CFL is pleased to announce that code submitted to relevant authorities has been accepted and Hairlink^SQL is now officially certified in New Zealand with two of the latest generation EFTPOS terminals, the Zintel Hypercom Optimum T4220 and the VeriFone Vx810.

Due to the effort required for integration, certification and on-going maintenance most POS systems charge an additional fee for EFTPOS integration. Hairlink^SQL will be incorporated with this feature FREE of charge when you upgrade to Hairlink^SQL version 4.30g.

USAGE
Using Eftpos support does not require you to remember to do anything additional. When payment is finished, the amounts for Eftpos and Credit Cards are sent to the terminal one at a time in succession. After each send, Hairlink^SQL displays the amount and payment type and waits for the user to press one of the following buttons.

SUPPORTED EFTPOS TERMINALS

Zintel Hypercom Optimum T4220 Zintel Payments VeriFone Vx810 Eftpos Concepts (NZ)

HARDWARE REQUIRMENTS
A serial or COM port is used to connect the EFTPOS terminal to a computer running Hairlink^SQL. The Eftpos terminal cannot be shared between computers.

INSTALLATION
The CFL Hardware department is available for assistance with installation. However, any professional time used for assistance with configuration and installation will be charged at CFL's standard hourly rate. The software support helpdesk will not be able to provide assistance for EFTPOS set up. For assistance please call CFL and press 3 to be transferred to the Hardware helpdesk.

CREDITOR INVOICES WITH 12.5% GST

MANAGING HOLIDAYS IN THE DIARY

Have you ever needed to set up holidays in the diary so no appointments are made on that day. Todays tip outlines how to do this inside Hairlink^SQL.
 
How do I set up holidays?
 
Login with the highest rights you have, then go to 'Options' | 'Picklists Setup' | 'Diary' | Double-click 'Holidays' | The Holidays list is displayed.  Click the red '+' symbol to add a new holiday | Enter the date and name  of the holiday | Set the 'Status' to "Active" to enable the holiday.  Click the 'Tick' button in the bottom right hand corner of the window, then click 'Ok' to save the changes.

If the holiday is already entered but is for a previous year just click on the date and select the correct date from the calander.
 
If there are any appointments already booked on the selected date, the system will not allow you to activate the holiday, but will display a warning informing you of the number of appointments found on that day.  You will need to move all appointments from that day to another day before you can activate the holiday.
 
Once you have activated the holiday, close the application and restart. You will no longer be able to make appointments on that day.  If you look at the day in the diary, you will notice the text of the date has changed to a dark red, and the name of the holiday is listed in brackets immediately after the date.
 

To allow an appointment to be created on a holiday, you will have to  mark the holiday as 'Inactive'.  Simply follow the instructions listed above to get back to the Holiday List.

Hope all that was useful! Until next time..... Happy Computing!

NZ USERS: Remember to contact the helpdesk before 17th September to book in your upgrade to version 4.3 for GST changes.

To enable the minimal client entry for client go to Options | Setup | log in with username and password | Diary | tick Minimal Entry for New Client.

Hope all that was useful! Until next time..... Happy Computing!

NZ USERS: Remember to contact the helpdesk before 17th September to book in your upgrade to version 4.3 for GST changes.

Have you ever wanted to email clinical histories, letters, reports, reminders or bulk mailer specials directly from Hairlink^SQL? With a few simple steps you can set this up in your system.

This weeks tip will describe how to configure your email settings while the following weeks tips will advise you how you can send emails.

How Do I Set Up Outbound Email in Hairlink^SQL ?

Before starting you will need to ensure that internet access is available from the computer that the Hairlink^SQL background is installed on. You must also have an email account set up with an email provider such as Xtra, Vodafone or Orcon (Webmail accounts such as Google mail cannot be used). When signing up for the internet an email account is usually included in the package.

Setting up email for Hairlink^SQL works in a similar way to other desktop e-mail clients (e.g. Apple Mail, Microsoft Outlook). You will need the  host, port, username and password for your email account. If you are unsure about the details you will need to call your email internet provider to obtain the information.

The required information is as follows:

Host: The address of the email server eg. 'smtp.xtra.co.nz'
Port: The port that is used to send email eg. '25'
Username: The username of your email account eg. 'user@xtra.co.nz'
Password: The password of your email account
Reply To/From: If a client replies to an email from Vetlink^SQL this is the account that the reply will go to. Eg. 'user@xtra.co.nz'. This can be any address of your choice. Remember: Hairlink^SQL does not receive replies. Replies still need to be managed by a desktop or web based email client.

Once all the information has been entered you will need to restart the Hairllink^SQL Background processor before the changes take effect. To quickly test to see if the email is working send an email from the document manger of your client record. Ensure that your email address is entered before sending the email.

Important: Some email providers such as Xtra may require you to use SSL encryption to send emails. Your email provider will be able to tell you if this is necessary. If this is required please contact the CFL helpdesk to setup and configure SSL.

Hope all that was useful! Until next time..... Happy Computing!

A popular strategy by clinics and salons to increase business is to ask clients to rebook  for a future appointment straight after a treatment is finished. This ensures that the appointment is definitely made and not forgotten as well as ensuring the client is coming back to your business instead of a competitor.

Hairlink^SQL has an option that will automatically pop up a message to ask staff members to rebook a client after a bill, from the appointment book, has been finished. If the client decides to rebook, an exact copy of the original appointment will be created with an option to change the reasons. This copy is placed in the holding tank which can then be dragged up to the correct date and time in the future. This creates a fast and easy way to ensure repeat business. To turn this on go to Options | Setup | Diary | Diary Options | and tick Record Rebooks at Billing.

NOTE: When a staff member makes a rebook it is also recorded against the staff and shown in the staff analysis report. You can then use this report to provide incentives to staff to make more rebookings.

Hope all that was useful! Until next time..... Happy Computing!

Are you having trouble finding the client you want because you  can't see critical information without scrolling across during the search grid?  For example, the search grid may not display the address and you have to scroll across each time to see it!

To change the column order open a client search screen by clicking on the 'Client' button and clicking the 'F12: Search' button to bring up a list of clients. With your mouse, left click on the column you wish to move and hold the mouse button down. You can now drag the column to your preferred position. Blue arrows will indicate where the column will be 'dropped' when you release the mouse button.

Hope all that was useful! Until next time..... Happy Computing!

Do you ever find yourself needing to find a transaction but not having enough information to find it?

Bill search is made easier with the advanced search options available in 'Account History'. The date range selection filter makes this task simpler with the addition of the Print List option. Simply select the date range close to the transaction date then search.

• The resulting list can be printed using the 'Print List button'.

Hope all that was useful! Until next time..... Happy Computing!

Depending on the day of the week or what task you are performing on the diary, you may want the diary fully zoomed in for maximum detail, zoomed all the way out to view the whole day or somewhere in between. This is where Zoom Levels come into play.

