Version 8 Documentation

This page contains documentation for DDMS® Version 8. On this page, you'll find:

What's New
Feature-Specific Documentation

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What's New

New! Version 8.16.2 Readme (pdf) Before installing DDMS 8.16.2, please read this flyer. Included with your software update CD, it highlights important steps you must take before loading this software update, as well as tasks to perform in order to use the new EBS SQL features.

Announcing DDMS 8.15.9 The ECi DDMS 8.15.9 maintenance release addresses a small number of design changes and software issues. Requires 8.13.0 - 8.14.46 be installed first; see Release Notes.

Announcing DDMS 8.15 The ECi DDMS Version 8.15.20 major release is available now at your request. This release is chock full of enhancements, designed to make it easier for you to take full advantage of new technology, work more efficiently, and grow your business. Requires 8.13.0 - 8.14.46 be installed first; see Release Notes.

Announcing ECi DDMS 8.14.46 The ECi DDMS 8.14.46 maintenance release addresses a small number of design changes and software issues.

Announcing ECi DDMS 8.14.43 The ECi DDMS 8.14.43 maintenance release addresses a small number of design changes and software issues.

Announcing ECi DDMS 8.14.41 The ECi DDMS 8.14.41 maintenance release addresses a number of design changes, minor enhancements, and software issues.

Announcing DDMS 8.14 The DDMS® 8.14 software update is available on request as of Monday, Feb. 11, 2008. In this major release, you'll find a number of improvements in several areas, including four new features: Furniture Tags (pdf), Quote Release, Warehouse and Manifest Notes, and Machine Billing Exceptions.

What's New in DDMS 8.13.44 The DDMS® 8.12.44 maintenance release addresses a number of design changes, minor enhancements, and software issues.

What's New in DDMS 8.13.40 The DDMS® 8.12.40 maintenance release addresses a number of design changes, minor enhancements, and software issues.

Announcing DDMS 8.13 The DDMS® 8.13 software update is available on request as of Friday, Nov. 16, 2007. In this major release, you'll find useful new features in general ledger, SQL sales reports, customer price plans, purchase order entry, order entry, and accounts payable.

What's New in DDMS 8.12.50 The DDMS® 8.12.50 maintenance release addresses a number of design changes, minor enhancements, and software issues.

What's New in DDMS 8.12.40 The DDMS® 8.12.40 maintenance release addresses a number of design changes, minor enhancements, and software issues.

What's New in DDMS 8.12.32 The DDMS® 8.12.32 maintenance release addresses a number of design changes, minor enhancements, and software issues.

What's New in DDMS 8.12.30 The DDMS® 8.12.30 maintenance release addresses 105 dealer-recommended design changes, minor enhancements, and software issues.

ECi Releases DDMS 8.12 AutoComm™ II and Approval Link™ 4.0 for NET1, S.P. Richards PSN Invoice & Advance Shipping Notice Data Handling, PPI and O Henry Electronic Invoicing Via PSN, Furniture Calculated Load Factor, Prorated Deposits, Haworth and Knoll P/Os via PSN, Machine BEI Export, and ServiceTrak™. Also highlights of previous maintenance releases: Streamlined EnsiteEBS, ECinteractive™ Gateway, Furniture Order Modifications, Machine Graphical Development

ECi Releases DDMS 8.11 Customer Price Plans, Price Modeling, Kimball® and National™ P/Os via PSN, Machine Meter Enhancements, SQL Reporting of Sales Data

Version 8.11 EnsiteEBS Conversion Only Required for New SQL Applications ECi released DDMS® Version 8.11, Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2006, and began shipping in waves to customers who requested the software update. This message is from your ECi Technical Support team, to provide guidance as you implement groundbreaking new features.

ECi Ships DDMS® General Release Version 8.10 Bank Statement Reconciliation, Approval Link™ 3.0 for VeriSign™ Payflo Pro®, Pay Multiple Vendors on One Check in A/P, New Warehouse Bin Designations, Enhanced Furniture Order Entry Change Mode, Work in Progress, Job Costing, Bill by Estimated Copy Counts, Machine Disposition, Demo Picker.

