(Some of the features mentioned here are not included in Intro and Deluxe. See Compare BCSS Editions.)

Program Setup

Program Setup has tabbed windows named General, Consignors, Inventory, Mall, Networks, Printers, and Sales. (Mall and Networks are BCSS Diamond and Virtual features.)

Information entered on these screens 'configure' BCSS for your business. BCSS will use the information to auto-complete forms, compute taxes and discounts, and perform many operations specific to your business.

Completing Program Setup will also introduce you to several BCSS features.

To access Program Setup, click on File on the Main Menu:

Select Program Setup:

The screen named 'General' is displayed.

Each time BCSS is started, it can open in the Consignors, Inventory or Sales Work Area. Select one. Sales is most commonly selected for PCs on the sales floor. Inventory is selected for back-office computers used to enter inventory, print labels, process settlements, print checks and to communicate with customers.

If the New-Sale Screen (F6) is to appear each time BCSS starts, check this option:

Enter the store's information.

Store information entered here will be auto entered on Consignment Agreements and Sales Invoices.

For BCSS Virtual, enter the Site ID and Password (provided upon purchase of Virtual).

QuickBooks (Deluxe, Diamond and Virtual)

If you are using QuickBooks with BCSS, select your version of QuickBooks. Ignore this option if you do not use QuickBooks.

BCSS Performance - Print Preview and Automatic Lists

BCSS will run as fast as your computer's hard disk space, RAM memory, clock speed, etc. will allow.

By default BCSS automatically populates lists when selections are made to view Consignors, Buyers, Sales, etc. BCSS also provides a preview of a document before it is printed.

Check Print Preview Off and/or Automatic Lists Off to allow BCSS to run faster (with larger databases). Keep in mind if either of these options are selected, Print Previews and Lists in Work Areas will not appear.

Select a check-printing style: one-per-page or three-per-page. Three is most common (because fewer sheets of checks will be used).

How many checks per page? 1 or 3?

Most stores print 3 checks per page because it is more economical. Select which style you use - 1 or 3 checks per page. With Print Preview turned off, BCSS will print all 3 checks at one time on one page.

Inventory Quantities (Deluxe, Diamond and Virtual)

Some items may be inventoried in fractional amount. Check this box to enable decimal values for inventory.

Confirmation Messages

BCSS was developed with several helpful one-time messages intended to assist first-time users. Check this box to make those messages appear again.

Full Screen Display

To avoid having to adjust screen sizes in BCSS, check Full Screen Display to have all windows in BCSS open to their maximum size. Otherwise, uncheck this box and adjust each window when it opens to a preferred size. Window sizes will be remembered. Some table column width settings will not be remembered.

Select the Consignors Tab. 

Consignor Bonus for Store-Credit Settlement - Give an automatic bonus to Consignors who settle for store credit. In Program Setup on the Consignors Screen, set the bonus amount in 'Bonus for Store Credit Settlement'. When 'Credit' is selected as the settlement payment method, the bonus is auto-applied. (not available with batch settlements)

Default City and State

Enter the default city and state for Consignors.

The default city and state will be auto-entered each time a new Consignor is entered which avoids repetitious entry of the same information.

City/state and Consignor % can be changed when entering a new Consignor or anytime.

Default Consignor Percentage on Sales

Enter the most common percentage Consignors receive.

The Default Consignor % will be auto-entered in the Consignment Agreement and on the New-Inventory Screen. The Consignor % may be changed for each consignor, inventory item or sale.

Bonus for Store Credit Settlement

Enter a decimal value representing an additional percentage to be paid to consignors who settle for Store Credit. (details)

Minimum Consignor Settlement

Enter a dollar amount (without a dollar sign) to avoid processing Settlements for less than the amount entered.

Minimum Days Between Settlements

Enter a number of days to avoid paying any Consignor more often than the number of days entered. (This setting only affects Aged Batch Settlements.)

Include Layaways in Settlements

Check this option to include Layaways in Settlements.

House Account

A House Account tracks inventory belonging to the shop. House inventory may be entered into the House Account just as it is for Consignors. The House Account will appear as 'House' in the Consignor List. The date the House Account was created will appear in its record notes.

Unsold items may be transferred to shop ownership (to the House Account). To auto transfer unsold consignments to the House Account -

• Click on the Inventory Tab (above). On the Inventory Screen, under Aged-Discount Schedule, complete all fields for a Discount Schedule and enter a number of days after which unsold items will be transferred to the House Account, then return here to the Consignors Screen.
• Check 'Enable the House Account?'
• When adding or editing Consignor Records, enable this option by selecting 'Transfer To House Account' in the 'Unsold Items' box.
• On the BCSS Main Menu, select Sales, Apply Discounts. (Any unsold inventory eligible for transfer to the House Account will be transferred.)

Select Inventory Tab.  (Deluxe, Diamond and Virtual - Inventory is not entered in BCSS Intro until it is sold.)

If inventory pictures will be used, store them in one folder (on the computer or on the Internet) and enter the path to the folder (C:\images or http://www.mywebsite.com/images) in the field named Default Picture File Location. When a picture is being added to an inventory record, BCSS will open that folder to avoid having to 'find it' each time a picture is entered into an inventory record.

Selecting a Default Category here will auto-input the selected category when adding new inventory (to avoid repetitious reentry of the category). Use the drop-down arrow to the right of Default Category to select a category.

If no categories appear in the list, click OK to save changes and close Program Setup. Select Inventory on the Main Menu, then Categories. Enter a category name (for the Default Category) in the box at the bottom and click Create New Category at the top. Click Exit.

Return to Program Setup, Inventory and select a Default Category.

When entering inventory, enter several items in the same category, if possible. Before entering them, change the Default Category to the category of the items being entered.