Function Keys: One-click access to BCSS areas and functions!

New Features! (Click on blue links for details.)

Bar Codes

 Bar-Code Test Print - Set margins, number of rows, etc. on the bar-code layout window and press the Test Print Button to print bar codes without closing inventory chooser or input windows.

Batch Processing

 Batch Delete by Consignor and by Category - Leaves inventory items with quantity greater than zero and items that have not been settled.

 Manual Batch Transfer to House Account -

Buy Outright

 Buy Outright - (Direct Purchase from Consignor): Buy items from consignors. In BCSS such items are consigned items ready for settlement. To pay the consignor for the item, just process a settlement.

Consignors

 Consignor IDs Sort - Consignor IDs should always start with all or part of each consignor's last name, but if numbers are used first, consignors can now be sorted in numerical order.

Credit

 Credit Limit and Discount Rate Displayed at POS - Values set in the customer record appear automatically when processing a new sale for the customer.

 Automatically Deduct Consignor Credit Purchases from Balances -

 Credit Purchases Now Appear on a New Settlement

Inventory

 Discount by Category - Any inventory category can have its own aged-inventory discount schedule.

 Inventory Classification - Inventory is 'categorized' by designating a 'category' for each item. Set up Groups (like color, size, style and brand) and Sub-Groups (like red, green, blue and white, for Color) for each category and select from those options when adding or editing an inventory item. Details

 Inventory List for One Consignor - Create a list of inventory for one consignor.

 'Secret' Disposal Codes - (destroy, donate, return) printed on labels for store identification of unsold-item disposition.

 Pictures! - Add pictures of inventory items.

 Undelete Inventory -

 User-Defined Inventory Fields - Inventory is 'categorized' by designating a 'category' for each item. Set up Groups (like color, size, style and brand) and Sub-Groups (like red, green, blue and white, for Color) for each category and select from those options when adding or editing an inventory item.

Invoice

 Invoice Message - A note entered in a customer record will appear in the 'For Office Use Only' box on invoices.

 Invoice Discount Disclosure - Added invoice notation of discount percentage and amount (for buyer awareness and appreciation).

Program Functions

 Consignpro Data Conversion Utility - Converts Consignpro data to BCSS format free of charge.

 Mailbox Feature: Mark individual consignors with notes of action to take at a later time and/or print and mail letters to consignors. (In BCSS, select a Consignor, Edit, Mailbox; or right-click on the consignor and select Edit Mail Box.)

 Email Address Added to Data Export - Email address has been added to the .csv (comma-separated value) export of consignor and vendor information. Names and email addresses can be imported into email programs like Microsoft Outlook.

Open Edit Screens in any work area by double-clicking on an entry in the table on the right. For example, double click on the name of a consignor, customer or employee, or double click on an invoice, settlement or disbursement. The corresponding edit screen will open. Make changes and save.

 Right Click - Select an item in the list of consignors, settlements or sales then RIGHT-click on the selected item for a menu of functions like edit, delete, etc.

 Reminders - Be alerted to contact patrons (on a specific date or when they come into the store) and have notes for reference. Mailbox - Notes - User Date/Text

 Start-Up Tips now appear to help train new employees. Click on View All Tips under Help to see the complete tip list.

User Text fields for consignors, customers and employees records, and User-Text filters for reports.

Reports

 Reports for Returned, Donated and Destroyed Items - Generate, view and print records of such items. When generating a report, in the Inventory Work Area, select options from the drop-down menu named Disposition.

 Settlement Payments to One Consignor -

 Disposition Filter for Consignor Reports - In the Consignors Work Area, select All Dispositions, Return, Donate, Destroy or Transfer to House from Unsold Items to create a report for such items.

Taxes

 Auto Non-Tax of Clothing Items below $50 (Connecticut) - Any clothing item sold in Ct. for under $50 will not be subject to tax on the sales invoice. This includes items that may have been priced over $50 and subsequently reduced to under $50 from automatic or manual discounting.

 Print Multiple Taxes Separately on Invoices - Multiple taxes are computed appropriately and printed separately on invoices.

Important! BCSS is best viewed if screen resolution is set to 1024x768 (or greater). This is strongly recommended. Also, when BCSS is first opened, resize windows to your liking.

Hints for using this manual:

• Hold the mouse cursor over words in red for more information. If the note closes too quickly, move off the word and go back.
• Select words in blue to go to the suggested location. (Some require an Internet connection.)
• To find information quickly, press Control+F while viewing this page. Enter a key word and select 'Find'. Use 'Find Next' to locate additional information.

Overview

Learning BCSS - BCSS Work Areas (Consignors, Inventory, Sales...) are very similar. An understanding of the Consignors Work Area (F6) is a head start on becoming familiar with all work areas.

The Training Panel on the left in BCSS is designed to train first-time users. It contains step-by-step instructions for successfully completing the consignment process. Click on Hide/Show Training Panel on the Work Areas Toolbar to view or hide the panel. Resize BCSS windows after hiding/showing the panel.

Definitions:

Table - List of Consignors, Customers, Sales, etc. are shown in Work Areas in 2 columns on the right. In this example of a Consignors List, the column names are 'ID' and 'Name'. Clicking on 'ID' or 'Name' sorts the list alphabetically. Click again to sort the list in reverse order. Use the scroll button to scroll through the list or use the blue arrows on the Lower Toolbar. Double click the blue arrows to auto-scroll. Double click again to stop auto scroll.

Details Area  Details of data are viewed in the area below the Lower Toolbars. Select the tabs at the bottom of the Details Area for a variety of useful information.

Adding Categories

Select 'Inventory' on the Main Menu. Select Categories. At the bottom, enter a name of a category for an inventory item in the field named 'Edit an old category or enter a new one here'. Select 'Create New Category' at the top. The new category is added. Enter as many categories as desired then select 'Close Window'.

To edit a category, select the category in the category list, make changes in the input box at the bottom of the window and select 'Save Edited Category'. Changes are saved. To delete a category, select the category in the list and select 'Delete the Highlighted Category'. The category is deleted.

Tax Exempt Categories

Mark categories 'tax free' in the Edit Categories window. BCSS will set sales in these categories to show as non-tax line items on invoices. Choose a tax from the line item tax drop-down box if desired.

Program Setup - Configuring BCSS for Your Shop

On the Main Menu, select File, Program Setup. This window will open -

If any screen in BCSS is too small, resize the window.

At the top of the Program Setup window are 'tabs' like General, Consignors, Inventory, Sales, etc.

Select the General Tab if that screen is not already open.

Check which screen BCSS should display at start up: Consignors, Inventory, or Sales. The latter is most commonly selected for PCs on the sales floor. Inventory is selected for back-office computers used to enter inventory.

Check 'Open a new invoice automatically when starting this program.' if the New-Sale Screen (F2) is to appear each time BCSS starts.

Enter shop information.

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

Click here for instructions related to QuickBooks and the remainder of settings on this tab.

Select the Consignors Tab.

Set the default city and state for consignors and the default percentage payable to consignors on sales. These values can be entered when entering a new consignor and may be changed at anytime.

Enter your consignors' most common city and state to have city and state auto-filled on BCSS forms (or leave blank). This helps to avoid repetitious entry of the same information. City and state may be changed for each consignor.

Set 'Default Consignor Percentage on Sales' (in decimal format) to your shop's most common percentage. (This is the amount consignors receive.) See Discount by Category to set different percentages for different inventory categories. (Use the Back Button to return here.)

Enter a dollar amount (without a dollar sign) in 'Minimum Consignor Settlement' to avoid processing settlements for less than the amount entered.

Enter a number of days in 'Minimum Days Between Settlements' to avoid paying any consignor more often than the number of days entered. (This setting only affects aged batch 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 your consignors. The House Account will appear as 'House' in the Consignor List.

To auto-transfer unsold consignments to the House Account -

• Click on the Inventory tab above. Enter a number of days after which unsold items will be transferred to the House Account. Return to the Consignors tab.
  
  
• Put a check in the box below next to 'Enable House Account?'
  
  
• When adding or editing consignor records, enable this option by selecting
• 'Transfer To House Account' in the 'Unsold Items' box.
  
  

At appropriate times, process the Aging Rules in the Discounts Window.

Select the Sales Tab.

Check 'Automatically enter 'Cash Sale' for customer name' if Cash Sale is to be auto-entered each time for the customer name each time a New-Sales Screen (sales invoice) is opened, or check 'Show complete bill-to fields' if customers' names and addresses are to be entered for new sales.

Sales Taxes

Set the Sales Tax description(s) and amount(s). To disable tax collection, set the rate(s) to zero. Tax computation may be disabled by selecting 'Tax-Free' when completing the New-Sale Screen (F2).

