BizNET requires multiple licenses and is a modification package to channels. BizNET is a derivative of WorkNET.  It is activated for a specific channel automatically, when all of the following conditions are met and the proper licenses applied:

1. The Inventory module must be licensed.

2. The Inventory feature must be enabled in the channel.

3. The order screen feature must be enabled in the channel.

4. The Customer module must be licensed.

5. Customer must be defined in the channel.

(It is also preferred that the  bill-to and ship-to addresses fields are defined and used, respectively, although this is not strictly necessary. Note also that the order screen should NEVER be combined with or used in Key Order or Key Request channels).

When the above five conditions are met, the context of the channel is set to "BizNET" mode.

In a BizNET channel, a special "order screen" exists and is used as the preferred screen for channel record operations. This means that when you click on "Create" to create a new record, or when you click on an order number from a workspace or search results screen, you are taken to the new "order screen" instead of the normal channel record screen. In addition, links exist to allow the operator to switch between the order screen ("View Order") and the normal channel screen ("View Details").

The order screen allows for the easy entry and specification of customers, customer bill and ship locations, and ordered items, and work proceeds in the following manner:

1. First, the CREATE link is clicked, and the user is taken to a short screen allowing them to select the customer and create the order.

2. The operator (should) select a customer, and then click the CREATE button to create the order. (Whether a customer is selected or not, the order is created at this point. If the operator fails to select a customer, they can do it on the next screen; however, we should train everyone to do it at this point to save them time.)

3. The operator is now taken into the order. Bill to: and Ship to: addresses are selected from the customer location database, and the UPDATE button is clicked to lock the addresses in.

4. The operator now sees the customer, and the Bill to: and Ship to:

5. addresses are fully displayed, and the operator can now begin adding items to the order.

At this point, the item addition process begins. For each item to be added, the operator performs an ITEM SEARCH by inputting some or all of the part number or description and clicking the SEARCH button. The computer then displays a listing of matching items. Each item is displayed in the following format:

• Item Number - Item Name - [Quantity on Hand] - (Price)

The quantity on hand is displayed in [square brackets] and the price is displayed in (parentheses). Note that, for non-inventory items, the quantity is irrelevant and therefore is not displayed.

At this point, the operator can perform another search, or can select an item from the search results. The operator chooses the desired item with a single click on the item, then clicks on (or TABs to) the quantity field and inputs the quantity, then either clicks on ADD or just presses ENTER. The item, at the specified quantity, is added to the order.

The operator can then repeat this process to add additional items to the order.

NOTE: Any given item number can only appear once on an order. This is done to prevent errors and inventory control problems. If the customer desires to add, for example, multiple lines of labor, they should create a different non-inventory item for each type of labor, so that each type is added only once. In the last need, have the customer create four or five "MISC" items, like "MISC1" through "MISC5" for generic catchall items (although this should be discouraged.)

 

NOTE: We tie directly in to the inventory reservation database, so an item's quantity can not be changed in the item line. To change an item's quantity, the item must be deleted from the order and re-added.

When an item is added to an order, it's price is preset from the retail price listed in the inventory database. It's taxable status is set to

"YES" for inventory items and "NO" for non-inventory items. When an

item is added to an order, its quantity is placed on "Reserved Hold" in the inventory database.

NOTE: It is not possible to add a quantity of "zero" items to an order.

 

NOTE: It is not possible to add more of an item than is "in stock" in the system database.

 

NOTE: We DO NOT have a "back-order" capability in this system at this time.  If it is necessary for someone to "back-order" an item, they should add a NON-INVENTORY descriptive item to the order, with the appropriate quantity and price, and the details of the item to be back-ordered in the description. The order should then be sent for special processing... see below for commentary.

Once one or more items have been added to the order, the operator can take various actions on the item. The item's taxable status can be changed, the item's price can be changed, and comments and/or a description can be added to the item. Whenever a line item is modified, the user must press ENTER (or click UPDATE) on the line to save the change.

As the order is built, running totals are displayed along the page bottom.

At any time during the life of an order, the order may be printed using the PRINT link on the top of the order page. Try it out, it looks really hot, IMHO.

NOTE: The PRINT link from the ORDER view must be used to print the order.

If the operator uses the PRINT link from the DETAILS (normal channel display) view, they will get the normal channel-based printout, and NOT the order printout.

Once an order is entered and is satisfactory to everyone, it may be printed at will, and/or processed by the system.

> A BizNET form entry may start out as an estimate, changed to a work

> order, and finally changed to an invoice (possibly being entered into

> AccountNET or assigned to a cost center).

If orders are to be processed manually, very little else needs to be done in the system. The order should be printed, and processed by the human.

However, because of the power of our channel system, larger operations can benefit from the use of our channels to process orders. This kind of order processing consists of sending the order along the channel pathway just as any channel request would be sent. At each stop, the order would be displayed, and the user could then access the "details" (normal) view to work on the order.

Status/Stop settings in a channel might consist of such items as:

* Initial Order (Quote)

* Ready to Process

* Backorder Handling

* Ready to Invoice

* Pending Payment

* Archived (Completed)

The order would start as an Initial Order or Quote (it's the same at this stage), at which point nothing would happen. Orders at this stop should be reviewed periodically to make sure they are handled.

NOTE: SINCE QUOTES RESERVE INVENTORY, rejected quotes should have their INVENTORY ITEMS RELEASED before being deleted. Just deleting an order WILL NOT RELEASE RESERVED INVENTORY. Thus, members of this initial stop should be people who try to "close" orders and who are responsible for "clearing" unclosed orders.

 

NOTE: If inventory quantity tie-in and management features are not desired, simply create all database items as non-inventory items. The system will work properly in that mode. In such a case, items need not be released.

Once the order is approved, it moves to "Ready to Process". Members of this stop would be responsible for pulling and shipping items. They might use the Inventory mode of channels to "Issue" the items to the order, thus showing that they are shipped. If there were backordered items, they would then send the order to backorder handling; otherwise, they would send the order to "Ready to Invoice".

At the "backorder handling" stop, stop members would have purchasing place the necessary vendor orders to get the inventory shipped in. They might "split" the order, deleting the backordered items so the partial order can be invoiced. Once items are received, the backordered lines are deleted, and regular line items are added to the order. The order is then sent back to "ready to process" where the backordered items can be pulled and shipped.

At the "ready to invoice" stop, the order can be printed and data transferred to the accounting system. Our printed order can be sufficiently used as an invoice if desired.

The "pending payment" stop might be used by Accounts Receivable.

Tax Rate settings

The default tax rate can now be set per zone. Like the time zone offset, this can only be done by Spectrum Group.  There is no user interface, it's part of the license control system.  In the absence of a setting, the zone defaults to 8.25%.