Updated! What's New in Version 8 (pdf) A brief description of each new feature we have added to DDMS software.

Updated! Installing Version 8 DDMS (pdf) This document explains how to install Version 8, including information about the new EBS SQL Import Control Panel, as well as file conversion and journal parameter setup. It also includes important information about sharing a new folder on the server before installing the client software update. It also notes how to adjust your backup scripts to properly back up new SQL database files.

Feature-Specific Documentation

New! Using the EBS SQL Import Control Panel (pdf) Before you can use EBS SQL applications including Customer Price Plans, Price Modeling, Report Preview, Furniture Project Management and so on, your DDMS data must be initially validated, corrected as needed, and imported into the SQL database. After this initial processing, your data will be automatically synchronized thereafter. Use the EBS SQL Import Control Panel to confirm SQL connectivity to the server, ensure your data is valid before attempting to import it, and then import the data required to use the new applications.

Updated! EBS SQL Furniture Project Management (pdf) Understand how to apply the power of DDMS's EBS SQL interface to ramp up project management efficiency. The Project Management feature is designed so that anyone in your company can quickly find and report on important information about any part of a project. For example, you can quickly view item delivery dates, acknowledgment information, order status, and items that have been added to an order. Project Management tasks display in an easy to use panel, with all the new functionality of the EBS SQL database. The hierarchy of views now falls into project, sales order, order summary (purchase order), and item levels. You now have unparalleled flexibility when limiting, filtering, summarizing, sorting, customizing, and updating your project data. You can even restrict salespersons to viewing only their customers’ project data. You can easily customize the display of columns and header information when you’re ready to save a report, or export to a spreadsheet or PDF file.

WARNING: Before you can begin using this EBS SQL Project Management tool, you must import your data through the new EBS SQL Import Control Panel. You must import your file information and then set a schedule for synchronizing on a regular basis to feed your project reports. For detailed instructions, see Using the EBS SQL Import Panel (pdf).

New! ServiceTrak™ Mobile Dispatching (pdf) As the mobile dispatching solution for DDMS, ServiceTrak™ gives technicians real-time access to service call and customer information while in the field. It also reduces paperwork and eliminates redundant data entry tasks, increasing overall service department efficiency. Not only that, but it features an updated interface that allows for stylus-free one-hand operation using softkey menus and device navigation buttons. Runs on any touchscreen device using Windows Mobile Professional 6 (or PocketPC 5).

New! SQL Reporting Field Definitions (pdf) In DDMS 8.13 and higher, standard SQL reports print from their respective SQL tables. For example, the sales reports print from the current SQL SalesOrderJournal table and related supplemental files. This handout provides definitions for the fields in these new reports. In this handout, we provide field definitions for the sales reports and customer reports. For each of these reports, we provide a summary of the report, an example of the report, and field definitions. This document serves as a handy reference for experienced SQL query writers to use when using C1 Report Designer to compose SQL statements, design custom reports, and save them for other users to access from DDMS' SQL Report Preview application.

New! Phase III: Setting Up and Using Furniture Acknowledgments via PSN (pdf) Once you have completed the steps in the Phase II handout for your individual furniture vendor, you can set up the acknowledgment program. The Furniture Acknowledgments function gives you the ability to default to a specific printer for acknowledgments by user or by vendor. It also gives you the option to update the cost on the purchase order and ticket automatically, allows you to print only exceptions on the acknowledgment report or print all items, and allows you to reprint the acknowledgment without requesting it again from the vendor. Learn how to set up the appropriate Global, Vendor, and User parameters.

New! Setting Up and Using the AOPD PSN for DDMS Contracting Dealers (pdf) You can use Private Supply Network (PSN) to communicate with American Office Products Distributors, Inc., the nation’s largest network distributor of office supplies. You may act as a contracting dealer. For example, at times you may be able to place and process a customer’s order but can’t deliver it. As a contracting dealer, you could have a servicing dealer deliver the customer’s order on your behalf. You would have direct contact with the customer, so the servicing dealer would rely on you for order information, billing, and so on. In this document, learn how to set up the identifiers and passwords to begin using AOPD PSN as a Contracting Dealer.

