AutoEase. Menu. Products & Services. Learn more at

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1 AutoEase Products & Services Menu Learn more at

2 AutoEase PRODUCTS & SERVICES MENU AutoEase is designed specifically to meet the needs of Auto Parts, Heavy Duty Truck and PBE distributors at both the retail and wholesale levels. AutoEase runs on the LINUX operating system and is well suited for two step distributors and retail chain stores with their own distribution centers. AutoEase can control multiple stores and distribution centers from a common database. With its own optional polling package "Remote Store Network," AutoEase can support any combination of centralized and/or distributed data processing. With over twenty five years of experience since the first version of AutoEase was installed, this package is a fully proven solution for distributors. AutoEase Basic Software Point of Sale Cash Management Controls Bar Code Scanning - POS Inventory Control Purchase Ordering Accounts Receivable Customer Core Banking Vendor Core Banking Sales Analysis UASK Report Writer Price Nu-Way Updating Price Updating Rebate Reporting Optional AutoEase Software Paperless Customer Special Orders Accounts Payable (Integrated) General Ledger (Integrated) Time Clock Retail Point of Sale Detailed Cash Management Controls Radio Frequency Scanning Modules Integrated Multiple Location Remote Store Network (Polling) Dial-A-Part Transnet Kits & Assemblies Job Queue Optional Integrated Software Cataloging WHI or Activant Electronic Interchange ChargeItPro IC Verify (Requires Verify (Requires Retail POS) Retail POS) Fax Purchase Orders/Invoices Multi View Report Archiving Polly Data Base Report Writer USA Phone Book Integration Laser Invoice Forms Service Offerings Training Data File Conversions Software Support Contract Hardware Maintenance Customized Programming Optional Third Party Packages SCO Advance File & Print Server Facet-Term (Multi-Sessions Package) SQL Query Required Third Party Packages SCO UNIX LINUX Double Vision Backup Edge Power Chute

3 Login / Main Menu 2.

4 Significant features of AutoEase : AutoEase POINT OF SALE 1. Integrated Cataloging is available to speed up the sales process and help insure that the correct parts for a particular car are sold. Catalog information can be accessed either from the CD-ROM drive or from the hard drive (for faster retrieval). 2. Alphabetic lookup of customers. The counterman will save time not having to look up the customer number. Simply by entering part of the name, the customer choice list of matching entries is displayed. 3. During Point of Sale, only the part number, and not the product line, is entered. In the case of duplicates, the duplicate part number, product lines, and description are shown on the screen. The counterman then can select the right part. 4. The counterman doesn t have to enter dashes or spaces in the part number. The system also ignores the entry of dashes and spaces in the wrong place within a part number. The computer will automatically insert these in the proper place. Without this feature, the counterman may give up on trying to figure out where the dashes and spaces belong and enter the part number as a Not on File item just to complete the sale. This results in incorrect inventory levels. 5. Part Number Search. If you enter only a portion of a part number, AutoEase will find the closest number to the original number entered. If only the line code is entered, the screen displays a list of all parts in that line beginning with the first one in the line. 6. Stock Checks may be done at any time, even in the middle of entering a customer order, simply by depressing one key. The counterman can see prices, stock availability, alternate part number data, open purchase order quantities, and the expected arrival date for the part. 7. Customer Stock Check. Shows the same information as a Stock Check, with one exception: the exact price that the customer will be charged, based on the customer's discounts, is displayed instead of the standard price levels. 8. Alternate Parts are automatically displayed when the on-hand quantity is zero. The user is given the option of selling the alternate part. Often a counterman is not aware that another part may be substituted, and a sale is lost. 9. If a part has been superseded, the invoice shows the original part ordered as well as the superseded number that was sold. Your customer knows that a mistake was not made and the system suggests using the new number next time. 10. Tracks cores by part number. The counterman doesn t have to question a core return. The computer will automatically let you know if a credit for the core should 3.

