Abacre Restaurant Point of Sale version 3.1
Copyright © 2008 Abacre Limited
All Rights Reserved
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Abacre Restaurant Point of Sale is a new generation of restaurant 
management software for Windows. It represents complete solution 
starting from taking orders from clients and ending with billing and 
tax reports. User interface is carefully optimized for high speed 
entering of client orders and preventing mistakes from waiters. For 
managers it represents rich set of reports that shows whole picture 
about restaurant operations and life cycles: menus consumption, 
frequency of reservations, hours of high restaurant load, busiest 
tables, most active employees, payment methods, and automatic 
tax calculations. It's specially designed for using on multiple computers 
and it has reliable security authorization levels. Program can be setup
for any currencies: USD, Euro and with possibility to collect custom 
tax and tips rates or no tax/tips at all. Payments can be made in cash, 
credit cards or checks. Layouts of bills any can be customized. The 
software radically improves serving speed by standardizing whole 
restaurant management process. It's easy to install and start to use. 
Very affordable pricing allows this software to spread not only in 
large chains, but also in small family-based restaurants or fast foods.

Requirements
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Program works under Windows 95/98/NT/2000/XP/2003/Vista.
Microsoft ADO (MDAC) components are required. They maybe freely downloaded 
from Microsoft.com web site.

Installation instructions
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Installation instructions for the latest version:
If you are first time user simply run setup.exe file.

If you want to upgrade your existing software follow to the steps:
1. Install the software using setup.exe file and copy all *.mdb and *.cfg
files located in old installation folder into new folder where the
program will be installed. By default the folder is:
C:\Program Files\Abacre Restaurant Point of Sale 2
2. Start the program.
3. On Login window press More button and setup correct location of your
database file. By default it should be simply arpos-test.mdb or
arpos.mdb (depending which databased you previously used).
4. Press OK button.
5. ARPOS will ask you to upgrade database structure. Press OK.
6. The program will be ready for use.

Note: you may upgrade your database file but you cannot downgrade it.
It means that you cannot use new database files in old version of the
program (v1.x)


These instructions are only for users of version prior to 1.9.6.
Since v1.9.6 we changed product's name from
          Abacre Restaurant Point of Sales
into
          Abacre Restaurant Point of Sale
Therefore installation folders will be different for v1.9.6 and earlier
versions. Please follow the steps:

1. Go to directory where ARPOS is installed. By default it's:
      C:\Program Files\Abacre Restaurant Point of Sales
2. Backup the following files:
      * arpos.mdb
      * arpos-test.mdb
      * default.cfg
      * billtemp.cfg
      * backup all others *.mdb files.
Note: If you don't backup these files they will be removed on step #3.
3. In Windows go to "Control Panel" - "Add/Remove Programs" and remove
Abacre Restaurant Point of Sales from your computer.
4. Download version v1.9.6 from the following location:
      http://www.abacre.com/download/arpos.zip
5. Install version v1.9.6
by default it will install into the following folder:
      C:\Program Files\Abacre Restaurant Point of Sale 1
6. Copy all files from step #2 into new installation folder
(mentioned in step #5).
7. Start ARPOS. It should work now with your DB files.
If you are registered user go to main menu - Help - Register and
copy/paste there registration key you received from our purchase. Then
restart ARPOS. It should be registered now.
If you forgot your registration key you can always get it from:
      http://www.abacre.com/support/

		If you are experiencing problems with printing bills in this version
go to main menu - Configuration - Bill Configuration - Parameters and
check "Use alternative printing module" option.

In this version we migrated from using EPSON OPOS drivers to using
standard OPOS drivers provided by MCS (http://monroecs.com/).
Since now ARPOS may work with POS devises from all manufacturers.
You need to simply download and install latest version of CCO OPOS
drivers: http://monroecs.com/oposccos_current.htm
Direct download link: http://www.monroecs.com/files/OposCCOs-1_9_000.exe
Then you should install OPOS drivers from hardware manufacturer, for
example, EPSON, IBM, Samsung or any others.
Resume: if you already use ARPOS and you have installed OPOS drivers
of you manufacturer you don't need to change any settings in ARPOS.
Simply download and install CCO OPOS drivers from this location:
http://www.monroecs.com/files/OposCCOs-1_9_000.exe

What's new
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ARPOS 3.1
* Feature: new option "Show Choose Item Quantity" located in menu
Configuration - Preferences - Order - Order Details tab.
Check this option if you want to do specify quantity of item when
adding it to an order.
* Feature: Automatic order number reset and following. Now if you
delete all orders from the database then new order will be started
with order number 1. Although if you remove last order from database
then for new order will be used order number of previous order + 1. In
other words order numbers will follow in line without interruption.

