THIS FILE CONTAINS IMPORTANT INFORMATION THAT MAY NOT BE CONTAINED IN YOUR USER MANUAL. CompuDance - History -------------------------------- The original DOS Version was released Sep 1986. The final DOS Version (4.33) was released Dec 1994. The Windows Versions followed: Version 5.00: Release Jul 22, 1996 Version 5.10: Release Dec 08, 1996 Version 5.11: Release Jun 02, 1997 Version 5.20: Release Jun 02, 1998 Version 5.21: Release Dec 01, 1998 Version 5.30: Release Jun 01, 1999 Version 5.40: Release Jun 05, 2000 Version 6.00: Release Jun 04, 2001 Version 6.10: Release Jun 03, 2002 Version 6.20: Release Jun 02, 2003 Version 7.00: Release Jun 07, 2004 Version 7.10: Release Jun 06, 2005 Version 7.20: Release Jun 05, 2006 Version 7.30: Release Jun 04, 2007 Version 8.00: Release Jun 02, 2008 Version 8.00.03 [10.15.08.06.55] README File Updated October 15, 2008 Build in brackets = [month.day.year.hour.minute] ----------------------------------------------------------- Student/Income Version 8.00.03 Release Date Oct 01 2008 Expense/Payroll Version 8.00.02 Release Date Jul 27 2008 Music Locator Version 8.00.00 Release Date Jun 02 2008 File of Friends Version 8.00.00 Release Date Jun 02 2008 CDWNT Version 7.30.01 Release Date Sep 04 2004 We suggest you print this file and place it in your manual. We also strongly suggest that you visit our Keeping In Touch page on the web site for the latest important information. *************************************************************** Section 1 - LIST OF CHANGES & NEW FEATURES --------------------------------------------------------------- We have one full page on our web site devoted to a list of changes from version to version. If you have updated from a previous version, and wish to know how CompuDance has changed from your version to the current version and what the new features are, please visit our web site. We no longer list all of those changes here in the ReadMe file. There have been hundreds of changes in the past several versions. We suggest you go to the Update Page on our web site, then to the New Features Page. You should print the portion of that page that relates to your previous version. You can find a very detailed list of Version 8.0 New Features by clicking Start, Programs (or All programs), and then CompuDance 800. We suggest that you print that document because some of that information is not contained in the Version 8.0 User Manual. You should please check the Keeping In Touch page of our web site. There you will find some important information about Version 8. *************************************************************** Section 2 - LIST OF MOST RECENT CHANGES TO 8.0 --------------------------------------------------------------- Here are new features added since Version 8.00.00 was released on June 2 2008. These are not contained in the document Version 80 New Features nor in the Version 8 User Manual. There is a new operation to delete the list of Statement Messages. If you wish to shorten the list, from the AR Window click GoTo, then Statement Message Maintenance. Ctrl/C from the SRD contains an option to print all SRD data. As of July 20, 2008 we strengthened Credit Card/EFT password security code access. The August 5, 2008 build fixed the problem of inadvertently sending encrypted account numbers to SPS. The List of Students and Registration Dates is automatically sent to Windows Clipboard. A list of Global Posting Charges is automatically sent to to the Clipboard immediately after the global posting operation is finished. You can then export that list to a spreadsheet or database or word processing program. You must remove all EFT and/or Credit Card data from a student's record before attempting to permanently or temporarily delete that student. This is an additional security requirement. We have included a Privacy Policy that you are welcome to use if you want. It is located in Options in the EFT Window. The October 15, 2008 build eliminates EFT families with no balances from the Global EFT Transaction File and the printed report. It also makes certain that Bulk E-Mails to Codes uses E-Mail Address 2 as the CC address. *************************************************************** Section 3 - User Manual Errors --------------------------------------------------------------- The Version 8.0 User Manual was printed on April 6 2008. We tried to make it accurate as of that date. Some additional operations and procedures added to the program after that date. The Version 8.0 New Features document (mentioned above) contains those. When necessary, we will re-write this ReadMe file and place it on the bottom of the How to Update page on our web site. The following are known manual errors as of May 21 2008: 1. Page 2-15, Step 2 - Add the following: When you enter a Cc: or a Bcc: E-Mail address in the CompuDance E-Mail Composition Dialog Box, you must enclose it in greater than and less than symbols. For example: or This is also applicable to all other instances where the Manual mentions the Composition Dialog Box. Do NOT, however, use that format when entering E-Mail addresses in the new E-Mail Address window. 2. Page 5-22 - In Step 3 the Check Box for All Accounts with A Balance Due is selected for you. You can't de-select it. 3. Page 6-9 - In the 2nd last paragraph, change 5-16 to 5-15. 4. Page 7-4 - The Other Lists should show an operation to generate a list of Students and Registration Dates. 5. Page 7-5 - There is an additional Query Option, "Have E-Mail Address, Find Student." It is mentioned at the bottom of Page 7-6. 