New! Setting Up and Using the AOPD PSN for DDMS Servicing Dealers (pdf) You can use Private Supply Network (PSN) to communicate with American Office Products Distributors, Inc., the nation’s largest network distributor of office supplies. You may act as a servicing dealer for another contracting dealer, delivering the order to the customer’s site. If so, learn how to set up the identifiers and passwords to begin using AOPD PSN as a Servicing Dealer.

11 Tips on Validating DBF Data With EBS SQL Import Control Panel (pdf) DBF data validation is the most important step in implementing the new SQL applications such as Customer Price Plans and Price Modeling. The new Microsoft SQL architecture has very rigid rules for database fields (or data types). By comparison, DDMS’s DBF flat-file database structure has been much more lenient. Before importing, you must make adjustments as needed to address validation exceptions, and test validation again until no more exceptions are found. Your ECi Technical Support teams offer several tech tips to help with this process.

Troubleshooting EBS SQL Validation Errors (pdf) In the EnsiteEBS Utility, the Validate DBF Data tool checks each record in the files you mark to import. If data is missing or invalid, you will see a specific error. Common errors include: Split Volumes, File Not Found, File Not Compressed, Duplicate Key, Invalid Date, Invalid Number, and no purchasing vendor. Sometimes the software can logically make up for invalid data. Sometimes it’s actually OK to import a blank record. In many cases, however, it means manually correcting or deleting specific records. See this document for details on how to read the Validation error log, how to address each error, and a table that describes the best application to view and change individual records per file.

New! Advanced SQL Reporting Guide (pdf) If you are familiar with SQL databases and queries, you can use C1 Report Designer to create custom reports that you can view and edit in the DDMS Preview Reports application. While ECi does not support C1 Report Designer, this document presents helpful rules and definitions that should be useful in designing reports that are compatible with the Preview Reports function.

New! Setting Up & Using SQL Preview Reports for DDMS (pdf) The new Preview Reports function in the Report Menu combines the current capabilities of the existing sales database report screens in DDMS with the new functionality of the SQL EBS database. It is designed to allow both new and experienced users to easily view and print SQL reports. It also allows users to make minor report changes on the fly that could previously only be made in more complex report designer applications. Information is displayed in an Excel-style grid with columns that can be fully customized using sorts and limits.

New! Toner Yield (pdf) Toner Yield is a new analysis tool in DDMS that enables you to track toner cartridge performance and compare it to the manufacturer’s claimed yield—invaluable information when renewing service contracts. Customer service reps can also use this feature to see how much toner has been shipped for a particular machine.

Using Tags (pdf) Recently, the Office Furniture industry standardized its system of tagging items. In compliance with these industry standards, Version 8.14 and higher of DDMS Office Furniture Edition imports, stores, modifies, displays, communicates and reports on these new tag fields. If you use a specifier program, such as 20-20 Worksheet or Project-Spec, you can export* the standard five tag types into a SIF file that can then be imported into DDMS Furniture Order Entry. The tags appear in the Item Detail tab’s Description column as yellow text. You can access the tag information during Order, Change, Initial Verify, Final verify, and Delete modes, O/E History, Quote Release, P/O Entry, P/O History, and Report Writer. You can use tags when assigning Print Groups. New formats have also been created so you can print the new tag information. Tag detail can also be printed in Report Writer. This document includes examples and detailed instructions.

Closing G/L Periods (pdf) For many dealers, the G/L Posting window's new Close G/L Period menu option (and the logic behind it) represents a welcome change to the period-end flow for General Ledger. Before DDMS 8.13, only periods 12 and 13 were open to posting after closing G/L for the year. With version 8.13, it's easier than ever to close general ledger on the final day of the fiscal year. Although you can't release a batch to a closed business period, you can reopen it, release postings to it as needed, even adding new G/L accounts as needed, and close it again. You can set passwords for this new function in the new graphical General Ledger Close Period Passwords Parameters.