Split Taxes

The Shop Totals part of the Sales Recap Report lists sales taxes separately even if they were charged together. There is also a line at the end showing the total non-tax sales.

Setting may be made on this screen for customer information, headers/footers and 'Buyer Fee'. Please click here for instructions.

Select Printers Tab.

Print Receipts On

Select either 'Receipt Printer' or 'Document Printer' for printing receipts.

• A receipt printer (about $300) is a special printer attached to a cash drawer which prints a two-fold receipt. They are used to save on paper and ink. If a receipt printer is being used, select a printer for 'Use this receipt printer'.
• A document printer is an ordinary printer commonly used with computers. Receipts are printed on 8.5 x 11 paper. Select a printer for 'Use this document printer'.

Click here for more information on printing.

Select Inventory Tab.

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, close Program Setup. Select Inventory on the Main Menu, then Categories. Enter a category name in the box at the bottom and click Create New Category at the top. Repeat to add as many categories as desired.

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

Select options to show the Discount Price Schedule and/or show the 'Date In' on price tags.

Networking

Networking connects multiple computers to the same BCSS database. Skip this section or refer to Networking for instructions.

Mall Tab

Ignore this screen if you do not rent mall space. Click here for instructions if you do.

This concludes setup for BCSS. The demo is fully functional and can be used to run your business. Try entering real transactions for a week or so to test. All data entered will be saved. Backup data before uninstalling BCSS, otherwise it will be lost.

Printer Setup

BCSS is compatible with any laser, inkjet, bubblejet or dot matrix printer.

On the Inventory tab in Program Setup, for small labels only (1/2" x 1-3/4"), check 'Wide Format' for laser printers or 'Narrow Format' for Ink/Bubblejet printers. These options change the distance between columns printed. (Some laser printers need more space between columns.) The only way to determine which is right is to try both and see which works best. To avoid wasting labels, print on a white sheet of paper and hold the sheet and a sheet of labels together up to light.

Most laser-style printers use margin settings (Left) 350 and (Top) 800. For 'All-in-One' fax/printer/copier/scanners, try settings of (Left) 350 and (Top) in the 1900 to 2100 range (Hewlett-Packard: 1500).

These settings are made in Reports Areas of the Work Areas (except Sales).

Margins for printing checks are typically (Top) 350 and (Left) 850, set in the Disbursements Work Area. Optionally try 300 and 800.

Margins for hang tags: Left: 350, Top: 800 to 850

Please note: If Windows is reinstalled, printer settings must be restored. Reset them in the Reports Areas of the Work Areas and in Program Setup, Sales Tab. This does not apply if BCSS is reinstalled.

Please refer to this document for help with receipt printers and cash drawers.

Inventory Lists

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Consignment Agreement

BCSS includes two 'built in' Consignment Agreements which auto-fill with shop and consignor information. The First Agreement is for first-time Consignors. The Addendum is for repeat Consignors.

In the Consignors Work Area (F6), select a consignor and select 'Print First Agreement'. Preview the Agreement and press the printer icon at the top to print.

Editing the Consignment Agreement

Open the Agreement (original.txt) in Notepad. Make changes. Leave the first 6 lines in the Agreement as BCSS will ignore the first 6 lines. Do not exceed line # 41. Edit the Agreement Addendum (addendum.txt) in the same manner.

Replace (Your Shop Name) with your shop's name. Replace (city, state) in item 11 with your shop's city and state. When finished, select File, Save. Your changes will be saved and will appear in each Consignment Agreement.

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Work Areas

Select options on the Work Areas Toolbar to move between screens for Consignors, Inventory, Sales, Settlements, Disbursements, Employees and Customers. Each screen is a 'Work Area' where data is entered, edited and presented in reports. These screens are colored-coded so that after some use, the colors will be a helpful reminder as to which Work Area is being viewed.

Each Work Area has a main section on the left for Reports and a table on the right for listing Consignors, Inventory, Sales, etc. Left-click on an item in the list. Double click to edit or RIGHT-click for other options.

Reports

Quick Reports (Main Menu) provide a quick printed or on-screen overview of -

• Consignors - listed by ID, name, items, balance, last item, last sale, last settlement
• Inventory - ID, description, category, price, quantity, date in, last sale
• Sales (Invoice List) - date, status, invoice #, sold to, terms, sold by, items, tax, item cost
• Daily - quantity of invoices and items sold, value of
• items sold, consignor %, employee %, other payments, promo discounts, store net, taxes
• Sales Recap - define report output with these filters: invoice list, salesperson recap, payment recap, shop totals

Each Work Area includes a Reports section. This is a portion of the Reports area from the Consignors Work Area (F6):

 User Text and User Date:

Use 'User Text' and 'User Date' to 1) mark (label, tag) and 2) group (sort, categorize) consignors, customers and employees.

User Text

Place any unique text in the User-Text field in a consignor, customer or employee record to 'mark' or 'label' him/her . For example, enter 'bad check' for those who have bounced checks.

User Date

Enter a specific date in a consignor, customer or employee record. For example, enter a date to contact or when to conduct an employee evaluation.

• View Groups of Consignors, Customers or Employees - In the Consignors, Customers or Employees Reports Area, enter the unique text (like 'bad check') in the User-Text Field, or enter a date in the User-Date Field. Select options under 'Send to Printer' or 'Send to Screen' to produce reports showing only those identified with 'bad check' or the date specified.

Report Filters

Each Reports section (for Consignors, Inventory, Sales, etc.) works the same. Filters are set under Define the Report to 'filter' data so as to include only desired entries in the report. These filters and the choices under 'Send to Printer' and 'Send to Screen' define the information to be included in a report and how that information is to be printed (like mailing labels) or displayed (like a list of consignors sorted by dates of Last Settlements). See examples below.

In addition to these user-defined custom reports, two other handy reports are 'Daily' and 'Sales Recap' (under Quick Reports on the Main Menu).

Printed Reports

Printed reports are available in every work area (Consignors, Inventory, Sales, etc.). Filters are set under Define the Report to 'filter' data to exclude unwanted entries. Choose the type of report to print by clicking on buttons below 'Send to Printer'.

Example: To print a list of active consignors who have sold items only in the recent past:

• Select Last Sale and set the inclusive dates in the date fields to the right.
  
• 
  

  Choose Active in the drop-down box.
  

• 
  

  Under Send to Printer, select to print by Consignor ID or by Name.
  

Another Example: To print mailing labels only for those consignors who are to receive mailings, check the Mailings box, choose to include Active, Inactive or All consignors, and under 'Send to Printer' select the Print Mailing Labels button (not shown). Preview the report and print, or choose more filters (like narrower date ranges) to 'filter out' unwanted entries.

On-Screen Reports

Information about consignors, inventory, sales, etc. is displayed in the table to the right. (Use View All to list all Consignors, etc.) The name of each column describes the content of the column. For example, the names of table columns in the Consignors Work Area (F6) are ID and Name. The columns contain consignor IDs and consignor names, respectively.

Clicking on the column names (like ID and Name) sorts that column's content. Clicking the same name again sorts the content in reverse order.

Defining Displayed Reports

Filters are set under Define the Report to 'filter out' unwanted data.

Example: To display only Inactive Consignors who have an Account Balance under $5 (a filter), select Account Balance (under Define the Report) and set the price range to $0 in From field and $4.99 in the To field. Choose Inactive in the drop-down box. Press buttons under 'Send to Screen' to display the information as indicated by the button names.

The Display-the-Report options for Consignors are:

Inventory Count > 0 - Display only those consignors with at least one item in inventory.
Sort by Last Settlement - Display consignors based upon the dates of their last settlements.
Sort by Last Item - Display consignors based upon the dates of their last additions to inventory.

Consignor Account Activity

'Account History' and 'Current Items' appear on the Consignors Work Area (F6) Lower Toolbar. Account History Shows All Items Consigned by a consignor, their disposition, and how all consignor transactions produce the current account balance. The Current Items button does the same, but it shows only items that have not been settled.

Email Reports

Any document on your PC may be emailed using this procedure.

Download and install the free PDFfill PDF Writer at http://www.pdfill.com/pdf_writer_free.html.

• In BCSS, create the desired report.
• Click the Print Icon on the Print Preview Screen.
• Select the PDF Fill printer.
• In the Save Box give the report an name and note the location where it will be saved.
• Locate the file and right click on it.
• Select Send to then Mail Recipient.
• Complete the recipient's email address and send.