What Are Zoom Levels?

Zoom Levels control how many hours you can see down the side of the diary and also how many staff members you can see across the top. Clicking the zoom level button cycles the diary through the five zoom levels until you find the zoom level you wish to use. By default, Zoom Level 1 is the closest view and Zoom Level 5 is the widest view but these can be customised to your own preferences.

In the following example the zoom level is set to 4 hours down the side of the diary and 5 staff members across the top.

How Do I Customise My Zoom Levels?

Go to Options | Picklist Setup | Diary | Diary Profile. From here, select the diary you wish to modify the staff order for by double-clicking the diary (eg. 'Salon'). The Diary Profile window will open. On the right hand side is the Zoom Level Setup section. Each of the 5 Zoom Levels are displayed in rows. To change the zoom levels, simply set the number of hours and staff desired for each level by changing the numbers.

Hope all that was useful! Until next time..... Happy Computing!

Coloured Appointment Borders for Diary Reasons
Appointment reasons can now be assigned colours which will show as coloured borders around the appointment. This is excellent for viewing at a glance all the different appointment types that are booked in for the day.

Automated Client Grouping Based on Sales
Hairlink^SQL can now automatically grade clients into a sales group which will show as an icon on the appointment, bill, search screens or client record. This is great for identifying your top clients.

Automated Birthday Greetings
A common task at most businesses is to send out birthday greetings at the beginning of each week or month. Hairlink^SQL can now automate this task for you with full HTML emails and text messages on a daily basis. Your staff members will now be free to do other tasks.

New HTML History Browser
A new history browser has been created which shows all written histories in one list.

New HTML Email Module
The email editor has been upgraded to a full HTML editor. You can create stylish looking emails directly from Hairlink^SQL. For those that are after a really professional look, CFL can create one for you or you can use your local graphic artist.

New Face Charts
Two new face chart templates have been added to history. These templates are basically charts of the face which you can draw on to record areas of the face that were treated or of concern.

Staff Analysis Statistics
A new staff analysis section will be added to staff records in later versions of Hairlink^SQL. This new section will be available so each staff member can check their sales totals for services, retail, and retail only. They will be able to compare sales against their own targets and clinic averages. A great new addition for commission based selling!

Plus Much, Much More.....
For a full list of features with detailed descriptions and instructions please download the update notes from the HAIRLINK^SQL website under the downloads menu.

For users that wish to get the most of out Hairlink^SQL and the new features it is highly recommended users get in-house training. Please contact CFL to book advanced training.

Sometimes, especially in the busier times of year you may have trouble finding a free space in the diary that is convenient for both your client and staff. The Find Free Slot feature in Hairlink^SQL allows you to enter your client's appointment criteria and quickly find the next available slot without having to search the diary day by day.

How do I use the Find Free Slot function?

To do this, open the Diary and go to Find | Find Free Slot.

In this hypothetical situation, a client has phoned for an appointment and needs to see Staff Member 'SB' for a minimum of twenty minutes and only has free time during the day on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.

When you enter these details into the Find Free Slot screen and click 'Find', the next available slot will appear at the bottom of the window. If the time is unsuitable click 'Find Again' to find the next available slot. When you have found a time that you are both happy with click on the 'Accept' button to take you to the correct time and date and start the normal appointment creation process.

Hope all that was useful! Until next time..... Happy Computing!

Hairlink^SQL can be set up to require users to log in before they can access certain functions. For example, if only managers can authorise a refund, you could set Hairlink^SQL up to ask for a username and password when the refund function is accessed. If the user has not been assigned to the Manager access level then they will not be able to do a refund. Today's tip will outline how to set up access levels in your system.

Step 1: Create Access Levels

The first step is to create the access levels that you want to assign staff members to. For example, Junior Staff, Senior Staff and Managers.

To do this go to Options | Setup | Log in with your username and password | Staff | Access. Enter the names of the level you wish to use in the Access Names section.

Note: The first 3 levels of Default, Owner and Desk are entered by default and cannot be changed.

Step 2: Assign Access Rights for Each Access Level

The second step involves assigning tasks to each Access Level you have created. For example, the manager might be able to do everything while senior staff can do everything except view the financial reports.

To assign tasks go to Options | Setup | Log in with your username and password | Staff | 2: Access. In the User Access Levels section there will be multiple columns with tick boxes. Each column represents an Access Level that you entered in step 1 . Each tick box represents a task that can be performed by that Access Level. For example, if you would like Senior Staff to be able to do Bill discounts place a tick in the Senior staff column on the Bill Discounts line. Once finished close out of Setup.

Note: If you do not want users to log in to perform a function make sure the default column is ticked. For example, it may be time consuming to log in every time a bill is done. If this is an issue place a tick in the Default column on the Billing line. It is also highly recommended for the owner column to have all boxes ticked.

Step 3: Assign Staff Members an Access Level and Password

The third step is to assign staff members to an access level and set them up with a password.

To do this open the staff record and click on the 8: Staff tab. The manager or owner will need to log in before any details can be changed. In the Access Level field select the level you wish to assign the staff member to, eg. Senior Staff.

Next you will need to enter the password. Click into the Enter New Password field and enter the staff members new password, repeat this step in the Re-Enter Password field and then press enter on the keyboard and select OK to the prompt. Finally click on the tick button in the bottom right hand corner of the staff record to save.

Note: The username to log in is the ID found in the Staff ID field on the 1: Personal tab of the staff record.

Step 4: Setting the Idle Seconds Before Log Off Time

Finally you may want to set the idle seconds before log out. For example, once the manager has logged on and finished doing a refund, Vetlink^SQL can automatically log the manager off after a predetermined amount of time. This ensures that if the manager forgets to log off manually other users do not have access to functions that only the manager can do.

To do this go to Options | Setup | Log in with your username and password | Misc | At Start Up. In the Idle Secs Before Log Out field enter, in seconds, how long it should take to log a user off when no one is using the computer.

Note: This setting needs to be set on each PC. This means that in the managers office the idle seconds before log out can be set longer as they are probably the only user that will use that PC. Whereas at reception where many people may use the computer you can set a shorter log out period.

Hope all that was useful! Until next time..... Happy Computing!

Do you ever have difficulty finding a product or service because it has been entered inconsistently? Hairlink^SQL contains several advanced search features that enable you to locate items that are hard to find. Today's tip will talk about the 'Contains' option.

It is not uncommon for users to enter data differently into the computer. For example, a product database could have hair care products entered in several different ways, making it very difficult to search.

A typical example could be the word 'Conditioner' used as a name or as a text inside a name. eg. 'Conditioner Damaged Hair' and 'Damaged Hair Conditioner'. If you then do a simple search by the first few letters in the name only one would show up!

