Getting Started with ProfitSystem

If ProfitSystem is being started for the first time on a new day, it performs the following actions.

When configured to open/close registers (user defined) then it prompts first to open the register, then the store.
Prompts to confirm the current date.
Prompts to reset month to date and/or year to date totals if it is a new month or year.
Verifies that the data files are in good working order.
Updates the back date for overdue rental items, if the WinTPS Production module is installed.
Sends reminders for appointments and overdue rental orders via the Send Reminders form.

Follow the checklist outlined within this topic to begin using ProfitSystem®.

ProfitSystem Setup Checklist

Install the BBL POS software
Configure basic settings in System/Store Setup., at Main->Housekeeping->General Setup->System Setup. Required.
Configure settings & taxes for EACH store within the Store/Accounts form Main->Housekeeping->General Setup->Stores.. Required.
Configure in GL Accounting Setup your store's Accounting Method and Payment types accepted settings. Housekeeping-> Accounting Setup-> Accounting Setup (required)
Configure register settings in Register Setup, at Main->Housekeeping->General Setup->Register Setup. Required.
Add all your employees using the Sales Associates form, at Main->Housekeeping->General Setup->Sales Associates. Optional.
Create Inventory Categories, at Main->Inventory->Inventory Categories. A default set of categories are included. Any may be edited or removed or more added. Required.
Add Vendors, at Main->Inventory->Vendors. A default set of vendors/manufacturers are included. Any may be edited or removed or more added. Required.
Add Color/Size/Width charts for matrices, at Main->Inventory. Required if you want to use stock purchase orders.
Add Markdown codes (optional) at Main->Inventory->Mark down codes. Optional.
Add Season Codes. Main->Inventory->Season Codes. Optional
Go through your accounting classes in GL Account Setup, at Main->Housekeeping->Accounting Setup->Accounting Classes. (check whether or not they will be taxable, allow price changes, and be commissionable) Required.
Add Inventory, Sizes, and Receive History at Main->Inventory->Inventory. Required.
Setup Security, at Main->Housekeeping->General Setup->Security Groups Permissions. Optional.
Enter your sales contract to print on receipts in Document Terms, located at Main->Housekeeping->General Setup->Document Terms. Required.
Select your printers at Main->Housekeeping->General Setup->Printers. Required.
Customize Letters, Tag, Mailing Labels at Main->Housekeeping->Letters, Tags, Mailing Labels. Optional.
Add Customers via Main->View/Change Customers. Required.

General Overview of Data Setup steps

Step 1 - System Setup From the main menu select Housekeeping. Choose Housekeeping, General Setup then System Setup pressing the button. Complete all tabs of this form. When done with System Setup choose stores and visit each tab for each company owned store. A entry exists for your first store. Just modify the address/tax information and visit each tab to insure your options are set. Some key info to enter is:

Enter a unique store number for each location (01 is the first location's ID by default) (NOTE: Once saved the store number can not be modified again.)
Enter store address and phone number in appropriate fields.
If you have purchased the on-line credit card authorization option choose which credit card processing software you are using, the name of the bank processor, your merchant ID, and the location of the credit card processing software on your computer.

Step 2 - Store/Account Setup

Enter Stores/Accounts setup and complete all data as sales tax rates. Found at Main->Housekeeping->General Setup->Stores

Step 3 – GL Account Setup

From the main menu select Housekeeping then choose Accounting Setup then choose Accounting Setup again -GL Accounts/Setting tab.. There are currently three accounting methods supported in ProfitSystem®.

Cash - If you pay the full tax amount on a sale whenever a deposit has been taken
Ticket zero - If you don’t pay the taxes on a sale until the item has been paid for in full
Pickup - If you don’t pay the taxes on a sale until the item has been delivered to the customer

Select the appropriate accounting method. All of the remaining fields can be left at their defaults. Read the HELP section on GL Account Setup if you want to know exactly what each field does. Press the Done button to close the Accounting Setup form.

From the Accounting Setup menu, choose Accounting Classes. You’ll need to review each accounting class.
As you enter your Retail Inventory, you’ll need to choose an accounting class for each item you will sell. We’ve supplied almost 30 pre-defined accounting classes. The description of each one gives you an idea of what it would be used for. By default, all accounting classes are set up as non-taxable, no commissions. You’ll want to look at each accounting class and make the following decisions:

Should it use the Rental or Retail tax rate? In some areas, these rates are different.

Will items sold using this accounting class be taxable? If checked, ProfitSystem will automatically add tax to sales that use this accounting class. A user can also change the taxable status manually at sale time if they like.

Will you pay commission on the sale of items using this class? If checked, ProfitSystem will include sales of this item on the commission reports.

Will you allow price changes to items using this class? If checked, the user can overwrite the selling price of this item at sale time. In most cases, you don’t want to do this. Users should use an adjustment to change the selling price for an item so there is an audit trail. The only exceptions are items where the selling price varies all the time (shipping charges, alterations, etc.)

Press the Done button to close the Accounting Classes form.

From the Accounting Setup menu choose Taxes.

Click on the RETAIL tax rate. Enter your tax rate in the tax rate field and press the Save button to save the information you entered. If you have the WinTPS module, click on the RENTAL tax rate. Enter your tax rate in the tax rate field and press the Save button to save the information you entered.

Press Done to continue.

NOTE:
We recommend that steps 1 through 7 be completed before entering any retail inventory items.

Step 4 - Register Settings

Each store contains a number of workstations (registers). Each register may have specific operation characteristics different from other registers. Set each register's features within this form. Main->Housekeeping->General Setup->Register

STEP 5 - Sales Associates

From the main menu select Housekeeping and choose General Setup then choose Sales Associates. Every user of ProfitSystem® system must be identified in the system. The first page of the Sales Associate setup is a list of current users.

