December 14, 2006   Volume 5 - Issue 4

TDCI.com | MAC-PAC | Training | TDCI Contacts   

In this issue:
»   News and Announcements
»   Special Section - EOY Processing Reminders
»   Enhancement Update
»   Tip of the Month

News & Announcements

International Rectifier Selects TDCI as Primary Provider of MAC-PAC Consulting and Technical Services
International Rectifier, a world leader in advanced power management technology and an extensive user of MAC-PAC for many years, has contracted with TDCI to provide a range of MAC-PAC related business process and technical consulting services. Acting as International Rectifier’s primary provider of MAC-PAC services, TDCI personnel are working with International Rectifier to develop business process requirements and detail specifications for new capabilities, and to perform technical development of certain extensions. Much of this work is associated with International Rectifier’s current initiative to expand usage of MAC-PAC to new sites while also consolidating other sites into common MAC-PAC systems.   More>>

TDCI Training Demand Increases with High Level of Activity in the MAC-PAC XE™ User Community
Q: What do Draper Inc., Imperial Group, LASCO Fittings, Ruskin/ASC, and Webster Industries all have in common besides the fact that MAC-PAC XE is their strategic ERP solution?
A: They are all among the latest organizations to ask TDCI to run on-site MAC-PAC XE training sessions in support of MAC-PAC XE initiatives within their company.   More>>

Compac Corporation to Implement Insights for MAC-PAC XE™
Compac Corporation, a leading manufacturer of vapor retarder facings and pressure sensitive adhesive tapes for the construction, industrial, automotive, and electronics industries, and a MAC-PAC user since 1994, will be one of the first companies to implement the new Insights for MAC-PAC XE advanced reporting and information retrieval solution in early 2007. Compac has licensed the sales reporting, sales analytics, financial reporting, financial analytics, and information portal capabilities of Insights. Compac will continue to use the Vizion sales datamart implemented earlier as the sales analytics component of Insights, and will also be working with TDCI toward the creation of manufacturing reporting and analytics components.   More>>

Special Pricing for New MAC-PAC XE Reporting and Configurator Solutions Ends December 29th
Two important new MAC-PAC XE solutions were introduced at Perspectives 2006: Insights for MAC-PAC XE and BuyDesign Configurator for MAC-PAC XE. Both solutions are now under development with delivery planned for Q1 2007. Special pricing for both solutions ends at the end of 2006.    More >>

Salton Goes Live with BuyDesign® Storefront for Standard SKU-based products
Salton Inc., a leading designer, marketer and distributor of a broad range of branded, high quality small appliances has gone live with BuyDesign Storefront to provide 24x7 online ordering and account status inquiry services for Salton’s small to medium size wholesale customers – primarily local and regional retail stores. Salton supports high volume national customers with EDI-based order processing, and supports direct consumer sales with an existing consumer-oriented web site.   More>>

Draper, Inc. Expands TDCI Integration Server to Enterprise-level Framework
When Draper, Inc. implemented BuyDesign Storefront in mid-2005, they used the TDCI Integrator to integrate BuyDesign with their MAC-PAC XE system. Using pre-developed ‘connectors’ that came as part of BuyDesign, they use the Integrator to pass customer and product information from MAC-PAC XE to BuyDesign and orders from BuyDesign to MAC-PAC XE. Today, Draper is in the process of making the Integrator their standard enterprise-level framework for integration.   More>>

New Windows Version of MAC-PAC XE Priority Manager Available in January; Also New Capabilities for both iSeries and Windows Versions
TDCI is pleased to announce several new solutions and options that extend the MAC-PAC XE Priority Manager (Priority Manager) module. Priority Manager is an extension of MAC-PAC XE that helps manufacturers make dramatic improvements in throughput and delivery performance. By analyzing and organizing supply/demand information already existing in MAC-PAC XE, it clearly identifies the near-term actions operations managers need to take in order to ship orders on time, reduce expediting activity, and minimize inventory levels.   More>>

Quaker Windows Goes Live with BuyDesign® Channel Sales; Atrium Expands Deployment
Quaker Windows has gone live with the BuyDesign guided selling and configuration solution and Atrium Companies has expanded deployment to two new divisions. Read the press releases about both MAC-PAC XE users:

Quaker Windows Streamlines Dealer Quoting and Ordering with BuyDesign® Guided Selling and Configuration Software from TDCI

Atrium Expands Deployment of BuyDesign™ Software to Texas and HR Windows Divisions

Therma-Tru Doors, National Woodworks, and VT Industries All Select BuyDesign®
Three more manufacturers have selected TDCI’s BuyDesign Guided Selling and Configuration solution for integration with various ERP systems. Read the press releases:

