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PocketRep™
 
PocketRep™ is a companion application that is used to extend the capabilities of BrokerForce™ for sales reps on the road, at shows, or in showrooms.  The application can be used for entering, calculating, printing orders, and merging these orders back into BrokerForce™.  PocketRep supports the scanning of bar codes with peripheral hardware and/or the selection of items from product lists downloaded from BrokerForce™.  Orders may be printed directly from the PocketRep device.
 

Device Settings:

  1. Remove menu options that curious users explore and that can cause memory issues on the device.  To remove menu items; Click <Start>, <Settings>, <Personal>, <Menus>, and removal the check mark from any menu item that isn't necessary.  Place a check in the <PocketRep> menu item and tap <Ok>
  2. Remove unnecessary button options: Tap <Buttons>, and set any button that you won't be using to <None>.  Any button set to <Wireless> should not be close to the button that you use for <Socket Scan>.  Choose a button for the scanner that gives you the greatest stability for holding the device and pressing this button with one hand.
  3. Set the Clock: In the <Settings> window, tap <System>, <Clock and Alarms>.  Verify that the date is accurate.  The default date will be the manufacture date of the device.
  4. Optimize the backlight: In the <Settings> window, tap <Brightness>, <Battery Power>, and set the device to dim after <3min>.  Shorter times are difficult when talking to a customer for a few moments and longer times consume power.
  5. Check the battery: In the <Settings> window, tap <System>, <Power> to view the battery status on the device.  If this drops below 30% you should get the device plugged into power as soon as you can.  If you get a warning that the device is low on power, you should close PocketRep and answer <Yes> to backup your orders. Get the device plugged in immediately.  Older devices loose all memory if they run out of power entirely.  The orders backup is stored in non-volatile memory so it can be recovered in the event of a total power loss.

 

Tips on how to optimize PocketRep performance:

  1. When synchronizing PocketRep, you will be prompted regarding refreshing the customer list.  Answer <No> if the data does not need to be refreshed.  When prompted regarding the vendor and product information, answer <No> if that information does not need to be refreshed.
  2. When refreshing product information, place a check in the <Include> check box only for lines that you will be entering orders for.  When a line has more than 2000 items, you should anticipate a substantial delay for loading of the product information when the first item is scanned or chosen. When a new vendor is selected, the application polls the entire product list for the current vendor's products and commits it to memory.
  3. You can include a line and not check the <Include Items> check box and still scan that line.  However, descriptions and prices will not be included until you process that order into BrokerForce.
  4. When you first open PocketRep, the initial delay is dependent on the number of customers that have been uploaded to the device.  Reducing the number of customers uploaded to the device reduces the amount of time it takes to open the application. Use the <Check Status> button on the customer form to restrict the date range for Active customers.
  5. To avoid the initial delay of opening PocketRep, you do not have to close PocketRep if your are just going to turn off the device.  Tap <Save> to back up your orders to an optional storage card. This avoids having to reload the customer list.  However, you must close PocketRep to process orders into BrokerForce.
    6.
  6. Once a vendor's products are loaded into memory after the first scan*, if the next order is done for the same vendor, the product information is already loaded into memory and even the first scan is instantaneous.  So, if one has a very large line of products that exceeds 3000 SKUs, one can dedicate a scanner to that line (vendor) so that all scans are instantaneous after the first one.  When this is done, each new order already has the products loaded into memory.  Or, use a laptop to scan that line.

See Also: Pocket Rep Installation

* Additional hardware such as a Socket or Symbol scanner is required.  Barcode printing is included with BrokerForce™
 
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