The Dog Eaten Laptop
Thursday, April 14, 2005
The Dog Ate it!
I have heard of a dog eating your homework before, but this is a new one. Now I have heard my dog ate my laptop!
The Dog Eaten Laptop
The Dog Eaten Laptop
Monday, April 11, 2005
Longhorn not so "long" away
Being in technology we are usually the first to try out all the cool new tools and toys and man there is nothing better. It is sometimes like Christmas to us whenever a new software or hardware product comes out and we get to get it and play with it. Ahh the chills that run up and down the spine when you complete the first install or get the new hardware in the rack, there is nothing like it. If you are not a techie, you just can’t understand what its like.
Well, this month is the beginning of “the season” for us. We start working with one of our partners Tectura partnering in the Microsoft TAP program, taking a closer look at the upcoming new Windows client operating System, codenamed “Longhorn”.
For those of you not familiar with the program, it is the granddaddy of Microsoft's beta programs; the difference is it is mainly centered on a core group of key customers and partners who are early adopters of key Microsoft technologies. It is not a replacement for their public and private beta tests, but more of a private showing or back-stage pass if you will to upcoming technology.
One of the great things about the program is that all the time and support associated with the program is free. From planning, deployment and support Microsoft pays for all of it. You can’t beat free!
TAP currently applies to Windows client, server, Office, Systems Management Server and a handful of other products.
I can’t wait to get started and to play with all the cool new tools. I know, I know, I’m a tech dork.
Friday, April 01, 2005
Point of Sale Q&A
I often get asked about how we handle Point of Sale operations at Fellowship Church, so I thought I would put together answers to the most common questions that I receive.
1. What Point of Sale system are you using?
Response: We are using the Microsoft Retail Management System for both our retail and food service stores that we have. We recently upgraded and purchased the Headquarters module which allows us to manage multiple stores from one interface.
2. Do you have multiple retail outlets, or is everything consolidated in one physical store?
Response: We currently have 3 retail stores and one food service store.
3. Do you have a single POS/inventory system for all retail sales including foodservice, merchandise, and ticket sales? Or are these separate systems?
Response: We have the one system to handle all sales of all types including ticket sales. However the system is not designed to facilitate seat assignments or ticket creation. I know that some churches like to have functionality to sell assigned seat tickets to Christmas programs and things of that nature, but we do not have that requirement.
4. How do your retail systems tie to your G/L?
Response: There is direct integration from RMS to the financial system we are using which is Great Plains. This provides PO and GL integration only. There are third party integration products available on the market that provides more extensive integration such as.
· Accounts Receivables transactions move from RMS to Great Plains
· Multiple Stores – Multiple Great Plains companies mapping
· Sales Order processing transaction integration
· Purchase Order Processing POs and Receipts integration
· Automatic new customer move from RMS to GP
· Automatic new vendor import
5. How do your retail systems tie to your web presence?
Response: RMS does have the capability to tie into your web site as well for ecommerce. We have not pursued this as of yet.
6. Do you use a touch-screen interface for any registers?
Response: Yes. For our Café we do have touch screen monitors and are using a special touch screen menu interface. RMS does provide such functionality to interact with touch screens but we needed something a little more specific to our needs so we developed a custom interface that integrates with RMS.
Overall we have been very happy with the product and it has really taken us to the next level from where we came from with the old solution we were using.
1. What Point of Sale system are you using?
Response: We are using the Microsoft Retail Management System for both our retail and food service stores that we have. We recently upgraded and purchased the Headquarters module which allows us to manage multiple stores from one interface.
2. Do you have multiple retail outlets, or is everything consolidated in one physical store?
Response: We currently have 3 retail stores and one food service store.
3. Do you have a single POS/inventory system for all retail sales including foodservice, merchandise, and ticket sales? Or are these separate systems?
Response: We have the one system to handle all sales of all types including ticket sales. However the system is not designed to facilitate seat assignments or ticket creation. I know that some churches like to have functionality to sell assigned seat tickets to Christmas programs and things of that nature, but we do not have that requirement.
4. How do your retail systems tie to your G/L?
Response: There is direct integration from RMS to the financial system we are using which is Great Plains. This provides PO and GL integration only. There are third party integration products available on the market that provides more extensive integration such as.
· Accounts Receivables transactions move from RMS to Great Plains
· Multiple Stores – Multiple Great Plains companies mapping
· Sales Order processing transaction integration
· Purchase Order Processing POs and Receipts integration
· Automatic new customer move from RMS to GP
· Automatic new vendor import
5. How do your retail systems tie to your web presence?
Response: RMS does have the capability to tie into your web site as well for ecommerce. We have not pursued this as of yet.
6. Do you use a touch-screen interface for any registers?
Response: Yes. For our Café we do have touch screen monitors and are using a special touch screen menu interface. RMS does provide such functionality to interact with touch screens but we needed something a little more specific to our needs so we developed a custom interface that integrates with RMS.
Overall we have been very happy with the product and it has really taken us to the next level from where we came from with the old solution we were using.