New Office Procedures Adding Exempt Customers In MCR & Exempting Jobs in POS

Jeanine, Michael & Vito:

1) All the work that could be done without further input from the accounting office has been completed. For a complete list of what steps were taken, refer to:Accounts Receivable Updates & Tasks.

Notes:
A. Neither Step 8 not "Other File Maintenance in that checklist have been addressed yet, but do not hamper the implementation of the new tax plan
B. All Legacy Tax Codes (N## / P## / T##) have been deleted to prevent their further use, with their PTD and YTD history merged with the New Tax Code structure.

2) All sales staff & clerks have been blast e-mailed aon the new procedures for ringing transactions with (for lack of a better term) sales tax anomalies. Please familiarize yourselves with New Procedures For Charging Sales Tax in POS.

Notes:
A. There is a half-truth in Item #7 of that list. Security to change tax codes and salesperson codes was removed from ALL employees to prevent mucking up the system with hard to kill habits of yesteryear. Just today, John Powers complained he couldn't change a *0 customer to tax code NNY - where he has now been instructed through those emailed instructions to change the customer from *0 to *7. If it becomes unbearable, we re-enable security to change tax codes once sales staff becomes acclimated with the new procedures. 

B. After consulting with Vito, the following decisions have been made and procedures installed for billing tax exempt jobs to customers with A/R or *9 accounts who do not have a tax exempt job in MCR. Clerks can either:

• Have the Office Quickly Set Up an Exempt Job Account under the Main Account
• Call Michael, Jeanine or Michael to Override to Tax Code.
• Ring Up The Sale as Taxable, Submit Exempt Forms & Invoice for Vito to Adjust and Credit Customer - They Will Credited Promptly)

C. It can not be predicted how often an A/R or *9 account needs a one-off job exemption. Because of the temporary [or permanent] security lock-out to change tax codes, Clerks have the option of either:

1. Having the Office Quickly Set Up an Exempt Job Account under the Main Account    
2. Calling the Office to Override to Tax Code to Either X1, X2 or X3 remotely
3. Ringing Up The Sale as Taxable, Submit Exempt Forms & Invoice for the office to adjust post sale and credit accordingly

In all three cases, it provides better control over who's getting a job exemption and guarantees the correct documentation is provided in case of future audita.

3) Because the New Tax System is Fully Live, and the plug pulled on the Legacy Codes, All New Accounts and Exempt Jobs Must be Entered With Different Field Data in MCR

A. For Fully Tax Exempt Accounts: 
1. Main Tab #1.
Taxable = N
Tax Code = One of the Following 7 Codes (Depending on the Type of Account / Exemption)

 
2. Miscellaneous Tab #6.
Click Pesticide License & Enter Corresponding Code in the Tax Exempt Type Field

Ignore Existing Field Names & Set Code to 
G = Municipality / City or School / Public Education Facility
P = Religious Institution / Charities / Not For Profit Organization 
R = Resale / Wholesale Customers 
V = Out of State Account (i.e. Trump Golf Course Scotland)



  
B. For Tax Exempt Jobs:
1. Main Tab #1.

• Taxable = Y
• Tax Code = The Corresponding Tax Jurisdiction of the Job

2. Miscellaneous Tab #6.

• Click Pesticide License & Enter Corresponding Code Y in the Tax Exempt Type Field
• In the Tax Override Plan Field Enter T=Y

C. For Regular Jobs (No Exemption):
1. Main Tab #1.
Tax Code = The Corresponding Tax Jurisdiction of the Job

2. Miscellaneous Tab #6.
Do nothing different than always
 

New Procedures For Charging Sales Tax in POS

To All Employees:

In an attempt to completely automate the mandated collection of sales tax for the state of New York (as well as Connecticut and New Jersey), the following changes have been made to the methods and procedures you've all been used to for years. Please Note All Changes, Which Are In Effect Immediately.(Items in Dark Blue Directly Effect POS Sales Processing)

Adding Pre-Defined Comments in POS

To All Sales Staff

If you feel you are constantly typing out the same phrases, warnings or instructions in the Point of Sale Comments box to put on customer's paperwork, you have the option of selecting a "Pre-Defined Comment" to post and save the repetitive keystrokes.

For example:
1. You sell equipment before a forecasted hurricane. You can post the 'All Sales Final' comment to alert the customer the product(s) can not be returned for credit.
2. (Courtesy of John Bellew & Dave Santillian): You type up a quote for stone treads based on current inventory. Two weeks later, when the customer accepts the estimate and wants to make the purchase, you discover you need to modify the lengths based on the current count available to sell from. When the customer points out you are billing him for x number of 8' treads, but you originally quoted him 7' pieces, you can inform them those were the conditions of sale printed on the quote. 

The Steps are essentially self-explanatory.
1. On the line you want the add the comment, click F3,
2. Select "Pre-Defined Comments" on the right side of the Comments window
3. Choose your pre-defined comment and click OK

 
If there are any comments you would like added to the list of choices, post them in the comments box below.

Thanks

Accounts Receivable Updates & Tasks

A checklist to implement the Revamping of Sales Tax Reporting and additional longer-term Accounts Receivable maintenance projects on the Eagle System as discussed 14 October. Based on the sales tax quarterly close at the end of November 2015, all work on the set-up of accounts regarding the revamping of tax reporting must be completed before that date. Michael Cinelli has no problems with a gradual implementation of the accounts between now and the November 30th cut-off date.

