ONLINE SUPPORT On the pages that follow, you will find answers and solutions to the questions and problems you may have. Check here first. Common  Questions • General/All Products • Creative Billing • Accounting Module • DSQ-DataLink • Search & Report • Batch Archive & Delete • Convert • Time Sheet Manager • StopWatch • StopWatch Plus • ProWheel • ProWheel Plus • Tips & Tricks, FAQs

Creative Billing Questions ERROR CODE LIST: Where can I find a list of error codes? YEAR END CHECK LIST: Is there a year end procedure I have to follow? JOB LISTS: I've got duplicate job numbers on my list and I'm missing others IMPORTING: When importing time sheets I get the message the time sheet could not be found IMPORTING: When importing a certain time sheet I get a red X indicating an misspelled code or number but the information is correct IMPORTING: After importing, the time sheet data did not clear. IMPORTING OS-X: I just updated to OS 10.3.7 and now I can't see any of my time sheets in order to import them. IMPORTING: When I click "Import" the software quits or gives an overflow error. IMPORTING: When I click on the Import Time Sheets Button on the Navigator it just beeps at me INVOICING: I am getting a message that there are too many items in my Invoices folder. What does this mean? INVOICING: When I started Creative Billing today all my data was missing INVOICING: When I ran my last invoice, the logo/artwork was missing INVOICING: When I started Creative Billing today all my Invoice Formats and saved files were missing INVOICING: When I ran my last invoice, the page was blank INVOICING: When I click the Invoice Job Button on the Navigator or select Invoice Jobs from the menu it just beeps at me. How do I move Creative Billing to a different computer? OS-X: I'm having trouble running DesignSoft Creative Billing Under OS-X? OS-X: Will DesignSoft Creative Billing import time sheets from StopWatch Plus for OS-X Native? OS-X: Are you ever going to develop Creative Billing for OS-X? IMPORTING: When importing time sheets I get the message the time sheet could not be found If DesignSoft gives you this message, there could be several reasons: 1. The employee's computer is not turned on or connected to the network. 2. The employee could have the time sheet open. Only one application at-a-time is allowed to use the time sheet file. 3. The employee's computer name or hard drive name has been changed making the time sheet alias file invalid. 4. You no longer have read AND write access setting allowed on the employee's computer. 5. The employees time sheet file has been erased or corrupted. If all else fails, copy the employees time sheet (named time sheet file) from their preferences folder directly into your DesignSoft folder and see if it opens up on the Import Window. If it does then the file is OK, and the problem is a network or alias issue. If it does not then the file has been damaged and should be deleted from the employee's machine (while StopWatch is NOT running.) StopWatch will create a new file the next time is starts. TOP IMPORTING: When importing a certain time sheet I get a red X indicating an misspelled code or number but the information is correct The reason is probably as simple as a space after a number or code. For example if the code for design time is DE, Highlight it and see if it highlights a full space on either side of the code. If so retype the code and the red X warning indicator will go away. Another reason is incorrect characters that look similar. For example the charactor is supposed to be the numeral zero but the user typed in the letter O. Check each of the entry fields for these types of issues. Lastly if none of the above makes a difference it could be because the job has been deleted or editied or the Client Code/Name has been edited in the job file. Check the Active Jobs list to see if the job you are trying to import into exists. If it does not then resore it from the Archive. If the job does exist then check the Client Code and Client Short Name in the job file against the Client Code and Client Short Name in the Client's record. If they don't match then edit the Job field(s) so that they do. TOP INVOICING: I am getting a message that there are too many items in my Invoices folder. What does this mean? The Mac OS, not DesignSoft, limits you to 1000 items in a normal folder. However neither the system or DesignSoft will stop you from saving more that the limit to the folder. Actually you may save more than 1000 files into a folder, but the system will just not display more than that to you at the system level or to DesignSoft at the application level. The Invoices folder may get too full, in other words more that 1000 items, when you save copies of the invoices to disk. The software does not need or require you to save a copy of the invoice document, but you may very well want to for your own use. Just remember to move