Implementation Checklist

• Purchased Fishbowl Inventory Software

Pre-Installation Steps

• Hardware Implementation
  • Do you have Windows 2000 or newer or Linux loaded on the server?
  • Are all the computers that will be using Fishbowl already networked?
  • Do you have at least 300 MB available space on your HDD?
  • Do you have at least 512 MB of RAM for Service and 256 MB RAM for Client?
  • Do you have monitor resolution of at least 1024X768?
  • Do you have a CD Rom?
  • Do you have Internet access?
  • Do you have the latest service packs installed?
• QuickBooks Integration
  • Are you running at least QB 2003, version 7?
  • Make sure that QuickBooks is loaded on machine so that when Fishbowl is loaded, QuickBooks will recognize the SDK.
  • Are you going to enable class tracking? (Location group tracking in Fishbowl)
  • Decide how frequently you will download information into QB.
  • Is all the information in QuickBooks accurate? If not make proper changes.
  • Make sure QuickBooks is in Single user mode.
  • Print out the tables using the Configuration tab in the Accounting Module.
• Company Set-up
  • Do you know how many workstations the Fishbowl Client will be running on?
  • How many people will have access to Fishbowl?
  • Who will have security rights (access) to which modules?
  • What payment terms are you going to give your customers?
  • How many locations do you have?
  • What are the functions of each location? (Available for Sale, Active, Pickable or Receivable)
  • Are you going to enable location group tracking? (Class tracking in QuickBooks)
  • Are you going to assign locations to a location group?
  • Determine if you will need a Product Tree (Do you need to apply pricing changes to whole categories?)
  • Which classes are you going to set up? (Location, Enterprise or Type of Product)
  • Determine if you will use revision numbers.
  • Determine if you will use Lot numbers.
  • Determine if you need to use a customized field.
  • Determine which Units of Measure (and conversions) you will need.

Install the Fishbowl Inventory™ Software

• Installation
  • Follow Installation Instructions.
  • Stop Server.
  • Choose Options and select New Database - Your Company.
  • Restart Fishbowl Server and Fishbowl Client.

Post-Installation Steps

• Set up Inventory Locations & Units of Measures
  • Setup Location Groups.
  • Setup User Locations.
  • Enter Units of Measure.
  • Enter Units of Measure conversions.
  • Edit information on Carriers to fit into your company.
  • Type in the terms you offer clients and are offered by Vendors.
  • Insert company Logo under Company.
• If you are Integrating with QuickBooks follow these steps
  • Setup or Modify Payment Terms.
  • Go to accounting module to perform the QuickBooks integration.
  • Enable class tracking (optional) within QuickBooks.
  • Follow the Installation Wizard.
  • Bring in the user's company information
  • Bring in inventory items.
  • Bring in vendor (supplier) information.
  • Bring in customer information.
• Assign Individual Parts to Locations
  • Assign individual Parts to Locations.
  • Import Individual Parts to their locations using the Inventory Transfer Data Import.
  • Make sure the spreadsheets are formatted correctly.
  • Import Data.
• Set up User Groups and User Rights
  • Create New Fishbowl User Groups.
  • Assign User Group Rights.
  • Create new users and give them passwords.
  • Assign Users to User Groups.
• Enter Tax Information
  • Add Tax Agency.
  • Add Tax Rate.
  • Assign the classes are you going use. (Location, Enterprise or Type of Product)
• Create Bill of Materials
  • Determine Type(s) needed.
  • (Option 1) Manually Enter Bill of Materials.
  • (Option 2) Import Bill of Materials.
• Purchasing Module Group
  • Update Vendor Information.
  • Input information on products vendors sell.
• Refine the Materials Module Group
  • Make sure all the parts are entered into Fishbowl.
  • Make sure all parts are properly classified under the "Details" tab.
  • Enter in any defined custom fields you might use.
  • Check any Options that will be applicable to each part.
  • Enter in Receiving Tolerance, Cycle Count Tolerance, and Lead time for each part.
  • Associate each part with a vendor(s) who sells it.
  • Import Pictures if you are going to use that feature on various parts.
  • Assign Default Location for each part (optional).
• Go to the Sales Module Group
  • Go to the Customer Module and assign customers to Groups under the Groups tab.
  • Assign default sales person to manage customer account.
  • Going to the Pricing Module you may associate a certain price for a certain product or product tree node with a specific customer. For example, you want to give a special discount to your best customers. You can discount certain items, certain item groups.
  • Set up the types of Discounts you use.
• Fishbowl Inventory Reports
  • Go to the Report Module in the General Module Group.
  • Check Reports information is correct.