Introduction

Help Manual Downloads | Changes & Additions | Master Solutions Homepage | Support Homepage

Welcome to the on-line support system for BusinessMaster. The menu in the left column goes through the BusinessMaster suite of applications in the basic order that they are presented from the menu within BusinessMaster. We suggest as a means of getting acquainted with BusinessMaster, that you go through this help manual starting from the beginning while referencing the program itself. This help manual is under a constant state of improvement and updating, so check back often.

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[Last Online Help Manual Update: 11/24/2004]

Help Manual Compiled Downloads
If desired, select from the links below to download the Help Manual to your computer in the format of your choice:

CHM (HTML Help) Format
This format is the default online help format for Windows 98, ME, 2000 and XP. Once the download is complete, double click on the file: "BusinessMasterHelpManual-CHM.exe" from your selected download location. The manual will self-extract to the "c:\mastersolutions\helpmanual-chm" directory on your computer, and automatically open up in your CHM viewer.

Click Here to Download the CHM Version (file size: 40.70MB) [last chm compilation 11/24/2004]

PDF Format
PDF is a popular format for documents that need to printed. You will need a PDF viewer to view the manual in this format. If you find that you need one, then download the Adobe Acrobat Reader (it's free). Once the download is complete, double-click on the file "BusinessMasterHelpManual-PDF.exe" from your selected download location. The manual will self-extract to the "c:\mastersolutions\helpmanual-pdf" directory on your computer, and automatically open up in your PDF viewer.

Click Here to Download the PDF Version (file size: 7.44MB) [last pdf compilation 11/24/2004]

HTML Format
This is the same as the Online format you are viewing here but packaged up so you can download it to your computer. It also has the graphic images at 100% quality. The image quality in the online version is at 90%. Once the download is complete, double-click on the file "BusinessMasterHelpManual-HTML.exe" from your selected download location. The manual will self-extract to the "c:\mastersolutions\help" directory on your computer, and automatically open up in your default Internet Browser.

Click Here to Download the HTML Version (file size: 49.00MB) [last html compilation 11/24/2004]

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Changes & Additions
Review the notes below to see if there are any changes or additions to the Program and/or the Manual that may be of interest to you. We do our best to document all changes and additions here. (The changes/additions for the month go from newest at the top of the list to the oldest, descending.)

November 2004
-BusinessMaster Version Update: BusinessMaster 5.82 (Compiled on 11/22/2004)

Updates in version 5.82:

1. Preferences: Lock Firm Work Order Option added.

2. Preferences: Update Local ItemMaster Option added.

3. Reports: Changes to Master Scheduler Reports.

4. Reports: Added critieria to SO Shipping Reports.

5. Inventory: Projected supply for PO Items on Drop Down Menu.

6. Inventory: Sales Order Demand for Items on Drop Down Menu.

-Purchasing: Updated documentation on Prices Button.
-Preferences: Updated documentation for the ProductionStageDept Feature.
-Directory: Changed the directory location of Job Costing, Custom Reports, Serial Transactions, Reminders, Report Manager and HelpMaster in the Help Manual.
-Purchasing: Tax Rate Manager information improved.
-BusinessMaster Version Update: BusinessMaster 5.80e (Compiled on 11/2/2004)

October 2004
-Projects: Projects Zero Cost Report
-Billing: If there is no ID number, then there is a problem with the Sales Order Billing table that needs Technical Support.
-Program Configuration: Updated the manual documentation for Configuring and Updating BusinessMaster.
-Purchasing: Minor improvements to the Purchasing Overview and HowTo documentation in the manual.
-Purchasing: Improved the manual documentation about Referencing Jobs on PO's.
-Purchasing: Improved the manual documentation about Using Alternate UOM Qty on PO's, and added the Report to the Report Page.
-Projects: Added some information to the Production Labor Worksheet help documentation.
-BusinessMaster Version Update: BusinessMaster 5.78 (Compiled on 10/4/2004)

Updates in version 5.78:

1. Update Local Data - You must now select whether or not to Update Item Inventory values for the Selection Menus on Purchase Orders and Projects.

2. Security - Changes to interface, (and improved security functionality on subforms).

3. Projects - The Specs now have dropdown menu's listing the historical entries for selection. (Also updated the Sales/Prod screenshot).

