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Converting Existing Store Data

The three most important steps in converting your store to the EverywhereBridal/Prom/Retail is to:

  1. Load on-hand inventory (manually or via import)
  2. Add existing customers (manually or via import [Consider entering only customer's with a balance)
  3. Add future events link customers to event (may be accomplished via Customer Import)

It is important to input your existing customer data into EverywhereBridal/Prom/Retail with it's initial setup including account balances. In this way two sets of books will not have to be kept (one manual & one on the computer).

Start your data entry task by setting a COMPLETION date to have all data converted to the computer. A good period would be 1 to 3 weeks from your signup date . Publicize the Completion date to your store employees so they can work as a team to get the data in. In addition, the COMPLETION date can generate some pressure on the employees be active in learning the EverywhereBridal/Prom/Retail® basics for preparation of going LIVE, i.e. adding customers and sales into the system in real time.

Loading Inventory

There are three methods to ADD your store's inventory into the everywhereRetail's system.

  1. Adding inventory is accomplished via Inventory->Retail Inventory menu option, where the inventory would be manually keyed in and price tags printed.
  2. Utilizing Inventory Import via spreadsheet. Review the Inventory Import topic for more information.
  3. Utilizing FAST ADD, an online tool to quickly Add or Edit inventory styles

Please review the Retail Inventory help topic for more information. The minimum information you will need to add inventory is the vendor, vendor style, reorder wholesale cost, color of sample, size of sample and retail price of inventory items owned.

Customer Data

Add existing customers to the system. The customers may be added manually or via a spreadsheet import. See Customer Import topic for more information.

Import Customers

A spreadsheet/ASCII text file may be used to quickly import customer data and their balance and optionally the event they are a member of. Review the Customer Import topic for more information.

Manually Adding Customers

Access the Customers menu -> Click New Customer button. Enter the customer contact information. Then click the Total Sales hyperlink and create a ticket when the customer has an existing balance. Add a balance to the customer's receipt/ledger by clicking the total sales amount ($0.00 for new customers). See "how to add balances" explanation below.

Events & Weddings (Optional step for existing events)

Once all customers are in the system, it is time to add your shop's FUTURE events and assign the entered customers to that event as event members (Customer Import can create events also). Accomplish via the Events main menu option and clicking New Event button. Pull your future event files out by order (usually by Bride name or Event Date), create the event and assign the customers entered previously to the event. Access the Events menu, Search for the event being created (do not want to create duplicate events) to insure it is not been previously created, then click Create Event when if it is not found. Complete the Event info fields. Then assign the customers as event members to the event.

How to manually add customer balances

Customer Import will 1) create the customer, 2) add their balance & 3) create an event and add customer to event with a role, but if the if you wish to do it manually, we have found the following method a quick and easy way to input your existing customer accounts and balances. It is called the BALANCE FORWARD method (Automatically done via the Customer Import function).

The method requires that ONLY a customer's balance be entered into the computer. All the transactions that created the balance are NOT entered. This means that shop personnel will continue to rely on the customer paper file folders for the history information. This method accomplishes TWO goals.

  1. The existing customers are VERY QUICKLY entered
  2. You do not have to go Cold Turkey away from the paper files.

ALL new transactions, including sale and payments, are entered on the computer once the customer/event balances are in the system. This way Daily Sales Reporting can be used and the shop will begin to realize the full benefits of the computer.

Once the customer accounts are entered you can begin using EverywhereBridal/Prom/Retail® to its fullest capability.

The Customer Import will add Balances automatically during the import!

Shops that wait until balance is paid ($0) to report Sales Tax:

Compute the customer's merchandise balance and sales tax owed. Enter the customer/member into the system and access their Receipt/Ledger. Click the SALE transaction.

The system will prompt for STYLE, enter the BF code. When the system asks for an amount enter her balance that you have computed less the sales tax amount. The 2nd transaction will be the same except enter TF for Tax Forward. When the system prompts for an amount enter the sales tax due. For both codes leave Color & Size prompts empty. Leave the items STATUS as PICKUP / CUSTOMER TAKING.

For example if the person had purchased a $1000 item and had paid a $500 deposit, her balance would be $500 plus sales tax. Assume a tax rate of 5%, the sales tax due would be $50. Her total balance is $550, $500 on the item, $50 tax. Her ticket would contain two SALE transactions:

 BF $500.00
 TF $50.00

When adding both SALE transactions, remember to choose the "Non-Taxable" option within the Tax section when creating a Sales transaction.

Shops that pay ALL sales tax when Sale is initially made to a customer:

Compute the customer's total balance. Enter the customer/member into the system and access their Receipt/Ledger. Click the SALE transaction.

For example if the person had purchased a $1000 item and had paid a $500 deposit, her balance would be $500 plus sales tax. Assume a tax rate of 5%, the sales tax due would be $50. Her total balance is $550. Her ticket would contain one SALE transaction:

 BF $550.00

When adding the SALE transaction, remember to choose the "Non-Taxable" option within the Tax section.