Rediscovered

16 September 2003

Dear Jewellery Shopkeeper User

Way back in August 1988 I added a feature to The Business Shopkeeper (known then as the Standard Shopkeeper, or SK), which allowed the automatic call of another inventory code after entering the first code. Even though we used this feature daily in our own business, I never saw the usefulness if it was applied to The Jewellery Shopkeeper.

Only now, while busy incorporating many of the unique features of The Business Shopkeeper into The Jewellery Shopkeeper, has the true usefulness of the linked codes been realised. One of the uses is to extend the description of an item as printed on an invoice - see "Comment Codes" below.

Norman

Instructions

Link codes can be entered under Inventory, File maintenance, Merchandise or Standard stock, Add or Edit. And any code can be used - even raw material or non-inventory codes. If a valid standard stock code is used, the description of the item will appear under the code, otherwise a simple message will appear to say that it is not in the standard stock file. Only the code is stored as the link code, so if the linked item is added or edited later, the new description or price will be effective.

Mandatory, if Y, tells the computer to enter the link code without the option for the sales operator to decide whether or not to use the linked code. The effect varies with the type of code used - for example a standard stock linked code will stop at the quantity field even if mandatory is set to Y.

Link ratio, if zero, always specifies that one, or minus one in the case of a credit note, of the items of the linked code will be entered on the sales invoice. If non-zero, then the quantity sold will be in direct proportion to the parent code’s quantity sold. The link ratio does not apply to raw material, in which case the computer will always ask the operator for both quantity and mass.

Discount allocated to the parent item WILL NOT automatically reflect on the linked item. If it is required that the same discount is applied to a mandatory linked item then both items must be entered with no discount and the total price edited to force the discount equally on both items.

 Ideas for the use of linked codes:

• If you wish to give a free gift item whenever a certain item is sold, link the gift to the main item. Many items can be linked to the same gift.
• A comment code (a standard stock code starting with the special group double-zero (00)) can be linked to a normal merchandise or standard stock code to automatically extend the description, or give a special message, when selling the item.
• Make a multi-line comment. Add the first line into standard stock using the double-zero group code and set a mandatory link to the second line code which should also use the double-zero group code. Link as many lines as you need.
• If you are using consignment stock, and, for example, you have a consignment diamond mounted in your own ring, you can label the ring with just one code and when selling it have the computer automatically call up the code for the diamond as well.
• Have a separate service charge and guarantee message for watch batteries.

• Inventory transfers
• Purchases receiving
• Stock take capture or blind capture

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