Another issue could be when there are too many choices in a list when searching by the name. Eg. typing in 'Pure Fiji' could bring up too many choices as the database could contain a large number of Pure Fiji products. Would it not be good if you could filter it by the word 'creme', or 'lotion'- that way you would only see relevant choices.

To solve the issues mentioned above Hairlink^SQL has an option under the ADVANCED SEARCH ('F8: Advanced' button on the standard search window) that has a tick box called 'contains'. Simply type any text that you think will be in a name, and then tick this box. The search will then bring out all products that have those letters in the name. For example typing 'Conditioner' will bring up all products and services that have the word 'conditioner', regardless of where they are in the name. Both 'Conditioner Damaged Hair' and 'Damaged Hair Conditioner' will come up in the search! The same goes for 'creme' or 'lotion' to bring out specific product types.

NOTE: The 'contains' search option is also available for client searches as well. This is especially great for clients that have two first names. Eg. Sarah Jane.

Hope all that was useful! Until next time..... Happy Computing!

Hairlink^SQL enables users to quickly enter similar clinical notes with the 'F11: Copy Last' and 'F10: Copy Any' functions. These functions are found on the ‘Create New History’ page. Depending on your system set up this will either appear when you enter a history for the first time or when you click on the ‘Add Page’ button on the side of the history forms tab.

F11: Copy Last
Selecting this option will simply copy all text from the previous history to the current new page. You may then edit the contents as required.

F10: Copy Any
Selecting this option will bring up the History browser so that you may select the history that you wish to copy over. The history browser has a button at the bottom of the form when called from here, called 'Copy'. Simply select the history you wish to use and select 'Copy'.

  

Hope all that was useful! Until next time..... Happy Computing!

Do you always find yourself writing up the same clinical histories and wish you could save the history to be used again? In Hairlink^SQL you can save your most common clinical histories as a template which you can then use to quickly create a clinical history for a client.

Hope all that was useful! Until next time..... Happy Computing!

 In the last tip we described how to create a PDF document from Hairlink^SQL and attach it to an email. This weeks tip will describe how to use Microsoft Mail (MAPI) to email documents from within Hairlink^SQL to make the email process faster and more simple. 

What is MAPI?

MAPI (Messaging Application Program Interface) is a Microsoft Windows program interface that enables you to send e-mail from within a Windows application (eg. Hairlink^SQL) and attach the document you are working on to the e-mail note. As some systems may have more than one email client (eg. Outlook and Outlook Express) you may need to set the default email client.

How Do I Set the Default MAPI Email Client In Windows XP?

To set the default email client go to Start Menu | Control Panel | Add or Remove Programs | Custom | Choose a Default Email Program | select the default mail program you wish to use. Note: Windows settings should only be changed after consultation with your network administrator.

How Do I Set the Default MAPI Email Client In Windows Vista?

To set the default email client go to Start Menu | Control Panel | Programs | Default Programs | Set Program Access and Computer Defaults | Custom | Choose a Default Email Program | select the default mail program you wish to use. Note: Windows settings should only be changed after consultation with your network administrator.

How Do I Use MAPI to Email a Document?

When emailing a document using Microsoft Mail MAPI from Vetlink^SQL it is recommended that Adobe PDF is installed on the computer you are emailing from. The Adobe PDF format will provide the most accurate format when viewing the emailed document. Depending on the document being emailed other formats can distort the document being emailed. Rich Text (rtf) and Comma Separated Values (csv) may work as well but in some cases the data can be distorted.

To email a clinical history, report, order or statement please follow the steps listed below.

Preview the document | click on the export button (envelope with an arrow pointing into it) | set 'Format' to the type of attachment you wish to create (eg. 'Excel', or 'Adobe PDF'). Set 'Destination' to 'Microsoft Mail (MAPI)' and click 'OK'. Choose the number of pages you wish to email. The email options screen will open, enter the address to which you are emailing, a subject for the email and any other details you wish to add. Click 'Send' and the email will be sent with the clinical history, report, order or statement attached to the email. NOTE: Depending on the security settings of your email client you may receive some warnings when sending the email.

Hope all that was useful! Until next time..... Happy Computing!

Have you ever needed to email orders, invoices, statements, reports or visit histories directly from HAIRLINK^SQL? This weeks tip will discuss how to email documents as PDF attachments.

Why Send a Document in PDF Format?

A PDF document is an electronic file that will look the same on screen as it does printed regardless of what kind of computer or printer someone is using.  It is best thought of as a snapshot of a printed file that is able to be sent via email.  Other file formats often jumble the locations of some information on the document, a PDF document retains the look as if it were a printed copy.
 
What Do I Have To Do To Get This Working?

You will need to install PDF writing software in order to create the PDF files from HAIRLINK^SQL.  You have a number of choices as to which software you install - you can install Adobe Acrobat, this is the software from the creator of the PDF format.  The benefits of installing this package is that you get full integration with your operating system, making it easier for you to create PDF files.  Those on a tighter budget can try CutePDF - this PDF writer is free for both personal and commmercial use.  We have tested this software briefly and found it seems to work with our software, although we cannot guarantee future compatibility or support for this free third-party  product.  You can find it at http://www.cutepdf.com.

We would recommend you get your local hardware technician to install whichever package you decide to go with.  As always with third-party software, a charge will apply if you use CFL's engineers to install and configure this software for you.

How Do I Use a PDF Writer?

Once the PDF writing software is installed it is possible to create the PDF documents by "printing" the report (or order, invoice, statement or visit history) to the virtual PDF printer.  Instead of printing the document out, this process creates a PDF document which can then be attached to an email to be sent.  

All PDF creation software is different, generic instructions follow for creating a PDF file.  Preview the document | click the printer setup icon | select the virtual PDF printer from the printer name drop down list | save the changes and exit.  Now click the printer icon, and "print" the document.  The system will then prompt you for a filename and location for the PDF file it will generate.  Select an appropriate filename and save to a location you can find again when looking for an attachment for an email (your desktop is usually a good place to save to).

Note: Adobe Acrobat is the "Industry Standard" and has a feature that makes it even easier to use within HAIRLINK^SQL. This feature enables the emailing of documents from within the software, rather than creating the file and attaching it!

Hope all that was useful! Until next time..... Happy Computing!

Hope all that was useful! Until next time..... Happy Computing!

Have you ever wanted to email clinical histories, letters, reports, reminders or bulk mailer specials directly from Hairlink^SQL? With a few simple steps you can set this up in your system.

This weeks tip will describe how to configure your email settings while the following weeks tips will advise you how you can send emails.

How Do I Set Up Outbound Email in Hairlink^SQL ?

Before starting you will need to ensure that internet access is available from the computer that the Hairlink^SQL background is installed on. You must also have an email account set up with an email provider such as Xtra, Vodafone or Orcon (Webmail accounts such as Google mail cannot be used). When signing up for the internet an email account is usually included in the package.

