There is detection in the software for unusual jumps in the radii. This is to identify that the stylus has possibly hit an obstacle. It can be that some frame styles o indeed have a legitimate jump because that is how the frame has been designed.
VCADevice has been updated to have a tick box where the race can be marked as 'approved' and then the trace can be processed in Annapurna.
There is a restriction on materials that can be used with Rimless frames. An equivalent has been set for Supra / Grooved frames.
It is possible to define glazing cells, a cell is blocker / edger combination. It is also possible to set rules to indicate which cell is preferred for certain orders, for example based on the lens material or the frame type.
Such a case, may be to direct Polycarbonate lenses to a particular cell or rimless frames.
There is setting to turn on this feature. Glazing cells may be set in order entry or view job which is also where the rules for the cells are defined.
There is now a means to process a set of test orders to confirm that a software update or a data update works in the anticipated way.
More information is here:Testing Procedure
There has been for a long time the means to prevent certain indexes being used for rimless lenses.
A similar feature now exists for Supra / Grooved frames.
In the settings:
Job Entry / Checks / Materials not allowed with Supra/Grooved frames
, you need to enter the combination of the Organic/Mineral flag and the refractive index as set in the lenses csv files.
For example O1498.
Multiple entries are separated with a : eg O1498:O1500
In Annapurna, the drafts option has been extended to have a review tab. This is for the cases when an order cannot be placed but the customer service team need to pass it over for technical review n potential options.
This then leps the list of orders in drafts as the orders that the customer services team need to manage.
Orders in the review area can be passed for order entry directly by clicking on the order line.
Report1 , Report 19 and View Orders now have a postal area filter. If enter for example, GL, then the report will be filtered to only show the records where the customer has a postal code that starts with GL.
There is now the ability in Annapurna to set cost prices by supplier. This is applied when lenses are received and is for the times when lenses are ordered in when out of stock or similar.
More information is here:
https://www.hawkstonedesign.co.uk/documentation/Differentcostpricesbysupplier.pdf
This now shows the operator and also whether the calculation was in preview mode(no click fee) on freeform engines.
Annapurna can now route orders that have a trace file connected to the order to a different supplier in the source rules.
In the Source rules excel sheet, please set the title on column J to "with trace" and the row for the lens enter the supplier code. If it is a private community supplier then include the trailing *.
The supplier configuration determines whether the lenses can be ordered as remote edged or as an uncut.
The reference field in View Orders can be used in two special ways for searching.
If the reference entered is surrounded by " , for example, "Varilux" then Annapurna will only show orders with Varilux in the order data.
If the reference entered is surrounded by ', for example, 'Edged' then Annapurna will only show orders with Edged in the order comments.
The grey cirle can also be used to search for orders with certain attributes. The attributes are set on an order to indicate that the order has a certain feature for example, it has been rejected.
It is possible to enter an order into Annapurna that does not take stock from local inventory but instead can be directed to a lens supplier.
In settings: /Inventory tick "Allow Direct Purchase". If this requirement is an occasional need then it may be better to set this on demand so that this in not accidentally set when not needed.
When an order is entered then at the bottom of the wholesale area there is a tick box 'Deduct Stock'. This needs to be un-ticked for this order.
When the order has been placed, go to Lens Inventory and the reorder tab. In the top right, there is a red baggage con. Click that and you will be asked for a job number. Enter the job number and the lenses on the order that are linked to the selected supplier will be added into the proposed purchase order. Click on "Create PO" to transfer the proposed purchase order into a purchase order which is then sent via the normal method.
It is now possible to process these orders directly from the view orders screen rather than via the drafts or wait screens.
This is useful if the customer rings up to discuss their orders.
It is now possible to specify that the automatic EDI process excludes certain lenses.
Click on the pencil icon to go into the configuration.
Tick the box for exclude certain lenses and click on the button beside that appears when ticked.
This will open a text file where either a lens code or a phrase in the description, material, colour or design can be entered.
When a lens supplier offers an express delivery service then the following steps should be taken to ensure that this is charged for and sent to the supplier. Writing 'Express' in comments will not do.