ARPOS 3.0
* Feature: for better Microsoft Vista compliance database and
configuration files are located now in the following folder:
My Documents\Abacre Restaurant Point of Sale 3\
Backup files are located now in the subfolder:
My Documents\Abacre Restaurant Point of Sale 3\Backup\
* Feature: Login using Employee Swipe Card.
* Feature: Login using Employee Barcode Card.
* Feature: on Menu Items window located in menu Configuration now it's
possible to scan barcode of an item and it will be automatically
entered into Barcode field for selected item.
* Feature: on tables plan busy tables have red color and free tables
have green color now.
* Feature: automatic resizing of icons for items and categories. Just
press Load button, select icon's file and ARPOS will resize it into
standard-size icon.
* Feature: in addition to BMP files for icons it's possible to use now
JPG, JPEG, ICO, WMF, EMF file types.
* Feature: automatic reset of order number upon deleting of all
orders.
* Feature: added currency denominations for Malaysia, Philippines and
Indonesia.
* Bug fixed: virtual keyboard (for touch screen) did not work for Delivery
Address field on Order window and for all fields of Clients window.
* Bug fixed: error message was shown when adding ingredients to just
created menu item.

ARPOS v2.7
* Feature: added additional verifications on actions with workers. Now
when you uncheck Is Admin option or delete worker from database ARPOS
verifies if this is the last administrator in database.
* Feature: improved database upgrade mechanism.
* Feature: captions from inventory and purchasing were added into
language file English.lng.

ARPOS v2.6.3
* Bug fixed: error message was shown when For All Dates period was selected.

ARPOS v2.6.2
* Feature: new option: Print Z-Out report on Bill Printer having the
following values: Ask, Yes, No.
* Feature: Z-Out reports were automatically printed after pressing
Print button on preview window. Now pressing Print button will show
printer selection dialog.
* Bug fixed: error message after pressing Log Off button when option
"Automatically Clock Out after Log Off" was checked.

ARPOS v2.6.1
* Bug fixed: cost of inventory was not correctly calculated for items
with ingredients when ingredient quantity was different from 1.
* Bug fixed: it was not possible to enter decimal separator comma (,)
into Discount field on Order window.
* Bug fixed: error message was shown when "Automatically Clock In on
Log On" options was checked.

ARPOS v2.6
* Feature: possibility to lookup logical device (LND) name for
printer, cash drawer, pole and bar code reader. LDNs are shown in drop
down lists now.
* Feature: new option: "Group the same items when adding item to
order".
* Feature: new option on Bill Configuration - Parameters: Show Time
Added. This option prints date and time when item was added to order.
* Feature: added new option: Show Item's Name for fiscal printers.
* Feature: added new option: Show Discounted Prices for fiscal
printers.
* Feature: if Show Menu Items is unchecked for fiscal printers it
prints all items as one item.
* Feature: added <subtotal> parameters for Bill Configuration.
* Feature: notes for items are shown now on Kitchen/Bar window.
* Feature: improved activation algorithm. Now you can automatically
reactivate software after HDD formatting.
* Bug fixed: <totalnet> parameter included taxes and tips for "Taxes
and Included" calculation method.
* Bug fixed: Print Notifications, Print Bill, Close Order and other
buttons were not visible for screen resolution 800x600.
* Bug fixed: it was possible to enter several items with the same code
or barcode into list of items.

ARPOS v2.5
* Feature: added support for SplFp fiscal printer.
* Feature: added new option: Show More button on Preferences - Take
Payment window.
* Feature: added new option: Print bills only for orders paid by cash
* Bug fixed: Some countries were missed in country list located on
Property Settings window.
* Bug fixed: Some states were misspelled in states list located on
Property Settings window.