5 be allowed. AutoEase Software shows which cores the customer bought and/or returned by part number along with invoice number and date. Some systems only show a dollar balance of core owed for each line. 11. Lost Sales are easily tracked. If the on hand quantity reaches zero, the computer automatically asks if this is a lost sale and the counterman simply enters a "Yes" or "No." With some computer systems the counterman has to record a lost sale as a separate transaction and, therefore, many lost sales are never recorded. 12. Buy Outside Transactions are easily tracked. If you don t stock a part, or if you have run out of a stocking part, this feature allows you to track how many times you had to pick this part up from an outside source. This is very helpful when determining whether you should include this part in your inventory as a stocked item or stock more of that particular item. With each buy outside transaction, AutoEase can keep track of which vendor you made the purchase from. A summary report can be run by vendor showing all buy outside from that vendor. 13. New Customers may be added directly through the point of sale screen. This is particularly good if a customer who is not set up on the computer asks for a quote. You may use the customer's telephone number as the account number, making it easy to search for the quote, and quickly turn it into an invoice when they return to buy the merchandise. This feature (as many AutoEase features) can be turned off. 14. Customers may be password protected. If you sell parts to a customer or employee at a particular discount and don t want just anyone to be able to see what the selling price is, you may assign a password to that customer. Unless the counterman knows the password, that customer's pricing cannot be accessed, orders cannot be entered, and invoices cannot be printed for that account. 15. Customer Credit Limits. When charge sales are entered, each line item is verified against the available credit limit. If the customer exceeds his credit limit, the counterman must enter a password to process a charge invoice for that customer. 16. AutoEase Automatically gives a warning when a customer s balance is past due. You may determine the number of days past due that a customer must be before the warning appears. You may also set a dollar amount that they must exceed. Example: You set this up for anyone who is over 30 days past due where the overdue balance also exceeds $50 in order for the warning to show. 17. A credit transaction may be entered on the same invoice as a debit transaction, saving time and eliminating the need to give your customer two separate invoices. 18. Point of sale supports ROA (Received on Account) transactions. During Point of Sale, you may accept a payment made to a customer charge account and generate a receipt for it. The payment amount will appear on the end-of-day report and is fed directly into the Cash Receipts Journal. This gives you an audit trail of the payment and ensures that the proper payment is applied to the account. 4.

6 19. Ability to change a charge or C.O.D. invoice to a cash invoice. This is used most frequently when drivers deliver merchandise to a customer that decides to pay cash for an invoice that was printed as a charge. The transaction type can be changed without re-entering the line items. 20. A separate transaction type for C.O.D. (cash on delivery) invoices allows you to find any outstanding, C.O.D. transactions where cash has not been brought back to the store. 21. Cash and Charge invoices may be kept for up to 999 days in full detail. You may set the number of days for which to keep cash invoices different than for charge invoices. Invoices and quotes may be retrieved based on various selection criteria such as customer number, date, location, invoice/quote number etc. This is very helpful when a customer questions an old invoice. Instead of searching through filing cabinets, the salesperson may recall the invoice on the screen to discuss it with the customer or reprint it to give them a copy. It should be noted that ample disk storage is required to fully utilize this feature. 22. An order may be started and continued at a later time. This is very helpful if a nearby customer picks up items at several different times throughout the day. You need only print one invoice, saving money on paper as well as filing time. 23. Pick Tickets may be printed with or without prices. You may select by customer from the following pick ticket print options. 1). Do not print any prices on the pick ticket. 2). Print the unit price without the extended or total price. 3). Print the unit, the extended, and the total price. 24. Plain paper pick tickets may be printed. The computer can automatically print your company name, address, and the field headings on plain paper. This feature will save you a considerable amount of money in not having to purchase pre-printed forms for what is essentially an internal document. 25. Quotes may be generated, printed, recalled, changed, and easily converted into an invoice. If a quote is not turned into an invoice within XXX days the computer will automatically remove it. 5.

7 26. DIAL-A-PART is available (sold separately), to provide customers with electronic access to your computer to place an order or to use the catalog lookup. Dial-a-Part saves your customers time and allows access to your system even after your regular business hours. 27. Messages to your customers can automatically be printed on each invoice. Let your customers know about sale items, quantity discounts, store hours, etc. In addition, you may enter individual line item messages. Messages may be entered before or after the part number to let your customers, know specifics about a particular item. 28. Store-to-Store transfers may be done through Point of Sale/Order Entry. Companies that have multiple locations may easily transfer merchandise from one location to another by creating a transfer ticket. The transfer ticket is printed and a copy is sent along with the merchandise. The inventory is automatically adjusted for both locations. Each location has the option of counting transfer as sales. The dollar amount that has been transferred will show on the end-of-day report and can be updated to General Ledger. 29. Store ID invoice options for multiple locations. You may assign a two-digit alpha/numeric code to a specific location. The computer will automatically precede each invoice number for that location with this code. At a glance you will be able to identify which store location the invoice was generated from. 30. How price is determined in Point of Sale. A description line appears on the bottom of the screen describing how the selling price was determined, i.e. Sale/Promotional Price, Customer Line Discount, Quantity Discount, etc. This is helpful to the counterman when the customer asks, Did you give me the promotional price?" or "Did you give me a discount?," etc. 31. Promotional prices may be entered with a date range. If you have a product that is going on special, you can enter the promotional price in advance. When the ending date is reached, the price will automatically revert to the original price. This eliminates the possibility of the price not being changed on the correct date and saves time not having to re-enter the old price when the promotion ends. 32. Automatic Quantity Discounts for quantity purchases. For example: If 12 quarts of oil are sold, the system will automatically sell them at the case price. Up to five quantity discount levels may be assigned to each part. 33. Control selling prices. You have the ability to set low and high gross margin levels for each product line or a portion of the line. If the selling price for a part does not fall within the specified gross margin range, the counterman must enter a password to sell at that price. An override transaction will appear on the end-of-day report, detailing all price override transactions. 6.