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Consignors Work Area (F6) - Work Areas Toolbar - Consignors

Things to Know about Consignors:

• When adding new consignors, always enter consignor names as last name first. BCSS searches for consignors based upon which name (first or last) was entered first.
  
  
• The Consignor ID must start with part of or all of a consignor's last name (and not numbers) because numbers confuse to whom a particular ID belongs.
  
  
•  Right Click: Left-click on a consignor in the list. Double click to edit or RIGHT-click for other options.
  
  
• Set the default Consignor % (in decimal format; .4 = 40%; 1 = 100%) in Program Setup.
  
  
• Set the Consignor % for individual consignors by editing each consignor record or by editing an inventory item.
  
  
• The Consignor % is the share of the sale for the consignor, not the shop.
  
  
• When establishing House Accounts, if 100% of sales proceeds goes to the shop, set the Consignor % as 1. The number 1 = 100%.
  
  
• Mailbox Feature - Notes for Consignors: Select a consignor and click Edit, Mailbox (or RIGHT-click on the consignor, Edit Mail Box). Type a message to be given to the consignor and/or as a reminder to you. Adding text here will highlight the consignor record in pink as a reminder. Print Notes by selecting the Print Button while viewing the Mailbox Screen or right-click on a consignor and select Mailbox - Print.

Buy Outright

Purchase items directly from consignors and resell them.

On the New-Inventory-Item Window, check 'Buy this item outright'. Enter the selling price in the 'Price' box. The Consignor % is the percentage of the sales price paid to the consignor for the item. BCSS treats the item as already eligible for settlement. To pay the consignor for the item, just process a settlement. When item is sold to a customer, no further settlement is due. Sales reports will show the item as a consigned item.

Other items due for settlement may be included.

Add a New Consignor

To add a new Consignor, select New on the Lower Toolbar in the Consignors Work Area (F6). Designate a 'Consignor ID'. Because consignors are often sorted alphabetically, it's best to assign a Consignor ID that readily identifies the consignor. 'Last name and initials' works best.

Complete as much information as desired. Check whether to send mailings and/or sales reports. Set a different Consignor % if applicable (in decimal form, 1 = 100%; .4 = 40%) and choose how to dispose of unsold items. A Consignment Agreement may be printed. Click OK to enter the new consignor into the database.

Edit a Consignor

To edit a consignor select the consignor from the table then select Edit. Make changes and Click OK.

Sort Consignors

In BCSS, the table to the right contains two columns, Consignor IDs and Names. Sort the list by ID by clicking on the column header name 'ID'. (The gray arrow next to ID shows ascending or descending order.) Click it again to reverse the sort order. The same can be done in the 'names' column. Use the scroll button on the right to move the list up and down or use the blue arrows on the Lower Toolbar to navigate through the list.

Consignor Reports

Reports may be printed or they may be displayed in the table.

Define Consignor Reports

Filters are set under Define the Report to 'filter out' unwanted data. These filters and the choices under 'Send to Printer' and 'Send to Screen' define the information to be included in a report and how that information is to be printed (like mailing labels) or displayed in the table (like a list of consignors sorted by dates of Last Settlements).

For each report, whether printed or displayed, more than one filter may be applied. For consignors the choices of filters under 'Define the Report' are:

^*The User-Text Feature has two functions:

• Identify Customers - Edit or add a consignor record. Place up to 64 characters of unique text in the User-Text field. For example, enter 'bad check' for those who have bounced checks.
• View Groups of Customers - In the Reports Area, enter the unique text (like 'bad check') in the User-Text Field. Select options under 'Send to Printer' or 'Send to Screen' to produce a report showing only those identified with 'bad check'.

Reports can also be filtered to only include consignors who are to receive Mailings or Sales Reports and/or only those who are Active or Inactive.

Consignor Report Output

Once filters are set (the report is defined), the report may be printed (using the buttons under 'Send to Printer') or displayed in the table (using the buttons under 'Send to Screen').

Consignor Printed Reports

For example, to print mailing labels only for Active consignors who are to receive mailings, check the 'Mailings' box and select Active from the drop-down menu. Press Print Mailing Labels under Send to Printer. A Print Preview screen will appear previewing how the report will look if printed. Eliminate unwanted entries by choosing more filters then press the printer icon at the top to print the list.

Print options for consignors include Mailing Labels, Sort by Consignor ID or Sort by Name.

Consignor Displayed Reports

To view a list of consignors in the table who added new items to inventory in the past month, check the box next to 'Last New Item' and set the date range for last month. Under 'Send to Screen' choose how the data is to be displayed in the table - by 'Last Settlement' or by 'Last Item'. Click one then select the other to see the data arranged both ways.

Display Options for Consignors Include:

Inventory Count > 0 - Display only those consignors with at least one item in inventory.
Sort by Last Settlement - Display consignors based upon the dates of their last settlements.
Sort by Last Item - Display consignors based upon the dates of their last additions to inventory.

Consignors Toolbar

• Hide Details/Show Details - Displays/Hides the Details area at the bottom.
• Blue Arrows - Used to navigate through the table lists.
• New - Add a New Consignor.
• Edit - Edit existing consignor records.
• Consignor ID - Select to search for a consignor by ID or Name.
• Next Field - Enter ID or Name.
• Binoculars (Find) - Click after entering ID or Name.
• Binoculars with Arrow (Find Next) - Click after clicking the first binoculars to find the next matching record.
• View All - Show all consignors in the table.
• Print First Agreement - Print Additional Agreement
• Account History - Items belonging to the consignor which are currently in the store
• Current Items - Details about the consignor's previous activities

Consignors Details Area

Immediately below the Consignor Toolbar is the Details Area (which can be toggled off and on with the 'Hide Details/Show Details' button). Select tabs (General, Details, Items, Settlements, Notes) to view details about the consignor selected in the table.

Information in the Details Area can NOT can be edited there. To edit consignor information select a consignor in the table and select Edit on the Lower Toolbar.

Set Consignor Percentage

There are three places to set the consignor percentage:

• The default percentage for all new consignors is set in File, Program Setup, Consignors.
• After a new consignor has been entered, edit the consignor record and change the default percentage (in decimal form; 40% = .4, 100% = 1) for that consignor. That % will apply to all new inventory from that consignor. It will not apply to existing inventory.
• After an inventory item has been entered, edit the inventory item record to change the percentage for that one item.

The default percentage set for the consignor will appear in the Consignment Agreement. Edit the consignor record (Consignor Work Area - Select Consignor - Edit), and then open the Agreement to see the change.

Consignor Notes

Two different types of notes may be made for each consignor - those for the consignor to see and those for shop eyes only.

Notes to Consignors - The Mailbox Feature

n the Consignor Work Area, select a consignor from the table then select 'Edit' from the Toolbar. Click on 'Mail Box'. Enter comments. These notes may be printed for delivery to the consignor.

Shop Notes

In the Consignor Work Area, select a consignor from the table then select 'Edit' from the Toolbar. Click on Notes. Enter comments. These notes can not be printed from within BCSS but they can be copied and pasted into a text editor, formatted and printed from there.

Find a Consignor

• On the Lower Toolbar, select ID or Name from the drop-down menu next to Edit. Enter the ID or Name in the next field and click the binoculars or press the Enter Key. Click 'Find Next' (small binoculars with arrow) to find the next match.
• Use the blue arrows on the Lower Toolbar to scroll through the list. Double click the arrows to auto scroll. Click again to stop.

Delete a Consignor

A consignor record can not be deleted. Deleting consignors would break BCSS's record-keeping/reporting functions. Instead of deleting a consignor record, set it to be inactive. For reports elect to include only active consignors.

Inventory List for One Consignor

Create an inventory list for one consignor - Select Inventory on the Works Area Toolbar. Select the consignor from the drop-down menu next to the field named 'Consignor'. Press Inventory List or Detailed List under 'Send to Printer'. View the Print Preview on screen or print it out.

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Inventory Work Area (F7) - Work Areas Toolbar - Inventory

Things to Know about Inventory:

• Inventory applies to BCSS Deluxe and Diamond Editions and not to Intro or Basic. Only sold inventory is entered in Intro and Basic. If you wish to track and discount unsold inventory and print price labels, please use Deluxe or Diamond.
• Enter a consignor before entering his/her inventory.
• Make part of consignor's last name the first part of inventory IDs to help identify item ownership later.
• Left-click on an item in the list of inventory then RIGHT-click on the selected item for a menu of functions like edit, delete, etc. Double click to open the Edit Screen.
• Deleted inventory can be restored.