Setting up email for Hairlink^SQL works in a similar way to other desktop e-mail clients (e.g. Apple Mail, Microsoft Outlook). You will need the  host, port, username and password for your email account. If you are unsure about the details you will need to call your email internet provider to obtain the information.

The required information is as follows:

Host: The address of the email server eg. 'smtp.xtra.co.nz'
Port: The port that is used to send email eg. '25'
Username: The username of your email account eg. 'user@xtra.co.nz'
Password: The password of your email account
Reply To/From: If a client replies to an email from Vetlink^SQL this is the account that the reply will go to. Eg. 'user@xtra.co.nz'. This can be any address of your choice. Remember: Hairlink^SQL does not receive replies. Replies still need to be managed by a desktop or web based email client.

Once all the information has been entered you will need to restart the Hairllink^SQL Background processor before the changes take effect. To quickly test to see if the email is working send an email from the document manger of your client record. Ensure that your email address is entered before sending the email.

Important: Some email providers such as Xtra may require you to use SSL encryption to send emails. Your email provider will be able to tell you if this is necessary. If this is required please contact the CFL helpdesk to setup and configure SSL.

Hope all that was useful! Until next time..... Happy Computing!

One of Hairlink^SQL's best time saving features is the MDI multi window technology which allows you to have several windows open at the same time. For example, you may be reviewing a client history and then a client walks in off the street

Too many windows open?

Sometimes you may find that you have too many windows open and you may "lose" a window behind another large window , meaning that you will have to either close  any windows that are open in front or move them around till you can see the window you want.

By making use of the "Window" drop down menu at the top of Hairlink^SQL you can see a full list of all windows currently open. The open windows will show below the line at the bottom of this list. Clicking on one of the windows will bring that window to the front of the screen. If you find that the screen is getting too cluttered and wish to start anew, you can also choose "Close all" to close all windows. "Cascade" will organise all the windows like a hand of cards and "Tile" will organise and stretch all windows so you can see all of them at once.

Why can't I click on a window in the background?

CFL would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year and welcomes you back to the weekly Hairlink^SQL tips and tricks for 2010. We look forward to providing you with some tips that will enable you to use the application more effciently and unleash the power of Hairlink^SQL.

We are often asked questions such as how to find clients that are new, and how to find clients that first visited in June 2007, but haven't returned.    This week's tip will address how you can answer these questions using the first and last visit date filters in HAIRLINK^SQL.

First and Last Visit Dates

First Visit: The date range the client first visited.  The example shown above has a first visit date range of the 1st of January 2007 to the 31th of January 2007.

Last Visit: The date range the client last visited.  The example shown above has a last visit date range of the 1st of November 2007 to the 30th of November 2007.

Combining the two values: The example shown above will show clients who first visited in January 2007 and also last visited in November 2007.  You must be careful when filling in these dates that you do not enter contradictory information into these two fields.

How do I find clients who are new this month?
Use the "First Visit" date range.  Enter the first day of the current month in the "from" field, and today's date in the "to" field.

How do I find clients who last visited in October 2007?
Use the "Last visit" date range.  Enter 01/10/2007 in the "from" field and enter 31/10/2007 in the "to" field.

How do I find clients who first visited in January 2007?
Use the "First Visit" date range.  Enter 01/01/2007 in the "from" field and enter 31/01/2007 in the "to" field.

How do find clients who first came in six months ago for a promotion I had in June 2007, but haven't returned since June?
Use the "First Visit" and last visit date range.  In the "First Visit" date ranges, enter 01/06/2007 in the "from" field and 30/06/2007 in the "to" field.  In the last visit date ranges, enter 01/06/2007 in the "from" field and 30/06/2007 in the "to" field.

How do I find clients who haven't been in for the last six months?
Use the "Last Visit" date range. In the "Last Visit" date ranges, enter 01/01/1980 in the "from" field and 30/06/2007 in the "to" field.

How do I find clients who first visited in June 2007, then last visited this month?
Use the first visit and "Last Visit" date range.  In the "First Visit" date ranges, enter 01/06/2007 in the "from" field and 30/06/2007 in the "to" field.  In the last visit date ranges, enter 01/05/2009 in the "from" field and 31/05/2009 in the "to" field.

Hope all that was useful! Until next time..... Happy Computing!

Should Locks be Handled by the User?

Consequences of Removing Locks

Hope all that was useful! Until next time..... Happy Computing!

 

The Directors and Staff at CFL would like to wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Thank you to everyone for your loyalty in 2009 and we look forward to serving your needs in 2010. We have some exciting new products to bring to you in early 2010 involving HAIRLINK^SQL and the P2P Limited web site integration system.

We would also like to take this opportunity to advise you that CFL will be operating with reduced staffing levels over the holiday period, 24 December 2009 to the 10th January 2010. Limited telephone software and hardware support will be available around the statutory holidays for emergency assistance if required.

We will be open for business as usual from Monday, 11th January 2010.

We Hope You Have a Wonderful Holiday
The Team at CFL

When goods are receipted in an inwards goods invoice in Hairlink^SQL you can configure some items to print a barcode label when the invoice is finished. This can be set on a per item basis for each invoice or can be set directly on the product record to print every time the item is receipted.

What Are the Barcode Label Printing Options?

Depending on the type of product you are receipting there are multiple methods for printing the label.

N: No Label - Does not print a Label. E.g. The product already has a manufacturers barcode on it.

O: One Label With Unit Price - If 4 packs are receipted only 1 label will be printed with unit price. E.g. Makeup samples may go into one big bin, so clients can see the price of only one sample only one barcode needs to be printed with unit price and stuck on the bin.

Z: Label for Each Pack With Unit Price - If 4 packs are receipted, 4 labels will be printed with unit price. E.g. You may wish to display the price of individual tablets in a bottle. As it would be impractical to label each tablet you can print a label for each bottle with the unit price on it.

U: Label for Each Unit With Unit Price - If 4 packs are receipted with 10 units in each pack, 40 labels will be printed with unit price. E.g. you may purchase 4 boxes with 10 sachets in each. As the sachets are displayed individually on the shelf each sachet needs to be labeled with a barcode.

L: One Label With Pack Price - When 4 packs are receipted only 1 label is printed with pack price. E.g. This could be used in the store room for items where the client does not need to see the price and the same items are all kept together. A label can be  stuck on the shelf so when ordering is done the price of one pack can easily be seen and scanned.

P: Label for Each Pack With Pack Price - When 4 packs are receipted 4 labels are printed with pack price. E.g. you may purchase 4 boxes with 10 sachets in each. Instead of selling to clients by the sachet you sell by the box. In this situation you would just need one label for each box with pack sell price.

How Do I Set a Default Label to Print on the Product Record?

