NPD Update 3.56 (08/15/03) by Acorn Data Systems

New Release Adds Features to Make You More Productive

 

New Key Features:

·         Download Office Pay Credits and Tips

·         OP Effective Date

·         Customer names may be up to 60 characters long

 

 

What’s on this NPD CD?

·         New NPD Installation—to install NPD on a new computer.

·         NPD Update—to update NPD with the latest features on your current computer.

·         AcornFTP—to install AcornFTP on a new computer.

·         Adobe© Acrobat Reader 5.0—the free software for reading PDF files.

You may install any of the four applications on this CD that you need. It is redundant to run both the NPD Update and the New NPD Installation. The New NPD Installation and the AcornFTP may restart your computer.

 

Save This CD

In the event that you buy a new computer in the future, you can use this CD to install the most recent NPD version. If you have an Internet connection and want to take full advantage of it to manage your business, we encourage you to install AcornFTP if you have not already done so. The best way to download a new version of NPD online is to use the Download NPD Update button in NPD Tools. (The password is update, all in lower case.)

 

Modifications and Buttons to Look for on NPD 3.56:

For many of you, these changes are not new.  You have been using NPD Tools to download NPD Updates in response to my email notices.  Those of you who are not on my email list are missing important updates as they are made available.

 

  1. A number of improvements were made to the generation of the A2P file and the reconciliation with the P2A file.
  2. For NIE vacations there is no chargeback for Office Pay (PP) customers.   This change was needed for agreement with the Office Pay credits.
  3. You can now use Edit Sbr to specify which days of the week Delivery Labels are needed.
  4. Support for Extra Titles (i.e. The Korean Daily) was added.
  5. A OP Effective field was added to Edit Sbr and Account Info for future conversions to Office Pay.  Within NPD we need to make the change to PP right away to prevent future billing of the customer.  For Central Records purposes, NPD uses Distributor Billed (BR) until the OP Effective date.
  6. Subscriber names can now be up to 60 characters long.  The first line of the Bill To Address can also be up to 60 characters long.  WARNING: Effective with the very next NPD update, bills will display only a THREE LINE address.  If you have not already done so, go to Special Functions and click Use of Bill-To Line 4.  All addresses should be in the form

Name (Including ATTN and PO#)

Street Address or PO Box

City State Zip

  1. The Carrier Complaint Report now flags Do not charge carrier complaints with an NC.
  2. A Do not CASS Certify option has been added to Address Edit under Address Maintenance.  This was added for delivery addresses (e.g. 911 addresses) that are not valid Post Office addresses.  Such addresses are excluded from the CASS certification to avoid cases where the CASS software thinks it’s a misspelling of a valid street.
  3. The Agent number has been added to bill stubs.

 

FYI: Tips that will make your work a little easier

1.       Passwords:  The password to download a NPD update from NPD Tools is update. The password to FTP an Export for Address Check is earl.

2.       When to Call Acorn Data:  The best time to call with problems or questions is Monday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m., or between 1:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Please limit calls at other times to emergencies only.

3.       Be Safe, Back Up Your Work:  Use the Backup on Normal Exit option on the Main Switchboard to automatically back up your work on NPD. This feature is not a replacement for external backups (you should continue to do that), but it is a convenient way to restore your database.  Effective May 1, 2002, the Acorn Data fee to recover from a problem when you lack adequate or reasonable backups is $200 for the first hour.  The purpose of this fee is to encourage you to keep backups for at least a week as sometimes a problem is not uncovered for several days.

4.       NPD Technical Notes.  From time to time, a new Technical Note will be added.  Go to NPD Technical Notes from the www.acorndata.com web page and note the How Tos listed there.  You may want to print and save some of them.

5.       Keep Up to Date, Get on My Email List:  Stay informed of updates, tips and other valuable information. If you are not already on my email list, send an email to emerrill@acorndata.com. Include your name and area number. Also, remember to notify me of any changes to your address, phone or email.

6.      Effective January 1, 2003, failure to pay for your address update within 30 days will place your account in Cash in Advance Status.  You may use PayPal or Check to pay for your address update.  Payments made within 24 hours of the service may take a $5 prompt payment discount.  Checks sent by regular mail must be post marked by the next business day for the discount to apply.

7.       Payments via PayPal:  You can make quick, secure Visa/Master Charge payments to Acorn with PayPal. PayPal is reputable and a free service. It provides the credit card service for eBay and several other web sites. To join PayPal, visit NPD at www.acorndata.com and go to the NPD eStore page which has a link to PayPal. After you have joined, you must return to NPD eStore to enter your payment.

 

Earl O. Merrill

Acorn Data Systems, Inc.

emerrill@acorndata.com 410-997-0187 www.acorndata.com