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PC-SIG Diskette Library (Disk #2246)
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Information about “PONY EXPRESS”
This program can help individuals or businesses to automate USPS (U.S.
Post Office) and UPS (United Parcel Service) rate and fee
calculations.
Enter the zip code of the destination, the value and weight of your
package, and PONY EXPRESS will show you all the available rates and
services. If you need to compare speed vs. cost. There's a function
to display the ETA and the cost for each level of service.
Numerous USPS rate types and options are supported, such as first class
express mail-post office to addressee, priority mail, insurance, and COD
fees. UPS options supported include next day air, 2nd day air, ground
service insurance, and oversize package fees.
A nice feature is that it can be run as a standalone or a
memory-resident program. If used in the memory-resident mode, it take
as
little as 9K of RAM when used with expanded memory or disk swapping.
The next time you need to find out how much it costs to ship a 5 lb.
parcel across the U.S., and how long it takes to get there, use the
FILE2246.TXT
Disk No: 2246
Disk Title: Pony Express
PC-SIG Version: S1
Program Title: Pony Express
Author Version: 1.104
Author Registration: $80.00
Special Requirements: None.
Let PONY EXPRESS find the cheapest, and quickest possible way to ship
your packages thru the United States Postal Service (USPS), and United
Parcel Post (UPS).
This program can help individuals or businesses to automate USPS, and
UPS rate and fee calculations. Just enter the zip code of the
destination, the value and weight of your package, and PONY EXPRESS will
show you all the available rates and services. If you need to compare
speed vs cost the program has a function to display the estimated time
of arrival, and cost for each service.
For USPS numerous rate types and options are supported like; first class
express mail-post office to addressee, priority mail, insurance, COD
fees, and much more.
Some UPS options supported are; Next day air, 2nd day air, ground servic
insurance, and oversize package fees to name a few.
A good feature of this program is that it can be run stand alone or as
a memory resident utility. If you use it in the memory resident mode
the program can take as little as 9K of RAM when used in conjuntion with
expanded memory or swapping data to disk.
So next time you want to find out how much a five pound parcel costs to
be shipped across the U.S., and how long it can take to get there, use
PONY EXPRESS to get the information with a few keystrokes.
PC-SIG
1030D East Duane Avenue
Sunnyvale Ca. 94086
(408) 730-9291
(c) Copyright 1989 PC-SIG, Inc.
GO.TXT
╔═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║ <<<< PC-SIG Disk #2246 PONY EXPRESS >>>> ║
╠═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣
║ ║
║ In order to run the program it must first be installed. ║
║ ║
║ To install the program, type: PEINST (press enter) ║
║ ║
║ To run the program, type: PE (press enter) ║
║ ║
║ To print the documentation, type: COPY RUNBOOK.DOC PRN (press enter) ║
║ ║
║ Copyright 1990, PC-SIG, Inc. ║
╚═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝
LICENSE.DOC
LICENSE AGREEMENT AND LIMITED WARRANTY
____________________________________________________________
LICENSE AGREEMENT AND LIMITED WARRANTY
This software is not and never has been public domain
software. Pony Express is a copyrighted software product
developed and owned by Melisco Marketing, Inc. ("Melisco").
Copyright (C) 1987, 1990 by Melisco Marketing, Inc. All
rights reserved.
Melisco retains ownership of this copy of software. Private
individuals and computer clubs are granted permission by the
author to freely copy the Pony Express disks for evaluation
by others as long as the disks are not modified in any way.
However, you may not sell the disks for profit. Exceptions
to these rules must be received in writing from Melisco.
Use of this software product for any period of time
constitutes your acceptance of this agreement and subjects
you to all of its contents.
Non-registered users are granted a non-exclusive limited
license to use this software on a single computer
workstation solely on a trial basis. The purpose of this
free trial access to the software is to determine if the
package is suitable for your computer needs. Use of this
product, except for the limited purpose of determining if it
satisfies your current business or other productive use
requires registration. To register this copy for continued
usage return the enclosed registration form with proper
payment to:
Melisco Marketing, Inc.
9719 Ensley Lane
Leawood, KS 66206-2246
(913)642-5005
Each license granted to you or any subsequent licensee is
subject to the following terms and conditions:
Registration permits the user a license to use this software
on a single computer. You may not adapt, alter, modify or
translate this software or accompanying manual.
Restrictions include, but are not limited to, creating
derivitative works, reverse engineering, decompiling or
disassembling. You may not lease, sub-license, rent or
distribute either this software or its documentation. You
may make copies of this software only for backup and
archival purposes. No more than two (2) copies may be in
existence at any time. You must include the copyright
notice on the copy.
____________________________________________________________
PONY EXPRESS USER'S GUIDE i- iii
LICENSE AGREEMENT AND LIMITED WARRANTY- continued
____________________________________________________________
EXCEPT AS NOTED BELOW, THIS SOFTWARE AND ACCOMPANYING
DOCUMENTATION ARE PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY
KIND, EITHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT
LIMITED TO, IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. THE ENTIRE RISK AS TO THE
QUALITY AND PERFORMANCE OF THE SOFTWARE IS ASSUMED BY YOU.
IF THE SOFTWARE OR DOCUMENTATION IS DEFECTIVE, YOU ASSUME
THE ENTIRE COST OF ALL NECESSARY SERVICING, REPAIR, OR
CORRECTION. Melisco may offer from time to time, updated
versions of this software. At its option, Melisco will make
such updates available to the licensees who have paid the
update fee and returned the Registration form to Melisco.
LIMITED WARRANTY
Melisco Marketing, Inc. warrants the magnetic media and
physical documentation to be free of defect in materials and
workmanship for a period of 30 days from date of purchase.
Melisco's entire liability and your sole remedy shall be the
replacement of the material not meeting this "Limited
Warranty" IN NO EVENT WILL MELISCO BE LIABLE FOR ANY LOSS
OF PROFIT OR ANY OTHER COMMERCIAL DAMAGE INCLUDING BUT NOT
LIMITED TO SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR ANY OTHER
DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF THE USE OR INABILITY TO USE THIS
PROGRAM OR ITS DOCUMENTATION. Because some states do not
allow the exclusion or limitation of consequential damages,
the above limitation may not apply to you. This agreement
will be governed by the laws of the State of Kansas.
This agreement supersedes any proposal or prior agreement,
oral or written relative to the subject matter of this
agreement.
____________________________________________________________
PONY EXPRESS USER'S GUIDE i-iv
ORDER.DOC
REGISTRATION AND ORDER FORM
____________________________________________________________
To order Pony Express or to register for continued usage
complete the form below and enclose the proper payment.
You can also order by telephone (800)642-5045 (orders only)
or (913)642-5005. Our FAX number is (913)642-5466.
Contact Name:_______________________________________________
Title:________________________________
Company Name:_______________________________________________
Street Address:_____________________________________________
City:_________________________ St:______ Zip:_______________
Telephone:____________________ Alternate:___________________
Quantity
________ Pony Express registration and @ $50.00 ea _______
product update notification.
________ Pony Express registration plus @ $80.00 ea _______
professionally printed user's guide, one year
voice tech support, product update notification.
