Add Items to the ItemMaster <Top>
Follow the steps below to Add Items into the ItemMaster.
Determine Your Naming Convention
In preparation for adding New Items to the ItemMaster, it is important to consider your Item Naming Convention. If you have an existing convention, consider how it will work in BusinessMaster for grouping similar types of Items together. Do some initial planning and if necessary develop or refine your convention so that like Items will be grouped together when pulling from Drop Down Menus in BusinessMaster. If you already have Items in BusinessMaster, go to the Purchase Order Manager, or Projects/Materials screen and use the Drop Down Menu there to see how your Items are grouping. The possibilities for different types of conventions for different types of industries are too varied to recommend any one convention in our manual, but contact us if you would like some examples from other client databases, or would like to discuss it with us. Some general advice is to not use symbols like periods, commas, quotations. asteriks, and pound (#) in your Internal Nums. These can be hard to view and can cause problems in searching, sorting and filtering data in BusinessMaster. (Hyphens tend to be OK). It is important to have a good convention because you do not want to edit Internal Numbers after you make transactions against them.
Open the ItemMaster
Click on the Add Item link in the ItemMaster Main Menu. (You can also click the Add New button in the ItemMaster column on the front Switchboard). You are asked right away to "please press the Add/Plus button". This prepares the ItemMaster to receive a new Item record entry.
Enter New Item Information
Once you have pressed the add/plus button, the mouse cursor is placed in the Internal Num field. Enter the new item number/ID according to your naming convention. If you don't have a naming convention, then remember that your items will sort in the drop down menu based first on numeric items in order, then alphabetically. So you want to name your items so they group together and if you want a certain category of items to be near the top, then lower numbers and letters are going to make it appear closer to the top of your selection menus. Once you have entered the new Internal Number, press the {Tab} key on your keyboard. This will walk you one field at a time through the entire form. If you want to go backwards to the previous field, press the {Shift} key plus the {Tab} key on your keyboard. If you want to check a checkbox from the keyboard, press the {Space} key. If you need to know what a particular field or button is for, please refer to the ItemMaster Overview. When you come to a field that has a drop down combo box field, such as the Product Code field, you can press the {Alt} key plus the {Arrow Down} key on your keyboard, and it will take you into the combo box. Release the {Alt} key and you can continue to arrow down the list to make your selection.
Note: A key thing to remember about entering a new item into the ItemMaster is that all the fields with Red Borders are Required fields. The fields with Yellow Borders are suggested, but not required.
When you are done entering a new item, just click the Close button. Your changes are automatically saved. If you want to add additional items, click the add/plus button again and repeat the process.
Edit Items in the ItemMaster <Top>
Follow the steps below to Edit Items in the ItemMaster.
Open the ItemMaster
Click on the Edit Items link in the ItemMaster Main Menu. (You can also click the Edit button in the ItemMaster column on the front Switchboard).
Find the Item to be Edited
Once the ItemMaster is opened, you will see the mouse cursor waiting in the "Description" field at the top of the ItemMaster. From there, if you know what item your are looking for, you can use the drop down menu to look for the item in the Description field. This is not typically the easiest way to find items, but it is available. A more accurate way to find an item you wish to edit, is to use the Find Tool. Open the Find tool by either pressing the Find button on the ItemMaster form, or pressing the {Ctrl+F} keys on your keyboard. Type in the beginning letters and/or numbers of the item, followed by an asterik {*}. This will bring up all records matching that criteria. Close the Find Tool once the search is complete and use the Record Selector to locate the exact item you are looking for.
Edit the Item
When you have found the Item you want to edit, click in the the field you wish to edit. You can also press the {Tab} key on your keyboard. This will walk you one field at a time through the entire form. Any changes you make to the item are saved automatically. Please refer to the section about How to Add an Item for more instructions on navigating the ItemMaster.
Note: The Internal Num for Items is a unique identifier used throughout the system, therefore it is a locked field. If you must edit an Internal Part Number, use the Edit Internal Part Num button on the bottom right hand corner of the ItemMaster. Once an Item has been transacted with, you do not want to edit the Internal Num. In that case it is better to create a new Item and make the previous one Inactive. To do so, simply uncheck the Active box at the top of the ItemMaster for the item you no longer want to use.