Note: After installing version 8.13, all of your previous year’s business periods will be open to posting. If, however, you wish to resume the previous G/L flow, take these steps: First, set your passwords in the General Ledger Close Period Passwords Parameters boxes. Then, go to the new Close G/L Period dialog box and close the period. This will limit prior-year postings to periods 12 and 13, just as before.

Third Party Carrier (3PC™) Manifests (pdf) 3PC™ is the interface between your shipping manifest program and a third party shipping service, designed to help you streamline your shipping and billing processes, and better track your customers’ packages. You can charge the customer for freight charges. You can determine the method by which to ship the order: overnight, ground, and so forth. You can set separate default shipping methods and freight settings for each customer in the Customer window. Using pick ticket information exported from your (TS) Shipping Manifest or your (TR) Order Entry Reports, 3PC automatically determines the package’s weight, the method by which to ship the package, insurance information, and freight charges. It also also automatically prints your shipping labels. When you then import third party carrier data back into DDMS, the 3PC software attaches delivery information to the invoice, and it can be viewed in Order Entry.

Sending Data to Business Equipment Information (BEI) Services (pdf) Version 8.12 of DDMS Machines & Equipment edition features a new application that extracts dealers’ serialized information to create reports of your machine service and performance data to BEI Services (www.beiservices.com). The information allows dealers to compare their performance with other dealers of the same type, geographic location, or other criteria. In addition, the generated report is used by BEI to determine rewards in their Intense Tech compensation program.

Calculated Load Factor (pdf) Version 8.12 of DDMS Office Furniture Edition introduces a simplified way to reflect your costs on a furniture order, as an alternative to detailed job costing. You can use your experience and benchmarks to assign different cost load percentages globally, to a customer, and/or to a vendor. When you end an order, and respond as needed to the prompt for additional charges, each line item’s load factor is calculated. The load factor may be multiplied by the line item’s list price, sell price, "a" cost or "p" cost, depending on how you set the standard load factor parameter. The results for each line item are added together to produce a total blended cost, which is automatically charged against commission. You can choose whether the load factor is printed on the invoices.

Setting Up and Using Credit Cards and Approval Link 4.0 (pdf) Released with DDMS 8.12, Approval Link™ 4.0 is the interface between your DDMS system and Verus/Net1 Payment Solutions automated authorization and capture software. Learn how to set up and use Approval Link™ software to process credit card transactions with Verus/Net1.

Installing AutoComm II (pdf) Learn how to set up the revamped fax/email server software for DDMS that eliminates the need for third-party software. AutoComm II introduces a new graphical wizard-like interface that simplifies setup of DDMS server information, backgrounds and attachments, fax settings, and email settings. The Autocomm II service runs in the background while its workstation is on, so there’s no need to launch it manually or even log in for the system to process emails and faxes.

Using AutoComm II (pdf) Learn how to send faxes and emails from both graphical and text-based applications using the AutoComm™ II fax/email server software for DDMS®. This document includes instructions on sending invoices from Order Entry, purchase orders from P/O Entry, and customer statements from Accounts Receivable. It also includes instructions for monitoring faxes and emails, and sending mass or batch messages.

Processing Credits and Freight Charges: S.P. Richards (pdf) It's now easier than ever to process S.P. Richards credits and freight charges. When you receive electronic invoices via PSN, DDMS can automatically post vendor credits to Accounts Payable, and post Freight charges to customer pick tickets in Order Entry. It eliminates several labor-intensive steps.

Processing Advanced Shipping Notice (ASN): S.P. Richards (pdf) It's now easier than ever to process S.P. Richards short ships, carton counts and tracking information via PSN. When you receive the new Advance Shipping Notice data from SPR via PSN, DDMS can process short ships, carton counts, carton IDs, and carrier tracking IDs. The system automatically adjusts the quantities and special lines in your orders and your purchase order. You can use Report Writer to add the vendor carton counts to your printed shipping manifest. It eliminates several labor-intensive steps.

