Quick Strokes

If you find you are still having trouble getting around after reading this, don't hesitate to come back here and go over this little tutorial again until clarity comes. You will be glad you took the time.

To facilitate speed in data entry and allow complex screens we have added some keystroke conventions to the ones you already know in Windows™.

The Menu Bar conforms entirely to Windows™ usage.

Movement in a Submenu is always confined to the menu box. Menu data entry is always:

a. One typed character

b. Arrow up/down then ENTER

c. Mouse left click

DIRECT ACCESS

In addition to menus we provide Direct Access, a way to use your mouse efficiently to invoke the most common functions. If it is NOT on the lower part of your screen at startup you can install it by clicking the lightning bolt on the tool bar.

QUICK FIND

Type a partial description of what you want in the box under quick find. For example CR INV will bring up Create Invoice. If there is more than one choice a list appears from which you may choose. QuickFind is particularly useful to find functions you don't use all the time. With the checkbox checked QuickFind takes precedence over the menu.

MASTER SCREENS

There are master screens for clients, vendors, inventory, salespersons and payroll. These screens are laid out like a folder with a series of tabs at the top. The fastest way to move left to right through the tabs of any folder is using the ESC key. If you have entered data into a field and wish to save it be sure to press ENTER or TAB before you ESCape to the next tab. You can also move from tab to tab using the accelerator keys. For example to move to tab 3 press Alt+3. Use the mouse as a last resort! PetraSell is designed for speed of data entry. Using keystrokes instead of the mouse will greatly increased data entry speed. The Windows convention for finalizing data is the TAB key but we have added the ENTER key to do this as well.

TRANSACTION DATA

Transaction data is characterized by a screen that allows an unlimited number of identical blank lines for data entry and looks like a grid. (Notice the three tabs in the following folder. Again the ESC key is the fastest way to move to the next tab in the folder.)

The transaction screen above is for invoices and sales orders. Similar transactions screens are used for purchase orders, bills, receiving, etc.

Inside a transaction screen the arrow keys, ENTER or TAB, PageUp and PageDown provide the movement. The mouse can NOT be used to select a particular field/cell in the transaction grid but must be used to access fields and buttons not in the transaction grid.

If a field heading is red, you can use the associated hot key to paste data into that field. For example, in the screen above the Item ID/ Service Code field is red. You can use F2, Inventory by Item ID, or F3, Inventory by Description, to select an inventory item, or F4, to select a service code. When the inventory item or service code is highlighted, press ENTER and it will be pasted into the field. Before you press the hot key, the field must be blue and the cursor must be flashing in the Item ID/Service Code field.

To DELETE A TRANSACTION LINE: Type Alt+d or click on the DELETE button.

To INSERT A BLANK TRANSACTION LINE: Move to the line above which you want to insert a line. Type Alt+i or click on the INSERT button.

To move to the next tab (in this example 2. Payment) press ESC.

To EXIT and SAVE: Click on the Exit button or type Alt+x.

To EXIT and NOT SAVE: Click on the X in the upper right corner of the window.

DATING TRANSACTIONS: Dates are controlled by the System Date in the first window as you open PetraSell

If you need to enter transactions (invoices, purchase orders, etc.) which have a date other than the System Date, you MUST change the System Date. Use the drop-down arrows or click on the date field. While in the date field you may use + or - to move the date forward and backward. This + - convention is used wherever you have a date field. When the invoice, purchase order, etc. is completed, a message appears 'RESET DATE to current day?' You can choose Yes or No.