Add and Edit Product Codes <Top>
Click the Product Code link from the ItemMaster Main Menu. This is where Product Codes are added and edited that are used for reference in the Product Data section in the ItemMaster.
Add a Product Code
Open the Product Code form from the ItemMaster Main Menu. To add a new Product Code, click on Add button (the button with the Plus sign on it). This takes you to a new record entry on the form. Enter the desired Product Code and Description. Enter the Code number, then press the tab key on your keyboard to place your mouse cursor in the next field and enter the decription of the new term. Press the tab key again to go to the rest of the fields. If you want to associate a default GLAccount, enter it here. Close the form when finished. Your changes are automatically saved.
Examples: 01 = Test 02 = Case Parts 03 = Lumber 04 = Moldings 05 = Hardware
Edit a Product Code
Click the Product Code link from the ItemMaster Main Menu. To edit a Product Code, scroll through the records from the Record Selector to the desired entry. Highlight the text inside the field you wish to edit and type in your changes. Close the form when you are done. Your changes are automatically saved.
Add and Edit Inventory UOM Codes <Top>
InventoryUOM's define the Items according to their basic Units of Measure. Click the InventoryUOM link from the ItemMaster Main Menu. This is where InventoryUOM's are added and edited for reference in the Product Data section in the ItemMaster.
Add an Inventory UOM
Open the Inventory UOM form from the ItemMaster menu. To add a new Inventory UOM, click on the Add button. This takes you to a new record entry on the form. Enter the desired InventoryUOM and Description. Enter the UOM, then press the tab key on your keyboard to place your mouse cursor in the next field and enter the decription of the new term. When you are done adding terms, click the Close button.
Examples: Ea = Each, Ft = Foot, Gal = Gallon.
Edit an Inventory UOM
Click the InventoryUOM link from the ItemMaster Main Menu. To edit an Inventory UOM, scroll through the records from the Record Selector to the desired entry, highlight the text in the field that you wish to edit. Type in your changes. You can keep pressing the tab field if you have edits to make in diferent records. It will keep going through each field and record until you reach the last record. When done making your changes, click the Close button. Your changes will be automatically saved.
Add and Edit Inventory Codes <Top>
Inventory Codes define Items from the InventoryCode Table. Click the InventoryCode link from the ItemMaster Main Menu. This is where the Inventory Codes are added and edited that are used for reference in the Product Data section in the ItemMaster. Use the codes to categorize various inventory references or other subdivisions of your own creation. Inventory Codes are used for organizing Parts for Inventory reports. Additionally, each Inventory Code must have a default Inventory Location. This is for debiting inventory using the Production Scheduling in the Projects Manager, when automatic materials debiting is being used.
Add an Inventory Code
Click the Inventory Code link from the ItemMaster Main Menu. To add a new Inventory Code, click on the Add button. This takes you to a new record entry. Enter the desired Inventory Code and Description. Enter the Code, then press the tab key on your keyboard to place your mouse cursor in the next field and enter the decription of the new Code. Press the Tab key again and select the Default Inventory Location for the new Code. When you are done adding terms, click the Close button.
For example: 05DOHNG = Door Hinge, 05DOHND = Door Handle
Edit an Inventory Code
Click the InventoryCode link from the ItemMaster Main Menu. To edit an Inventory Code, scroll through the records from the Record Selector to the desired entry, highlight the text in the field that you wish to edit. Type in your changes. When done making your changes, click the Close button. Your changes will be automatically saved.
Concepts
Another possible concept for assigning Inventory Codes is to associate them with Product Codes. For example, you could assign a Product Code to be "02" for "Doors". Then you could make Inventory Codes of "02.1", "02.2", "02.3" for specific categories of Doors. See the example of the Inventory Manager below that represents this concept.
Add and Edit a Bill of Materials <Top>
Bring up the ItemMaster from the Edit Item link in the ItemMaster Main Menu. Click the Add button and create a new Item that will be the Finished Good you want to have a BOM. (This Item should have a Part Type "A" for Assembly.) If you just wish to edit an existing item to have a BOM then select the item you want to edit.
Click the BOM Tab, which is the second tab from the left on the ItemMaster Screen.
