My Settings Window

Overview

The "My Settings" menu item of the Global menu allows you to set and modify various settings for the P3 system. There are two types of settings: User settings and Enterprise settings. The My Settings window allows users to manipulate their individual User Info settings.

User Settings

The User settings pertain only to the individual user. The User Info contain the following types of information:

• Licensing
• Biographical data

The User Setting Window includes the following information:

• Measurement units (North American or Metric)
• Currency symbol and type
• Date Format (North American or Metric)
• Quantity Allowances Overs/Unders Default %s
• Automatic numbering parameters
• Bids Due Default Deadline for New Jobs
• includes a option for a prompt about turning off Bids Due Date
• Send Email on Opwnership Change Policy
• List Panel Font Size

The User Messages windows includes the following:

• Default Messages and Text Blocks (found in the User Messages tab pane)

Tab Panes

The settings are divided into several groups of information listed on tab panes with the following titles:

• User Info - Controls users biographical and license information.
• User Settings - Controls many common user settings.
• User Messages - Allows customization of default text messages used in emails and other areas of P3Expeditor.

Menus

In addition the tab panes the My Settings window has menus with additional functions for manipulating data and configuring settings.

MySettings Menu

• "View System Information" - Launches the System Information window.
• "Clear Local DB Cache" - This is a rarely used utility that clears out locally stored copies of the data, which drives all the lists within the P3 system. Running this will do no harm, but may cause your next startup of P3 to take a little extra time.
• "Restart Document Viewer" - This is a function that restarts the document viewer.
• "Cancel Changes & Close" - Closes the My Settings window without saving changes.
• "Save & Close" - Saves changes and closes the My Settings window.

License Menu

• "Update My License" - Connects to the P3Software server and updates the user's license with the latest license information available.
• "Email Password Reset" - Connects to the P3Software server and Emails the user a password reset link.
• "Change My Password" - Brings up a prompt to change the user's password.
• "Show License Agreement"- Pops up a window showing the P3Source license agreement.

Configure Menu

• "P3Temp Folder" - Opens a window that allows the user to set a different local folder for the P3Expeditor system to store temporary files.
• "Multi-Thread Loading" - Allows you to enable or disable multi-threaded loading.

User Info Tab

Back to My Settings Window

Overview

The lefthand side of this tab pane is devoted to collecting the users biographical information. The right hand side displays the user's license information and Data File Location.

Biographical Information

This data is used to label Requests For Quotes (RFQs), reports and email messages so that the suppliers will know who is requesting the quote or order.

It is important that you fill in all fields on the User Info panel. Information entered in this section is used throughout the program and is vital for the program to work best for you. This information is used to speed development of job specifications and when sending electronic communications to your suppliers such as RFQs.

Editing Email Addresses

The email address is a critical piece of information for the P3 system. First, it is used on all outgoing email messages. In addition, the user's email address is used to identify the user for licensing purposes and as a member of an enterprise user group. Consequently, if a user needs to change their email address that change must be recorded in several places.

Fortunately, the P3 application has a built-in tool for making email address changes. When a user clicks on the Edit Email button on the User Info panel, the Modify Email tool is invoked. A pop-up window is presented to the user to enter a new email address. Once entered, P3Expeditor attempts to connect to the P3Software Server to update the user's license record. If the license record cannot be updated, the process is canceled and the email address is restored to its original value. If the update is successful, the users "Enterprise User List" record will then be adjusted to reflect the new email address and the new email address will be recorded permanently in the user's settings file. After those changes are recorded, the user will be given an option to update the ownership of their jobs to the new email address.

Email Password

If you forget your password, click on the Email Password To Me button. A window will pop up letting you know your password has been emailed to you. You can also get your password emailed to you by clicking on the License menu / "Email My Password" dropdown menu item from the My Settings window.

License Information

In order to use all the features of the system you must be properly licensed. Your current license information is displayed here. You can also update your license here by clicking on the License menu / "Update My License" dropdown menu item. P3Software creates all licenses on our server; and the update license function connects to our server and downloads the license information. The key to your license is your email address and your password.

