The BBC and Master Computer Public Domain Library
INVSTAT
Professional, Originally Released On Cassette Only
Game Type : Utility; Business Invoices And Data Handling
Author :
Standalone Release(s) : 1983: INVSTAT, Gemini, £9.95
Compilation Release(s) : None
Stated compatibility : Electron/BBC Dual Version
Actual compatibility : Electron, BBC B, B+ and Master 128
Supplier : GEMINI, 18A Littleham Road, Exmouth, DEVON EX8 2QG
Disc compatibility : CDFS E00, DFS E00
Instructions
A Summary Of This Program
Your Gemini INVSTAT software will take the drudgery out of compiling invoices and statements and provide you with professionally formatted documents from your own printer. Update your firm's image now!
With this program, you may produce invoices and statements with the minimum of fuss. Also included is a complete customer database system which means that you only have to enter your customer's names and details once as they are then stored and may be recalled for future use or reference.
VAT routines are also included and naturally all calculating and totals are performed automatically. You may also enter your own company details for storage, and these details are automatically used for your invoice header. Remember, you DON'T need pre-printed computer stationery as all formatting is done from within the program.
You may also specify your own 'footers' for your invoice or statement for example "Please pay in 30 days" or "Please remit by return - OVERDUE" etc. These footers may be changed at will or may be stored on the database within. Update your image now!!
1. Introduction
The Gemini Invoices and Statements package for the Electron microcomputer is designed for easy entry of invoice or statement information at the keyboard, with a subsequent printout of as many copies as you require. The printout includes a 'header', and is therefore for plain paper only (single sheets or continous stationery). Any discounts, VAT amounts and running totals are calculated and printed as necessary.
A data file may be used with the program for the storage of the user's company information, and also for storing customer address details - from the program you may update/delete this information as required. Data files may be stored on disk, or on tape.
2. Copyright
Gemini Marketing Limited sell this program on the express condition that it will not be resold, copied, for use by any third party or transferred by any means to another machine.
3. Printer Types And Paper Length
The system as written is for an Epson MX80FT 111 printer, but the few small differences between printer types may easily be catered for by changing line 10 of the program. The variables on this line are as follows:
(i) PL=66 - This is the page length to be used. Standard paper lengths are generally either 66 or 72 lines for continous feed stationary. Once this variable is correct, each invoice or statement will be automatically formatted to the correct size. However, please note that if you enter more lines on an invoice than may be held in the page length specified, the printing will continue as normal, except that the invoice will 'overflow' onto a second page. You will then have to realign the printer head to the top of the next sheet of paper before printing the next invoice.
(ii) DB$=CHR$(142) - The control character(s) to be used to engage double width print must be assigned to DB$. If you are unsure what this should be, or your printer does not provide this facility, use DB$="", which will use ordinary sized print.
(iii) P%=35 - The character code for a £ sign, as specified in your printer manual.
(iv) U$="=" - The underline character. You may prefer to change this to say an asterisk.
Note that your printer must be set for automatic carriage return at the end of a line, which may necessitate setting the appropriate DTP switches in the printer. Alternatively, typing *FX 6,0 and pressing the RETURN key before running the program will give the correct line feeds on certain printers, e.g. Epson, CP80 etc.
4. Operating Procedure
Ensure that all leads are properly connected and switch on the printer then the microcomputer. Type LOAD "INVSTAT" and press RETURN. The program should load in a couple of minutes. If you need to change the printer control characters, type LIST 10 to see the line to be altered. It is easier to type in the complete new line (without forgetting to enter a value for any of the variables) e.g.:
10 PL=72:DB$=CHR$(10)+CHR$(142):P%=35:U$="-"
Now type RUN, and our copyright notice will be displayed. Press any key to continue. Enter the date as e.g. 01.11.82 for the first of November 1982. Next you are asked if you have a data file to load - press Y or N for yes or no.
(i) Select Y to load either your own file or the demonstration file supplied immediately after the main program. Press T for transfer from tape, or D for load from disk. Now enter the filename and press RETURN, or just press RETURN for the default name of IVDATA. The file will be loaded up and then the program will carry on to the main menu. The demo file supplied is called IVDATA.
(ii) Select N to start a new data file. You are then asked for the following 'setting up' information:
(a) Your company's name, address (seven lines) and VAT registration number (if any) - now press Y or N to the prompt "IS THIS CORRECT?" (pressing N will allow re-entry of any incorrect lines - for each line press either just RETURN to keep the information, or type in the new line followed by RETURN to change the information).
(b) Enter three invoice and three statement footer messages - these are printed centrally at the end of every invoice/statement. They may be changed from the main program at any time later if requested.
5. The ESCAPE Key
Using the ESCAPE key on the Electron microcomputer will normally break into the running of a program. However, as the key is rather unfortunately sited for accidental operation, pressing this key while INVSTAT is running will cause the program to jump straight back to the main menu. You may in an emergency use this key to interrupt the printing of an invoice etc but it is not generally recommended that this key be used as a 'short cut' back to the main menu as data may be corrupted if the program is performing database calculations while interrupted.
6. The Database
A database is included for the storage of customers' names and addresses and there is a set of routines which may be accessed through Option 7 of the main menu for viewing and/or amending this file. Each set of customer details is allocated a record number for the database - when prompted to enter a customer address etc. for the printing of an invoice or statement, you may type * followed by a record number to instruct the database routines to search for, retrieve and display the appropriate customer details.
7. The Main Menu
Whether you loaded a data file, or entered a new set of details for your company, you will next be presented with a table of eight options to choose from as follows:-
7.1 Option 1 - Print Invoice
After pressing 1 from the main menu, you may now enter all the information for the printing of an invoice.