Create an extra charge for Express Delivery
Tell Annapurna that this is the Express Delivery Charge
this is in Settings / Pricing / Postage / Express Delivery Charge Code
Place an order with the Express Delivery charge - this sets an attribute on the order.
When the order is sent from the Order Grabber, the Express Delivery attribute is passed to Solenzara which will apply the request according to the site.
It is also possible to use the Express delivery attribute to filter searches in View Orders.
Unlocking of the jobs in Annapurna is now restricted to users that are set as administration or data users or have been given this right in the user configuration.
There is an option in the software to update the ranges on the local PC to make a PDF of the ranges. It is also possible to select multiple lenses to make PDFs
The source rules that are used for deciding which lens supplier to use have been updated to consider the frame family when the order is for supply lens and frame.
The entry in the source rules is as FAMILY:frame family.
It is now possible to sell a frame under different branding but to have the inventory assigned to a common code.
There needs to be a file called AltInven.csv in the master data folder. When the latest data is deployed then this is copied to the files folder.
The format of this file is 3 columns:
Column A - F for Frame.
Column B- selling code for the frame model.
Column C - inventory code for the frame model.
For example
F,Pepsi 123,Boring66
This will map any sales of frame model Pepsi 123 to deduct stock of Boring66.
When processing orders, it can be useful to have a means to select an alternative lens if the chosen lens is not possible. For example, it a finished lens is chosen but the powers are outside the finished range. Sometimes there is a cascade of alternatives; Lab stocked finished, Bought in finished for an extended range, and finally a prescription order.
This can be achieved in Annapurna by using a file called Altlensloop.txt in the files folder.
If this file is present then there is a ‘nucleus’/orbit image in the right hand lens selection area. If this is clicked then the next in the alternatives is shown, so allowing the operator to move down, trying alternatives until the order is accepted.
If automatic processing of orders is enabled then the Use Alternative on the EDI processing (top right) needs to be ticked and then the alternatives will be applied in turn. Each pass will move to the next in the alternative list and the current status will be shown in the comments. So an order could have a comment of “Outside Finished Range[ALT1]” where the [ALT1] indicates that this was the result on the first pass. On the next pass, the second choice in the cascade will be tried and so until a match is reached or there are no more alternatives. There is a maximum of 6 alternatives in the cascade.
The format of the Altlenslook.txt is a text file of name value pairs. A line will be like this
Startcode=Choice1:Choice2:Choice3
Up to 6 choices can be set. A choice can be stated in the form as Lens or Lens+Coat or Lens+Coat+Tint. If the wish is for Lens and tint without a coat then set this as Lens+None+Tint.
Annapurna now has a means of using pre-tinted lenses when an order is received for a lens and a tint.
It has been designed so as to be used for more than just pre-tints.
There is a new CSV file in the master data folder called Pretint csv
Column A Lens code sold
Column B Coat code sold
Column C Tint code sold.
Column D: UV code sold
Column E: Action code;
Column F: Lens code to use
Column G: Coat code to use
Column H: Tint code to use
Column I: UV code to use
To convert a Lens code and a tint code sold to a combined code then
Column A is set to the lens code, Column C is set to the tint code.
Column B and D will be null to indicate no mapping is to take place.
Column F will be the code of the combined lens and tint.
Column E Action code determines where the change is made.
F means that the lens is changed before pricing so the alternative lens is used for pricing and inventory.
O means that the lens is changed after the order has been placed but changed when ordering from the supplier.
By default, when a frame is supplied on an prescription order that is held in the Annapurna library then the frame inventory level is checked to see if there is sufficient to supply.
It is often the case that these frames are not held in stock but ordered in as the demand is raised. There are advantages to using a library frame rather than a generic frame where frames are often sold as a trace can be saved and other data such a drill holes, bevel and restrictions can be included in the frame record.
If the frame is in the library but no inventory is held then the frame status should be set to 'As Entered' which will tell Annapurna that this frame will be ordered in when a prescription order is placed.
