Mouseless operation

Mouseless navigation through data entry screens can significantly reduce the burden of typing data into the computer. By using only keyboard functions, the typist is relieved of the effort and strain of constantly reaching for the mouse. The DbNet system has been designed to take advantage of the speed of mouseless entry while retaining the intuitive user interface of GUI design.

Automatic cursor advance

Typing the enter key will commit the data on the screen and advance the cursor in an orderly manner.

The cursor is intially in the Customer box. Typing the enter key will advance it to the three-dot button for customer selection. At this point, you can use the space bar to open the customer selection window. Alternatively, you can type the enter key again to advance the cursor to the Buyer box, then again to the three-dot button for Buyer selection.

Cross table search function

You can reduce the number of selections on search boxes by specifying a filter.

By using the wild card character *, you can set a criteria to limit the selections. In this case, only customers starting with W will be shown. Not only does this speed the system by helping you find the target more easily, the system will respond faster because it finds and transmits a smaller data set.

Hot keys

Named buttons on the system can be invoked with the alt+mnenomic function.

In this example, typing alt+P will print out the order, or alt+C will close the screen. On any screen, hot keys can be identified by the underlined letter in the button text. Typing the alt+key combination will invoke the button function.

Selection boxes

Selection boxes have a number of built in features to speed data entry.

You can use the arrow and page up/down keys to move the highlight bar in the selection box. Typing a letter key will move the highlight bar to the next entry starting with that letter. For example, typing "A" will move the highlight bar to the first customer that starts with "A". Any of the hot key functions can be invoked with the alt+key combination. You can commit the lighlight entry by typing the enter key, or you can dismiss the selection box by typing the escape key.

Selection boxes also have special funcionality that will allow you enter data on the fly. For example, if you are entering an order and find that the customer has not been previously entered in to the system, you can use the New button to add a customer to the system without leaving the screen that you are currently working on. You can also verify or change information on the highlighted selection by using the View button. This will call up the entry for review without leaving the current screen.

Date Boxes

Dates can be entered manually or with the help of a Calendar box.

A date can be entered into the system by typing the date in the exact correct format, MM/dd/YY. In some cases, it may be easier to use the Calendar box to enter the date. The Calendar will show the entire month under consideration and inlcudes several shortcut functions.

The date can be moved in the grid using the arrow keys. The month may be scrolled forward or back by using the page down/up keys repsectively. The currently selected date may be committed to the screen by typing the enter key, or the calendar may be dismissed by typing the escape key.

Bar coding

Data entry effort can be reduced dramatically by using a bar code reader to enter data.

The DbNet system can print out product labels complete with bar codes. To enter data into the system using the bar code reader, all you have to do is position the cursor in the field on the screen where you want to enter the data and click the reader. The reader will transmit the bar coded information to the system automatically.

Active Spreadsheets

Data may be entered into spreadsheets directly.

You can edit large numbers of data elements as a group by using spreadsheets. Set filter criteria to produce a data set, and then the resulting spreadsheet may be edited directly, saving you the effort of calling up each individual data element and editing seperately. All of the functionality of the screen pertaining to the data will be in effect. In the example above, the percentage commission is being entered for the orders selected. In each case, the system will automatically compute the dollar commission based on the percentage times the net shipment amount.

You need only to begin typing into a field to initiate the editing process. Typing the enter key will commit the data and advance the cursor.