NPD Update 3.51 (08/30/01)

The NPD CD contains four programs you may install:

1.     

The New NPD Installation and the AcornFTP Installation may restart your computer.

It is redundant to run both the NPD Update and the NPD New Installation.
 
New NPD Installation

2.      NPD Update

3.      AcornFTP

4.      Adobe© Acrobat Reader 5.0

Save this CD so you will have a recent NPD Installation should you buy a new computer.  If you have an internet connection, you are encouraged to install AcornFTP if you have not already done so.  The best way to download a new version of NPD is to use the Download NPD Update button in NPD Tools.  (The password is update, all in lower case.)

The following modifications have been added since the last update of 3.50 (05/07/01):

  1. The ability to import new postal rates has been improved since first introduced in June. Hopefully, there won’t be another rate increase for a while.
  2. Permanent Carrier Notes now don’t appear in the carrier mail until the effective date of the note.
  3. A new screen to view, revise, and delete permanent carrier notes has been added to the Carrier switchboard with a button called Permanent Carrier Notes. This provides a handy way to see all your permanent notes.
  4. The distributor number and customer phone numbers have been added to Mailing Label function for export to dBase or Excel.
  5. The Billing switchboard now has a Set Full Page Bill Layout button. The only option is to change the upper margin. HINT: Most printers ignore a top margin less than 0.25 inches.  Use this to better align the bill stub with the return envelop.
  6. A Print to File feature has been added to the Print Customer Bills screen. This makes a file named NPDxxxxBILLS.ZIP, where xxxx is your area number. The file size is around 300K to 400K, small enough to easily fit on a floppy.  This file is then used by a separate program, NPD Bill Printer. NPD Bill Printer is currently installed at Stuff-Et (Karen Waid, 301-262-2330).  It is available to others who print bills for NPD users for $150.00. This includes one year of support and updates. Access 2000 or Access 2002 is required to install NPD Bill Printer. For at least through the end of the year, you may ftp the Bill File to Acorn Data’s web site for downloading by the NPD Bill Printer organization. Use the following: HostName=acorndata.com,  UserName=npdbills, Password=billfile.
  7. The Paper Counts for Period report on the Routes switchboard now displays the hawker route counts. These counts start with this update. It can’t go back in time. Beginning with the year 2002, you will be able to get hawker/rack/store counts for the entire year.
  8. A new option has been added to the Reconciliation function of the Washington Post Online feature. Select this option to ignore work phone differences. Note if there is some other difference, the work phone difference will still appear on the report.
  9. A Subscriber Name Fixup button has been added to the reconciliation process. This function displays all names that are different and for each gives you the option of keeping the NPD version of the name, or to replace it with the Washington Post version of the name. You must rerun the reconciliation to incorporate the results of this. In some cases, NPD may be able to assign additional PANs for you.

NOTE: A new version of the NPD Technical Note The Washington Post Online Feature has been added to the acorndata.com web site.  In addition, it is included in this update CD as an Acrobat Reader file named WP Online Guide.PDF.  Just explore the CD and click on the file to open it for printing in Acrobat Reader.

  1. A Subscriber Phone Fixup button has been added to the reconciliation process. This function displays all home phone differences and gives you the option to keep the NPD version of the number or to replace it with the Washington Post version. You must rerun the reconciliation to incorporate the results of this.
  2. A Subscriber Name in CAPS button has been added to the Subscriber switchboard. This converts all your subscriber names to upper case. Optionally, you can have it remove any periods and commas in the name.
  3. You can now access Account Info from the Inactive Subscriber Maintenance.
  4. Vacation Reminders in Carrier Mail now show the restart date.
  5. Cash Receipts now remembers your Overpay is Tip selection.
  6. A small rounding error in the ReCalc Paid Thru in Account Info has been fixed.

FYI

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

Please make note of the passwords so you won’t have to call me for them!

b.      The Washington Post is moving forward with its Central Records project.  If you are not already, you are advised to become proficient in basic email and web browser functions.  Due to the variety of ISPs and software packages, providing assistance over the phone is often very difficult.  This also applies to Address Updates sent to you via email.

c.      The best time to call with questions or problems is from 8:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.  Please limit calls at other times to emergencies.

d.      If you are backing up to floppies and it’s taking more than 3 floppies, you are encouraged to purchase a ZIP drive or a CD-RW drive.  They take the pain out of backing up and are much more reliable than floppies.  ALWAYS have more than one set of backups. If your backup goes bad you may have to revert to a backup made a few days ago. A separate set for each day of the week can save you from re-keying all your customer data when Murphy strikes.

e.      Also, use the Backup on Normal Exit option on the Main switchboard.  While not a replacement for external backups, they are more convenient when you need to restore.

f.        Stay current, get on my email list.  If you are not on my email list, send an email to npd@acorndata.com.  Be sure to include your name and area number.  Of course, remember to notify me of any address or phone change.

g.      You may make Visa/Master Charge payments to Acorn with PayPal.  PayPal provides the credit card service for eBay and a number of other web sites.  Visit www.acorndata.com and go to the NPD eStores page.  There you can join PayPal (it’s free).  After you have joined, you must return to the NPD eStore to enter your payment.

Earl O. Merrill

Acorn Data Systems, Inc.

emerrill@acorndata.com    410-997-0187