(includes shipping)
Diskette Format: [ ] 3.5" [ ] 5.25"
Kansas residents add 5.75% sales tax _______
Total _________
Method of Payment: [ ] Check with Order [ ] Money Order
[ ] Mastercard [ ] Visa
Card #:__________________________________ Exp. Date:___ /___
Signature:______________________________________
Cardholder's Name:______________________________
Remit To: Melisco Marketing, Inc.
9719 Ensley Lane
Leawood, KS 66206-2246
____________________________________________________________
PONY EXPRESS USER'S GUIDE i-v
RUNBOOK.DOC
____________________________________________________________
P O N Y E X P R E S S
The Pony Express program was developed just two miles from
the residence of Alexander Majors, founder of the original
Pony Express mail service. In that same spirit we have
developed a precision tool for all businesses to improve
their efficiency.
Bruce Montgomery
PONY EXPRESS(R)
Copyright (C) 1987, 1990 by Melisco Marketing, Inc.
All Rights Reserved
Melisco Marketing, Inc.
9719 Ensley Lane
Leawood, KS 66206-2246
version 1.104
____________________________________________________________
NOTICE
____________________________________________________________
The information contained in this document is subject to
change without notice and does not represent a commitment on
the part of the vendor. The documentation and software
described in this document are furnished under a license
agreement. The documentation and software may be copied
only in accordance with the terms of the agreement. No part
of this document may otherwise be photocopied, reproduced or
translated into any language or computer language without
the prior written consent of Melisco Marketing, Inc.
Copyright (C) 1987, 1990 by Melisco Marketing, Inc. All
rights reserved.
This publication is provided as a supplement to the Pony
Express program. It is not intended to be used as an in-
depth reference of the services described herein. For more
information about these services, you should contact your
local customer service representative of the provider of the
service.
A registration and order form has been provided on page i-v.
For quantity, site license or dealer pricing you can write
or call Melisco Marketing, Inc.
TELEPHONE AND ADDRESS INFORMATION
Melisco Marketing, Inc.
9719 Ensley Lane
Leawood, KS 66206-2246
Business Office (913)642-5005 9:00 - 5:00 CST
Orders Only (800)642-5045 9:00 - 5:00 CST
FAX (913)642-5466 24 Hours/Daily
Melisco BBS (913)642-9895 24 Hours/Daily
____________________________________________________________
PONY EXPRESS USER'S GUIDE
TABLE OF CONTENTS
____________________________________________________________
TABLE OF CONTENTS
_________________
PROGRAM LICENSE AGREEMENT...............i-iii
REGISTRATION AND ORDER FORM...............i-v
INTRODUCTION
OVERVIEW..................................1-1
RATES AND OPTIONS SUPPORTED...............1-5
OTHER APPLICATION AREAS...................1-6
GETTING STARTED
INSTALLING PONY EXPRESS...................2-3
INSTALLATION QUESTIONS....................2-4
USING PONY EXPRESS
PROGRAM INITIALIZATION....................3-1
ACTIVATE PONY EXPRESS (applies to program
modes R, E, S)............................3-1
MOVING BETWEEN SCREENS....................3-2
ADJUSTING THE SCREEN......................3-2
CHANGING SCREEN COLORS....................3-2
DATA ENTRY SCREEN
DATA ENTRY FIELDS.........................4-1
OPTION KEY STATUS.........................4-2
FUNCTION KEYS ACTIVE......................4-2
RATE SCREEN
OPTION KEY MATRIX.........................5-1
____________________________________________________________
PONY EXPRESS USER'S GUIDE i-i
TABLE OF CONTENTS
____________________________________________________________
SHIPPING INFORMATION WINDOW...............5-2
FUNCTION KEYS ACTIVE......................5-4
ESTIMATED ARRIVAL SCREEN
ESTIMATED ARRIVAL-
THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW....................6-1
SCREEN LAYOUT.............................6-2
THE SYMBOLS...............................6-2
VARYING THE SHIP DATE.....................6-3
APPENDIX A - ERROR MESSAGES
DURING INSTALLATION.......................A-1
DURING INITIALIZATION.....................A-1
APPENDIX B - PROGRAM COMPATIBILITY
SIDEKICK USERS............................B-1
LOTUS USERS...............................B-1
____________________________________________________________
PONY EXPRESS USER'S GUIDE i-ii
LICENSE AGREEMENT AND LIMITED WARRANTY
____________________________________________________________
LICENSE AGREEMENT AND LIMITED WARRANTY
This software is not and never has been public domain
software. Pony Express is a copyrighted software product
developed and owned by Melisco Marketing, Inc. ("Melisco").
Copyright (C) 1987, 1990 by Melisco Marketing, Inc. All
rights reserved.
Melisco retains ownership of this copy of software. Private
individuals and computer clubs are granted permission by the
author to freely copy the Pony Express disks for evaluation
by others as long as the disks are not modified in any way.
However, you may not sell the disks for profit. Exceptions
to these rules must be received in writing from Melisco.
Use of this software product for any period of time
constitutes your acceptance of this agreement and subjects
you to all of its contents.
Non-registered users are granted a non-exclusive limited
license to use this software on a single computer
workstation solely on a trial basis. The purpose of this
free trial access to the software is to determine if the
package is suitable for your computer needs. Use of this
product, except for the limited purpose of determining if it
satisfies your current business or other productive use
requires registration. To register this copy for continued
usage return the enclosed registration form with proper
payment to:
Melisco Marketing, Inc.
9719 Ensley Lane
Leawood, KS 66206-2246
(913)642-5005
Each license granted to you or any subsequent licensee is
subject to the following terms and conditions:
Registration permits the user a license to use this software
on a single computer. You may not adapt, alter, modify or
translate this software or accompanying manual.
Restrictions include, but are not limited to, creating
derivitative works, reverse engineering, decompiling or
disassembling. You may not lease, sub-license, rent or
distribute either this software or its documentation. You
may make copies of this software only for backup and
archival purposes. No more than two (2) copies may be in
existence at any time. You must include the copyright
notice on the copy.
____________________________________________________________
PONY EXPRESS USER'S GUIDE i- iii
LICENSE AGREEMENT AND LIMITED WARRANTY- continued
____________________________________________________________
EXCEPT AS NOTED BELOW, THIS SOFTWARE AND ACCOMPANYING
DOCUMENTATION ARE PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY
KIND, EITHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT
LIMITED TO, IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. THE ENTIRE RISK AS TO THE
QUALITY AND PERFORMANCE OF THE SOFTWARE IS ASSUMED BY YOU.
IF THE SOFTWARE OR DOCUMENTATION IS DEFECTIVE, YOU ASSUME
THE ENTIRE COST OF ALL NECESSARY SERVICING, REPAIR, OR
CORRECTION. Melisco may offer from time to time, updated
versions of this software. At its option, Melisco will make
such updates available to the licensees who have paid the
update fee and returned the Registration form to Melisco.
LIMITED WARRANTY
Melisco Marketing, Inc. warrants the magnetic media and
physical documentation to be free of defect in materials and
workmanship for a period of 30 days from date of purchase.
Melisco's entire liability and your sole remedy shall be the
replacement of the material not meeting this "Limited
Warranty" IN NO EVENT WILL MELISCO BE LIABLE FOR ANY LOSS
OF PROFIT OR ANY OTHER COMMERCIAL DAMAGE INCLUDING BUT NOT
LIMITED TO SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR ANY OTHER
DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF THE USE OR INABILITY TO USE THIS
PROGRAM OR ITS DOCUMENTATION. Because some states do not
allow the exclusion or limitation of consequential damages,
the above limitation may not apply to you. This agreement
will be governed by the laws of the State of Kansas.
