Company Setup

Configure your organization settings and preferences

Overview

Company Setup is essential for configuring Backbone MRP to match your organization's structure, processes, and requirements. This section covers organization information, location setup, and basic configuration settings that form the foundation of your system.

Important: Company setup typically requires administrator privileges. Contact your system administrator if you cannot access these settings.

Organization Info

Configure basic company information, contact details, and legal structure.

Location Management

Set up manufacturing facilities, warehouses, and office locations.

Business Settings

Configure financial settings, numbering schemes, and operational parameters.

System Preferences

Set default behaviors, display options, and user interface preferences.

Organization Information

Set up basic company information that appears on documents, reports, and system displays.

Accessing Organization Settings

  1. Navigate to Administration → Company Setup
  2. Click on "Organization Information"
  3. Enter or modify company details
  4. Save changes to update system-wide settings

Required Company Information

Field Description Usage
Company Name Legal business name Documents, invoices, reports
DBA Name "Doing Business As" name if different Customer-facing documents
Tax ID Number Federal tax identification number Tax reporting, vendor setup
Primary Address Main business address Legal documents, correspondence
Phone/Fax Main contact numbers Customer communication
Email/Website Primary digital contacts Electronic communication
[Screenshot: Organization Information Form - showing company details entry fields]

Company Locations

Define multiple locations for manufacturing, warehousing, and administrative functions.

Setting Up Locations

  1. Go to Administration → Company Setup → Locations
  2. Click "New Location"
  3. Enter location code and description
  4. Specify location type and address
  5. Configure location-specific settings
  6. Save the location

Location Types

Location Type Purpose Key Features
Manufacturing Production facilities Work centers, production scheduling
Warehouse Inventory storage Inventory tracking, bin management
Office Administrative functions User assignments, cost centers
Customer Site Customer delivery points Shipment destinations, consignment
Vendor Site Supplier locations Receipt origins, vendor managed inventory

Location Configuration

  • Location Code: Unique identifier for system use
  • Description: User-friendly location name
  • Address Information: Complete physical address
  • Contact Details: Location manager and contact information
  • Operating Calendar: Working days and hours
  • Shipping Methods: Available shipping options from location
[Screenshot: Company Locations List - showing configured locations with types]

Financial Settings

Configure accounting and financial parameters that affect system calculations and reporting.

Currency Configuration

  • Base Currency: Primary currency for all transactions
  • Exchange Rates: Rates for foreign currency transactions
  • Rate Sources: Automatic or manual exchange rate updates
  • Rounding Rules: How currency amounts are rounded

Costing Methods

Method Description Best For
Standard Cost Fixed costs updated periodically Stable manufacturing environments
Average Cost Rolling average of actual costs Variable cost environments
FIFO First-in, first-out cost assignment Inventory with shelf life
LIFO Last-in, first-out cost assignment Specific tax strategies
Specific Identification Track actual cost of individual items High-value, unique items

Fiscal Year Setup

  • Fiscal Year End: Month and day when fiscal year ends
  • Period Structure: Monthly, quarterly, or custom periods
  • Period Calendar: Specific dates for each period
  • Year-End Procedures: Automated or manual year-end processing

Numbering Schemes

Configure automatic numbering for orders, parts, customers, and other entities.

Configuring Number Series

  1. Navigate to Company Setup → Numbering
  2. Select the entity type (Orders, Parts, etc.)
  3. Define the numbering format and pattern
  4. Set starting numbers and increment values
  5. Test the numbering scheme
  6. Save and activate the configuration

Common Numbering Patterns

Entity Example Format Description
Sales Orders SO-2025-001234 Prefix + Year + Sequential number
Purchase Orders PO-001234 Prefix + Sequential number
Part Numbers MFG-ABC-001 Type + Category + Sequential
Customer IDs CUST-001234 Prefix + Sequential number
Invoice Numbers INV-2025-001234 Prefix + Year + Sequential number

Numbering Options

  • Auto-Generation: Automatic assignment when creating records
  • Manual Override: Allow manual entry when needed
  • Gap Detection: Fill in skipped numbers automatically
  • Reset Cycles: Reset numbering annually or by period
  • Location-Specific: Different number series by location

Units of Measure

Define the units used throughout the system for parts, inventory, and transactions.

Setting Up Units

  1. Go to Company Setup → Units of Measure
  2. Click "New Unit"
  3. Enter unit code and description
  4. Define conversion factors if needed
  5. Set decimal precision
  6. Save the unit definition

Common Unit Types

Category Units Usage
Quantity EA (Each), DZ (Dozen), PR (Pair) Discrete items and assemblies
Weight LB (Pound), KG (Kilogram), OZ (Ounce) Raw materials, bulk items
Length FT (Foot), IN (Inch), M (Meter) Linear materials, cable, pipe
Area SF (Square Foot), SM (Square Meter) Sheet materials, flooring
Volume GAL (Gallon), L (Liter), CF (Cubic Foot) Liquids, gases, bulk materials

Unit Conversions

  • Base Units: Primary unit for each category
  • Conversion Factors: Mathematical relationships between units
  • Precision: Number of decimal places for calculations
  • Display Format: How units appear on screens and reports

Payment Terms

Define standard payment terms used for customers and vendors.