To set up a product so that it will generate a barcode automatically when receipting it on a inwards goods invoice open the product record and go to the 'More' tab. Here you will find the barcode label settings under 'Barcode'.

How Do I Change the Label Type to Print on the Inwards Goods Invoice?

You can also set which barcode label to print on the inwards goods invoice itself. With the Inwards goods invoice open click in the 'BC Lbl' column and change the letter to reflect the label or labels you wish to print. Remember this field is automatically filled out with the settings entered on the product record.

How Do I Print Barcode Labels?

There are two methods commonly used to print barcode labels.

(1) When an inwards goods invoice is finished you will get a prompt to print barcode labels. If you wish to print barcode label select 'Yes'. If you wish to add more labels to the list select 'No'.

(2) If you have not printed barcode labels after finishing an inwards goods invoice go to  'Creditors' | 'Invoice' and then 'Print Barcode Labels'.

NOTE: Barcode labels can be printed to A4 sheets or onto roll labels on your label printer. Please contact CFL to set your preferred method.

Hope all that was useful! Until next time..... Happy Computing!

When entering an inwards goods invoice onto Hairlink^SQL , have you ever mistakenly entered the unit price instead of the pack price, or accidently missed a digit when typing in the pricing information?If so, Hairlink^SQL has a couple of options which can help you detect these mistakes.

Buy Price Variance

The buy price variance option is used in the inwards goods section of Hairlink^SQL. If the buy is changed by more than a certain percentage, as set up by you, a warning will appear. To set up this option go to Options | Setup | Login with your staff ID and password |Product | then set the 'Buy Price Variance (%)' field to a percentage you find acceptable (e.g. 20%). 

This warning is particularly useful for detecting pack sell price entry mistakes - where errors are made by entering the price for individual units, instead of the price for the whole pack or vice-versa. It is also useful where extra digits have been missed out or added on, e.g. buy price is $20 but $200 has been entered by mistake.

To Pay field on Inwards Goods Invoice

The 'To Pay' field on an inwards goods invoice is also very handy for detecting pricing errors. Just type in the total from the suppliers invoice into this field. Once you have typed in an amount into this field you will not be able to finish the inwards goods invoice until the 'To Pay' field matches the inwards goods invoice total. Therefore if there are any pricing errors they will be noticed before finishing the invoice.

Remember: Suppliers use different methods to calculate GST on their invoices. Therefore the GST on Hairlink^SQL may not match the supplier invoice exactly. Because of this, you have the ability to change the GST field by up $1.

Hope all that was useful! Until next time..... Happy Computing!

Have you ever wondered what the prompt means that appears when converting an order to an invoice? Today's tip explains the implications of pressing 'Yes' or 'No' to this prompt.

When an order is converted to an invoice a prompt will appear. It states

"You are converting an order dated ??/??/???? to Purchase Invoice. Product prices may have changed since then.
If the Prices on the order are too old the product prices WILL be updated incorrectly.
Do you want to load the current prices from products?"

Load The Current Prices From Products

Selecting 'Yes' to the prompt will load the list price and buy price from the product record. This means Hairlink^SQL will ignore the item prices that were originally entered on the order and instead look at the price on each item's product record. This is handy for older orders where prices may have changed since you made the original order.

For example, since you entered and sent the order, the supplier has updated prices which you have already entered on your system. When the order arrives and you convert  it to  an invoice, the originally prices that you entered will be wrong. If you select 'Yes' to load prices from the product record, your invoice on Hairlink^SQL will be loaded with the new  prices. This means you will have less work matching your supplier invoice to the Hairlink^SQL invoice.

Load The Prices from The Order.

Selecting 'No' to the prompt will load the list price and buy price from the order. This means Hairlink^SQL will ignore the prices that are on the product record and just load the prices that were originally entered on the order. This is handy if you have fallen behind when entering invoices onto Hairlink^SQL and still need to enter old prices to keep creditor financial records correct.

For example, you may have received the invoice from the supplier two weeks ago but have not yet entered it onto Hairlink^SQL. Since you received the invoice your supplier has increased prices which you have already loaded onto Hairlink^SQL. Therefore, if you convert the order to an invoice now, the prices on the product record will not reflect the prices on the supplier invoice. This is because the supplier invoice has old prices on it and the product record has the new updated prices on it. When you convert the order to an invoice you should select 'No' to the prompt. This will load the old order prices which should match the old supplier invoice.

Next weeks tip will explain the implications of changing list, buy and sell prices on creditor invoices.

Hope all that was useful! Until next time..... Happy Computing!

Unfortunately, there are many times in the course of running a business when you have to write off a bad debt.  This week's tip discusses how to write off these debts and what areas of the system are affected by a bad debt write-off. 

How To Write Off Bad Debts

How To Undo Write Off Bad Debts

Hope all that was useful! Until next time..... Happy Computing!

Do you ever run out of stock without realising that you were even low? Hairlink^SQL can warn you when you are out of stock or when your stock level falls below minimum.

Setting up a notification at billing can warn staff members that the stock on hand for an item is running low and an order needs to be done. This will help keep your stock up to date and prevent loss of sales from being out of stock.

How Do I Set Up Stock Notifications?

Beep if No Stock
This option will make the computer beep if the current stock on hand for an item is zero and you then sell another item in a bill. To turn this option on go to Options | Setup | Product | tick Beep if No Stock

Show on Screen if No Stock
This option will show a message on screen if the current stock on hand for an item is zero and you then sell another item in a bill. To turn this option on go to Options | Setup | Product | tick Show on Screen if No Stock

Show on Screen if Stock Below Minimum
This option show a message on screen if the current stock on hand for an item is below minimum and you then sell another item in a bill. Minimum refers to the minimum value used for automatic ordering. To turn this option on go to Options | Setup | Product | tick Show on Screen if Stock Below Minimum

Beep if Stock Below Minimum
This option will make the computer beep if the current stock on hand for an item is below minimum and you then sell another item in a bill. Minimum refers to the minimum value used for automatic ordering. To turn this option on go to Options | Setup | Product | tick Beep if Stock Below Minimum.

Hope all that was useful! Until next time..... Happy Computing!

Does your diary window not fill the entire Hairlink^SQL screen or do you have to scroll across a search screen to find the column you need? In Hairlink^SQL, each computer has the ability to configure windows sizes and column postions to their own preference. The last settings that were used are stored against that computer so that they are automatically loaded when the computer loads Hairlink^SQL the next time.

For example, the monitors at reception may be new 22 inch widescreens while the office may have old 17 inch CRT monitors. This means the size of the windows on each monitor can be different. For best results the reception computer could stretch the windows to be bigger and wider while the office can make their windows smaller.

Also, depending on the user and their job within the clinic, users may also need to order columns in search boxes differently to find results quickly. Reception staff may want the column order to go Last name, First name then Address while the account staff may require the account number to be first.

