Selling Items Under Cost and Serials?!

[Mans]

Hi! This is my first post here :)

Could someone help me to configure PT 2003 to prevent issuing invoices that are under cost? For example, I want to prevent a salesperson from selling goods for under their cost.

Also, I would like to know how to force serials entry in invoices for serlized items? In addition, can PT trace serials back to vendors? For example, I want the program to records the serials for the items we purchased from vendor X. The reason I need this feature is to handle warranty on electrical equipments.

[dringstrom]

You're asking much more than can be done within Peachtree. However, an external solution, such as PawCOM (http://www.acctadv.com/pawcom) can be programmed to allow you to still use Peachtree, but also have the control that you wish.

[Mans]

Thanks for help!

I think Peachtree should have an option to enforce its price levels! For example, a salesman cannot sell an item lower than Price Level 10. Otherwise what is the benefit of having price levels that can be overlooked! Can Audit Trial be of any help here?

Regarding serials, an old PT user told me it was possible to track serials with PT for DOS. I cannot understand why this very important featured has been taken away from PT!

Looking for more input please :)

[dringstrom]

I doubt you'd find the Audit Trail of much use...it collects data but doesn't provide any meaningful way to analyze it.

Regarding Peachtree Accounting for Windows, it's an inexpensive and rather generic accounting package. It's not meant to be an end-all solution for everyone. Making it work with special circumstances requires flexibility and creativity, and sometimes working outside the program.

Keep in mind that an alternate approach to your pricing scenario is to create an audit report in Excel or Crystal Reports that would report on which transactions were sold at less than cost. This wouldn't prevent the initial transaction, but you could use it to enforce management policies.

[Mans]

Thanks a lot dringstrom!

I know PT is a general program, but I am not asking for much! The pricing level can be enforced by an IF statement to compare between invoice’s total and its COGS ;)

Anyhow, finding a way to enforce management policies is enough for me! I think no employ would a break a policy if he knew his manager would find about it :) Although I have no experience with Crystal report but I think I can find my way in there.

What about serials, any hope in there?! Can we still have price type U in PT for Windows?

[dringstrom]

The only way to enforce a user to enter serial number is to initiate the purchase transactions outside of Peachtree, then import them into Peachtree. In this regard, you'd create your own user interface that complies with your internal business rules. I regularly create Excel spreadsheets that do this. PawCOM is another option. In your case, I'd store the serial number(s) in the notes field so that you could then easily isolate them later with a reporting tool like Crystal Reports or Excel.

[Mans]

I'll be looking at PawCOM for sure. But in the mean time, could you please give me a hint on how to exchnage data between PT and Excel (doing serials and under-cost sales report)?

[dringstrom]

I'm afraid you've hit the limit of free advice that I'm willing to provide on this topic. Perhaps another user will add to this thread if you're looking for help at no charge.

[madmaxfz]

Would you be willing to answer this general question for me?

Which versions of Peachtree support the interface with MS Excel? If my circa 1998 version (6, I think) does not, I'd like to know so I may disregard that avenue of research for now.

Thanks,

Max Whitten
Network Administrator, Asst. CFO
Alarms For All

[dringstrom]

The Excel button that transfers Peachtree reports to Excel was introduced in version 7. However, you can use the File | Select Import/Export choice to transfer data to Excel from version 6. Depending upon the length of the report, you may also be able to copy the Peachtree report to the clipboard, then paste it into Excel.