Creating Payment Terms

  1. Navigate to Company Setup → Payment Terms
  2. Click "New Terms"
  3. Enter terms code and description
  4. Define payment calculation rules
  5. Set discount options if applicable
  6. Save the payment terms

Common Payment Terms

Terms Code Description Due Date Calculation
NET30 Net 30 Days Invoice date + 30 days
2/10NET30 2% 10 Days, Net 30 2% discount if paid within 10 days
COD Cash on Delivery Payment due upon delivery
CIA Cash in Advance Payment required before shipping
EOM30 End of Month + 30 End of invoice month + 30 days

Shipping Methods

Configure available shipping options for customer orders and vendor purchase orders.

Setting Up Ship Methods

  1. Go to Company Setup → Shipping Methods
  2. Click "New Method"
  3. Enter method code and description
  4. Configure carrier and service details
  5. Set default costs and transit times
  6. Save the shipping method

Shipping Method Configuration

  • Method Code: Short identifier for selection
  • Description: User-friendly description
  • Carrier: Shipping company (UPS, FedEx, USPS, etc.)
  • Service Level: Ground, Next Day, 2-Day, etc.
  • Transit Time: Expected delivery timeframe
  • Cost Calculation: Fixed rate or weight-based
[Screenshot: Shipping Methods Setup - showing carrier configuration]

System Preferences

Configure default behaviors and user interface settings that affect system operation.

User Interface Preferences

  • Date Format: MM/DD/YYYY vs DD/MM/YYYY vs YYYY-MM-DD
  • Time Format: 12-hour vs 24-hour display
  • Number Format: Decimal separator and thousands separator
  • Language/Locale: System language and regional settings
  • Theme: Color scheme and visual appearance

Operational Defaults

  • Default Location: Primary location for new records
  • Inventory Method: Perpetual vs periodic inventory tracking
  • Auto-Refresh: Automatic data refresh intervals
  • Session Timeout: Automatic logout after inactivity
  • Backup Schedule: Automated backup frequency and retention

Security Settings

  • Password Policy: Length, complexity, and expiration requirements
  • Login Attempts: Maximum failed login attempts before lockout
  • User Sessions: Maximum concurrent sessions per user
  • Audit Logging: Level of system activity logging

Data Validation Rules

Set up validation rules to ensure data consistency and accuracy throughout the system.

Common Validation Rules

Field Type Validation Rule Example
Part Numbers Format and uniqueness Must follow ABC-123-XXX pattern
Customer Codes Length and character restrictions 6-character alphanumeric codes only
Quantities Minimum and maximum limits Order quantities must be > 0
Dates Range and logic validation Ship date cannot be before order date
Prices Range and reasonableness checks Selling price must be > cost price

Backup and Maintenance

Configure system backup procedures and maintenance schedules to protect your data.

Backup Configuration

  • Backup Schedule: Daily, weekly, or custom backup timing
  • Backup Location: Local, network, or cloud storage
  • Retention Policy: How long to keep backup copies
  • Compression: Data compression to save storage space
  • Encryption: Backup encryption for security

Maintenance Tasks

  • Database Optimization: Regular index rebuilding and cleanup
  • Log File Management: Automatic cleanup of old log files
  • Archive Procedures: Moving old data to archive storage
  • Performance Monitoring: Tracking system performance metrics
Best Practice: Test backup restoration procedures regularly to ensure data can be recovered when needed.

Initial Setup Checklist

Use this checklist to ensure proper system configuration during initial implementation.

Essential Setup Steps

  1. ☐ Complete organization information
  2. ☐ Set up primary company location
  3. ☐ Configure additional locations as needed
  4. ☐ Define units of measure
  5. ☐ Set up payment terms
  6. ☐ Configure shipping methods
  7. ☐ Establish numbering schemes
  8. ☐ Configure financial settings
  9. ☐ Set system preferences
  10. ☐ Define user access levels
  11. ☐ Configure backup procedures
  12. ☐ Test all configurations

Validation Steps

  1. ☐ Create test customer record
  2. ☐ Create test part record
  3. ☐ Create test sales order
  4. ☐ Verify numbering schemes work correctly
  5. ☐ Test backup and restore procedures
  6. ☐ Verify user access controls
  7. ☐ Generate test reports
  8. ☐ Train key users on system access