ADV: As promised a Valentine's Day filePro gift for you!

[John Esak]

Hello all,

Well, here it is as promised. It's taken so long I can hardly believe it,
but the time was necessary to do it right.

I'm announcing two (2) new products for the filePro community.


	1) A version 1.3 upgrade to The Survivor Series Programming Tutorial.

	2) A complete generic Accounting System written in filePro.


These will be discussed in reverse order.


Product #2)
The Survivor Series Accounting

Okay, the long-standing whining and whinging that filePro doesn't have any
"Mainstream" application availability... and filePro doesn't have any
generic ready-to-go accounting packages available can all stop now. This
release changes everything.

These programs work under Windows/Unix/Linux/SCO/AIX, and great care has
been taken to ensure that they function perfectly starting with filePro
Version 4.8 or higher. I didn't want anyone to feel disenfranchised and
unable to avail themselves of this fantastic new product. You see, the
whining and whinging can die a peaceful death... :-)


A Little History & Quick Explanation

It is almost impossible for me to believe, but nearly 19 years ago I wrote a
series of accounting modules for filePro. These things were built in Version
3 code, which was (though I hate to admit it) extremely limiting. I had to
do undesirable work-around like design and write crude browses... because
browse wasn't invented yet!  Worse, I had to accomplish much of what was
required using external shell scripting. There was no possibility of
migrating the packages to Windows because, unbelievably, at the time,
Windows didn't exist! The DOS version of filePro did not have some important
abilities the *nix version had, like 7 character long qualifiers, and even
worse, screen names couldn't be longer than 3 characters. There were other
reasons, but suffice it to say that I was not prepared (or able) to provide
the software on anything but *nix.

HAPPILY, ALL THAT HAS CHANGED!!!

There are now nearly no differences between the Windows and *nix versions of
filePro, and none of those that do exist, impact writing full featured, high
quality applications on all platforms... and now everything can all be
written inside of filePro itself, without depending on any external help
from the O/S or other programs.

So, I decided to tackle the enormous project I've always wanted to do, and
write some really good filePro-based accounting packages. It would have been
a tiny bit easier to accomplish if I worked this magic from the outset in
Version 5.6, but again, not everyone has migrated to this newest level of
filePro yet, and there was that "disenfranchisement" thing to worry about.
Accordingly, I have made every effort when keeping the applications portable
to every platform, to also re-write functions that would be easier and more
efficiently done  in 5.0/5.6 and just keep it all fully accessible to
Version 4.8. This does NOT mean I recommend anyone use (or stay using)
Version 4.8 filePro... on the contrary, I strongly urge everyone to upgrade
to Version 5.6. In fact, the sooner the better. The more FP Technologies can
see in income from upgrades of all the thousands of legacy users out there,
the more they can put these resources to new development. But, I digress.

To finish up on the "history" part of this explanation, here is how the
package was developed. I started with a framework of the old NEX Accounting
Group, ripped out all the guts of each module, keeping mostly only the
screens... and completely re-wrote  the entire system. Yes, that's thousands
of lines of code... and yes, it took me thousands of hours. Those who know
me, know that since September I have been just lurking in the FP Room,
barely talking or contributing at all. Instead, I have been working roughly
16 hours a day on this project. Periodically, I would jump into the ongoing
conversations and ask the folks there to beta test this or that for me...
then I would submerge back into nose-to-the-grindstone coding and movie
making.  (Movie making? Oh yes, did I forget to mention it? Not only did I
completely rebuild the accounting packages into new and modern filePro
routines, but I built a comprehensive set of tutorial movies as the unique
documentation and manual for the product! There are 7 hours of step-by-step
videos that show you exactly how to configure and run each module. Also, for
those programmer types out there, several of the critical processing tables
are discussed line-by-line, so you can learn how to integrate any or all
parts of this system with your own applications and needs.)

History Section Over... except for one important (VERY IMPORTANT) warning.
Though I've completely re-written all aspects of the accounting packages
which were coded all those years ago, I *did* use many of the same filePro
directory names, screen names, output names, etc. They were carefully
designed way back then, and there was simply no reason in many cases to
improve them. So, if you have *any* of the older NEX Accounting Group
packages on your system... you must NOT install any part of this new set of
programs without being EXTREMELY careful to do it in a way that will not
destroy your data or apps. I can help with this... believe me, it's
important.


The Future

Okay, we can move on! Let's do it quickly. The vast majority of you will be
able to install these packages from the CD without problem. On Windows, you
can just copy the full set of programs to the folder where you want them to
reside, and you're ready to roll. Those putting the programs onto
SCO/Unix/Linux can simply "tar" them into place from a provided "tarball"
and then you're also ready to roll. In all cases (and especially for anyone
using AIX) you can use the provided "xfer -lf" file to move the programs
onto your system. Any of these procedures take just seconds.


