Today we have released the sixth version of the gFM-Business ERP Software for Mac, Windows and Apple iOS. The new version has been redesigned from the ground up and is significantly more performant and compact than all previous versions. We were able to reduce the net file size of the software by around 30% and massively increase the speed. The custom and open licenses contain a revised administration module that makes it easier to adapt and expand the ERP software becomes even easier. For customizing customers, we have made the entire software solution leaner and faster on many levels to make it easier to adapt and expand the ERP software. gFM-Business 6.0 contains many new functions and new modules to optimally map the operating processes in your company.
Table of contents
- Optimized basis for the future.
- Completely revised user interface
- New toolbar for functions in separate windows
- All main dialogs in the window instead of popover dialogs
- All data at a glance with the new selection lists
- Client view instead of master-detail layouts
- Text modules that can be used throughout the solution
- Optimized list views
- Improved data entry in all fields
- Product variants in the billing document
- Invoicing: New module for delivery requests
- Returns management in the billing document
- Stock reservation for parts list items
- Extended project management module
- Google address search for all addresses
- Rich text editor for graphic emails
- Birthday list in CRM
- Statistics module in gFM-Business free/Basic
- Driver's logbook module in gFM-Business free/Basic
- Revised administration module
- Zip code and first name database outsourced
Optimized basis for the future.
Many fundamental structures in the gFM Business ERP software have been redeveloped to ensure high performance on all systems in the future. For example, we have removed the master-detail layouts introduced in gFM-Business 5 and replaced them with new selection lists that can also be used by users of the Form view can be used. We have also optimized the central structure of the user interface and Script gFM-Business 6.0 contains a new user interface that is more flexible and at the same time significantly faster than the user interface in all previous versions.
Completely revised user interface
gFM-Business 6.0 contains a completely revised and optimized user interface with several new functions. The toolbar and the menu items of the navigation can be changed under [Settings] in the module [Appearance] can be varied in color.
New toolbar for functions in separate windows
In the left Navigation bar we have integrated a new toolbar with which the new selection lists, the task list and the text modules can be opened as a new window. This toolbar is available solution-wide in all screens for quick access. gFM-Business free and Basic contain the icon for selection lists in this toolbar, but not for text modules and tasks, as these modules are not included in gFM-Business free and Basic.
All main dialogs in the window instead of popover dialogs
In gFM-Business 6.0 all main dialogs are displayed in an external dialog window and no longer as a popover dialog.
This makes dialog boxes in the custom or open license easier to adapt and expand, and the construction of many screen masks takes less time, which is noticeable as an improvement in overall performance, especially when accessing via the Internet with low bandwidths.
All data at a glance with the new selection lists
In the new version of the gFM-Business ERP software, we have developed new selection lists that provide an overview of all important data from the ERP software in a selection list as an external window. This means that every employee can open exactly the selection lists they need for their daily work and can search for and call up all data from all modules faster than ever before.
Selection lists are available for the following data:
- Customers/Contacts
- Documents and templates
- Quotations, order confirmations, delivery bills, invoices, returns, credit notes, reminders, inquiries and orders
- Articles and batches
- Projects, personnel and inventory
Each selection list contains a search field at the top, in which data records can be searched for any search terms or according to preset criteria. gFM-Business Professional also contains a selection field for the client in the lists, if the user is allowed to see data from all clients. In the toolbar, the list can be sorted according to any criteria or a new data record, e.g. a new customer, a new invoice etc., can be created. By clicking on a list entry, the selected data record is opened directly in the last opened editing window. This eliminates the need for navigation clicks within gFM-Business, saving you a lot of time in your day-to-day work.
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Client view instead of master-detail layouts
With the new selection lists, the master-detail layouts introduced in gFM-Business 5 have become obsolete. In the user administration, the option [Client view] can be activated to restrict the user's access to the client assigned to them. The search field is then displayed in the selection lists [Client] and search queries only display data from the user's own client.
Text modules that can be used throughout the solution
gFM-Business 6.0 contains a new management of text modules, with which frequently used text blocks can be used throughout the solution.
Optimized list views
In gFM-Business 6.0, we have improved all list views solution-wide by highlighting the active data record in color. By clicking on the ID of the data record in the left-hand column, the data record can be called up as usual in the form view.
Improved data entry in all fields
gFM-Business 6.0 contains improved data entry in all fields, which should always be single-line. From now on, it is no longer possible to accidentally enter line feeds in fields, as these fields leave the field when the [Return] key is pressed and no line feed is inserted in the field.
Product variants in the billing document
With immediate effect, the Article management The existing article attributes (product variants) are available in all document items of the billing document. Product variants can be assigned to articles and must first be assigned under [Settings > Preferences > Articles] are defined as product options and product option values.
Product options and option values
Enter the desired category as product options, e.g. [Color] or [Size]. Then assign all possible colors and sizes as product option values to the product option. All data maintained here can then be saved in the product management under [Article attributes] can be used.
Article attributes in article management
Once all available product options and option values have been defined in the settings, they can be used in item management in the [Article attributes] can be used. For each article, you can click on the [+]-symbol on the right above the list to assign any number of product variants. An additional or reduced weight and an additional or reduced price can be entered for each variant.
Stock levels can be managed at all existing storage locations for all item attributes. If an article attribute has been assigned to an article in the invoice, the warehouse stock and the stock of the main article are automatically booked in or out. By clicking on the [Stock] a dialog opens in which the stock levels for all storage locations can be entered manually and deleted if necessary.
