To prepare the program for your use, do the following:

1. Delete Practice Files. When you're finished working with the practice files, they can be deleted.  To delete them, select HELP and NEW USERS: REMOVE PRACTICE FILES.  This will delete the first eight (8) invoices, the first four (4) products and the first eight (8) customers.  These are all sample files that come with the program.  Double check to make sure this doesn't delete any data that you need.  Click on "Start Removal Process" to delete the information.

2. Set-up the Program for Your Business. Go into Basic Set-up (select FILE and BASIC PROGRAM SET-UP & PREFERENCES from the Menu Bar) and enter your company name, address and the other basic information used by the program.  All the information is saved to a file, and once it's entered, you don't have to worry about it again.

The following are all optional steps, depending on how much you plan to use the program and what features you'll use.

3. Type-in two or three Regular Customers. Go into Customer Information (select MAIN TASKS and CUSTOMER INFORMATION from the Menu Bar). If you haven't already, delete the sample customers that come with the program (by selecting DELETE THIS CUSTOMER from the EDIT Menu).  Type in the names and addresses of two or three of your regular customers.  You can add to the list as time goes on. (You can skip this if you don't have regular customers--or if you plan to use the program only on an occasional basis.)

4. Enter Products. Go into Product Information (select PRODUCT TOOLS and PRODUCT INFORMATION from the Menu Bar).  If you haven't already, delete the sample products that come with the program (by selecting DELETE THIS ITEM from the EDIT Menu). Enter your own products, assigning each a catalog number. This will enable you to click on a list of items and the catalog number, item name and price will all be entered automatically, saving you typing time.

If you'd like to keep track of inventory, click the "Starting Inventory" button on the Product Information Screen and enter the number of items that you have in stock at that point in time, along with their cost and the date.  From this point on, AnyOrder will keep tabs on your inventory, and you'll be able to obtain up-to-date inventory levels.  Note that if you have quite a bit of sales activity, it may be difficult to get accurate counts midway through the year.  Enter the best estimates of inventory levels now.  Then at the end of year, do a thorough inventory and make any necessary adjustments on the Inventory File Screen.

You can skip making any entries on the Product Information Screen if you don't plan to use automatic entry feature or any of the inventory functions.

The following last two steps can be skipped if you don't plan to send billing statements your customers:

5. Set-up Program for Creating Billing Statements. If you have created one or more Balance Files while practicing with the program, you'll want to make sure they are deleted.  You'll also want to create one blank Balance File.  Balance Files hold the balances of your customers.  Creating a blank Balance File gives the program a point to start from.  Using this first Balance File as a foundation, the program will automatically keep all future Balance Files updated.  

To make things easy, AnyOrder has an automated procedure which will do this for you.  To access it, select MAIN TASKS and BILLING STATEMENTS AND BALANCE FILES from the Menu Bar.   When the Billing Options screen appears, click on the FILE menu and choose NEW USERS: CREATE STARTING BALANCE FILE.  This will delete all unnecessary Balance Files and create the starting file for you.  (If you'd like to do this manually, and in the process learn a bit more about the program, follow the directions in Creating an Empty Balance File.)

6. Customers With Outstanding Balances. Finally, if you have customers that presently owe you, you'll want to make sure their balances are transferred to the program.  For information on how to do so, go to Moving Billing Information to the Program..