ARPOS v2.4.1
* Bug fixed: sometimes workstation name was not assigned for orders.
Therefore Z-Out (cash drawer reconciliation) was not possible in such
cases.

ARPOS v2.4
* [Pro] Feature: Price Schedule now also works with modifiers.
* Bug fixed: it was possible to type discount for an order using
virtual keyboard even if "Can manually type discount" option was
unchecked.
* Bug fixed: Price Schedule did not work correctly when adding new
items out of given time range.
* Bug fixed: sometimes wrong caption was shown on Purchase Order, 
Receiving Voucher or Return Voucher windows.

ARPOS v2.3.1
* Bug fixed: on hand quantity of item was set to zero when item had
zero cost.
* Bug fixed: Cash Drawer Reconciliation did not work when there was
no countable media (cash, checks etc).
* Bug fixed: Cash Drawer Reconciliation did not work when Till's
Location was set to server's change aprons and when server did not use
Enter Begin Cash command.

ARPOS v2.3
* [Pro] Feature: Price Schedule for items. Now it's possible to specify
prices in advance, setup prices for given hours or days of week.
http://www.abacre.com/restaurantpos/manual/priceschedule.htm
* [Std, Pro] Feature: Barcode Reader (bar code scanner) maybe now used
to scan items for an order. Read more:
http://www.abacre.com/restaurantpos/manual/barcodereader.htm
* Feature: added to option Till's Location. The possible choices:
Workstation's Cash Drawer or Server's Change Apron. Therefore complete
Z-Out and End of Day procedures may work now for restaurants where
servers keep cash and other media in change aprons instead of common
cash drawer.
* Feature: Total tips are shown for each payment method (media) on
Z-Out reports.
* Feature: new option in Preferences: Show List Of Orders. This option
will print list of orders on Z-Out Cash Drawer or Z-Out Restaurant
Close report. The option is now used for manual tips calculation.
* Feature: Delete Orders button located on Orders window.
* Feature: added new parameters for Bill Configuration template:
<orderdateclosed> and <ordertimeclosed>. These parameters show moment
of time when order was closed.
* Feature: default decimal separator (dot or comma) is now used for
virtual keyboard.
* Bug fixed: Update button did not work properly on Physical Inventory
window.

ARPOS v2.2.1
* Bug fixed: after Print Bill sometimes bill was saved with incorrect
totals (modifiers were not included into bill).
* Bug fixed: after Print Bill it was not possible to add modifiers to
a new item.
* Bug fixed: item price was not properly formatted on list of
available menu items located on Order window.
* Bug fixed: Error message was shown "Cannot convert Null to Boolean"
 on Menu Items window during adding new menu items.

ARPOS v2.2
* Feature: inventory module with Weighted Average, LIFO and FIFO
calculation methods.
* Feature: purchasing module supporting the following purchasing
documents: Purchase Order, Receive Voucher, Return Voucher.
* Feature: Email Sender to send customized emails to your clients,
vendors or workers.
* Feature: new Profit Margin reports: Profit Margin by Items, Profit
Margin by Menu Categories, Profit Margin by Modifiers, Profit Margin
by Modifier Categories.
* Feature: improved speed of creation new order on Order window.
* Feature: added Email field for Workers.
* Bug fixed: error message was shown if first name or last name were
not specified for client on Clients window.

ARPOS v2.1.4
* Bug fixed: various issues concerning currency format with comma (,)
as decimal separator used in most European countries.

ARPOS v2.1.3
* Feature: added media counts formats for Australia.
* Feature: new option "Print Notifications after Print Bill" located
on Preferences - Order.
* Feature: added new parameters for Bill Configuration template:
<orderdate> and <ordertime>
* Bug fixed: virtual keyboard did not popup on Orders and Clients
windows.

