Parameter Settings > Setup > Notify Tab

Notify parameters are used for certain "system" type notifications which are triggered by a variety of application events. Notifications may be delivered via application-managed messaging, standard email, or in the case of Credit Overrides only, by text message (sent via email). For messages to be delivered via standard email, the user must be assigned a valid email address and the "Notify/Msgs via Email" check box must be selected (checked). Your company must also integrate email (SMTP) processing with the application (this is usually done, but is optional).

Specific actions in the software trigger notification message when designated (selling an item, deleting an order, etc.). Messages are typically sent to users, but can also be delivered to customers via email in limited cases. In addition, a single notification action may result in multiple messages. For example, the same message might be sent to the application manager, branch manager, and the user linked to a particular notification action.

Internal Tab: User Settings

User settings (accessed from the User ID Maintenance form) determine how a user receives notifications. If the "Notify/Msgs via Email" check box is checked, the user's email address will be used for notification delivery. For immediate pending Credit Override notifications, the user's cell phone and provider (carrier) are used for a text message notification (sent via email) if they are also the designated Notify user for Credit Overrides.

User groups are now supported for most notification messages. These can be used to route a message to multiple users. Groups can be created from the Message Group maintenance option on the Messages form.

Choosing a User Group

User groups are not listed along with user names during standard selection. If you already know the name of the user group, you can type it in and press the TAB key. If a matching group or user doesn't exist, you will receive a warning. Otherwise, to produce a listing of user groups, you must select the "User Group" option on the drop down's alternate menu (usually a right-click).

After doing this, the selection listing will only include user groups, not any individual users.

From this parameter's tab, there are several applications that have options for automatic notifications: Point of Sale, Purchasing, Inventory, Accounts Receivable, Payables, and Mobile (Spruce ProLink). It's also important to note that there are also certain automated notifications that are not listed here.

Note: due to the automated nature of notices, there can be cases where a user will receive duplicate messages for the same action (for example, a user may be both a branch manager and also the sales person associated with a work order. In this case, they'd receive multiple messages when their work order is completed.).

Point of Sale (POS) Notifications

Under the Point of Sale (POS) listing, several notices may be enabled:

Special Order Received or Work Order Completed

If enabled, this notice is sent when either (1) a work order (manufacturing) is completed or (2) a customer order (with non-stocked item(s)) is received. Used with these particular notifications are three (3) sub-level choices that determine who receives the message.

These two (2) notifications can be sent to any or all of the following: the sales person (order id), branch manager, and the customer (using their email address). In the case of a special order item being received, a notification is sent to the job's assigned user if that user is not the same as the order user. This is not currently done when a work order is completed (manufacturing).

The following is a sample of this message for special order receiving:

Item: SOC56572-000 (OAKNAT-SPECIAL ORDER HARDWOOD)

Quantity: 16.0000 BOX

Account: ANYACCT-1

 JOB #1

Purchase Order: 1106-P07678

 OAKNAT-SPECIAL ORDER HARDWOOD

FLOORING - 3/4" X 3-1/4"

The following is a sample of this message for work order completion:

Customer order 1104-C54302 for account

CASH (CASH SALES)

completed on work order 1105-W31759

Contract Expiration Alert

This notice is sent when a customer's contract is reaching expiration. Contracts with a starting date prior to the current date and an ending date within the next 7 days will generate a notification for the user assigned to the contract's account as well as one daily master listing of all contracts set to expire to the user specified here (if any). These notifications are triggered by a stored system procedure that runs on a daily basis (between business days).

Acct/Job Added

This parameter creates a notice if a new customer account or job is created during a Point of Sale transaction. This parameter does not create a notification when accounts or jobs are added directly from the Job database form, just Point of Sale. The following is a sample of this message:

Job Added: A00140-1

User: AUSER

Customer Order (CO) Voided

This option creates a notification when a customer order is voided. Customer orders may be voided using the Menu Marker located under Point of Sale, Orders next to the Order # input. Menu marker access may be limited to users with access to secure markers by an application or system administrator.