October 14th 2015 Office Meeting

Office Meeting Schedule & Outline

Date: 14 October 2015
Time: After Payroll - 2 Sessions
Session #1 A/R 11:30AM - 12:30PM
Session #2 A/P 12:30PM - 1:30PM
 Notes:

• Session outlines / attendees listed below
• If those sessions conflict with lunch schedules or coffee breaks, they can be swapped accordingly 

Import pdf Vendor Invoices Into Eagle Document Scanning Queue

Import Documents

(Document Scanning users)
Use the following procedure to import electronic documents (Micosoft Word files, Adobe PDF files, image files, etc.) into the Document Scanning (DS) application. Electronic documents must not exceed 250KB in size. Executable type files cannot be imported; this includes files with extensions .EXE, .BAT, .VBS, and .SCR.

Accessing / Viewing Your Open Orders From the Point Of Sale

Adding User (Employee) Records, Tracking Performance & Establishing Security Capabilities

Modern Paint Group: Adding User (Employee) Records, Tracking Performance & Establishing Security Capabilities

First: Determine the "Type" of Employee

C = Sales Clerk - Working at 1 Location / Store
M = Multi-Store Clerk - Does/Could Work at Multiple Locations
O = Office Staff - Doing Back-Office Work
X = Does not use the Eagle - But Clocks In (Drivers, etc.)

Level 24 Upgrade - Part 1 / Security

Eagle Level 24 Update

To all Employees:

Due to the recent formation of the Modern Paint Group and their migration off the masonry Depot Eagle System, as well as new national regulations to be fully Payment Card Industry Compliant in 2015, we have upgraded our system to Epicor's Level 24.1 software. There are several minor changes and enhancements which will be implemented in two phases prior to the conversion of Modern Hardware's data off the New Rochelle Servers:

Phase #1A - System Security Updates

Following the hardware upgrade, in which new credit card readers / signature pads were installed at each POS station and firewalls upgraded at each location, we are required to update our software accordingly:

1. Make certain the ONLY anti-virus / firewall software installed and running on your system (in the tray at the lower right-hand side of your taskbar, adjacent to the time) is SonicWall Enforced client software: 
2. In addition, do not enable Windows Firewall - regardless of system warnings you may receive in the Windows Action Center to activate their firewall

3. Avoid downloading any or all "free anti-virus" solutions from websites. Most notorious is the bundling of McAfee Security Scan Plus whenever you;re required to update your Adobe Flash Player. Make cetain to UN-check the "Optional Offer" to install that program before downlaoding / installing Adobe's Flash

4) As of today's date, every terminal across all four locations has e-Connect software running on it. This program makes updating future updates to the Eagle software much easier to perform - as the software is installed remotely and downloaded to each terminal. With the exception of Michelle at the Modern Corporate office and the 3 old Windows XP stations at the Modern Hardware store, all upgrades will be done without the need to download client software on each station / PC. If you do not have e-Connect running, please notify Vito in New Rochelle

Phase #1B - Eagle Security Updates

In addition to the four (largely invisible) changes that have already been implemented above, your Eagle programs will operate slightly differently. In addition to enhancements and implementation of Eagle N Series upgrades which will be covered in a subsequent message, the following 2 changes tafe effect immediately

1) Signon - Sign on automatically required at the launch of any Eagle application: Eagle Browser launch and all programs opened from your Desktop icons 

2) Terminal Numbers - All stations are assigned NEW terminal numbers. If your cash balancing worksheets used to be listed by terminal number / drawer, please note your new terminal number assignemnts in the top of the Eagle program windows
Network Access

Keep an eye out later this week for a full listing of new features on Level 24 / Eage N-Series software

Receivables / Payables / Purchase Receipts Document Scanning

In an attempt to scale-back our filing time and enable easier access to receiving and payables information, effective June 1, 2015, Masonry Depot is implementing a Document Scanning solution to our system and office procedures.

Epicor Eagle Community & Hardlines Digest (With ROCK AP Report)

To All Masonry Depot Group (and Modern Hardware) Office / Management Personnel:
I would encourage you all to signup & join the following discussion / user groups:
Epicor Eagle Community
A resource for questions, answers and tips on all things Eagle.

To those of you that do Accounts Payable:As some addressees above do accounts payable, if included instructions from that user group on how to use report name ROCK. (See Below)

To Modern Hardware Office / Management Personnel:
As other addressees above work at out former smaller cousin, Modern in addition to the Epicor Eagle Community, I would encourage all Modern Hardware employees to subscribe to John Fix's user group (of Cornell True Value of Easchester):
Hardlines Digest.
In addition to computer questions, it is a forum with approximately 10 threads a day focused on pain and hardware stores - from hints, tips, how tos and how much -- to for sale, to buy, etc, etc.. Threads are automatically funneled to your email (and can be routed to a user defined "Hardlines" folder to keep your inbox less polluted.

POS Procedures for Credit Returns

POS Procedures for Credit Returns

Please note: In addition to:
1. Billing lag times / Invoicing prior to shipment
2. Receiving lag times
3. Inaccurate counts
4. Supplier indecrepencies
5. Blown inter-store transfers
6. Theft
7. Human / clerical error
8. Items cut or converted to other sizes and not adjusted in the Eagle  (bluestone treads / angle irons)

One of the smaller contributing factors (number 9 on the list above) for inaccurate physical QOH counts stems from POS crediting options. Note the screen shots directly below:

Dinner Commemorating Mike Calo's Departure from Masonry Depot in Yonkers

In case you haven't heard, it's the end of an era at the Yonkers. Mike Calo is moving on to a new career at Amtrak; going from filling yard bags, re-routing employees parked cars and checking customer's invoices to stowing carry-on bags, moving train cars and punching passenger's tickets.