Announcing: New Add on Software for Retail Pro!

Are you spending too much on printing and postage? Have you considered sending email advertisements to your customers?  Mark and Mail allows you to easily mark customer records based on a variety of criteria and gives you the ability to send emails to customers with email addresses.  This interfaces with Retail Pro version 8.52 and above.  Mark and Mail will allow you to do more specific targeted promotions for less.  You will have the ability to filter your customers by Zip Code, Last Sale Date, Store Credit, Charge Balance, Customer UDF Field or Customer Aux Field.  In addition to the Customer filters you will also be able to select criteria based on Receipt Information.  Contact Jenny at jennyk@clevercomputing.com for more information.

Internet Explorer 7; Is it Compatible With Your System?

In our Winter 2006 Newsletter, Clever Computing recommended that you do not install Internet Explorer 7 as it was not tested with your retail and accounting software.  You may upgrade your Internet Explorer to v7* using the following list as a guideline.  If you have problems with any software after the update, uninstall Internet Explorer or contact Clever Computing Support.  Internet Explorer can be downloaded from Microsoft with this link:  http://www.microsoft.com/windows/downloads/ie/getitnow.mspx

*This is not a required update*

Internet Explorer 7 is compatible with the following software:

Retail Pro v8

Retail Pro v7

Microsoft Retail Management System 2.0

Quickbooks POS v4-6

Quickbooks POS v3 (Works with Internet Explorer 7.0, but in rare cases, the browser might not display screens correctly. If this occurs, we recommend that you revert to Internet Explorer 6.)

Quickbooks 2005 and up.

Sage Business Works v7

Mas90 v4+

Internet Explorer 7 is NOT compatible with the following software:

Microsoft Retail Management System v1.3 and below

Quickbooks POS v2 and below

Quickbooks 2004 and earlier

Time for a Clean-up!

Daily

Check Backup- Check your backup log to ensure it is running as scheduled. Also, look at files that were skipped to make sure programs are not being left open at night.

Empty Recycle Bin- the recycle bin is not meant for storage. It should be emptied daily to free disk space and to ensure someone does not overwrite needed files by restoring deleted ones.

Update Antivirus files- New viruses are discovered daily. The update is done through the software and can usually be scheduled to run at a specific time.

Weekly

Reboot All Computers- Rebooting your computer flushes primary memory, so that any RAM memory leaks are effectively cured.

Clean Monitor- Remove power from the monitor first by turning off the UPS or power strip that it is plugged into. Be sure to turn the computer off as well if it is connected to the same power source. Wipe any dust or fingerprints off with a damp rag. Do not use soap, or harsh cleaners. Also be careful not to use a rag that is too wet. Water can damage the monitor and can be a shock hazard.

Scan Hard Drives with Antivirus- Scan all drives on all computers to ensure infected files did not get copied. Make sure your anti-virus program has the most current virus definitions first. This can often times be scheduled with the anti-virus software, but can be run manually. You will want to run this when the store is closed.

Monthly               

Check disk space- You never want to run completely out of hard drive space because this will cause a loss of data. It is important to monitor your disk space on all computers, especially those that are used a lot or store your database files. To do this, double-click the “My Computer” icon on your Windows desktop. This will show you all of your drives. Right-click on each of your local drives and select “Properties”. Look at the “Free Space”. If it is below 2 Gigabytes, you will want to clear up some space. If it is below 1 Gigabyte, you will typically want to add another drive.

Disk Clean Up- Disk clean up goes through your system and deletes your temporary files.  This can speed up your system and gives you space back to use for something else. To run Disk Clean Up: Click on “Start”,  “Programs”, “Accessories”, “System Tools” and select “Disk Cleanup”. This should only take a few seconds to check your system.  Only check “Downloaded Program Files”, “Temporary Internet Files’, and “Recycle Bin”, and click OK.

Clean Keyboard- Turn the keyboard upside down and shake gently to get any dirt or dust out that may have accumulated. Clean the keys with a damp rag, but make sure the rag is not so damp that any liquid can run out of it. Never spray a keyboard directly with any cleaners.

Every 6 Months

De-fragment hard disk drives- this should be  run on all computers. Windows 2000 and XP        Professional have a disk defragmenter. To access it, click “Start”, “Programs”, “Accessories”, and “System Tools”. To run Disk defragmenter, highlight a drive (typically your “C:” drive) and click “Defragment”. This may take several minutes to an hour to complete. What this will do is consolidate fragmented files and folders into one contiguous space on the disk. As a result, your system can access files more efficiently.

Clean Computers- Shut the computer down and use a damp rag to remove any dust or fingerprints from the computer case. Never spray any cleaners directly on the computer. If possible, pull the computer out and clear any dust from the Power supply fan.

Clean Mouse- This will especially help a mouse that does not seem to move straight with your hand. On the bottom of the mouse, unscrew the cover that holds the ball inside. Take the ball out. Use a cotton swab to clean any dirt or debris from the wheels inside the mouse. Put the ball back and screw the cover on tightly.