Start with the first line item and select the component item. Tab to the next field and add the quantity of the first item. Tab through the rest of the fields and either accept the default cost and UOM as it appears, or make the necessary changes. Tab to the notes field and enter any notes if appropriate.
Press tab again and it takes you to the next line item for entering the next component part, where you can repeat the above steps to adding the item.
When finished adding components, you can use the close button and exit the form, or click the add button and add another Item and BOM. In the case of adding another item, you could use the Copy Record button and then change the ID and copy and paste the BOM from the previous item to the new item.
Copy and Paste BOM
If you want to copy the component list, or any records of the component list to another BOM, then first select the records by clicking on the arrow at the far left of the line item. If selecting multiple items, click and drag with your left mouse button and then copy the records by right clicking and selecting "copy" from the menu that pops up.
The next step is to go to the finished good you wish to copy the BOM to. Go to the BOM screen and select the first line item by clicking on the arrow to the far left. Then right click and select "paste" from the menu that pops up. Then make any necessary changes.
Add and Edit a StockBill <Top>
Bring up the ItemMaster from the Edit Item link in the ItemMaster Main Menu.
Click the add button and create a new Item that will be the Finished Good you want to have a StockBill. (This Item should have a Part Type "A" for Assembly.) If you just wish to edit an existing item to have a StockBill then select the item you want to edit.
To bring up the StockBill screen, click the StockBill Tab, which is the third tab from the left on the ItemMaster screen.
If the Item you are adding the StockBill to already has a BOM, then just click the ImportBOM button and it will import it. Then just add the dimensions. If there is no BOM, then proceed to the next step.
Start with the first line item and and add the quantity of the component item that you need. Tab to the next field and select the first item. Tab through the rest of the fields and add the dimensions. Tab to the notes field and enter any notes/instructions, if appropriate. You can also click in the File field and associate an image with the component if that would help you. Click the Insert Object link after you've clicked the File field, and browse for the file.
Press tab again and it takes you to the next line item for entering the next component part, where you can repeat the above steps to adding the item.
A potentially helpful technique when creating StockBills, is to create items that are actually labor processes. For example, create an Item and call it LaborProc1, then add that as a line item as part of the recipe to the StockBill and have labor instructions for the notes of that item.
When finished adding components, you can use the close button and exit the form, or click the add button and add another Item and StockBill. In the case of adding another item, you could use the Copy Record button and then change the ID and copy and paste the StockBill from the previous item to the new item.
Copy and Paste StockBill
If you want to copy the component list, or any records of the component list to another StockBill, then first select the records by clicking on the arrow at the far left of the line item. If selecting multiple items, click and drag with your left mouse button and then copy the records by right clicking and selecting "copy" from the menu that pops up.
The next step is to go to the finished good you wish to copy the StockBill to. Go to the StockBill screen and select the first line item by clicking on the arrow to the far left. Then right click and select "paste" from the menu that pops up. Then make any necessary changes to the new StockBill.
Add and Edit Files for Items <Top>
Open the ItemMaster and bring up the Item you wish to add a File Association to, or edit it's existing File Association.
Click on the Files tab.
Enter a simple Description in the Description field.
Click with your mouse cursor in the white area.
Click the Insert Object button from the main menu:
In the Insert Object dialog box, specify a path to the file. If the path is unknown, then click the Browse button.
Any file on your network can be linked to. Most files will display as icons when attached, but Microsoft Word and Excel and bitmap files by default will display where you can view the contents, unless you check off the Display as Icon box.
Select the Display As Icon check box if you want these types of objects to appear as an icon instead of as the object itself. Displaying these types of objects as an icon can be helpful when an object contains supplementary information that doesn't have to be displayed. Displaying an object as an icon also uses less disk space.
If the application being copied from supports OLE drag-and-drop editing, the file can be dragged directly from Windows Explorer or the desktop instead of using the Object command.
The size and proportions of the object can be adjusted after being pasted.
BusinessMaster running on Access 2000, and 2002 should show jpegs and gifs as images, but it has been reported in some cases that it will not work with Access 2002. If that is your experience, and you need to show the image instead of it displaying as in icon, then convert the image to a bitmap first.
In Access 2003, the only image format that will show as an image is bitmap (.bmp).
