Navigating in Circulation Setup
This section describes how to move around within Circulation’s character interface to select menu options and perform tasks. Many setup items now use a graphical interface. Menu paths given in this manual refer to the graphical interface, unless the character interface is specifically mentioned (e.g. “In the character interface, select Publication from the Business | Products menu”).
Using the menus
You navigate in Circulation Setup by using menu options. For example, by selecting Setup from the Circulation main menu you access the Setup menu, where all setup options are located.
Menu options are also used to perform actions, such as accepting information into the database. Circulation uses several different menu formats, described below.
Strip menus
Strip menus have two or more options arranged horizontally across the top of the screen (right and left arrows scroll the menu). The Setup menu is an example of a strip menu. Within each option, strip menus display actions that can be taken. For example, the screen below shows the initial strip menu that appears on the Country Setup screen. You can Add, Modify, and Delete a country record, as well as Copy, Find, display the Next or Previous record, and so on.
Note: A record is a single entry in the database. Records belong to specific categories, called files. For example, there will be a record for the US in the Country File. It may be helpful to think of the entire database as a file cabinet: the files would be the different file folders, and the records would be individual pages within the folders.
Some frequently occurring strip menu options are:
Add. This is an option that you will use quite often; you select it to set up new items, run reports, and perform other activities that involve new information.
Copy. Select this option to copy information entered in one record to another record. For example, suppose you are setting up a number of accounts, each of which has similar information. Enter data for the first account, and then select Copy. Indicate your first account as the one to copy from, and the next account as the one to copy to. The data from the first account will automatically appear below the name of the second.
Next and Prev. Select these options to move from one record to another within an option. For instance, in Account Setup, you can move from one account record to another.
Modify. Select this option to modify records that have already been entered.
View. Select this option to view records or files (no modification allowed). Viewing files is a convenient way to display all of the records set up for a given files (for example, all of the routes that have been set up). Once displayed, you will have the option to print the file contents.
Default. Like Copy, Default comes in handy when you have many records to enter with similar information. Select Default and enter information that should be defaulted. Then, when you add new records, the defaults will appear automatically.
Continue. Once data has been entered for a menu item, select Continue to carry out the function of the item (such as create a report). This option is not present among setup items.
Delete. Once a record has been entered into the database, to remove it you must select Delete. Some options do not have a Delete menu item. In these options, you must enter end dates for records rather than delete them.
Find. Use Find to bring up a particular record. When you select this option, one or more key fields will open for the entry of search criteria. This function is similar to Modify and View.
View/Print. If you are printing a report, this option will appear on the strip menu; it allows you to change your view/print settings. The view/print settings are what determines if the report will be viewed, printed, and/or saved. This option is not typically present among setup items.
Accept and Reject. These options appear after data has been entered on a screen. Selecting Accept will enter the data into the Circulation database; selecting Reject will clear the screen without adding the data to the database.
Specifics. Some menu options have suboptions, which appear on a menu when you select Specifics. During account setup, for example, a number of specifics are available. You may or may not be required to enter specifics information, depending upon the option.
Exit. Select Exit to exit from the menu option. If you are in a setup option, you will typically end up on the Setup menu.
Pull-down menu
Often, when you select a strip menu option, another menu will pull down (rather than displaying a different screen). This is known as a pull-down menu and is illustrated in the figure below. Pull-down menus can be navigated with up and down arrow keys. Items on the Setup menu, except Exit, are pull-down menus.
Pull-out menu
Some pull-down menu options have what is known as a pull-out menu, which extends to the left or right of the pull-down menu, as shown in the figure below. You can navigate this menu with up and down arrow keys.
Using the screens
Once you access a menu option, the cursor will rest in the first field on the screen (in the figure below, the field name is State).
Information entered in a field can be of several types:
User defined—you can type anything in this field. Fields in which you are naming or describing items such as accounts and routes are user defined.
Predefined—you can only enter certain items. You can access a list of these items by pressing
F2. In some cases the items are preset by Circulation; in other cases they are defined by the user (in another setup option).
Multi-select—a few fields allow you to select more than one or all of the items that are valid. You open a multi-select window by entering an asterisk (*) in the field. Press Enter to select or deselect individual items. Or, type “+” or “-” to select or deselect all items. Press F1 to accept the selection.
Date—typically, setup options have start date and end date fields. For example, when setting up an account, you enter the dates in which the carrier/dealer can be active. End dates are almost always left blank during initial setup.
Logical—you can type “y” (yes) or “n” (no) in the field. For example, when setting up a publication, there is a Tax Exempt field; you enter “y” or “n” in this field, depending on whether your publication is exempt from taxes.
After entering information in a field, press Enter (or Return) to advance to the next field. When you have entered information in the last field on a screen, press Enter as usual (or F1). A strip menu will appear with a choice of actions to perform.
If you are entering information in fields and decide not to carry out the option, press F4. A strip menu will appear—select Exit from the strip menu to leave the option.
Note: If you press F4 to exit from a menu option before you accept the information, all of the information entered in the fields will be lost.
A list of keys used in Circulation is given below.
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
Enter | Select a menu option or advance to the next field after information has been entered |
F1 or Ctrl-x (or enter in last field of screen) | Accept entry |
F4 or Ctrl-e | Exit or back up without saving |
F2 or Esc-? (when prompted) | Display lookup |
F5 or Esc-o | F5 is a special key used occasionally to access additional windows. |
Ctrl-u* | Go back to previous field |
? | Clear a date field |
Down arrow | Move down |
Up arrow | Move up |
Left arrow | Move left |
Right arrow | Move right |
Page-next or Ctrl-n* | Move down/right one screen/window |
Page-prev or Ctrl-p* | Move up/left one screen/window |
Ctrl-g* | Display Progress program stack. |
Home | Go to the first field or option. Press again for the last field or option |
* Ctrl-<key> means to press Ctrl and <key> simultaneously.
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