4. ItemMaster: Added SearchBy Part#, and changed Location of SearchBy Description. (Also updated screenshots).

5. ItemMaster: Added MultiLevel BOM Report.

6. Custom Reports: Custom Reports can now be opened from the Report Manager.

7. Purchasing: Added Vendor Filter to the Purchase Receiving History Report and the Purchase Receiving History Costed Report. They listed the Vendor before, but now you can filter by a specific Vendor. Also updated some manual information for other PO reports.

8. Sales Orders: Added the Open Sales Order By Customer By PO Sales Order Report.

September 2004
-Labor: Improved the overview documentation for the Job Rec Filter Button.
-Utilities: Added a note to the manual for the Compact/Repair/Backup Utility for newer versions.
-Purchasing: Added a brief HowTo to the Help Manual for Emailing a PO (as an Attachment).
-BusinessMaster Version Update: BusinessMaster 5.63 (Compiled on 09/14/2004)

Updates in version 5.63:

1. Billings: Double-click the InvoiceNum field on the Projects Billing screen and jump to the Invoice.

2. Inventory: Improved Current Inventory Below Safety Stock report to include Priority Vendor breakdown.

3. Inventory: New Parts By Primary Vendor report to assist in obtaining pricing from Vendors for stock items.

4. Projects: The Projects Purchased screen color codes have been fixed.

5. ItemMaster: The Internal Nums are now visible in the Datasheet View.

6. Utilities: Updating Local Data no longer pauses for a second between the tables.

-Reminders: Corrected some misinformation for the Reminders Tool.
-Utilities: Added documentation to the manual for the Update Local Data utility, and updated the Options overview.
-Tools and Tips - Added a Navigation Tips page to the Tools and Tips section of the manual.
-Inventory - Improved documentation in the manual for MRP Reports. (this documentation is under construction)
-Accounting: Improved documentation in the manual for Progressive Billing. (this documentation is under construction)
-Inventory: Added how to documentation for using the Filter by Form tool for conducting Physical Inv Adjustments.
-BusinessMaster Version Update: BusinessMaster 5.61 (compiled 09/08/2004)
-Inventory Reports: Added information to the manual for the Current Inventory Avg Cost, Current Inventory Current Cost, Current Inventory Std Cost and the Inventory History Costed Reports. (see the Note for each report).
-Inventory Reports: Added documentation to the manual for the COGS-SalesOrderShipping Parts Report.
-BusinessMaster Version Update: BusinessMaster 5.59 (compiled 09/02/2004)

August 2004
-BusinessMaster Version Update: BusinessMaster 5.57 (compiled 08/30/2004)
-Utilities: Improved the MRPDebitStage manual documentation.
-QuickBooks Link: Added to the troubleshooting page in the manual.
-Accounting: Improved the Voucher Overview and HowTo manual documentation.
-BusinessMaster Version Update: BusinessMaster 5.54 (compiled 08/20/2004)
-ItemMaster: Improved the Inventory Code manual documentation here and here.
-ItemMaster: Improved the EaUOM documentation.
-BusinessMaster Version Update: BusinessMaster 5.50 (compiled 08/09/2004)
-Projects: Improved the Billing and Booking HowTo documentation.
-Accounting: Improved the Need to Book and Need to Bill Overview's and HowTo's.
-Accounting: Improved the Invoice Overview and HowTo manual documentation.
-Accounting: Improved the Project Accounting Overview manual documentation.
-Inventory: Minor improvements to the Receiving Overview and Receiving HowTo and the Inventory Location Manager manual Documentation.
-QuickBooks: Added documentation for modifying the Invoice number when Adding a Manual Invoice in QB. (to prevent duplicate Invoice Numbers)

July 2004
-Projects: Imroved the manual documentation for the Purchase screen in the Projects Manager.
-QuickBooks Link: We have started a QuickBooks Link troubleshooting page in the manual.
-Installation: Made some changes to the Installation page.
-BusinessMaster Version Update: BusinessMaster 5.47 (compiled 07/21/2004)
-Projects: Updated documentation for the Production Transfer to Finished Goods feature.
-Preferences: Updated documentation for Production Options.

