Items

From aeonscope

Items are products or services you work with every day that form a part of your business. You purchase them from your suppliers and/or manufacture them yourself and you provide services to your customers. A powerful feature within aeonscope is the ability to break down services into a series of tasks creating a workflow. You can then track time to the job or tasks for finer granularity and mark tasks completed. As the job progresses the system re-calculates the estimated date of completion versus required (See Scheduled Service below).

Defining Items means you only have to refer to them by their Code saving on re-keying information like descriptions and prices. Items are then used by different modules within aeonscope, like Creditors and Debtors when ordering and invoicing.

There are four types of Items:

• Not for Resale - eg: utilities or office supplies and other consumables you purchase but do not on sell
• Resale Items - eg: Items you buy from suppliers and sell to your customers
• Scheduled Service - eg: services you perform (usually within your company, but they can also be outsourced) that are made up of several tasks. When these Items are ordered via the Sales Order window, they become Jobs with each task able to be tracked as completed/on hold/delayed
• Not Scheduled - eg: work that is completed within one area (work centre) in your company and do not require the complexity of tasks

Note: New Items can only be created by aeonscope users who have been granted the User Role ITEMS.

Contents 1 Items Icons 2 Items Terminology 3 Working with Items 4 Viewing and Editing Items 5 Not for Resale Items 5.1 Creating a New Not For Resale Item 6 Resale Items 6.1 Creating a New Resale Item 6.1.1 Resale Item Categories 6.1.2 Adding a Supplier 6.1.3 Adjusting the Markup 7 Scheduled Service 7.1 Creating a New Scheduled Service 7.2 Tasks 7.2.1 Creating a New Task 7.2.2 Positioning & Linking 8 Work Centre Service 8.1 Creating a New Work Centre Service

Items Icons

Add/Plus/New (Alt + N)

Delete/Remove

Edit/Modify (Alt + E)

Complete/Close/Save & Exit (Alt + X)

Clear fields

Search/Lookup (Alt + ↓)

Converts between Resale and Not for Resale Items

Displays the Warning/Notes/Disable dialogue

Begin Search/ Go (Alt + S)

Cancel request and close window

View or Edit the Items Tasks Chart

Enables you to change the default Markup of a Resale Item

Items Terminology

• Code: an alpha-numeric identifier. You may create your own code, or let the database fill in a default assigned number.
• Manufacturers Part: can be used if your Resale or Not For Resale Item is an object with a manufacturers part number eg: printers and other office supplies.
• Description: allows you to give a detailed description of the Item. This is an important way you can help differentiate between similar Items.
• Account Element: used by the General Ledger.
• Task: used by Scheduled Service Items - tasks are linked to each other and make up the workflow of the service. Each Task has a Process, Work Centre and Duration.
• Process: the type of activity that the task is eg. Drafting, Admin, Meeting.
• Work Centre: where the task will be undertaken ie. in which cost or work centre in your organisation.
• Duration: how long a task or Item will take to complete.

Working with Items

To add or edit an Item in your database, click on the aeonscope icon in the taskbar, and select Production → Items.

This will open the Items window.

Viewing and Editing Items

To see what Item templates have already been created, change the Item Type to the type of Item you wish to view (or use the hot keys - click on the Item Type menu (or press Alt+Y) to see them - Resale=Alt+T, Not for Resale=Alt+4, Scheduled Service=Alt+S, Work Centre Service (Not Scheduled)=Alt+W), then click on the Search/Lookup button next to the Item Code field in the Items window. This will Open the Item Lookup window.

The Item Type should automatically be set to the same type you specified before clicking the Search/Lookup button. To search all Items in the database (that are not Disabled - Note this defaults to No in the lookup), press Alt-T or click on the Item Type and delete the type then click the Search button, or the button. As you can see in the example above, the results will be displayed in the list at the bottom of the window.

Selecting an Item by double clicking on its name in the list, or highlighting it and clicking the button will return you to the Items window with the Item code and Name in their respective fields. Click on the Edit button.

The Item Edit window will open. From here you can change the Item template. For further details about each of the fields in each Item type, please refer to the related section in this document.