When order processing is automated then the order comes in and is sent to the supplier within a short time. This does not allow time for the customer to ring up and amend the order. after sending the order.
If this is an issue with some customers then there is a new field in the customer record called PO Delay.on the group tab. This specifies a time in minutes before the order is released to be added to the supplier queue for sending orders. The delay considers Monday to Friday, 9 to 5 working hours.
There are some new filters to assist.
In the customer area, click on Chains. The customer search options have been expanded to allow for
Business Area.
Search by customers in a specified business area.
Care Group.
It is now possible to collect customers into a care group that is specific to the logged in user. The care group is useful if customer service operators work with particular customers and using this they can keep an eye on the orders for those customers. Customers can be in more than one care group.
To add or remove a customer from the care group click on the care group link.
Multiple Versions.
When a reject is recorded that requires lenses or the frame to be scrapped then a version number linked to the order is incremented. It is now possible to search for orders where there multiple versions created. The version number is placed before the tray so it is possible to sort by version, if so wished. A version code of 2R means a version is now 2 and the right lens was scrapped last time, 3L means it is version 3 and the left was scrapped last time.
Target Search.
The target search (archery target icon) shows ordes with target date of this day. It is now possible to refine this with selected attributes.
There is a document here to explain how to treatment combinations such as a tint requires a UV filter can be set up.
The optical processing options in the customer record have been moved to a new screen tab. This is to allow even more options to b e added in the future.
There is a new module which will act as a bridge between RFID from Nordic and Annapurna.
This means that a RFID tag can be placed in a tray and when the tray is presented near the scanner then a message is sent which is picked up the new module. In turn, this is created into a tracking message as though the tray had been scanned by a barcode scanner. Different RFID bridges can be set to indicate different Annapurna status points.
It is now possible to run Annapurna and send OMA files over a VPN to a copy of VCADevice in an external location for edging.
From time to time, e are asked what tracing formats are supported. This summarises:
Format.
There are 3 formats that we support.
OMA/VCA - preferred
Nidek
Hoya
If it is a Nidek or a Hoya tracer then it is necessary to check if the tracer is set to the bespoke format.
OM/VCA format is preferred as that is the format that is used to transfer trace data to other systems so the Nidek and Hoya formats are converted. It is better to get the data in this format to avoid any risk of potential data loss in the conversion.
Communication.
Serial
Ethernet
USB Driver
Serial
This can be either a serial cable or more likely a serial to USB convertor at the PC end. Both of these
Ethernet.
This is a connection over the LAN. There are two methods, where the tracer is the 'server/host' or the PC is. Which depends on the tracer manufacturer.
USB.
This requires a USB driver to be installed. Currently there is only a Hoya driver provided.
The default is OMA/VCA over Serial communication.
There is an additional CSV file that can be used to set options requirements for the SF6 catalogue. On the SLZLang / SF6 tab there is a new link SF6 Option Details. This is in version 2.70.
If this is clicked then a CSV file is opened with various columns for the information that SF6 require. Earlier versions made an educated guess on the values based on the treatment type and description.
There have been a number of incidents recently where problems have been reported with the database such as MySQL gone away. Investigation has linked these to when the PC goes to sleep and this causing a disconnection to the server which in turn causes the database to disconnect the PC.
This seems prevalent among laptop users taking their devices off to meeting rooms for video calls and resuming Annapurna session straight afterwards. If this is relevant then please review the PC sleep settings and/or restart Annapurna after returning.
This documentation describes how it is possible to allow a combination of lens and treatment to be converted to a lens that has the treatment included. An example is an order for a lens with a sunglass tint that is converted to a pre-tinted lens code.
The data is maintained in a CSV file. The CSV file is accessible from Data / Lens Data. In the bottom right there is a “More…”. Click on this and then click on “Pre-tint Conversion CSV”. The CSV file will then opened.
The combination is based on lens and the treatments. If a treatment such as coating, tint or UV is not be considered then it is left blank in the CSV file.
The conversion csv file is deployed when the lens data is deployed.
