Thank you for considering Tyler for your company's automation needs. Below are questions about your operation now, and into the future. From your response, we will be able to better assess your specific needs for applications and requirements for various components which will make up your Tyler System. The more accurate you are in your response, the more accurate we can be in forecasting your system needs.

If, during the process of completing this survey, you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call our Tyler account representative for clarification. We thank you in advance for the time you spend completing this System Requirement Survey.

All questions are in bold type. Instructions or helpful hints have been provided following each question to assist you in your response. Thank you.

Please Note!

Use your "Tab" key to advance from field to field.
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Company Profile
Company Name:
Company Address:
City:
State/Province: Zip/Postal:
Country:
Telephone Number:
E-mail Address:
Fax Number:
Owner/President's Name:
Respondents Name:
Title of Respondent:
Number of Storefronts:
Warehouses:
Service Departments:
Installation Departments:
Delivery Departments:
Total Employees - Company Wide:
Employees - Sales:
Employees - Office:
Employees - Warehouse:
Employees - Service Department:
Employees - Installation Department:
Employees - Delivery Department:
Current Sales Volume: Previous Year:
# of Sales Transactions per day:
Current Inventory Value: Previous Year:
Current Inventory Turns: Previous Year:
Current Gross Margin: Previous Year:
Do you hold accounts receivable? YES NO
Number of Accounts: Type:
Percentage over 60 days:
Number of Collectors:
Major Products Sold:
Existing Computer System:
Today's Date:

Section A - Relational Data Base Report Systems (RDBRS)

1. What do you forecast will be the number of specialized reports you will write and keep?

With this powerful tool, you can create any number of specific reports on the database, over and above those which come as part of the Tyler System. Typically, clients write and keep on average 30.

Section B - Inventory Control

1. How many unique inventory items (SKU's) do you have in your inventory profile?

Count 1 for each unique item, regardless of how many you have in stock.

2. Are you planning on using an Inventory Locator System? YES NO

If you answer no, skip to question 4 in this section. Locator is an electronic mapping system assigning inventory to a specific space in a warehouse.

3. Total number of pieces in inventory at all locations?

Total the number of inventory pieces that will be set up in the Locator System.

4. How many inventory locations do you have?

Include in this count storefronts, warehouses, and any other department which has inventory. Many companies also include service, installation, and office as inventory locations. Think of how you want to track and separate your inventory.

5. How many stores in your company?

This is a break down of the kind of inventory location. The number counted in this response along with the total from the response from question number 6 should total your response of question 4 above.

6. How many warehouses in your company?

Again, this is a breakdown of a type of location. The total from question 5 above and this total should equal your response to number 4 above.

7. If you take an average item contained in your inventory and tracked it from the time it arrives and is received, then transferred and finally sold, what percent of the total Inventory Locations for the company will it have passed through?

If you have two store fronts and one warehouse, and you receive all items in the warehouse, then transfer them to store front one, then finally to store front two and sold, your inventory item would have passed through 100% of your locations. Think about your operation and how inventory flows through it. Do most inventory items travel from store to store, or are they only received at the warehouse and transferred to a store and sold? Please provide an average. Most special order operations have inventory only pass through 10 to 15% of their total locations.

8. How many times per month do you transfer inventory from one location to another?

Include a truck traveling from a warehouse to a store, a store sending inventory to a different store location, etc…

9. On average, how many different inventory items (SKU's) are transferred on any given transfer?

Not the physical quantity, just the number of different items per transfer. A typical range is from 5 to 30 different items.

10. How many inventory adjustments per month does your company make?

Adjustments made to your inventory for theft, shrinkage, merchandise trade-ins, etc…

11. How many physical inventories do you take per year at your company?

Many companies take frequent "cycle counts" by brand or department, which equates to taking many completed inventories over the year.

12. Do you wish to track the history of all inventory price changes? YES NO

If you answered no, please skip to Section C, Size Matrix. The system has the ability to create a history file of all changes to price or description made to an inventory item in the Inventory Master File. This is useful for tracking price changes during a specified period of time.

13. What do you anticipate will be the number of selling price and cost changes per month for all inventory items?

Include in your calculation all selling price changes, cost, and spiffs. We need just an average number.

14. How many months would you like to keep live on the system this history of price changes?

Typical answer is 3 to 6 months.

