's by hand for the vendors that we want to get the products from. We then either fax, phone, or e-mail our orders in to the vendor (except that we run our RSO for TruServ with the option to build an MPO and then send our orders to them via BTC). > We normally do an RPA for ranking, ROP for order point calculations, then an >RSO..add in the human element, make any manual corrections, RPO & transmit. >(either ERP, EDI or by fax depending on the technology of the vendor) I played around with RPA last winter, but need to clean up our IMU's before we can get serious with it. We have Classic Inventory which doesn't have ROP (darn, shucks, phooey!). We have the RSO for TruServ run automatically on Wed night without building an MPO. Once everyone checks it with their sections and it is returned to the orders person, QOH and New Order Quantity are changed or corrected in IMU. The RSO is run again on Friday and an MPO is built this time. All the items that have an * (asterik) beside them have already been checked. All others are checked and when the MPO is corrected or changed, the order is sent via BTC. For our lumber yard, marine supplies, furnace supplies, and other items that we get from other vendors, the RSO's are run at different times during the week according to the ordering person's best day to do their ordering. There are times when I will have a dozen PO books out as I add items off an RSO to them. I then start calling, faxing, or e-mailing orders in, building an MPO for each vendor by hand. This keeps the items from coming up on the next RSO. When the invoices arrive, they are checked with the MPO and prices adjusted as needed. When the freight arrives, it is checked in, priced, and put out. Any corrections or changes are made to the MPO and then RP and RRP are run to receive the new stock and prices. > Since we are currently using the manufacturer field on many items, using this area for >a secondary vendor's info won't work. This is only necessary if you use RSO to build your MPO's. You will probably have to face the fact that the majority of your secondary vendors will have to have their MPO's built by hand. >Though Triad has started additional >"slots for additional vendors, ie. the vendor page in IMU this info isn't >accessible on many of the reports. Also the cost printed on the order is >replacement, not the cost of that vendor. (since there isn't a slot for cost >from the secondary vendor) Again, the cost can be changed in MPO when you receive your invoices. I realize that this doesn't give you a price comparison, but hopefully you will get prices before ordering. >I know there are some very successful hardware >store owners out there that pushtheir Triad to the edges & don't let Truserv's >poor fill & lame substitutions get in the way of serving their customers. I hope that your RDC's poor fill rate improves. We have very little problems with our fill rate out of the Portland RDC. Maybe it's due to the restructuring going on in some of the RDC's. We are happy with the substitutions since, with our limited floor space, we can't carry a wide range of individual items. The substitutions do for us what they were intended to do, keep us from being out of a product because the RDC is out of a specific brand. We are happy to get the substitutions. We use probably less than 10% of the potential of our Triad simply due the the amount of time it takes away from the day to day operations. Maybe, when we stop growing and aren't so short handed, we can start pushing our Triad to the edge and getting more use out of it. >I am trying to do the same by picking up a secondary vendor, I just can find the >right way to stay "tech-smart" on our ordering process. Please let me know >some solutions, short cuts or pitfalls. Also any words of wisdom on secondary >vendors.(and yes, I already have talked with Triad & turned in PCRs) I looks like you have a good grasp on the need to automate. Write out a simple step by step procedure and then continually modify it until you get where you want to be with it. It isn't necessary to push your Triad to the edge in order to do what you need efficiently. Hope I've helped. John D. O'Daniel Skagway True Value Hardware Skagway, Alaska (907) 983-2233 FAX (907) 983-2948 ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1998 08:46:33 -0400 From: "John Fix 3rd" Subject: Alternate vendors RSO Vickie (and John) There are some new options available on Level 20 (possibly the phase 2 release of 20) that allow you to run suggested orders (RSO) using alternate vendor information. It's not as full-blown as running a report on primary vendor, but it's an improvement over the manual methods. John Manager Cornell's True Value Hardware www.cornells.com ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1998 10:30:56 EDT From: Subject: TruServ Ap Additional comments on John O'Daniel's scenerio. Which by the way is very similar to our method, except we don't find we need to call for faxes of bills since most companys send bills quicker than merchandise. The first thing to remember is in retail we are on an accrual, not cash basis. This means that invoices with furture dating will be considered future AP. Also an easy rule of which month to account for inventory is when it was recieved. We enter each invoice broken down to the correct GL account (ie. freight, DS adder, Inventory, signage=advertising, etc.) and with the due date of said invoice, also if applicable the anticipation date. When receiving checks in the merchandise, the packing list & receiving report are passed to the bookeeper. The bookeeper holds the RRP until she has an invoice to match this up to. Because like John O'Daniel we have several hundred suppliers. Since some of them we only buy from once a year, the cost on the purchase order & the cost on the invoice may be completely different. TruServ is no exception,every invoice is matched up to a receiving report, the only difference is that the credit for warehouse shipments have a bill date the day before we receive the merchandise, and there credits for shorts, mis-picks, etc. are factored in separately. The other thing we do differently on TruServ is that since there are so many invoices to be selected for payment, we write the check manually so as not to void out several check stubs. This method works for us and the RIV inventory (which is updated by shrink, receiving & POS) is usually within a couple dollars of the AP inventory (which is updated by debit invoices, manual entry of shrink, cost-of-goods-sold from the RDI and credit invoices). This is a rather long explanation of an even longer process, but it's a practice we use that balances perfectly...and in accounting balance is heaven! ...and dealing with the different "billing languages" from different suppliers this is sometimes a challenge. Good Luck - Vickie Temple/Bloomington Hardware/Bloomington Indiana/Vvtempl@aol.com ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1998 