A common support question lately has been asking about tracking serial numbers for big ticket and warrantied items.  This feature is quite simple to enable.  In inventory maintenance on each item you want to track serial numbers for, check the track serial numbers box under the optional tab.  (Remember to update each item you change!)

Once that's set, anytime you sell or take in trade an item where serial numbers are supposed to be tracked you will be prompted for the serial number.  You may then type it in, or scan it if the serial number is barcoded, and the system will save that information.  You may then look at serial number reports (under reports -> inventory reports -> serial number sales) or use the track serial number tool under tools -> track serial numbers to view information on a specific serial number or on general serial number sales.

Last month we went over the different vendor databases that are available to be used within the software.  This month, we're going to go over how to use them.

The most useful functionality with vendor databases is quick importing.  If quick importing is enabled, it has two effects - first, it allows for you to use the quick import function in inventory maintenance.

To use this, click the quick import button and scan the item you want to import.  It will then attempt to find the item in the database, and then if it does it will bring in information from the vendor database.  Exactly what varies slightly from database to database, but in all cases it will bring in at minimum a title, item number, and pricing information for either new or used.  You may then adjust anything you want, or set other fields, and then save the item.  (Note:  If you want to quick import another item, click no when it asks if you want to add another item.  Adding an item creates a blank item.)

The second thing quick importing enables is importing at the invoice screen.  If you attempt to sell or take in trade an item that is not in your inventory, it will locate it in the database if it is there and offer you the option to import that item on the fly, either without making changes to it or automatically pulling up that item in inventory maintenance so that you can make adjustments to it.

Finally, for BRE, VPD, and Superfile, you may search against the database within ExtremePOS.  (The other databases come with programs to do this)  This can be done from the view menu, choosing the specific database option you need to use.  You may then hit advanced search, and search using filters such as 'title contains Mario'.  You may then select a specific title and import it using the import button.