What's included?

Everything! You can use it all, or just part of it. Meaning the applications
all work immediately out of the box with no required coding on your part.
You can just use the modules as they are, or you can take parts of the
source code (which is provided down to the last character), and fold it into
applications of your own. The heart of the system is the General Ledger.
This has the best filePro processing table I have ever written as its
centerpiece. The manual entry of Checks, Deposits and Journal Entries is SO
easy and clear you will be amazed. If you are a good filePro programmer (no,
let me be honest... if you are a VERY GOOD to EXPERT filePro programmer) you
can modify this code to work for *anything*. It doesn't have to be Checks,
Deposits and Journal Entries.    The paradigm and methodology used here has
far reaching utility. (In fact, I'm going to pat myself on the back a little
and make a small prediction that the browse processing I've implemented here
will become a staple for future development for many out there. It is simply
the most elegant, efficient and productive browse design you will see
anywhere. By employing an enhanced version of the "pig-in-a-poke" technique
I released about a year and a half ago, it becomes "possible" to do some of
the things that have been previously "impossible" to do before. I absolutely
guarantee that you have many applications and simple work situations that
will greatly benefit from  the infusion of code like this. Just look at one
of the demo movies and you'll see what I mean.)

By heart of the system, I mean the G/L is the repository for all the
transactions your business (or application)  generates. You can work with
this module alone to generate a Balance Sheet and Income Statement for any
business. Just enter the checks and deposits for any period, including an
entire year, and you will immediately be able to see the Net Profit/Loss of
the company. In many, perhaps even most cases out there, this functionality
is all that is needed or lacking in existing filePro programming. Writing
proper interface routines from your existing applications into this G/L will
do everything you want. Some example movies of how the other Survivor Series
modules are interfaced to the G/L are provided, along with a generic
ready-to-go processing table subroutine that you can easily modify and
insert into your own applications. It will make correct transaction entries
in the SS G/L.  Once you understand the basic idea of how to put
transactions into the Survivor G/L, you can do this, at will, for any of
your own programs.

Or, and of course, this would be much easier yet. You can make use of any or
all the other 3 SS modules. Use them as is, or make adjustments in how they
work to accommodate your own needs. In many cases, they are generic enough
to work for you exactly as supplied. However, again, you can just grab some
of the code or design ideas and infuse them into your existing applications.
The SS Accounting System is a veritable treasure trove of filePro processing
table routines. For example, there is a Pick-a-Printer CALL table idea that
is SO functional and easy to implement, I can't believe that as soon as you
see it, you won't be putting it into all of your programs... and that is
just one of dozens of wonderful things you are going to find when you
purchase this product. (This particular function is shown in some of the
demo movies on the product website.)


The External Modules

Let's call the A/P, A/R and P/R external modules. Using any one of these (or
all of them) is a breeze. The entire system has only 2 main menus, one
called "nexcfg" which is used to configure the G/L and all the external
modules, and one called "nexall" which is used to run all the programs. You
can configure the Accounts Receivable for example, to use a provided Goods &
Services file. In this file you can put your entire catalog of "inventoried"
items (things you sell), and/or you can include in this catalog
"non-inventoried" items (services you provide). When you invoice clients,
you can sell them 6,000 Widgets, or 26.5 hours of consulting time. The
catalog can be "popped up" and shown alphabetically or numerically as you
enter each line item on the invoice. As you sell goods or services, monthly
totals are kept on file. This allows you to also perform rudimentary
inventory control. This makes use of built-in, up-to-the-minute Quantity On
Hand and re-order point fields.

Many other functions are configurable. For example, you can set the Accounts
Receivable to charge sales tax and set the value for your state. Tracking
sales tax as a Liability in the G/L which is part of the default operation,
makes it easy to pay this bill on time. No more riffling through hundreds of
paper invoices trying to determine what you owe Uncle Sam.

The Accounts Payable module is also full-featured and ready-to-go. You can
track all the invoices your vendors send you (and the credit memos), aging
them according to user-definable terms.  Again, you will be paying your
bills on time and invoices won't be falling through the cracks until it's
too late and they are overdue. Much of this is accomplished with an
extremely easy to use selection routine that lets you pick which invoices
should be paid and gather them onto a check run. This check run can be
previewed and modified easily to allow for discounts, and partial payments.
A standard check format is supplied so you can buy the inexpensive,
pre-printed forms anywhere. (Or, you can re-design this form to run on a
LaserJet and print your own checks on blank paper, including the magnetic
stripe information across the bottom. Jim Asman is available for help with
this in The FP Room... I always heartily recommend that Jim be hired out to
aid you in your forms and bar-coding design needs. He helps in the Room as
is possible for nothing... but paying him a little off "room" time to do
various jobs for you is about the best way your company can spend its money.
Why am I giving Jim such a big plug here?  Two reasons. One, he is worth it,
period... and two, he has helped me tremendously in beta-testing these
accounting applications. Thanks Jim!  What do you get by Jim's (and other's
like Tony Ryder's help in this project? A package that is relatively free
from the usual typos and small flaws you would normally see throughout a
project as large as this. Thanks again to all who helped along the way.)