13:53:06 -0400 From: Mary Albee Subject: Re: Planograms At 08:36 AM 8/8/98 EDT, you wrote: >Bill Rounds et al: > The only thing I have to add is that for those of us in states that DO NOT >require item pricing, the planogram should be set up to accomodate scan >labels. Too often the planogram fills the entire gondola and there is no room >for those of us who wish to use scan labels. I would think that even if you >are required to item price a scan label is a good idea. Like you said, the >merchandiser has never been in a real store! > >Mike Jones ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27868 ********************************** From: hardlines-request@cornells.com Sent: Thursday, August 13, 1998 12:01 AM To: Hardlines Subject: hardlines Digest - V01 #27867 hardlines Digest Thu, 13 Aug 1998 00:00:57 -0400 V01 #27867 Today's topics: 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27864' 'multi wholesalers' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 12 Aug 1998 08:22:29 -0800 From: "John O'Daniel" Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27864 >Subject: A/P TruServ Statements >From: "Daniel Blevins" > >8/10/98 >Attention: TruServ Triad Members > >How do TruServ members currently using the Triad Eagle System record their purchases from TruServs semi-monthly statements, which also include dating? How is the accounts payable recorded to the proper month it is received? > >The problem > We receive TruServs statement a few days before the due dates on the 10th and 25th of each month for the prior month and current months charges. How do members post these two statements into the Triad system to reflect the accounts payable when the inventory was actually received? How is constant dating handled? How does the system allow you to pay the current amount due, but still reflect the correct unpaid liability? > >Another problem > We received some inventory in the first quarter of 1998 (from 97 Fall market order). We were billed during the second quarter of 1998 and the charge is due in the third quarter of 1998. How do you account for this first quarter purchase? Do you book the A/P in the month it was received based on a purchase order or packing slip or what? This is a major problem for our quarterly financial statements regarding matching the A/P to the inventory based on when it was received! Presently, TruServ is not in our Triad A/P system and we are attempting to figure out how to convert it since this information is being accounted for manually. > I think posting the 10th statement would be no problem, but the conversion to get to where we are now and the 25th statement have me bewildered. All our other A/P is closed at the 10th of the month for the prior month purchases, but there has to be an answer, right?? And also, were not using the Triad p.o. system and receiving to A/P yet, but I dont see that as a solution. Maybe in the future, but currently we need to get this problem under control now. > If you know the answers, please help!!! > Debbie, We have about 200+ vendors that we buy from besides TruServ. As the invoices arrive, we enter, dbl check, and then post them in ATMU with dating according to the invoice date/vendor requirements. If the stock is received prior to arrival of the invoice, we either call to get the invoice prices so we can price the stock, or get the vendor to fax us a copy of the invoice (this is the best way due to shipping and crating costs included on the invoice). We can check off the packing list and put it into a file waiting for the invoice to show up. Our AP is completely separate from the rest of the system and basically is set up to enter invoices and run checks. The only connection between AP and the rest of the system (ie:inventory, MPO, etc) is the packing list or invoice being checked off when the stock is priced and put out. We used to not pay an invoice until we received the stock and everything was accounted for, but this caused us to miss discount deadlines and sometimes even due dates. Now, we run checks every Monday and pay everything entered since the previous Monday. If there are discrepancies or errors, we deal with those and then enter a credit if needed which will be deducted from the next check that we send that vendor. We have two vendors that we deal with different than above. One is the credit card and the other is TruServ. As the invoices that we pay with credit card arrive, we (1) put them in a file to be paid by CC (2) call the vendor and pay by CC (3) mark the invoice as being paid by CC, the date paid by CC, the person taking the call, and the caller's initials (4) place the CC paid invoice in a file awaiting the credit card statement (once a month) (5) When the CC statement arrives, all invoices that show up on the CC statement are then gathered together and entered into ATMU, dbl checked, and then posted. (6) The CC statement is paid the following Monday. (7) The invoices are then filed in the paid files (or in the To Arrive file if they haven't been checked in yet) As the invoices for TruServ arrive, we (1) place them in a file awaiting the TruServ listment (2) When the listment arrives, all invoices that show up on the listment are then gathered together and entered into ATMU, dbl checked, and then posted, using the remit date on the listment. (3) The invoices on the listment are then paid the following Monday (including the future due so we can realize the anticipations). (4) The invoices are then filed in the paid files (or in the To Arrive file if they haven't been checked in yet) I realize that I didn't say anything about MPO or RP or RRP that track you purchases. Those are taken care of by our freight checker. He gets invoices from the AP to check off or advises AP of errors or adjustments. AP will contact the checker to get information on unusual orders, amounts, invoices not checked off in a normal time limit, errors, etc... AP will also investigate any charges on statements that don't have any paperwork (ie: monthly advertising charges on the listment, or charges without paperwork on the credit card statement) You probably do most, if not all of the above, but I went through our step by step procedure in hopes that you may find something to help you solve your problem. If I can help or answer your questions in another way so as to be more help, let me know. John D. O'Daniel Richard Filion writes: >I tried to get onto the TS web site with info given me by Bill >Rounds, but was unable to get pass the home screen. Is there a problem with >the site, or do you need special authorization from someplace? My browser >kept telling me it was unable to download the next screen. Richard, I called Bobbie Cleveland in Chicagoland today to ask about the access to our invoices via internet. She said to log onto the internet and go to the web page....www.truservonline.com. There you will find a signup sheet. Once you have sent that in, you should receive