This agreement supersedes any proposal or prior agreement,
oral or written relative to the subject matter of this
agreement.
____________________________________________________________
PONY EXPRESS USER'S GUIDE i-iv
REGISTRATION AND ORDER FORM
____________________________________________________________
To order Pony Express or to register for continued usage
complete the form below and enclose the proper payment.
You can also order by telephone (800)642-5045 (orders only)
or (913)642-5005. Our FAX number is (913)642-5466.
Contact Name:_______________________________________________
Title:________________________________
Company Name:_______________________________________________
Street Address:_____________________________________________
City:_________________________ St:______ Zip:_______________
Telephone:____________________ Alternate:___________________
Quantity
________ Pony Express registration and @ $50.00 ea _______
product update notification.
________ Pony Express registration plus @ $80.00 ea _______
professionally printed user's guide, one year
voice tech support, product update notification.
(includes shipping)
Diskette Format: [ ] 3.5" [ ] 5.25"
Kansas residents add 5.75% sales tax _______
Total _________
Method of Payment: [ ] Check with Order [ ] Money Order
[ ] Mastercard [ ] Visa
Card #:__________________________________ Exp. Date:___ /___
Signature:______________________________________
Cardholder's Name:______________________________
Remit To: Melisco Marketing, Inc.
9719 Ensley Lane
Leawood, KS 66206-2246
____________________________________________________________
PONY EXPRESS USER'S GUIDE i-v
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
____________________________________________________________
Pony Express is a registered trademark of Melisco Marketing,
Inc.
IBM, IBM PC-DOS, IBM-PC, IBM-XT, IBM-AT, IBM-PS/2 are
registered trademarks of International Business Machine
Corporation.
Intel is a registered trademark of Intel Corporation.
Microsoft and MS-DOS are registered trademarks of Microsoft
Corporation.
Sidekick is a trademark of Borland International Inc.
Lotus and 1-2-3 are registered trademarks of Lotus
Development Corporation.
Metro is a trademark of Lotus Development Corporation.
DESQview is a trademark of Quarterdeck Office Systems.
U.S. Mail emblem, Express Mail, First-Class Mail, Priority
Mail and United States Postal Service are among the
registered trademarks, trademarks and service marks of the
U.S. Postal Service.
UPS logotype, Next Day Air and 2nd Day Air are registered
trademarks of United Parcel Service.
Federal Express is a registered trademark of Federal Express
Corporation.
MINIMUM HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS
IBM-PC, XT, AT, PS/2 or a true compatible with a minimum of
256K, 1 floppy disk drive and a monochrome or color monitor.
IBM PC-DOS or MS-DOS version 2.0 or greater is also
required.
____________________________________________________________
PONY EXPRESS USER'S GUIDE i-vi
INTRODUCTION
____________________________________________________________
Pony Express applies to all businesses especially smaller
ones. This overview will help you relate it to yours.
We realize that the subject matter is a rather dry one so as
a reward for reading this intro, we have included several
important tips that everyone can use.
Let's face it, as businesses and individuals we all use the
Postal Service. Privatize it; they need more competition,
you say? Well I don't know how many telephone bills you get
each month but who wants more complexity in their life.
Let's digress for a moment.
Many years ago the H&R Block company was founded here in
Kansas City by two brothers who realized that people might
pay money to get their taxes done rather than stand in long
lines at the IRS offices. Several years ago, we had a
similar thought while standing in line at the Post Office.
After all, the Postal Service needs just one thing from you,
the correct postage for the service you want performed.
Pony Express does just that. For individuals or small
businesses, it will get you out of the lines and back in
your office. For large businesses, it can streamline your
mail and shipping rooms. Pony Express is a sophisticated
program that knows what the window clerk knows. We call it
"A Civil Servant in a box" Tm.
Before we go on let's look at the Postal Service for what it
really is. Forget about the bills and junk mail they bring
you. It's not their fault, they were hired to do that.
The U.S. Postal Service is the largest delivery system in
the world. The system works well and it works hard. Even
on holidays when you don't see your letter carrier, internal
processing continues and it never stops. Every day the
system moves over 450 million pieces of mail thru 29,000
domestic Post Offices. They are at every address in the
nation almost every day.
And U.S. Postal rates are the lowest in the world. The junk
mail is analogous to a commercial on television in that it
helps keep rates lower.
No system is perfect but if you agree that for us to make
the changes we may want is a feat similar to changing the
rotation of the earth then it just makes good sense to learn
more about how the system really works.
____________________________________________________________
PONY EXPRESS USER'S GUIDE 1-1
CHAPTER 1
____________________________________________________________
First let's take a minute to take the mystery out of the
Postal rate types.
FOR IMPORTANT STUFF
FIRST CLASS- Letters
PRIORITY MAIL- Packages (*first class-zone rated)
FOR UNIMPORTANT STUFF
THIRD CLASS- Letters
FOURTH CLASS- Packages (*parcel post)
*Notice that we have bracketed the old names for these
services because you will still hear some people refer to
them this way.
The above example is an easy way to mentally keep the
services straight but it is somewhat oversimplified.
While you and I may think in terms of letters and packages,
the Postal Service really just looks at weight. Don't
worry, Pony Express thinks the same way. In our example, we
use the term "Letters" because First and Third Class rates
refer to small weights.
There are also options that you can use with these rate
types. "Special Delivery" gets delivered to you immediately
upon receipt at your local Post Office. "Registry" (that's
how the Fed moves the nation's gold supply) means that the
item is signed for and secured every step of the way. A
"Return Receipt" can be returned to you showing when, where,
and to whom the item was delivered. "Certified Mail" gives
you proof of mailing and of course there are others.
The beauty of this system is that you pay only for the
options you need. In addition, the rate structures are
based on the distance the item travels rather than a single
fee to send anywhere. This is referred to as "Zone-Rated".
____________________________________________________________
PONY EXPRESS USER'S GUIDE 1-2
INTRODUCTION
____________________________________________________________
The bad news is that not all options apply to all rate
types. Some options feed on others and some are exclusive.
When you use the Pony Express program, it watches every
keystroke and applies the rules so you can think in terms
of:
"Deliver it Sunday"
"It's worth $400.00 - Insure it!"
"I want a receipt"
Pony Express figures zones, rates, option fees, and
automatically applies discounts. It also blocks out
services that don't apply to your objective. Remember, all
you need to do is to affix the proper postage amount to pay
for this transaction.
Maybe now you can see why Pony Express helps sell a lot of
postage machines. If you don't have one, stamps work just
fine. Before we talk about other Pony Express features,
here are some useful tips that can help anyone using mail
services.
1. The unsung hero of the Postal Service is Priority Mail.
Priority Mail gets delivered to major cities within two days
and outlying locations in three. One of our customers saves
$35,000 a year by doing this instead of expressing weekly
sales reports to field salesmen. For example, two pounds
sent by Priority Mail is only $2.40. You can even use it
for letters and remember it also delivers on Saturday.
Priority Mail stickers are available free from your Post
Office. Your item MUST display THIS STICKER (nothing else
counts). With this sticker and the proper postage, your
item will receive expeditious delivery.
