[Revised Dec 04].
Merging pharmacies and their stock files necessarily involves quite a lot of manual work, but this can be reduced by merging of stock files. As there will be many thousands of duplicate items (the same items stocked by both pharmacies), the merging of the stock files cannot be a simple 'merge' of all stock from both pharmacies.
The separate the databases with the stock tables can be loaded in MicroSoft 'Access'
Testing the 'export/import' method
Read through the method below, and run a short test first where you export both files, merge a few items, append a few items, then load the database in the Pharmacy program, rebuild the index and confirm that these items can be sold to.
Warning ... ALWAYS carry out a short test before doing a lot of work to confirm that the merge / append and export / import methods are valid before starting on a major task. Then test at intervals to be sure that what you are doing is still working.
STOCK FILE
Merge Method
- The larger stock file should be considered the 'Retain' file,. The smaller stock file being the 'Delete' file.
- Items from the 'Delete' file for which there exists a duplicate lookup code in the 'Retain' file should have the Stock on Hand levels from both files added together and inserted in the 'Retain' file. The item should then be marked as deleted in then 'Retain' file.
- Items in the 'Delete' file which do not exist in the 'Retain' file should be appended to the end of the 'Retain' file.
- Then import the 'Merged' file back and rebuild the index.
Notes
- Do all searches for duplicates etc by lookup code. Item names are too variable to be useful.
- Do not feel that you 'might as well' use the opportunity to purge the 'Retain' file of dead items or do anything else... Just merging the stock files is quite enough to do at one time!
- Once the 'merged' file is available, make a backup and do test sales of at least 10 items that existed in both pharmacies before, 10 that were in the 'delete' pharmacy alone, and 10 from the 'retain' pharmacy alone to be sure that all is well. Then restore, rebuild the index and real sales can proceed with confidence.
DEBTORS
As there are unlikely to be many customers with accounts at both pharmacies, it should be possible to merge the debtor files... But once again, do a test merge first and carry out a test sale and print statements on a few of each to be certain that the method chosen works correctly.
Alternately (and safer, especially as it is not difficult to create a customer account 'on the run' during a sale) , debtors could be sent a statement from the old pharmacy up to date of merging, and accounts created on the new system for those customers, who can have their starting balance inserted by Journal entry.
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