your logon and password in a couple of weeks. I sent mine in today. We'll let you know when I am able to get in. John D. O'Daniel Skagway True Value Hardware Skagway, Alaska (907) 983-2233 FAX (907) 983-2948 ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 12 Aug 1998 10:37:34 EDT From: Subject: multi wholesalers This is a question to Triad users that use more than one wholesalers. We want to be able to electronically transmit orders, download cost changes, recieve order, etc. The problem is that there are only two vendor "areas" (primary vendor & manufacturer) that can be used thru all the ordering procedure. We normally do an RPA for ranking, ROP for order point calculations, then an RSO..add in the human element, make any manual corrections, RPO & transmit. (either ERP, EDI or by fax depending on the technology of the vendor) Since we are currently using the manufacturer field on many items, using this area for a secondary vendor's info won't work. Though Triad has started additional "slots for additional vendors, ie. the vendor page in IMU this info isn't accessible on many of the reports. Also the cost printed on the order is replacement, not the cost of that vendor. (since there isn't a slot for cost from the secondary vendor) I know there are some very successful hardware store owners out there that pushtheir Triad to the edges & don't let Truserv's poor fill & lame substitutions get in the way of serving their customers. I am trying to do the same by picking up a secondary vendor, I just can find the right way to stay "tech-smart" on our ordering process. Please let me know some solutions, short cuts or pitfalls. Also any words of wisdom on secondary vendors.(and yes, I already have talked with Triad & turned in PCRs) Thanks- Vickie Temple, Bloomington Hardware, Bloomington Indiana Vvtempl@aol.com ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27867 ********************************** From: hardlines-request@cornells.com Sent: Wednesday, August 12, 1998 12:04 AM To: Hardlines Subject: hardlines Digest - V01 #27866 hardlines Digest Wed, 12 Aug 1998 00:04:07 -0400 V01 #27866 Today's topics: 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27864' 'Re: Monarch and TruServ taking money' 'Monarch labels' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 11 Aug 1998 01:02:15 EDT From: Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27864 In response to the coupon book chat. Maybe some of you have the privilage of deciding who is the right customer and who is the wrong customer. If an add gets a person to walk through our door it is giving us an opportunity to sell him something, doesn't that make him the right customer? Half of all advertising doesn't work, we just don't know which half. Ken Runyan Coast to Coast Boise, ID ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 11 Aug 1998 09:04:34 -0500 From: jack swift Subject: Re: Monarch and TruServ taking money over the 40 years we've been dealing with cotter/truserv, i've learned that the member services department isn't really working with the same attitude as the merchandise departments. the merchandise departments are charged with providing the lowest possible costs for reasonable-quality merchandise. they do a great job. however, it appears that the member services department is treated as a profit center and all their programs are designed to cover the department costs and provide excess revenues (profits?) to be used to pay for inefficiencies in the overhead departments so that the magic '5% cost of doing business' could be attained. this probably will be the 'norm' as long as management is evaluated on their overhead percentage..... any figure that's used for comparisons (did you hear fill rate?) is subject to 'mathematical adjustments'... the only thing we dealers can do is to make sure that we're always checking other sources for the products and services that are not for resale with the same diligence that we compare resale item costs. At 10:14 PM EST 8/8/98 EDT, you wrote: >A David and Goliath Story. > >I called Truserv today to find out why they discountinued carrying the single >line yellow Monarch price gun and the supporting labels in the warehouses. >These guns are in nearly every true value store I have ever been to. >Truserv and Monarch teamed up to offer us an upgrade, at our expense, to a new >2-line gun. In order to force us to make that expensive trade-in upgrade, the >warehouses are droppng the labels for our single line guns. > >There must be at least 50,000 of these yellow guns in True Serve stores. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jack Swift jswift@up.net N8WAV@W8YY.#UPMI.MI.USA.NA 47.119N 88.572W Swift True Value Hardware 402 Shelden Ave. Houghton, MI 49931 906-482-0530, 0531, 7766 Alpha Phi Omega Epsilon Lambda Chapter Advisor Houghton County Amateur Radio Emergency Service Dereliction IS! ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 11 Aug 1998 09:24:10 -0400 From: "John Fix 3rd" Subject: Monarch labels Although TruServ has discontinued the labels and guns, they are available from Monarch (and others) via direct ship. We used the two-line gun, so at the last market we placed a DS order for additional labels. I don't even mind if they don't have True Value on the sticker. If it's defective, they might not remember where they bought it! :-) John Manager Cornell's True Value Hardware www.cornells.com ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27866 ********************************** From: hardlines-request@cornells.com Sent: Tuesday, August 11, 1998 12:04 AM To: Hardlines Subject: hardlines Digest - V01 #27865 hardlines Digest Tue, 11 Aug 1998 00:03:31 -0400 V01 #27865 Today's topics: 'Fwd: RAG Cleanup / TS Online Website' 'Coupon Vs Fun' 'A/P TruServ Statements' 'Triad A/P' 'Direct mail Acknowledgement' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 10 Aug 1998 06:45:24 EDT From: Subject: Fwd: RAG Cleanup / TS Online Website This is a multi-part message in MIME format. --part0_902745924_boundary Content-ID: <0_902745924@inet_out.mail.aol.com.1> Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII --part0_902745924_boundary Content-ID: <0_902745924@inet_out.mail.aol.com.2> Content-type: message/rfc822 Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit Content-disposition: inline From: RICKSS1@aol.com Return-path: To: rhfil@nh.ultranet.com Subject: RAG Cleanup / TS Online Website Date: Mon, 10 Aug 1998 06:44:39 EDT Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit Rick: >thought that running report RAG with Option R(I think it is R which >recalculates running balances) would clear things up, but it just removed Option FR >tsite, or do you need special authorization from someplace? My browser >kept telling me it was unable to download the next screen. The site has been having its activation problems -- TS is working on this problem Send your issue to about this to Chuck Broad cbroad@truserv.com and