Add New Inventory (F4) - Inventory Work Area (F7) - New Item

To add new inventory -

1. Go to the Inventory Work Area (F7) and select New Item
2. Choose the consignor to whom the new item belongs. Click OK.
3. Label Description - Enter up to 20 characters in the Description Field. This information will appear on the price tag so make it as descriptive as possible.
4. Select a category.
   • If the selected category has been defined by User-Defined Groups (see how below), selecting it will activate the Category Groups and Sub-Groups (shown arbitrarily here as Color, Size, Style, Brand).
   
   • Use the drop-down arrows in each box to select appropriate options.
5. Enter Details about the item (up to 64 characters) which will appear on Detailed Labels and Detailed Inventory Reports.
6. Enter the Price, Lowest Price and Quantity.
7. The 'Date In' is preset for the current date but may be changed by selecting a date from the calendar or by clicking on a day, month or year entry and using up and down arrows to change values.
8. The Item Number is automatically assigned but modifying item numbers to include part of the consignor's name will help identify the consignor when viewing inventory later.
9. The item may be marked as 'Buy Outright' if it was purchased for resale.
10. Click OK when completed.

Delete Inventory To remove an item from inventory, select the item in the table and select 'Delete'. To delete all inventory prior to a given date, select Inventory on the Main Menu and select Batch Delete Inventory. Enter a date and Click OK. A screen will appear confirming the deletion.

Deleted items will still appear in sale and settlement documents that have already been processed.  Deleted items will not be available for new sales or settlement documents.  Deleted items can not be settled.

Undelete Inventory To restore an item to inventory, go to the Consignor Work Area. (Click 'Show Details' if details are not shown at the bottom of the screen.) Choose the consignor, click the Items Tab (lower left) and click Undelete. Put a check in the left column for the items to be undeleted. Click Record, Print, Exit.**

Categorizing Inventory the Right Way Each inventory category has 4 'fields'. Each field may be given any name. Those names will appear in a drop-down box for selection when adding new inventory or when editing existing inventory. Items may also be found by these names using the BCSS search function.

Using Pre-Defined Groups to Classify Inventory

Easily classify inventory items (when adding or editing them) by selecting from pre-defined groups and subgroups.

For example, for the category of Clothing, the groups could be Color, Size, Style and Brand with unlimited subgroups:

• Color: Black, Blue, Brown, Green, Red, White, Yellow, etc.
• Size: Small, Medium, Large, XL, etc.
• Style: Long Sleeve, Button, Zipper, Pullover, etc.
• Brand: Armani, Dior, DKNY, Gucci, etc.

First, Define Groups and Sub-Groups

• On the Main Menu, select Inventory, User-Defined, Group 1.
• Enter a Group Name, like Color.
• Enter a Group 'Member' like Blue.
• Click 'Create New Member'. The entry is added to the list of Members.
• Add as many Members as needed.
• Repeat this procedure for Groups 2-4.

Activating User-Defined Groups

When adding (or editing) an inventory item, choose the appropriate category Groups and Subgroups (from drop-down menus).

For groups and subgroups to be available, a category must be associated with groups. Here's how:

Then, Associate Groups with a Category

Add Inventory at Point of Sale - Sales Work Area (F8) - Toolbar - New Sale

Note: When adding inventory items at the point of sale, assign a consignors' percentage (in decimal form; .4 = 40%, 1 = 100%) to the items. Go to the Inventory Work Area (F7), right-click on the items and select to assign a %. Enter the % and save.

It is not necessary to have an inventory item pre-entered to process the item at the point of sale. (It is necessary to have the consignor pre-entered.) On the New-Sale Screen (F2), complete the 'Bill-to' fields (or enter 'Cash' if a cash sale). Enter a new Item # and select 'Retrieve Item Info'. (Remember the Item #.)

Choose a consignor and Click OK. Complete the information and Click OK.

This message will appear: "Item not found in inventory. Beginning the New-Item-Entry process now. You will need to reprocess the item for sale upon completion." Close that window.

On the New-Sale Screen (F2), enter the Item #. The Item-List button changes to read 'Retrieve-Item Info'. Click it. Optionally, press Item List and select the item just added). Under Enter Payment Below, select Payment Method and enter Amount Paid. Change due, if any, will show at the bottom.

Canadian tax will not be applied to a clothing item sold for less than $50.

Batch Inventory Edit

There are two ways to make multiple changes to inventory items:

1 - Use Batch Edit in the Inventory Work Area (F7). For the items shown click on the fields to be changed and enter new information. Click OK to save changes.

2 - Edit items for one consignor - Select a consignor in the Consignor Work Area then select Batch Edit on the Lower Toolbar. Changes values as needed and click OK to save changes.

Batch Inventory Entry

Use this function to add multiple items for one consignor.

• Select Batch Inventory Entry and select a consignor. The list is of the next available item numbers for that consignor.
• To add an item, click on the blank Description cell for the first item number in the first row.
• Add the new description for the new item. Repeat for Category, Details, Price and Quantity.
• Repeat for each new item.

Important! If labels are to be printed for new items added, use the buttons at the bottom of the screen to print labels before selecting OK to save changes.

Find: Search is based upon the item description. Enter a full or partial description of an inventory item and select the binoculars icon to display all matching items in the table. Select 'View All' to restore the full list.

Assign Bar Codes Bar-Code capability is standard in BCSS Diamond and not available in BCSS Intro, Basic or Deluxe. After inventory items are entered, bar codes must be assigned to those items. Click 'Assign Bar Codes to Inventory' after entering new inventory. Click here for bar-code details.

Add Selected Item to Invoice

Select an item from the table and select 'Add Selected Item to Invoice'. The item is added to the New-Sale Screen (F2). (If a New-Sale Screen is not open, BCSS opens one and adds that item.) Repeat the process for every item to be added to the invoice.

Discount Single Items on an Invoice

Manually enter a discount for any item on an invoice in the last column of the item table. The price of that item will be automatically changed and all other discounts will be recomputed as appropriate, displaying the new invoice total and applicable tax.

Discount Aged Inventory (Not included in some consignment software programs)

As inventory items remain unsold they are marked down in price to entice purchase. A unique feature of BCSS is the ability to automatically or manually reduce the prices of unsold items over time.

A typical discount schedule reduces sale price in increments of # of days and percentage of original sale price.

Two Rules

• Time is measured in the # of days an item has been in inventory.
• Percent Discount is based upon the Original Price.

This is an example of a correct discount schedule for an item entered into inventory on January 1st for $100. (The number of days and discount amounts can vary.)

After 10 days, on January 11th, discount original price of $100 by  5% to $95 After 20 days, on January 21st, discount original price of $100 by 10% to $90 After 30 days, on January 31st, discount original price of $100 by 15% to $85 After 40 days, on February 9th, discount original price of $100 by 20% to $80 After 90 days, the item will auto-transfer to the House Account

Since discounts are based upon the # of days since the 'Date In', discounts only need to be processed once per day. Discounts may be applied manually or automatically. Either way, BCSS will reduce the selling price by the designated amount for each item. When the item is sold, the new price is applied.

Process Discounts Automatically

Discounts can be processed automatically (each time the New-Sales Screen is opened) by checking 'Process discounts automatically' in Program Setup, Inventory. Each item's record can be edited to change price.

Process Discounts Manually

Discounting manually provides the opportunity to change the amount or date of the discount for each item.

To discount manually, click on Inventory on the Main Menu, then Apply Discounts. Allow a few seconds for the Discounts Window to display items eligible for discounting.

The list may be sorted by clicking on the column headers (like ID, Date In, Days, etc). If there are many items in the list, the sort will take a few seconds. Please only click once and wait.

The current discount rules (set in Program Setup, Inventory) appear on the Discount Screen. Any of these values may be changed and applied to items selected for discounting. (These values may be changed permanently by resetting them in Program Setup, Inventory.)

Uncheck items not to be discounted. (Use 'Check All' and 'Check None' for convenience.) Unchecked items will reappear the next time discounts are processed.

Click OK and allow sufficient time for processing. BCSS creates a settlement document and a payment document. Pay the consignor accordingly.

View Discounted Items

To view newly-discounted items, in the Inventory Work Area, Create a Report or locate the item in the list and view its Details Area.

• Create a Report -
  • Check 'Date Discounted' and enter today's date (or check 'Item Number' and enter an Item #, or check 'Price Range' and enter a price range, or select the consignor using the drop-down menu) then select any options under 'Send to Printer' or Send to Screen.
• Locate the Item in the List -
  • Under 'Send to Screen' click 'by Item ID' to sort inventory by ID. Scroll through the list to find the item by ID number.
  • Select the tabs (General, Price/Sales, Notes) in the Details Area to view the item's detailed information.