June 2004
-BusinessMaster Version Update: BusinessMaster 5.37 (compiled 06/25/2004)
-BusinessMaster Version Update: BusinessMaster 5.34 (compiled 06/18/2004)
-Accounting: Updated documentation for adding and editing GL Accounts to BusinessMaster and the QuickBooks Link.
-Sales Orders: Updated Order Type documentation for Sales Orders.
-Labor: The documentation for the Replace Employee Rate feature has been corrected for the Burden Labor Rate Manager.
-ItemMaster: Updated ItemMaster HowTo's.
-Purchasing: Updated Purchasing HowTo's.
-Projects: Documented the new Projects Zero Cost Report.
-Inventory: There's a new HowTo for conducting MRP for multi-level BOM scenarios.
-Labor: There's a new HowTo for conducting Labor Capacity Planning. (Some of the related sections were updated as well; Labor-Depts Manager, LaborPlanning Report, ItemMaster Labor, Supply Manager...)
-BusinessMaster Version Update: BusinessMaster 5.31 (compiled 06/11/2004)
-Serial: Finished Goods from Work Orders can now be loaded with auto-assigned Serial Numbers. Also, documented a process to add serial numbers to Items via Serial Inventory Transfers.
-Job Costing: Sales Orders are now included on Job Costing Reports.
-Projects: The label for the History (notes) tabbed screen has been changed to "Actions" to avoid confusion with the Materials History tabbed screen which is also labeled "History". Updated manual accordingly.
-Projects: Updated the Overview and HowTo on Transferring Line Items to Finished Goods with the Projects Manager.
-BusinessMaster Version Update: BusinessMaster 5.29 (compiled 06/04/2004)
-Updating: Documented changes to the process of Updating BusinessMaster.
-Sales Orders: As of version 5.26, the Make Invoice feature will now ship negative inventory.
-Time Collection: Updated the HowTo in order to document new features that allow you to enter Histories on jobphases and/or enter Material Actuals for jobphases when you enter a Time Punch.

May 2004
-BusinessMaster Version Update: BusinessMaster 5.26 (compiled 05/28/2004)
-ItemMaster: Added some information to the Product Data section.
-Projects: Line Item Exporting. You are asked to verify now whether or not you want costing data to be exported.
-Projects: Order Types are now a fixed field. You have to go into the Order Type Manager to Add/Edit them, then they can be selected for Jobs/Sales Orders.
-Time Collection: Updated the Overview to document new features that allow you to enter Histories on job/phases and/or enter Material Actuals for job/phases when you enter a Time Punch.
-ItemMaster: Updated the information and screenshot for the Inventory Code Manager.
-Projects: Improved Documentation for the Materials screen.
-ItemMaster: Improved documentation on the ItemMaster MRP screen and updated the screenshot to reflect changes.
-Reminders: Added more documentation for this feature.
-Projects: Improved the documentation for the Transfer to Finished Goods feature.
-Security: Security - Time Punches Only
-PO's and SO's: Add a New Item Not in the List.
-HelpMaster: Added more documentation for it.
-Custom Report Module: Added more documentation for it.
-ItemMaster - Updated the Costing Data with some more description for the Data Processing Tools.
-Receiving - improved the overview for Receiving and Serial Receiving, and some more How To on Serial Receiving.
-Labor Overview - Updated a few screenshots for different screens of the Labor Module, and updated information on the Burden Rate Manager.
-BusinessMaster Version Update: BusinessMaster 5.15 (compiled 05/03/2004)

April 2004:
-BusinessMaster Version Update: BusinessMaster 5.11 (compiled 04/20/2004)
-New ItemMaster Reports: Print Part/BOM | Print Part/Labor
-New Inventory Reports: COGS-Projects, COGS-SalesOrderShipping, Current Inventory Below Safety Stock, WIP Inventory-Costed.
-New Sales/Accounting Report: Accounts Receivable by Sales Order
-Labor Report: Employee Actions Follow Up (Not a new report but documentation had been overlooked).
-Sales Orders: Added some additional and some updated information to the Sales Order overview and Sales Order How To pages.
-Project Materials Reports: These Materials Reports aren't new, but documentation had been overlooked. One of the Materials Reports is new, it's the Project Materials Analysis Report.
-Screenshots: There have been a few interface changes to the Projects Manager in recent weeks. Check out a screenshot. There are also some new screenshots in the ItemMaster, and some of the Accounting Screens.
-Job Costing Report: Cost_ProfitSummaryByPhaseNum (Just the Cost/Profit summary report but starting by Phase rather than Job).