Section C - Size Matrix

1. Do you have any Size Matrix inventory, such as clothes, shoes, etc…?
YES NO

If you answered no, please skip to Section D, Serial Number Tracking. Size Matrix items are those items which are functionally identical inventory items, that simply vary by size. An example is Model Number XYZ Nike Athletic shoe, sold in fifteen sizes.

2. How many different styles of Size Matrix SK's or Styles do you sell?

Please provide the number of styles, not the physical count of items.

3. What is the average number of sizes for the Size Matrix items you sell?

Section D - Serial Number Tracking (before the sale)


1. Do you wish to track and record the serial number of inventory items (SKU's) before they are sold by your company? YES NO

If you answer no, please skip to Section E, Future Price Change. This feature is normally used by companies who finance inventory and are required to track the serial number of each item they finance.

2. Of your entire inventory, how many different inventory items (SKU's) will you want to track the serial number on?

Total the number of Stock Keeping Units inventory item (SKU) that serial number tracking will be used.

3. What is the average quantity on hand of each different inventory item (SKU) that the serial number will be tracked?

The typical company will stock 2 to 4 of the same inventory item (SKU) model in inventory that they want to track the individual serial number on.

4. What is the average number of serial number tracked inventory items (SKU's) sold in one month company wide?

5. How many months would you like to keep on-line on you r system the history of transactions of serial number tracked inventory?

Most companies have found that one month's history on-line is sufficient. Serialized items sold to customers are also contained in the customer history file.

Section E - Future Price Change

1. Does your company plan on using the Future Price Change option? YES NO

If you answer no, please skip to Section F, Sales Transactions. The system has an option that allows you to enter price changes that will go into effect on a specific date. This feature is used for promotions and sales.

2. What do you anticipate will be the average number of price changes of inventory items (SKU's) pending at any one time in your system?

Another way to think about this is to look at a sale you run and how many items you put on sale. This will give you an idea of the average number of price changes you will have pending.

Section F - Sales Transactions


1. What is the average number of total sales transactions per day company wide?

Make sure to count all selling locations and to include all transaction types such as: sales, returns, lay-aways, trade-ins, delayed delivery, received on account, etc…

2. What is the average number of detail lines per transaction?

This is the average number of different inventory items or SKU's listed on each transaction.

3. How long do you want to keep transactions on-line?

The minimum is 7 days. Most companies usually like to keep transactions on-line for 6 months to 1 year.

4. Do you plan on using the commission reporting programs that are part of the system?
 YES NO

If you answer no, please skip question F7. You will be using the reporting programs if you pay your sales staff on commission and are planning on using the system's payroll system.

5. How many days are in your current payroll period?

If you pay your employees weekly, the answer would be 7, etc…

6. What is the percentage of your total inventory items (SKU's) that usually carry a spiff or special incentive on them?

For example, if you had an inventory of 100 different items, and 15 of them carried a spiff, then your answer would be 15%.

7. Will you use the option that allows you to make inquiries on sales transactions by the customer's telephone number? YES NO
Section G - Order Processing

1. Does your company process Delayed Delivery transactions? YES NO

If you answer no, please skip to Section H, Customer History. If your company sells layaways, special orders, or processes orders for products to be delivered or picked up at a later date, you will answer Yes to this question.

2. On average, how many Delayed Deliveries, Layaways, Special Orders, etc., does your company currently process per day?

3. What is the average number of detail lines per Delayed Delivery transaction (order)?

4. What percentage of detail lines on a Delayed Delivery transaction will require you to enter a detailed extended description of the item?

This is used mainly for special orders in the system. The system allows for entry of a 150 character description on the detail line instead of the normal 30 character line description.

5. What is the average number of days between the time your customer places the Delayed Delivery transaction (order) and the time you ship, deliver, or the customer picks up the merchandise?

6. Of all your Delayed Delivery transactions, company wide, what percent will have a different "Ship To" address than the customers "Bill To" address?

Our system allows you to capture a different address for shipping purposes versus the customers billing address.

7. Of all your Delayed Delivery transactions, company wide, what percent will require you to capture "Special Instructions" on the transaction (order)?

Our system has the ability to capture "Special Instructions" on any Delayed Delivery transaction. This allows you to capture special shipping or delivery instruction, like deliver after 4 PM, or go to side door to deliver, etc.

8. How many days would you like to keep information about shipped (delivered) orders on-line?

The system assumes 3 days. Most companies keep this information on-line for a period of 3 - 14 days.