Alert Order Entry User on Backorder

This parameter enables messaging when customer orders are sold (invoiced) with back-ordered items. Notification messages can be delivered either through the application’s messaging function or by standard email (delivery method is determined by the user’s settings). The notification’s subject is set to “Order invoiced with back order items on YYMM-123456 {Invoice Document ID}” and the body text includes the order’s document information (“Order: YYMM-654321 has items on back order,” for example). The following is a sample of this message:

Order: 1102-C52862, Item: 020408, Remain: 15.0000

Quote to Order

This notification creates a message whenever a quote is converted to an order and the cashier user is not the same as the user who created the quote. The "Quote Ordered" message is similar to the following example:

Quote: 1406-075358 for Account ANYACCT has been ordered on order number: 1409-C76124 by user AUSER

A secondary version of this message is generated when an order that was associated with a quote is modified by a user other than the user who created the quote. The trigger on this notification is that the order is not new and that the cashier user is not the same as the user who created a quote that is linked to the current order.

The subject of this second type of message will be "Order of Quote Modified." The following is an example of this type of message:

Order: 1409-C76124 for Account ANYACCT originating from Quote: 1406-075358 modified by user BOBC

Quote Followup Alert & To User

If checked, a notification is sent to the assigned sales person for the account linked to the quote as well as the user indicated (if any) when the quote is within seven days of the followup date. Once the followup date of the quote has passed, no further notifications are sent. In addition, the notification is only sent if no existing "followup" notification for the same quote exists.

Purchasing Notifications

Under Purchasing, there are five (5) options for system notifications:

Buyer Stock Alert

The buyer stock alert can be enabled to notify the buyer assigned to an item when the item's on-hand quantity has dropped below minimum quantities (the "buyer user" is designated in the Item database). For this alert to be initiated, the following conditions must be met:

•The item's "track quantity on-hand" setting must be yes (Y). Located under the Common, Codes tab in the Item Maintenance database.

•The item must have a designated "notification buyer id." Located under the Branch, Codes tab in the Item Maintenance database.

•At time of sale, the item's on-hand is adjusted by any customer orders due to be fulfilled (COQDue) as well as any purchases due to be received (POQDue).

•At the time the item is sold, the item's "adjusted" (see above) on-hand must be equal to or higher than the minimum, and the sale of the item must cause the item's on-hand (adjusted) to drop below the item's minimum.

Buyer notifications are not triggered by availability. If an item is placed on a customer order and that causes the item's available quantity to drop below the minimum, it will not trigger an alert. In addition, if an item's on-hand is already below its minimum, no alert will be produced. Any on-order quantity is also not considered (on-order being the quantity ordered on purchase orders). Assuming other conditions are met, items with a zero minimum quantity will result in an alert should the item be sold into negative on-hand quantities.

Purchase Order (PO) Voided

This notification is made when a user voids a purchase order using the menu marker located under the Purchasing, Order Entry activity (next to the Purchase Order # input). This option allows an administrator to select a specific user who should receive this alert.

Non-stock (NS) to Order

This notification is made when a user adds a non-stocked item to a customer order. This is a notification during the customer order stage, but is really intended for purchasing so that they are made aware when customer orders are created with special order goods. This option allows the administrator to select a specific user who should receive this alert.

Manufactured (MN) to Order

This notification is sent when a manufactured type item is associated with a customer order. This is a notification during the customer order stage, but is really intended for the shop so that they are made aware when customer orders are created with goods requiring manufacturing. This option allows the administrator to select a specific user who should receive this alert.

Alert Order Entry User on Backorder

This parameter enables messaging when purchase orders are received and products are back-ordered. Notification messages can be delivered either through the application’s messaging function or by standard email (delivery method is determined by the user’s settings). The notification’s subject is set to “Order invoiced with back order items on YYMM-123456 {Invoice Document ID}” and the body text includes the order’s document information (“Purchase Order: YYMM-123456, Item: 12345, Remain: 16.0000,” for example). The following is a sample of this message:

Purchase Order: 1107-P08497, Item: SOC57106-000, Remain: 1.0000

Inventory Notifications

The Inventory notifications include two (4) options: Pending Transfers, WMS Alert, Material Branch Delivery, and Lineal Tally Received.

Pending Transfers

A "pending" transfer is a request for a transfer made by one location to another. If checked, when a pending transfer (request) is made, an automated message is sent to the 1st user located who is both a branch manager and also dispatch user type at the branch the goods are requested from. The following is a sample of this message:

New pending transfer request from branch: 7000, User: AUSER, Transfer on date: 7/14/2013

WMS (Warehouse Management System) Alert

This notification is used with the WMS (Warehouse Management System) app when a staging document is saved. If a user is indicated (using the drop down), they will be sent a notification message each time a new WMS staging document is generated.