User Settings Tab

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User Settings

This window controls individual user preferences. You can specify Measurements, Date Format, RFQ Currency and Currency Symbol, Default Job Quantity Allowances Overs % and Unders %, Automatic Job Numbering, Bid Due Default Deadlines, Email on Ownership Change Policy, and List Panel Font Size.

International Measurements, Date Formatting and Currency

These controls determine the type of measurements and currency that will be associated with new jobs you create. Once created these properties are a permanent part of the job. After changing these settings, future jobs you create will have the new settings.

• Measurements - choose from inches, centimeters, or millimeters.
• Date Format - setting is not job specific. Changes to this setting will immediately be reflected in all jobs, reports and interface elements.
• Currency Type - choose from 18 different currencies including dollars, pounds, euros, rands, yuan, or pesos.
• Currency Symbol - choose from 12 different symbols.

Quantity Allowances Overs % and Unders %

This item allows you to indicate an acceptable margin of overs and unders. This is very important as you are agreeing to accept as complete the "Unders" quantity and are agreeing to pay for any product within the "Overs" margin. Standard is typically between 5% and 10%.

This item allows you to indicate an acceptable margin of overs and unders. This is very important as you are agreeing to accept as complete the "Unders" quantity and are agreeing to pay for any product within the "Overs" margin. Standard is typically between 5% and 10%.

Options Panel

• Personal Job Number Prefix - add a prefix to the automatic job numbering to help distinguish between jobs.
• Bids Due Default Deadline for New Jobs - allows user to set a default deadline for bids on new jobs.
• "Prompt about turning off Bids Due Date" - turns on and off a reminder that pops up to hide the bids due date when jobs are closed.
• "Email on job ownership change" - tells the system what you want to happen when you change ownership of a job.

List Panel Font Size

This iten allows you to change the font size you are presented with on the list panel. The default font size is 12, the minimum is 10 and the maximum is 14.

User Messages

Back to My Settings Window

Purpose & Function

The User Messages tab panel allows you to edit various text messages used throughout the P3 system. These text messages are used in several areas: Email messages, Purchase Orders, Terms and Conditions, Proposals, Invoices, Prepress Notes, and Shipping Notes. In the future, additional saved messages may be stored in this area. All messages can be edited using the Edit Message button in the bottom left corner.

Enterprise Messages vs. User Messages

Some messages are Enterprise messages. Only an administrator can change these messages. Each user has their own set of text messages used throughout the system. This allows each user to customize their messages to meet their individual needs. System administrators may save some of their messages as enterprise messages. This will allow all other users to access those text messages and adapt them for their own use. Any user may load a saved enterprise message, modify it and save it as their own message for that particular subject. This mechanism allows for the easy dissemination of standardized messages and, where applicable, customization of those messages to meet the end-user's needs. The Revert to Enterprise button restores the messages to the enterprise version of the messages. The Save to Enterprise button allows a message to be saved as the enterprise version.

Default Messages

There is an initial set of messages for email messages and purchase orders built into the system. You may edit and save your own versions of each or save to enterpize. Other message types start out blank. If a user decides they want to revert back to the system default message, the Revert to P3 Default button can be used to restore the initial default message.

Message Types

The purpose of the specific messages are described below:

Email Messages

There are a series of email messages that can be sent out during the production process. Each one of these has a default text message that appears in the Message Text column when a user triggers a particular email. There is a different text message for each different type of email these are detailed below:

• RFQ - the RFQ text message appears when a request for quote is first sent out to one or more vendors.
• RFQ Reminder - the RFQ Reminder message is sent to individual suppliers when they have not responded in a timely manner to the original RFQ request for quote message.
• Job Award - the Job Award message is sent to the winning supplier after a job is awarded to them. It is intended to advise the supplier that they have won the job but not necessarily to proceed with manufacturing.
• Bid Declined - the Bid Declined message, or Dear John message, is sent to unsuccessful suppliers when a job they submitted a bid on is awarded to someone else.
• Job Order - the Job Order message is used when sending either a work order or a purchase order to a vendor from the Job Order window.

