Updating Special Paper

Overview

This topic describes how to add or update Special Paper, the catch-all category of last resort. Easy to save, easy to retrieve, but best served with a question-mark. Why? Because file maintenance is likely to be casual, not something you're going to spend much time on. And that's Ok. Special Paper was never intended to be rock-solid in the price department. More like a template for storing static information - sheet size, grain, basis weight - for paper you use time and again.

Could you take advantage of its informal, free-wheeling nature and make Special Paper something you can depend on? Absolutely. Data files are like flower gardens. Get rid of the weeds, keep file records up-to-date, and you can treat prices collected in the Special Paper category like any other.

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The Long and Short of it

Special Paper is unique in that you rarely add a new paper item using the File Menu (the method shown on the left). Usually what happens is that you're making a quote that calls for a specially ordered paper. Having entered all the paper specs for the quote, you decide you want to save those specs for future use. At that point you click the Save button in the Special Paper Entry window, then continue working. That's it, the paper is saved for use in a future quote.

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You do, however, have to go to the File Menu when you want to update.

Special Paper Entry Window

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Saving Special Paper

1.	From the Main Menu, click the Quote button.

2.	Click the button to the right of the F3 button.

3.	When you're done entering all the paper specs for the Quote, click the Save button to save the paper for future use, then continue working on the Quote.

Retrieving Special Paper

1.	Click the Import button to retrieve a Special Paper from the file for use in the Quote.

2.	The paper color will default to White. To select a color, click the Color button.

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3.	Enter the Color, then click the appropriate color bar or drag the blue ball next to it. Click Ok.

4.	White or Color, always check the Costs retrieved from the Special Paper file. Update if necessary, then click the Save button to update the Special Paper file as well.

Here is where the free-wheeling nature of Special Paper comes to the surface. When you click the Save button, what you're saving are your costs for either white or color, but not both. That means you'll need to update the other set of costs manually after you're done with the quote. You may not always get around to doing that, which frankly is the only reason why you need to check the costs you're retrieving from the Special Paper file.Trust the file to always give you the right static properties (sheet size, grain, basis weight, etc.), but go to the book for up-to-date pricing. In that single arena, you're skating on thin ice.

Updating Special Paper

1.	Select File -> Update Special Paper, then double-click the item you want to update.

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2.	Enter your changes in the Special Paper Update window.

Special Paper Update Window

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