(i) Enter the details of the company to whom the invoice is to be sent (Five lines of up to 22 characters each). Alternatively, you may enter * followed by a number which refers to a record in the integral database (see Section 6 of this manual), in which case the record details found are listed. Now press Y or N or yes or no to the prompt "IS THIS CORRECT?" - press N to re-enter the details.
(ii) If a new address has been entered, you are now given the option of storing this record on the database - either the record number to be associated with the new customer will be shown, or if there is insufficient memory space, an error message will be screened.
(iii) Enter the delivery address - either just press RETURN if the address is the same as in (i), or enter five lines of new information, or use * and a database record number.
(iv) Enter the carrier name (if any).
(v) If a carrier name was entered, type in the carrier charge and VAT rate in percent.
(vi) Enter the advice note number (if any).
(vii) Enter the invoice number (if any).
(viii) Enter the order number (if any).
(ix) Enter the discount in percent to be subtracted from the total goods (if any).
(x) Enter the number of items to be included on the invoice, and the VAT rate (in percent) that must be added. Note that if a VAT rate was entered for the carrier charge, then this VAT rate must be either zero, or the same as the carrier VAT.
(xi) For each item, enter the quantity (1-99999), the description (up to five lines - to be able to enter an extra line, type a HASH sign at the end of the line and then press RETURN, and just press RETURN to end the description), and then enter the unit price (up to £99999.99). Note that with the quantities and amonths permissible, it is possible to give a total (price times quantity) that will not 'fit' into the field allocated on the invoice - this will not display a number greater than £99999.99 accurately. In this case, the figures after the decimal place may be lost, giving an inaccurate total. The writer of this program apologises but at the time it was considered that a total of 1 penny less than 1 million pounds would be sufficient!
After entering all the information, you may print the invoice immediately if you wish (press Y to the prompt ("PRINT INVOICE?") - otherwise press N. The program will return you to the main menu (after printing a copy of the invoice if you selected Y)). If you now require a copy of the same invoice, use only Option 2 from the main menu. Selection of any other option (including option 1) may lose the invoice information just entered.
Note that when calculating VAT amounts, totals, etc, half pence are rounded up.
7.2 Option 2 - Reprint An Invoice
This option may only be selected if you have entered invoice details using Option 1.
7.3 Option 3 - Print A Statement
Enter the following information for the printing of a statement:
(i) Enter Company address (as for invoice).
(ii) For each transaction to be included on the statement, enter the transaction date (e.g. 23.11.82), the reference (up to 41 characters), the amount (up to £99999.99), and then press C or D for credit or debit.
(iii) When you have typed in all the transactions that you require when the program moves on to the next transaction for entry, just press RETURN for transaction date.
You may now print the statement immediately - reprints are carried out as for invoices, but using Option 4 from the main menu.
7.4 Option 4 - Reprint Statement
This option may only be selected if you have just entered statement details using Option 3.
7.5 Option 5 - Write File
This routine saves all company details (your own, and the customer addresses stored on the database) on to disk or tape. The data file may be called any valid filename up to seven characters - just press RETURN for a default filename of IVDATA.
7.6 Option 6 - Change Footer Messages
For each of the three footer messages for invoices and the three messages for statements, you may either change a line by typing the new line followed by RETURN, or press just RETURN to keep a line as it is.
7.7 Option 7 - Inspect Customer File
Selection of this menu will display a sub-menu of five options for changing/viewing of customer records on the integral database, and for changing your company details. The choices are:
1. Add a Record - Enter the five lines of a new customer record. There is a maximum of about 50 records - if you try and enter more, the message "NO ROOM" will appear.
2. List Records - Enter the numbers of the first and last records that you wish to view - each record will be screened one by one, press any key to move on to the next. If you enter invalid numbers (e.g. for records not yet assigned), the program will return straight to the sub-menu.
3. Delete a Record - Type in the number of the record to be deleted, and the record will be displayed. Now press either Y or N to the prompt "IS THIS CORRECT?" - pressing N will return the program to the sub- menu with no action taken. Note that if a record is deleted all records with a number greater than the one removed will be 'shuffled' down one place, and their record numbers will therefore change.
4. Change Set-Up Details - If you change your company address, name, etc then you may use this routine to alter those details without affecting the customer database in any way. For each line displayed, to change the information, type in the new line followed by RETURN, or just press RETURN to keep the line as it is.
5. Exit to Main Menu - Returns the program to the main menu of options.
7.8 Option 8 - Exit Program
Press 8 from the main menu to terminate execution of the program - after selecting this option, press either Y or N to the prompt "ARE YOU SURE?"
Important Note
1. Printer Routines
The Electron does not have an integral printer or disk interface, which means that the command that is necessary to switch the printer on or off has not yet been standardised. Gemini are thus unable to guarantee immediate operation of the software with disk and printer systems, but these routines have been included exactly as they are implemented on the BBC computer. We detail below how the printer routines may be amended as necessary to allow use with the various proprietary interfaces which will no doubt be introduced to the market.
(i) Enter LOAD "progname" where PROGNAME is the appropriate program.
(ii) Type 5010 to enter a new program line, and the command necessary to switch the printer on (currently the line reads VDU2), then press RETURN.
(iii) Type 6010 to enter a second line, and the command required to switch the printer off (currently the line reads VDU3), then press RETURN.
(iv) Set up your cassette unit for recording with a blank tape, and enter SAVE "progname" - this will save a new copy of the program, with the appropriate alterations included.
2. Disk Systems
The program already includes the option for loading or saving data files on disk. Gemini cannot guarantee the program's immediate operation with disk, but when an Acorn system is released for the Electron, we will supply a printed update free of charge.
Instructions' Source : INVSTAT (Gemini) Back Inlay and User Guide
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