Implementation Planning

In order for your life to be more pleasant, it is a great idea to plan ahead  for the implementation of a computer system in your business.  For sure, this is going to have an impact on how you do your business.  Hopefully, the impact will be very positive, and your investment in time and money will be repaid many times over.

To this End, You Should Consider:

• Write a battle plan.  Write down target dates and the things you need to do.  Check off "to do" items off as they happen.

• Discussing your decision to implement BookAccents with your staff;  explaining why you are doing this, and what impact it may have on how they do their jobs.  We have helped hundreds our clients implement sophisticated computerized systems.  If your staff is not fully behind your decision to computerize, they will "prove" that the implementation is impossible.  It is best to get them on your side from the beginning.

• See BookAccents Data Files.  

• See BookAccents Data Formats.  It is a good idea to know these formats.  This may answer some unasked questions.

• See Finding Books.  Since finding books that you have in inventory is one of you important goals, discover how the your books can be found once entered into inventory.

• See Genre/Category List. If possible, try to comply with our genres and two digit abbreviations.  We will be happy to ADD any that do not appear on our list.

• Your computer configuration.

1. How many computers are you going to have and where they are going to be?

• Do you have GOOD power at that location?

• Is there sufficient room to work?

• Consider the movement of books to and from that location.

• How about telephone access?

2. If more that one computer:

• How are they going to be networked?

• Who is going to get the networking fully set up and properly functioning?

• How are the printers to be shared?

• Which computer is going to be the "server".  You need to think about this carefully.

• Peer-to-Peer Networking.

• If you are expecting a high level of activity, consider a "stand alone" server.

• Considering Your Networking Environment.

3. What are you going to do in case your computer is not functioning?  You must have a manual system thought out in this event.

4. How are your employees going to be trained? Be sure that they will at least receive instructions from the owner of how the computer is to be used.

5. How are you going to sell books during the transition to full computerization?

    

   Traditionally this has always been a problem associated with implementing a new system.  

    

   There is always a transition between no system, some system, and full system functionality.  

    

   As you are applying Book Inventory Labels, these books are being entered into you database.  You do not want to sell these books without removing them from your inventory!

    

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• If you are not going to implement invoicing immediately, how do you plan on controlling your inventory?

• See  Mark as sold

• See MobilScanner

• Reconsider your book trading policy.  If you are not on a 50/50 trading policy, now is the time to implement it.  You can blame all unpleasant things on your computerization.

• Now is a good time to clean house of books that will never sell.  Although minimal, there will be an additional investment in labor of every book you enter into inventory.  Have your trash can handy and use it often.

You should order:

• Your Computer(s)

• Your Laser Printer

• Your Label Printer

• Backup software and device (if applicable)

• Your Bar-code Readers

• Supplies for your printers

• An Internet Connection (preferably faster than dial-up)

• More importantly, be sure it (the Internet) is functioning reliably!!!

Optionally consider:

• An electronic cash drawer.  A feature is present allowing BookAccents to electronically signal a cash drawer to open at the end of a  (cash or "change required") transaction.

• A Pole Display.  We have developed a"pole display" capability just for BookAccents. see LD9000, LD9000X.  Not only does your software perform the traditional functions, such as listing line items, totals, etc., but the pole will also display credits as you are trading books.  When I watch customers' expressions, I know that they are really impressed with this feature.  Of course your advertising message are displayed when the poles are idle.

You Should Find:

• Your sales tax rates. If you are not sure, ask you accountant  If Sales tax is should be calculated before or after store credits are applied  Configuration_Screen_Sales_Tax

You might want to get:

• A logo for your business if you do not have one, no problem, you can use or modify the one we supply with the initial installation.  If you can't produce one locally, we can do so on a time and materials basis.

• ipage Internet access to Ingram Distributors (at least the basic version)

We use the professional version that costs over $100/month.  It more than pays for itself each month in the extra "Special Order" business, and ability to find books, which would otherwise be impossible.  Although the basic version lacks many of the very sophisticated capabilities that the Professional Version has, you may use it for free if you have an (Ingram) account.