NewHaven Software Wiki - User contributions [en]

Shipping Station - Best Practices

2014-08-22T00:17:41Z

Tom danner:

=Overview=
In 2014 a team of our finest went on the road to visit clients all over the country. One of the biggest things we learned is how much room there is for improved efficiency in the shipping department. The great news is that there are quick and easy solutions.

=My Shipping Dept is Fine, Thank You=
All of our clients have been shipping long enough to have reliable processes in place...but that doesn't mean they're efficient. Consider some of the benefits of enhancing those processes:

*fewer shipping errors
*reduced hours/employees needed to ship each day
*have scalability to ship higher volumes of packages with your existing staff
*offer your customers a later cut-off time for same day shipping

Any of that sound interesting? Read on!

=Feeding the Warehouse=
Are you still printing orders one at a time as they save? That may be OK if you're processing 20 orders a day but most of our clients are doing much more than that and would benefit from printing in selective batches. Using the Fulfillment>Batching option to either release a select number of orders to the warehouse (first in first out) or create invoice filters to prioritize your fulfillment in other ways like by shipping method, price category (retail vs wholesale), products on the order, or most any other criteria you can come up with. These options can ensure your most important and time sensitive orders get handled first and/or you could gain efficiencies by having the warehouse picking certain types of orders as part of the same batch instead of scattered through the day.

=Shipping Best Practices=
There are several things you can do to improve. Based on our decades of experience, here is a list of our recommended improvements and the order in which you might consider implementing them.

==Entry Level==
*Shipping station in warehouse - First and foremost, you'll want at least one CMS workstation setup in your warehouse. If you're still printing shipping labels in the office and carrying them out to the warehouse, it's time to move that operation out to the warehouse.
==Good==
*Get a [http://www.ups.com/content/us/en/resources/sri/wor150.html thermal printer from UPS] so you can print 4x6 thermal shipping labels. In our experience, this same printer, if converted to using the stock manufacture's driver instead of UPS's driver, can be setup to also work with Dazzle so you'll have one label printer for both carriers.
*Use the Manifest screen in CMS to ship with both UPS and USPS. This screen provides you with an identical shipping process for both carriers including a single click to add packages to your shipment when more are needed than CMS projected. Just click the Label button and CMS will trigger the appropriate label to print from UPS Worldship or [http://www.endicia.com/all-partners/integrated-partners/newhaven-software Endicia's Dazzle] software (USPS.) In CMS 10.0 we've also added dimensions to the Manifest which will be required for more packages in 2015.

==Better==
*Scale - Connect an electronic scale to your shipping workstation so weights don't have to be typed in, avoiding errors and saving time.
*Bar codes - Add a package number bar code to your CMS invoice or pick ticket (e.g. InvoiceTemplate-MS-BC.rpt) to make adding a package to the Manifest a snap

With the scale and scanner in place, you can just place the package on the scale and scan the bar code to have the package added to the manifest and the weight automatically brought in from the scale. Easy, fast, and accurate! See our [http://wiki.newhavensoftware.com/index.php/CMS_System_Requirements CMS System Requirements] page for information on the scales and scanners CMS supports.

==Best==
*International - International shipping doesn't have to be chore! In fact it can be just as easy as a domestic shipment with the right setup, just scan and print. CMS supports international shipping with USPS and our Endicia/Dazzle integration and in CMS 10.0 we'll support it for our UPS Worldship XML integration as well. Take the time to setup your products' custom data (weight and country of origin at least) to facilitate this automation. If you need to set this for hundreds or thousands of products/SKU's, call us and we can help by importing data or using SQL queries to help set them for you.
*Automated Label Printing - An option you can enable in CMS Setup is for automatic label printing on scan. This setting will use the weight from the scale (described above) or the CMS calculated weight if no scale is in place, to automatically print the appropriate shipping label as soon as the package bar code is scanned. Couldn't faster or easier. In cases where you know you'll want to make changes to the shipment such as adding packages or changing shipping methods, you can instead type the package number into the manifest and it will quickly bring up the package details without auto-printing the label.

=Summary=
Implementing the above best practices will allow you to maximize the efficiency and throughput of each shipping station. After implementing these solutions we've seen companies reduce their number of shipping stations in the warehouse from four down to just one. You may still want to setup an additional shipping station so you have a backup and scalability.

7.0 Migration Plan

2010-07-16T17:30:24Z

Tom danner: /* Intro */

=Intro=
This article describes the recommended MINIMUM preparation and post-installation procedures you should follow to upgrade to CMS version 7.0. Please read through this document and any referenced documents before scheduling an installation appointment with our staff or attempting to upgrade to CMS 7.0 on your own.