6. APPENDIX D3 - Step 3 tells you that the CDWSTUD.INI file is located in the Windows Folder. That is no longer true. The file is now located in the CDW Folder which by default is: C:\Program Files\CDW. We no longer place any .INI files in the Windows Folder. They are all in the CDW Folder. *************************************************************** Section 4 - WINDOWS VISTA --------------------------------------------------------------- You MUST NOT install any version of CompuDance earlier than 8.00 on a Windows Vista computer!! When installing on Vista, make certain that you print out FAQ #28 on the FAQ Page of our web site. You must follow those instructions BEFORE running CompuDance!! *************************************************************** Section 5 - IMPORTANT MISC NOTES --------------------------------------------------------------- PAST NON-VERSION 8 YEARS IMPORTANT: When you first run Version 8 CompuDance will tell you that it must convert your current year data files for Version 8 compatibility. It will not convert any other years on your computer. To do that, you must Change Active Year from the File menu to each of your past years/locations so that the data files in those years get converted. Otherwise, some CompuDance operations that depend upon searching past years will not work correctly. --------------------------------------------------------------- NETWORK VERSION It is available as of July 30, 2008. --------------------------------------------------------------- USER-DEFINED CONFIGURATIONS There are 19 User-Defined Configuration options. It would be a good idea for you to take five minutes to go through each Configuration Tab to make certain that you have CompuDance configured as YOU want it. Many times users call and wonder why the program does or does not do certain things. Often it is because that is the way the user has it configured. From the Main Window click Configuration in the Menu Bar. There you will see all 19 tabs. Click each tab and read how to set that particular configuration as YOU want it. --------------------------------------------------------------- UPDATE FROM VERSION 5, 6.0, 6.1 Users who are running any Version 5, 6.0, or 6.1, can NOT update to the current Version 8. It does not support the data files created by those old versions. We have tested the update compatibility with data files from these versions: 6.2, 7.0, 7.1, 7.2, and 7.3. Please update on a regular basis! --------------------------------------------------------------- CURRENT DATE AND TIME CompuDance uses your system Date and Time for all operations that are date sensitive. Many times users call to tell us that CompuDance posted payments or charges on the wrong date. Or, that it doesn't have the correct ages for students. Each time you run CompuDance, please check to make certain that the date and time (upper part of the CDW Main Window) is accurate! --------------------------------------------------------------- NEW YEAR OPTIONS When you select New Year Option 7, CompuDance will copy the Tuition Scales from the Old Year/Location to the New Year/Location. If you have changed your fee structure in the New Year, be sure to change the appropriate Tuition Scale. Tuition Scales are specific to each year and location. --------------------------------------------------------------- HOW TO APPLY FOR AN EFT ACCOUNT Call Smart Payment Solutions, 1-800-320-7258. Ask to speak with Matt Whitaker. Be sure to tell him you are a CompuDance user so that you get our special rates! --------------------------------------------------------------- EFT CREDIT CARD PROCESSOR Starting January 1, 2009 we can not guarantee that CompuDance EFT or Credit Card files will be compatible with any processor other than Smart Payment Solutions. --------------------------------------------------------------- TELEPHONE SUPPORT HOURS You can find our latest telephone support hours by clicking File, then About CompuDance, then the Support Hours button. You should update those hours by visiting the About Updates page on our web site. --------------------------------------------------------------- BY-PASS A TUITION SCALE Sometimes you may want CompuDance to bypass the calculation of tuition for one or two (or more) students for some special reason. You can do that by entering a Z (upper case) in the Code Field in an SRD, or entering a Z as the first character in the Misc Field of an FRD. When CompuDance sees these it will not calculate tuition for that student or family based upon the curently operative Tuition Scale. It will know that you wish to manually enter tuition for that student/family. --------------------------------------------------------------- BACKUP INFORMATION The latest information on backing up can be found on the FAQ Page of our web site. The information in your User Manual may not be as up-to-date. If you have problems backing up, please visit the FAQ Page. You should use a Flash Drive (Jump Drive, Memory Stick) to backup. Backing up to a CD is no longer reliable! --------------------------------------------------------------- GETTING A NEW COMPUTER The best information on what to do when (and before) getting a new computer, or when you have had a computer crash can be found on the FAQ Page of our web site. The information in your User Manual may not be as up-to-date. --------------------------------------------------------------- REFRESH Don't forget to Use Options then Refresh in the SRD after you make any changes to your class schedule (times, name, teacher, etc.). --------------------------------------------------------------- CLASS LISTS All of the class times on your class lists should line up. If they don't, that means that you have put a space at the beginning of the class time. Go to change the time, eliminate that space, and then they will all line up correctly. --------------------------------------------------------------- BACKING UP!!! We are very concerned that many users we speak to do not regularly backup their data files. Backing up is is most important!!!! There are over 100,000 known viruses out there!!! Many studios call because of computer crashes due to viruses!! Plus that, computers get old. We average two support calls a week from studios whose hard drive crashed! Those who have no backups lose all of their data. Remember, machines don't last forever! Being paranoid helps. Your computer WILL crash one day. Please, back up your data files daily by using the CompuDance Backup and Restore operation!!!! You might consider an additional once a week backup by copying the entire CDW folder (C:\Program Files\CDW) and placing it on a Flash Drive. That would be EXCELLENT additional insurance! ---------------------------------------------------------------