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Old 11-08-2002, 04:48 AM   #1 (permalink)
 
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Here are the new features or changes together with my personal rating and opinion of them:

Note: these comments are based on my review of V10.0.45 (distributed at Vegas the end of June 2002), I will shortly be reviewing V10.0.62 and shall amend if necessary.

1. New Client Profile Screen Design. See separate thread for more information related to this topic.

Andy Says: BAD

While the splitting of the POS area into Current and Recent History displays is Good and will be discuss as a separate item later, the overall impact of the new POS Client Profile display is VERY BAD. It results in a less effective POS activity, has negative impact on User Defined fields and Client Balance data. Only a part of the info required is displayed.

2. The POS area has been split into 2 portions, Current Session and recent History. In the Current Session area the transactions involved in this current session (prior to F5-End Sale) are displayed. Once the Sale is ended up to the last 30 transactions are displayed in the recent History display below the Current Session area. The F8-History display is unchanged.

An additional security feature has been added to allow you to limit a cashiers ability to Void Transactions. You can limit a cashier to ONLY be able (without Void Old Sales authority) to Void Transactions that are IN the Current Session.

Andy Says: Good

This feature addresses the request of many users to be able to limit a cashiers ability to Void transactions. Initially Helios had enforced this change, I suggest and they amended the approach to allow Management to identify (in System Defaults) if they wished this new rule enforced.

This would have been EXCELLENT if not for two issues. One, the overall impact on the design of the Client Profile screen when alternative designs were/are available, and Two, the Voiding of Old Sales is rather difficult, now processed from the F8-History screen.

3. The ability to "Suspend" a Client Session.

Andy Says: POOR

This relates to a concept that is VERY overdue in Helios. The ability to "Window" from one Client Profile to another, to be able to quickly handle a client (put them in a bed) while you are in the process of processing another client (Adding them, selling lotion, etc). The approach adopted by Helios for the suspend feature is an additional Method of Payment - 9 Suspend Sale. When you Suspend Sale, you are able to bring up another client, process them and then return to your original client. This is very limited in its ability. Does not work WHILE you are ADDING a new client, you can only suspend a session ONE time before completing it. A good/OK idea but in my opinion it does not go far enough as a true Windows application should.

4. New Reports Module. The reporting module in V10.0.45 was such a disaster that I will defer comment on this topic until I have review V10.0.62.

The only new report that I remember from July was the Employee Per Person Average report.

Andy Says: Rating and Comment Deferred

5. New Web Based Reporting Module. V10 is to support the ability to access the Helios reports from any Internet connection.

I understand that this feature is at the root of Helios only supporting Windows 2000 and Windows XP Professional operating system.

I was not successful getting this feature to work in V10.0.45 and therefore defer comment until I have attempted same with V10.0.62

Andy Says: Rating and Comment Deferred

6. Data Encryption. I understand and need to confirm that the EFT Account Number has been and remains encrypted in V10.

Andy Says: BAD

This significantly limits the ability of a Helios User to manage and process their EFT transactions in a manner of their choosing. If ETS/Helios does not provide an means by which this data can be decrypted by the User you will be under their control for processing EFT transactions.

7. The SmartMail Wizard has been replaced with Direct Mail Label printing function.

Andy Says: POOR

The SmartMail Wizard provided the ability to EXPORT to a Microsoft Access Database file Client Profile information based on very powerful selection criteria (set by the user). This database could then be used in MS-Word for MailMerge functions or data could be forwarded to Mailing house without messing with the Client Database in Helios. The new Direct Mail label routine is VERY limited in comparision.

8. Photo moved to the Check-In Tab.

Andy Says: BAD

This move was not necessary and relates more to a personal agenda than consideration for Users needs and desires.

9. Two eMail Addresses have been added to the Client Profile.

Andy Says: OK

While in basic principle this is an OK addition, the placement of these fields on the primary Client Profile screen in preference to User Defined fields is in error. These fields have no secondary function in Helios (at this time). No reporting, no Mail Client interface, no ability to export data from within Helios.

The conversion program as seen in July does not allow for the transfer of eMail address data into either of these fields from a selected User Defined field. Although it was recommended in March that this be provided.

10. Increase in the number of Contract forms from 5 to 9

Andy Says: OK

11. Addition of a Client ID#. This additional index that the User can enter for each client allows for the search of a client by a value assigned by the User. This field can be up to 10 Numeric characters. You can also set the system to Start At this field for searching on clients.

Andy Says: GOOD

but could have been EXCELLENT. If the field was 15 or 16 Alpha/Numeric characters it would have been MUCH more powerful. This would have allow for Drivers Lic# to be used, and many State/Provinces have Barcodes on the License of the DL#.