=Prep for 7.0 install=
*Confirm you meet hardware and operating system requirements – http://wiki.newhavensoftware.com/index.php/CMS_System_Requirements
*Reminder: NHS Explorer will be uninstalled as part of your 7.0 upgrade. If you need this utility, it can be downloaded from our [http://updates.newhavensoftware.com/ updates site] and reinstalled after your CMS 7.0 install.
*Read our [http://updates.newhavensoftware.com/v7release_notes.htm 7.0 Release Notes] – read AT LEAST up to "CMS Version 7.0 New Features List".
*Review the CMS PA-DSS Implementation Guide - This Word document can be downloaded our [http://updates.newhavensoftware.com/ updates site]. This document is left in Word so you may modify or add to it to suit your company's policies and need for distribution.
It is important that you understand some of the significant changes that are taking place with this update, particularly with Employee passwords and permissions. Please contact NewHaven Software with any questions

=Day of install – Prep before installing=
*Download your CMS 7.0 update - http://updates.newhavensoftware.com/
**Also download NHS Explorer if needed
**If you do not have it already, copy or write down your version 7 release code which you will need when installing
*Get everyone out of CMS or other programs that may connect to your CMS database.
*Backup your database

=Installation=
*Server install - You must be logged in with local administrator rights and have everyone logged out of CMS. This update may take up to twice as long as a typical update. Please plan accordingly.

=Post installation=
Steps to perform immediately after the update has completed and before anyone uses CMS.
#Login as PCI Admininstrator and set password
#Create other PCI Administrator employee account, one per user
#Configure employee permissions – there is no more "administrator" checkbox so you must assign what used to be admin rights to appropriate employees. See http://updates.newhavensoftware.com/v7release_notes.htm#5
#Disable System user (remove access and set password)
#Configure other PCI Admin settings
##Encryption turned on (if not already)
##Enable credit card masking
##Set data retention policy
##Change database passwords

=Recommended but not required=
*Workstations – Workstation updates are not required but you do want to copy over the new Help file from the server to the workstations after the server update is complete. The file is CMS.chm and can be found in the same directory where CMS.exe is installed. Copy this file to the local workstation, usually C:\NewHaven Software, replacing the old CMS.chm that is there.

7.0 Migration Plan

2010-07-16T17:29:06Z

Tom danner:

=Intro=
This article describes the recommended MINIMUM preparation and post-installation procedures you should follow to upgrade to CMS version 7.0.

=Prep for 7.0 install=
*Confirm you meet hardware and operating system requirements – http://wiki.newhavensoftware.com/index.php/CMS_System_Requirements
*Reminder: NHS Explorer will be uninstalled as part of your 7.0 upgrade. If you need this utility, it can be downloaded from our [http://updates.newhavensoftware.com/ updates site] and reinstalled after your CMS 7.0 install.
*Read our [http://updates.newhavensoftware.com/v7release_notes.htm 7.0 Release Notes] – read AT LEAST up to "CMS Version 7.0 New Features List".
*Review the CMS PA-DSS Implementation Guide - This Word document can be downloaded our [http://updates.newhavensoftware.com/ updates site]. This document is left in Word so you may modify or add to it to suit your company's policies and need for distribution.
It is important that you understand some of the significant changes that are taking place with this update, particularly with Employee passwords and permissions. Please contact NewHaven Software with any questions

=Day of install – Prep before installing=
*Download your CMS 7.0 update - http://updates.newhavensoftware.com/
**Also download NHS Explorer if needed
**If you do not have it already, copy or write down your version 7 release code which you will need when installing
*Get everyone out of CMS or other programs that may connect to your CMS database.
*Backup your database

=Installation=
*Server install - You must be logged in with local administrator rights and have everyone logged out of CMS. This update may take up to twice as long as a typical update. Please plan accordingly.

=Post installation=
Steps to perform immediately after the update has completed and before anyone uses CMS.
#Login as PCI Admininstrator and set password
#Create other PCI Administrator employee account, one per user
#Configure employee permissions – there is no more "administrator" checkbox so you must assign what used to be admin rights to appropriate employees. See http://updates.newhavensoftware.com/v7release_notes.htm#5
#Disable System user (remove access and set password)
#Configure other PCI Admin settings
##Encryption turned on (if not already)
##Enable credit card masking
##Set data retention policy
##Change database passwords

=Recommended but not required=
*Workstations – Workstation updates are not required but you do want to copy over the new Help file from the server to the workstations after the server update is complete. The file is CMS.chm and can be found in the same directory where CMS.exe is installed. Copy this file to the local workstation, usually C:\NewHaven Software, replacing the old CMS.chm that is there.

Windows 2000 and CMS

2010-07-08T01:43:20Z

Tom danner:

=Overview=
In our version 7.0 release we [http://updates.newhavensoftware.com/v7pre_release_notes.htm#min announced] that we can no longer support Windows 2000, either as a server or a workstation operating system. These operating systems will continue to work with CMS version 6.x and below but, because Microsoft is [http://support.microsoft.com/ph/1131 suspending support for Windows 2000 on July 13th, 2010], we must also abandon support for Win 2000.

An additional consideration regarding Windows 2000 is that PCI compliance (requirement 6.1) states that you keep your systems updated. When Windows 2000 stops receiving support and security patches from Microsoft, our understanding is you will then not be able to keep your system(s) PCI compliant either.

