HELIOS ... V10 Features and Enhancements

[Andy]

OK ... I want to set the record straight here. I have in the past been critical for V10 and at that time I stand by my statements. BUT, earlier this year ... V10 operation and reporting in my opinion reached a point of stability equal to or better than V9.

V11 is coming soon. It will be a MUCH smoother upgrade than V10 was because there are very limited changes to the system backbone in V11 (that was all done in V10 and they were MAJOR ... and I will add very desirable, but painful from a programming viewpoint). You may wish to upgrade directly to V11 from V9 (or prior) or you may wish to upgrade to V10 now if you are still on V9 and prior.

Going into the upcoming season you really in my opinion what to be either on V10 or V11 ... your call related to your opinion of the enhancements and desires. The one place you DO NOT want to be is still on V9 or prior. There are changes coming in this industry that V10 and V11 are preparing for ... that V9 and prior do not address ... avoid the pain, upgrade NOW !!!!

Support on V9 will be discontinued as of Dec 31st, 2003 (except of course Tech Support will continue to support upgrades to V10 or V11 after that date).

Let me outline for you some of the features in V10 that V9 uses are missing ... I just assisted a good friend and valued client upgrade 3 locations from V9 on Wednesday night ... and the staff are very pleased and loving their new V10.

In no particular order, except of course the order I think of them:

1. POS area split into Current Session and Recent History areas. A current session and be suspended with a client to service another client (quickly put them in a bed) and the system immediately then returns to the suspended transaction for completion.

2. Cashiers can be prohibited (option) from Voiding Sales that are outside of the current session ... meaning in order to void sales after F5-End Sale today they need the Void old sale password ... now this is option, there is a flag on System Settings that you can engage this option OR the default is as now, they can Void todays activity. NOTE: once a sales is complete you now void it from the F8-History screen ... the F6-Void on the Client Profile / POS screen just works in the current session area.

3. SKIN TYPE and Date Last Tanned now appear on the Bed Selection screen.

4. You can record in each Employee file the Client # for that employee ... and while the Employee is clocked in they are prohibited from tanning.

5. A Home and Work email address have been added to the system in V10 and in V11 you will be able to do single emails from the Client record and generate email broadcast thru the SmartMail function with a HTML format function for the email body.

6. A Client ID # (up to 20 characters A/N) has been added beside the system assigned Client #. This can be used with a Barcode reader to bring up clients ... ie Key Tags with Barcodes (available from Helios with your Logo etc), Drivers Licenses (if it has a barcode .. mine does), ANY thing / card that the client has with a barcode. Here's a cute one ... just to show the flexibility ... a customer always carried the same Water bottle into one of my clients location, it had a UPC code on the side of it ... so operator linked the client to the UPC code on the bottle ... now how is that for a membership card !!!!

7. UV Free indicator on the Equipment settings ... to allow a Sunless/Mystic to not impact the 24 hour rule settings.

8. The ability to reprint a receipt for a client ... the reprint shows today's date and time AND states that it is a reprint from the originial date and time.

9. Reports are now in a separate more graphic module and can remain open while POS activity proceeds. If left inactive for more than a few minutes, the Reports module will automatically close to ensure security.

10. Employee Averages report for Product and Services by Sales or by Client ... all of course by Employee.

11. Enhancement of the Bed Usage report to include Bed Type information.

12. EFT Maintenance report

13. More Step levels in the Intelligence function of tanning Sales Codes (now Step /8 /10 /12 /15 /20 /25

14. Enhancement to the Wait List function that makes it easier to operate.

15. Finer tuning to the TMax interface regarding F4-Bed Status display and USB support for the TMax

16. Tabs on Client profile (EFT, Services, Checkin, Photo etc) are optional displayed.

17. The EFT Account number on the Client EFT profile can be masked (all but the last 4 charactes are X'ed out) except when in Master Edit

18. The database restructure has resulted in some major advantages. A) ... Sales Codes are in there own database and can EASILY be moved from one location to another. B) ... same with Inventory codes, but you would need to clear Quantity and receiving/adjustment data prior to using the same database in a new location. C) ... the large Audit tables are in a separate database and can be archived easier than prior. D) ... all client related data, Profile, Comments, EFT, Dept/Div Summary info are now together in a single database.

19. V10 supports the HELIOS WAN process ... batch your Clients, EFT records, Transactions between your location. This provides added customer service providing if you wish for the client to purchased and use their packages and memberships at any of your locations. This provides you with the ability to look at your Client and Sales data for any store or all stores at any location. This provides the ability to process your EFT revenue from any location in one submission if you wish, providing desirable cost savings. With the HELIOS WAN approach you each client has the same client # in each location.


SAVED ONE of the BEST for last ... this one is worth upgrading ALL BY itself ... in this one man's opinion !!!!


