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ReesNews
This Issue
Rees2000 for Microsoft WindowsIn our previous newsletter we gave a preliminary overview of Rees2000, our 32bit Windows replacement for ReesEasy version 11. All our design goals have been achieved. The first live Rees2000 was installed on 14 September 1999 as our own in house system. In mid October 1999 we began installing Rees2000 in new customer sites and from February 2000 it has been generally released, upgrades to old ReesEasy clients have begun. Rees2000 runs on 32bit Windows only. This includes Windows 95, 98 and NT 4.0. Some of our clients are running Rees2000 on Windows 2000. We have not heard of any problems yet, however, the suppliers of our development tools have not “certified” their products for Windows 2000. Once they do “certify” Windows 2000, we can “certify” Rees2000 running Windows 2000. As a Windows 32bit operating system is required to run Rees2000 the computer hardware to run it on must at least be able to run Windows 95. Our minimum recommendation for acceptable speed is a Pentium 133 with 32MB Ram plus at least 100MB of free disk space. We have installed Rees2000 on a computer containing a Pentium 75 processor with 16MB Ram, the program runs, but in our opinion, the performance is not adequate. The amount of RAM installed is the most important factor on older computers. If you can upgrade to 32 MB RAM then performance should be adequate. Rees2000 is version 1.00 of our Microsoft Windows 32bit development. This version is literally a translation of the ReesEasy version 11 program to a Windows 32bit program. The operation of Rees2000 is exactly the same as ReesEasy version 11 and does not require any retraining of staff. Immediate benefits of converting to Windows are
All future development is now being done in Windows. No further development of DOS programs is being undertaken. Rees2000 will be evolved over the next few years to incorporate all the latest technologies. Rees2000 is only available on Monthly rental which includes;
Not included;
To streamline the updating system, updates are now only available by downloading from our web site . Rather than have a distinct “new version” every 12 – 18 months, we will publish the latest changes on a monthly basis together with a list of enhancements. Internet Connection & e-mailFrom 01 April 2000 updates to Rees programs will only be available by download from the Internet. This obviously means you will require an Internet account with a service provider such as Xtra, an Internet account also provides an e-mail account. If you have an e-mail address please provide it to us and we will add it to our database. Important information can then be automatically e-mailed to you. Recent Rees2000 EnhancementsSince release we have been constantly refining the Rees2000. Changes recently; When sending output to a printer, A4 paper size is now automatically selected. There is no need to set up the paper default to A4. A new printer has been added to the {Alt+F12} printer selection list. This is the “Windows Clipboard”. This means you can now output anything that goes to a printer – to the “Windows Clipboard”. The output can then be “Pasted” from the clipboard to any other Windows application. On the “File” menu we have added “Print Screen” which does exactly what it says. Prints the contents of the current screen to the currently selected printer – which can be the “Windows Clipboard” Copy and taste from any input field. We have partially implemented the ability to copy data to the Windows Clipboard from any active input field using {Ctrl+C}, the standard Windows keys for Copy. {Ctrl+V} will paste the Windows Clipboard to any active data field. Rees2000 users can log on to our web site regularly to view the latest changes and get the latest program. ReesPay for 2000 shippedWe have shipped all the disks for the update to ReesPay. This update incorporates the latest changes for tax purposes. This is the last DOS based version of ReesPay. For the year commencing April 2001 we will produce a Windows 32bit payroll. If you wish to continue to use the program you must have a Windows 95/98 or later computer.Please note ReesPay is FREE of charge, with an annual update fee. Telephone Support ChargesFrom 1 February 2000 support calls are charged at $18, GST exclusive, per 6-minute call block.Telephone support charges are only charged to non-rental clients. ITM Group - Independent Timber merchantsAs of 31 March 2000 Rees software is installed and running in 43 ITM stores. Some of the stores have already upgraded to Rees2000. In the next 12 months we intend to enhance the Rees2000 version to include many more features specifically for our ITM clients. We are already in the preliminary stages of development to incorporate the ITM group product/price file into Rees2000, other developments with group office are in the pipeline. If any ITM member reading this newsletter has any suggestions for enhancements, please e-mail of fax a copy to us. Unsupported products – IMPORTANT – Please readThese changes were preempted in our Feb 1999 & Sep 1999 newsletters. Now that the Y2K has been and gone and our first Windows program has been released (detailed elsewhere in this issue) we are ceasing all DOS development. No changes or enhancements to our older products will be done and by 31 March 2002 we will no longer provide support for any of our superceded products. Below is a timeline which shows when support for each of the products will cease. At the dates specified, all reference to those products will be removed from Rees Software & Systems Ltd computer systems. This includes program source code, demonstrations systems and the program which generates the registration numbers for those programs. This effectively means that no support whatsoever will be available from us for these products. Rees2000 incorporates the functionality of all the products which will become unsupported. If you wish to remain a customer of Rees Software & Systems Ltd then you will need to upgrade to a Rental contract for Rees2000. The fact that we are ceasing support for the products does not mean that you cannot keep using them. You can keep using them as long as they still work on your computer equipment. However you do so at your own risk. Timeline for ceasing support 30 June 2000 Easy-GST & Cashbook 31 March 2001 ReesEasy - Version 10 31 March 2002 ReesEasy - Version 11 You can easily determine if the Rees program you are running is one of the above by loading the program to the very first menu. On the 3rd line down on the left hand side will be the program name. On the 2nd line down on the right hand side will be the release date and/or version number. PlumbersFor our Mastertrade plumbing clients – We have incorporated the EDI invoices into Rees2000. You can now directly import your Mastertrade invoices into the Creditors module. If you have Rees2000 Job Costing then to integrate the EDI invoices, use the job number as an order number for Mastertrade. If you only use invoicing then you can open an invoice and leave the invoice open. Then use the invoice number as the order number for Mastertrade. If you have attached a quote to the invoice or job then the quoted prices will automatically be used when the Mastertrade invoices update the job or invoice. Plumbing World have also advised us that they will soon have the EDI invoice service available. As soon as this becomes available we will incorporate it into Rees2000. 4 Seasons and Rees2000 – written by Boyd Wilton CEO Reliance Group LtdEarly in September Rees Software approached our company with the view to provide the accounting software platform to manage the new franchise 4 Seasons Home and Leisure. Our franchise runs its entire administration functions using Rees2000. Each of the franchise stores runs the Point of Sale system for sales, stock control and client databases. This is then automatically transferred on a nightly basis to out office where the information is processed by the Rees system to generate replacement product, invoice the respective franchise store and update their stock availability. Based on this information generated each we are able to monitor the entire sales and marketing functions of the franchise, including thank you letters to customers for their purchase from our stores. Sales ranking by dollars and/or margins enable us to monitor each location’s performance overall or demographically. We also monitor each location’s stock levels and re-ordering points. Initially our franchise commenced with 10 stores nationwide, this has already grown to 14 stores and within the next year we expect this to increase again. The 4 Seasons franchise system customisation, provided by Rees Software was established within an extremely tight timeframe. Rees Software met our deadlines, the system installation, training and design was all performed to high professional standards. Rees Software’s ability to take any commercial issues and produce workable issues and produce workable and realistic software solutions steps them apart from any other software firm I have dealt with. Yes, I am interested in Rees2000, please contact our company with more information.Please fax 03 546-8841 your details to Rees Software.
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