If you're hesitant about using this service, I suggest you
conduct your own test using Priority Mail with a Return
Receipt so you can monitor the actual delivery date. Many
large companies are already doing this.
2. Don't give your outgoing mail to the letter carrier when
they deliver yours. They have a whole day ahead of them
before they get back to the Post Office. You can easily add
a day to the delivery by making this mistake.
3. Drop off mail at a drop box but only one with a posted
schedule. Pay attention to the schedule because they are
strictly adhered to. Different boxes have different
schedules so either shop the neighborhood or call the Post
Office for schedules if you need flexibility.
____________________________________________________________
PONY EXPRESS USER'S GUIDE 1-3
CHAPTER 1
____________________________________________________________
4. Do NOT use the mail receptacles inside the Post Office.
These do not have posted schedules so they are emptied as
time allows. Use the drop box outside.
5. Use the morning mail for important items. Most drop
boxes have a morning schedule so you might consider batching
morning mail and sending it out with someone from your
office (early lunch, delivery person, etc.) Here's why:
Mail processing occurs in Networks (cycles), morning and
afternoon. After mail is collected it must be faced,
cancelled and sorted; then it's got a plane to catch. Many
of the planes are commercial aircraft so your letter is
working with the same schedule that you as a passenger do.
Keep that in mind on your next plane trip when you hear the
"Thud" up front. Yep, you guessed it, the U.S. Mail is on-
board!
Remember, if it's important get it to the boxes on time
(close doesn't count).
To get the most from the Pony Express program we recommend
that you try different transactions and experiment with
different options on the Rate Screen. For options or
services that are new to you, just use the help screens.
It's really easy and you'll see not just how smart the
program is but also how much more you know. Next, decide
which services and options you want to use. Write down any
questions you have and contact your local Postal Customer
Service Representative to get them resolved.
From then on use the Pony Express program to figure the
postage. Apply the postage, make sure items are properly
marked and use the drop box or the caller window at the Post
Office. Stay out of the lines, save time, and save money;
it's that simple!
And of course when you do have to go to the Post Office try
not to giggle at the people in line, it's not polite.
Basing rates on the distance moved (Zone Rating) and paying
only for the options you need gives you both flexibility and
the lowest cost. We already know that from the Postal
calculations. One company in the private sector also uses a
similar structure for it's services. Because of this
similarity we have included support for the United Parcel
Service. If your company uses UPS then the Pony Express
program will save you even more time.
____________________________________________________________
PONY EXPRESS USER'S GUIDE 1-4
CHAPTER 1
____________________________________________________________
You probably also use and will continue to use Federal
Express or other overnight delivery service. Unlike Zone
Rating, rate structures are pretty much based on a one price
ships anywhere philosophy. They have few rules and some
options are built into the rate. As a result, you get a
rate card that is easy for anyone to understand and quick to
use. There's not much a computer can do to simplify that.
What we have done is to help you where you needed help and
by making better use of the Postal system you use every day,
you can save both time and frustration. Just another way to
make money with the PC you already own.
RATES AND OPTIONS
The Pony Express program provides complete support for the
following rate types and options.
United States Postal Service (USPS)
RATES
Express Mail-Post Office to Addressee
First Class
Priority Mail
Third Class
Fourth Class
OPTIONS
Insurance to $500.00 (Registry to $25,000.00)
COD Fees
Automatically includes Intra BMC Discounts
Oversize Package Fees
Return Receipt
Special Delivery
Special Handling
Certified Mail
Registered Mail
United Parcel Service (UPS)
RATES
Next Day Air Letter
Next Day Air
2nd Day Air (except to Alaska)
Ground Service
____________________________________________________________
PONY EXPRESS USER'S GUIDE 1-5
INTRODUCTION
____________________________________________________________
United Parcel Service (UPS) continued
OPTIONS
Insurance to $25,000.00
COD Fees
Oversize Package Fees
Acknowledgement of Delivery
OTHER APPLICATION AREAS
A lot of careful planning went into the design of the Pony
Express program. We took much of the knowledge of corporate
mailing and shipping rooms and joined that with an intuitive
program interface that anyone can easily learn and use.
After you try Pony Express you may quickly see that there
are other people in your company that should also be using
it.
Let's look at a couple of fictional situations to illustrate
where Pony Express can really pay off.
Scenario A:
Dan Smith is a marketing manager for a small manufacturing
company. He needs to send a 65 pound display kit to another
city 140 miles away. Dan tells his secretary to make sure
it arrives in time for the business show which is in a
couple of days. She quickly ships it using overnight air.
With Pony Express, Dan's secretary interrupts the word
processing application on her PC and activates Pony Express.
Not only does she get competitive overnight air rates, but
by using the Estimated Arrival screen, she sees that the
shipment could arrive in one day using Fourth Class or UPS
ground service.
The cost savings from this one example could justify the
total purchase price of the Pony Express Program. Dan's
secretary is then able to exit Pony Express and return to
her letter, right where she left off.
____________________________________________________________
PONY EXPRESS USER'S GUIDE 1-6
CHAPTER 1
____________________________________________________________
Scenario B:
Jim Stokes is an account representative for a company that
sells micro-computer hardware by mail order. Most of his
sales are made over the phone. His current customer wants
to know the total order charges so he can prepare his check
to cover the COD amount. Jim tells his customer that he
will check with the shipping department and call him right
back.
With Pony Express, Jim could have finished the order, saved
a long distance phone call and prevented the interruption to
the shipping department. Transactions also work in reverse,
so if Jim's customer was a Pony Express user, he could have
figured the total charges by himself.
With Pony Express you can:
Quickly quote shipping charges, options and delivery
dates internally or to customers.
Calculate inbound charges and lead times.
Set shipping charge standards for your own products.
Charge back user departments for mail and shipping
services.
Maintain UPS log books.
Audit UPS billing.
Eliminate unnecessary expediting.
As you learn more about Pony Express, you will be able to
apply it to your own situations, so let's get started.
____________________________________________________________
PONY EXPRESS USER'S GUIDE 1-7
GETTING STARTED
____________________________________________________________
The program distribution diskette you received already
contains everything you need to get started. Thanks to a
proprietary zone compression system developed by Melisco
Marketing, the installation program will automatically
configure the proper zone information that is unique to your
area. So don't worry about zone charts or rate schedules,
just answer a few simple questions.
Prior to installing Pony Express for the first time, you
will need to make a copy of the Pony Express program
distribution diskette. You should always work from the copy
and store the original in a safe place.
If you need assistance in making the copy, you should refer
to the DOS FORMAT and DISKCOPY commands in your DOS
reference manual.
To make the proper rate calculations, Pony Express needs to
know the ORIGIN SECTION that you ship from. The origin
section consists of the first three digits of the zip code.
Keep in mind that if you move your business to a different
origin section, you will need to re-install Pony Express.
NOTE- If you're in a hurry to get started, then you will be
happy to know that during installation, the origin section
(question 1) is the only response that does not have a
default answer. You can always use the installation program
to modify your responses at a later time. The default
answers are adequate for most users.
Even in our compressed format, the various zone information
files take over 130K of diskette storage. However, after
installation, the run-time data file ("PECONFIG.DTA") that
supports your section will take-up slightly more than 2K of
diskette storage. This smaller data file is the one that
Pony Express will use during program execution.
During installation you will be asked to choose the PROGRAM
MODE. The mode that you choose should be based on your
frequency of use and the hardware/software configuration of
your computer.