a copy of it to Robbie Cleveland rclevela@truserv.com You must be register with Robbie before logging on.......... Have fun Rick Schwartz Schwartz True Value Fall River, MA 02724 --part0_902745924_boundary-- ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 10 Aug 1998 08:21:41 EDT From: Subject: Coupon Vs Fun RE:Coupons Books & Events TS I feel the problem regarding the Coupon Book and Flyers is that they lack "excitement" -->excitement to the average customer, to the employees (who say just another flyer), and us the managers. We look at the circulars as just another "thing" or another "free key". In other words -- more "Work!". What we need is a rejuveniting kick of excitement. Something different, something drastic before we mundane ourselves into oblivion. I agree just giving away merchandise ex:keys is difficult, but if it creates excitement (on someone's part) then go for it. We look at the giveaway as "work", but it is part of our job. Making keys can be fun and challenging. The second part of the challenge it to get our employees excited over making those keys which in turn excite our customers to come back for more then 10% over the coupons. What I would like to see is a "good" traffic building flyer that we make money on. The Boston / Rhode Island Group will be trying one in the Fall with Lights of America Light Bulbs. The consumer will be buying the bulb, get an instant rebate, and we even make a profit!! This will be interesting to watch. Have fun Rick Schwartz Schwartz True Value Fall River, MA 02724 PS - No Bill -- I will Not cut your Free Keys. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 10 Aug 1998 09:03:34 -0400 From: "Listmanager" Subject: A/P TruServ Statements From: "John Fix" We're still new at the Triad AP system (running for about 10 months), so I wouldn't consider us experts in this area of the system. We post each and every invoice to ATMU, with DS invoices posted to the individual vendor (and all the vendors with COT as pay-to). As we receive our weekly A-Copies, we post them to ATMU. Relays get posted when we receive the finalized one-page sheet. We generally just post the current DS invoices when we receive the statement, run the check, and then post the future dated DS invoices so we don't get backlogged on our current payments. This has worked well for us so far, and allows us to track invoices by DS vendor and easily get a snapshot of our cash requirements. The downside is that it involves a lot of manual entry of invoices. We also used to waste a lot of check forms when paying TruServ, but Triad has added an option to suppress invoice detail printing on the check stub (Level 20). John To reply: mailto:inventory.63@tools.cornells.com To start new topic: mailto:inventory@tools.cornells.com To login: http://tools.cornells.com/~Hardlines ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 10 Aug 1998 10:47:32 -0400 From: Bill Round Subject: Triad A/P RE: John Fix's Triad A/P, Detail, Paper, TruServ Comments. Until There is a good electronic link between TruServ (and others?) and the store, the A/P systems at the store level will remain a cobbled-together mess featuring the worst of both paper and automated systems. Regards, Bill Round Round's True Value Hardware 290 Main Street Stoneham, MA 02180 Phone: 781-438-0131 FAX: 781-279-9123 Email: billr@roundshardware.com ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 10 Aug 1998 10:52:19 -0400 From: Bill Round Subject: Direct mail Acknowledgement Dear TruServ Folks, I have been unable to get anything out of TruServ to prove that they sent out my circulars. I used to receive a paper document stamped by the post office certifying that the mailing was done on a specific date. O, for the days when the all-knowing Stu Bycoff handled it all.... The only proof of mailing I can get is the billing line on the Statement, which is unacceptable. Before I can say that customers will just not pay any attention to direct mail, are they even getting it? Regards, Bill Round Round's True Value Hardware 290 Main Street Stoneham, MA 02180 Phone: 781-438-0131 FAX: 781-279-9123 Email: billr@roundshardware.com ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27865 ********************************** From: hardlines-request@cornells.com Sent: Monday, August 10, 1998 12:01 AM To: Hardlines Subject: hardlines Digest - V01 #27864 hardlines Digest Mon, 10 Aug 1998 00:00:48 -0400 V01 #27864 Today's topics: 'A/P TruServ Statements' 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27862' 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27863' 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27863' 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27863' 'coupon book' 'Triad bug' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 09 Aug 1998 01:18:16 -0400 From: "Listmanager" Subject: A/P TruServ Statements From: "Daniel Blevins" 8/10/98 Attention: TruServ Triad Members How do TruServ members currently using the Triad Eagle System record their purchases from TruServ’s semi-monthly statements, which also include dating? How is the accounts payable recorded to the proper month it is received? The problem We receive TruServ’s statement a few days before the due dates on the 10th and 25th of each month for the prior month and current month’s charges. How do members post these two statements into the Triad system to reflect the accounts payable when the inventory was actually received? How is constant dating handled? How does the system allow you to pay the current amount due, but still reflect the correct unpaid liability? Another problem We received some inventory in the first quarter of 1998 (from ’97 Fall market order). We were billed during the second quarter of 1998 and the charge is due in the third quarter of 1998. How do you account for this first quarter purchase? Do you book the A/P in the month it was received based on a purchase order or packing slip or what? This is a major problem for our quarterly financial statements regarding matching the A/P to the inventory based on when it was received! Presently, TruServ is not in our Triad A/P system and we are attempting to figure out how to convert it since this information is being accounted for manually. I think posting the 10th statement would be no problem, but the conversion to get to where we are now and the 25th statement have me bewildered. All our other A/P is closed at the 10th of the month for the prior month purchases, but there has to be an answer, right?? And also, we’re not using the Triad p.o. system and receiving to A/P yet, but I don’t see that as a solution. Maybe in the future, but currently we need to get this problem under control now. If you know the answers, please help!!! With many thanks for your, attention, Debbie. Ie. Lonely Bookkeeper chained to her desk. To reply: mailto:inventory.62@tools.cornells.com To start new topic: mailto:inventory@tools.cornells.com To login: http://tools.cornells.com/~Hardlines ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 9 Aug 1998 03:00:42 EDT From: Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27862 To: Bill Round ,,,, one more to add to your list,,, It would be nice if the vender would let you know how HIGH,,, the planogram is ,,, four foot,,, eight foot,,, five foot,,,, as it is they only tell you that you can buy a 12 foot, or 16 foot long,,,, planogram... had to put my two cents in.... Frank Thayer All In One,,, True Value Veneta, Oregon ps: then they change the packaging and your staples will not fit on the present plan and so your help, stacks them on the bottom shelf and now you have a dump bin... lol ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 9 Aug 1998 09:03:22 EDT From: Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27863 Bill Round writes, > > I do not like coupon books. I think they are driving the wrong kind of > customer into the store. They send the wrong message about what the stores > are about. They put us into the price arena to do battle with the world's > leading innovators in price promotions. > I agree with Bill, though I think that puts me in the minority again. We pay very careful attention to coupons and their users. It has been our experience that customers look for the coupon items, then, self-trained to ignore everything else in the store, head out to the next store with a handful of the other store's coupons. The coupon shoppers rarely spend more than 10% over the coupon totals. In other words, if they buy $20.00 worth of coupon items, they rarely spend more than $22.00 total. We track this stuff carefully. ------------------------------------------------- We also HATE the free key. We offer customers free service, free smiles, free advice, free parking, free estimates but not free keys! Alan Talman Karps TV ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 9 Aug 1998 14:25:01 -0400 (EDT) From: NorthLima@webtv.net (John Crouse) Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27863 --WebTV-Mail-953355468-2507 Content-Type: Text/Plain; Charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7Bit In regards to the Free Key offer, they should show in print they may get a house key or a single sided cut key. If Chicago had to stand in front of a customer and tell them what keys are offered and listen to their response it would show them the problem that exist.. I have 11 pricing guns in the store I use the regular TV labels, yellow low price labels. also a florescent pink and green label, ( these are what we mark surplus and closeout items with), and last the true value sale label. I have been told by Monarch they have no pink or green or sale or low price labels available for the new guns. So I cannot turn them in. More so since these will not be a big volume item anymore they will cost me more on a direct ship basis. The CO-OP gets bigger and my profit gets SMAller. Thanks.....Jack --WebTV-Mail-953355468-2507 Content-Description: signature Content-Disposition: Inline Content-Type: Text/HTML; Charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7Bit --WebTV-Mail-953355468-2507-- ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 9 Aug 1998 19:43:20 EDT From: Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27863 In response to Bill Rounds complaints about coupon books, I am glad you have the luxury of being that selective about who you want for a customer. I, for one, am delighted with every customer who lightens my door. We spend thousands of dollars a year to attract customers and keep the ones we have. I believe all of us are in competition with the big boxes. Tru Serv has to try to present an advertising program that meets the needs of a vast variety of stores. There are many ways to get and keep customers, service is only one, but you can't impress them with your service if they are going to the competition for the prices. Variable pricing should allow you to offset some of the costs of competitive pricing. We ease our burden, by not even requiring the coupon (except for a free item) be presented at the register. This really makes some customers happy! Janice Johnson Johnsons TV ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 09 Aug 1998 17:49:12 -0600 From: James Burns Subject: coupon book In reply to Bill Round, I couldn't agree more. We are trying to attract the wrong customer. We need to promote service as well as having what the consumer needs with no hassel shopping. Coupons do not do that. James Burns doitcenter@3lefties.com ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 9 Aug 1998 22:41:11 -0400 (EDT) From: rhfil@nh.ultranet.com Subject: Triad bug I accidentally discovered a fairly serious Triad fault. If you accidentally invoice a sale which has been set up originally as a cash sale but saved as an order you get a fairly significant problem. It takes a very strange sequence of events, but results in possible grave errors. The sequence is as follows. Set up an order for a customer who has an account, but is paying cash or check or mastercard. If you accidentally invoice out the order, you end up with the sale being recorded as a current charge with a future cash credit. Problem is, instead of the two just clearing themselves out at the end of the month, the charge is carried as a current charge and the credit remains as a future credit. The customer was billed for the charge, even though it was in fact a cash sale, and when the bill was not paid, finance charges were applied the following month. I thought that running report RAG with Option R(I think it is R which recalculates running balances) would clear things up, but it just removed the future credit while doing nothing to the past due charge. I finally had to remove it with an adjustment. I have no idea what the impact was on my AR reports. I contacted Triad when I discovered the problem initially, but was not certain exactly what caused it, but the problem occurred again, and this time I am certain of the cause. You might warn your people about this problem. You might end up with an irate customer being charged interest charges and being dunned for a cash sale. I tried to get onto the TS web site with info given me by Bill Rounds, but was unable to get pass the home screen. Is there a problem with the site, or do you need special authorization from someplace? My browser kept telling me it was unable to download the next screen. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Richard Filion rhfil@nh.ultranet.com Filion Lumber 603-659-3361 Newmarket, N.H. ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27864 ********************************** From: hardlines-request@cornells.com Sent: Sunday, August 09, 1998 12:05 AM To: Hardlines Subject: hardlines Digest - V01 #27863 hardlines Digest Sun, 09 Aug 1998 00:04:35 -0400 V01 #27863 Today's topics: 'Planograms' 'Free Key' 'RE: Free Key' 'Re: Free Key' 'Monarch and TruServ taking money' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 8 Aug 1998 08:36:15 EDT From: Subject: Planograms Bill Rounds et al: The only thing I have to add is that for those of us in states that DO NOT require item pricing, the planogram should be set up to accomodate scan labels. Too often the planogram fills the entire gondola and there is no room for those of us who wish to use scan labels. I would think that even if you are required to item price a scan label is a good idea. Like you said, the merchandiser has never been in a real store! Mike Jones ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 8 Aug 1998 08:58:59 EDT From: Subject: Free Key Is anyone out there as upset as I am over the free key deal in the summer coupon sale??? Free key with purchase. Buy a bolt a nut a ten cent key ring anything for a free single sided key. We were able to get a disclaimer for vats keys, but in the disclaimer it states two keys max not one free key. I make single sided steel keys, skeleton keys, car keys and more vats aren't the only expensive key out there. Chicago doesn't think retail. Their response was the keys only cost 14 cents, yeah sk1s kw1s and a few others, very few others. This doesn't consider labor. I have no problem with buy one get a free house key, but this free key or free with purchase must go. Well, that's what I told Chicago anyway. Paul D ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 8 Aug 1998 09:42:59 -0400 From: "John Fix 3rd" Subject: RE: Free Key Paul, I don't have a problem with the free key. I think a coupon book needs to really drive the consumer into the store, and a free key is a proven giveaway item. No matter how you work a free key promotion, you'll get consumers who complain about the restrictions or limits. Sure, the key costs more than .14 to cut, but you've already spent .50 to get the flyer out to the home. About 85% (or more?) of those flyers go right into the recycle bin, so if we're willing to put up with wasting that much money on consumers who won't even come in, why not spend $1.00 on someone who does come in? John -----Original Message----- Is anyone out there as upset as I am over the free key deal in the summer coupon sale??? Free key with purchase. Paul D ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 08 Aug 1998 16:56:46 -0400 From: Bill Round Subject: Re: Free Key RE: The free key. Nothing motivates like the work "free." I do not like coupon books. I think they are driving the wrong kind of customer into the store. They send the wrong message about what the stores are about. They put us into the price arena to do battle with the world's leading innovators in price promotions. I don't want to do business with people who drive miles to save 25 cents on ant spray, or get a $1.29 key for free. I can't afford to lead senior citizens around the store bearing a fist-full of coupons. Is this the target market by design or default? If people want to save big bucks, they go to the placed which have sold them on price. We need to sell them on the service. We need to charge them for the service. We need to display price point merchandise on the end caps and variable price to assure the customer they are not being "ripped off. We need to get them into the stores by convincing them of the value in coming in based on the selection, the store's location, the help available, the convenience, and the time they will save. I think it is demeaning to make people chop newsprint coupons. This is 1950's sales technology. Even the super markets are calming it down. They even print at point of sale for the next trip in based on the current purchase assortment. Anyway, if we were serious about coupons, we would bar code them and process them using existing technologies-- at least Triad, anyway-- and pay close attention. What is YOUR customer profile for coupons? Am I out to lunch here? Regards, Bill Round Round's True Value Hardware 290 Main Street Stoneham, MA 02180-3506 Phone: 781-438-0116 FAX: 781-279-9123 E-Mail: billr@roundshardware.com ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 8 Aug 1998 22:14:01 EDT From: Subject: Monarch and TruServ taking money A David and Goliath Story. I called Truserv today to find out why they discountinued carrying the single line yellow Monarch price gun and the supporting labels in the warehouses. These guns are in nearly every true value store I have ever been to. Truserv and Monarch teamed up to offer us an upgrade, at our expense, to a new 2-line gun. In order to force us to make that expensive trade-in upgrade, the warehouses are droppng the labels for our single line guns. There must be at least 50,000 of these yellow guns in True Serve stores. {my survey, could be wrong} . That means that Truserv is helping Monarch fleece us out of 1.25 MILLION dollars, if every dealer upgrades. The official story line from Truserv store supplies dept. is that there isn't room in the warehouse for the labels. You know how big those labels can get! Trying to change the policy, I explained that thousands of stores use these guns. I explained that many stores use the "official" True Value price labels, that the labels are fast moving items in the warehouse, and are a 'standard' used in nearly every store in my area, perhaps everywhere. Truserv stands by their change, saying that the two line guns are better, they know what's best for us. I still can't figure out what a 2-line gun is good for, any ideas? This mean that if Truserve doesn't want to stock two by fours AND two by sixes, two by fives would be the right choice! I told the store supplies people that this is just one more Ivory Tower attitude problem, sure to piss of a few dealers. Now it means adding a vendor, Monarch, and making another phone call each month to order supplies. Certainly, this is a small problem, I don't want to make more of this than there is. However, how much of this stuff do we have to take before we as dealers get a little say in what goes on? Hopefully the people at Monarch are going to take us all out to dinner with the 'upgrade' money. If you use these Monarch guns, call the TruServ Help line and leave a message for store supplies to call you. Maybe if a number of dealers call?? Sorry for such a long winded whine, Alan Talman Karps TV ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27863 ********************************** From: hardlines-request@cornells.com Sent: Saturday, August 08, 1998 12:03 AM To: Hardlines Subject: hardlines Digest - V01 #27862 hardlines Digest Sat, 08 Aug 1998 00:03:14 -0400 V01 #27862 Today's topics: 'RE: hardlines Digest - V01 #27860' 'RE: Colorgen' 'TruServ ERP data feed.' 