The Payroll demands a short mention here. It is an amazing program. yes, I
understand that these days many companies are outsourcing Payroll to one of
the large payroll processors, but if you have a desire, or need, to do it in
house, then by all means do it with filePro! this module does, for instance,
it all. It is extremely easy to use, and it keeps track of everything
required by law for you. It, of course, posts into the G/L automatically.
Since it is a largely checkbook based operation, the same clean, clear
checkbook menu that is found in the A/P module is found here as well.
Generating a weekly, bi-weekly or monthly payroll check for 5 or 500
employees takes only seconds. In fact, it takes only as long as is needed to
physically print the checks. All taxes, federal and state are automatically
calculated. All special deductions like Health Plan, Pension, Dental, even
Garnishee and Child-Support are kept on file and applied during the creation
of each check. Accurate Year To Date totals are kept on file for all money
and work hours. The system tracks Salaried and Hourly employees for regular,
overtime, double-time, holiday, vacation, personal days, etc. All checks are
kept in an archive history file. Everything is done for you automatically
virtually at the touch of only a button or two once each pay period. (I had
a lady tell me recently that she used to take nearly two and a half hours to
do her payroll for her 10 employees every week.   She is using the decades
old NEX Payroll and it now takes her only 3 minutes from start to finish to
do her payroll each week. At the end of the year, she prints W-2''s in less
than 5 minutes, and provides her accountant with a complete check register
including detail, all with no extra work on her part. That is with the
decades *old* NEX payroll, the new SS version is even better. :-)


Conclusion

Simple. You need this set of packages. If not for their amazing ready-to-go
functionality out of the box... you need them for their design and
integration ideas with accompanying explanatory movies,  and/or thousands of
lines of code which can be adapted and used in your own stuff.

At $599 (less than $150 per module) I guarantee this will be simply the best
filePro-based purchase you ever make.  Possibly second only to the Survivor
Series Programming Tutorials which you may have already bought. If you
*have* already purchased that package, then you already know the level of
quality you can expect, so you can buy with confidence that this is more of
the same.

Special Offer

I will be running an absolutely insane promotion for you until March 15th,
2007... the firm cutoff date... This will allow you to buy BOTH this new
Accounting System complete with all its applications and movies... *AND* a
full copy of the Version 1.3 Survivor Series Programming Tutorials for the
price of just this new Accounting package alone... $599!  The SS Programming
Tutorial costs $399 and is more than worth that price on its own, being 40
hours of complete beginner to expert filePro training that you can watch
over and over.

The SS Programming Tutorial will (without fail) revert to its regular price
of $399 on March 15th... so do yourself the biggest favor you have ever
done, and take advantage of this special, one-time-only offer. Once it's
gone, it's gone, and you can buy the tutorial for $399 new, or get the
Version 1.3 upgrade for $99 if you have already purchased the 1.0 version.

Check all this out.. see sample movies... and purchase the product at:


     www.valar.com/survivor_series


Product #2 (Just a short note..."
Version 1.3 SS filePro Programming Tutorial with Dynamic Index

The only new thing in Version 1.3 is the Dynamic Index... another exciting
invention for filePro from John Esak and The Valar Group.

You complained that the Survivor Series Version 1.0 Tutorial had SO many
movies and so much material in it that it was hard to locate something you
wanted to replay and see again. We agree... so, this little gem will blow
you away!
A special filePro-based search engine is now included on every CD.  It lets
you type in any keyword or phrase and be taken directly to the movie or
movies that pertain to that topic!
This is truly an innovation that won't be found anywhere else in the
world... in any product, in any thing. It is simply fantastic, and only
filePro and The Survivor Series Tutorials have it now! A month after this
release, everyone will be doing it everywhere in all sorts of packages and
products  and saying they did it first.  You will know better. Check it out,
so you can once again be ahead of the curve.

(Do yourself a favor and get the new Survivor Series Accounting Package
before March 15th, and this amazing "dynamically indexed" Version 1.3 of the
Survivor Series Programming Tutorials will be a free add-on for you! There
is no beating this phenomenal offer. Take advantage of it!)