How to Network Best Consignment Shop Software

You should only network your business if your business can afford the resources necessary to build and maintain a reliable network. Anything less will waste your money and give you a headache.

Every computer will need fast hard drives with ample free disk space and lots of RAM. You'll need the best (Gigabit) Ethernet (NIC) cards, surge protectors, uninterrupted power supplies and router.

You'll need a good local technician. Anything less will waste your money and give you a headache.

The network itself must be properly configured. (Refer to Networking in the Windows Control Panel.)

Networks running the BCSS program must be cabled with the best 10/100 Cat 5E cables. Wireless networks are for checking emails while sipping coffee at Starbucks.

Network hubs are the cheapest, the slowest and totally unacceptable. Switches are a bit faster because they can send and receive at the same time but routers are the only option for commercial networks.

Use only Windows XP or Vista and make sure that the most recent version of BCSS and the same version of BCSS is installed on all computers.

The consignment software used on the network must also be 'commercial grade'. Some programs (like Consignpro) use Microsoft Access (intended more for home use only). 'Consignpro' crashes often on a network under heavy load. Data becomes corrupted or is destroyed then 'Consignpro' charges $69 each time to clean up the mess. Use BCSS. "Anything less will..."

Microsoft's FoxPro 9.0 integrates the BCSS program and the FoxPro database. There is no 3rd-party component (like MDAC) causing relay and dependency failures. BCSS users don't pay $69 to send their databases off to support for 'tune ups'.

BCSS makes it affordable to network. There are no on-going annual services fees and the cost for additional licenses is reasonable at $100 each (as compared to $300 each at Liberty and 'Consignpro').

Ethernet - 2 computers in the same room connected by an RJ-45 crossover cable (not the same as an Ethernet cable).

Ethernet - more than 2 computers not in the same room connected by a router with Ethernet cables. (10/100 Cat 5E cables are best. Don't use a hub or switch.)

Ethernet Built In - Your place of business is wired for Ethernet. Each computer plugs into an Ethernet wall jack.

HPNA (Home Phoneline Networking Alliance) - Each PC must have an HPNA network adapter and a (nearby) phone jack. Plugging the PCs in connects them to the network automatically. Actual speeds of many products using HomePNA 3.0 are yet to be determined, making HPNAs likely unsuitable at present for commercial use.

1. Install commercial-grade Network Adapters (Network Interface Cards or NICs) on all PCs. The cards must be fast and of high-quality - not like the ones typically installed on PCs for home and Internet use.

6. Configure the router. Make sure DHCP is turned on. (See instructions that came with the router.)

On the Host Computer - Right click on My Computer then click Properties. In Vista, click on 'Remote settings'. In XP or Vista, click 'Computer Name'. Enter Host in the 'Computer description' field and click OK..

On the Host Computer with XP - Click on My Computer then C:, Program Files. Right click on the BCSS folder and select Sharing and Security. Check 'Share this folder on the network'. Leave the 'Share name' as BCSS. Check 'Allow network users to change my files'. Click Apply then OK.

On the Host Computer with Vista - Click on My Computer then C:, Program Files. Right click on the BCSS folder and select Share. In Vista, click on Advanced Sharing. Check 'Share this folder. Click Permissions and check 'Allow' for Full Control, Change and Read.

On the Host Computer - Go to Control Panel, Network and Internet, Network and Sharing Center. 'File Sharing' and 'Public folder sharing' must be 'On'. For 'Public folder sharing' choose 'Turn on sharing so anyone with network access can open, change, and create files'.

On Remote PCs with XP - Log on to the computer as Administrator. Click Start. Right-click My Computer. Click Properties. Click the Computer Name tab, then Change. If the workgroup name is not WORKGROUP, change the name to WORKGROUP. Enter a name for the computer and click OK.

On Remote PCs with Vista - Go to Control Panel, Network and Sharing Center, View computers and devices. You should see icons for the computer you added and for the other computers and devices that are part of the network.

If Windows logon ID's and passwords have been assigned, make sure that all LOGIN ID's have Administrator access.