8 34. AutoEase separates merchandise and labor totals at the bottom of each invoice, making it easier for your customer to see which parts were used, the dollar amount for parts, how much labor was performed, and the total dollar amount for labor. 35. Cash Drawers are supported. Each counterman may have his own screen and cash drawer. The counterman number may be password protected, insuring the security for that drawer. Multiple cash drawers may use the same receipt printer. 36. Detailed Cash Management Controls. Complete control and reporting capabilities over Daily Cash Drawer procedures. The system supports and provides for detailed analysis for the following payment types: cash, checks, credit cards, manufacturers' coupons, store coupons, gift certificates and store credits. 37. Bar Code Scanning is available to reduce the time it takes to create an invoice. A separate module is available to allow bar code receiving of purchase orders from a wireless hand held scanner. 38. Transactions with line item detail may be maintained up to the following number of days based on location and type of transaction: Maximum Transaction Days Kept * Core debits/credits 999 * Cash invoices 999 * Charge invoices 999 * Quotes 99 * Purchase Orders 999 AutoEase INVENTORY 39. AutoEase utilizes a 16-character part number and 35-character description for each part, allowing you to handle long part numbers. 40. AutoEase allows seven price levels per part, such as list, over the counter, dealer, jobber, cost, and special or case price. This gives you the flexibility you need, especially when used in conjunction with the customer line discount feature. In addition, you have the option to assign your own name to the price levels that are displayed. 41. Thousands of customer line/subline discounts per customer may be stored. The discounts may be based on a percentage (up or down) from any of the seven base price levels. 7.

9 42. Price Sheet Sequence is Automatic. When adding new part numbers in an existing line, many computer systems require you to know the part number that is to precede or follow the one you are adding, making this job very cumbersome. AutoEase Software eliminates this by using a sort key set up for each manufacturer's line. When a new part is added, the system will automatically insert the part into the proper place. Icarz has already predetermined the sort key for most major aftermarket manufacturers. 43. Inventory ledger detail providing you with an audit trail by part. Anytime the on-hand quantity is changed, due to posting a received purchase order, selling the part through Point of Sale, returning a defective part, or manually changing the on-hand quantity, a record is added to the inventory ledger file. The employee number, date, time, source, (how it was changed) invoice number/purchase order number and the quantity on hand before and after are recorded. This feature is enormously effective in checking to see if a particular customer actually purchased a specific item from your company. When writing credit invoices, this file is automatically checked. 44. Thirteen individual months of sales history for each part number is maintained. This is particularly helpful in determining seasonal trends. 45. Multi-location inventory movement report. This report consolidates from one or more locations for sales history, showing 13 individual months of movement history. 46. Manufacturer's Rebate reporting may be run showing the customer name, address, reference number, rebate percent, date of the invoice, invoice number, part number, quantity sold, selling price base price and the total dollar amount of the rebate. This report totals by customer the selling price, base price and dollar amount of rebate due. 8.

10 AutoEase PURCHASING Min refers to the minimum quantity you want to keep on the shelf for a part. This quantity may be updated by the user or updated by the computer using an EOQ (Economic Order Quantity) formula based on sales history, lead time, carrying cost, reorder cost, etc. Max refers to the maximum quantity to keep on the shelf and may also be automatically calculated by the computer. When you create a purchase order based on min/max, the computer will reorder parts that are below or at the minimum and will order enough to bring the stock up to the maximum. 47. AutoEase offers many replenishment options based upon your particular needs. Min/Max that you set. Min/Max calculated by EOQ. Up to the average of Min/Max. Based on sales history using selected periods. Parts sold today. Parts sold yesterday. Parts sold in the past number of days (you determine # of days). 48. Detailed Min/Max calculation analysis and explanation of exactly how the Minimum and Maximum was arrived at for any individual item 49. Maximum number of months supply to order for any item can be preset in the computer. AutoEase uses an EOQ (Economic Order Quantity) formula to determine the recommended minimum and maximum. This feature enhances the standard EOQ formula by preventing the system from ordering larger quantities of very low cost slow movers. 50. Multiple location users can quickly change the minimums and the maximums for each location from a single screen. There is no need to access each location separately. You may change up to 99 locations from a single screen. 51. Ability to store the selection criteria for running a purchase order. In most cases you will select the same criteria time and time again for a particular line or vendor when you create a purchase order. With this feature, you can specify the criteria and store it under a name. When you wish to create the preview or purchase order, you simply enter the appropriate name and the system will create your purchase order automatically, based on the saved criteria. 9.