Therma-Tru Doors Selects BuyDesign™ from TDCI – Leading Exterior Door Manufacturer to Streamline Sales Processes with Internet-based Product Configuration, Quoting, and Ordering Software

National Woodworks Selects BuyDesign® Sales and Configuration Software from TDCI – Window Manufacturer will use BuyDesign to Streamline Quoting and Ordering for National™ Window Wood, Clad, and Vinyl Product Lines

VT Industries Selects BuyDesign® Software from TDCI – Building Products Manufacturer will Use BuyDesign Configurator to Enhance Web-based Quoting and Ordering

TDCI Partners with Scene7® to Deliver Rich Media Applications within BuyDesign®
TDCI is partnering with Scene7, Inc., provider of the industry-leading Scene7 On-Demand rich media platform, to deliver several new capabilities within TDCI’s BuyDesign guided selling and configuration solution.   Read the press release>>

Special Section – End of Year MAC-PAC XE Processing Reminders

EOY Processing Reminders

As the end of 2006 approaches, remember to prepare for your year-end activities. Although your specific procedures may vary, the basic MAC-PAC procedures are documented in detail on the support website. The timing of theses steps is critical, so please take some time to review the procedures before the New Year arrives. Many steps can be performed before the last day of the year, others must be done on the last day, and others must take place after the New Year starts. Year end activities need to be a joint effort between IT and Accounting to insure a smooth transition into 2007.

The procedures include but are not limited to the following topics:

• 1099 processing for your vendors
• Standard cost changes and accounting cost generation
• Changes to calendars – shop floor, purchasing, sales, accounting
• Database audits and audit trail activities
• Final period posting

The specific details can be obtained by visiting the support website and accessing Helpful Hints and then Year End Procedures - http://www.tdci.com/support.htm.

Enhancement and PTF Update

New MAC-PAC XE Enhancements Available

The MAC-PAC XE core application enhancements that have been completed since the last newsletter are marked with the "new" symbol.

LA09 – Allow MASIGNON to add additional libraries.

LA06 (AR, AP, GL) – Add Date/Time/Operator stamp to general ledger detail transactions.

Many new MAC-PAC XE core application PTFs have been completed in the last few months. The newest PTFs are marked with the "new" symbol. The other ones also appeared in the last issue of eNews. Problems resolved are:

L1BT (AR) – Message generated incorrectly on database audit report

L1BM (DE) – MAC-PAC XE users should not get message MPW0904 batch quantity not equal to plan policy quantity.

L1BL (RM) – RM290P deleting valid records from transaction files due to various formatting issues.

L1AK (AP) – AP760A - Univoiced receipt report prints zero amt vendor totals and a/p code totals erroneously.

L1BU (AP) – Vendor Balance Field = $0 when viewing AP inquiry through GL path.

L1BE (AP) – AP inquiry allows user to access documents in restricted locations.

L1BS (AP) – Add distibution CO/LOC to error report AP180B - batch open item creation.

L1BH (AR- Critical) – On-account payment can be overriden with a corp customer on-acct payment application.

Full descriptions of these and other MAC-PAC XE enhancements and PTFs are available for download at www.tdci.com/macpac. Click ‘Support Login' at the top of the screen, then click either ‘Enhancements' or ‘Software Fixes' after logging in.

More enhancements and PTFs are always in the works, so check the MAC-PAC XE web site again soon!

MAC-PAC XE Online Support is available 24x7 to companies that are currently active on the TDCI MAC-PAC XE Maintenance & Support Service. 

Tip of the Month

Each MAC-PAC Tip of the Month is a selected Expert Reference Note (ERN) from the MAC-PAC ‘Helpful Hints' database in the MAC-PAC website. You can get the full text of this note or search the database by logging in to Support, then selecting ‘Helpful Hints' at www.tdci.com/macpac.

Q:   Client is in the processing of closing the accounting period. They final closed the three subsystems for IA, AR, and AP. They ran a subsystem post, and then a GL demand post, however, none of their IA records were posted to the GL.

Search Helpful Hint # XRMJ1926 on the MAC-PAC Web Site for full text of this tip.

Tell us your wish!

Now you can easily submit any idea you have for any MAC-PAC XE component to TDCI development. Just send an e-mail describing your idea to the appropriate e-mail address for the product you wish to see enhanced. TDCI will acknowledge receipt of your input, review it, and take it into consideration in future planning. Please be as specific as possible when describing your request – the clearer your request, the easier it will be for us to consider.

e-mail addresses for MAC-PAC XE products are as follows:
> Core MAC-PAC XE applications: macpacwish@tdci.com
> BuyDesign: buydesignwish@tdci.com
> TDCI Integration Server: iswish@tdci.com