=CMS 7.0 and Win2000=
Upgrading your operating systems from Windows 2000 to a supported operating system is not just a good idea - for CMS version 7.x, it has become a requirement. There are technical issues which make Windows 2000 no longer viable for running CMS.

CMS relies on the [http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa386979%28VS.85%29.aspx Windows CryptoAPI] (''referenced in the CMS PA-DSS Implementation Guide'') as part of our improved AES encryption used for credit card and password encryption. Earlier versions of CMS did not use AES encryption or the Windows Crypto API so this was not an issue.

The first edition of Windows to include the CrypoAPI that CMS 7.0 needs is XP Pro SP3. This [http://download.microsoft.com/download/6/8/7/687484ed-8174-496d-8db9-f02b40c12982/Overview%20of%20Windows%20XP%20Service%20Pack%203.pdf document on Service Pack 3] provides additional information on the enhancement. (Search for SHA to find the pertinent section of the document.)

==Servers and Workstations==
*Encryption takes place on the workstation (before it crosses the network and is written to the database) so it critical to upgrade your workstation operating systems.

*Server updates, particularly the upgrade from version 6.x to 7.x, must also access the Windows CryptoAPI - so here again, the operating system update is crucial.

If you attempted to launch CMS 7.x on a Windows 2000 machine (or XP SP1 or 2), you should expect to get errors in CMS right from the login screen due to our need to decrypt the password stored in the database.

We have also recently added an automatic operating system check to our installer which will warn you if you are attempting to install CMS on a machine running an incompatible operating system. This cannot detect if you have incompatible workstations on your network, however. You must still perform those checks on your own (or let the installer do it for you by performing a CMS 7.0 workstation update on your machine.)

=Upgrading=
Please consult [http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa386979(VS.85).aspx this link] which contains migration information for upgrading your workstations or servers from Windows 2000 to a supported operating system.

If upgrading your server means moving to a new machine, [http://wiki.newhavensoftware.com/index.php/Moving_CMS_to_a_New_Server this Wiki article] should also be referenced for instructions on how to move CMS from one server to another.

Windows 2000 and CMS

2010-07-08T01:34:15Z

Tom danner:

=Overview=
In our version 7.0 release we [http://updates.newhavensoftware.com/v7pre_release_notes.htm#min announced] that we can no longer support Windows 2000, either as a server or a workstation operating system. These operating systems will continue to work with CMS version 6.x and below but, because Microsoft is [http://support.microsoft.com/ph/1131 suspending support for Windows 2000 on July 13th, 2010], we must also abandon support for Win 2000.

An additional consideration regarding Windows 2000 is that PCI compliance (requirement 6.1) states that you keep your systems updated. When Windows 2000 stops receiving support and security patches from Microsoft, our understanding is you will then not be able to keep your system(s) PCI compliant either.

=CMS 7.0 and Win2000=
Upgrading your operating systems from Windows 2000 to a supported operating system is not just a good idea. For CMS version 7.x, it has become a requirement. There are technical issues which make Windows 2000 no longer viable for running CMS.

CMS relies on the [http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa386979%28VS.85%29.aspx Windows CryptoAPI] (''referenced in the CMS PA-DSS Implementation Guide'') as part of our improved AES encryption used for credit card and password encryption. Earlier versions of CMS did not use AES encryption or the Windows Crypto API so this was not an issue.

The first edition of Windows to include the CrypoAPI that CMS 7.0 needs is XP Pro SP3. This [http://download.microsoft.com/download/6/8/7/687484ed-8174-496d-8db9-f02b40c12982/Overview%20of%20Windows%20XP%20Service%20Pack%203.pdf document on Service Pack 3] provides additional information on the enhancement. (Search for SHA to find the pertinent section of the document.)

==Servers and Workstations==
*Encryption takes place on the workstation (before it crosses the network and is written to the database) so it critical to upgrade your workstation operating systems.

*Server updates, particularly the upgrade from version 6.x to 7.x, must also access the Windows CryptoAPI - so here again, the operating system update is crucial.

If you attempted to launch CMS 7.x on a Windows 2000 machine (or XP SP1 or 2), you should expect to get errors in CMS right from the login screen due to our need to decrypt the password stored in the database.

We have also recently added an automatic operating system check to our installer which will warn you if you are attempting to install CMS on a machine running an incompatible operating system. This cannot detect if you have incompatible workstations on your network, however. You must still perform those checks on your own (or let the installer do it for you by performing a CMS 7.0 workstation update on your machine.)

=Upgrading=
Please consult [http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa386979(VS.85).aspx this link] which contains migration information for upgrading your workstations or servers from Windows 2000 to a supported operating system.

If upgrading your server means moving to a new machine, [http://wiki.newhavensoftware.com/index.php/Moving_CMS_to_a_New_Server this Wiki article] should also be referenced for instructions on how to move CMS from one server to another.