When the Pony Express program is active (doing work for
you), it requires approximately 133K of your computer's main
memory. To help you get the most from both the program and
your machine's resources, we have included four different
program modes to give you maximum flexibility.
___________________________________________________________
PONY EXPRESS USER'S GUIDE 2-1
CHAPTER 2
____________________________________________________________
Mode A allows you to use Pony Express as a stand-alone
program. It will use main memory only when active. When
you exit the program, all of your computer's main memory is
returned to you. It must be loaded each time it is used,
the same way as most word processors, spreadsheet programs,
etc.. This should be your choice if you plan to use Pony
Express within an "operating environment" such as Microsoft
Windows or DESQview.
Mode R will keep the program memory resident. After it is
loaded the first time (after power-up) you can activate it
by pressing the "Hot Keys" (discussed later in this
chapter). Unlike the other three modes, mode R does not
return memory to you, even when the program is not active.
This is the default mode.
Mode S is similar to mode R but allows you to use extended
memory (beyond 640K) or a hard disk as a swapping media.
When the program is not active, most of the program is
swapped (stored) on the swapping media.
All but approximately 9K of main memory is returned to you.
If your computer does have extended memory, then using part
of it as a VDISK (see your DOS manual) and specifying
program mode S is an ideal choice. If you do not have
extended memory, you can also use a hard disk. Although
swapping to a hard disk results in a somewhat longer time to
activate, it is still very acceptable for most users.
Mode E can be used by users that have a LIM (Lotus, Intel,
Microsoft) EMS memory option installed. Operationally, it
works like mode S.
Program modes R, E, S, of the Pony Express can be unloaded
to free-up DOS memory for use by other applications without
re-booting the system. You can unload the Pony Express
program by pressing ALT+U when the program is in use.
**IMPORTANT** BE SURE IF YOU ATTEMPT TO UNLOAD PONY
EXPRESS, THAT IT WAS INVOKED FROM THE DOS PROMPT AND NOT IN
THE MIDDLE OF ANOTHER PROGRAM. ALSO, IF YOU USE OTHER
MEMORY RESIDENT PROGRAMS BE SURE TO UNLOAD THEM IN A LAST
LOADED/FIRST UNLOADED SEQUENCE.
____________________________________________________________
PONY EXPRESS USER'S GUIDE 2-2
GETTING STARTED
____________________________________________________________
INSTALLING PONY EXPRESS
Put the program diskette in drive A.
Type: A:
Press: RETURN
For users with a hard disk.
Type: PEINST C:
NOTE- If your hard disk is not drive C then substitute that
drive letter. The install utility will create/use a
directory called \PONY on the drive that you specify.
Press: RETURN
For users without a hard disk.
Type: PEINST
Press: RETURN
____________________________________________________________
PONY EXPRESS USER'S GUIDE 2-3
CHAPTER 2
____________________________________________________________
INSTALLATION QUESTIONS
Much of the following information is also provided in the
help line at the bottom of the installation screen.
1. Origin section-
Enter the first three digits of the zip code that you will
be shipping from.
2. Program mode (R, A, E, S)-
Enter R if you want to use as a memory resident program.
Enter A if you want to use as a stand-alone program.
Enter E if you have Lotus/Intel/Microsoft EMS memory.
Enter S if you want to swap the Pony Express program
from and to your hard disk or to a VDISK (virtual disk,
also known as a Ram disk).
Note- If you choose E or S you must be using DOS 3.0 or a
later version.
3. Monitor default color-
If you are installing for the first time we recommend that
you use the default values. This is discussed in more
detail in Chapter 3.
4. Monitor snow check-
Some color adapters (IBM color graphics for example) flicker
during direct screens writes. If you encounter this problem
then you should respond Y to this question.
5. Show first-
When you use the Pony Express rate screen and you press the
F1 key, the shipment configuration details will be shown for
UPS or USPS. This response determines which one you see
first. For instance, if most of the rate information that
you need is for UPS then you would use 1.
6. Return receipt type-
This field is used to determine which rate to use for the
kind of return receipt you will use for USPS shipments.
____________________________________________________________
PONY EXPRESS USER'S GUIDE 2-4
GETTING STARTED
____________________________________________________________
7. Commercial Insurance-
If you are a frequent shipper, then you may have your own
insurance to cover loss or damage to the items that you
ship. If you do, then answer Y. If you plan to use only
the insurance available from UPS or USPS then respond N.
8. Deductible to insure-
You will be asked this question only if you responded Y to
question number 7. If you have a deductible amount that you
would like to insure using UPS or USPS insurance, then enter
that amount. Whole dollars are assumed, so use the decimal
point for fractional dollars.
After you have completed the above questions, you will be
asked if you have any changes. Any response other than N
will take you back to question number 1.
SELECTING THE "HOT KEYS"
If you selected R, E, or S as your program mode then you
will be asked to select a hot key. This is the combination
of keys that you will press to activate (call up) the Pony
Express program. Your Hot Key selection should be one of
the following.
Alt- A thru Z (except U or C)
Alt- 0 thru 9 or - or =
Alt- F1 thru F10
Shift- F1 thru F10
Also make sure that you use keys that do not conflict with
other memory resident programs that you own.
NOTE- You will be asked this question twice in succession to
verify that you are satisfied with your selection.
DISK SWAPPING INFORMATION
If you selected S as your program mode, then you will be
asked for the drive and directory to use for disk swapping.
Just press enter if you want to use the default. If you
have a VDISK with space available, it would be an ideal
choice. It is also possible to use diskette storage but
this will result in poor performance.
____________________________________________________________
PONY EXPRESS USER'S GUIDE 2-5
USING PONY EXPRESS
____________________________________________________________
USING PONY EXPRESS
Each time you power-up or re-boot your PC, you will need to
load the Pony Express program into main memory prior to
using it.
PROGRAM INITIALIZATION
In order to load (initialize) the program:
NOTE- If you just finished installation, you may skip the
next paragraph.
The installed drive should be the default drive. If you
installed Pony Express on the diskette make sure that it is
in the default drive. Hard disk users should make sure that
they are in the root directory. If you are not sure then
type CD\ and press the Return key.
Type: PE
Press: RETURN
It will take a few seconds for the program to load and
structure its configuration data. If you selected mode A
(stand-alone) as the program mode, then you will already see
the Data Entry screen. If you selected a mode other than
mode A, then pay particular attention to the box at the
bottom of your screen. Any errors encountered during
initialization will show-up there. If you have error
messages you can refer to appendix A.
ACTIVATE PONY EXPRESS (applies to program modes R, E, S)
Once you have initialized the program, you may call it up
anytime (provided enough memory is available) by pressing
the "Hot Keys" that you specified during installation. If
you just finished installation you should press them now.
Keep in mind that the "Hot Keys" also act as a toggle to
take you immediately back to your previous application from
any Pony Express screen.
____________________________________________________________
PONY EXPRESS USER'S GUIDE 3-1
CHAPTER 3
____________________________________________________________
MOVING BETWEEN SCREENS
There are three layers of screens that support the Pony
Express program. By pressing F2 (function key 2), you can
move forward from the Data Entry screen to the Rate screen.
Press F2 again and you will move to the Estimated Arrival
screen. To go back to a previous screen, just press ESC
(Escape key).
