About Item Indexes
For all databases, other than the Item database, the indexes are automatically created that let you retrieve by both the primary and secondary keys.
Item indexes can be built, but are not built automatically. Five item indexes can be built: a description index, a company and description index, a direct-buy vendor (manufacturer) index, a description word index and an Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) index.
I-INDEX: The description index is used to retrieve items by description in the Item Master tab. This index is most useful when item descriptions are consistent. All descriptions for file folders, for example, may begin with the word FOLDER.
I-CO-INDEX: The company and description index is used to retrieve items by company and description in Order Entry. In addition, custom inventory reports that use the item description and are sorted by company print faster if you maintain this index.
I-DB-INDEX: The direct-buy vendor index lets you print the 13 Month Low Stock Report more quickly. The direct-buy vendor index is not used for retrieving items.
I-WRINDEX: The description word index is used to retrieve items in Order Entry by words that are included in the item's description. This index links all words (with more than one character) in the item description with the item number. This index gives you many options for searching for an item. For example, you can search for all items that contain the words RED and PEN.
I-EDIINDEX: EDI is a method of transmitting business transactions between different types of computers.
Indexes are not updated automatically when you create, add to, or update your items using information from a pricing service. Therefore, rebuild your item indexes after each item update. Rebuild the description index if you make manual changes to item descriptions.
Note: You must decide whether the convenience of retrieving items by description justifies the disk space that I-INDEX and I-WRDINDEX use.
See also: