Searching All Documents in BlueBox

BlueBox2.0 has recently had an upgrade in the form of 2 search facilities which cover all financial documents in the system.

The first is the new bb_userdocs module which lists all the documents in the system linked to a particular user. This new module can be accessed via Admin > Users > Userdocs or you can access it via a quick link when doing a 'find a person' lookup:

The second is a new quick document lookup added to the old 'find a person' and 'find an item' area:

This searches document number and total amount, and will only take a numeric input. It then lists all the matching documents across all Debtor and Creditor financial documents.

Auto Generated Codes for Users etc in BlueBox

In BlueBox2.0 we have a bbsetting called bbsetting_autogen_alphanum_fields which allows you to define the auto-generation of 'code' fields for data that is added to a module.

A typical application of this would be the bb_users table where the 'code' field may need to be autogenerated. If this is the case, then using module settings (data-functions>module settings in the desired module), set bbsetting_autogen_alphanum_fields as follows.

A comma separated list of field names and their desired prefixes:

{field_name}={prefix},{second_field_name}={prefix} etc

If you require the prefix to be auto-created from data that is submitted, then use square brackets with the field/s required separated by |'s pipes).

So, a real-world example would be, to set the 'code' field in the bb_users table to use the company name or the last name (if company name is not entered)

code=[company_name|last_name],

Getting the latest currency values for despatch/invoice when using forex

BlueBox2.0 is a multi-currency platform, and uses a strict parent-to-child value transfer when migrating data from document to document. This is handy in most instances, but can cause come discrepancy when the document is captured in a forex currency.

If the time difference between the date a Sales Order is captured varies significantly from the date the subsequent Despatch or Invoice are generated you can find that the forex variation is great. The 'spot rate' is stored in the original Sales Order and is then copied onto the downline documents (Despatch/Invoice) causing a widening forex difference if the IMF sport rate changed between the dates of the documents.

To get around this we have introduced a new bbsetting called bbsetting_force_latest_forex_currency_when_copying_from_parent which, when set on a module like bb_sales_despatch_notes and/or bb_sales_debtors_invoices will force the system to check the date and value of the most recent currency entries and warn the user if the currency table is out of date. 

It then also forces the latest currency value into the 'forward rate' box, thereby retaining the original 'spot rate' captured in the Sales Order and overriding this with the latest rate as the 'forward rate'.

Though this is not strictly a 'forward rate' it does the job perfectly. Obviously if a forward rate were set in the Sales Order originally then this override would not kick in as it would not be required.

Auto allocation of Sales Order Items via Replenishment (MRP) Module

In BlueBox2.0 we recently made some amendments to the way SO's link automatically via the POs generated by the Replenishment/MRP report. 

• SO auto-allocation is switched on using the 'attempt to auto allocate' switch in the filter - the wording is important here as this is an 'approximate method' - the system tries to find the list of hungry SO items and marry then to the items ordered, however, there are many outside factors that can affect this (ie if the items are ordered manually outside of this process) - so it remains an 'attempt'.
• If this switch is ON, the system builds a list of hungry SO items and counts their total. It then checks to see that the amount to order (ie the input QTY on each line) is more than or equal to this qty.
• If the qty to order is sufficient, an icon shows with a page stack which indicates that the auto-allocation is ON for that line. Clicking on the page stack shows all the SOs and what is being allocated for each one.
• If the qty to order is not enough to supply the hungry SOs the icon changes to an 'alert' and the auto-allocation will be 'disabled' for that line. Clicking on the icon will show the qty required for this to be changed to a 'page stack' and if the qty to order is manually adjusted to this qty the icon will change and the auto-allocation will be switched on.
• If 'no icon' is showing next to the SO backorder qty, this indicates that there were no hungry SOs found for that line (or the new setting in the filter has not been switched on);.

Bulk Allocation for Sales Order Items - Now Specific

A powerful feature in BlueBox2.0 has always been the bulk-allocation of stock to Sales Orders where they are short of stock. A nifty new add-on in the Item Data View makes this more specific - allowing you to 'Bulk Allocate' only that specific item:

Update Customer Order Number in Debtors Invoices

BlueBox ERP now includes a feature which allows you to updated the customer order number on debtor's invoices.

As expected from a formal ERP system, you cannot edit invoices - and as was recently raised by a customer, often the order number arrives after the invoice has been generated.

To update this info on the invoice simply edit the linked sales order and set the customer order number. Then view the debtor's invoice and click 'update values'. Where this function normally only updated the financial values on the document with relation to it's up line and down line documents, it now looks through the despatch note to the linked sales order, and if a customer order number exists will now stamp this on the invoice.

BlueBox Web Stores with Responsive Design

Bluebox includes a nifty backoffice web-store publishing engine which allows you to split your inventory catalogue between different key customers and then give them access to their own private web ordering micro-site.

These micro-sites work out-the-box with BlueBox and are hosted on the same system/server as the backoffice system.

These sites are mobile-responsive, meaning that they re-shape themselves to fit mobile devices. They can also very easily be wrapped into mobile apps for all platforms, something we do via PhoneGap.

Each micro-site can have it's own web-address, or can be accessed via a unique key for security reasons. Alternatively you can place all your micro-sites on a front page menu and have your customers choose which site to access.

Link each site to a backoffice customer and you'll find that the system automatically creates the Sales Orders for you, handles the stock allocation and procurement and finishes off the process by despatching and invoicing the customer.

This accommodates 2 models - where the 'house account' pays for all the orders via our backoffice accounts system, or where the shopper pays via card at time of purchase. Using these 2 models we are able to provide the infrastructure for centralised headoffice ordering schemes where branches order their items individually but the bill is sent to headoffice, or where the bill is sent to the branch, or where the branch pays with a card at the time of purchase.