NOTE- By pressing the ESC key when you are at the Data Entry
screen, you will exit from Pony Express and return to your
previous task.
ADJUSTING THE SCREEN
The screen may be adjusted to display in one of three
different vertical positions. This can be useful if you
need to see information from a background screen. Example-
You've called up Pony Express from an order entry
application and you need to see the ship-to zip code. You
can make this adjustment by pressing CTRL+PAGE UP or
CTRL+PAGE DOWN. This can be done at anytime as long as you
are not in help mode.
CHANGING SCREEN COLORS
To change the screen background and text colors you must:
Be at the Data Entry screen.
All data entry fields should be cleared. You can press F3
to do this.
Press ALT+C. The cursor will disappear indicating that you
are in color change mode.
____________________________________________________________
PONY EXPRESS USER'S GUIDE 3-2
USING PONY EXPRESS
____________________________________________________________
Use the CURSOR UP/CURSOR DOWN keys to change the text color.
Then, use the PAGE UP/PAGE DOWN keys to change the
background color. NOTE- Most monochrome monitors will not
change with each key press so a little experimentation is
necessary.
NOTE- The color number that you have selected will show at
the bottom of the Data Entry screen. If you want to make
this change permanently, then write this number down and use
it as the monitor default color in the installation program.
The change that you just made will stay in effect as long as
the program resides in memory.
Press the ESC key to select the color. The cursor will then
return to normal.
____________________________________________________________
PONY EXPRESS USER'S GUIDE 3-3
DATA ENTRY SCREEN
____________________________________________________________
DATA ENTRY FIELDS
The left side of the Data Entry screen contains the
following fields:
To Section- (always required)
You should enter the first three digits of the zip code that
you are shipping to. Sections are always checked for
validity.
Weights- Lbs or Ozs (always required)
Enter the shipping weight in pounds or ounces or both
(example 5 lbs, 2 ozs). Valid pounds are between 0 and 70
and valid ounces are between 0 and 16. The maximum total
weight for a shipment must not exceed 70 pounds.
Declared Value- (optional)
Used for insurance fees and Registered Mail fees. This
should be the market value or replacement cost of the
shipment. The program uses this field to determine the fee
for the amount of UPS and USPS insurance that you require.
If during installation you responded Y to the commercial
insurance question, then it will calculate the fees based on
the Deductible to Insure, instead of the entire Declared
Value. Values up to $25,000.00 are supported. Whole
dollars are assumed. Use the decimal point for fractional
values.
Note- In order to use Registered Mail, the Declared Value
field must contain a value greater than zero.
COD amount- (optional)
This is the amount to be collected from the recipient at the
time the shipment is delivered. This amount should exclude
freight. The Rate Screen provides a separate column (Total
COD) which totals this amount plus any shipping fees.
Values up to $25,000.00 are supported. Whole dollars are
assumed. Use the decimal point for fractional values.
____________________________________________________________
PONY EXPRESS USER'S GUIDE 4-1
CHAPTER 4
____________________________________________________________
OPTION KEY STATUS
The right side of the Data Entry screen shows the current
status (Off or On) of the Option keys, these keys are
explained in detail later in the chapter 5 section titled
"Rate Screen".
FUNCTION KEYS ACTIVE
F5 - F10 are discussed in the "Rate Screen" chapter.
F1- The help mode, shows a brief description of each data
entry field. Once you are in the help mode you may use the
PAGE UP/PAGE DOWN keys to scroll information. To exit help
mode press the ESC key.
F2- May be pressed anytime after a valid Section and Weight
have been entered. This performs the rate calculations and
displays the Rate Screen.
F3- Will reset all data entry fields to zero and return the
status of any active option keys (F5 - F10) to Off.
Remember- To exit the Pony Express program and return to
your previous task just press the ESC key.
____________________________________________________________
PONY EXPRESS USER'S GUIDE 4-2
RATE SCREEN
____________________________________________________________
RATE SCREEN
Note- To access the Rate screen you must have already
entered a valid section and weight on the Data Entry screen,
then pressed F2.
Pony Express will have already performed automatic zone
lookup and rate calculations. It will also have considered
weight and optional insurance or COD requirements of your
transaction. For services that don't meet your objective,
the rates will be flagged as -n/a- (not available). If you
choose additional options on this screen, Pony Express will
continue to apply the rules, blocking inappropriate rates
and determining the correct rates and fees. The chargeable
amount for each service is shown in the Basic Cost column.
The Rate Screen also shows zone information (ZN) which is a
real timesaver for anyone responsible for keeping a UPS log
book.
To the right of the Basic Cost column is the Total COD
column. This is the total of the COD amount that you
entered on the Data Entry screen, plus the shipping
charges that have been calculated for that service. This
column will also be flagged -n/a- if a particular shipping
rate no longer applies.
OPTION KEY MATRIX
The right half of the Rate Screen is a matrix showing the
Option keys available, not available, and in-use for each of
the services. Three different characters are used in the
matrix:
. means that the option does not apply to this
type of service.
- means that the option does apply to this
service but it is not currently being used.
+ means that the option does apply to this service
and it is currently in use.
____________________________________________________________
PONY EXPRESS USER'S GUIDE 5-1
CHAPTER 5
____________________________________________________________
You can toggle the options On or Off by pressing the
Option keys (F5-F10). They are labeled above the column
heading. When an option is toggled On, two things happen:
The Basic Cost and Total COD columns will now include the
fee for this service. The + will be shown in the
appropriate Option column.
Any service that does not support an option that you have
selected will be flagged as -n/a-.
By setting the Option keys, you are letting Pony Express
guide you to the rates that are valid for your shipment.
This helps take the guesswork out of what rate to use and
when to use it.
SHIPPING INFORMATION WINDOW
This important feature shows all of the details of the
current shipment.
The Shipping Information Window is the first thing you see
when you press the help (F1) key. There are actually two
windows, one for UPS and the other is used for USPS
information. Once you are in help mode you can:
Press F1 again to see the second Shipping Information
Window. NOTE- If rates for both USPS and UPS are available,
the first one that you see (when you press F1 the first
time) is determined by your response to the "Show First"
question during installation. Example- A user who ships
mostly with UPS would have responded with a 1 to the "Show
First" question during installation. As long as a UPS rate
is available, the UPS Shipping Information Window would
always appear first when F1 is pressed.
Press keys 1-9, F5-F10. Since you are in help mode you can
use these keys to display help information about a service
or option.
To exit the help mode, press the ESC key.
____________________________________________________________
PONY EXPRESS USER'S GUIDE 5-2
RATE SCREEN
____________________________________________________________
OPTION KEY - COLUMN HEADINGS
Lg/P (Oversize Package)
When you choose this option, you should have a specific rate
in mind. Examples of oversize packages are:
Priority Mail- A parcel weighing less than 15 pounds and
measuring over 84" in length and girth.
Fourth Class- A parcel weighing more than 35 pounds or more
than 34" in length or more than 17" in width or height. You
should also use this option if you are shipping an item that
is high in density (a paint can etc.), using Fourth Class
mail.
All UPS Rates- A parcel weighing less than 25 pounds and
over 84" in length and girth.
Rr/Ak (Return Receipt/Acknowledgment of delivery)
This will add in the fee for a proof of delivery document
that is to be returned to you when your shipment has been
delivered to the recipient.