How Do I Change Window Sizes?

Window sizes can be changed in two ways. The first option is to click on the maximise button in the top right hand corner of the window. This button will have a square in it and will say maximise if you hover your mouse over it. Clicking this button will configure the window to the largest available size for that monitor.

You can also drag the window to your desired size. Just hover your mouse over the corner of the window, hold down the left mouse button and drag the window to the size you want. Once you have dragged the window to your desired size release the mouse button.

How Do I Change Column Orders?

To change column orders hover your mouse over the column you wish to move, hold down the left mouse button and drag the column to the position you want. Once you have dragged the column to your desired position release the mouse button.

Hope all that was useful! Until next time..... Happy Computing!

During the Christmas period we often need to change the diary times in the software to allow staff members to work a few extra hours, a few less hours or an extra day or two.  As these adjustments don't require permament changes to the roster we can use manual locks on the appointment diary to schedule these changes.

How Do I Add a Staff Member to a Day They Are Not Already Rostered To?

To add a staff member to the diary for a particular day, open the diary and navigate to the day you wish to add the staff member to. Click the 'Staff' button and  select 'Add Staff' from the menu. Search for the staff member you wish to add on, and once you have selected them they will be added to the diary.

How Do I Change a Staff Member's Start or End Time on the Diary?

To change a staff members working times open the diary and navigate to the day you wish to changes the times for. Locate the staff member and right-click the 'not-working'  time for that staff member. Select 'Change to Manual'. You can now drag and drop the 'not-working' block to reflect when the staff member is to start or finish.

What Does 'Change to Manual' Mean?

Normally, staff members are put on the diary based on the usual roster settings in the staff record.  Occasionally though, a staff member's times may change for one-off events.  It is not practical to do this by changing the usual roster as it would become a permanent change.  To simplify one-off changes in the diary, the 'not-working' blocks can be changed to a 'manual lock'. This means that when the program applies the usual staff rosters, all 'manual locks' are left as is, and are not affected / changed by the roster.  Changing the 'not-working' times to manual lets the background program know not to adjust the times back, but to leave them as they have been set.

I can't drag the times far enough! 

If you find you can't drag an end time down low enough, or a start time up high enough, you may need to change the business hours.  The business hours govern when a staff member is able to work. To change the business hours follow the steps below.

Log in with your staff ID and password (you may need OWNER access rights to be able to change the business hours - this will depend on your system setup) | go to 'Options' | 'Picklists Setup' | 'Diary' | 'Business Hours'. This will open the Business Hours window, from here you can enter your new business hours.  Remember to enter the times in 24-hour format!  Save by clicking the red tick button in the bottom right hand corner of the window, and then say 'Yes' to the reallocate diaries prompt.

All the Staff Members Can't Fit Onto One Page on the Diary!

The zoom levels control how many hours you can see down the side of the page and how many staff members you can see across the top. Over the Christmas period you may have more staff working than normal which now don't all fit onto page in the diary. To configure the zoom levels to see more staff follow the steps below.

Log in with your staff ID and password (you may need OWNER access rights to be able to change the business hours - this will depend on your system setup) | go to 'Options' | 'Picklists Setup' | 'Diary' | 'Diary Profile' | double click on the diary you wish to change zoom levels on | change the staff column in the zoom level setup to the number of staff you wish to see. NOTE: On smaller monitors increasing the number of staff you van view may make the font size on appointments hard to read.

Can I Set Up a Holiday Timetable in the Roster?

Hairlink^SQL also supports the use of one off holiday timetables in the staff roster. If you are an advanced user and want to hear more about this function please call the helpdesk.

Hope all that was useful! Until next time..... Happy Computing!

Hope all that was useful! Until next time..... Happy Computing!

Do you find yourself repeatedly typing long words or phrases into the clinical history in Hairlink^SQL, you can save yourself time by creating an abbreviation.  Each time you would like to type that particular word or phrase, simply type in the abbreviation, press the spacebar and it will appear in full. 
 
A common example of the usage of this feature is the abbreviation of the word 'Cut and Colour'.  Just type 'cc', then press the spacebar, and the word 'cut and colour' will replace 'cc'!  You can use an abbreviation for a word, phrase, sentence or paragraph up to 256 characters long!

It's also a great tool for those that "strugel with speeling" as the abbreviation will always be replaced with the correctly spelt word or phrase.  Commonly misspelt words can be entered using the incorrect form as the abbreviation, and each time they are misspelt, they will be automatically corrected.

How do I set it up?
 
To set up an abbreviation, from within Hairlink^SQL, login with the highest rights you have, then go to Options | Picklists Setup | History | History Abbrs | click the '+' button and then 'Ok' to the insert new record prompt. Type in the abbreviation you would like to use - eg 'cc' | Press 'Tab' | Type the word or pharse out in full eg 'cut and colour' | Click the tick symbol in the bottom right-hand corner | Click 'Ok'.  You can continue to add more by clicking the red '+' symbol and continuing the procedure as documented above.

Hope all that was useful! Until next time..... Happy Computing!

Appointment confirmations are sent to clients as a reminder that they have an appointment on a particular day. Appointment confirmations reduce No Shows, incoming and out going phone calls and provide a nice personal touch for the client. 

Appointment Confirmations can be set up with default templates that you can use to send out SMS messages. The messages can be personalised to include client name, staff members name and appointment times to just name  a few. Today's tip will explain how to set up SMS messaging for Appointment Confirmations.

The initial set up of the SMS module is done by CFL. If you do not have SMS please contact CFL for an SMS application form.

Set the Client's Record to Receive Appointment Confirmations

Before a client can receive an appointment confirmation, the client's SMS preferences in their record needs to be set. To assign SMS preferences go to their Client Record and then to the Marketing tab. Tick Apt Confirm under Send By SMS

TIP: You can set up your Client Profiles so that Apt Confirm is automatically ticked under Send By SMS when a new client is created. New Client forms should also be set up to ask for client SMS preferences to keep in line with anti spam laws.

Setting Up Appointment Confirmation Templates

1. Create the Appointment Confirmation Templates

Hairlink^SQL splits appointment confirmations into three categories; appointment reminder, appointment notification and appointment confirmation. To set up the appointment confirmation templates go to Options | Setup | Diary. For each of the SMS templates enter the message you wish to send. A description of when each template is sent is listed below.

• Appointment Reminders are generally sent for all clients on the diary 1 to 2 days before the appointment to remind them of their upcoming appointment.

• Appointment Notifications are sent when the appointment is moved on the diary to ensure a client is aware of any changes that have been made.

• Appointment Confirmations are sent at the time of making the appointment.
  

Each message can be the same although we recommend slight changes for each to tell them apart. You can use mailmerge variables in each message that grab details from the appointment and client record to personalise the message. A typical appointment confirmation message would be 'Hi @FirstName , Ur next app at CFL Beauty Clinic is on @Date at  @Start'.