Not for Resale Items

The Not For Resale entry window helps you create a template to deal with recurring expenses for consumables and other items your business does not on-sell.

Creating a New Not For Resale Item

In the Items window, select Not For Resale using the Item Type drop-down menu, then click the button.

• The Code field is alpha-numeric. You may enter in your own code, or let the database fill in a default assigned number. If the code you have entered is already in use the word Code will turn red and you will not be able to save your new Item.
• The Manufacturers Part field can be used if your Not For Resale item is an object with a manufacturers code number eg: printers and other office supplies.
• The Description field allows you to give a detailed description of the item. This is an important way you can help differentiate between similar Items.
• The Account Element is used by the General Ledger. To find a code corresponding to the type of Item you are creating use the button to open the Account Element Lookup window.

To add the companies from which your business purchases supplies relating to this new Item, click on the button. This will open the Resale Item/ Supplier Details Entry window.

1. To browse a list of suppliers, click on the button next to the Creditor field. This will open the Creditor Lookup window. A Creditor must have an entry in the Contacts database. Please refer to the Searching/Lookup pages for detailed instructions on how to use Lookup.
2. Once you have located the supplier you can complete the remaining fields.
3. The Supplier Part Number is a required field. If your supplier does not use part numbers use your account number, or a dash ( - ).
4. UOM is an acronym for Unit of Measure. Some suppliers provide products in dozens, hundreds etc; or you can use this field to describe the frequency of the bill (monthly, weekly) if the supplier provides a service rather than a product.
5. The Buy Price should contain the purchase price of the item. If the price fluctuates enter a zero.
6. Click OK to save and exit from the Supplier Details window and return to the Not For Resale entry window.

Repeat the above steps for each supplier of the Item.

Resale Items

Resale Items are usually physical items that you purchase from a manufacturer and sell to your customers, often as part of a service. Each Resale Item needs to be entered into the aeonscope database. You can list multiple suppliers for each item.

Creating a New Resale Item

In the Items window,select Resale Item using the Item Type drop-down menu, then click the button. This will open the Item Entry window.

• The Code field is alpha-numeric. You may enter in your own code, or let the database fill in a default assigned number. If the code you have entered is already in use the word Code will turn red and you will not be able to save your new Item.
• Use the Name field to identify the Item.
• The convert button will convert the new Resale Item you are creating from a Resale Item to a Not for Resale Item.
• The Manufacturers Part field can be used if your Resale item is an object with a manufacturers code number eg: printers and other office supplies.
• The Description field allows you to give a detailed description of the item. This is an important way you can help differentiate between similar Items.
• Warning for Debtor Orders Clicking on the will open a text window for you to create a warning. The warning will be displayed whenever an order is placed for that Resale Item. The warning should contain information specific to the Resale Item eg: "manufacturer out of stock, backordered until 2020" or "not compatible with Wiget World Pro".
• The Account Element is used by the General Ledger. To find a code corresponding to the type of Item you are creating use the button to open the Account Element Lookup window.
• Only check the Buy Ex GST box if you do not pay tax on the Item.
• The Item Category is a way of categorising the Resale Items you sell. Please refer to the section Resale Item Categories for information on viewing and adding Categories. The Item Category will set the Item Markup, the Markup is a percentage figure representing the profit made from selling the Item. You can change this figure, please read on to the Adjusting the Markup section.

In the Resale section:

• Sell Ex GST - to be checked if your Item is not subject to Tax
• UOM - Unit Of Measure, the quantities the item is sold in eg: each, dozen, hour...
• Markup - the profit measured as a percentage
• Sell Price - A dollar figure representing the total amount you charge for this Item.

The List of Suppliers works in concert with your Contacts database to list all the companies who supply you with the Item. The Preferred supplier is marked with an asterisk * Please refer to the section Adding a Supplier in this document for help on adding Resale Item suppliers.

Resale Item Categories

The Item Category is a way of categorising the Resale Items you sell. Click on the Search/Lookup button to open the Item Category Lookup window. Clicking on the button will display all of the Categories

You can search by name, or to see a complete break down of all Categories and Sub-categories, click on the Tree View button.