The USPS Return Receipt is available in two types. Both of
them show to whom and when delivered, but only one shows the
actual address where delivered. The fee that Pony Express
includes in the basic cost depends on which type (Return
Receipt Type) that you specified during installation.
The UPS Acknowledgment of Delivery (AOD) fee will be added
into the applicable UPS Basic Cost when this option is
selected.
Sp-D (Special Delivery)
The USPS special delivery fee will be included in the Basic
Cost for rates that support this option.
Sp-Hd (Special Handling)
The USPS special handling fee will be included in the Basic
Cost for rates that support this option.
____________________________________________________________
PONY EXPRESS USER'S GUIDE 5-3
CHAPTER 5
____________________________________________________________
Cert (Certified Mail)
The USPS certified mail fee will be included in the Basic
Cost for rates that support this option. Certified Mail
provides the mailer with a receipt when the item is mailed.
Regr (Registered Mail)
The USPS registered mail fee will be included in the Basic
Cost for rates that support this option. Registered mail
provides tracking for a shipment from acceptance to
delivery. To calculate the registered mail fee, Pony
Express uses the entire Declared Value of the shipment. The
USPS insurance requirement is based on that same value
unless you responded Y to the commercial insurance
questions during installation. If you did, then the
insurance requirement is based on an amount up to the
Deductible to Insure that you specified.
FUNCTION KEYS ACTIVE
F1- Pressing this key will put you in the help mode. When
you initially enter help mode, the first thing shown is the
the Shipping Information Window.
F2- Allows you to move to the next screen (Estimated
Arrival).
F3- Clears (turns off) any of the Option keys that are
currently selected (toggled on).
This works the same way as toggling off the individual
option. NOTE- Any fees associated with the Option keys are
backed out of the Basic Cost and Total COD fields. Also,
any rates that were flagged -n/a- because of these options
will be restored to their normal state.
____________________________________________________________
PONY EXPRESS USER'S GUIDE 5-4
ESTIMATED ARRIVAL SCREEN
____________________________________________________________
ESTIMATED ARRIVAL SCREEN
This screen was developed to help you estimate how long your
shipment will be in transit. This can be very useful for
zone-rated services such as UPS ground or USPS Priority Mail
or Fourth Class. There is a tendency sometimes to use an
expedited service rather than taking the time to make our
own estimations. Frequent shippers usually make some quick
mental calculations, but allowing for such variables as
week-ends or the fact that the shipment may not go out for a
couple of days, can make this a very difficult task. Zone
rated services give you the most for your shipping dollar
because the rates are structured around the actual distance
moved.
When you are working with very tight delivery dates then you
will probably want to use services such as USPS Express Mail
or UPS Next Day Air or UPS 2nd Day Air. These services are
built around expedited delivery requirements. Certainly,
this costs more but if you're currently using these services
then you already know how competitive they are with the rest
of the industry.
REMEMBER- YOU SHOULD ALWAYS ASK YOURSELF:
How much delivery flexibility do I have?
How far is the shipment going to travel?
If you do that, you're in for some pleasant surprises.
ESTIMATED ARRIVAL - THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW
It may seem at first that estimating delivery is similar to
predicting the weather. To a certain extent that is true,
otherwise there wouldn't be as much of a market for
expedited services. However, there are consistencies in
work schedules, flight schedules, and truck routes that
provide stability to our calculations.
____________________________________________________________
PONY EXPRESS USER'S GUIDE 6-1
CHAPTER 6
____________________________________________________________
Pony Express goes way beyond rough distance calculations.
It also makes allowances for such things as week-end pick-
ups, delivery, and movement. It is also Option key
sensitive, so things like special delivery will improve the
schedule.
There are a couple of things to keep in mind. First, the
Estimated Arrival Screen makes no allowances for holidays.
Secondly, it will let you use Sunday as a shipping day for
USPS, unless you have chosen Option keys, COD or insurance
that would require some mailers to go to the post office.
Since the postal window is not open, we move your shipping
day to Monday. Without these exceptions, we assume the item
is small and can be put in a collection box. Sure it's
common sense, but we thought you should know. As long as
you don't get "analysis paralysis" and use some common
sense, we believe you will find that the Estimated Arrival
Screen is a great tool to help you get more from
your shipping dollars.
SCREEN LAYOUT
You can get to the Estimated Arrival Screen by pressing F2
at the Rate Screen. Looking at the Estimated Arrival
Screen, you will notice that the left-most portion of the
screen shows the same Basic Cost information as the Rate
Screen. To the right of the Basic Cost column there are
eleven column headings showing both the day of the week and
the date. The first column is always assumed to be the day
that the shipment is ready to leave.
THE SYMBOLS
There are three different types of symbols used to show the
estimated arrival:
| Used to show the day the shipment is able to
leave your location. Normally this will show under the
left-most day/date column unless it must be moved forward to
allow for Sat/Sun etc.
> This symbol always represents the most probable
delivery day.
____________________________________________________________
PONY EXPRESS USER'S GUIDE 6-2
ESTIMATED ARRIVAL SCREEN
____________________________________________________________
[ ] Used to show a range of delivery days with
equal probability. The left bracket means "from" and the
right indicates "to".
Dashes are used to connect these symbols along the
horizontal line.
VARYING THE SHIP DATE
When you use the Pony Express program the first time
(after loading the program into memory) the left-most
day/date column will show today's day/date (providing the
system date has been properly set). Since the left-most
column is always assumed to be the day available for
shipment, this would indicate that it is ready for shipment
today. Many times, this will not be the case. It could be
too late in the day or you may need a day or two to process
an order.
By using the CURSOR RIGHT key, you can move the ship date
forward up to 10 days. Once you have advanced the ship
date, you can backup 1 day at a time by using the CURSOR
LEFT key or use F3 to immediately get back to today.
Once you move the ship date forward it will stay there
unless you specifically change it.
____________________________________________________________
PONY EXPRESS USER'S GUIDE 6-3
ERROR MESSAGES
____________________________________________________________
APPENDIX A - ERROR MESSAGES
DURING INSTALLATION
Files are missing from the program disk-
One or more files on the program disk has been corrupted.
You should use the distribution copy of the program disk to
make a new working-copy and then restart the installation
procedure.
Invalid drive spec-
The drive letter that has been entered on the DOS command
line is invalid.
DURING INITIALIZATION
Configuration file not available-
The configuration file ("PECONFIG.DTA") must be located in
the default directory. If the file has been accidentally
erased, you can re-run the installation program to create a
new one.
Error in SWAP file creation-
You have selected S as your program mode and the drive that
you specified as your swap drive doesn't have enough
available space. You should select a different drive,
program mode or you should free-up space on the current swap
drive. There should be approximately 254K available on the
swap drive.
Not enough EMS memory available-
You will probably want to select a different program mode.
____________________________________________________________
PONY EXPRESS USER'S GUIDE A-1
ERROR MESSAGES
____________________________________________________________
EMS support requires DOS 3.0 or later-
Either upgrade to a later version of DOS or select a
different program mode.
SWAP support requires DOS 3.0 or later-
Either upgrade to a later version of DOS or select a
different program mode.
____________________________________________________________
PONY EXPRESS USER'S GUIDE A-2
PROGRAM COMPATIBILITY
____________________________________________________________
APPENDIX B - PROGRAM COMPATIBILITY
These considerations apply when you are using Pony Express
in program modes R, E, S.