Purchase Orders

• Top Advisory Note - this text message appears in a small area at the top of the purchase order document. It is intended to include the most important Terms and Conditions information that needs to be communicated to the supplier. Detailed Terms and Conditions for the purchase order should appear at the end of the purchase order in the Terms and Conditions area.
• Terms & Conditions - users can set up a detailed set of purchase order Terms and Conditions which will appear at the bottom of the purchase order document after the main block of content is displayed.

Proposal

• Introductory Note - the project proposal builder includes an area for an introductory note. Users can create a standard introductory note for their proposals.
• Terms & Conditions - users may also set up a standard set of Terms and Conditions for their proposals. These appear at the bottom of the proposal document.

Invoice

• Introductory Note - the Project Invoice builder includes an area for an introductory note. Users can create a standard introductory note for their invoices.
• Terms & Conditions - users may also set up a standard set of Terms and Conditions for their invoices. These invoice Terms and Conditions appear at the bottom of the invoice document.

Job Specifications Notes

• Prepress Default Note - This text can be inserted into the comments area of the Prepress section of the detailed spec. This is useful if you have particular requirments for proofing and other prepress activities.
• Shipping Default Note - This text can be inserted into the comments area of the Shipping section of the detailed spec. This is useful if you have particular requirments for shipping activities.

System Information Window

Purpose & Function

This window displays key diagnostic information that may be helpful in trouble-shooting problems you may encounter.

Access - This window can be accessed in two ways:

1. By clicking on the license information text at the bottom of the Home panel on the Main Application window
2. Through the Global menu / "My Settings" dropdown menu / My Setting menu item / "View System Information" dropdown menu item.

Server Request Queues - The System Information window has one to four buttons on the right side for accessing the Server Request queues. They are labeled:

1. Comm Requests
2. Comm Server Trace
3. NetPlus Requests
4. NetPlus Server Trace (Only NetPlus users will see these two buttons)

Comm Requests

The Comm Requests button opens the Server Request Queue Window. The Server Request Queue tracks the most recent communications with the P3Software server communications scripts. These scripts update your license, send email messages and retrieve supplier price information. The first column of data is the sequence number of the transaction the second number is the number of milliseconds it took to send the request and receive the response. The third column indicates the type of transaction. The buttons allow users to email, copy, or clear the Server Request Queue

Comm Server Trace

The Comm Server Trace button opens the Diagnostic Log Viewer Window. This window allows the user to run a trace route diagnostic process. The button on the bottom allows the log to be emailed to P3Expeditor Support.

NetPlus Queue

The NetPlus Queue is only shown for P3 NetPlus users and can be brought up by clicking the "NetPlus Requests" button. This queue tracks communications with the P3Software NetPlus server. The first column of data is the sequence number of the transaction. The second number is the number of milliseconds it took to send the request and receive the response. The third column indicates the type of file, and the fourth column indicates the file name.

NetPlus Server Trace

The NetPlus Server Trace button opens the Diagnostic Log Viewer Window. This window allows the user to run a trace route diagnostic process. The button on the bottom allows the log to be emailed to P3Expeditor Support.

Setting the Default Temp Folder

You have the ability to set a temporary folder that is to be used for temporary file storage. Files stored in this folder are only needed for a brief time and when P3Expeditor exits, they may be destroyed without consequence. This is mostly used for files that make up reports and associated images. There may be other temporary files that P3Expeditor needs to place there as well.

Most users should not need to modify the default setting of this folder's location. Both the Windows and Macintosh operating systems have a default already defined and P3Expeditor will use that folder by default. Although rare, some computers have been configured in such a way that P3Expeditor is unable to use the default folder sucessfully and you will need to specify an alternate.

1. From the Main Screen, click on the "Global" menu and select "My Settings".
2. In the "My Settings" dialog menu click on the "Configure" menu and select "P3Temp Folder".
3. In the dialog that appears there should be 2 buttons labeled "Set New Folder" and "Done".

You may also find a button labeled "Clear Current Setting".

You may click on the "Set New Folder" button to select a new temporary folder or click the "Clear Current Setting" button to revert back to using the default setting. You may continue setting or clearing the temporary folder setting and when you are satisfied you may click the "Done" button.