To reach the Basics page, select FILE and BASIC PROGRAM SET UP from the Menu Bar. The Basics page will appear:

Parts of this screen include . . .

Number of first invoice

Type in the number that you would like to assign to the first invoice.  All subsequent invoices will be numbered consecutively starting with the first invoice.  Invoice numbers can range from 1 to 999999. Start with a lower number such as 1001 so you have plenty of room for your business to expand.  Once you have established the first invoice number, you shouldn't change it.

What is your accounting method?

Accrual Based accounting will be the choice for almost all businesses using this program.  In an Accrual system, any invoice whether it has been paid or not is considered a sale.  A Cash Based system, on the other hand, does not consider an invoice a sale until it is actually paid.

Sometimes, in the past, Cash Based systems were chosen over Accrual because they were easier to use.  With the use of this program, however, Accrual accounting is actually easier than Cash.

Moreover, Accrual accounting is required by the IRS in the US (and by tax agencies in other countries) if you make a significant part of your income through inventory--and it is required by many government agencies for calculating sales tax.  If in any doubt, choose Accrual Based accounting.

Invoice terms and starting point for customer billings. (Date of Invoice / End of Month)

You have two choices: Date of Invoice and End of Month.  Most business will select the first option (Date of Invoice).  It means that the starting point for customer billings will be based on the invoice date.  If a customer has 30 days to pay their bill and an invoice is issued on January 3, payment would be due February 3.  Terms on the invoice will be stated as: "NET 30 DAYS DATE OF INVOICE" or "NET 60 DAYS DATE OF INVOICE."

If you select the second option (End of Month), the starting point of customer billings will be based on the end of the month.  In other words if an invoice is issued on April 15, the start point for billing purposes will be April 31.  If the customer has 30 days to pay their bill, then payment would not be due until June 31st.  It takes longer to get paid using this method.  If you select this option, terms on the invoice will be stated as "NET 30 DAYS END OF MONTH" or "NET 60 DAYS END OF MONTH."

Note that the setting you select applies to all of your customers.  When you set up accounts with customers, you'll want to make sure they're all arranged as "Date or Invoice" or as "End of Month."  You can, of course, have different dating periods (Net 30, Net 60, Net 90, etc.).  That's common, but keep all the starting points the same.

If you already have a business and have a mix of the two, then give your customers a call and ask them to make a change.  If they are resistant to changing, offer them longer payment terms.  For example, let's say you meet resistance from someone who is presently on terms of "Net 30 End of Month" and you want to change it to "Net 30 Date of Invoice."   By offering to change the terms to "Net 60 Date of Invoice," they'll get extra time to pay their bill, yet you'll be able simplify and keep all of your billing starting points the same.

Note also that sometimes "Date of Invoice" is abbreviated as "DOI" and "End of Month" is abbreviated as "EOF."

What is the average discount rate you pay per credit card transaction (Optional)

This is a Level 4 and higher feature.

A discount rate is the percentage of the sale that the credit card company charges for card processing.  Depending upon the type of merchant's account you have, discount rates can vary depending upon the transaction.  Additionally, there may be other charges involved in processing cards.  It may not be easy to pin down an exact rate, but type in your best estimate of the average percentage paid.  This optional, but if you do indicate a percentage, AnyOrder will include itemized credit card expenses in many of its reports.

IMPORTANT:  In order to obtain reports which itemize credit card expenses based on the discount rate, you must enter a number in the credit card blank on the Main Invoice Screen.  The number can be any length.  You can enter the customer's full credit card number or you can enter the last four digits.  It can even be a one-digit number.  But it must be a number, not a letter.  If it's a number, AnyOrder will count the invoice as a credit card sale.  If there's no number--or it's a letter--it will not be counted.

Use the following system for shipping weight measurements

You have two choices for shipping weights:  English or Metric.  If you primarily work in the English system (pounds and ounces) select the English system.  Or if you primarily work in kilograms, select the Metric system.

Setting for the Mark Paid feature (keeps track of customer payments)

The "Mark Paid" feature of the program provides a quick way to record customer payments and keep track of which invoices are paid.  Each invoice is labeled as if you had hand stamped it PAID, CREDIT, REFUND ISSUED, etc.

You and your customers will also be able to identify unpaid invoices since they will be marked with asterisks (*) on billing statements.  Keeping this feature ON is highly recommended if you use the Accrual form of accounting.  It will keep track of paid invoices--and it provides you with alternative ways of analyzing your sales.

If you use a Cash Based system of accounting, it is essential that you keep the setting ON.  In a Cash Based system, sales are based on actual cash received.  By marking invoices as paid, you are telling the invoicing program which invoices should be included in the total sales figures.  If you are in any doubt, you should select ON.  It is a quick and innovative way of recording payments.