'Planograms and paperwork' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 7 Aug 1998 08:22:59 -0400 From: "John Fix 3rd" Subject: RE: hardlines Digest - V01 #27860 Randy, Probably the PC BIOS, the onboard memory and settings that retain the date as well as hardware information. You can test this by booting the Colorgen, then holding down the Delete key (or whatever key says "Press ***** for setup") while the machine is resetting. Try entering a year of 2001 (or 01) in the machine. Those machines ran DOS, and an older release at that, so you probably will not be able to enter a year above 99 into the operating system or BIOS. Also, there may be some problems printing labels for customers since the date might be on the labels. In a worst case scenario, when 2000 arrives just boot back to 1998 or 1999 and make changes on the labels with a pencil (they are usually year 2000 compliant). Good luck! John Cornell's True Value -----Original Message----- Hi Gang, got a telephone sales pitch from the Match Rite people today. They said my Colorgen machine was not year 2000 compliant. They were going to do me a big favor and give me $500 credit on my old machine to purchase a new $7,000 Match Rite system. Can anyone out there tell me why my color computer needs to be year 2000 compliant? I can't think of any. Stay Cool Randy Whetstone Nelsons True Value ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 7 Aug 1998 07:53:56 -0500 From: "Strasser Hardware" Subject: RE: Colorgen > Date: Thu, 6 Aug 1998 22:47:30 EDT > From: > Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27860 > > > Hi Gang, > > got a telephone sales pitch from the Match Rite people today. > They said my > Colorgen machine was not year 2000 compliant. They were going to > do me a big > favor and give me $500 credit on my old machine to purchase a new > $7,000 Match > Rite system. Can anyone out there tell me why my color computer > needs to be > year 2000 compliant? I can't think of any. > > Stay Cool > Randy Whetstone > Nelsons True Value > > ------------------------------ Hi Randy, We changed our Colorgen for a Matchrite a year ago so I don't have it to check. However we did save the Nixdorf-Seimens PC that powered it to use as a terminal. Regarding Y2000 issues There are mainly two. 1. System clock will not handle conversion from 1999 to 2000. However 90% plus will work correct ly if you reset the clock to 2000 on Jan 1, 2000. 2. Many programs used a 2 digit year and if they keep track of time between dates or projects future amounts, they will go nuts from 99 to 00. I do not recall if Windows 3.1 (Used as OS in Colorgen) is Y2000 compatible or not. On a separate note, Many of the problems with old software will occur on Jan 1, 1999 not 2000 because many accounting systems open periods 24 months into the future. Hope this helps. John Van Hengel Strasser True Value Hardware Kansas City, Kansas 913-236-5858 ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 07 Aug 1998 17:03:10 -0400 From: Bill Round Subject: TruServ ERP data feed. Dear TruServ Folks using ERP's, There is some bad data on the erp data feed for the week ending 08/08/98. My Tuesday ERP (08/04) was fine. My Thursday ERP (08/06) had bad A-copy page totals. The actual line postings seemed to be fine. By the way, has anybody noticed strange posting when paint color center strips are ordered? The skus seem to post strangely over a period of time. A few today, some tomorrow, the main bunch the following day, some the following week. What a mess. Regards, Bill Round Round's True Value Hardware 290 Main Street Stoneham, MA 02180-3506 Phone: 781-438-0116 FAX: 781-279-9123 E-Mail: billr@roundshardware.com ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 07 Aug 1998 17:32:58 -0400 From: Bill Round Subject: Planograms and paperwork Dear folks, First, could someone fax a copy of the 12' northeastern US Frostking (Thermwell) weather strip assortment for TruServ? My fax: 1-781-279-9123. I heard a sorry story the other day about a dealer who bought a merchandise assortment at the market which is still sitting around for lack of pricing, set-up, etc. Are sad stories appealing because they are so much like our own.... I went to the market swearing that I was going to buy nothing. Violating my own long-standing policy of not buying merchandise assortments-- as well as actually making purchases when I'd intended not to-- I bought several displays when I was reminded how barren my assortments had become because of sku changes, our own deletions, etc. My displays looked nothing like the displays at the show, so I thought I would be able to refresh the store a bit by putting in some new displays. If TruServ needs to standardize anything, Market assortment purchasing, reporting and billing needs to be addressed. Here are the standard problems. Maybe you could add a few. 1. The obvious: The dogs are on there. 2. Looks great. The display setter had never been in a retail store. 3. Who has 49-1/2" gondolas? 4. Invoice says "1 display assortment #2233224 @ 700.00" What was in the display? What is the cost for each? How to post them in the computers back in the stores? If automation ever catches on, there should be a "Master assortment sku" for the grouping, and each item would be reported out with its respective cost. This whole thing would flow through a electronic receipt posting. 5. Too much over stock. 6. No information at the booth as to pricing, setting, or handling the merchandise. 7. There has been some progress at Cotter and then TruServ in standardizing the forms so that all the necessary info is present to make a decision. Too much paper at the markets, still, and too much emphasis on buying. Why not a vendor take an order on the market floor for a product placement purchase order ("PPPO") . The aim would be to get the sku FACINGS to the store along with the regular weekly orders so a display could be set. This would integrate with the store's regular warehouse receiving operations. If lots of stuff was needed, then a regular DS order could be placed. I Gotta go. Regards, Bill Round Round's True Value Hardware 290 Main Street Stoneham, MA 02180-3506 Phone: 781-438-0116 FAX: 781-279-9123 E-Mail: billr@roundshardware.com ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27862 ********************************** From: hardlines-request@cornells.com Sent: Friday, August 07, 1998 12:02 AM To: Hardlines Subject: hardlines Digest - V01 #27861 hardlines Digest Fri, 07 Aug 1998 00:02:01 -0400 V01 #27861 Today's topics: 'NHD' 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27860' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 05 Aug 1998 21:31:11 -0400 From: Bill Round Subject: NHD Dear Folks, Would somebody please post what has happened to NHD? Who is the parent company in Michigan? Something like AOS? Why did they buy that thing to begin with? Why is Aubucheon in NE/NY doing fine while NHD goes down the drain? Is Aubucheon doing well? Is there an NHD site in an affluent community available for sale? I would prefer a recreational area with water sports, panoramic views, forests, open-air classical music performances, and good places to eat and drink. It should be free from vacationing presidential types and their hangers-on. Damn! Massachusetts has