Tech Tips: PFW Record Locks

ISSUE

While performing "Print and Post" functions, your Platinum Application 
Server ("PAS") displays the following message: 

"Record Lock Active - Press enter to continue" 

WHAT IT MEANS

Someone else is using this record. It is therefore "locked" and cannot 
be updated until that person saves their changes and releases it. The 
PAS makes several attempts to update the record, but finds it locked each 
time. Pressing ENTER causes it to make a number of additional attempts, 
but it may still find the record locked and re-display the message.

WARNING - DO NOT PRESS ESCAPE!

Seasoned Platinum users will frequently use the ESC key to close a window 
or bypass a warning. THIS IS THE WRONG ACTION! ESC will bypass the warning 
but not solve the problem. The record will remain unmodified and the final 
reports will be incorrect.

THE RIGHT SOLUTION

The record must be released. If you receive this error, find the person 
who has the record locked. Get them to release it. Then Press ENTER to 
initiate another attempt by the PAS.

EXAMPLE:

Bill uses the "File Maintenance" function to retrieve an item on the Item 
Location file and revise some data. This locks the record. Bill then leaves 
his desk for a meeting without closing the screen. 

Meanwhile, Jane runs a "Print and Post Invoice and Credit Memo" where one 
of the invoices contains a line for this particular item. Jane checks her 
Queue Manager ten minutes later expecting to see the job completed but 
sees that it is still "In Process". She walks over to the PAS and sees 
a message: 
"Record Lock Active - Press Enter to continue"

If Jane presses the Escape key the data will be corrupted and when month-end 
reports are run they will indicate that information is missing. Instead 
she finds Bill, who releases the record. She returns to the PAS and presses 
Enter. The PAS once again attempts to update the record, finds it free 
and completes the job.

BONUS TIP - FIND OUT WHO'S USING PLATINUM

When Jane needs to know who has her record locked, she starts searching 
the office and asking questions. Platinum has a tool to help her - a list 
of all users currently logged in to Platinum. Here's How:

- Go to the Platinum Directory on the network
- Run this file: UTUSERS.exe

A list will pop up showing all the users. Now go find out which one is 
sitting at a Maintenance screen. That person is likely using the record 
you need. 

Tech Tips: Platinum for Windows - Defining Tax Rates

QUESTION

"On an any given order I have some line items that are taxable and others 
that are not. In addition, some customers are always tax exempt and pay. 
I know that I can remove the tax code for the line items MANUALLY but 
how do I do set it up AUTOMATICALLY so that each customer and each item 
are assigned the correct tax rate?"

ANSWER

1] Go to: A/R -> Application Setup -> Transaction Information -> Default 
Tax Rate
2] Choose the following setting: From Item Location but Check Both

This tells the system to check both the Item Location Record and the Customer 
information (Customer and Ship To records.) Both must contain a tax rate 
for it to be charged. The tax rate, therefore would be decided in the 
following way:

a) Tax Rate in Both Locations: TAX BASED ON ITEM 

Item Location record: Has a Tax Rate key
Customer/Ship To record: Has a Tax rate key 
- The tax rate key comes from the Item Location record

b) Tax rate only in Item Location: NO TAX

Item Location Record: Has a Tax rate key
Customer/Ship To record: No Tax rate key
- Tax rate is blank.

c) No Tax rate in Item Location: NO TAX

- Tax rate is blank. (Contents of the Customer and Ship To records are 
irrelevant)

For more information on this and other Platinum issues contact  

Tech Tips: Platinum For Windows - Print a "Quick Cheque"

ISSUE

I want to print a "Quick Cheque". For example in the case of a C.O.D., 
I want to print one Cheque quickly instead of going through the full voucher 
entry process.

SOLUTION #1 - The Easy Way

As you might expect, Evron has a custom program that deals with this question 
beautifully. 
For more information, contact

SOLUTION #2 - The Other Way

If the vendor is already on file, you can enter and print an "On Account" 
cheque as follows:

SPECIFY AMOUNT: Go to "Voucher Payment Entry". For the specified vendor, 
enter the amount you want to pay as an "On Account Amount".

PRINT: Go to "Print Post Voucher Payment". Print the cheque for the vendor 
as "preselected only".

IMPORTANT 

Remember to go back into the program later, to enter the voucher and apply 
the On Account payment against it.

Have a question or a Tip? Contact us at  

Tech Tips: Platinum For Windows - "Gap between begin and previous end date"

ISSUE

When I run the General Ledger Edit list I receive the following message:
"Gap between begin and previous end date"

CAUSE 

ACCOUNTING PERIOD SET UP: Platinum requires that all prior, current and 
future accounting periods be set up in the Period Dates area prior to any 
processing. A "period begin" and a "period end" date for each accounting 
period must be defined. 

GAP AND OVERLAP: When setting up accounting periods, the system allows 
the user to define a period's begin date even if it does not immediately 
follow the prior period's end date. As a result the following can occur:

1] Gap (e.g.: Period 1 ends January 25th, Period 2 begins February 1st)
2] Overlap (e.g.: Period 1 ends February 7th Period 2 begins February 1st)

LEAP YEAR: Gaps may often occur during a leap year. The User defines one 
period to end Feb. 28th and the next to begin March 1st. The omission 
of Feb 29 creates a Gap. 

MESSAGE: In these cases, you will receive an error message when running 
the GL Edit list. The message will be the same in the case of a Gap or 
Overlap: "Gap between begin and previous end date"

SOLUTION

The period in question is indicated in the error message. Check the Period 
Dates window in the File Maintenance forms, and ensure that there are no 
gaps or overlaps in the beginning and ending dates. In general, be mindful 
of this issue when defining future periods.