11 52. Automatic Overnight Purchase Order/Preview Schedule. This feature gives you the ability to have the system automatically generate a Purchase Order or Preview at night. This is done by using the selection criteria name (described previously). The options are: 1. Run every night. 2. Run on specific day(s) of the week (Sun-Sat). 3. Run on a particular day of the month (1-30). This eliminates your time at a terminal in preparing the selection. When you arrive in the morning, the preview is waiting for you! In addition, the system can automatically transmit the Purchase Order to the Vendor. 53. Keep a purchase order preview for up to three days. The AutoEase Software allows you to create a preview and save it so that you can access it when you have the time to make changes. If you don t turn the preview into a purchase order within three days of the time it was created, the system will automatically delete the preview. 54. Per car quantity is stored in the parts record to insure that the proper quantities are reordered. On-hand quantities should always be divisible by the "per car quantity." 55. The parts record contains both the manufacturer s and your own popularity code. 56. The ability to transmit Transnet formatted purchase orders to your suppliers. This feature will save you much time not having to call the order in. It also increases the accuracy of the order. 57. Multiple receipts against the same purchase order may be handled. You can easily put the parts that were not received on back order. When the parts come in, you simply call up the purchase order and post the items as now received. 58. Merchandise labels. AutoEase integrates to a powerful PC based label package. Such integration and software is available as an option. 59. Consolidated branch purchasing report and purchase order creation. This gives multiple location users the ability to perform purchasing operations from one central location. The report shows the location(s) selected and the required quantity by part for each location. Parts that deserve special attention (such as over stock and below zero items) are flagged. 60. Recommended transfers report. This report will show by location each part in which you have more than the maximum quantity necessary. You can easily transfer the parts to another store or back to the Warehouse to keep your inventory level correct for each location. 10.

12 ADDITIONAL FEATURES of AutoEase 61. Built-in help instruction manual. By pressing the help key at any point on the screen, an explanation with an example is displayed. This saves a lot of time in not having to look up information in a manual. Documentation is always as up to date as the last version of software. 62. UASK Report Generator is furnished to enable the user to define his own reports. You can request only the information that you want to see on a report. 63. Price Updates and initial data loads - can be accommodated. Data loads help get you up and running quickly, while price updating will save a lot of time in maintaining the data base. 64. Reports can be printed or displayed. This can add up to big savings on paper. 65. Security based upon user. Example: If employees are set up on the computer as a countermen, the only program they will have access to is Point of Sale Order Entry. Inventory and Purchasing personnel only have access to their areas, etc. Individual programs may also be password protected for an additional level of security. 66. AutoEase is written in LINUX. This will provide maximum response times under heavy terminal work loads compared to other application software packages written in a different language and running on the same system. 67. On-Line Diagnostics and Support. Your maintenance agreement provides you with a staff of software support technicians who can dial into your computer to analyze sthe situation and correct any problem that may occur. 68. Paperless Modules (Radio Frequency Terminals) allows for the following procedures of inventory to be accomplished via hand-held RF scanner: Receiving of Inventory Checking of Price Labels Verifying Bin Locations Collecting UPC Codes Physical Inventories 69. EDI purchase orders can be received and turned into a pick ticket, and an Advance Ship Notice can be sent back to the customer, showing quantities that shipped. A1D443.doc 11.

13 The AutoEase installation team works with your personnel on-site during the installation and training phases to insure a successful installation. Due to their extensive experience with automating both single store and multiple location operations, the training is thorough and complete. The staff is already familiar with the distribution business. AutoEase offers: A feature rich solution, with an emphasis on open technology that has been designed strictly for most forms of distribution. A qualified team that can install a system and train your personnel quickly and efficiently. Every employee considers themselves a support resource for our customers. Software and Hardware support specialists that are only a phone call away. In summary: AutoEase delivers speed, functionality and affordability, with the capability of being customized to meet a customer's specific needs. 12.