SIDEKICK USERS-
You should always load (initialize) the Pony Express program
before you load Sidekick. As with any memory resident
program, you should make sure that there is no "Hot Key"
conflict between the programs.
LOTUS USERS-
Lotus 1-2-3 release 1A does not use the BIOS to set the
video mode. This causes a problem for any memory resident
program (including Lotus Metro) that attempts to save the
Lotus screen. Pony Express will operate correctly; however,
it will not be able to properly restore the Lotus screen.
This situation does not occur in newer versions of Lotus 1-
2-3.
____________________________________________________________
PONY EXPRESS USER'S GUIDE B-1
INDEX
____________________________________________________________
INDEX
(A)
Acknowledgement of Delivery 1-6, 5-3
Acknowledgements i-vi
Activate Pony Express 3-1
Adjusting the screen 3-2
AOD
See Acknowledgement of Delivery
(B)
Basic cost 5-1, 5-2, 5-3, 5-4, 6-2
BMC
See Intra BMC
(C)
Certified Mail 1-5, 5-4
Changing screen colors 3-2
Color number 3-3
COD 1-5, 4-1, 5-1, 5-2, 5-4
Commercial Insurance 2-5, 5-4
(D)
Data Entry
Fields 4-1
Screen layout 4-1
Declared value 4-1, 5-4
Delivery 6-1
Directory usage 2-3, 2-5, 3-1
Disk swapping 2-5
Storage required A-1
Distribution diskettes 2-1
DOS versions i-vi, 2-4
(E)
EMS memory 2-2, 2-4
Error messages A-1, 3-1
Estimated Arrival
Screen Layout 6-2
Symbols 6-2
Varying the ship date 6-3
____________________________________________________________
PONY EXPRESS USER'S GUIDE 1
INDEX
____________________________________________________________
Exit Pony Express 4-2
Express Mail 1-5, 6-1
Extended memory 2-2
(F)
First Class Mail 1-2, 1-5
Fourth Class Mail 1-2, 1-5, 5-3
Frequency of use 2-1
Function keys 4-2, 5-2, 5-4
(G)
Ground Service 1-5, 6-1
(H)
Hardware requirements i-vi
Hard disk 2-2, 2-3, 3-1
Help
Data Entry screen 4-2
Rate screen 5-2
Holidays 6-2
Hot keys 2-2, 2-5, 3-1
(I)
Installation 2-1
On diskette 2-3
On hard disk 2-3
Installation questions 2-4
Installation screen 2-4
Insurance 1-5, 2-5, 4-1, 5-4
Insurance deductible amt 2-5
Intra BMC 1-5
(L)
Large Package
See Oversize Package
License Agreement i-iii
Loading Pony Express
See Program initialization
Lotus
See Program compatibility
____________________________________________________________
PONY EXPRESS USER'S GUIDE 2
INDEX
____________________________________________________________
(M)
Main memory 2-1
Maximum field sizes 4-1
Memory resident unload 2-2
Memory Req. 2-1
Memory resident
See Program modes
Minimum hardware req i-vi
Modes
See Program modes
Monitor default color 2-4
Monitor snow check 2-4
Monochrome monitor 3-3
Moving (your business)
See Origin (changes)
Moving between screens 3-2
(N)
Next Day Air 1-5, 6-1
Next Day Air Letter 1-5
Not available 5-1, 5-4
(O)
Operator guidance 5-2
Option key
Column headings 5-3
Option key matrix 5-1
Option keys 4-2, 5-1, 5-4, 6-2
Clearing 5-4
Status 4-2
Options supported
UPS 1-6
USPS 1-5
Origin (changing) 2-1
Origin section 2-1, 2-4
Oversize Package 1-5, 5-3
(P)
Parcel Post
See Fourth Class Mail
PECONFIG.DTA A-1, 2-1
Priority Mail 1-2, 1-5, 5-3, 6-1
____________________________________________________________
PONY EXPRESS USER'S GUIDE 3
INDEX
____________________________________________________________
Program compatibility
Lotus B-1
Sidekick B-1
Program initialization 3-1
Program modes 2-2
Mode A 2-2, 2-5
Mode E B-1, 2-2, 2-5
Mode R 2-1, 2-2, 2-5
Mode S B-1, 2-2, 2-5
Program swapping 2-2, 2-5
Proof of delivery
See Acknowledgement of Delivery
See also Return Receipt
(Q)
Quick install 2-1
(R)
Ram disk
See VDISK
Rate not available
See Not available
Rate Screen
Screen layout 5-1
Rates Supported
UPS 1-5
USPS 1-5
Registered Mail 1-2, 1-5, 4-1, 5-4
Return Receipt 1-2, 1-3, 1-5, 2-4, 2-5, 5-4
(S)
2nd Day Air 1-5, 6-1
Screen layers 3-2
Shipping charges
See Basic cost
Shipping criteria 5-1
Shipping information window 5-2
Show first 2-4, 5-2
Sidekick
See Program compatibility
Special Delivery 1-2, 1-5, 5-3, 6-2
Special Handling 1-5, 5-3
____________________________________________________________
PONY EXPRESS USER'S GUIDE 4
INDEX
____________________________________________________________
(T)
Third Class Mail 1-2, 1-5
To section 4-1
(U)
Unloading Pony Express 2-2
UPS defined 1-5
Usage example
Scenario A 1-6
Scenario B 1-7
Usage with
DESQview 2-2
Microsoft windows 2-2
USPS defined 1-5
(V)
VDISK 2-2, 2-5
(W)
Weight 4-1
Working copy 2-1
(Z)
Zip code
See Origin section
Zone information (ZN) 5-1
Zone-rated services 1-2, 6-1
____________________________________________________________
PONY EXPRESS USER'S GUIDE 5
COMMENT FORM
____________________________________________________________
We welcome your comments regarding Pony Express software and
documentation.
Contact Name:_______________________________________________
Title:________________________________
Company Name:_______________________________________________
Address:_____________________________________________
City:_________________________ St:______ Zip:_______________
Telephone:____________________
How do you rate Pony Express? (1=poor, 10=excellent)
Ease of: Quality:
Installation ______ Documentation ______
Learning ______ Product Support ______
Use ______ Speed ______
Function ______
General Comments:
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
Send To: Melisco Marketing, Inc.
9719 Ensley Lane
Leawood, KS 66206-2246
____________________________________________________________
PONY EXPRESS USER'S GUIDE
Directory of PC-SIG Library Disk #2246
Volume in drive A has no label
Directory of A:\
LICENSE DOC 4497 3-20-90 1:05a
ORDER DOC 1850 3-20-90 1:05a
RUNBOOK DOC 67435 3-20-90 1:05a
PEINST EXE 57878 3-20-90 1:06a
PEINIT EXE 83514 3-20-90 1:11a
PEDF1 DTA 195 3-20-90 1:20a
PEDF2 DTA 120998 3-20-90 1:26a
PEDF3 DTA 1002 3-20-90 2:42a
PEDF4 DTA 8000 3-20-90 2:49a
PEDF5 DTA 7 3-20-90 3:05a
PEDF6 DTA 5997 3-20-90 4:11a
GO BAT 37 6-21-90 10:39a
GO TXT 1079 6-22-90 3:27p
FILE2246 TXT 1610 6-22-90 3:26p
14 file(s) 354099 bytes
1024 bytes free