Thought Microsoft was supposed to answer questions posted here?

[Jack T]

I have posted twice my request to see if anyone knows how to run a commission
report that includes "Fixed Amount" and get no response. I thought that
after 24 hours a Microsoft rep was supposed to answer questions posted here
if no one else does??? Funny I got no response to either my post on 10-11
and also on my post on 10-25

Help!!!

 

[Jason Hunt]

That guaranteed response is only on the "Managed" newsgroups - not these
ones, which are "Public". You can access to the Managed newsgroups if you
have a Microsoft Foundations Support Plan.

As for your report question, I'm assuming you want to see Commission
information on an Item report. If so, you will have to modify a .QRP file
with a text editor and add the appropriate columns (Item.CommissionAmount,
Item.CommissionMaximum, Item.CommissionMode, Item.CommissionPercentProfit
and Item.CommissionPercentSale) You should be able to figure the format out
by using the existing item reports as an example.

If you're not comfortable with modifying files, I would recommend you
contact a local Microsoft Reseller to come in and help you out.

 

[kay]

I have never been able to see anything different from the "managed
newsgroup". I was pointed to the "knowlege base" article or option to
request incident support.

I have emailed the support group and was sent a link back to this board. I
was told, and had the impression, that the annual support fee will get some
emails answered, more specifically.

Am I missing that middle ground? Otherwise, it's just from this board
straight to incident support. In this case, don't ever pay the annual fee.
You get some $30 off per incident, but you have to use at least 10 times,
another 600, to make it worth while. Which adds up to be about $1000 a
year!.......

 

[Masta T]

When we sell this system it is an art. We consult the end user to ensure we
can meet the needs they have for both hardware and software. We usually
spend on average 8~15 hours just going over the features and tweaking the
settings out for that customer. Then we train on manager and user functions
and follow thru with support, some onsite and some telephone. It takes on
average about a month for the support calls to cease. By that time the end
user has a handle on the system an can conduct business as usual. Customers
who do it them self can expect a longer learning curve. Don't know what you
guys bought, but finding a good partner who will do all this and be there
for you is what you want/need. I hope the best for you. If your not happy,
get a good local partner to help. I rarely hear from end users after the
first month.

mt

 

[kay]

Why was the software designed to require so much "tweaking", for a month, by
a specialist in order for it to work?....Most people these days are quite
competent and quick in learning. Most retail functions and requirements are
the same: sales, orders, inventory, tags, receipts.....How many special
hardwares can there be to customize for so long?....

Microsoft has done many greater things in technology. Is this program so
complex that most people have to operate in limbo?

How muchs should the sytem eventually cost to function relatively smoothly
for a small retail operation?....The main features are impressive. The
little tricks to make it work, mainly the flaws in the interfacing, are
completely unnecessary. It wastes everyone's time and resources.....

wrote:

 

[Jeff]

Kay,

Well in some cases, it can be a bunch. Let's just stick with some common
hardware issues;

For instance, there are 4 ways you can talk to a printer. Text only
(printing directly to the port), OPOS, JavaPOS and Windows (at least 2 ways
within that) drivers. There is a new one that is due next year, called UPOS

USB ports on machines are relatively new. Of course, there are 2 types of
these, powered & unpowered. Plug in the wrong device into the wrong port,
poof there goes a $100-3000 device. Lets not get into the different USB
connector types, male, female, mini male, A type, B type, etc. Let's not
forget what devices you can plug into them. Printers, keyboards, mice,
modems, scanners, coffee mug heaters, personal fans, reading lights,
cameras, etc. Now should you use one port for all devices? After all, the
designers of the USB ports say that you can attach up to 256 devices to one
port. They forgot to tell us in what order to attach them. If one draws
too much power from the port, the rest downstream either don't work at all
or they only work sometimes!!

COM ports are one of the oldest way to connect peripherals, you have 5
settings there, baud rate, stop bits, data bits, parity and flow control. I
know this means nothing to you, but one wrong setting, the printer prints
gibberish. Not to mention different type of cables, with the same type of
connectors. Printer and modem cables look exactly the same, but wired
differently.

You can have 3 ways to attach a simple bar code reader. Keyboard wedge, COM
port, USB. Wrong setup in RMS or any POS frankly, it doesn't work!

Do you really want to go further with software issues? This is just a
sampling as to why this is so complicated!!
--
*
Why was the software designed to require so much "tweaking", for a month, by
a specialist in order for it to work?....Most people these days are quite
competent and quick in learning. Most retail functions and requirements are
the same: sales, orders, inventory, tags, receipts.....How many special
hardwares can there be to customize for so long?....

Microsoft has done many greater things in technology. Is this program so
complex that most people have to operate in limbo?

How muchs should the sytem eventually cost to function relatively smoothly
for a small retail operation?....The main features are impressive. The
little tricks to make it work, mainly the flaws in the interfacing, are
completely unnecessary. It wastes everyone's time and resources.....

wrote:

 

[kay]

Are you sure you're not making it harder than it is?...

I have an HP Laser Jet 5L, almost ten years old, great mileage for the
cartridge. I just bought a connecter. One end is USB, the other end fits
into the old printer; plugged in and, poofs, it prints, from my 2003 Sonny
laptop, very modern.

And yes, the laptop and the HP printer also print labels from the MSRMS with
the original HP driver. The scanner reads all barcodes available in the
item barcode options excetp for 3. Since my item lookup code contains
alphabet, only type 138B pulls the right item. The other ones pull up all
digits and kicks into the item look up mode.......

The point is, I want to use the Zebra because it is direct thermal, tags are
cheap, prints very fast, and mostly, Zebra treats customer much better. As
for HP, I complained about the feed in their printer once, and they sent me
another printer before calling the old one back. The feed got a bit sticky
again after 5 years, but I don't complain because I have got my money's worth
and am appreciative.

What has MS done now that it cost me 5K, 2 months of frustration, and the
business is still not running smoothly?

Some soul searching is urgently required here!.....The word is:
COMPLACENT!....