Setting Up and Using Credit Cards and Approval Link 3.0 (pdf) Approval Link™ 3.0 is the interface between your DDMS system and VeriSign™ Payflo Pro® automated authorization and capture software. Learn how to set up and use Approval Link™ software to process credit card transactions with VeriSign.

Customer Price Plans (pdf) The contracts application (ET screen) has been completely redesigned using the latest technology available. With a new smart-client architecture and incorporating the .NET programming framework, the Customer Price Plan makes it easier than ever to create, configure and analyze your customer contracts in ways never before possible.

Price Modeling (pdf) Like its predecessor (SG) [J], you can use the new Price Modeling application to measure the profitability of past sales as compared to initial pricing. But now you have amazing spreadsheet ability for modeling pricing and profitability. Using actual sales statistics, you can create new pricing models and directly compare the results against initial and historical pricing models. You can apply numerous filters to past sales journals, contracts, and inventory files to target a very specific item or customer sales history. Flexible on-screen display lets you choose fields and types of totals to display. Once a satisfactory price model is created, the on-screen end results can be saved as a new contract or exported to an Excel® file.

Machine Meter Enhancements (pdf) To assist machine dealers with tracking performance data for the life of each serialized machine, some critical meter-related data has been shifted from the Customer Contracts Meter tab to the Machine Detail Meters tab. It's important to be consistent when setting up multiple meters per machine, setting one to track black copies and one to track color copies. Learn how to properly set up machine meters, convert existing meters if necessary, and set up the department break-out for meters in your Contract Types Department Tab. The system now prompts for meter readings and dates when you create a new machine record or sell a machine in Serialized Order Entry.

Exporting HP Data (pdf) HP PurchasEdge participating dealers can use the HPUSAGE program to track HP product information. This program creates an output file that contains customer contact information as well as total sales dollars for HP products. By exporting the data to a file, you can target those customers who purchase less than a specified sales amount. After the data is exported, you can forward the file to HP, who in turn, can assist you with marketing campaigns targeted to increase HP product sales to the customer.

HP PurchasEdgeIntegration (pdf) Learn how to integrate your Web storefront with PurchasEdge to help build stronger end-user relationships and drive supply sales by rewarding your end-users with free Hewlett-Packard products. See also the sign-up form on eci2.com, Register as an HP PurchasEdge Reseller.

Setting Up and Using the Global Industries PSN (pdf) Learn how to set up appropriate parameters, database records, and default settings for communicating electronically with Global Industries. You can import SIFs into the DDMS Order Entry window. When building a Global purchase order, you have the option to assign a vendor contract; you can also opt to exclude a P/O from being transmitted. When you are ready, you can transmit P/Os and receive acknowledgements in the Purchase Order Entry window.

Setting Up and Using the Haworth PSN (pdf) Learn how to set up your Haworth vendor record, furniture contracts, and purchase order communications defaults. Then you can import SIFs and automatically create P/Os that you can upload electronically into Haworth's order management system.

Setting Up and Using the Kimball PSN for DDMS (pdf) Learn how to set up your Kimball vendor record, furniture contracts with Kimball CDA numbers, and purchase order communications defaults. Then you can import SIFs, automatically build P/Os, transmit electronically to Kimball's order management system, and receive Kimball's P/O acknowledgements.

New! Setting Up and Using the Lagasse PSN (pdf) Set up appropriate parameters transmit purchase orders and request acknowledgements via the PSN with Lagasse Bros., Inc.

Setting Up and Using the National PSN for DDMS (pdf) Learn how to set up your National vendor record, furniture contracts with National CDA numbers, and purchase order communications defaults. Then you can import SIFs, automatically build P/Os, transmit electronically to National's order management system, and receive National's P/O acknowledgements.

Setting Up and Using the O'Henry PSN (pdf) Set up appropriate parameters to transmit purchase orders, check stock availability and pricing, and request acknowledgements via the PSN with O'Henry.

Setting Up and Using the Pens Plus, Inc. PSN (pdf) Set up appropriate parameters to transmit purchase orders, check stock availability and pricing, and request acknowledgements via the PSN with Pens Plus, Inc. (PPI).