If an appropriate Category does not exist you may add one by clicking on the Add button on the Item Category Lookup window. This will bring up the following window:

Use the button to create a new Category. To create a sub-category, highlight the category you wish to add a sub-category to and then click the button. The button will remove the highlighted Category or Sub-Category. Use the Save & Exit button to save the new categories, or Cancel & Close button to cancel the new category and return to the Resale Item Entry window.

Adding a Supplier

Click the Add button in the Resale Item window to add a new Supplier to the list of Companies you use to purchase this Item. A new Supplier window will open:

In this window the Item Code is automatically set to match the Item you are adding/editing. Use the Search/Lookup button to locate the Suppliers Company details in the Contacts database. (Please refer to Searching/Lookup for instructions on how to search the database effectively.) Complete the Supplier Part Number field Unit Of Measure field, and the Buy Price (as a number). GST will be automatically calculated.

To set a Company as a Preferred Supplier, check the Preferred Supplier box.

Click OK when all the fields are complete to return to the Resale Item window.

Adjusting the Markup

To adjust the Markup on a Resale Item click the button in the Resale Item Entry window. The adjust Markup window will appear:

Enter the percentage that you would like to change the Markup to, then click the OK button. The change will be reflected in the Resale Item window.

Scheduled Service

Scheduled Service Items are templates of processes that your business completes regularly. For example, if your company was in the business of manufacturing and installing appliances, you might create a Scheduled Service Item to track the progress of each job, from accepting the order, through all the manufacturing steps, delivery and installation. Scheduled Service Items can be complex, involving many steps - some of which occur at the same time or are interdependent, or very simple.

Here is an example of a Scheduled Service Item:

As you can see from the diagram above, a Scheduled Service Item is made up of many Tasks. Each Task is represented by a rectangle. Each Task has a Process, Work Centre and Duration. It may help to think of these as What, Where and for How Long. By putting these Tasks in a timeline you can see how long it will take to complete an Item.

Scheduled Service Items should be as generic as possible. Scheduled Service Items can be customised later to suit individual Jobs without altering the Item template.

Creating a New Scheduled Service

Before creating a new Scheduled Service Item it's a good idea to think about what tasks will make up the item. Perhaps these Tasks are used by other Items already created - standard tasks like delivery or ordering probably already exist in your aeonscope database.

In the Items window,select Scheduled Service using the Item Type drop-down menu, then click the button. This will open the Scheduled Item Entry window.

• The Code field is alpha-numeric. You may enter in your own code, or let the database fill in a default assigned number. If the code you have entered is already in use the word Code will turn red and you will not be able to save your new Item.
• The Name field will contain the name of the Item. It is a good idea to give it a unique name, but one that will still be obvious as to it's use by others in your company.
• Sell Price Is the total value of the Item, or the amount you would charge a client or debtor for that service. It should include all the expenses, including labour, materials and administrative fees.
• UOM is an acronym for Unit of Measure. Items can be measured in minutes, hours, days, months or years.
• Sell Ex Tax field can be used if your business is tax exempt.
• Disable checkbox is only to be used when you no longer wish to have your business use that Item for tracking Jobs. You can disable Items temporarily or indefinitely.
• The Description field allows you to give a detailed description of the item. This is an important way you can help differentiate between similar Items.
• Warnings field is an area you can use to remind anyone using this Item of things they should consider before using the Item to place an order or Job.
• The Splits area allows you to allocate the dollar amount specified in the Sell Price field to different Work Centers.

Tasks

A Task is a procedure carried out by someone in your company, it may be something as simple as making a phone call, or as complex as analyzing data. Many Tasks are usually needed to complete a job, or an Item. In a process such as building a house, Tasks would include scheduling labour, pouring the footings, building the frame, installing the windows, etc.

As part of a Scheduled Service Item template you create a chart. The chart is a list of Tasks. These Tasks are to be completed for the job to be finished. The chart forms part of the job tracking system. Click on the button at the top left of the Scheduled Item window to access the Item Tasks Chart. When you have finished your chart will look something like this:

When creating a new Item the Items Tasks Chart will be empty, except for the fields at the top of the window marked Item Code and Name. The Duration field will automatically display the total amount of time required to complete all of the Tasks, this will be calculated when you have completed the Item template.

