Add a Product

You can add a new product, or search for an existing one, by clicking the appropriate link on the Mailware Explorer. Or, simply click the Find or Add icon below.


		View Products
		Find Add Help

If you add a new product the Product screen will open to a blank form. Skip to the next step for instructions on entering data.

If you search for an existing product to edit a search screen will open. See the Product Search help topic for more information.

Product Information
Enter product information, prices and shipping charges.

Find or Add a product as described above. Or, click a link below.
Click here to find an existing product. Click here to add a new product.
Click the Product tab or hold Alt and press N to switch between tabs.
Enter or edit your Product data in the screen that opens. You can use the Tab or Enter key to move between fields. When you cursor is on a button press the Space bar to activate it. Or, simply use the mouse.

Product # - Enter up to 20 characters (numbers and/or text). This field is automatically capitalized so you can easily find the product later. You can also wand a bar code into this field.
Description - Enter up to 150 characters to help you identify this product when viewing your inventory.
Long Description - You can enter an unlimited length description of the item. This description can be viewed during order entry from the Product Lookup dialog when adding items to the order.
Order Message - Enter up to a 50 character message that will be displayed when the product is selected during an order. It is a convenient way to add reminders to products (for example: "This item requires batteries.").
Supplier - Select a vendor from the Supplier field pull down list to associate the product with its supplier. If you have not added the supplier yet, you can make the association later by editing the product.

If a vendor provides you with several products, enter the vendor first then, while in the Product Supply Vendor form, click the button. Each product you add will be associated with that vendor.
Product Type - Select a type if applicable, from the pulldown list, or create a new one with the Setup button. Product Types can be used in reports to group like items.
Retail Price - This is the amount that will be charged to customers with a Pricing Level of Retail (or none) when taking an order. You may override this price on the order entry form for any item by simply typing the new price.
Wholesale Price - This is the amount that will be charged to customers with a Pricing Level of Wholesale when taking an order. You may override this price on the order entry form for any item by simply typing the new price.
Price 3 - This is the amount that will be charged to customers with a Pricing Level of Price 3 when taking an order. You may override this price on the order entry form for any item by simply typing the new price.
Price 4 - This is the amount that will be charged to customers with a Pricing Level of Price 4 when taking an order. You may override this price on the order entry form for any item by simply typing the new price.

Note: You can set Price Levels for customers in the Additional Info tab of the Customer screen.
By Source Key - Click this button to set pricing that is used when a specific Ad Source Key is selected for an order.

For each Source Key you may enter a Price that is charged for the item, and any Quantity Discounts you wish. This price will override any of the Retail, Wholesale, Price3 or Price4 prices already assigned to the product when the Source Key is selected during order entry.
Mix & Match - Enter a code here in all the Product Numbers for which you wish to share a quantity discount. For example, you could enter MATCH into the Mix & Match field for products A, B and C and assign quantity discounts to them. If your first price break quantity is at 5 units then the customer could order 5 in any combination of these items to get the discount (e.g., 2 Product A, 1 Product B and 2 Product C = 5 units).
Weight - Enter a weight for this item in pounds. Do not round weights to the nearest pound. You can use the weight calculator to convert ounces to pounds.
Ship Extra Chg - Enter any additional shipping charge to the customer for this item (for example, oversized items). When a customer orders this product, the extra shipping charge will be added to the shipping field in addition to any other shipping charges.
Ship Cost - Enter your cost to ship this item. This figure is used in reports that estimate your total shipping costs.
Ships in Own Box - Indicates this item is to be shipped alone. This is a True/False field. You can specify in reports to display this information so your shipping personnel know to pack the item separately.
Calculate Insurance - Mailware can calculate shipping insurance on individual items if applicable. Check this box to have this item included in the calculation.

Note: You will also need to set the insurance calculation in Preferences under the Orders tab. Click the Special Items button then the Shipping Insurance tab. Click here to change Preferences.

Check the Automatically calculate shipping insurance check box and enter a Rate ($ per $100 - .90 = 90 cents per 100 dollars). You also need to create a product in your inventory and select it in the Product Code pulldown. When you create the item enter a Retail price of $0.00 and check the Non Inventory checkbox on the Stock Levels tab.

When a marked item is added to an order a line item will be added for shipping insurance using the rate and Product Code you specify.

Note: Insurance will be charged at your Rate times the Subtotal of the order. If this value is less than your rate than the rate will be used (e.g. If your rate is $.90 per $100 and your order is less than $100 then $.90 will be added to the order).

Stock Levels
Enter quantities, stock types, reorder thresholds and costs.

Find or Add a product as described above. Or, click a link below.
Click here to find an existing product. Click here to add a new product.
Click the Stock Levels tab or hold Alt and press N to switch between tabs.
The following screen will open.

Non Inventory Item - Check this field if you do not track stock levels for this product. This will also prevent backorders during order entry.

Tip: You can create other Non-Inventory items to add to orders (e.g., Discounts, Gift Certificates etc.).
Drop Ship Item - Check this field if you do not stock this item, but have a third party ship it to your customer. You should also check the Non Inventory Item box unless you wish to maintain quantities for this product.
Discontinued - Check this box to indicate the item is no longer available for sale. Orders will be allowed for the product until quantities reach zero (you should also check the Do not Allow Backorders checkbox to prevent backorders).
Do not Allow Backorders - Check this box to prevent an item from being backordered. Can be used alone or in conjunction with the Discontinued checkbox.
Backorder Without Prompting - If checked when the item is ordered it will be marked as backordered without the dialog that prompts the operator to approve the backorder or force fill the item.
Allow Substitution - When checked this item may be replaced by another item in inventory. Click the Settings button to select the item that will replace it and to specify if the substitution occurs when the item is out of stock and/or discontinued. You can also specify whether the operator will receive a notice that the substitution has taken place.

