Notes and Tips to Users!!

WE SUGGEST YOU PRINT THESE PAGES !

The key to ease of use of this program is learning the proper use of the "Settings" menus. For each task such as entering new stamps, updating or searching for a record, there is a combination of settings which will make the entry or searching for data both easier and faster. The program, as supplied, comes with most of the settings turned off. As you become familiar with the program, you will want to turn more settings on to automate entries.

THE INVENTORY SCREEN

This screen has three parts. The top section allows you to set the display to Have, Want or Both items. More detailed settings can only be made from the 'Settings' menu on the tool bar. The top section also is where you can specify search criteria to find specific records already in the inventory.

The middle section of the screen is a scrolling display of the items in the inventory file. Only items meeting the criteria specified in the 'Settings' menu are displayed. Use the scroll bar or Search feature to find a record. The record highlighted is the one shown in detail in the display box which makes up the lower portion of the screen. The count column indicates the record's current position within the current inventory listing.

The display screen and display box are separated by a navigator tool bar. This tool bar is used specify what type of action you wish to take, i.e. add a new record, delete a record, edit an existing record or discard changes you started to make. It also includes bars to go to the top or bottom of the file. All other changes must be made in the display box section below. You can move through the data items by using the tab and arrow keys or by a mouse click.

DATA ENTRY

From the "Inventory" screen, click on the ‘+’ key on the tool bar to indicate you wish to enter a new item. Begin the add record process by filing in the Country and then tab through the various information items you want to enter. When you are completed with a record, click on the ‘+’ key again to enter another record or the check mark to post the record. The check key is also used to post changes to an existing record.

As you are entering data, you will note that for certain fields, the information will always be the same, i.e. Catalog, variety, want/have, grade etc. You can go into settings and specify that on each new entry you want the same data from the previous entry to show.

If any setting is not doing what you want, feel free to go back into the ‘Settings" menu and modify them.

If you wish to cancel the record you are on hit the 'x' bar. If you wish to eliminate any entry, highlight it in the display portion of the screen and click on the '-' bar."

ENTERING A NEW COLLECTION

Suppose we want to enter a collection of Brazilian mint stamps which is fairly complete. We don't have any cost information, but will be entering catalog prices.

We go to the settings menu and make the following settings

- For Cat#, check 'Use Default Cat#' and click on 'Previous Incremented'

- For Qty, check 'Use Default Qty' and click on 'Specific'. Put '1' in the box.

- For Status, check 'Use Deault Status' and click 'Specific' and 'Have'

- For Condition, check 'Use default Condition' and click on 'Specific' and '*'.

- For Grade, check 'Use Default Grade' and click on 'Previous Entry' If you don't want to record a grade, uncheck the 'Use' box.

- For Country, check 'Use Default Country and click 'Specific'. Then scroll through the countries and click 'Brazil'.

- For Variety click 'Use Default Variety' and click on 'Specific'. Then set the selection to 'Normal issue'.

- For Topic make sure the 'Use Default Topic' box is not checked if you wish to have the topic be blank.

- For Cost, make sure the 'Use default Cost Price' is unchecked.

- For Cat Price check the 'Use Default" box and click on 'Previous Entry'

- For Loc, if you want to use, click on "Use Default..' and 'Specific' and type in your description choice.

- For Notes, make sure the 'Use Default Notes' box is unchecked.

- For Order/Filter click on 'Country', 'All' and select 'Brazil' as the Display Choice.

- For Calc Value click on 'Qty*Catalog Value'

- For Catalog click on 'Use Default..' and 'Specific' , then specify i.e. ‘Scott’.

SEARCHING FOR AN EXISTING RECORD

Suppose you want to update your inventory records for recent purchases or value changes. The search feature on the inventory screen allows you to define what item you are looking for by country, by catalog number or by storage location. Note that the search will be limited to the inventory presently displayed which is based on the items defined in the ‘Settings’ menu. To speed up the search process, it would be best to first limit the inventory on screen to a specific such as one country or one topic or all want items.

CONTROLLING THE INVENTORY SCREEN COLUMN DISPLAY

Note that the columns on the inventory screen can be resized and reordered as follows:

To resize a column hold the mouse over the column divider to be resized and holding down the left mouse key drag the column divider where you wish and then release the key.

To relocate a column hold the mouse over the column and then, holding down the left mouse key, drag the column to the desired location and release the mouse key.

OTHER OPERATING HINTS

You can move through the display by using the Tab key rather than your mouse. When you come to an item, use the up and down arrows to change the selection and then hit return to record the change.

When entering sets of stamps, always write the set with the fewest number of digits possible. This will facilitate electronic matching of your data, especially for want items. Here are some examples:

123 to 125 is 123-5 not 123-125 and not 123-25

198 to 214 is 198-214 not 198-14

23a to 27a is 23a-7a not 23-7a

C26 to C31 is C26-31 not C26-C31

Note that when a set series constitutes say 231-4 and C35-7, the items should be treated as two sets.

TOPICAL COLLECTORS

When you collect by topic the 'Settings' should be modified to recognize the fact that topic and not country is the common factor. The following changes would work better for entering topical stamps: - Set 'Order/Filter' to 'Order Topic' - specify the topic to record all entries

-Uncheck 'Use Default Country" unless many stamps per country are to be recorded. In that case, check the Previous Entry button.