ARPOS v2.1.2
* Feature: added Tips Exemption Limit parameter on Property Settings -
Taxes and Tips window.
* Bug fixed: NetBios error was shown during activation process on
some Windows 98 workstations.
* Bug fixed: Exemption Limits were not verified for taxes.
* Bug fixed: vertical line was shown after clicking on columns in different grids.
* Bug fixed: it was possible to delete menu items by Delete button
when user did not have such privileges.

ARPOS v2.1.1
* Feature: added media counts formats for currencies of the following
countries: Kuwait, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, United Kingdom.
* Feature: login name is displayed now in Status bar for person who is
currently logged in.
* Bug fixed: Media Count was shown in wrong position.
* Bug fixed: Take Payment windows could not be closed for currency
other than 0.00

ARPOS v2.1
* Feature: possibility to manually enter tips amount. See main menu -
Configuration - Property Settings - Tips Calculation Method. New
"Tips" option will be available on Take Payment window (on Close Order
button). Read more:
http://www.abacre.com/restaurantpos/manual/tipsconfig.htm
* Feature: new report: Sales by Hostess Details.
* Feature: new button  on Order window: Remove Modifier.
* Feature: Import buttons for Workers and Clients windows. Now it's possible to
select list of columns for import.
* Feature: new option located in Bill Configuration - Parameters:
"Show Price" to print item's price on a bill.
* Feature: new option located in Configuration - Order:
"Window to show after Close Order"
* Feature: new parameter for bill’s template: <clientnote>
* Feature: new parameter for bill’s template: <itemscount>
* Feature: Help - Deactivate command is visible only for administrators.
* Feature: Height of Item Categories on Order window is saved now into
configuration file.
* Feature: First Name field on Client window may be empty now (it will
accept empty values).
* Bug fixed: Tables Plan window was called slower each time.
* Bug fixed: "Choose for Order button" did not work on Clients window when 
"New Order button always create new order" option was checked.
* Bug fixed: Choose Modifier window has been disappeared when adding
an item by code.
* Bug fixed: "invalid floating point" error was produced for "Sales by menu item",
"Sales by categories" and "Journal" reports for orders having zero subtotals.
* Bug fixed: Inaccessible items were displayed on Order window.
* Bug fixed: Conversion error was shown for menu items without specified prices.
* Bug fixed: Make Log Off after Close Order option was not saved.
* Bug fixed: Error "No value given for one or more required parameters" was
displayed on some computers on Order window.

ARPOS v2.0
* Feature: End of Day and Reconcile Cash drawer commands. X/Z-out
reports.
* Feature: new reports: Z-Out Cash Drawer and Z-Out Restaurant Close.
* Feature: possibility to daily backup database in End of Day
procedure.
* Feature: new gradient interface.
* Feature: possibility to use ARPOS in quick service mode. Go to main
menu – Configuration – Preferences and uncheck Use Tables option.
* Feature: possibility to search for orders on Orders window.
* Feature: possibility to filter orders by date and status (open,
closed etc) on Orders window.
* Feature: new columns on Orders window: Cashier, Waitress and
Workstation.
* Feature: report list is shown now as a tree.
* Feature: preferences are presented as a tree.
* Feature: new tab of options Item Buttons in main menu –
Configuration – Preferences – Order. It's possible to control many
aspects like: Show Remove Item button; Only admins can use Remove Item
button.
* Feature: virtual keyboard for chars.
* Feature: new view style on Order window: Buttons
* Feature: columns widths can be saved now for all windows.
* Feature: new button Change Price on Order window.
* Feature: new button Refund Item on Order window.
* Feature: new button Note on Order window. Now for each item in an
order it’s possible to assign a note and print this note to kitchen.
* Feature: configuration file is now encrypted.
* Feature: data base is now protected with password.
* Feature: new job role: Cashier. Go to main menu – Configuration –
Workers and setup Is Cashier option for each cashier.
* Bug fixed: View - Toolbar - Header did not work.
* Bug fixed: Sales by hostess report did not include modifiers and showed zero
totals for items with zero price.

