Adding Returns Using Barcode Scanner

Booking returns into CPC using a barcode scanner is the simplest and most efficient method of booking in returns. To use this method you need printed dispense labels containing a barcode of the dispense batch number and a barcode scanner.

Go to the Returns screen from the main menu. This screen automatically intercepts any scanned barcodes and checks if they are dispense batch numbers.

Place the vessel on the scale and scan the barcode of the product to return. If the barcode is recognised as a valid dispense batch, the Add Return screen will be displayed as below:

The details of the dispense will be completed automatically, including the original dispense vessel empty weight, the formula code and job number (if the original dispense was booked to a job). The total scale weight will be read and the net return weight will be calculated based on the original empty vessel weight.

Enter a return location if required.

Press the Save button. You will be prompted to print a return label if required.

You will be returned to the main returns list ready to book in another return.

Backup Methods

There are numerous options for archiving backups from CPM to external systems. Please contact Rexson with any details needed to set up your preferred solution.

External Drive

The simplest method is to plug in an external hard disk or flash drive. A script is available to automatically mirror the content of C:\SqlBackup\CPM to your external drive.

Pushed from ColorPoint

The system backups are run daily on CPM and the last 7 are kept. The backup script has a command to copy these files to a network folder every day after the backup runs. To enable this all we need to do is set the folder location in an environment variable. The script automatically removes older backups from the network folder, so you may want to copy out the most recent once a week for long term storage if needed.

Please advise Rexson of the backup location either as a UNC path (e.g. \\server\folder-for-backups) or as a mapped drive (e.g. X:\folder-for-backups). As long as the user running the scheduled task for the backup has permission to write to this location, the backups will take place automatically.

Pulled by a task on your Network

If the previous method is not suitable for your infrastructure then backups can be retrieved directly from CPM. The folder C:\SqlBackup is shared. The CPM sub-folder contains automated backups and CPM-User contains user initiated ad hoc backups. The local user account CustomerAdmin can be used for authentication.

An sshd server runs on CPM. This can be configured to allow SFTP access to the backups. 

Other Methods

Backups may also be sent from CPM via FTP/SFTP by Rexson Agent. This is a paid add on.

ColorPoint Console 1.6 Recirculation Program Control

From CPC version 1.6 onwards the button to turn the main recirculation program on ColorPoint on or off has been moved from the recirculation settings page to the main configuration page along with an info panel on the configuration page showing the current recirculation state as shown above.

When the button was on the page for a particular pump's setting it was easy to confuse the use of the button as being only for that pump.

The new button indicates the recirculation state that pressing the button will achieve, e.g. "Recirc ► ON" will turn on recirculation when it is already off and "Recirc ► OFF" will turn it off when it is currently on.

Showing View Columns in ColorPoint Manager

In ColorPoint Manager many views are lists of entities such as materials, formulas or returns. These list views can be customised to show only the information you require, in your preferred order.

To show or hide list view columns simply right-click on any column header in the list. This presents you with a list of available columns. Those with check marks will be visible, those without will be hidden. Repeat this process until the columns you wish to display are all selected.

To change the order of columns, simply click on the column header and drag the column to a new position. A small dot will appear between the headers showing where the new position will be when you release the mouse.

These settings are stored on a per user basis, so changing this on one login will not change how any other users views the data.

Delete Items From The Dispense Queue

The dispense queue holds dispense requests for the user. These requests can be dispensed in the order they were added to the queue, or the operator may choose to dispense the requests in any order.


When a dispense completes and the operator presses the "Next" button one of two things will happen. If there are any further dispense requests in the queue, the next item in the queue will be presented to be dispensed. If there are no further items in the queue, the operator will be shown either the job list or formulation list, depending on the source of the last dispense.


Sometimes items may be added to the queue that are no longer needed. In this case there are two ways to remove them.

Removal via ColorPoint Console

On the dispense page the queue button shows how many items are currently in the queue and provides access to the queue page.


Press the View Queue button.