9. Will you be printing Carrier Reports? YES NO

If you answer no, please skip to Section H, Customer History. If you contract with an outside delivery company, the system allows you to print out Carrier Reports which provides a summary of all deliveries made by a specific Carrier. If you use UPS, Motor Freight, or do your own delivery, you will have little interest in these reports.

10. Carrier Reports can be organized by zip code or product type. How do you envision organizing your reports?

11. How often will Carrier Reports be printed (in days)?

Section H - Customer History

1. Do you want to capture Customer History Information? YES NO

If you answer no, please skip to Section I, Direct Mail Option. The system allows for a file to be created that captures the history of each customer's transactions with your company. Included in this file is the customer's name, address, telephone number, and specifically selected purchases. Not all transactions are posted to this file. Only transactions with inventory items (SKU') that are coded in the Inventory Master file that have the "History Capture" option selected are posted. This allows you the ability to capture Customer History only on items of importance to you.

2. Approximately how many customers are listed in you current customer file or database?

The answer to this would equate to the total number of customer you would keep on-line in the Customer History file. The system allows you to periodically clear off older, non-active customers.

3. What is the average number of different items per customer in your current customer file or database?

Keep in mind, that for most companies, this number is relatively low, (1-5). Think only of items that you would want to capture in the History File. Typically, companies do not capture in the Customer History File inventory items (SKU's) which are valued under $50.00. As a result, this lowers the number for the response to this question.

Section I - Direct Mail Options

1. Do you want to have the ability to produce mailing labels for direct mail?
YES NO

If you answer no, please skip to Section J, Customer Service (Service Department Automation).

2. In general, haw many months is it between each of your direct mail mailings?

It is not necessary to hold mailing label files in our data storage for any length of time, because most companies make direct mail mailings only periodically. A typical answer is 3 to 4 months.

3. What is the percentage of all transactions that would need a full customer history, including the full address and zip code of the customer?

A typical answer to this question ranges from 20 to 100% depending on how reliant to direct mail a company is.

Section J - Customer Service (Service Department Automation)

1. Do you operate a Service/Repair Department in your company, and do you plan on automating it?
YES NO

2. Approximately how many different parts do you stock in your parts inventory?

The system has the ability to track all service/repair parts inventory separate from your companies regular selling inventory.

3. At any given time, what is the highest number of open, active work orders that are in process, or pending in your service department?

Think of how many techs you have in the department and the number of jobs still pending for each, waiting for parts, middle of repair, etc. Include in this total work orders that are actually finished but the customer has not picked up.

4. What is the average number of detail lines on your average work order (include parts and labor)?

5. What is the average number of total work orders, company wide, that are processed each month?

6. How many months does your company wish to keep detailed on-line information about completed work orders?

Most companies only keep information on-line for a couple of months. The work order information is also recorded in the Customer History File.

Section K - Sales Analysis

1. How any regions is your company divided into?

If you do not have any regional divisions in your company, your response should be 1 (the company itself). Regional reporting is used by companies where the product lines are substantially different in some stores versus others.

2. How many different departments do you categorize your inventory into?

The average varies between 10 to 25 depending on our type of retail business. An example of categorizing for a consumer electronics retailers would be as follows: Car audio, home audio, portable television, big screen television, etc…

3. How many different product types do you have within your inventory?

Product types are codes assigned to selected inventory items (SKU's) which are very similar, that can be used as a substitutable item(s) in the event the other item(s) is out of stock or no longer available. For example: Two bicycles are manufactured by two different vendors, yet they have similar features and are price point. One could be substituted on the selling floor for the other. They would be assigned the same Product Type code.

4. How many different brands does your company carry?

A typical response is 50 to 150.

5. What is the total number of sales people in your company?

6. Do you wish for our sales analysis reports to include "written sales" in addition to "delivered sales"?
YES NO

Our system normally produces all Sales Analysis on delivered sales. This means that all statistical information is captured only when transactions have been completed and delivered to the customer. In companies that do a substantial amount of Delayed Delivery orders, the need of knowing what sales performance on a "written" not delivered basis is important.

7. Do you prefer your sales analysis reports on 24 months history or 15 months?
24 15

Our system holds sales analysis information month by month for a period of 15 months. This is sufficient to provide reports comparing current month against the same month last year, or current quarter against the same quarter last year. The system has the ability to extend beyond 15 months to 24.

Section L - Payroll

1. Total number of employees to be issued payroll through the system?

Section M - Purchase Orders

1. What is the average number of total purchase orders your company writes each month?

2. What is the average number of detail lines on an average purchase order?

This is to say, how many different inventory items (SKU's) are listed on each purchase order? Please provide the average, not the maximum.