ARPOS v1.9.6
* Feature: Possibility to accept multiple payment methods on Take Payment window
by pressing More button. Please add <payment> parameter into bill
template.
* Feature: using standard OPOS drivers
* Feature: new option: "Ask for price" on Menu Items window. Use this
option for menu items not having fixed price.
* Feature: new option: Print Bill after Close Order.
* Feature: possibility to print cash paid and change. (Add <payment> parameter 
 into Bill Template)
* Feature: FTP upload of daily sales report. 
* Feature: Search by phone, mobile, fax and company name on Clients window.
* Feature: Added Recipe field for Menu Items (also visible in Kitchen View).
* Feature: Added Waitress field on Kitchen View.
* Feature: new option: Only admins can Close Order.
* Feature: Cancel Order button on Order window renamed into Delete Order.
	Now you may hide or show this button in main menu - Configuration -
	Preferences - Orders: "Show Delete Order button" and "Only admins can
	delete order" options. So: Delete Order button on Order window
	do the same job as Delete Order button on Orders window.
* Feature: New parameter: Use alternative printing module.
* Bug fixed: Corrected various issues on displaying waitress name on Order window.
* Bug fixed: Corrected money rounding on Take Payment window for Total and
Paid field. For example, 25.60 is displayed now instead of 25.6
* Bug fixed: Cut bill was used only after printing ALL copies.
* Bug fixed: Corrected issue with "Sales by client" report.
* Bug fixed: Corrected issue with "Sales by hostess" report.
* Bug fixed: Reports displayed currency without using currency format from Property
Settings window.
* Bug fixed: "Taxes are included" option did not calculate taxes
correctly. Please verify your settings for taxes in Property Settings
window.
* Bug fixed: error message appeared in Configuration - Modifiers
on creation of new modifiers.
* Bug fixed: error message appeared in Divide Order window.
* Bug fixed: in reports: Between condition did not work in some cases.

ARPOS v1.9.5
* Feature: New main view: Kitchen/Bar. Now cookers can monitor incoming menu
items and mask the items as cooked when ready.
* Feature: Possibility to print order number in a bill using orderno parameter.
* Feature: Added Order Number column to Orders window.
* Feature: Added new report: Sales by client
* Feature: Added new button: Import Items allowing importing of menu items from
  files.
* Feature: Log Off button has been added on the main window.
* Feature: Added new option in main menu Preferences - Orders - Worker can see
only own orders.
* Feature: New option in Preferences - Order - Make Log Off after Close Order.
* Feature: Notification printers maybe customized now: it's possible to define
template, number of copies, "print only new items" and other options.
* Feature: New option: "Use individual tips from workers list" gives a
possibility to define individual tips rates for each server.
* Feature: New option: "Tips are taxable" on "Tips and Taxes" page.

ARPOS v1.9
* Feature: Possibility to specify 4 taxes for menu items (used, for example, 
 in Toronto). See main menu - Configuration - Property Settings - Taxes and Tips.
* Feature: New window: Clients. Now it's possible to assign a client for an
order.
* Feature: Possibility to choose discount from list of discounts.
* Feature: New option: Show Discount Field.
* Feature: New option: Show Choose Discount button.
* Feature: New option: Can manually type discount.
* Feature: New option: Hide main menu for non admin workers.
* Feature: improved control in Take Payment window.
* Bug fixed: Choose Modifier window did not show modifiers when an
item was added to new order.
* Bug fixed: exception was shown when clicking outside categories.

ARPOS v1.8
* Feature: Possibility to save/export reports into Word, Excel, PDF and text
files.
* Feature: Possibility to choose tables by using "Tables Plan". See small button
right to "table code" field in Order window. In order to arrange
tables use main menu - Configuration - Tables Plan and drag-n-drop
tables into needed positions.
* Feature: Possibility to display icons for categories in Order window like it
was done for Available Menu Items. Please go to main menu -
Configuration - Item Categories and load icons for each categories.
Then in Order window you may change Views for categories into Icons.
* Feature: New report: Sales by categories.
* Feature: New parameter: State/Province tax.
* Feature: Added Divide Order into equals parts action. Read more:
http://www.abacre.com/restaurantpos/manual/actdivideorder.htm
* Feature: Possibility to sort items by any column in main menu - Configuration -
Menu Items. Just click on column header to sort.
* Feature: new parameters: Auto Cut Bill and Cutting Rate.
* Feature: new parameter: Open Cash Drawer After/Before printing the bill. 
* Feature: Added code column to report Sales by Menu Items.
* Bug fixed: Error message appeared when all menu items were deleted.
* Bug fixed: Error message during removing menu item using -qty*code 
   formula.