To modify detail for an existing entry click on the users name in the list, then click on the Details tab.

To add a new user press the Add button then enter the appropriate information on the detail form.

In addition to entering in the sales associates name, phone, etc. you will need to assign them a security group. The security group controls what this user has access too. For now, just click on Add Item to add a blank entry to the security groups list, then select Manager or Sales Associate.

When finished press Save to save the information you entered. Continue adding all your sales associates and managers, then press Done when you are finished.

NOTE: The Login ID is the ID specified above. Once a sales associate is entered, his/her ID cannot be changed. The ID will print on all transactions, included sales reports.

STEP 6 - Inventory Categories

From the main menu select Housekeeping then Inventory Setup then choose Inventory Categories. For each item you have in inventory, you will specify a category (i.e. Bridal gowns, Veils, shoes, etc.) Categories are referenced by a category code. Each category code must be unique. Press the Add button to enter a new category and enter the appropriate information on the detail form.

A Retail factor % ( or ‘Markup %’) and additional dollar amount can be specified for each category. This factor is multiplied by an items reorder cost to suggest a selling price. To keystone an item, enter 200. Retail factors may entered at the Vendor. Factors assigned to vendors override retail factors assigned at the Category.

Sub-classes can be entered for this category (i.e. formal, informal, etc.) for reporting purposes. Press the Add item button to add a new sub-class, or the Delete item to remove a sub-class. Example: WEDGOWN could be a category, and the sub-categories could be W1, W2, W3, where W1 means $600, W2 means $600-$1200, W3 means > $1200.

When finished press Save to save the information you entered. Continue adding all your categories, then press Done when you are finished.

STEP 7 - Vendors

From the main menu select Housekeeping then Inventory then choose Vendors.

For each item you have in inventory, you will specify a vendor. A vendor code references a vendor. Each vendor code must be unique. Press the Add button to enter a new vendor and enter the appropriate information on the detail form.

When finished press Save to save the information you entered. Continue adding all your vendors, then press Done when you are finished.

STEP 8- Size, Color, Width Charts

From the main menu select Housekeeping then Inventory Setup then Size, Color or Width form. Size, Color, and Width charts are used for reference and allow the creation of size matrixes for inventory entry and ordering. For each chart follow the instructions below to bring up the appropriate chart maintenance form then press the Add button to add a new chart.

Enter a unique name for the chart.

Specify which vendor this chart is for (ProfitSystem will allow a user to apply a size/color/width chart to inventory items from the Inventory form. The vendor assigned to a Size/Color/Width chat does not have to match the vendor assigned to the inventory item. This is helpful when GENERIC charts are used.)

Press the Add item button to add a new size, color, or width. Then fill in the appropriate information in the chart.

When finished press Save to save the information you entered. Continue adding all your charts, then press Done when you are finished.

STEP 9 - Markdown Codes

From the main menu select Housekeeping, choose Inventory Setup then choose Markdown Codes.

Markdown codes are a way to identify the different reasons you gave a customer a discount at sale time. Each time a sales associate gives a discount, they will supply a code explaining why the discount was given. You can then run reports showing how much discounts were given and why. Examples of markdown codes include competitive price match, damaged merchandise, and special promotions. Press the Add button to add a new markdown code. Enter a unique code to identify the markdown and a short comprehensive description of the markdown. Press the Save button to save the information you entered. When you’ve finished entering all your markdown codes, press the Done button to continue.

Step 10 - Accounting Classes

An accounting class is a term to describe how inventory is processed from an accounting perspective thru the ProfitSystem system. Accounting classes are auto created when a inventory category is created. There are some options on how an accounting class is handled, is it taxable? Please visit each accounting class to check it's settings. Main->Housekeeping->Accounting Setup->Accounting Classes

STEP 11 - Inventory

Before entering your inventory, we recommend you read the Retail Inventory section of the Help manual for more details.

From the main menu select Housekeeping then Inventory Setup then choose Inventory.

The first page of the Inventory form lists all styles in the system. There are a few styles that are shipped with the software. These styles are needed by certain functions of ProfitSystem® and should not be altered or deleted. Press the Add button to add new inventory. This will bring up the second page on the Inventory form - the Details tab.

Enter the inventory item detail in the appropriate fields.

Now that you’ve entered the main style information you need to enter the sizes, colors and widths (if used). Press the SCW button. This brings up the Inventory SCW form. Again, click add and enter the inventory size detail in the appropriate fields. When done adding all sizes for this style press the Done button to return to the Inventory form.

The third page of the Inventory form is the statistics page. As items are sold this page will be automatically updated by ProfitSystem®. Important performance statistics include month-to-date, year-to-date, and lifetime sales, as well as the revenue and gross margins generated.

The TPOS/TPS optional modules add a fourth form called Rental. Use this form to classify an item as rental and to enter the appropriate detail.

When finished press the Done button to close the Inventory form and return to the menu.

Step 12 - Security

ProfitSystem allows forms and features to have controlled access by each user of the system. Create security groups and their permissions, then assign store personnel to those groups. Main->Housekeeping->General Setup->Security Groups Permissions

Step 13 - Document Terms You may want to have specific terms print on receipts and other documents. These may be entered once and used each time a receipt is printed. Main->Housekeeping->General Setup->Document Terms

Step 14 - Printers A shop may have multiple printer locations for workstations/registers to use. When multiple print options exist they may defined as a default print location for each workstation/Register. Housekeeping->General Setup->Printers

Step 15 - Form letters and tags You may create form letters and print price tags or mailing labels. These may be customized as needed when needed. Main->Housekeeping->Letters, Tags, Mailing Labels

Step 16 - Customers Begin using the system by entering customer, events and creating sales.