For backing up files what drive will you be using?

Since your purchase orders files are critically important, you'll want to keep a back-up of them. (More information no backing up files is found here.)   Each time the program exits, the program will automatically back up your files to a specified drive.  You can indicate the drive letter for a flash drive, Zip, CD, DVD, or a second hard drive.  If desired, you can also designate a specific directory on the drive for the back-up files.

Be sure to select a drive that is different than your main hard drive.  Often when a failure occurs, it occurs with the hard drive. It's very important that you back-up your files to a separate disk.

For back-up purposes, it's easiest to use a flash drive, but you can use CD's and DVD's.  To back-up to a CD or DVD, you need to format the disk first.  Normally, you can't copy files directly to a CD or DVD.  The usual process buffers the files first.  The buffering process, unfortunately, takes too long, and that makes it impractical for back up purposes.  But if you format the disk, then you can copy files to it in much the same way that you copy files to a floppy disk or removable drive.

To format a CD or DVD, you'll need a copy of a software program called Roxio Easy CD Creator or equivalent.  Use Roxio's Direct CD Format Utility and format the CD or DVD.  Formatting a CD or DVD takes quite a while so start the format before you go to lunch.  When you come back the CD will be ready to use as a back-up disk for AnyOrder.

You can also designate a second (optional) back-up drive/directory:

Having a secure back-up of your data is so important that we recommend that you use two back-up disks or media.  In fact, when the Back-up Dialog Box appears, it will remind you which disk to use (#1 or #2).  Prior to doing the back-up, insert the proper disk, media or flash drive.

It's even more convenient if you have two drives on your computer.  That way you can keep a back-up disk ready to go in each drive.  To use this system, you'll want to indicate where first disk (Disk #1) is located by typing in the appropriate drive in the first blank (described immediately above).  Use this second blank to indicate where the second (Disk #2) is located.  Each time you exit from the program, AnyOrder will alternate between the two and automatically back-up to the proper disk.

In other way of doing this is to create two directories on your flash or other type of drive.  You would enter the first directory in the first back-up field (described immediately above) -- and enter the second directory in this field.  The program will automatically alternate between the two directories.  The important thing is that you are backing up to drive which is separate from your hard drive.

If you are on a networked system, you can use the local computer's hard drive for back-up purposes.  Normally, you should always use a disk or flash drive separate from the hard drive for backing up your data.  This is to protect you in the event of a hard drive failure.)  In the case of a networked system, however, you have several hard drives to work with.  Create two directories on each of the networked workstations.  You'll want to use these directories solely for AnyOrder back-up files.  Indicate where one directory is located by typing it in the first blank (described immediately above).  And indicate where the other directory is located in this second blank.  Each time you exit AnyOrder, the program will alternate between the two and back-up to the proper directory.

Do you wish to have the program remind you to back-up your files at the end of each session?

Since the files that hold your invoices and customers are extremely valuable, you should back them up on a regular basis.  By saying YES, each time you end a session, the program will ask you to put the back-up diskette, or other type of media, in a drive so the program can back-up your files.

AnyOrder is primarily a database program.  Unlike word processing programs where information may be broken down into a variety of different document files, all data in a database program resides in a several key files.  If you lose or damage one of the files, you can lose a year or more of valuable data.  AnyOrder has many file protection features built in, but the most important is the back-up procedure.

We can't emphasize enough how important it is to back-up your files each time you exit, and we highly recommend that you select YES.

Turn ON customer number look-up feature.  (Enter the number & pastes customer address to Invoice Screen without using Customer Pop-up List.)

This is a Level 4 and higher feature.

This feature allows you to type in a number in the Customer # field on the Main Invoice Screen.  AnyOrder will look up the number in the Customer Database and enter the customer's name and address.  This enables you to enter customers on invoices quite quickly since you do not have to use the Customer Pop-up List.  If you use this method, however, you will need to memorize some of your customer numbers.  You can still use the Customer Pop-up list if necessary.  Note that this was the default behavior in past versions of AnyOrder, but with very large data files combined with newer operating systems (Vista, Windows 7, etc), it can trigger occasional errors depending upon the system configuration - and, thus, it is now an option that you can turn on or off.

Check here if you pay royalties to authors or intend to pay royalties in the near future.

This is a Level 4 and higher feature.

If you plan to create royalty reports for authors, photographers, or others, then you'll want to check this box.  This adds a checkbox to the invoice which enables you to indicate which invoices you don't want included in royalty calculations.  This checkbox appears on the invoice as "No Royalty."  If you are sure that you will not be paying royalties in the near future, then leave it unchecked.  By leaving it unchecked, it keeps the invoice screen simpler."