We have discussed many of the new features that version 3.036 has to offer. This week, we will talk about a feature that benefits stores that sell lumber. 3.036 offers a dimensional calculator that can assist you in calculating the thousand board footage/square footage value of a particular lumber item.

The first thing you must do is to change the Matrix of the inventory item to either "Board Ft." or "Square Ft." Without doing this, the calculator icon will not show up and you will not be able to do the calculation. Once the matrix is selected, a "Bd Ft" field will appear to the right of the Decimal field and above the Weight field. Clicking the calculator symbol will bring up the dimensional calculator.

If you select "Board Ft" as the matrix for the inventory item and select the calculator, you will need to select the material of the piece of lumber. For Board Foot, you will either select "Dimensional" or "Hardwood." Selecting Dimensional simply asks for the thickness and width in inches and the length in feet. Once these three values are entered, the Board Feet will be calculated. If you make any changes, make sure to click the Calculate button to change the generated Board Feet value. Once you are happy with the dimensions and Board Feet calculation, click Close. This will bring you back to the Inventory screen of the item with the Board Feet calculation entered into the correct field.  

Selecting Hardwood will ask for the same three values, however the measurements are different. The thickness is asking for ¼ inches (if the thickness is ½ inch, enter 2 into this field), the width is inches, but allows for fractional measurements, and the length is still feet. Following the steps above after entering the measurements will get you back to the inventory screen with the dimensions calculated.

Along the bottom of the inventory screen is a button that says "BdFt." Clicking this button will bring up a window, displaying the MSRP, Retail, Avg. Cost, and Last Cost of the 1000 Board Foot (all based on the dimensions calculated).

If you select "Square Ft" as the matrix for the inventory item and select the calculator, the material you need to select will be different from the Board Foot matrix. The two materials used for Sqaure Foot calculation is "Plywood/WallBoard" and "Siding." With the Plywood/WallBoard material selected, you can enter a fraction value for the thickness (in inches) and a whole value for the width and length (in feet). Just like before, the system will automatically calculate the square feet. If you change any values, make sure to hit the Calculate button before clicking Close.  

Selecting Siding will ask for a fraction value for the thickness and width (in inches) and a whole value for the length (in feet). The process is similar no matter which matrix or material you choose, but establishing the correct value with the particular inventory item is crucial to calculating the end value.

For more information, click the Help Center button within TransActPOS and search for "Dimensional Calculator."