the files to a different folder once a year and name it something like "1999 Invoices" for example. If you are currently getting the message, it is time to act. Make a new folder inside your DesignSoft folder and copy up to 999 items from the Invoices folder (located inside the Current Data folder.) Check the volume every few months to make sure you not nearing the 999 mark. DesignSoft will always save new copies of the invoices to the default Invoices folder located inside the Current Data folder. TOP INVOICING: When I started Creative Billing today all my data was missing If you start Creative Billing and it does not see the current data folder, it will create a new one which will be empty. If DesignSoft seems to be missing your jobs and data the most likely cause is that the DesignSoft application was moved outside of the designsoft folder, or that the current data folder was moved outside the DesignSoft folder. In either case you need to STOP and carefully search your drive for job numbers you know are current. The Mac find application (available under the file menu) will tell you the location of the job you searched for. Once found you will be able to tell where your real current data folder is located. Find the folder on your drive and check the Jobs folder inside the Current Data folder to be sure this is indeed the location of all your jobs files. If so if you have not backed your Current Data folder up recently, do so now. After you have backed it up be sure the DesignSoft application file and the current data folder, with the data, are together inside the DesignSoft folder. We suggest that you install your DesignSoft applications folder in the Applications folder on your start up hard drive. TOP INVOICING: When I ran my last invoice, the logo/artwork was missing DesignSoft does not actually store the logo in the document/format it simply places it on the document anytime you open it. This saves disk space over storing the art with each and every document. So if the logo is missing from formats or invoices then your original logo file has been moved from the place it was stored when you set up the format. Simply move it back to it's original location and the logo alias inside the format will be able to find it again. If you placed the logo from a file that is saved on a remote machine over your network, it could be that the network drive is not available or has been renamed. In that case locate the original logo file and move it into your DesignSoft folder and replace it on every format that uses that particular logo. We always suggest that you save the logo(s) inside the DesignSoft folder so if the folder is ever moved the logo is moved with it and will always be found. If you ever need to set up your invoice formats again then make sure that is the case replace it on every format that uses that particular logo. TOP INVOICING: When I started Creative Billing today all my Invoice Formats and saved files were missing If you start Creative Billing and it does not immediatly take you to the formats folder or any folder you expect it to then your folders settings has been changed in the your General Control Panel. To change it back:Quit Creative BillingOpen your Control Panel Window from the Apple MenuOpen your General Control PanelFind the section called Folders Change the setting back to "Folder Set By Application" Close your General Control PanelCreative Billing will now be able to see the correct folders TOP INVOICING: When I ran my last invoice, the page was blank If you find the text missing from formats or invoices check to see if "Adobe Type Manager Deluxe" has your font(s) turned off. If so the custom reporting in DesignSoft will not be able to show anything even at the edit format level. Have you increased your screen resolution? The DesignSoft Invoice window supports a maximum resolution of 1152 x 870 or 1024 x 768. TOP JOB LISTS: I've got duplicate job numbers on my list and I'm missing others If you find duplicate or missing jobs on your active or archive jobs lists you need to rebuild the list. To rebuild:1. Select "Active Jobs" under the DesignSoft menu2. Select "Rebuild Active List" or "Rebuild Archive List" under the Active menu. Based on which file you asked to rebuild, DesignSoft will read each and every job in either the Archive or Current Data folder and rebuild the file. Check the list again and see that the problem has corrected itself. TOP INVOICING: When I click the Invoice Job Button on the Navigator or select Invoice Jobs from the menu it just beeps at me. Your system was probably updated to Mac OS 9.1 or higher. You will need to order the latest Creative Billing Update or move the software to a machine that has Mac OS 9.0.4 or earlier. TOP IMPORTING: When I click on the Import Time Sheets Button on the Navigator it just beeps at me Your system was probably updated to Mac OS 9.1 or higher. You will