Framiac 3.41 introduced the following features:
1. Import Catalog Wizard.
2. Stock control for matboards.
3. The ability to build a picture frame starting from the cutting size.
4. Customer Categories.
5. More flexible labour charges.
6. More flexible markups.
7. Standard Jobs
8. Improved Jobsheet. Landscape format Jobsheet no longer supported.
9. Oversize warning.
10. Minimum chargeable amounts on components.
11. More flexible method for charging for the dropout in matboard.
12. More reports, including graphs.
13. A simpler process for saving jobs, deleting jobs, marking jobs as
completed and converting jobs from quotes to orders.
14. More options, including the ability to "turn off" some unused features.
15. New glazing types.
16. More comprehensive Price Breakdown.
17. Ad Hoc charges.
18. Shortcut Framiac on the Job form for Calculate Price, Save Job or Print
Jobsheet.
19. Help with finding Help.
1. Import Catalog Wizard.
Framiac can now import moulding and matboard catalogs from a CSV (Comma
Separated Values) file. A CSV file is a common format for interchanging data
between programs. Importing catalogs will save many hours in data entry.
This feature can also be used for updating catalogs. The CSV file must be
provided by your moulding or matboard supplier. The Import Catalog Wizard is
accessed from the Catalog Framiac on the Job form. More information is on the
Help Framiac on the Job form.
2. Stock control for matboards.
Stock control is maintained in whole sheets or according to actual useage.
This feature can be turned off if not required. Access Stock Control from
the Settings Framiac on the Job form.
3. The ability to build a picture frame starting from the cutting size.
Framers can now choose to build a picture frame from the cutting size. This
feature is useful for fitting an image into an existing frame.
4. Customer Categories.
Framers can now create Customer Categories. The Default customer Category is
Retail. The Retail category pays the full retail price. Framers can create
other Customer Categories which offer discounts off the retail price. This
can be useful for marketing to particular customer groups. The Wholesale
Markup has been removed and replaced with a Wholesale Customer Category.
Customers who have made a Wholesale purchase since 1 July 2001 have been put
in the Wholesale Customer Category. During the upgrade process, Framiac will
calculate a discount for the Wholesale category based on transaction history
since 1 July 2001. You should check this figure and adjust it as approriate.
Customer Categories can be accessed from the Customer Framiac on the Job form.
5. More flexible labour charges.
Labour charges can now be adjusted according to the size of the job. This
takes account of more work in larger jobs. Labour charges can also be
adjusted according to the cost of the materials. This takes account of
taking greater care in working with more expensive materials. For example, a
very ornate frame can be difficult to cut and mitre, even though the overall
job might be quite small. More help is on the Help Framiac on the Labour Charges
form.
6. More flexible markups.
The Retail Markup has been replaced with the Standard Markup. The Wholesale
markup has been removed and replaced with a Wholesale customer Category (see
Customer Categories). The Standard markup applies to all components which do
not have a component markup. Component markups can now be completed, left
blank, or set to zero. A completed component markup means that component
will be marked up at that rate and that component will not be marked up with
the Standard Markup. A component markup that is left blank, is marked up
with the Standard markup. A component markup that is set to zero, is marked
up by zero and is not included with the Standard markup. Framers who wish to
use the Standard markup only, should simply leave the component markups
blank. Remember, setting component markups to zero means they will not be
marked up at all. This system is more flexible, in that it allows you to use
the Standard markup for most items, but only use a component markup where
you think you need it. For example, you might work in an area where the
price of framed mirrors is very competitive. You may choose to have a
Standard markup, but set the mirror markup very low, or to zero. This will
ensure a more competitive price for mirrors, without reducing the
profitability of other jobs.
The sliding scale for markups is now also more flexible. Previous versions
of Framiac allowed framers to set a higher markup on lower cost jobs and a
lower markup on higher cost jobs. Framiac 3.41 also allows a lower markup on
lower cost jobs and a higher markup on higher cost jobs. This allows framers
to take advantage of local market conditions which might allow a premium to
be charged at the high end of the market.
7. Standard Jobs
Standard Jobs are one of the most crucial features in Framiac for improving
framer productivity and your business profitability.
What are Standard Jobs?
Standard jobs can be thought of as jobs that can be reused, or templates for
creating new jobs. Create a Standard Job to reflect each of the different
types of job which normally come through your shop.
How do Standard Jobs work?
Say for example, a tapestry comes into your shop. Simply open the Standard
Job you have created for a tapestry. Framiac will create a job with all the
features you have specified are necessary for a tapestry.
This has a number of advantages.
First, it makes creating a new job very fast.
Second, it ensures you do not forget to charge for any features (how many
times have you forgotten to charge for something and then remembered just
after the customer leaves the shop?).