ARPOS v1.7
* Feature: New action: Split order.
* Feature: New action: Possibility to use food modifiers.
* Feature: Enter count of items in Item Code field (for example, 3*106) 
   or by typing 1..9 key on Available menu items list or in bill list.
* Feature: new parameter: Sort menu items by name. 
* Feature: new parameter: Show Chart in reports. 
* Feature: new parameter: Number of Bill Copies. 
* Feature: Show Property Name in title of main window.
* Feature: Show Property Logo in tool bar of main window.
* Feature: Possibility to make discounts on order.
* Feature: new parameter in Bill Config: Calc Qty for Categories
* Bug fixed: Second correction: reports with period "This" were not 
  displayed correctly.
* Bug fixed: Quantity field was not correctly aligned in printed bill.
* Bug fixed: Corrected again the issue with "This Day" reports. If in this 
   version you have the problem with Close Order command please contact 
   support@abacre.com

ARPOS v1.6
* Feature: Support of serial and kitchen printers, poles and cash drivers.
* Feature: Possibility to send notifications about an order to several 
   printers, for example, kitchen, bar etc.
* Feature: Added menu item categories
* Feature: New command: transfer items to another table
* Feature: Added Currency Format field in Property Settings.
* Feature: Now any string chars may be used as table codes.
* Feature: Delete Order button in Orders window.
* Feature: Possibility to show only categories (without menu items) in 
   a bill (Window Preferences - "Show Menu Items" option).
* Feature: Possibility to log off.
* Feature: New option: "Show Quantity" in Bill Configuration window.
* Bug fixed: reports with period "This" were not displayed correctly.

Here are the details about installation of the new version:
1.      For very careful users: please make a copy of installation
        folder of old version of the program. By default it is:
        C:\Program Files\Abacre Restaurant Point of Sale. You may
        just put it into zip file. But keep also C:\Program
        Files\Abacre Restaurant Point of Sale with all files in it:
        installation file will update it.
2.      Download the new version from
        http://www.abacre.com/download/arpos.zip
3.      Start the installation file.
4.      Install the program.
5.      Start the program.
6.      Program will ask you to update DB structure. Press [Yes]. This
        is obligatory step for running v1.6. We made a lot of changes
        so v1.6 works with some extended DB structure.
7.      This is the obligatory step: In v1.6 we created Menu Item
        Categories. So go to main menu - "Configuration" - "Menu Item
        Categories" you should add categories like: STARTERS, MAIN
        COURSES, DRINKS etc.
8.      This is the obligatory step: Then in main menu -
        "Configuration" - "Menu Items" - for each item you should
        specify to which category it belongs.
9.      That's all you may start working now. If you don't need
        printing of menu items categories in bills please switch it
        off in main menu - "Configuration" - "Bill Configuration" -
        "Advanced".

ARPOS v1.5
* Feature: selecting menu items by code.
* Feature: Support of multi-language user interface.
* Feature: Printing bills without using confirmation window.
* Feature: new Cancel order button.
* Feature: items table width is now resized dynamically.
* Feature: corrected align of text in a bill.
* Bug fixed: Report "menu items" now displays info about sales of items, 
   not orders.
* Bug fixed: Report "sales by payment method" now groups payment methods 
   correctly.
* Bug fixed: Corrected price formatting in bills.

ARPOS v1.0
 Official release.

Installation/Unistallation
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Create appropriate directory, for example, c:\ARPOS\, and unzip ARPOS.ZIP 
file. Then run SETUP.EXE program and follow to standard installation 
instructions. 

To uninstall Abacre Restaurant Point of Sale, Run Add/Remove Programs from Control 
Panel and choose ARPOS.

Purchasing information
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The registration fee is $299.99 US dollars or equivalent amount in EURO
for each workstation.
www.abacre.com/register.htm

Company's address
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http://www.abacre.com
e-mail: support@abacre.com