In the dispense queue page navigate to the items you wish to delete and then press the delete button. If you want to empty the queue completely, keep pressing the delete button until you are returned to the job or formulation list. This ensures that all items, even the item at position 0 (currently selected on the dispense page) are removed.

Removal via ColorPoint Manager

In ColorPoint Manager open the Dispense Queue using the button on the tool bar.


The delete button can be used to remove individual items from the queue. Note that the item currently selected to dispense is shown as on the head and cannot be deleted remotely. To delete this item always use the delete button on the console.

How to alter Recirculation Parameters

 

1. Insert ‘Master’ Key
2. Select ‘Configuration’
3. Select ‘Operations’
4. Select Valve number to be altered
5. Select Recirculation
6. Adjust Pressure, if required (1 is the lowest pressure with 15 being the highest)
7. Adjust On time, if required (this is the period the pump operates for: 1-15 x 5 minutes)
8. Adjust Pause time, if required (Period of time delay between starting next pump)
9. Repeat for additional changes to pumps
10. Select save to confirm changes

To check changes

 

1. Select Materials
2. Tab down to required material
3. Select Vessel Contents
4. Select Recirc (Pump will run for 2 mins. and can be interrupted by selecting Recirc timer button.
5. Once alterations have been made and confirmed remove the Master key and return the Operator key

Getting the most from the barcode scanner

When there is a barcode scanner attached to ColorPoint there are a lot of useful shortcuts you can use in the software to reduce the amount of time it takes to set up a dispense and also decrease the probability of assigning a dispense to the wrong job.  This post should be helpful either if you’re considering ordering a barcode scanner for a new or existing system or you simply want to get the most out of your existing scanner.

Dispensing to a job

If you are using ColorPoint Manager to set up jobs then using the barcode scanner can eliminate time spent finding the correct job by using the job sheet from ColorPoint Manager.

If you scan the barcode under any job item when you are on the jobs screen on the console it will move to the dispense screen and automatically set the weight to equal to the estimated amount less what has already been dispensed to that item.  It will also book that dispense the job item you scanned on the job sheet.  This allows you to navigate the job screen much quicker than you could using the keys and also prevents the operator from accidentally booking a dispense to the wrong job.

Repeating a dispense

If you have a label printer in your ColorPoint Console you may have noticed that every time you do a dispense you get a label with a barcode on it.  If you scan this label when you are on the dispense screen (pictured below) then ColorPoint will create another exactly like the dispense that produced that barcode.  This means if you need another bucket of ink for the same job then instead of having to navigate to the job screen and select it again you can just scan the barcode of the original dispense thus saving you time and eliminating the possibility of selecting the wrong job.

 

Booking in a return

If you scan the barcode from a dispense label then ColorPoint will match use the composition of the scanned dispense for the new return.  As well eliminating the time spent finding the correct formula to book the return in as this method also allows for more accurate return matching in future.  This is because if there was an over dispense during the original dispense, for example someone added too much on a manual add, ColorPoint can compensate for this when using the return in the future.  Using this method also means that the return will keep traceability information from the original dispense that would have otherwise been lost.

Getting a dispense from the queue

If you use the dispense queue as part of your work flow then the barcode scanner can be use to select a dispense from the queue.  You can scan the barcode of a formula code or a job number and ColorPoint select the first matching dispense from the dispense queue.  This saves time spent looking in the dispense queue for the desired dispense.

What if i don’t have a label printer or a printer attached to ColorPoint Manager?

Although we do recommend having printers for both the ColorPoint Console and ColorPoint Manager for the most efficient use of the barcode scanner it is possible to still get some of the benefits of using the barcode scanner as long as you have a printer capable of printing a barcode somewhere in the organisation.  The ColorPoint barcode scanner reads barcodes produced in the Code 39 format (sometimes also known as the 3 of 9 format) which can be produced by simply installing and using a custom font.  Although the installation of a custom font is beyond the scope of this document if you are interested in generating your own barcodes for use with ColorPoint Manager please contact Rexson directly and we will send you the details on how to get started.