Optional: Print New Price Labels for the Discounted Items

Go to the Inventory Work Area (F7) and check 'Dated Discounted' under Define the Report. Enter today's date in the From and To fields then click the type of label to be printed under 'Send to Printer'. (The list of items discounted on this date is a 'report'.)

Follow the procedures for printer setup and printing price labels and affix the new labels to the appropriate items.

Discounts by Category

Each inventory category can have it's own auto-discount schedule. Placing items in their own categories allows greater control and flexibility in determining whether to discount items or not, when to discount and by how much.

First, create a schedule in Program Setup, Inventory, Edit Schedule Names. In the field to the right of 'Edit an old discount schedule name or enter a new one here:' enter a descriptive name then click on 'Create New Schedule'. Click OK.

Use the drop=down box under 'Discount Schedule Name' to select a category. Enter the discounts for this schedule and click Save Schedule'.

To apply the Discount Schedule to a category, open the Category Window. Choose schedules as they apply to categories from the "Discounts Schedule" column of the grid. Any discount schedule can apply to any category or group of categories.

Items that are donated to the shop can be recorded in BCSS in an account for the shop (commonly called a 'House Account').

Disposing of Unsold Inventory

Unsold inventory is either destroyed, donated to charity, returned to the consignor or given to the shop (transferred to the House Account).

These options appear in BCSS in the Details Area (at the bottom of the screen) under the tab named Items (in the Consignors Work Area). (If the Details Area is not viewable, click 'Show Details'. Drag the upper boundary of the Details Area to enlarge its size.)

Destroying (Discarding) an Unsold Item

• Locate the owner of the item in the Consignor Work Area.
• At the bottom of the screen in the Details Area, Item Tab, select the item.
• Click Delete. The item is deleted from inventory.

Donating an Unsold Item to Charity

• Locate the owner of the item in the Customer Work Area.
• Select Donate on the Lower Toolbar.
• Check the item to be donated.
• Click Record and Exit. The item is deleted from inventory.

The shop may be able to take a tax deduction for items donated to charity if the shop's Consignment Agreement stipulates that items to be donated to charity first become the property of the shop. Documentation is required as to when and what charity organization received the property. It will be up to the shop to determine the estimated resale value and the charity level (not the consignment store price which would be higher). Please check with your tax preparer.

Returning an Unsold Item to a Consignor

• Locate the owner of the item in the Customer Work Area.
• Select Return to Consignor on the Lower Toolbar.
• Check the item to be returned.
• Click Record, Print, Exit.
  • The item is deleted from inventory.
  • Two copies of the transaction are printed.
  • A record of the return is added to item notes.

Transferring an Unsold Item to Shop Ownership (the House Account)

• Locate the owner of the item in the Customer Work Area.
• At the bottom of the screen in the Details Area, Item Tab, select the item.
• Click Transfer to House Account. The item is deleted from inventory the consignor's inventory and added to the shop's inventory with a new Item ID.

If no settings are made in BCSS regarding unsold inventory, BCSS will do nothing. Of course an unsold item can be handled without involving BCSS. At any time, an item may be destroyed, donated, returned or given to the shop and the BCSS record of the item can be adjusted accordingly.

Use BCSS to inform employees what to do with unsold items.

Print 'codes' on price or bar-code labels designating the disposition of unsold items: destroy, donate, return. (If no code is printed on a label then BCSS was not configured for unsold items, or Items are to be auto-transferred to the House Account.)

To print disposal codes on labels, check 'Show disposal code for unsold items on labels' in Program Setup, Inventory. Enter a character or short string of (any) characters in each box for Destroy, Donate and Return.

The 'codes' may be 'secretive'. For example, enter 'y' for destroy, 'e' for donate, 'n' for return. Store employees will know the intended disposition of each item while patrons may not know what the codes mean. (Buyers may be less inclined to purchase an item they see tagged for destruction or charity, or may use knowledge of the intended disposition to negotiate a lower price.)

To properly dispose of unsold items, occasionally peruse price tags to find unsold items which are to be returned, sold, destroyed or transferred to the House Account. For the latter, click on the item in the Inventory Work Area list then right click and select 'Transfer to House Account'. If automatic aged discounts has been enabled in Program Setup, unsold items are auto-transferred to the House Account after the number of days specified in aged-discount rules.

Unsold items that are not to be destroyed, donated or returned may be auto-transferred to shop ownership (to a 'House Account' in the name of the shop). To activate auto-transfer to the House Account:

1. In the Consignors Work Area, set up a new Consignor Account for the shop, just as for any consignor.
   • Check 'This Is a House Account'.
2. In Program Setup, Consignors tab, check ' Enable the House Account?'.
3. In Program Setup, Inventory tab, complete a Discount Schedule.
   • Enter the number of days (in the last box) an item is to be on sale before becoming 'unsold'.
   • On that screen, check 'Process discounts automatically.'.
4. Set the disposal action to 'Transfer to House Account' in each consignor's record where applicable.

Confirming Auto-Transfers to House Account

When auto-transfer is set up for a consignor, BCSS automatically removes an unsold item from the consignor's list of inventory (after the period of time designated In Program Setup, Inventory, Aged-Discount Schedule) and adds it to the shop's list of inventory (in the House Account) with a new Item ID.

If a partial quantity of the item has been sold, the item record remains in the list (to support existing sales records).

View the record of the transfer in the Details Area in the Inventory Work Area. The change in background color indicates that a note is now attached. If the old house account inventory record was not preserved, the new house account record must be located.

Create Reports of Unsold Items

Print or view lists of unsold items sorted by disposition: Return, Donate, Destroy or Transfer to House Account.

In the Customers Work Area, select an option from the drop-down menu for Unsold Items (under Define the Report). View the list by selecting one of the options under Send to Screen, or preview/print by selecting one of the options under Send to Printer.

Add Pictures of Inventory Items

To assign a picture to an inventory record, click on Inventory on the Work Areas Toolbar. Select the item then right-click, Edit (or select Edit on the Lower Toolbar). Press New Picture. Use the file-chooser window to navigate to where the picture file is stored, select it, and click Open. View a picture that has been assigned to the item record by clicking on Show Picture.

Print Just One Label for an Inventory Item

• In the Inventory Work Area (F7), check 'Item #' and enter the same ID # in both the 'From' and 'To' fields.
• If using a partially-used sheet of labels, enter the label # in Print Labels From #. Ignore this setting if using a full sheet of labels.
• Under Send to Printer, select the type of label desired.
• Preview the label and print if correct.
• It may be necessary to tweak margin settings (under Label Margins, Left and Right) under Define the Report.

Inventory Lower Toolbar

Hide Details/Show Details Use this button to view or hide the details area just below the Toolbar.

Use the blue arrows to navigate through entries in the table.

New Item Select to add new inventory items.

Inventory Details Area

Immediately below the Inventory Toolbar is the Details Area (which can be toggled off and on with the 'Hide Details/Show Details' button). Select tabs (General, Price/Sales and Notes) to view details about the item selected in the table.

Information in the Details Area can NOT can be edited there. To edit information select an item in the table and select edit on the Lower Toolbar.

The check box named Settled on the Price/Sales Tab will have a check mark if the item quantity is zero and all sales of this item have been settled.

The difference between Aging Discounts and Promotion Discounts is:

• Aging Discounts apply to Sale Price and reduce the amount paid to the consignor. 
• Promotion Discounts reduce Invoice Totals and do not reduce the amount paid to the consignor.

Move Inventory to Storage - Sold items that are settled may be moved to a permanent storage file (to enhance the speed of the program).

Go to the Main Menu, Inventory, Storage, Move Items to Storage. All inventory items will appear. Check items to be moved and select 'Move to Storage'. Items will be removed from consignors' inventory files. Return items from storage using the option Remove from Storage. View stored items using the View Inventory Storage option.

Picked-Up Items

An item not sold and returned to the consignor is a 'Picked-up item'. BCSS automatically sets the quantity of the picked-up item to zero so the item will not be presented as a salable item and will not create a balance due for the consignor.

Notes about the return may be recorded in Item Notes. A note similar to this is auto-entered: 'Returned 2 items to consignor on 01/30/2007.'

List Picked-Up Items

To Process Picked-Up Items:

• Go to Consignors Work Area (F6) and select a consignor from the table.
• Select the Items tab in the Details area at the bottom then 'Return Items to Consignor'.
• Check which items are to be returned. (Use 'Check All' and 'Check None' for convenience.)
• Click OK.
• Preview the list.
• Click the printer icon to print. Two copies will be printed.

