Selecting an Item

You can retrieve items using specific words and the symbols \\ (two backward slashes). You enter the words by which to retrieve the item in the Description box, followed by the symbols. You can do this in the Description box in the Item Master tab or in the Description box in the Item Query dialog box.

 

For example, to retrieve an item containing the word folder, you click the Description box and type \\FOLDER. To retrieve items that contain the words red and blue, pens, for example, you would type \\RED AND BLUE PEN. The words “or” and “ and” are key words that let you search for multiple words in the item’s description. The word “or” means that only one of the words has to exist in the description. The word “and” means that both words must exist in the description. The word "not" excludes description with the word you specify.

 

You can also search using abbreviations. For example, if the abbreviation for blue is BE and you want the search to include all blue pens, type \\BE OR BLUE AND PEN. You can further limit the search by specifying the item’s manufacturer code in the Company box. For example, to search for all Sanford red pen refills, you would type SAN in the Company box and type \\RED AND PEN AND REFILLS in the Description box.

 

For this feature to work, you must reindex the I-WRDINDEX index. You do this using the text-based ( E) screen. To reindex the file, go to the ( E) screen and select the [O] Other Screens action code. Next, select the [R] Reindex Files action code. When prompted, enter the password set in the Reindex field in the ( LE) Inventory Parameters screen. In the Re-Build Item Index Files screen, select the [ E] I-WRDINDEX function. Type Y at the Are You Sure prompt.

Warning: The file I-WRDINDEX has four times as many records than your I-MASTER file and almost one and a half times larger than I-MASTER. If your I-MASTER file is 40 cylinders, for example, your I-WRDINDEX file may be 60 cylinders. Make sure that you have enough disk space for this index file before building it. To check for free disk space, go to the ( Z) screen and use the [E1] Disk Directory function to view the VTOC for the unit that contains your inventory files. The last page of this VTOC shows the MAX CYLS and CYLS USED fields. Subtract the cylinders used from the maximum cylinders to determine the free cylinders on this unit. Remember that you cannot fill an entire unit: Do not build the index if it may take all of your free cylinders. It can also take a substantial amount of time to create this index.