Product variants in line items
In the invoice, we have extended the dialog for adding new line items to include the selection of product variants. If product attributes have been entered in an item, these are displayed in the [New position] is displayed for selection.
Product variants can be selected in the list [Article attributes] can be added to the item with a mouse click. The sales price is automatically updated if the variant contains a higher or lower price. We have also extended the dialog for adding new line items to display the stock level for the main item.
Invoicing: New module for delivery requests
In the module [Invoice] we have added a new module for delivery requests, which can be used to create a corresponding request to the supplier before placing an order. An inquiry can be fully or partially converted into an order. Convert all or part of a quotation into a new inquiry at the click of a mouse.
Returns management in the billing document
The module [Invoice] contains a new module in gFM-Business 6.0 for managing returns that can be generated from an order or an invoice. In the standardPrint layout When making a return, your customer can state the reason for returning the goods.
You can manage the entire returns process clearly in a returns. Enter the following in the [Reason for return] to indicate why your customer has returned the goods. If the goods have been received, mark this process in the corresponding field. In the field [Condition] enter the condition in which you received the return. In the field [Status]whether you accept the complaint and enter the [Further processing]how to proceed with the returned goods.
Stock reservation for parts list items
In the article management, the [Parts list] a new automatically calculated field [Manufacturable] which displays the maximum number of producible main items based on the current stock of all linked BOM items.
In addition, the area of [Article stock] under [Reserved items from orders] has been extended to support parts list items. As soon as an unbooked order with a main item is created, all associated BOM items are also reserved in the warehouse stock.
Extended project management module
In gFM-Business 6.0, we have added the Project management-module with additional linked data. The following data can now be linked to each project:
Google address search for all addresses
The integrated Google address search makes entering addresses child's play. All addresses in gFM-Business Professional now contain a Google icon that can be used to call up the Google address search.
Click on the Google icon to open a dialog box with a search line in which you simply start to enter the address. As soon as the address is displayed at the desired location, select the address and all address fields are automatically copied from the Google address search. This saves you time and avoids incorrect entries.
Rich text editor for graphic emails
The module [Correspondence] contains a new rich text editor for creating graphic e-mails, with which you can easily create the HTML code for graphic e-mails without any programming knowledge.
The rich text editor is called up when you click on [Correspondence > Documents > E-mail] set the format of the e-mail to "HTML". The operation of the rich text editor largely corresponds to that of a standard word processing program. If you want to insert images, they must first be uploaded to a web server and be accessible via the Internet, as you must enter the corresponding URL for images.
The CRM has under [Customers > Contacts > Birthdays] has a new birthday list in which all contacts for whom a date of birth has been entered are listed chronologically. This way, you won't miss any of your contacts' birthdays and improve your customer relationships.
Statistics module in gFM-Business free/Basic
The freeware versions gFM-Business free and gFM-Business Basic include the statistics module for customer and company-related statistics. The customer-related statistics can be called up under [Customers > Statistics]The company-related statistics can be called up in the newly added module [Company].
Driver's logbook module in gFM-Business free/Basic
The logbook module has been integrated into gFM-Business free and Basic 6.0 to further complete the software solution for freelancers and the self-employed. Manage logbooks for any number of cars with the logbook module. The logbook module was developed on the basis of the legal provisions for logbooks and contains a change log if changes are subsequently made to a logbook.
Revised administration module
In the module [Settings] we have improved the administration module, which can be used to manage and, if necessary, expand the navigation in a customizing or open license. With the administration module, you can easily add new layouts to the navigation and main menu or edit existing menu items in a customizing or open license.
In the administration module, the screen for managing the navigation has been redesigned and made clearer. From now on, only one data record is required for each screen, which can be activated in the settings popover for desktop, iPad and iPhone.
In the administration module, the following can be set under the [Main menu] all menu items in the main menu can be customized and expanded. We have redesigned this screen and renumbered the level of all menu items to make editing and adding new main menu items as easy as possible. A new menu item can easily be added at the end of the list. In the field [Picture] the color of the menu item can be edited individually by either copying an existing image or inserting a new image.
Simplified management of the language table
In gFM-Business 6.0, the management of the language table has also been simplified, as there is now only one data record for each layout and no longer separately for desktop and iPad. We have also improved the transfer of your individual changes to the language table.
This means that changes to the language table in gFM-Business 6.0 must be entered by you once again.
All your changes are then automatically saved in the language log file and automatically applied to all future updates. The transfer function can also be started manually in the language module if required.
Activatable developer mode
Users of the custom or open license can activate the developer mode in the administration module, with which all changes to screen layouts are saved in the development log. A screenshot is saved before and after each change so that every change to layouts can be tracked retrospectively with the help of the development log.
The secondary navigation has been extended to 12 menu items in gFM-Business 6.0, so that gFM-Business can now be equipped with up to 96 modules in total.
In addition, the language table has been revised so that only one language data record is required per layout, and no longer separately for iPad and desktop layouts. This greatly simplifies the administration of all screen layouts. We have also extended the fields for field titles in the language file to 120 fields for extensive layouts.
Zip code and first name database outsourced
The databases for worldwide zip codes and first names previously integrated in gFM-Business for the automatic maintenance of salutations have been outsourced as online databases in gFM-Business 6.0. This has enabled us to significantly reduce the file size of gFM-Business, which is reflected in improved performance, especially when accessing the system via the Internet with low bandwidths.
Markus Schall has been developing individual databases, interfaces and business applications based on Claris FileMaker since 1994. He is a Claris partner, FMM Award winner 2011 and developer of the ERP software gFM-Business. He is also a book author and founder of the M. Schall Publishers.