8. Test all network computers to make sure that they can access the other computers.

It is essential that the latest and same BCSS version be installed on each computer. Check the version on each computer under Help in BCSS, About BCSS. Please download the latest version from
http://www.bestconsignmentshopsoftware.com/bcss-diamond.exe.

On the host computer, go to My Computer and navigate to C:\Program Files. Right click on the BCSS folder and choose properties. Click Sharing and check 'Share this folder on the network'. (In Vista, click Advanced Sharing, check 'Share this folder'.) The folder 'Share name' will be BCSS and the path will be \\User-pc\bcss (where 'User-pc' will be your computer's path). Depending on the Windows edition, check 'full access or allow network users to change my files'. This is necessary because BCSS files change as information is changed in BCSS records.

On the same Advanced Sharing screen on the host computer, click on Permissions and check 'Change' (to allow remote computers to change records in the BCSS database). 'Read' should already be checked and should remain checked. Click OK.

Install BCSS on each computer. From remote computers, access the network and navigate to the installation file. Right click on the file and copy. Paste the file onto the remote PC's desktop. Click on the file to start installation.

On the host computer, open BCSS and go to Files, Program Setup, Networks. The location of the BCSS database by default is the BCSS program directory at C:\Program Files\BCSS. If it is in a different location, check 'find database at this location:' and type the location or use the navigation button to the right of the location field to locate the location. Choose the file named Consignor.dbf to select the database.

On each remote PC, open BCSS and go to File, Program Setup, Networks. Check 'Find database at this location'. Type the location of the BCSS database (or use the navigation button to navigate to the location). If the host computer is named 'Host', for example, the path name would be \\Host\BCSS.

BCSS needs to know each computer on the network. On the host computer, go to File, Program Setup, Networks and click on Manage Locations (at the bottom).

For each computer on the network, enter applicable information for Name, Location, Station, Address, Phone and Manager. Each location can have a number of stations. Station 1 can be clothes. Station 2 can be furniture, etc.

The order in which locations are entered does not matter. The location name and station must be unique and accurate.

On each remote PC, go to File, Program Setup, Networks and under Sales Locations, select a location for each PC in the field named 'This computer's location is'.

A network hub or switch is not the same as a router. A router is needed to facilitate networking. It keeps track of who is on the network and sends (routes) traffic correctly.

Many new routers are configured through the browser. Router documentation explains how. Cisco routers come with extensive documentation. Linksys is a better trouble-free brand. Linksys' setup through the browser is very comprehensible.

The Linksys setup will have DHCP in two places - one for the connection that it makes to the Internet and the other for connection to client computers on the local network. The latter needs to be enabled. In the Linksys configuration, it is only necessary to enable DHCP and specify a starting IP address. Other configuration items on the DHCP page can be left as they are.

Employee Permissions are accessed in BCSS by selecting the Employee Access (on the right) in the Employees Work Area.

Employee permissions are divided into 3 areas: Point of Sale, Back Office and Management. Each has a check box labeled 'Require These Permissions'. If the box is not checked, permission is not required to access that area. If none of these boxes are checked, employee log in is not required even if employees have been assigned usernames and passwords.

When BCSS starts with no permissions required, it grants full permissions to all areas.

If permissions are required for one or more areas, employees not in the employee database with user name and password will not be able to log in even if permission for some areas is not required.

One employee is required to have access to the Employee Work Area. BCSS will enforce this if the user tries to save the permissions screen without choosing at least one user with this access even if the 'Require These Permissions' box is not checked for the management area.

A username and password can be added to an employee record or they can be assigned when adding a new employee.

BCSS records a change when the change is saved. To avoid loss of data entry, two users must not edit the same record at the same time. One or the other will be lost. To avoid this, each clerk should only access the main database and each should edit different records.

Reports will only show data that has been saved. If a user is entering changes and has not saved them, the changes will not appear in the report.

Requests and updates can be made simultaneously without sharing violations from all the computers on the network.

New Robust Accounting Software Program for Consignment, Resale, Retail and Thrift Shops Inventory Sales