To add a new Task to the Chart click on the Add button at the top left. This will open the Item Task Entry window.

Each Task has a Task Code and a Name. To search for Tasks click on the Search/Lookup button. This will take you to the Task Lookup window. You can search the entire database of tasks, or narrow your search by selecting a Process or Work Centre. When you find your Task in the list, double clicking on it will add it's details to the Item Task Entry Window.

If the Task you wish to add does not already exist you will need to create a new Task. Please refer to Creating a New Task.

In the Item Task Entry Window complete the Days/Time Required section to reflect an estimate of how long the task will take to complete on average. If the Task will take less than a day specify the hours and/or minutes only. The Duration, Process and Work Centre fields will be completed automatically based on the Task you selected. If these need to be edited you can do so by clicking on the Edit button next to the Task Code. When the information is complete click the OK button to return to the Task Chart. Your first task will exist as a rectangle in the chart window, listing the Task name, Process, Work Center and Duration.

When the first Task has been added the Add button is no longer available. To add further tasks right-click on the Task rectangle and select Add. The Tasks Chart works in this way to create links between the Tasks.

Continue to add new Tasks until you have each of the Tasks required for the Item listed in the Task Chart.

Creating a New Task

To create a new Task, click on the Add button from either the Item Task Entry or Item Lookup Windows. The Task Entry window will appear.

The Code will be automatically generated, although you can override it with your own alpa-numeric code. Give the Task a Name. Select the appropriate Process and Work Center.

Task Groups are used for Reporting purposes. Tasks of a similar nature can be grouped together to create accurate reports. Please Refer to Production Reports for further information.

Click the OK button to save the new Task. This will return you to the Item Task Entry window. Complete the Working Days field as you would if this was a pre-existing Task, then click the OK button to add the Task to the Chart.

Positioning & Linking

Often an Item exists as a series of steps, one Task leading to the next. In some situations you need the ability to create more complex charts when a Task may be dependent on several other Tasks being completed. To reflect this accurately the Tasks chart is able to position Tasks in the window in varying positons, and is also able to link Tasks that may not be right next to each other.

To move the position of a Task in the Task Chart, or to add a link between Tasks, select the Task you wish to move/link from and click on the Options button. You can also right click on the Task rectangle to access the same positioning and linking options. If you choose to add a Link, a small window entitled Add link to will appear containing a list of the Tasks in your Chart. Select the Task you wish to link to. aeonscope will automatically draw the link. Removing links works in the same way.

Work Centre Service

Work Centre Service Items are tasks or services your company provides that are completed within one area of your company. They are tasks which incur a flat fee. This may be something along the lines of typing a report, providing a certificate, or even a haircut.

Creating a New Work Centre Service

In the Items window, select Work Centre Service using the Item Type drop-down menu, then click the button. This will open the Work Center Service Entry window.

In the Work Centre Item section of this window:

• The Code field is alpha-numeric. You may enter in your own code, or let the database fill in a default assigned number. If the code you have entered is already in use the word Code will turn red and you will not be able to save your new Item.
• The Name field will contain the name of the Item. It is a good idea to give it a unique name, but one that will still be obvious as to it's use by others in your company.
• Sell Price is the total value of the Item, or the amount you would charge a client or debtor for that service. It should include all the expenses, including labour, materials and administrative fees.
• UOM is an acronym for Unit of Measure. Items can be measured in time or amount.
• Sell Ex Tax field can be used if your business is tax exempt.
• Disable checkbox is only to be used when you no longer wish to have your business use that Item for tracking Jobs. You can disable Items temporarily or indefinately.

In the Work Centre section of this window:

• The Code is set to reflect the location that the task is carried out. Click on the Search/Lookup button to search the Work Centres that have been created for your company.
• The Description field allows you to give a detailed description of the item. This is an important way you can help differentiate between similar Items.
• Warnings field is an area you can use to remind anyone using this Item of things they should consider before using the Item to place an order or Job.

Click OK to save your new Work Centre Service Item.