Meet Flex-Man, the PowerShift Superhero
PowerShift’s flexibility isn't just a feature—it’s a superpower that enables you to work smarter, faster, and more efficiently. In the article below, Flex-Man shares a few simple tips and tricks that can speed up everyday tasks.
Put Most-Used Apps on Every Menu
You’ll find the Favorites button in the upper-right corner of every PowerShift menu—and below a window with the programs and reports you use most often. Just double-click any app in the Favorites window to launch it instantly!
To update the list, click Favorites. Click Add and select the app you want to see in the Favorites window. When you exit favorites setup, the app will be listed. For more info, click Favorites then press F1 or enter ?MENUFAV at the menu prompt.
Limit the Amount of Data Displayed
You don’t always need to see all transactions. Narrowing an inquiry to a smaller slice of data can make results load faster and highlight what matters most. Report and inquiry options control what data you see and how it’s presented. Selection options narrow the scope so only the data you need is returned.
To review recent activity, use a negative "from" date in your selection options. In history inquiries like MHI and LHI, you can limit results to the past year by setting the "from" transaction date to -365 and the "to" date to T (today); in the GL Transaction Inquiry (GTI), it might make sense to save options that show only the last 30 days of entries (i.e., from -30 to T). And when you need a different timeframe, just click Prog opts to adjust it. Date shortcuts are a powerful time-saver, especially when saved as Selection options.
Save Multiple Options for Reports & Inquiries
Stop re-keying different options every time you run a report!
If you need to view something like the customer backlog sorted in different ways—item number, customer, expected ship date—click the Reports button near the lower right corner of PowerShift menus. Save different sets of options for the same report or inquiry, giving each a different title. Launch whichever version you need by double-clicking the title. For more info, click Reports then press F1 or enter ?RPTMNU at the menu prompt.
Re-Order Columns & Re-Sort List Box Displays
Customize displays—like Lookup screens and inquiry results—that list data into rows and columns:
- Drag, drop and re-size columns to arrange data
- Move commonly used columns into the viewable area
- Re-sort displayed data by clicking the column heading
Check out List Box Secrets Revealed for lots more info about ways to customize and navigate list box displays.
PowerShift's countless options and reports, coupled with powerful tools like Report Generator, QICLOOK and SQL/ODBC, can get you information quickly—and its job scheduler can automate execution and delivery. Questions? Contact helpdesk. We're here to help!