One of the most logical values to enter into this field is Phone Number.

The F2-Client Search function screen also needs to be modified to include this field, since it is possible to search on the value in this field.

12. Employee that is Clocked In can not Tan. In V10 you have the ability to store an Employees Client Number in the Employee File for each Employee. The system will then prohibit an Employee from Tanning if they are clocked in.

Andy Says: OK

Neat little feature but not very hard to circumvent.

13. Utility Module eliminated. The separate Utility Module has been eliminated in V10.

Andy Says: POOR

Users will now have to structure Backups with separate programs or utilities. This is not that big of a deal, but make sure you have provided for this before converting to V10. It just seems to me that Helios could have structured an utility to assist users on this MOST IMPORTANT issue.

Also the Compact and Repair function is no were to be seen.

14. Database Structure has undergone signicicant change. One of the changes is that now the various Audit tables are in a separate database.

Andy Says: GOOD

but a function should be provided to "Archive" or "Prune" data from this database. I have seen V9 Helios.mdb files that are enormous (LIKE 100MB) in size because of these files that go for YEARS without the ability of the User to remove data that is so obsolete it is of no value.

Any Users that has created additional applications (Access or other) related to Helios Databases will have some work to do to address the New Database structure in V10.


Again, please remember these comments and observations are primarily based on a review of V10.0.45. I will shortly be able to review V10.0.62 and will offer additional or modified comments where appropriate.

Hope this helps ...


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ACT Help Center [ This Message was edited by: Andy @ ATSO.ca on 2002-11-08 05:59 ]
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Old 01-16-2003, 12:35 PM   #2 (permalink)
 
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Updated regarding V10.0.70:


4. New Reporting Module

Overall Rating: BAD

See the separate V10.0.70 - Issues thread for details regarding Reporting Issues.


6. Data Encryption

All data encryption has now been removed from V10.0.70 and hopefully will not return.


7. The SmartMail Wizard has been replaced with Direct Mail Label printing function.

The SmartMail Wizard and related created database has now been re-instated in V10.0.70


11. Addition of a Client ID#.

The new additional index field is now 20 (well really 19) characters and is Alpha/Numeric.

The F2 Seach function is still not addressed.


Hope this helps ....

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Old 01-17-2003, 10:06 AM   #3 (permalink)
 
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andy,
a customer comes in and first purchases a lotion i complete the sale and then they disappear from the screen. then i have to ask them their name again to put them into a bed.
it would be so much easier if after you f5 (finish transaction) that person would automatically be back on the screen. of course if then they decided to leave you would just f9 (clear screen).
am i doing something wrong?
greg
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Old 01-17-2003, 10:30 AM   #4 (permalink)
 
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No Greg, you are not really doing anything wrong, if you wish to finalize the portion of the transaction involving tender first, and then put the client in the bed to maximize the available Delay time for the client.

Couple of thoughts for you to consider ...

Increase your start delay to give time to complete the tender portion of the transactions and include the Tanning Sales Code in your initial sales activity.

If you are using a Timer that does not involve Start Delay or have TMax set to infinite delay ... you can most certainly include the Tanning transaction before the F5 End Sale ... not recommending this, just not sure what brand of Timer Manager you are using.

Take a quick look at the Client number before you F5-End Sale ... after the screen clears ... Arrow up two times and enter that number and enter ... quicker than F2 Find Client by name if you (and/or you staff) are good at remembering numbers, this may be a quicker way of getting the client back up.


I have talk to Helios Development about this before ... I would like a way of totally completing the sale, including upgrade charge if appropriate ... with the actual activation of the bed having the possiblity of being "Suspended" and completed later ... THINK of busy season and how FANTASTIC that would be ... from the Suspended transactions you would then be able to edit if necessary and activate the bed.

The Suspended Session feature in V10 is almost useless, it does allow you to leave ONE transaction uncompleted (you could have run the Credit Card total and then do the actual F5 later when the Tanning transaction is proceeded) but does not provide the additional flexibility that many of my clients have been looking for.

Hope something above helps ...


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Old 01-18-2003, 10:16 AM   #5 (permalink)
 
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andy
thanks for the info.
i have my beds for a 5min delay so yes we should have enough time to put them into a bed 1st then complete the transaction.
but when you are busy a client will sometimes change their mind about something and the clock is ticking.
unfotunately for me my memory is short so i forget their name sometimes and then i have to ask them again.
thanks again
greg
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Old 01-20-2003, 01:10 PM   #6 (permalink)
 
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If you have put them in a bed and need to bring their Client Profile back up for any reason ... you could also use F4-Status to help you remember, this screen will show you the current and/or last client in each bed.
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