Material Branch Delivery

This notification is generated when either a Sale or Order transaction (Point of Sale) is processed with a material branch that differs from the current branch. When "by item" branch designations are not enabled, the notification is triggered whenever the material branch is different from the current branch when processing a customer's order. In this case, a single notification is sent to the first "dispatch" type or branch manager user assigned to the material branch.

The function of this notification changes slightly when the Delivery parameter, "Allow Material Branch by Item" is selected (checked). When this Delivery parameter has been enabled (checked), item-by-item designations for the material branch are permitted when processing a sale or order. These branch designations are done from the Branch tab of the Process (F12) form. The material branch may be set as an overall value or individually by item. For each material branch indicated, the first user found who is assigned to the material branch and is also either a user-type of "dispatch" or is a "branch manager" is sent the notification.

A sample of this notification message text is listed below:

Order 1409-D76132 contains items to be supplied by branch: 1000

Lineal Tally Received

This notification is sent to the first (primary) contact for customers when a custom (special order) lineal tally item is received matching the dimensions they have ordered. An attempt is made to link the lineal tally to a customer order; however, no direct linkage between a customer order is necessarily available (lineal tallies don't generate a renumbered SKU and the purchase does not necessarily reference a customer's order directly). The message title/subject will be similar to the following: "Special Order Lineal Tally Items Received 9/29/2014." The body message lists the lineal tally description(s), level identifier, and selected dimension that were received (the description will vary by item).

1.5X6.0-20G-1/4F ID: CUSTOM - 10' 4"

1.5X6.0-20G-1/4F ID: CUSTOM - 8' 7"

1.5X6.0-20G-1/4F ID: CUSTOM - 4' 2"

Receivables Notifications

Within the Accounts Receivables category, there are currently 3 notification types: Credit Override, Late Payment, and Follow Up.

Credit Override

There are two (2) different types of override notifications. The standard notification is only done after a credit override has been done for a transaction. This notification may be sent to either or both the account's assigned user (sales person) and a specific "notify" user selected here (if any). Only those customer accounts that are configured to prompt for an override and also meet the criteria for the override type selected will produce the override dialog at Point of Sale. The dialog form for overrides allows either (1) entry of a password directly at the Point of Sale station or (2) the approval or denial to be issued remotely by another user using the Credit Override utility form.

When a user receives the credit override dialog at Point of Sale and they choose the "Remote" button, an immediate text message notification can be sent to the user designated as the "Notify" user in this parameter, but only if the user has been assigned both a cell phone and provider (carrier) from the User ID Maintenance form. If these conditions are not met, no immediate notification is done, and the Point of Sale user must manually contact the credit or store manager to notify them that a remote override is needed. The text message appears similar to the following:

(Credit Override Pending)

Account: 000011,

Amount: 892.42

User: AUSER,

Station: USER,

Time: 7/30/2013 4:48 PM

Immediate notifications are only delivered if the Notify user is a specific user (with a cell phone and provider), not a "user group." Text messages are sent via email, not device-to-device, and many carriers block such text messages unless the phone's user enables email and/or Internet messages with their provider.

Late Payment and Follow Up

When enabled (checked), this notification sends a message (to the user designated) whenever a customer had promised to remit payment by the prior day but did not do so. A daily procedure is run (once a day between business days) that compares the promised payment date to the last payment date for all customers. If the promised payment date was the prior day and the last payment date is prior to that date, a notification is generated (to the selected user). Use of the promised payment date is entirely optional. This date can be set in Account Maintenance and the Status inquiry (under Receivables).

Payables Notifications

There are currently two (2) Payables notifications: Bill Discrepancy and Backroom Check.

Bill Discrepancy

When a user is designated, this causes a notification when EDI payables are generated and the amount of the bill and purchase order exceed any threshold indicated (the threshold amount or percentage is determined by additional parameters... see the Payables parameters topic for additional information).

Backroom Check

This notification sends the designated user (selected in the drop down) as well as the user assigned to the customer's account (if any) a message when a backroom (AP) check refund is indicated as the payment method in a "negative" Point of Sale, Sales transaction. For system-type accounts, the shipping name is listed in the notification message; otherwise, the job name is listed. Messages also include the document ID, account, job number, and transaction (refund) amount. An example of the notification message is shown below:

CASH-0 (JOHN Q. PUBLIC)

Backroom Check Refund On Invoice 1409-076131 for ($115.11).