Back to Top

Sales Work Area (F8)

Things to Know about Sales:

• If any information about an item is changed on the New-Sale Screen (F2), click the Update-Invoice-Total Button to register the changes.
• BCSS point-of-sale functions add each sale to store income, subtract sold items from inventory, add the consignor's share to his/her account balance and add the employee's commission to the employee's account balance. (Employees are not included in the BCSS Intro, Basic and Deluxe Editions.)
• Use number keys at the top of the keyboard to enter bar-code numbers. Do not use the numeric keypad.
• Left-click on an item in the list of sales then RIGHT-click on the selected item for a menu of functions like edit, delete, etc. Double click to open the Edit Screen.

Process a New Sale - Sales Work Area (F8) - New Sales

To Process a Sale:

• • Press F2 to open the New Sale Screen, or
  • click on Sales on the Work Areas Toolbar -
    
    
    
    
    
    Then select New Sale on the Lower Toolbar, or
  • Left click on a customer in the Customer Work Area (BCSS Diamond version only) and right click and select Enter New Sale.
• Enter customer information in the Bill-To Fields. (To show 'Cash Sale' as the customer, check 'Automatically enter 'Cash Sale' for customer name.' in Program Setup, Sales.)

Select Items to Sell

Use any of these methods to select items to be sold:

• Enter the Item #. The Item-List button changes to read 'Retrieve-Item Info'. Click it. OR
• Leave the Item # field blank and select Item List. Select an item and click OK, OR
• Read a bar code. (instructions below)
• See below how to add inventory at POS.

The selected item will appear in the display box. Click Price, Quantity or Tax Rate to edit if necessary and press Update Invoice Total. (The consignor percentage and employee commission records are updated with the correct price.)

Finalizing a Sales Entry

Complete any other information as necessary - Discounts, Sold by, Terms, Layaway information. Check the 'Send Mailings' box if the buyer is to be added to your mailing list.

Under Enter Payment Below, select Payment Method and enter Amount Paid. Change due to the customer, if any, will show at the bottom.

Other options appear below for entering non-inventory items, reading bar codes, etc. To complete the sale at this point, select 'Preview, Print and Save'. Check the invoice for correctness in the preview screen then click the printer icon at the top of the PRINT PREVIEW SCREEN to print the invoice. A record of the invoice will be stored in BCSS. If the invoice is not to be printed but just saved, Don't select 'Preview, Print and Save'. Select 'Save' instead.

Click 'End this Session' at the bottom when there are no more sales to process.

Entering Non-Inventory Items

• Click on Sales on the Work Areas Toolbar -
  
  
  
• Select New Sale on the Lower Toolbar.
• Click on the 'Enter Unlisted Item' button. A new blank line appears in the invoice table.
• Click in the cell under Description and enter an item description
• Do the same for price and any other applicable cells: sales tax, quantity, % discount (in decimal form) and Buyer Fee.
• Click in the Consignor's cell and choose a consignor.
• Follow the remaining procedures just above for completing a new sale.

BCSS requires that a consignor be chosen before saving an invoice or placing it on hold. The consignor can not be changed when retrieving a sale put on hold.

Non-inventory items cannot be rentals.

Select 'Print' to print a copy of the invoice for the customer and select 'Save'.

New Sale Using Bar Codes - Sales Work Area (F8) - New Sales

Bar-Code capability is standard in BCSS Diamond and not available in BCSS Intro, Basic or Deluxe.

There are two ways to make a sale using a bar code:

Scan a bar code or enter a bar code on the New-Sales Screen.

Please refer to this document for specific instructions for both processes.

Some things to know:

If a bar code is read that does not exist in inventory, a New-Inventory-Item process begins. Choose a consignor. After the new item is entered, read the bar code again to enter the item on the New-Sale Screen (F2).

If the bar-code reader is unable to read a bar code, start to enter the bar code (using number keys at the top of the keyboard - not the numeric keypad on the right of the keyboard). An input window will appear. After entering a valid bar code, press Enter. The pop-up window disappears and processing proceeds as if a bar code had been read with the reader.

There are times when BCSS is not ready to start reading bar codes. In this case double-clicking the Begin-Bar-Code button (Work Areas Toolbar) will ready BCSS to read bar codes.

New-Sales Screen Entries

Sold By Employees choose their IDs from the drop-down list. Commission tracking is done automatically with each sale.

Split Payments - Sales Work Area (F8) - New Sales

Payment can be split into 6 different methods of payment: cash, check, credit card, debit card, gift certificate and deferred payment (pay later). For example, if a customer pays $5 in cash, $5 by credit card and $5 by gift certificate, separate 'Payment Method' fields must be completed for cash, credit card and gift certificate, and the check boxes for each must be checked.

The check box must be checked for each type of payment or split payments will be ignored, even if amounts are entered. All splits have the same payment date.

Tax-Exempt Resellers - New Sales Screen (F2)

Entering a tax ID in 'Reseller Tax ID' on a New-Sale Screen (F2) automatically changes the invoice to tax-exempt status.

If 'Show Customer Work Area' has been checked in Program Setup/Sales, future sales to the same customer will be tax exempt.

Cash Drawer Balance - Sales Work Area (F8)

The Cash-Drawer-Balance feature tracks each sales person's cash-drawer balance in real time and determines how much cash should be in the til at any time.

An employee starting a shift clicks on Start/End Shift (Main Menu, Sales). The Shift-Recap Form opens. Enter the starting amount in the til and click 'Continue'. Any time during the shift, the employee can reopen this screen to view the balance and click 'Continue' when finished.

Open this screen at the end of the shift and balance the til against the total shown. Click on 'Close Out' to return the balance to zero in preparation for the next shift.

It is possible for more than one employee to use BFSS at the point of sale. All employees can track balances separately at the same time, logging in back and forth as needed.

At the end of day, separate totals are available for each employee when logged in. Totals for an employee will not show when that employee is not logged in.

The 'On Shift' drop-down box shows which employees are being tracked. If employee log-ins are not enabled, this drop-down box will show 'Store Owner' when it is tracking sales. It will be blank when not tracking sales

Layaways - Sales Work Area (F8) - New Sales (Not included in some consignment software programs)

On the New-Sale Screen (F2), if the sale is a layaway, enter a check in the box to the left of 'Check this box for layaways and include the payment schedule to the right.' and enter the payments to be made under 'Enter Payment Below'. Enter the first payment and payment method. Subsequent payment methods are 'Pending'. The total of the scheduled payments must be the same as the Total Sale Amount. If so the 'Due field' will show zero.

Managing Layaway Payments

When a payment is made, open the invoice in the New-Sale Screen (F2) and enter the payment under Enter Payment Below. The payment schedule and amounts can be altered.

To record a payment, choose a payment method and change the date if necessary. Click OK.

Changing the payment method from 'Pending' to something else (Cash, Visa) causes BCSS to count that payment as made.

When all payments have been made remove the check from 'Check this box for layaways and include the payment schedule to the right.' At that point the sale is considered completed for commission purposes and will be included in reports.

Layaways are included in reports but not in consignor or employee account balances or in consignor settlements and employee commissions. Upon completion of the sale, inventory, consignor percentage and employee commissions are automatically updated along with data-tracking entries.

Go to the Layaways on the Main Menu to view Open, Closed, Expiring and Past-Due Layaways.

Full Refund for Returned Item - Sales Work Area (F8) - Credit Memo

A credit can not be done for an item that has been deleted from inventory. It's advisable not to delete inventory items for a lengthy period of time.

Select Credit Memo in the Toolbar. Complete as much customer information as desired. Check Return. Enter the Item # and press the Retrieve Item Info button, or press the Item List button to select the item from the list. (If the item has been deleted from inventory, it will not appear in the list.)

Return the amount shown in Due to the customer. Print if necessary and select Save to save the transaction.

The total purchase price is refunded. The item is returned to Inventory and Consignor records are adjusted. Go to the Consignor Work Area, select the consignor and at the bottom select the General tab to verify the transaction.

Partial Refund - Sales Work Area (F8) - Credit Memo

If the customer will keep a purchased item, but is to receive a partial refund, complete as much customer information as desired and check Discount. Enter the item # or press the Item List button and select the item from the list. (If the item has been deleted from inventory, it will not appear in the list.)

Change the unit price to reflect the amount of credit. If more than one item is involved change the quantity. Taxes will be computed automatically.

Return the amount shown in Due to the customer. Print if necessary and select Save to save the transaction.

A discount transaction (partial refund) will reduce store revenue and consignor account balance but will not change inventory.

Settlements and commissions paid will not be changed in either case. Consignor and employee records both provide ways to adjust account balances if necessary. It is also possible to void an invoice and have seller commission also corrected (only if the employee has not been paid commission for the items on the invoice).