been crawling with these creepy characters! They're taking over an island off the coast! Help! My wife has gone off for a two-week residency at grad school. One wag suggested this was the beginning of the end of my marriage. I think the kids will starve to death. Sincerely, Bill Round Round's True Value 290 Main Street Stoneham, MA 02180 Email: billr@roundshardware.com ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 6 Aug 1998 22:47:30 EDT From: Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27860 Hi Gang, got a telephone sales pitch from the Match Rite people today. They said my Colorgen machine was not year 2000 compliant. They were going to do me a big favor and give me $500 credit on my old machine to purchase a new $7,000 Match Rite system. Can anyone out there tell me why my color computer needs to be year 2000 compliant? I can't think of any. Stay Cool Randy Whetstone Nelsons True Value ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27861 ********************************** From: hardlines-request@cornells.com Sent: Thursday, August 06, 1998 12:01 AM To: Hardlines Subject: hardlines Digest - V01 #27860 hardlines Digest Thu, 06 Aug 1998 00:00:57 -0400 V01 #27860 Today's topics: 'aol' 'Re: aol' 'Greenfield Industries Compact Disk' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 5 Aug 1998 07:12:56 EDT From: Subject: aol I'm on AOL and I haven't seen any hardlines come through for two days. I have gotten mail from Rick S directly during the same time period. I think somethings wrong again. TS isn't the only big corporation that screws up regularly. Paul D ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 05 Aug 1998 07:53:29 -0400 From: "John Fix 3rd" Subject: Re: aol At 07:12 AM 8/5/98 -0400, Paul wrote: >I'm on AOL and I haven't seen any hardlines come through for two days. I have >gotten mail from Rick S directly during the same time period. I think >somethings wrong again. TS isn't the only big corporation that screws up >regularly. >Paul D > It's been quiet Paul. Maybe it's vacation time for everyone? John ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 05 Aug 1998 21:18:39 -0400 From: Bill Round Subject: Greenfield Industries Compact Disk Dear TruServ Members, Plus EXCEL experts. I received my Greenfield industries CD today. Very nice job. There are lots of files to download for updating local store systems. They put dashes in the Sku numbers. Could someone post the EXCEL macro which would strip those dashes out so I can easily put them up via a Triad-readable pc package. As it stands, I must put these files into a word processor to do this. Regards, Bill Round 290 Main Street Stoneham, MA Email: billr@roundshardware.com ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27860 ********************************** From: hardlines-request@cornells.com Sent: Monday, August 03, 1998 12:05 AM To: Hardlines Subject: hardlines Digest - V01 #27859 hardlines Digest Mon, 03 Aug 1998 00:04:45 -0400 V01 #27859 Today's topics: 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27858' 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27858' 'Mike Jones' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 2 Aug 1998 02:05:51 EDT From: Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27858 OK,,, here is a request for help!!! when you are using your pc.... and Triad,,, I forgot how to change the mapping of your keyboard so as to change the * to "add" so I can use my numeric key pad for my order,,,, it just stopped working,,, i can use the numbers and the Num Lock for clear but the * key stopped working for my add button Thanks Frank True Value Hardware,,, Oregon ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 2 Aug 1998 22:28:22 EDT From: Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27858 Hey Bob, About 3 years ago you said you fix "rental" on the Tru Trac system. I'm still waiting. Randy Whetstone Nelsons True Value Claysburg, Pa. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 02 Aug 1998 20:46:56 -0600 From: James Burns Subject: Mike Jones In reply to Mike Jones question about credit with co-ops. Having worked for Do it Best and as a current member, I can tell you that if you pass muster and become a member you will have no credit limit (as long as you pay your bill on time). I have tested this myself by buying large amounts of lumber with no prior history of such purchases. Good luck in the future with this industry, and don't lose interest. This is a group of the best and most honest people that you will find anywhere, and we have fun. Everyone wants to work in a hardware store. James Burns doitcenter@3lefties.com ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27859 ********************************** From: hardlines-request@cornells.com Sent: Sunday, August 02, 1998 12:04 AM To: Hardlines Subject: hardlines Digest - V01 #27858 hardlines Digest Sun, 02 Aug 1998 00:03:33 -0400 V01 #27858 Today's topics: 'hardlines Digest - V01 #27857 -Reply' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 01 Aug 1998 09:50:01 -0600 From: BOB JOHNSON Subject: hardlines Digest - V01 #27857 -Reply I may have kept the WSJ article...Will fax it as soon as I find it ...BOB ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27858 ********************************** From: hardlines-request@cornells.com Sent: Saturday, August 01, 1998 12:02 AM To: Hardlines Subject: hardlines Digest - V01 #27857 hardlines Digest Sat, 01 Aug 1998 00:02:18 -0400 V01 #27857 Today's topics: 'WSJ article on Home Depot' 'Re: WSJ article on Home Depot' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 31 Jul 1998 17:39:17 -0400 (EDT) From: rhfil@nh.ultranet.com Subject: WSJ article on Home Depot Ron Barchfeld referred recently to a "Wall Street Journal" article, Monday July 27, on Home Depot's plans to go into the home improvement business. I have searched on the net for this article but have been unable to find it. If anyone has a downloadable site for it I would love to print it out and send it as a stuffer with my statements. Also have a few handouts in the store. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Richard Filion rhfil@nh.ultranet.com Filion Lumber 603-659-3361 Newmarket, N.H. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 31 Jul 1998 17:46:06 -0400 From: "John Fix 3rd" Subject: Re: WSJ article on Home Depot At 05:39 PM 7/31/98 -0400, Richard Filion wrote: > Ron Barchfeld referred recently to a "Wall Street Journal" article, >Monday July 27, on Home Depot's plans to go into the home improvement >business. I have searched on the net for this article but have been unable >to find it. Richard, There's a summary on the Home Center News site, under top stories. It's the last story posted, so it might disappear in a day or two. www.homecenternews.com John john3@cornells.com Cornell's True Value Hardware - www.cornells.com ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27857 **********************************