1 Topic by ITCynic (edited by ITCynic 06/07/2009 07:35:51 pm)

  • From: South Africa
  • Registered: 10/08/2008
  • Posts: 21

Topic: Not updating selling price

Hi everyone,

I have started to test/evaluate the latest version of FA and I must compliment the incredible work the developers are doing for this application.

I have noticed an anomaly that could create issues when selecting items for invoicing :-

This is what I discovered when doing a Direct Invoice in the demo.

When one selects an item (Item Description) from the drop down list the "Price" field is correctly populated with the price of that item.

If one chooses to enter the item code instead, the "Price" field is not updated and a strange behaviour is noticed.

For example :-
In the demo choose "Direct Invoice"

1.  Under item description choose "102 - 17" VGA Monitor" and take note of the price (10.00)

2. Now, on the same line item, enter "104" in the item code which should populate the item description with the product.
You will notice the selling price remains at 10.00 which is the price of item code "102"

3. On the same line, choose "104 -52x CD Drive" from the item decription drop down.
The selling price remains at 10.00 ie the correct info is not being passed for that code (104)

4. On the same line under item description choose "102 - 17" VGA Monitor" and take note of the price (10.00)

5. On the same line under item description choose "104 - 52x CD Drive" and take note of the price (34.00)

6. on the same line item, enter "102" in the item code which should populate the item description with the product.
You will notice the selling price remains at 34.00 which is the price for item code 104

We know the price of item "102" is 10.00 but the selling price is that of item "104" 34.00

So in essence if we have a user who enters a low value item via the item description the item will be displayed correctly. Now the user enters a code for a low value item in the "Item Code" field the description will be correct but the selling price will reflect the price from the previous low value item. This will allow the user to create an invoice with the correct line item description but the wrong selling price.

Users over time start remembering codes so this leaves the application vunerable for abuse.VERY DANGEROUS!

Somewhere on your code something is not updating.

Also maybe there should be a setting to prevent an item being sold below cost on a per-item basis.

I hope I have been able to explain this anomaly properly for the developers to replicate.

Regards

/Andre

ITCynic's Website

  • Registered: 12/25/2007
  • Posts: 2,448

Re: Not updating selling price

Well, frankly speaking I see no big problem here. Price is updated after change of selector, when the selector loses focus. It means that to enter erroneous data (wrong price) you have to intentionally omit list selector after item code change. I think it is mainly theoretical problem as experienced users (those knowing the item codes) prefer to use keyboard instead jumping with the mouse on whole screen. Last but not least we cannot say here about abuse vulnerability as invoice page (and all other) is for company staff access only, and not to be used by random bad people.

Nevertheless some warning when price entered by hand differs too much from those stored in system would be useful here. Just simply as protection against user mistake, not intentional abuse.

Janusz

3 Reply by ITCynic (edited by ITCynic 06/08/2009 08:31:48 am)

  • From: South Africa
  • Registered: 10/08/2008
  • Posts: 21

Re: Not updating selling price

Hi Janusz

I am not sure whether it is a loss of focus as ANY item code entered in the "Item Code" field does not update the selling price. 

As your post refers "experienced users (those knowing the item codes) prefer to use keyboard" I assume that all fields should update to the correct information. i.e. correct selling prices etc

All that updates is the item description. Check the on-line demo to see what I mean.

I love your comment "random bad people" ....................  smile Here in South Africa they are not so random.

/Andre

ITCynic's Website

  • Registered: 12/25/2007
  • Posts: 2,448

Re: Not updating selling price

Hi Andre,

ITCynic wrote:

I am not sure whether it is a loss of focus as ANY item code entered in the "Item Code" field does not update the selling price. 

As your post refers "experienced users (those knowing the item codes) prefer to use keyboard" I assume that all fields should update to the correct information. i.e. correct selling prices etc

Yes, and it is how list selector is designed  to work, to minimize number of database queries. In fact the units and price fields are updated right and once: just after selection of item to order/invoice from the list. Of course you are right - it is easy to skip price update, but this should not happen when data is entered in one of two natural ways:
. using mouse: selecting item from list
. using keyboard: entering item code and eventually selecting right item  from list, in natural sequence.

All operations you have described can be done, but I see no reason to pay with additional database queries to eliminate this. Once again: salesman can change the price as he wish, so there is no additional security risk with the potential price change "backdoor" you have described.

ITCynic wrote:

I love your comment "random bad people" ....................  smile Here in South Africa they are not so random.

Yes, this is truth all over the world, not only in SA. When writing our software we made some assumptions. One of those is that the company does not provide access to the application interface for peoples other than staff members. Do you have another policy in your company wink ?

Janusz

  • From: South Africa
  • Registered: 10/08/2008
  • Posts: 21

Re: Not updating selling price

Hi Janusz

I am really not understanding your reply. Somehow I think you are agreeing with me that prices are updating correctly but I am not experiencing this.

Please be so kind to look at the following screenshots if you dont mind.

http://zjunction.com/screenshot.61.jpeg

- In this I have selected items with the list selector under "Item Description" and items are populated with the correct selling prices as they should be.

http://zjunction.com/screenshot.60.jpeg

- In this I have entered the item directly into the "Item Code field" and then pressed the "Add Item" button, without overwriting any other fields displayed.

In each instance the price displayed is the price from the first item in the list selector and not the price of the actual item selected. It is as if the correct price has not been read from the database for the item entered.

Are you are saying this behaviour is correct ?

At present I have +/- 12,000 items in my current application and whether I enter the item codes directly or use a list selector, the correct price is always shown. In your application this is not so.

Would other forumites following this post please have a look at the screenshots as well and their comments would be welcome.

I am not sure over your statements in the last paragraph so lets ignore that for the time being.  hmm

Regards

/Andre

ITCynic's Website

  • Registered: 12/25/2007
  • Posts: 2,448

Re: Not updating selling price

Hello Andre

Ok. I accept your point that it is not correct behaviour. But in no way I can agree with following statement:

Users over time start remembering codes so this leaves the application vunerable for abuse.VERY DANGEROUS!

It is sensitive to nonstandard user operation which can result in entry errors, but not for abuse. Or my understanding of term 'abuse' differs from yours. Nevermind.

All I wanted to said is that this problem does not appear during natural using of the user interface. Last but not least if you have some thousand of items in inventory you should check 'Search Item List' option in company setup, and you have the problem solved.

As for now I have not enough resources to rewrite complex combo related code, to fulfill your requirements. If you think this is really important issue please report it  on our mantis bugtracker  for later consideration.

Janusz

  • From: South Africa
  • Registered: 10/08/2008
  • Posts: 21

Re: Not updating selling price

Hi Janusz

Thanks for the reply. Much appreciated!

I enabled  'Search Item List' as suggested, while using your on-line demo, and it works perfectly as anticipated.
Fantastic ! Thanks for pointing that feature out to me. smile

I fully understand that you & Joe have done an exceptional job with limited resources and I look forward to further revisions as each revision just seems to get better and better !

I feel this issue is not really a bug, more an anomaly and you have shown me a work-around so I can continue evaluating this great package.

However, it would be nice if you would consider a solution for inclusion in future revisions/releases, maybe blocking the item code field from entry unless the "Search Item List" is enabled.

Keep up the good work !

Regards

/Andre

ITCynic's Website

  • Registered: 12/25/2007
  • Posts: 2,448

Re: Not updating selling price

Thanks, Andre. I hope you will be satisfied using FrontAccounting.

Janusz