20. Web Reporting and Back Office functions ... ALL reports are available to be run remotely via a secure internet connection to the stores database ... the following editing can also be done ... Edit/Delete Transactions, Add, Edit / Delete Sales Codes, Edit Client Profile (Personal More Info and EFT data), Edit System Defaults, Edit Employee Time Code records. So all these report can be run and maintenance done on your date WITHOUT turning the keys to your car ... AND, this function can ALSO be used in store is you wish ... one really nice one ... work can be being done on Sales Codes AND you can window back to Helios POS for serve a client AND return to the Back Office maintain sales codes ... SWEET right ... now remember, careful about security on that one.

That is what comes immediately to mine and the list in V11 is exciting exciting exciting ... the best just keeps getting better.

_________________

Andy Thompson
Authorized HELIOS Independent Consultant
877-777-6717
andy@atso.ca
ACT Help Desk[ This Message was edited by: Andy @ ATSO.ca on 2003-12-06 03:34 ]

	Superior UV

[fsts]

Andy,
Concerning the web based reporting, I was told by tech support 2 different stories. One person told me I could use a dial up connection at the salon to connect to the internet and get the reports. A different tech told me I had to have DSL or cable modem because I need the salon computer to connect with the same IP address everytime. Is this true?

[Andy]

Much more convenient to have a Static IP address ... that is what the different tech would have been referring to. But, also having a DSL or cable connection does not in itself assure you will have a Static IP address.

A Static IP address is desirable but not necessary. DSL or Cable and thereby the related speed are desirable but again not necessary ... you can operate the Web reports and Back Office functions with a dial up connection IF YOU are happy with the speed that provides.

There are some many exciting features coming in V11 that require High Speed Broadband connectivity to the Internet. So, begin to explore your options related to High Speed Broadband (DSL / Cable / etc). Prices and reliability vary greatly, check you options.

If you find the cost of a Static IP address to be undesirable ... you can create a Favorites Shortcut within your Internet Brower to the following website ... if and when your dynamic address changes, just call the salon, ask them to go to this website and read you the current IP Address ... there you go ... convenient, not really ... economical, maybe ... your call.

What Is My IP address, please .... ( www.whatismyip.com )


_________________

Andy Thompson
Authorized HELIOS Independent Consultant
877-777-6717
andy@atso.ca
ACT Help Desk>[ This Message was edited by: Andy @ ATSO.ca on 2003-12-06 21:10 ]

[summrtan]

Andy,
I may of asked you this before but if so I don't remember the answer. As you know my salon is still on V9.4, the main reason I have not yet upgraded to V10 since you gave it your ok is the fact that I still run Credit card EFT's through Helios and IC Verify. Do I understand it right that V10 does not have that capability and I must wait for V11?

[Andy]

Heading for the airport, Lee ... call Tech Support and get them to confirm what I am about to say ... if I am incorrect or incomplete in any way ... please post to correct it.

Sorry ... worst than that ... running out of time ... must go ... more later .... post after talking to Tech support Lee ... thanks

[summrtan]

Andy
I called tech support and he said they do not support IC Verify anymore but he believed that they would support me since I already have it. He also thought V10 would work with IC Verify but told me that Stuart was the expert with IC Verify and to talk to him. I left a voicemail for Stuart but as you probably know He is in & out and hard to get ahold of. Do you know anything about V10 and IC Verify? Also the guy I talked to at tech support said he thought maybe the end of next week for V11 release, have you heard any dates?

[Andy]

Lee ... There is a IT meeting happening at HELIOS this very minute to determine if V11 is ready for release for new installs. Helios will beginning supplying V11 to existing clients for upgrade early in January 2004.

I will ask Stuart about IC Verify the next time I am talking to him and advise.

If you know anyone that could benefit from either of the Road Show Trainings that I am offering in March in CA ... I would appreciate the referral. Onsites are also available on adjacent days and half days.

http://www.tantalk.com/viewtopic.php?topic=2333291&forum=2&0

All the best over the holiday season.

_________________

Andy Thompson
Authorized HELIOS Independent Consultant
877-777-6717
andy@atso.ca
ACT Help Desk[ This Message was edited by: Andy @ ATSO.ca on 2003-12-17 13:55 ]

[summrtan]

Thanks Andy, actually if my schedule allows it I may be interested in attending the S.F. training. I'll pass the word along if anyone else is interested. Also just thinking at this point but what would it cost to have you come to the Sacramento area for an adjacent half and/or full day?

[Andy]

Lee ... it would be a pleasure to have you attend the SF Road Show.

The cost of onsite support during the Road Show is as follows:

A half day (4 hours) onsite is $399.00 plus $100.00 travel allowance
A full day (8 hours) onsite is $799.00 plus $200.00 travel allowance

I have some amazing utilities that I have had created and Helios have provided me with for streamlining databases, implementing Membership pricing, Minimum Pricing etc etc etc.

Upgrading, installing and configuring Web Reporting and Back Office Functions.

Review, restructuring and streamlining Sales Codes, Division, Departments etc are common services that I provide onsite.

[summrtan]

Hello Andy,
I'm still waiting for a return call from Stuart that I left gor him approx 3 weeks ago regarding IC Verify EFT's working with Version 10, did you get any answers on that subject? I'm still waiting to see what the timing of the new store opening as well as my schedule as far as attending your road show in SF. I'd love to make it if at all possible, is there still room available?