Third (and this might be the most important advantage), most framers, when
dealing with customers are partly listening to the customer and partly
trying to remember all the bits to charge for. Now that Framiac remembers
all those bits for you, you can give the customer your full attention. That
makes you better at sales and has to be good for your business.
Creating a Standard Job
Create a job with the features you require. In the Description field, type a
description that will help you identify this Standard Job.
Click Calculate Price, then click File/Save As/Standard Job. That's all
there is to it! The blue Title Bar at the top of the Job form will show this
is a Standard Job.
When you wish to use this Standard Job, click Open a Saved Job on the
toolbar and select the job from the Standard Jobs Framiac.
This information is on the Help Framiac on the Job form.
8. Improved Jobsheet. Landscape format Jobsheet no longer supported.
The Jobsheet has larger print, an improved, easier to read layout and the
ability to turn off those features you do not require. See the Sundries form
to choose which features to display or hide. The Landscape format Jobsheet
is no longer supported as this format did not offer the flexibility of the
portrait format Jobsheet.
9. Oversize warning.
If a matboard, backing or glazing is chosen which is too small for the job,
Framiac will issue a warning.
10. Minimum chargeable amounts on components.
This allows you to recover cost where you must buy in expensive materials
when only a small amount of the material is used. If Framiac calculates the
cost of the material required for a component is less than the minimum
chargeable amount, the minimum chargeable amount will be charged.
11. More flexible method for charging for the dropout in matboard.
You may choose not to charge for dropouts in matboard above a certain size
as you consider this material to be reusable. Set this option on the
Sundries form. More help is available from the help Framiac on the Sundries
form.
12. More reports, including graphs.
See the reports Framiac on the Job form for the new list of reports. The Price
Breakdown can now be presented as a series of graphs, allowing you to easily
see how costs and sale prices are distributed through a job. Order summaries
can be graphed as Margin Summaries by Day, Week, Month or Year over the time
period you specify. This allows you to plot trends in orders, comparing both
cost and sale price over time. The Customer Category report summarises job
information by customer category. The Top Customers Report now reports
between specified dates and has an improved layout. A Materials Required
Report allows framers to determine what materials will be required over a
selected period. This report is intended to be helpful in ordering stock and
is sorted by supplier. Markups can also be graphed. See the Markups form for
this feature. The Day Report summarises quotes and orders for the day you
specify. Please let us know of any additional reports you would would find
useful in future versions of Framiac.
13. A simpler process for saving jobs etc
Framiac no longer asks if you want to save a job as a quote or an order. A
quote remains a quote and an order remains an order until you decide to
convert from one to the other. To convert a quote to an order or an order to
a quote, click File/Convert.
Outstanding Jobs can now be converted or completed in bulk. From the job
form, click File/Outstanding.
14. More options, including the ability to "turn off" some unused features.
To see the range of options, go to the Sundries form.
15. New glazing types.
New types include Glass Sheet, Glass Pre-Cut, Mirror Sheet, Mirror Pre-Cut,
Perspex Sheet and Perspex Pre-Cut. Go to the Glazing Catalog to check that
Framiac has correctly classified your existing glazing. Check your settings
for these new glazing types on the Wastage form, the Labour Charges form and
on the Markups form.
16. More comprehensive Price Breakdown.
The Price breakdown now shows the Cost, Net, Tax, Discount and Price for
each component. The Price Breakdown has a Private and a Public format. The
Private format shows cost information. This is most useful for tuning your
costs. The Public format hides cost information and is useful for discussing
options with customers. You may choose to print the Public Price Breakdown
and provide it to your customer as a detailed quote. As indicated in Item
12, the Price Breakdown can now be presented as a series of graphs, allowing
you to easily see how costs and sale prices are distributed through a job.
17. Ad Hoc charges.
Ad Hoc charges can now be applied to a Job. This is useful for "one-off"
charges, such as mat printing or conservation work where the price cannot be
calculated. Choose whether or not to markup Ad Hoc charges on the Markups
form.
18. Shortcut Framiac on the Job form for Calculate Price, Save Job or Print
Jobsheet.
Right-click anywhere on the Job form to select these options from the
shortcut Framiac.
19. Help with finding Help.
Click Help/Find Help for a list of available help topics.
The following items have been included since the initial release of Framiac
3.41:
A Material Used Report has been added to Framiac 3.41. This report shows the
materials which have been used between specified dates. The Material Used
Report can be accessed from the Framiac on the Job form: select Reports/Stock.
See Help on the Material Used Report for further information.
Additionally, the process of marking the completed date for outstanding jobs
been simplified further. On the Outstanding Jobs form, simply double-click
on the Completed field to mark that job as completed today.
During the pre-xmas rush it is easy to lose track of which moulding belongs
to which job. The ability to find which job that moulding belongs to has
been added to Framiac 3.41. Open the Moulding catalog, select the moulding
you are trying to track, then click Show Jobs on the Framiac. Framiac will then
display all jobs which include that moulding. The same feature has been
added to all catalogs in Framiac.
A Labour Summary Report has been introduced for Framiac 3.41. The Labour
summary Report is available from the Reports Framiac on the Job form; select
Reports/Summary Reports/Labour.
The Labour Summary Report shows the hours labour required for jobs which have
not been completed and are due between selected dates.
The report shows the various tasks due each day, the time required for the
tasks and the labour cost. A summary for each task, each day and for the
selected period are also shown.
The Labour Summary Report can be useful in forecasting workload and planning
staffing.
Help for the Labour Summary Report can be found on the Help Framiac on the Job
form. Click Help/Find Help, then select "Labour Summary"
Outstanding Jobs can now be opened directly when viewing Outstanding Quotes
and Outstanding Orders. From the Framiac on the Job form, click
File/Outstanding/Quotes. On the Outstanding Quotes form, select the job you
wish to open, then click the Open Job button on the Framiac. The job will then
be opened on the Job form.
A Guided Tour has also be introduced for new users to Framiac. From the Framiac
on the Job form, click Help/Guided Tour. The Guided Tour is intended to be
printed, so you can read through it while working with Framiac.
It is possible, when you are in a hurry, or where you have several staff, to
inadvertently create duplicate customer records. A feature has been added to
Framiac that makes it easy to merge the duplicate customer records.
From the Customer Framiac on the Job form, select Merge Customers. The Merge
Customers form will then appear. Help is available for this feature on the
Merge Customers form.
The Import Catalog Wizard now allows a discount to be applied to the list
price when importing mouldings into Framiac from suppliers' catalogs. The
Wizard also has an improved layout, with more help and is more tolerant of
some errors in data files from suppliers.
Framiac 3.41.18
Show Jobs now includes the value of all jobs and the value of orders. From
the Customer form, click Show Jobs on the toolbar to see all jobs for that
customer. At the top of the form you will now see the total jobs for that
customer and their total value and the total orders and their value.
Similarly, in any catalog, eg moulding, click on a moulding to see all jobs
which have used that moulding with the total number of jobs and their value
and the total number of orders and their value.
Error handling has also been improved in the catalogs. If you enter a
duplicate code for a catalog item, Framiac will now not allow the change,
but will warn that the code you have entered is duplicated. Previously
Framiac would not allow the change, but would not issue any warning as to
why the change was not allowed.
Framiac 3.41.19
Moulding widths and matboard borders can now be entered in fractions of
millimeters. This should be useful for those framers with computerised
mat-cutters or where great precision is required.
Framiac 3.41.20
Quotes can now be sent via email. To send a quote via email, click File/Email Quote.
When the customer selected on the Job form is a business name, the contact name now also displays.
Framiac 3.41.23
Stock reports can now be selected by supplier. A new Stock report has been added for Glazing.
Framers can now find all jobs which have used a particular type of cutout. On the Cutouts form, click Show Jobs.
There are several minor improvements to the Jobsheet: The Contact name now appears where the customer is a business. Where there are multiple copies of a job to make, the Copies to Make field is bold. The border around the Note field is slightly heavier. Headings for Frames, Mats etc are bold. The Date Entered now also appears on the Jobsheet.
Framiac 3.41.24
The Framiac Jobsheet now shows Quote or Order on that part of the Jobsheet which is retained in the workshop.
The Import Wizard is now able to set the re-order level as materials are imported.
Framiac 3.41.26
When the Completed Date is set on the Framiac Job form, the Job is now automatically saved.
Framiac 3.41.29
Multiple copies of a job now also applies to Ad Hoc Items. Ad Hoc Items were
orginally intended to be used where services were provided by an outside
source, such as matboard printing, or conservation work. The cost of these
services were not calculated by Framiac, therefore it was assumed the price
entered took account of multiple copies where appropriate. However, Ad Hoc
items are being used in ways which were not anticipated. Therefore, from
now, when Ad Hoc items are entered and multiple copies of the job are
selected, Framiac will multiply the price entered by the number of copies.
This makes the calculations for Ad Hoc items consistent with other items.
The Cutting Size on the Jobsheet is now bold, to avoid confusion with other
sizes.
Framiac 3.41.32
The Customer form now automatically chooses how to file the customer. If the
customer has a business name, the customer is filed under the business name,
otherwise the customer is filed under the family name.
The Customer form now has a New button. This is intended to make it easier
to enter several new customers, without having to return to the Job form. On
the Framiac on the Customer form, click File/New.
The Jobsheet now includes a field for Extra Labour.