Setting Up and Using the TriMega PSN for DDMS (pdf) Set up appropriate parameters to transmit purchase orders and request acknowledgements via the PSN with TriMega on your DDMS system.

Setting Up and Receiving Invoices: S.P. Richards How to set up electronic invoicing with S.P. Richards, and how to receive and process these invoices via PSN. To complete the process, see Posting Electronic Invoices

Setting Up and Receiving Invoices: TriMega Purchasing Assn. How to set up electronic invoicing with TriMega Purchasing Association (TPA), and how to receive and process these invoices via PSN. To complete the process, see Posting Electronic Invoices

Setting Up and Receiving Invoices: United How to set up electronic invoicing with United, and how to receive and process these invoices via PSN. To complete the process, see Posting Electronic Invoices

Machine Disposition Setup (pdf) You can assign dispositions to machines beginning in Version 8. A machine disposition shows the overall status of the machine, whether it’s on hand, rented, leased, sold, and so forth. The disposition is adjusted based on the changes to the status of the machine equipment. If you plan to use the new disposition feature, you must perform the steps described in this document after loading your software update.

DDMS® Machines and Equipment Edition (pdf) To supplement your system's core accounting applications, DDMS® offers powerful tools for managing equipment sales and service. These tools make it easy to track sales and leases of serialized equipment. They also provide management for your service department, including parts inventory, machine and technician tracking, call logging and dispatching, and contract management. All serialized tools are fully integrated with other system functions to provide a complete business solution.

Work in Progress for DDMS® Office Furniture Edition (pdf) Work in Progress” (WIP), a powerful add-on-accounting function for DDMS Furniture Edition, gives you the ability to view and compare your actual costs on an individual order basis prior to and after invoicing to ensure a more accurate bottom line. WIP also helps to eliminate over-payments to vendors, correct payment of commissions to salespeople and helps in the overall order process.

DDMS® Office Furniture Edition (pdf) This session handout showcases the remarkable changes to DDMS Office Furniture Edition’s new order entry, purchasing, and receiving functions. Topics include the new enhanced change mode, modify order function (mass changing cost, sell, list and gross profit), staging bins, PSN purchasing with Herman Miller, Allsteel, Kimball/National and other manufacturers), specifying drop ship orders, enhanced third party billing, rental/loaner/demo tickets, furniture contracts and many features available in Version 8.

Bank Statement Reconciliation (pdf) One of our most-requested enhancements is here. Bank Statement Reconciliation provides an on-screen worksheet that lets you quickly and easily mark cleared and outstanding checks and deposits to balance against your bank statements. Plus, this new application utilizes our smart-client, .NET architecture and intuitive interface design.

Setting Up and Using Credit Cards and Approval Link 3.0 (pdf) Do you know what your processing rates are today? Have they changed in the last year? Now dealers using ECi business systems have new options for processing credit card transactions — as well as other types of payments. Learn how to set up and use Approval Link™ software to process credit card transactions quickly and efficiently. Topics include software setup, the flow of credit card transactions, Level II and Level III credit card processing, and options for authorizing gift/reward cards, check conversion, and processing electronic fund transfers using the Internet.

Campaign Manager (pdf) New in Version 8: parameters to help coordinate with Microsoft Exchange Server. In tandem with Notes Everywhere and the system's email capabilities, Campaign Manager lets you create automated marketing tasks based on customer’s status, such as new customers or growth customers. You can send emails to both internal and external customers. For example, if a customer hasn’t made any purchases recently, you might email their salesperson internally to notify them. You could also email marketing flyers or perhaps a discount offer. Campaign Manager lets you automatically recognize and react to customers who haven’t purchased recently. You simply set up the campaign and limit to the customers that fit your criteria.

Notes Everywhere (pdf) New in Version 8: parameters to help coordinate with Microsoft Exchange Server. Once you set up Notes Everywhere, the Notes Everywhere dialog box can be set to automatically launch each time you open DDMS. This dialog box remains on top of other windows, so you can easily view notes for the selected customer, vendor, or invoice. What’s more, the selected customer or vendor is automatically recognized and the notes display for you when you retrieve a record.