FactoryMaster Version 10.59
Release Notes

Software Copy Protection

We are trialling a new Software/Internet based copy protection system in this version. This is an alternative to the hardware dongle used in the past and currently is only available to customers who have been unable to use the dongle. This may however be extended to further customers in the future. The dongle is still the primary copy protection system in use with our software.

Database Changes

There is now an option in FactoryMaster to use the 'Simple Recovery Model' on the database and new installations will default to this model. This is recommended for customers who have problems with the database log files growing out of control. Whilst it has implications to database restoration from a backup, it still allows a full restore of the backup and everything that has happened up to the point the backup was taken.

Transaction Broker

The transaction broker has been updated with the facility to allow a broker user to be allocated a 'line number' when running the transaction broker engine.
New transactions can then be allocated to a specific transaction broker 'line' so that transactions can be split across multiple transaction broker engines in order to improve response times.
Please note that this facility is only available when the 'broker users' facility is also enabled.

Accounting Period Calendar

The system has been updated with a new calendar which allows users to define 12 accounting periods per year and define the dates in which each account period starts and ends.
The accounting periods can then be used on some specific reports and system areas to define a date range based on accounting periods.

System Tasks

Quote tasks have been improved with the addition of being able to allocate a system task against a specific part on a quote.
A new facility has also been added which allows users to output a report of system tasks.

CRM Enhancements [Uses With CRM Module Only]

The 'CRM Maintenance' option on the 'General' tab has been replaced by a 'CRM Menu' which allows quick access to 'Prospect Maintenance', 'Customer Maintenance', 'Supplier Maintenance', 'Contact Maintenance' and 'Campaign Maintenance'.
It is now possible to define and range on up to 20 user defined codes in 'Prospect Maintenance' and 'Customer Maintenance'. The codes become enabled when you change their description in 'System Maintenance / System Settings / General System Settings / User Defined Field Titles'.
As a result of customer feedback the 'Prospect Number' has been removed from most screens and reports. 'Prospect Maintenance' is now sorted by 'Prospect Company Name' and most prospect selection screens will also now use this field.

Create Works Orders For Call-Offs

The 'Create Works Orders for Call-Offs' facility in sales orders has been improved so that users can select or deselect all MA or BI parts on the sales order.

After Sales

The 'after sales' facility has been updated to allow 'supplier rejects' to be created from and / or associated with the respective 'after sales' record.
This is to represent a situation where a customer has rejected an item which you previously bought from a supplier, and want to show the direct association between the customer rejecting the item and you then rejecting it back to the supplier.

RTF Invoice

Added 'RELEASE_NOTE_NO' tag.

Scheduled Changes To Preferred Supplier

It is now possible to specify that a certain supplier of an item becomes the 'preferred' supplier on a specified date. This can be defined for items of ALL stock types.
This functionality can be enabled by setting the 'PREF_SUPPLIER_SCHED_CHANGE' control setting. Please note that the MRP Auto-Raise is the ONLY area of the system which recognises future changes (and suggest call-offs based on these) - all other areas of the system will still only recognise the current preferred supplier.

Resource Groups

Resource groups have been changed to enforce a rule that once you have allocated a resource group you will only be able to change the resource group to one of the same group type (ie, machine or labour).
There is no longer a default resource group of 'OTHER' for new resources as this did not exist in all databases.

MRP Auto-Raise - Dual Sourcing

It is now possible to specify that multiple suppliers of an item should be used when suggesting purchase orders in the 'MRP Auto-Raise' screen. One supplier will still be nominated as 'preferred' but any number of other suppliers can be flagged as 'Dual Source'. The Auto-Raise routine will then alternate between these suppliers when suggesting call-offs for the item.
This functionality can be enabled by setting the 'PREF_SUPPLIER_DUAL_SOURCE' control setting. Please note that the MRP Auto-Raise is the ONLY area of the system which recognises the 'dual source' setting.

Job Costing

Tweaks have been made to improve performance of Job Costing based reports. Further tweaks are still underway in this area for future versions as well.

Inspection Module

It is now possible to leave a numeric measurement blank rather than zero, even if the characteristic allows zero as a valid value.

Time Recording

The control flag 'DC_CLK_HIS_TOTALS' has been added which when enabled provides an alternative view of the 'clocking history' screen to one that shows the total time worked each day along with a weekly total to date.

Manual Time Sheet

New user preferences allow a preference of chargeable/non-chargeable and, if set to 'non-chargeable', also allow a default non-charge code to be specified.
This screen also now shows the 'standard operation' description if one exists - rather than the resource description (when zooming to select an operation).
The printed timesheet now shows the employee time correctly for labour based resources.

Released 2nd December 2011

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