2. Create the Reply Template

The reply template is appended onto the end of each appointment confirmation message that is sent. The total length of both the confirmation message and the reply must not exceed 160 characters when joined together. To set up the reply message go to Options | Setup | Misc | Internet | Reply. Enter your reply message eg, 'Pls reply 'Y' to confirm'.

Sending Appointment Reminders

To send a Appointment Reminders follow the steps below;

1. Open the day on the diary you wish to send appointment reminders for, eg 1-2 days before the appointments are due.
2. Click Utilities | Send Appt Confirmation | select Yes to only send for current diary.
3. The appointment confirmation Screen will open for phone, email and SMS.
4. Untick clients you do not wish to send SMS appointment reminders to.
5. Click on the SMS tab and then Send.
6. If a client replies 'Y' or 'Yes' the appointment will be confirmed and turn purple. If a client replies something different the appointment will turn orange. To view the reply right click on the appointment | select Email SMS and then Look at Reply.

Custom SMS messages are sent form appointments on the diary and are typically used for things like informing a client they can come and pick up their animal after surgery, or reminding a client to make sure their pet does not eat before surgery.

To send a custom SMS message right click on an appointment | select Emails / SMS | Custom Message. A form will open with the cell phone number automatically entered. Just type in your message and click F12: Send.

Hope all that was useful! Until next time..... Happy Computing!

SMS messaging can be used in various ways in Hairlink^SQL to increase productivity, efficiency and customer satisfaction. Today's tip will discuss how you can use SMS messaging in your business.

Appointment Reminders
Appointment Reminders from the diary are an easy way to increase revenue, customer satisfaction and free up staff time. Sending an appointment reminder 1-2 days before an appointment reminds the client when their appointment is, thus reducing the likely hood of a No Show. The clients can also reply to the SMS which can automatically confirm the appointment or signal that they are unable to make the appointment. If they are unable to make the appointment you can then rebook that time, thus reducing income lost from No Shows.

Sending appointment reminders is also fast and easy and frees up valuable staff time. Staff members can send out all the SMS appointment reminders for a day in under 15 seconds. The reminders by phone might take over 30 minutes. A cost effective strategy  for sending appointment reminders would be to send out email reminders first ,maybe a week ahead of the appointment date. Like SMS, emails can be set up with a template and are sent to everyone at the click of a button, more importantly they are FREE!!! A few days later you could then send out SMS messages to the clients who have not confirmed. Finally you can chase the remaining clients up with a phone call.

Appointment Reminder SMS messages can be created using the Appointment Reminders module. This will be described in Part 3 of the SMS tip series.

Thank You / Happy Birthday
Retaining clients is an integral part of any business as it maintains a steady source of income. A Thank You or Happy Birthday SMS message shows empathy towards your clients and by contacting people you are keeping your business at the front of peoples minds.

Thank You and Happy birthday SMS messages can be created using the Bulk Mailers module. This will be described in Part 4 of the SMS tip series.

Monthly Special
Specials are great way of getting people to visit your business. Sending out SMS specials will by pass any spam filter problems you have with email and save time and money by not sending out letters.

SMS messages can be created using the Bulk Mailers module. This will be described in Part 4 of the SMS tip series.

Fill the Book
In most businesses there are going to be times when you are not busy. Using SMS you can quickly fill the diary by sending out a Special Offer. For example, when you look at the diary for tomorrow  you might notice it is not very busy. You could then send out a SMS message with a large discount on 'Beauty Packages' or offers such as 'Free Samples'.

Fill the Book SMS specials can be created using the Bulk Mailers module. This will be described in Part 4 of the SMS tip series.

Counter Offers
SMS messages are also an effective means of providing instant counter offers to competitors specials. For example, you may notice that a competing clinic has a special on manicures. With SMS you can quickly negate their offer by sending an INSTANT SMS message with your counter offer. A letter that would reach the client in a couple of days would be too late.

Fill the Book SMS specials can be created using the Bulk Mailers module. This will be described in Part 4 of the SMS tip series.

Hope all that was useful! Until next time..... Happy Computing!

SMS messaging is now used worldwide as one of the major forms of communication between people. A recent study showed there are more cell phones in Australia and New Zealand than people.

In a business situation SMS has many advantages over traditional forms of communication, eg. phone, email and letters. By using SMS you can increase productivity, efficiency, customer satisfaction and the overall success of your business. Over the next few weeks we will be sending out a series of tips that detail how you can use SMS more effectively in your business. The tips will cover:

• Advantages of Using SMS messaging
• Examples of Using SMS messaging in your business
• Setting UP SMS messaging for Appointment Confirmations
• Setting Up SMS messaging for Marketing and Reminders
  

Today's tip will discuss the advantages of using SMS messaging in your business.

1. Revenue earning opportunities
SMS messaging can be used in many ways to generate revenue for your business. To name just a few you can contact clients quickly and directly for same day specials, reduce no shows by requesting confirmations and increase client retention with 'Thank You' and 'Happy Birthday' messages. SMS can also be used for counter offers. Eg. A competitor may list an item at a cheaper price than you. Using an SMS message you can quickly contact clients with your updated price to prevent losing business.

2. Cost savings
The cost to send an SMS message is 25 cents. When you send out thousands of messages the cost savings compared with traditional forms of communications quickly becomes apparent. As a general industry standard, a letter will cost around $1.50 to send. This includes 50 cents for a stamp plus the cost of envelopes, paper, letterheads, toner for the printer and the most valuable resource of all, staff time.

3. Save Time and Increase Staff Productivity
Using SMS messaging will also better utilise a staff members time to make them more productive. Why waste hours phoning individual clients, checking incoming emails for appointment confirmations or folding letters for your monthly specials. With SMS, one click of a button and the job is done. Your staff member can now spend their time doing more productive tasks like serving clients.

4. No Spam Filtering
An SMS message is not subject to any spamming filters, so unless a client blocks your number the message will reach its destination. An email on the other hand is subject to spamming filters applied by your ISP and your individual business. Anything that looks like it could be spam could be picked up and not reach the client it was intended for even though it is a legitimate message.

Hope all that was useful! Until next time..... Happy Computing!

Hairlink^SQL now has the ability to print out different mailmerged letters automatically when you add an item to a bill. This is great for after care instructions or general information.

The Handouts work by linking a specific document to an individual product in Hairlink^SQL. When that item is added to a bill, Hairlink^SQL will ask you if you would like to print the handout once the bill is completed.

How Do I Create a Product Handout?

To create a product handout open a product record and make sure you are on the General tab. Near the bottom of the page there will be a Handouts field. Click on the ellipsis button to show the Handout options. There are five options available;

Create New Mailmerged File: This option will open the Hairlink^SQL inbuilt wordprocessor where you can create your very own graphical letter with mailmerge details; including client details.

