Best Practices - D-Tools Forum

JordanC · 03-23-2006, 10:37 PM

I think I am a unique user in the way I am currently using D-Tools. Too complicated to get into it, but I know I do not follow the same practices or techniques as everyone else. My data has been completely built from scratch to 15k items, and updated manually for the past 5 years or so. We are just now implementing the new Quicklinks module with a new, fresh, book in Quickbooks. How crucial is it to have my data in perfect order with Manufactures, Models, Descriptions, etc., For this new transition to flow seemlessly?

03-24-2006, 03:08 PM

You are not that different from us either. I know that all you have to have for info in your products is Manufacturer, Model and Category and that the Model must be unique. From there as you push jobs to your QuickBooks those items will be tranferred over to populate your QB database. You do not have to (nor do you really want to) push over your entire D-Tools database to QuickBooks at one time. QuickLinks is pretty cool and has saved me a bunch of time!

JordanC · 03-24-2006, 07:04 PM

Originally Posted by FSUfan

QuickLinks is pretty cool and has saved me a bunch of time!

That's what I like to hear. I am looking at my database, and I have a few hundred 'custom' item which are generic in name and could be representative of perhaps a custom rgbhv cable with connectors. Do I need to spell everything out? Does the communication work both ways. Ie: can a price be entered in Quickbooks and modify my price in D-Tools? Can i enable or disable this feature if it exist? And lastly, does this communication allow any inventory counts? Good god, sorry for the dump of questions! D-Tools Rocks!

Reed Phillips · 03-24-2006, 11:27 PM

We are in the process of moving 10k items to QL as well. We set up a DummyCorp in QB to test the Job by Job item transfer process and found it somewhat tedious. We may be doing something wrong, but each time a new item was transfered we had to define all of the account info for that item. QL did not remember the QB item info (Inventory or Non-Inventory Part, Expense or Income Account etc.). This got old fast, so we decided to transfer the whole database at once. QB has an Item import utility that will allow you to import from an Excel sheet. Next week I plan to generate an Access query to construct the QB import data. Also, An update Query on the MasterTable will modify the MasterTable QuickLink item field and mark them to LanSync, so everyone will have the same info. I will let you know how this works. My guess is that once DT and QB items are matched up, things will move much faster. We also found that the Sales team deals in Model#s, but our order processing staff likes Part#s, think Extron, Creston, AMX etc. Currently DT will only pass Model#, that is one reason I am having to write my own update query. This probably makes no sense at all... Sorry

JordanC · 03-25-2006, 01:51 AM

Originally Posted by Reed Phillips

This probably makes no sense at all... Sorry

You said it all! heh, jk. I understand, but I see the accounting side of the operating being the foul up for they, like you said, are using model / description. Where as myself and the shipping/ receiving dept., are using Manu. / part #. Eek, what a mess things are.

O' what kind of down time are you looking at to do the whole 10k database?

Reed Phillips · 03-25-2006, 11:23 AM

Once I complete the testing I will let you know. My guess is about an hour start to finish. It will take a lot longer than that to complete the Access queries since I will need to treat "Part#" oriented Manufacturers different from the others. If successful, and have the time, I will post a short tutorial.

Those vendors with only Model#s are not a problem.

Also, since since we are a commercial design build firm, we do not keep a lot inventory. Most of our 10k items will be classified as Non-Inventory Parts. These are items that are purchased for a job and are not held in inventory. Sorry, if I am telling you things that you already know. Our first task is to see if we can Query the database to separate the items into Inventory and Non-Inventory Items. If that is possible, the conversion process should be straight forward.

BTW: The Model & Part # problem is well understood at D-Tools and will be addressed in some future release. This problem hinders a lot automation including automated price updates from the vendors using their spreadsheet data.

Reed Phillips · 03-26-2006, 06:43 PM

When you say "unique user", could you explain? What practices do you consider different? I am interested in understanding how others are using DT.

JordanC · 03-27-2006, 02:19 PM

Originally Posted by Reed Phillips

When you say "unique user", could you explain? What practices do you consider different? I am interested in understanding how others are using DT.

Um, I guess mainly how projects and their proposals are generated. I think one of the best things I have done that I havent seen anyone else do yet is to set up products in the database with pre-wire basics. Such as speaker, plasma, network, telephone, projector, cctv, touchpanels, etc, I have about 30 various prewires. So I when I add a speaker, I mearly add a speaker which next to it I add the speaker prewire, apposed to adding the wire as an accessory to the speaker itself. This comes in handy because when we do a a prewire change order, it's not going to reflect on the speaker in any way, and when we update or change a speaker, it leaves the prewire alone because they didn't change. It creates a mess in the change order reports and inaccuracy in the "proposal". It's harder for me to explain in the forum, rather than send you an example. If you would like to see one, let me know and I will send you one.

Reed Phillips · 03-27-2006, 04:43 PM

Yes please! I would like to see what you have done. (reed@avconusa.com)

JordanC · 03-27-2006, 11:14 PM

Originally Posted by Reed Phillips

Yes please! I would like to see what you have done. (reed@avconusa.com)

I just threw something together, I doubt the integrity of the entire thing. . . it's been a hard day.

Your probably wondering what the hell I was thinking, but If you want, reply to my email and I will be glad to explain, just not tonight . . ..