New Customer

Mode has signed a new customer, The National Glass Centre in Sunderland.

New Feature: Colour Value

As you may have noticed from my last post, a colour value has been added to the Colours parameter module at head office.
You will now be able to visually specifiy a colour which represents the colour name.

Although the feature was originally added for e-commerce, in the future, other modules may start to use this value.

If you have any suggestions on where the new colour value could be used, please add your comments to this post.

Head Office Update Preview

The next update for head office will include a few changes that will affect existing customers. Below is a list of the some of the main changes.

• Added colour value to Colours parameter.
• Added advanced filters to Promotions.
• Added set minimum stock levels to stock distributor.
• Added new time card report.
• Added discount names.
• Added change password module.
• Added discount percentages to Purchase Orders.
  

Unfourtunately the changes to purchase orders and colours will require additional fields to be added to the tables. These fields must be added before using the new modules.

I am also working on a new automatic replenishment module based on sales ranking. Hopefully it will be complete in time for the update.

Broadband Only Features

With more and more people realising the benefits of broadband, for both business use, mode software is utilising the potential to provide more powerful tools to end users.

In the past, dial-up was used to provide communication between branches and keep databases syncronised. As you can imagine, this was slow tedious when managing even a small number of branches.

Broadband provides a "always on" connection at fixed monthly cost. There is no need to disconnect after a hour, to save on the phone bill. Allowing you access the latest information in seconds.

In fact, some customers are looking into using Voice Over IP (VOIP) to provide free phone calls between branches.

Below are some of the mode EPOS features that require or use broadband to provide additional functionality.

• POS Parser.
• Customer tracking.
• Customer accounts.
• Customer loyalty.
• Alterations.
• POS Transfers.
• Net Comms.

For support, mode software uses broadband to help customers solve problems quicker, reducing down time and saving costly peak rate dial-up connections. As well as providing support, we can also provide training on new features, without leaving the office.

As broadband becomes more common place, mode software will continue to develop software that exploits this new resource.

Discount Names Preview

A new feature is being worked on for POS, which will allow you to set-up multiplue discount rates.

For example you could have a diffrent discount rates for managers, supervisors and cashiers.

When released, this feature will be included free to all customers using POS.

Note: This feature requires broadband for remote branches.

New Feature: Purchase Orders

A new feature is being worked on for purchase orders.

After selecting the supplier the above form will be displayed.

This form allows you to apply a discount to any products added to the purchase order. When a product is added the current cost price is updated.

Goodbye Marco

Earlier this month I posted a blog about Marco leaving mode.

His last day will be Thursday 23rd of February 2006.

If you would like to add some comments to this post, please do. I'll make sure that he gets them.

Head Office Initial Setup

I am working on a new installer which will make setting up a database server a lot simpler.

Here is a list of tasks I hope the installer can automate.

• Install database server.
• Install initial customer database.
• Install VNC server.
• Install Net Comms.
• Create all required directories.
• Add a user account for the tills.

If there is time I'll add the facility to optionally install Acrobat Reader and Zip Genius.

The will be included on the installation CD's in the future.

New Comms Release

The new version of Net Comms has been released and will be rolled out to our existing customers over the next few days.

A intermediate Head Office Core update, which removes the old Net Comms module, has also been released.

Networking: NETGEAR

Since our first installation, mode has been using network hardware from NETGEAR. In fact, we recommend NETGEAR products to all customers.

The main reason is that NETGEAR equipment is very reliable and easy to configure and maintain.

Personally, I use a DG834 with my broadband connection at home. This allows me to share web access with three computers.

If you require and advice on which products to buy, please contact our support team.

New Customer

Mode has signed a new customer, Now Claire based in Chorley.

Mobile PO Release

Mobile purchase orders has been released, see below for a screen shot.
The mobile purchase orders module, allows buyers to externally create orders for products without using stock card. Once the buyer is happy with the order, it can be imported into mode. This will automatically add all the required information to the database.

Net Comms Preview Part Two

As promised here is a screen shot of the new version of Net Comms.
You maybe wondering what the "Don't reset flags if any POS updates fail" option does.

This is a new feature for Net Comms. Previously, if a till failed to be updated, then any changes would not be sent during the next cycle, because the change flags would have been reset. This new option ensures that if a till cannot be updated, the change flags will remain set, thus ensuring that the till will eventually be updated with the latest data.

Customer Opens New Branches

Walton Design Ltd will be opening two additional branches following a successful ten months of using mode. This brings their total number of branches to twenty.

Walton Design Ltd have also selected mode's new e-commerce solution for their new on-line store.

Net Comms Preview

The network communication program (Net Comms), is responsible for updating the attached tills on a nightly basis.

However, a small number of customers have been reporting problems, with some tills not being fully updated. Other customers have no problems will till updates.

The development team has decided to write a new version, which will be more stable and include additional features.

Hopefully, I can post some screen shots when testing the new version.

Good Luck Marco

Its official, after three years working for mode, Marco Monteiro will be leaving mode at the end of February.

Marco is one of the key developers of mode and has built a skilled team since the beginning of the project.

So thanks again for all you have done to ensure that mode is a successful product and good luck with your new job.

New Customer

Mode has signed another new customer, Bearback Clothing based in Leicester.