Consignor Credit Purchase

A credit must be issued before making a Credit Purchase.

Select Consignor Credit Purchase from Sales in the Main Menu. From the list of consignors having a positive Credit Balance, select a consignor and press OK.

Use any of these methods to select items being purchased:

• Enter the Item #. The Item-List button changes to read 'Retrieve-Item Info'. Click it. OR
• Leave the Item # field blank and select Item List. Select an item and click OK, OR
• Read a bar code. (instructions above)

The New-Sales Screen has default entries showing the payment method as 'Consignor', along with the amount of the credit in the 'Paid' field. The balance here will be zero unless a settlement for credit was previously processed. The balance here is the same as Store Credit on the Details tab in the Consignors Work Area (F6).

Change the amount paid to reflect the cost of the purchase.

Inventory is reduced, income for the day is increased and the cost of the purchase is deducted from the Consignor's Account Balance. Consignor purchases reduce Shop Credit. Reducing Shop Credit reduces the Account Balance.

Void a Sale - Main Menu - Sales - Void Sale

Note: Reversals for discounts and partial returns can be made using the credit memo function.

The Void-Sale function will completely erase a sale.

To Void a Sale:

• In the Sales Work Area (F8), select a sale from the list by clicking on it.
• Either RIGHT-click and select Void or select Void Sale under Sale on the Main Menu.

Once an invoice has been saved, only the date of the invoice may be changed. To change anything else, the invoice must be voided and a new one created.

Voiding an invoice before or after settlement returns all items on the invoice to inventory. The Consignor's share of the sale and the employee's commission are reversed. Voiding after settlement does not reverse the settlement and commission. Those amounts can be deducted from future settlements and commissions.

Sales Taxes - Sales Work Area (F8) - New Sales

Tax will not be applied to a clothing item sold for less than $50 in Canada.

On the New-Sale Screen (F2), Sales Taxes are automatically calculated and displayed. Put a check in the non-taxable field for non-tax items while processing the sale. (Sales Taxes are set in File, Program Setup, Sales.)

Discounts at Point of Sale

Aged-Inventory Discounts are set in Program Setup. Aged Discounts apply at point of sale (but are invisible to the customer). Aged Discounts are discussed here.

These are four discounts at the point of sale:

• Percentage (%) - Total Invoice is reduced by a %
• Dollar - Total invoice is reduced by a dollar amount
• Price - The price of an item is reduced
• Promotional - All items offered under a Special Promotion are discounted

Price, % and $ Discounts are entered in the New-Sales Screen. Promotional discounts are auto-entered by BCSS (during a Special Promotion only).

Promotional Discounts and % Discount are absorbed by the store. Price and Dollar Discounts are not.

A % Discount reduces the settlement amount. Price and Dollar Discounts do not.

Discounting at Point of Sale - Sales Work Area (F8) - New Sales

Go to the Sales Work Area (F8) and select New Sale.

Enter customer information or 'cash' in the Bill-To Fields.

Use any of these methods to select items being purchased:

• Enter the Item #. The Item-List button changes to read 'Retrieve-Item Info'. Click it. OR
• Leave the Item # field blank and select Item List. Select an item and click OK, OR
• Read a bar code. (instructions above)

The discount may be entered as a dollar amount or percentage:

• Invoice total deduction (in the 'Discount' field under Subtotal, in this format 00.00 - no dollar sign - This discount does not reduce employee commission.)
  • A dollar-amount discount only reduces the consignor's share of the sale proceeds.
• Percentage (in the 'Discount % field on the invoice or the %-Off column of the invoice item list - This discount reduces the employee's share of sale proceeds.) 
  • A % discount reduces the total sale price thereby reducing both the consignor's and shops share of sale proceeds.

Optionally, edit the price of the item in the list.

A Promotional Discount will only appear in the Discount field during a Special Promotion and it may be changed.

After the last item is entered, remove any items by selecting the item and selecting the Remove Item button. If applicable, check Non-Taxable and select COD, Net 30 or Prepaid from the Terms field. Select Payment Method under Enter Payment Below and enter Amount Paid. Change due to the customer, if any, will show at the bottom.

If applicable, check 'Send Mailings' and/or select an employee ID from 'Sold by'. Select Print to print a copy of the invoice for the customer. Select Save to save the sale.

Any of the four discounts can apply at the same time or in combination. If one discount is changed, the others are not affected. BCSS tracks the amount of each discount and computes the correct total.

Pending Sales

Any sale can be put on hold any number of times. This includes credit memos, consignor and employee sales. The only restriction is that consignors must be chosen for non-inventory items (choose 'House' for retail items). The selection can not be changed when the invoice is retrieved for further processing. Pending sales do not reduce inventory until finalized. They do not appear in sales reports unless the 'Report should only include sales on hold' box is checked. They do appear if 'View All' or one of the time periods is selected in the Lower Toolbar.

Special-Promotion Feature (Not included in some consignment software programs)

In addition to Discounts, the Sales Price may be reduced using the Promotion Feature.

From the Main Menu select Inventory, Sales Promotions. Set the inclusive dates for the promotion. (Use the down arrows to drop-down calendars.)

Set a progressive scale of invoice totals and how much discount to apply for invoices that total in the ranges specified. Set discount amounts for chosen categories. BCSS automatically computes these discounts from invoice total and categories and enters that total discount in the discount field on the invoice. The discounts will only apply between the dates entered on the sales promotion setup screen.

Rentals

A new inventory item can be designated as a rental at time of entry or the item record can be edited later to designate a rental. If a rental item is entered on an invoice, the line item will appear as pink when it is not selected. This is a reminder to enter in/out dates. In/out dates are not available for other types of sales.

To access Rentals in BCSS, click on 'Rentals' on the Main Menu. Select 'Process Returns' to view a list of rentals that are currently out. Check the items being returned and click OK to clear the rental record. Inventory quantities will increase for the items returned.

Other selections in the Rental Menu allow reports that show inventory or sales records for rental items returned, not returned or past due. All filters in the Sales or Inventory reports area apply to these reports.

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Settlements Work Area (F9)

Things to Know about Settlements:

• Settlements can be processed for one item (with control of what items are to be settled and how), or in batches.
• Payments to consignors may be split two ways.
• A settlement can be increased or decreased manually.
• Left-click on an item in the list of settlements then RIGHT-click on the selected item for a menu of functions like edit, delete, etc. Double click to open the Edit Screen.

A 'Sale' increases shop owner income, consignor and employee balances. A 'Settlement' is the resolution of a sale, allocating sales proceeds to balances due shop owner, consignor (and employee if applicable). A 'Settlement' decreases owner and consignor balances due. Employee balance due remains the same.

New Settlement for One Consignor - Settlements Work Area (F9) - New

Select New on the Lower Toolbar in the Settlements Work Area (or F9). If sales have been processed, a list of consignors will be displayed. Choose a consignor for settlement.

A screen will appear listing unsettled sales. Check items to be included in the settlement. (Use 'Check All' and 'Check None' for convenience.) Unchecked items will reappear the next time this consignor is chosen. The total settlement due is automatically calculated and entered. A Settlement # is auto-displayed in the Settlement # field.

Enter any additional amounts or deductions. Enter notes for the consignor and/or for the shop. Click 'Save and Exit' or 'Save, Print, Exit' to print.

Settlement Payment for One Consignor

Payment is made by selecting options and entering the Payment Amount in 'Payments for This Settlement'. There is accommodation for two payments, Payment 1 and Payment 2, for split payments, if any.

BCSS auto-enters the next available check #s. Ignore this if payment is other than by check and select the method of payment from the drop-down menu under 'Payment Method'. Enter the payment amount under 'Amount'.

Split Payments

Payments to consignors may be split into 2 of these methods - Cash, Check, Credit and Gift Certificate. For Payment 1 select a method from the drop-down menu under Payment Method and select another for Payment 2, entering the amounts for each under 'Amount'.

Shop Credit increases when settlements are made for credit. The Total Account Balance will remain the same while removing the sold inventory from the unsettled list. The outstanding account balance can then be used to purchase goods from the store.

Settlement Adjustments

A settlement can be increased or decreased manually by entering an amount in the Additional Amount or Deductions. Settlement totals will be adjusted accordingly. Use 'Payment Notes' (not shown on printed Settlement Form) and 'Additional Notes' (shown on the Settlement Form) to explain the manual entries.

Note that neither individual nor batch settlement will take account balance adjustments (pluses) nor account balance credits (minuses) into account. The settlement will be exclusively for amounts owed consignors for inventory sold. To clear a negative consignor account balance, process a settlement amount for credit. To clear a positive account balance left after all settlements have been processed, process a consignor Credit Purchase, or adjust the balance away in the consignor edit screen.

