Getting the Most from New Features in Accutrack

Getting the Most from new features in Accutrack®

Versions 3.8.1 & 5.4.6

Open Architecture for Channel Letter Materials

Accutrack® has been enhanced to include features for users to customize certain screens and resulting material output for Channel Letters. When creating estimates for channel letters, users are taken to the following screen so they can select the desired material type for the letter returns:

In the Accutrack inventory file, there is a matching list of materials with a cost per unit of zero:

If your company does not use one of these materials for Channel Letter Returns, and wants to substitute a different type of material, you can change the description in the file, and it will then change the description that appears on the menu. For example, if you wanted to change “.062 Mill Finish Aluminum Sheet” to “.050 Prefinished Edging from Coil”, you would simply select “.062 Mill Fin Alum Sheet” (in the Fabricated Letters Dept.) and change the description associated with this item:

Leave the unit cost set at zero. Accutrack® uses these items with zero cost only for displaying textual descriptions at certain estimating screens. On future estimates the menu will now appear as follows:

Once this is done, you must change the descriptions of all edging widths that match the modified material thickness category. For example, to change the 4-inch edging from .062 to .050 (prefin) Alum:

Note: there is 4-inch, 6-inch, 2 ½ inch, and 12-inch edging depths for all of the standard available edging materials; (Channelume and Let-R-Edge systems have different edging depths). Use the “Enter New Material Description” dialog box to enter the desired changes to the actual edging material:

Make sure to change the other available edging depths for your modified material option:

This allows you to substitute materials that your company frequently uses for the default materials available in Accutrack® that your company may or may not use as a standard construction method.

Modifying Edging Depth Categories

Each sign company has slightly different methods for constructing Channel Letters, and the exact edging depths may vary slightly based upon available equipment or specific methodology . By default, Accutrack® displays depth “ranges” i.e.; 4” to 5.75” Edging Depth (see screen capture below):

If your company is standardized on an edging that is exactly 5 ½ inches deep, you may want the menu to reflect that standard. If so, you can modify the screen by modifying the description of the Edging Category in the Fabricated Letters Department:

Item numbers D5P79 through D5P82 are for standard Channel Letter Edging Materials, and item numbers D5P83 through D5P85 are for Channelume or Let-R-Edge materials. If you change the description for “4” to 5.75” Edging Depth” to read “5 ½ inch Edging Depth” the menu will change:

Select Maintenance>Inventory Update and change the item description as you wish:

Now go to all the Edging Materials within the Fabricated Letters Department with 4-inch edging depths i and change their descriptions to 5-inch edging: (i.e.; Change 4” Sheared .080 Alum Edging to 5.50” Sheared .080 Alum Edging, or “5 ½ inch x .080 Sheared Alum Edging”, or similar text:

Be sure to modify all 4-inch Edging Materials to read 5 ½ inch or 5.50”, or similar designation using the correct material thickness. Don’t forget to check the cost per unit of each of these items while you are in the process, and don’t forget to click on “Save Changes”. These descriptions and material costs will be the actual materials that will appear in your estimates and job-costing reports.

Modifying Material choices for Channel Letter Backs

The materials that are listed on the Channel Letter Backs menu can also be customized.

For example, if your company does not cut metal backs from 20 Gauge Sheet Metal and you would like to substitute another material (for example; .050 Aluminum), simply change the description of “20 Gauge Sheet Metal” in the Fabricated Letters Department to “.050 Mill Finish Aluminum Sheet”.

Change the description to “.050 Mill Finish Aluminum” and change the unit cost to your current cost for .050 Aluminum Sheet. Don’t forget to click on the “Save Changes” button:

After modifying this item, the screen will show an alternative selection for Channel Letter backs:

{Warning: changing materials for metal backs on channel letters may also affect the list of sheet materials that are available for cladding on stick-built sheet metal sign cabinets. Because of this shared data for cabinets and letters, it is best to choose a material that is currently not used by your company for constructing either cabinets or letters to change at this menu, if possible.}

This list should help you to modify these menu selections if you should choose:

Changing these items may affect cladding for Sheet Metal Cabinets.

Changing these items may affect cladding for Sheet Metal Cabinets.

Changing these items may affect routed letters in the Fabricated Letters department

NOTE: It is best to choose one of these materials that is currently not used by your company for constructing either cabinets or flat-cut-out letters to make substitutions for materials for Channel Letter Backs, if possible.