3. What is the average number of open purchase orders, company wide, at any given time?

Remember this is the average, not the maximum.

4. How many months do you want to keep history on purchase orders on-line?

Section N - General Ledger

1. What is the total number of profit/cost centers you will want in your general ledger?

Include all profit/cost centers, including your administration, service, delivery, etc…

Section O - Installment and Revolving Receivable Options

1. Do you have any Installment or Revolving accounts receivable? YES NO

If you answer no, please skip to Section P, Open and Balance Forward Accounts Receivable. Installment A/R operates like a car loan with fixed monthly payments. Revolving A/R operates like a charge card.

2. If you have Revolving accounts, how many active and inactive accounts do you have?

If you have no revolving accounts, please skip to question number 7 in this section.

3. On average, how many payments and new charges do you take per month on your Revolving accounts?

4. What percentage of our Revolving accounts do you want to keep on-line month by month historical information?

Our system allows you to select which accounts you want to capture historical information on.

5. Of the Revolving accounts that you want to capture historical information on, what percent do you wish to capture complete history details of every transaction?

6. How many months do you want to keep the complete history of Revolving A/R detail transactions on-line?

7. If you have Installment accounts, how many active accounts do you have?

8. How many new and "add-on" Installment A/R accounts do you have per month?

9. What is the average length term of your Installment accounts?

10. What percentage of either your Installment A/R or Revolving A/R accounts do you wish to keep a collections comments file on-line?

11. In a month's period of time, what is the maximum number of late charges that will be posted to either your Installment or Revolving A/R accounts?

Section P - Open Accounts Receivable

1. What is the total number of permanent open accounts that you have?

These are open accounts that are an on-going charge type. Exclude from this total any activity that would go through layaways or delayed delivery transactions. Typical open accounts are accounts for friends, family members, and even employee purchases.

2. What is the total number of Balance Forward accounts for your company?

These are pay by statement accounts, NOT by invoice.

3. What is the maximum number of charges to Open accounts in a month?

Exclude activity that goes through layaways or delayed transactions.

4. What is the maximum number of charges to Balance Forward accounts in a month?

5. What is the maximum number of late charges to be posted to both Open accounts and Balance Forward accounts in on month?

6. What is the maximum number of payments processed for both Open accounts and Balance Forward accounts in one month?

7. What is the average number of days before your receive a payment on your permanent accounts?

This is not asking for our normal terms, but the actual days before you receive a payment. For example: A company with net 30 days terms, normally receives the payment in 39 days, not on the 30th day. Therefore their average would be 39 days.

8. Of your Open accounts and Balance Forward accounts, what percent do you wish to capture month by month historical totals?

9. Of your Open accounts and Balance Forward accounts, what percent do you wish to capture complete historical details for every transaction?

10. How many months do you wish to hold on-line complete historical information on both Open accounts and Balance Forward accounts for every transaction?

Holding this information on-line will substantially increase the amount of data storage required for our system.
Section Q - General Ledger

1. What is the total number of vendors your company deals with?

Be sure to count not only merchandise vendors, but also include vendors such as your utility company, telephone, professionals, etc…

2. What is the maximum number of invoices, charge backs, credit memos, and sales transaction refunds you process in a month?

3. What is the average number of days between the invoice date and the date you paid the invoice?

4. How long would you like to keep on-line Accounts Payable history detail?

Most companies keep this information on-line for a period of 12- to 18 months so that they can reconstruct all purchases for the vendor's fiscal year.

5. What is the maximum number of Accounts Payable checks written in a month?

6. How many purchase orders with vendors have a different shipping address than the billing address?

This is where the mailing address for the payment is different than the address the purchase order was sent to.
Section R -Fixed assets

1. How many Fixed assets do you have in your company?
Section S - Rental Option


1. What is the total number of different inventory items (SKU's) that you have available for rent?

If you will not be using this option, you have now completed the survey. Please click the "Submit" buttom below.

2. What is the average number of rental assets?

If your company rents 10 unique inventory items (SKU's) and you have 10 of each item allocated to the Rental department, you have 100 Rental assets.

3. What is the average number of Rental contracts active in your company at any one time?

4. What percentage of your Rental contracts have a daily billing cycle?

These are your daily rentals.

5. What percent of your Rental contracts have a weekly billing cycle?

6. What percent of your Rental contracts have a monthly billing cycle?

7. How many of your locations process Rental contracts?