Correct or Delete a Settlement

A settlement can not be changed after it is saved. To correct a settlement, delete the existing settlement and create a new settlement by choosing New Settlement on the Lower Toolbar.

Delete a Settlement - Click to select the settlement from the list of settlements in the Settlements Work Area (F9). Either RIGHT-click and select Delete Settlement or select Delete Settlement from the Lower Toolbar. The item is deleted from the list.

When a settlement is created, a disbursement record is auto-created in BCSS. The disbursement document is not deleted when a settlement is deleted. Go to the Disbursements Work Area and mark affected disbursements as canceled. If this is not done and the settlement is regenerated, two disbursements will appear in the list of disbursements.

Batch Settlement - Settlements Work Area (F9) - Aged Batch Settlements

Select Aged Batch Settlements. The screen lists all consignors who have settlements due along with a variety of information including Settlement Amounts.

Aged Batch Settlements includes only sales for prior months. Use Batch Settlements in the Consignors Work Area (F6) for sales in the current month.

Check all consignors whose accounts are to be settled. (Use 'Check All' and 'Check None' for convenience.) Select a Payment Method. If groups of consignors are to be paid by different methods (Cash, Check, Credit, Gift Certificate), select the payment method and only select consignors who are to be paid by that method. Ignore the check # if consignors are being paid other than by check.

Click OK. The Batch Settlement screen will close leaving the Settlements Work Area (F9) in view. In the background BCSS will make the necessary calculations and adjustments to accounts. Proceed from here to Disbursements to print checks, to Employees to pay commissions, or do these at another time.

Print Settlement Checks Automatically

In the Main Menu, select Consignors, Batch Settlements (or 'Aged Batch Settlements' in the Settlements Toolbar). Select the consignors to be settled. Complete the batch settlement document. Make sure your hardware is ready and click on Print Checks.

It is advisable to test print to assure checks are printing properly before doing a batch print.

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Disbursements (Not in BCSS Intro)

A 'Disbursement' is money paid out in any form for any reason. In BCSS Disbursements (or payments) are categorized as Bill (utility bill e.g.), Cash Withdrawal or Other. (BCSS uses Other for Settlements and Commissions that are not paid by cash.)

Disbursements can not be deleted, but they may be edited and set to be cancelled. Doing so will prevent them from appearing in reports.

Checks

Buy blank check stock at the local office supply and have them printed with your shop name, address, bank information, routing number and account number. Three checks per page is the most common format. If not already done, go to File, Program Setup, General and select either one check per page or three.

Things to Know about Checks:

• Disbursement records are prepared for all settlements regardless of payment method.
• Check disbursements are prepared if the payment method is check.
• Attempting to print a check for a cash disbursement or for a disbursement marked as Not Approved will generate an error message.
• If a check is created but won't be printed, change the check's status to Not Approved so it can not be printed and will not affect reports.
• Left-click on an item in the list of disbursements then RIGHT-click on the selected item for a menu of functions like edit, delete, etc. Double click to open the Edit Screen.

Check Setup

• Three checks per page is the most common format.
• Go to File, Program Setup, General and select either one check per page or three. For three, a pop-up window will appear asking in which of the three check positions to print.
• Test print a check on a blank sheet of paper and hold it up to the light with a check behind to make sure the print lines up with the check's fields. The top and left margins may need to be changed (In the Disbursements Work Area, 'Check Margins') in order to print correctly. The default settings of (Left) 350 (Top) 850 work on most laser-style printers.

Process a Check

• Select New Disbursement in the Disbursements Work Area (or go to Consignors, Disbursements in the Main Menu). The New Disbursement window will open.
• Complete the fields. The next available check number is auto-entered and may be changed.
• Select Bill, Cash Withdrawal or Other for the type of payment. A cash withdrawal is processed the same as a check but no check number is used and no check is printed. Cash and check both decrease store income.

Cancel a Check

Select the check from the table, select Edit Disbursement and select Not Approved, then OK. Cancelled checks do consume a check number, but do not affect store income.

Print a Check

• Select either one or three checks per page in the Program Setup.
• Test print. (See Check Setup above.)
• Select a check from the table.
• Select Print Checks in the Disbursements Work Area.
• A Check Layout window will appear.
• Click the print button.

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Employees Work Area  (BCSS Diamond Only)

Employees and Consignors are similar in BCSS accounting, except mainly that employees are assigned commission %s and receive commissions while consignors agree to consignment %s and receive settlements.

Things to Know about Employees:

• Names should be entered either last name first or first name last because searches for employees will be based upon the name appearing first in the table.
• Employees are listed in the table. Display Current Employees only, or View All.
• Commission % may be changed at any time.
• Employees can make in-house purchases from their commissions.
• Left-click on an item in the list of employees then RIGHT-click on the selected item for a menu of functions like edit, delete, etc. Double click to open the Edit Screen.

Familiarity with the Consignors Work Area (F6) and its functions pretty much assures an understanding of BCSS accounting for employees. Please read the Consignors Section if necessary.

BCSS Employee Data Includes:

• Name, employee number, inventory sold, consignor, item#
• Last update, last and current sales, balance
• Sold inventory, commission %, bonuses and subtractions
• Last commission prints
• Hire and termination dates

Employees Reports

Report Filters are located under 'Define the Report' at the top. These filters define the information to be included in Printed Reports and Displayed Reports. Choosing fewer filters and/or wider date ranges can increase the number of entries included in reports.

Example: Selecting View All will show all employees in the table. Checking Last Sale under Define the Report and setting the date range to the last 2 weeks and clicking on New Sales Count > 0 will show only those employees who have made sales within the past 2 weeks.

Editing an Employee Record

Highlight the employee whose record you want to edit and click on the Edit button in the Toolbar. Make changes and Click OK.

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Customers Work Area (F10) (BCSS Diamond Only)

Things to Know about Customers:

• Customer Tracking in BCSS may be turned on and off. Go to Main Menu, File, Program Setup, Sales to make the selection.
• In Program Setup, pressing the button named 'Copy Customer Information to Customers Work Area' will copy customer contact information from current invoices to new Customer records.
• In Program Setup, a Pick List may be turned on or off for presenting a list of customers for New Sales.
• Names should be entered either last name first because searches for customers will be based upon the name (first or last) which appears first in the table.
• Edit or delete a customer record using the Edit and Delete buttons on the Lower Toolbar.
• Use Edit to add notes to a customer record.
• Left-click on a customer in the list of customers in the list. Double click to edit or RIGHT-click for other options.

Customer tracking is simple and straight forward. Essential information is displayed in the Details Area at the bottom of the screen: Name, Customer ID, Address, Phone Numbers, Email Address and Date of Last Purchase. (Use Edit on the Lower Toolbar to change customer information.)

Enter customer information or 'cash' in the Bill-To Fields on the New-Sales Screen, or customer information may be added in the Customers Work Area (F10) using the New button on the Lower Toolbar. Check Send Mailings if the customer is to receive mailings.

Find a customer by using the blue left and right arrows on the Lower Toolbar, or by using the Search Function on the Lower Toolbar. Select Name or ID from the drop-down menu. Enter the first or last name and click on the binoculars.

Bad Check List

The View-Invoice Screen has a button labeled 'Bad Check'. If payment was not made by check, this button has no effect. If payment was made by check, all amounts paid by check on the invoice will be displayed with a line drawn through them. Bad-check sales are not included in sales reports unless the 'Report should only include bad checks' filter is checked. They do appear if 'View All' or one of the time periods in the Lower Toolbar is selected.

If a customer has a bad check, the invoice number will appear on the general tab at the bottom in the box labeled 'Bad Check' in the Customers Work Area (F10).

 User Text and Dates:

The User-Text and User-Date Features has two functions:

• Identify Consignors and Customers
  • User Text - Place up to 64 characters of unique text in the User-Text field in a consignor or customer record. For example, enter 'bad check' for those who have bounced checks.
  • User Date - Enter a specific date in a consignor or customer record. For example, enter a date to contact one or more persons.
• View Groups of Consignors or Customers - In the Consignors or Customers Reports Area, enter the unique text (like 'bad check') in the User-Text Field, or enter the a date in the User-Date Field. Select options under 'Send to Printer' or 'Send to Screen' to produce a reports showing only those identified with 'bad check' or the date specified.

Customer Reports

Data related to customers may be Printed or Displayed (in the table) as reports. Set report filters under Define the Report to include only desired information in a report.

Print Reports

These reports may be printed:

• Mailing Labels - Print stick-on labels for envelopes.
• Export Customer List - Create