need to order the latest Creative Billing Update or move the software to a machine that has Mac OS 9.0.4 or earlier. TOP How do I move Creative Billing to a different computer? The easiest way to move DesignSoft Creative Billing to your new machine is to copy the entire DesignSoft folder (be certain the  folder is closed and the application is not running) over the network to the new drive on the new computer. If you are not connected via network then use a Zip disk or CDR. There is no reason to reinstall the software and its components. Everything you need to run DesignSoft Creative Billing and it's modules are contained inside the original DesignSoft folder. There are no extensions or other items outside the DesignSoft folder that you have to be concerned with. After moving the software, the only set up necessary is to go to Page Set Up inside the DesignSoft invoice, estimate, statement, and custom report formats and then save the formats with the page set up settings. IMPORTANT:  Please note that Creative Billing versions earlier than 2.2.5.1 will only work correctly under Mac OS 9.0.4 or earlier. If you areinstalling on a machine with 9.1, 9.2, or OS-X you will need to order Update Version 2.2.5.1. TOP OS-X: I'm having trouble running DesignSoft Creative Billing Under OS-X? The current version of Creative Billing 2.2.5 is compatible with OS-X Classic Mode only. (To check your version choose about DesingSoft under the Apple Menu.) Beyond the billing application, all the supporting OS-9/OS-X Classic applications that Creative Billing uses must also be installed on the same computer. You will still use the OS9 Chooser when selecting a printer, acrobat etc. So you will need the correct OS9 printer drivers, OS9 Fonts, ATM, Acrobat, Etc. in order for the application to run correctly. TOP OS-X: Will DesignSoft Creative Billing import time sheets from StopWatch Plus for OS-X Native? Creative Billing 2.2.5 will import time sheets from our StopWatch Plus time sheet software for Mac OS-X Native and Windows XP as well and StopWatch for OS9 and Windows. Please note that you must import the time sheets using the Import Time Sheets Window NOT the Entry Screen Window. TOP OS-X: Are you ever going to develop Creative Billing for OS-X? We have moved Creative Billing to the web as a true real-time-multiuser, cross-platform application. It runs in most web browsers under any Mac or Windows OS. The system is based on the stand alone version of Creative Billing and is very similar, so the learning curve will be very small. It includes all the features of the optional add-on modules and it also includes an online version of StopWatch Plus. Of course you can upload your current client list and all active jobs. The online version is also compatible with all stand alone versions and platforms of StopWatch Plus. All subscriptions include up to 50 employee user accounts at no extra charge. Employee users can use the online StopWatch Plus time sheet functions and any other system functions you wish them to have access to (you set the access.) So the online version is our answer for the near future. If you wish to to run the stand alone Creative Billing on your Mac you will need to continue to use a Classic compatible Mac. TOP OS-X Importing: I just updated to OS 10.3.7 and now I can't see any of my time sheets in order to import them. 10.3.7 has an issue which may make Classic applications see text files as a folder. If you see a folder with the same name, double click on it and the file will open. TOP IMPORTING: After importing, the time sheet data did not clear. Please note that OS-X enforces new file access restrictions. Please check that the StopWatch Plus Users does NOT have their timesheet write protected and that they are saving their time sheets in their local public folder. Also StopWatch Plus must not be running while you are importing the time sheet. Here are the steps to check their time sheet file status(from the StopWatch Plus machine): Open StopWatch Plus Choose Preferences under the StopWatch Menu Make sure that your time sheet is being saved in the folder: Users/UserNameHere/Public/ (OR a similar Public folder on your Server if it is stable) Write down the file name and location so you can find it from the Creative Billing or TSM machine Make sure that the StopWatch Plus Preference check box for "Write-Protect my time sheet" is NOT checked Close the preferences window Quit StopWatch Plus (VERY IMPORTANT)     TOP IMPORTING: When I click "Import" the software quits or gives an overflow error. The maximum length of one of the entry descriptions is over 250 characters long. Find the line and shorten it or highlight all the other lines and deselect the line that is too long (Option Click) and just import the selected lines. The long line will be left in the time sheet so you will need to have the time sheet user shorten the line to 250 or less. TOP