Features

BookManager is carefully laid out providing options and menus that are standard throughout the system. Once you have grasped the basic concepts of maneuvering and performing tasks, you will discover that the same principles apply throughout.


In the bookstore, interruptions are the norm. Ideally, it should only take a moment to deal with a request, then return to the task at hand. Most BookManager screens are only a keystroke away, thus avoiding the need to pass through a series of menus to perform a simple action. For example, if you’re in the middle of receiving a shipment, and a customer calls to place a special order, the steps required to enter the order are accomplished without losing your place in receiving.

BookManager is more than just the main menu modules shown in the above image. Although it is a richly developed program, with the use of the Internet, BookManager has been able to integrate and advance so much more that it has proven to be a strong and competitive presence on the web as well. BookManager has created an online environment rich in features that would otherwise be impossible if only using the software itself. The two aspects work hand-in-hand to provide you with all the information you could possibly need to run your business.

With the purchase of your BookManager program you receive...

• Unlimited free support & updates for the year (either via phone, email or through a remote internet Help function)
  
  

• An easy to use messaging centre, which gives you the ability to fax and email directly from the program. This includes sending notifications/confirmations of online orders, as well as claims or purchase orders to suppliers. The messaging centre allows you to keep track of all communication effortlessly and is done all within your BookManager program.
  
  

• A fully developed and detailed Supplier file
  
  
• Ability to enable a frequent buyer program to reward your “best” customers, based on your desired criteria
  
  
• Option to run the multi-store function, which essentially allows for centralized management and flow of data exchange between several stores/locations
  
  
• Textbook management system allowing you keep track of courses, professors, and materials needed for each
  
  
• Function to run scheduled routines to create backups locally in order to avoid vital data loss. Most routines can be scheduled to run overnight so as to keep daily maintenance to a minimum and therefore result in less interruptions during your day.
  
  
• Ability to copy all of your BookManager data files to run on a non-networked laptop or computer to sell/attend a bookfair or remote offsite event
  
  
• “W” Web feature, which launches an external internet browser window (Internet Explorer, Firefox, etc) to view any particular ISBN for more detailed information like cover image, book descriptions, author info, reviews and video.
  
  
• Ability to schedule the FTP transfer of various inventory reports to your Website/database manager to link up your local inventory online
  
  
• Agency change function that allows you to change the supplier codes for specific ISBN prefixes in a simple step
  
  
• Inventory reconciliation module is used to preform an inventory count (with the option of counting your entire store or just specific sections). Reports are generated which allow you to automatically adjust your inventory to what was counted and print a number of reports to reflect your shrinkage and value
  
  
• Ability to convey special sale or price indicators on the labels generated in your BookManager system
  
  
• Notifications within your software, that lets you know when you have received a new online order (if you are eligible to have a BookManager-hosted WebStore and have enabled the orders feature.)
  
  
• Simple debugging tools for advanced users or BookManager support staff to diagnose problems easy. Features include network/benchmark tests and data repair utilities
  
  
• Ability to use Telpay software for efficient electronic payment of your payables

Various data services and add-ons we offer...

• TitleLink – is the bibliographic data service we created which gives you access to over 6 million ISBN’s. The price structure for an annual subscription is dependent on a variety of factors, including the number of stations running BM, as well as your participation in our ranking service.
  
  

• PubStock - is the stock, availability and price check function which gives you the ability to instantly know where and how much a book will cost. PubStock is an annual unlimited subscription of $210.
  
  

• Backlist - a file that displays sales and ranking info collected confidentially from over 250 participating stores who submit their weekly sales data. The sales are consolidated, cleaned, weighted and compiled into a file which shows ranking info for over 100,000 titles. The Backlist can be viewed online or downloaded into your BookManager software. It can be used alongside any TitleLink search or when viewing your own inventory file. This subscription gives you as much information as possible to keep your store adequately stocked!
  
  
• CBTitles – This data service is a first of its kind, which fulfills all the needs of the Canadian Christian bookseller. CBTitles is an incredibly valuable resource as it gives access to over 120,000 titles from 8 major suppliers including Foundation Distributing and David C. Cook Distribution. An annual subscription is either $515, or free with TitleLink
  
  
• BackUp subscription - As we often say here in the office of BookManager – “No backup? No job!” A crisis can easily be averted if you are able to retrieve what could have been a heartbreaking amount of lost data, if you only had a backup. We strongly encourage all users to have a stable and scheduled routine of backing up their vital data and the BookManager software provides an easy function to do so. With the addition of BookManager's BackUp subscription, your backup files can be sent to our FTP servers and stored until you need them. We keep the 10 most recent backups, and they can be accessed at anytime using your username and password at BookManager.com or from your own WebStore.
  
  
• XML data service –A bibliographic file that can be used by your Web or database managers to generate and display complete title information to feed your own website and have your stock levels integrated. BookManager can provide this data service which allows XML format title information and publisher stock information to be retrieved. Trial subscriptions are available for 100 ISBNs. Please contact us for more details about this newly developed service. .
  
  
• Sales comparison reports – When you send BookManager your weekly sales report for books (ISBN product only) you are entitled to see a graphical view of your weekly figures, as well as a consolidated view of sales from all other participating stores. These reports are updated every Monday evening and are available as either a weekly email, or can be found under the reports directory on your BookManager WebStore; or both.
  
  
• TitleBrowser – This is a powerful title searching utility for online use. There are nine title status categories to search within including: forthcoming, new releases, recent releases, top 5000 and top 10,000. Searches can be refined by subject, sub-subject, published date, binding type, supplier and ISBN-prefix. TitleBrowser is ideal for those customers who want to find the most current books on a specific subject. It’s also beneficial for booksellers who want to know what to order to expand a particular section in their store, or to increase an order with a particular supplier with the bestselling, newest titles. As in other areas of the WebStore, when logged in as the store, the OnHand and OnOrder quantities, as well as PubStock data, are available at a glance, as is the ordering cart function.
  
  
• Lists & Catalogues – In a nutshell, this is an area where lists created by BookManager WebStore users (including TBM BookManager - us!) are collected and made available for users to use, view, and make available for their customers. Custom lists can be created for your internal use or to meet the specific needs of your customers. Many of these lists are highly useful to a wide variety of booksellers (including catalogue lists created from and based on the data sent by suppliers), and can be used to compile store orders or to check store inventory levels on books of interest.
  
  
• WebStore - A BookManager-hosted WebStore gives you the opportunity to have a powerful presence on the Internet for your customers. Your entire active book inventory from your BookManager software is automatically uploaded to the site everyday. This can be made visible so you can start receiving online orders, or it can remain private and used purely for the plethora of internal benefits.
  
  
• Store orders via your WebStore – when you are logged in as the store, you have the ability to place orders from anywhere in the world via your own WebStore! You have millions of titles, bibliographic information and images at your fingertip to peruse – its as easy as clicking "add to cart"! The orders are transferred to your DOS BookManager, and you will then process them as per your normal routine. If you are subscribing to our online BackUp service, you also have the ability to assign your own classes when ordering.
  
  
• Forthcoming rank – Forthcoming refers to any book not yet published (NYP) or not yet released (NYR). Using the Onhand/Onorder report sent daily from over 215 independent bookstores, we can create a forthcoming rank which essentially shows the most popular books onorder. When doing BookManager searches online (as well as in your BookManager program) you can choose to “show” or “hide” this information as you wish.
  
  
• Gift Cards – Gift Cards designed & managed through BookManager is part of a module which will allow you to sell, redeem and track all activities associated with said card. Selling one is similar to selling a book - simply scan the Gift Card where you would normally scan an ISBN (in the Point-of Sale).