DOS
This page is always under construction
This is a page where FSPC Product Support will list certain tips, hints and Frequently
Asked Questions on the FSPC programs. The FSPC program was designed to help the
Financial Secretary with the more labor intensive and time consuming duties of the
position. There are actually things you can do or not do that will keep you from
receiving errors with the FSPC program. By following these suggestions, you can
lessen the amount of downtime and your need for Product Support. Tips for FSPC for
MS-DOS program will have (MS-DOS) in front, tips for FSPC for Windows will have (Windows)
in front, and tips for both will have nothing in front.
Tip 1: ALWAYS backup your
work. We cannot stress this enough. If there is a major problem in the
program, backing up will allow you to go to a point before the error and restore your
data. You will not lose as much information this way should the system fail.
You should always backup before doing any major functions, like billing and before you
quit. So if you decide that something went wrong with the billing, you can undo the
process by restoring the backup. We suggest that you keep the last three backups.
- Tip 2: (MS-DOS) You must assess dues for
the next year BEFORE you print your bills. If you are trying to print your bills and
nothing prints, did you assess dues for the next year? You need to assess dues under
Billing before any Bills will print. If you still cannot get them to print check the
FSPC reported problems pages for more information.
(Windows)
You must assess dues for the next year BEFORE you print your bills. If you are
trying to print your bills and nothing prints, did you assess dues for the next
year? You need to assess dues under Procedures before any Bills will print.
Please check Billing
Your Members on the FSPC for Windows Menus and Tips page for
information on this process.
- Tip 3: The Supreme Service Positions on
the Fraternal Screen should be used for Supreme approved positions. If there is a
position in your council that is not on the list and you want to make a note of it, use
one of the User Defined Fields on the Member's Miscellaneous Screen. To print this
report, make sure that these positions are filled for the members that hold them.
- Tip 4: If you want to make a report for
certain criteria, use the User Defined Reports instead of queries. Queries, by
definition, limit the number of members that the program shows (like Fourth Degree
Members, or Honorary, or Transferred Out). The User Defined Reports will let you
print fields that you want for your report (like Name, Member Number, Phone Number).
You can use Queries to limit the members that are printed in your report.
- Tip 5: Do not leave any of the fields in your created Queries
blank. This will cause the Query to fail and show all of your members. If you
decide not to use that field, select Erase Field.
- Tip 7: We have had numerous questions
about the degree number that is printed on the Membership Cards. According to the
laws of the order, the highest degree a person can achieve in a council is the Third
Degree. That is why the FSPC program will only print as high as the Third Degree.
To be a member of the Fourth Degree, the member must join an Assembly and have a
valid Third degree card from a council. The Assemblies are responsible for supplying
the Fourth Degree cards to the members.
- Tip 8: (MS-DOS) The easiest way to Assess
your council dues is globally. Under Billing select Assess Members Accounts.
To assess annual dues, make sure First Quarter is highlighted.
(Windows) The easiest way to Assess your council dues is globally.
Under Procedures select Process Member Dues. To assess annual dues, make sure First
Quarter is selected. Please check the Billing Your Members link for
more information regarding this process.
- Tip 9: (MS-DOS) The easiest way to enter
payments to the members ledger screen is by Enter Member Receipts under Billing.
First you must Create New Batch File (makes a list of all the members who owe money), then
Edit Payments (allows you to enter the payment), once you have entered the payment, you
must Post Payment. This will add the payment to the member's ledger screen. If
you then run a Funds Transfer Report, the Member Receipts will be added to the Council
Transaction Screen.
(Windows) The easiest way to enter
payments to the members ledger screen is by Enter Member Receipts under Procedures.
First you must Create New Batch File (makes a list of all the members who owe money), then
enter the amount of the payment, once you have entered the payment, you must Post Payments
and Apply Payments. This will add the payment to the member's ledger screen.
Next you must Process Council Receipts under Procedures. This gives a batch number
to the entered payments and add it to the Council Transactions Screen. Last run a
Funds Transfer Report.
- Tip 10: If you are trying to print bills
and nothing is printed, make sure that all of your members are set at 1st Notice (Ledger
Screen), you have assessed dues, and you are printing Bills.
- Tip 11: How to Bill on the MS-DOS program.
First you need to go under Council and Council Setup. Here you will set the
correct dues for your membership. DO NOT add any new Regular, Honorary, Honorary
Life, Disabled, Disabled Honorary classes. Go to that class and change the dues
information, then click update for each class you change. Next change the Current
Billing quarter to the Fourth, then click OK.
Go to Billing, then Assess Dues, click First Quarter. Check the date and make sure
that the date is the correct for the beginning of the first quarter (01/01/00 or
07/01/00). Click OK.
Your dues have been assessed for the next year.
For how to bill in FSPC for Windows, please check Billing Your Members