Tip: This feature can also be used to create Aliases for a product if, for example, you offer a single product number that can be ordered under several different product numbers.
In Stock - When creating a product, enter the current number of items you have on hand. Thereafter, In Stock quantities are calculated automatically by Mailware when you take orders, process refunds and run the Receive Inventory and Adjust Inventory actions.

Note: Also see the Multiple Locations field below.
Details - Click the button to open the following dialog. It lists the counts of this product in various statuses on individual orders (e.g., The number Backordered). Status Codes are listed in the Take an Order help topic.
- Committed - Shows the count of this item that have been ordered by customers and are currently in Committed (CM) status on individual orders. Committed items are removed from the available In Stock quantity.
- Backordered - Shows the count of this item currently backordered on individual orders. This count will not be deducted from the In Stock amount until you fill backorders.
- Filled - Shows the count of this item that have been invoiced on individual orders, but not yet shipped.
- Shipped - Shows the count of this item that have been shipped on individual orders.
- Returned - Shows the count of this item that have been returned on individual orders. Returned items are automatically returned to inventory.
- Canceled - Shows the count of this item that have been canceled on individual orders. Canceled items are automatically returned to inventory.
- Total - The total of all listed items in the dialog.
Multiple Locations - Check this box to turn off the In Stock field and use separate locations for tracking of item quantities.

To create locations click Setup on the Product screen then select Locations...

In the dialog above enter as many different locations as you need. You may enter Warehouses, Bins etc. or any combination of these. You can also set the priority in the Preference field. Quantities in the first location will be depleted before each subsequent location.

After setting up locations you can enter quantities in each by clicking the Locations button on the Product screen. Select the locations you created from the pulldown and enter the number In Stock for each.
Customize - Click the button to open a memo form you can use to add information to the product that can be viewed and edited during an order (by using the Customize button on the Item Detail tab on the Order Entry screen). This is especially useful for capturing descriptors like monograms, shipping instructions etc. Information typed in this memo form will print on invoices, work orders etc.
Extras - Click the button to open the following dialog.
- Custom Field - Use the custom fields for anything you wish (e.g., Supplier's Product Number, Warehouse Location, Bin Number etc.). Each field holds up to 50 characters. (Report Tip: These fields appear in the Product table as fields Products.CustomField1, Products.CustomField2 and Products.CustomField3.)
- ISBN - Accepts an International Standard Book Number.
- UPC code - Enter or barcode wand the UPC code from the product.
- Manufacturer's ID. - This is the original manufacturer's product number (as opposed to the supplier's number or your own).
- Supplier Product No. - This is your supplier's product number for this item if it is different than yours. This number can be printed on purchase orders even if you create the PO with your product numbers.
- Supplier Description - This description can also appear on the PO to help your vendor identify the item you are ordering.
- Supplier Price - The price the supplier charges you for the item.
- Duty Percent - Enter a percent you, or the customer, expect to pay when shipping out of the country.
- Preferred Currency - Use the Setup text menu item on the Product screen to create your ISO Codes, then select the preferred currency code for this product here.
- Tarriff Code - A freeform field for any tariff codes that apply to this product.
- Royalty Item - Check to indicate that royalties are paid to a third party when this item is sold.
- Preferred Ship Method - Select any of the ship methods you have set up in your Shipping tables. This is the method this item should by shipped by.
- Max Ship Items - Then maximum number of items that may ship in a box.
- Backorder Message - This message appears on the order when this product is backordered.
VIN Number Required - Check this box to require that a Serial Number be associated with this product before it is shipped. Mailware also includes a Vehicle Identification Number tracking system you can use to ensure Titles are received and sent to the customer. You can also use the tracking system for serialized products.
Generate Gift Cert. - Check this box to create a product you can sell as a Gift Certificate. Mailware will create a unique random number and track its use. Customers can mail in certificates or use the number online. Certificates may be used all at once, or in multiple purchases.

Click the button to open a dialog where you can specify how your certificate number is generated. You can specify a prefix, suffix, code length and whether the random number will contain numbers, letters or both. In the sample below a possible generated code could be: ABC54C1Q.

Note: You should create a product called GIFT CERTIFICATE and check Non Inventory Item on the Stock Levels tab. Then apply the Gift Certificate settings above to the product. When you sell it you can specify an amount and Mailware will automatically create the certificate number.

Mailware tracks the redemption of certificates in the Gift Certificate interface. You can find it on the Main Menu under the Setup tab.
On Mailware Web - If you use our ecommerce package, or if you export your products to your own system, check this box to indicate that this item is available for sale on the web.
Reorder At - Enter the quantity this item may reach before Mailware reminds you in report R4130 Products to Reorder to order more. You can also specify a Reorder Quantity and expected Reorder Price. These items will be entered automatically on Purchase Orders, but can be edited, when you order this product from your vendor.
On Order and On Backorder quantities and dates are entered automatically by Purchase Orders when you create them. You can enter beginning amounts into these fields if applicable.
Standard Cost - Enter a cost for this item. This amount will not change unless you edit it.
Average Cost - Enter a beginning cost for this product. As you receive inventory Mailware calculates your average cost automatically and updates it here. (Note: This feature may be disabled in early versions of Mailware 2005).
After entering all data click the button to close and save the screen or the button to enter another.