Create New Blank Document: This option will open the default wordprocessor on your computer (eg. Microsoft Word) where you can create your very own graphical letter without mailmerge details.

Select Existing: This option will let you select from a list of previously created documents in the Handout folder if no document is currently selected.

Edit Handout: This option will let you edit the existing handout.

Change Handout: This option will let you change the existing handout to a different document in the Handouts folder.

TIP: If you have word documents (eg. *.doc or *.docx) that you have already created outside of Hairlink^SQL you can copy the documents directly to the folder M:\HL2\Data\1\Prddocs. (M:\ will need to be changed to your network drive and 1 to your branch number if you are running multi branch). Once the documents are in this folder just use the select existing option to link the document to the product.

Hope all that was useful! Until next time..... Happy Computing!

In the latest version of Hairlink^SQL the bonus points system has been made more robust with the addition of new setup options. You can now set an expiry date on points, choose a threshold which must be met before points can be redeemed or do a bulk allocation of points to a selection of products as a percentage of the RRP.

Hope all that was useful! Until next time..... Happy Computing!

KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS

Hairlink^SQL has a range of keyboard shortcuts that can speed up day to day activities in Hairlink^SQL. This weeks tip will detail a list of handy keyboard shortcuts that will help you fly through your day!

Hope all that was useful! Until next time..... Happy Computing!

Have you ever wanted to search for a keyword in advanced notes to locate a particular client record? In the latest version of Hairlink^SQL you can now do this.

What is a Advanced Note?

Advanced notes are used to store extra information or reminders  for users about a client or product record. The advanced notes can then pop up at user defined stages in Hairlink^SQL to remind the user of important information.

Why Would I Search For An Advanced Note?

When searching for a particular record it is often handy to search for keywords in the advanced notes section. For example, many users will use advanced notes on products that pop up to remind users of current specials that are running. When the special ends users just need to search for the keyword 'special' to find the notes that they need to remove.

Where Do I Find the Advanced Notes Search?

Hope all that was useful! Until next time..... Happy Computing!

One very useful yet underused feature in Hairlink^SQL is the Client Account Reconciliation window. This window breaks down the client's balance into months, like a statement, so you can watch how the balance changes as invoices are charged and payments are made. This window is very useful when investigating why a client owes, or is owed, a certain amount of money.

How Do I Open the Reconciliation Screen?

To open the client record and click on the ellipsis button to the right of the Total Balance, '...', on the Personal tab.

What Does the Reconciliation Screen Show?

The Client Account reconciliation screen gives an overview of the account activity during a chosen month. Double clicking on a line item will open that bill for more in depth viewing. Each bill is shown in date order with the first transaction being the balance carried forward from the last month. The closing balance at the end of the month is then carried over and used as the starting balance for the following month.

The reconciliation screen shows all transactions for the month including tax reciepts, tax invoices, account payments, interest charges, refunds and other adjustments made for the month. Each transaction will show which period the transaction total relates to, eg 3 Mth+, 2 Mth, 1 Mth and Current. For each transaction there is also a column showing the total amount charged to the account and the total amount paid off the account. Finally, after each transaction, a running balance of the account is shown to help with reconciliation.

Hope all that was useful! Until next time..... Happy Computing!

When you are balancing your books at the End of the month it can often be handy to check for accounts that have been written off. Today's tip will explain how to check for accounts that have been writen off using the Product Detail Transactions Report.

The Product Detail Transactions report will list all the transactions in a date range where the Write Off Bad Debt Product, #18, has been used (everytime you use the Write Off Bad Debt function it will use this system product). It will list the transaction date, invoice number, client name and amount.

How do I Print the Bad Debts Written Off List?

Go to Reports | Reports / Lists | Billing| Product Detail Transactions. Select the date range you wish to search in for write offs in and set the product field to product #18, 'Write off Bad Debt'. The others filters can be left with default values or set to your preference.

Hope all that was useful! Until next time..... Happy Computing!

Have you ever wanted a Visit History form with larger text. The latest version of Hairlink^SQL now supports a history form with larger writing.

The new form is available as soon as you upgrade to version 4.1zr. To check your version number  in Hairlink^SQL go to the Help menu and then About. The new form is available by selecting BLANKB under the Form picklist in the Create New History page. You can also change your default form to the larger font history from Options | Setup | Client | History | and change Default Form to BLANKB.

Hope all that was useful! Until next time..... Happy Computing!

Have you ever wanted to be able to print your Product Barcode Labels to a Zebra or Dynamo Label printer rather than the A4 barcode sheets? The latest release of Hairlink^SQL version 4.1 now supports this functionality.

In previous versions of Hairlink^SQL, if you printed product barcodes from the Product Record | Stock | AF8: Barcodes or Creditors | Invoices | Print Barcode Labels, you were restricted to printing your product barcodes to A4 paper. You are now able to print onto labels with selected label printers.

How Do I Set Up Hairlink^SQL to Print to Label Printer?

To enable this option go to Options | PickLists | Reports | Other Reports, scroll down to product and open 'SR-040 Prd_BarCode'. Change the 'Template' to 'LBL Product Barcode Label' and then change the 'Printer' to 'BC labels'.

What are the Label and Printer Hardware Requirments?

The following label rolls are required to print barcode labels on these label printers. These labels are available from CFL and we carry stock all of the time.

Acknowledgement: This feature was made especially for a clinic at a subsidised rate and then made available to all users. Special mention should also go to several other businesses who have also contributed in the past towards specific features and reports that everyone has benefited from.

Note: If a specific report or feature is urgent for your business, CFL will bring it forward with a fixed price quote under similar conditions.

Hope all that was useful! Until next time..... Happy Computing!

Is the font size on your Hairlink^SQL menu too small and hard to read? Or are the details boxes too small when you hover your mouse over an appointment (ToolTip)? This weeks tip will discuss how to change the font size on all menus and tool tips in Windows.

The operating system (eg Windows XP) on your computer will set a lot of default settings relating to the appearance of all applications running on your system. This includes Microsoft Office, Outlook, Internet Explorer and Hairlink^SQL. A common problem for many of our users is the fonts on the menus and tool tips of these applications are too small to read. This can easily be remedied for all programs on your computer by changing the default settings in windows to make these menu and tool tip fonts larger.

How Do I Change the Menu Font Size in WINDOWS XP?

How Do I Change the ToolTip Font Size in WINDOWS VISTA?

How Do I Change the Menu Font Size in WINDOWS VISTA?

1. Close all applications.
2. Right click on the desktop select 'Personalize'.
3. Click on the 'Window Colour and Appearance' tab and select the 'Advanced' button.
4. From the 'Item' menu select 'Menu'.
5. Change the 'Size' on the font line to something larger. EG. 12.
   

Hope all that was useful! Until next time..... Happy Computing!