Notifications are only sent when the option is checked and a user is specified. The backroom check option is indicated by choosing the "Check" payment option on the Process (F12) form (Invoice tab) and then checking the "Backroom Check" check box.

Mobile (ProLink)

This notification produces a notification message to the selected user when a new order or quote request is submitted via the ProLink app. The subject/title of the message/email is "ProLink Order Requested." The message simply indicates the account (customer) who submitted the request.

A ProLink order has been requested for account: ANNE E. ACCOUNT

External Tab: Receivables

Parameter Settings > Setup > Notify > External

Enable Payment Notifications

Select this check box to enable payment notifications for this application.
Choose this option to notify the customers you have identified that you have processed their payments.

Notify: Reply-To(s):

In this field enter the email address(es) to insert in the notification email so that customers can respond to the payment information.

See additional notification instructions below.

Enabling Payment Notification for an Account

After the feature is enabled, you can add this notification option to an account individually or globally using the instructions in this setting. Ensure the account has a master contact record with a valid email address before enabling this setting. The application checks for a valid email address, and displays an error if there is no email address present.

Enabling Payment Notification for an Account

To set the payment notification option for an account:

1. From the Main Menu, choose Point of Sale > Database > Account to display the Account Maintenance form.

2. From the Account list, choose the account you want to set the payment notification for.

Account Maintenance > Receivables Tab > Enable Payment Notification Highlighted

3. On the Contacts tab, check to make sure the Master Contact record contains a valid email address. This entry has to be present to enable payment notification. If you change a contact record during this process, choose Save (F6) to save the changes before you move on.

4. In the Receivables tab, in the To (Contact Name) list, select the contact record to which the notification should be sent.

5. Select the Enable Payment Notification check box.

6. Choose Process (F12) to save this setting.

Enabling Payment Notification for Multiple Accounts

It would take a long time to set the Payment Notification option for each account individually, so we have added new functionality to the Global Modify feature so you can set this option for your selected accounts.

To set payment notification options for multiple accounts:

1. From the Main Menu, choose Point of Sale > Utilities > Maintenance > Account Global Modify to display the Account Global Modify form.

2. From the Field Name list, choose Payment Notification.

3. From the New Value list, select Y.
This sets the payment notification to Yes; this option is set to No by default.

4. In the Filter section, select the criteria to find the accounts you want to change the payment notification setting for or select the All Accounts check box.

5. Choose View (F8) to display the accounts that match your search criteria.

Account Global Modify > Payment Notification > Results

6. Look through the listed accounts to see if there are any accounts you do not want to send notifications to and if so, do one of the following:

• Reset the criteria to display a different set of accounts, or

• Make a list of the accounts you don’t want to send payment notification emails to. Complete the Account Global Modify process for all the selected accounts.
  Reset the Payment Notification option for the individual accounts on your list using the instructions here.

7. To set the payment notification for the selected accounts, choose Process (F12).

Notifying Customers when Using Receivables > Payment Entry

After you set the parameter and enable the accounts, the application sets the Email Document flag for the account when you process a payment in the Receivables > Payment Entry form.

To see this feature in action:

1. From the Main Menu, choose Receivables > Payment Entry to display the Payment Entry form.

2. In the data grid, enter the payment information for the account as you usually would.

3. When you choose Process (F12), the Process Session Document displays, as usual.

4. Click the Transmit tab to display the new settings.

Receivables > Payment Entry > Process Session Document with Entries

The application sets the Email Document check box by default for these accounts. The Subject line reads, Payment On Account and the Notes section contains the details of the payment you processed. The payment values display in the customer’s currency.

5. When you are ready to send this email, choose Finish (F12). One of these events occurs:

• If the application can send the notification, the application displays an <email address> queued confirmation message.

• If the application cannot send the notification, an error message displays.

Notifying Users when using Receivables > Posting

The process is similar when posting a payment to an account using Receivables > Posting.

1. From the Main Menu, choose Receivables > Posting to display the Posting Payments form.

2. From the Account list, choose the account you want to post a payment from.

3. Review the account and apply any discounts or other modifications as you normally would.

4. Choose Payment (F5) and enter the customer’s payment information, and click Accept.
The application displays the message:

• Payment Notification message queued.

The customer receives the email message, based on the transaction you completed.

Payment On Account Email Message