CUS Notes September 2014
New Zipfirst Database is available now
An updated CUS Version 10.0 Zipfirst database is now available for download at the CUS Version 10.0 Support Center. Zipfirst is the handy feature that converts a zip code or Canadian postal code into the corresponding city, county and state/province using a database from the USPS. Clients licensed for Version 10.0 can download and install it to replace their previous file, using the correct username and password to access the Version 10.0 Support Center page. If you need help with this, contact Steve at 954.680.6545 or techsupport@cus.com.
CUS Client Workshops
The latest CUS regional client workshop was held in Portland, Oregon in early September at Estate Sales Unlimited – Hillsboro Auction Center. It was a beautiful day and we had a great turnout. Special thanks go to our hosts Robin and Keith Gordon, along with Natalie and Roger Prinslow, for the use of their facility and all of their help.
Our next workshop is planned for early November in Bronson, Michigan. Contact Ellen at 954.680.6545 or sales@cus.com for more details about this group meeting. Watch for information about other workshops coming soon.
Reminder: CUS Emergency Contact Information – Please Read!
You don’t need to remember two different phone numbers for CUS support anymore. Our new phone system will easily forward after-hours emergency calls to our support staff. Just call our main phone number 954.680.6545 at any time, day or night. If our office is closed, you’ll have the option to transfer immediately to our emergency support line by choosing extension 501. If it isn’t an emergency you can leave a voice mail message as usual. The old emergency cell number (954.483.6778) has been discontinued, so please remove that from your contact list immediately!
We’re already working on CUS Version 11.0
The CUS 2015 release, Version 11.0, is already in development with a roll out planned this winter. We’ll have details soon about the new features we’re adding this year. Watch for a sneak peek in the next issue of CUS Notes.
Schedule your CUS Version 10.0 Update Now
If you haven’t installed the CUS Version 10.0 update for 2014 yet, please contact us to schedule it now. There are important new features for the desktop and online systems in this release. We’ve revised the imports from many of the other online providers to work with their latest data structures. Remember: the latest Zipfirst database is only available for Version 10.0. If you use CUS online catalogues, pre-bidding or timed online auctions, you must have Version 10.0 installed too.
CUS Maintenance and Rental clients receive program upgrades included with their plans. Others should contact Ellen at 954.680.6545 or sales@cus.com for upgrade details specific to their licenses.
Try the CUS Online Auction or Catalogue
You can see a sample of the CUS Online Auction here:
http://cus3.cusauctions.com/?auction=sample12&toa=splash&splashpage=splash3.htm
Your own privately branded auction blends in with your company’s image, color scheme and logo. The “Welcome” page has all of the auction details and pictures of featured lots. There’s a photo slideshow display, a “Watch this lot” feature and bidding from the individual lot page or the catalogue screen. We’ve added Buy It Now features too!
The CUS Online Auction is an extension of your regular CUS Auction System, with one-click uploads and photo management built right in. You don’t need to import or export data because it’s all in one system. Add a new lot or a few pictures at any time, adjust your opening bid amounts, or change the closing date. See who is looking at your auction at any time and watch your bids as they happen. After closing, instantly execute all of the high bids as sales; there’s no data entry needed! Email the invoices to your bidders and display post-auction sales results too. Everything is in CUS and it’s all under your control.
It’s easy to publish a catalogue with pictures also, allowing pre-registration and absentee bidding if you like. Don’t send your customers somewhere else to see YOUR catalogue. The advertising clutter distracts them from your important event and they can wander away from you. Contact Ellen at 954.680.6545 or sales@cus.com for more information and a private demo of the CUS Online Auction.
From the Technical Support Team
Network Speed Issues in Windows 7 or 8 Laptops
When several Windows 7 or 8 laptops are networked together, sometimes the network response time is slower than expected. Even though you’re using wired ethernet network adapters and a wired network switch or hub, as we recommend, the laptops might try to communicate through their wireless adapters instead. This can slow down the network.
You can try to avoid this by changing the network adapter priority setting on each laptop workstation so it looks for the wired adapter first. If that doesn’t help, you can disable the wireless adapter in the laptop stations so the network is forced to go through the wired adapter instead. As a last resort, you can change the priority settings or disable the wireless adapter on the server too.
There are also IP configuration changes that can affect network speed. Sometimes changing scanning settings in your anti-virus protection will help too. Contact Steve at 954.680.6545 or techsupport@cus.com for guidance on network speed issues.
Using CUS on Windows 7 or 8 Operating Systems
We’re satisfied that most current CUS versions are compatible with Windows 7 and 8 operating systems. In general, Windows 7 is compatible with CUS Versions 8.0 and higher, but not older CUS versions. Windows 8 has been acceptable too, but we’ve only tested it on CUS Versions 9.0 and 10.0. To run CUS on Windows 7 or 8 computers, there are some Windows Registry changes necessary. We install a utility file to handle this for you. For any CUS network containing Windows 7 or 8 stations, please contact Steve at 954.680.6545 or techsupport@cus.com for guidance.
You may know that Microsoft ended all support for Windows XP systems. This means that your anti-virus applications may not be fully protecting you, even if you subscribe to anti-virus updates. We’d advise you to keep XP computers off the internet, especially on a network. If you are replacing your old XP systems in the near future, you may want Windows 7 for staffers who aren’t comfortable in new computer environments. The Windows 8 user experience is very different from Windows 7 or XP. Windows 7 systems are still available online but aren’t easy to find in your local retail store. It’s also possible that some of your older devices (printers, scanners etc.) may not be compatible at all. Contact us at 954.680.6545 or techsupport@cus.com for further information before buying any new computers, especially if you aren’t yet licensed for CUS Version 8.0 or higher.
Note: DOS versions of CUS are NOT compatible with any Windows 7, Windows 8 or Vista computers at all.
Advantage Database Server for CUS
Many of our larger network installations use a more robust “client/server” CUS edition that has the Advantage Database Server engine as its foundation. This enables networked CUS applications to run more securely in wireless or remote access environments. If you have a large network with a Windows Server or are planning to expand, you may be a candidate for the CUS ADS Server edition. It’s very important to contact CUS before upgrading any server or installing a new one, to be sure CUS can support that server operating system. If you have an older ADS Server release version, you may need an ADS update before installing a newer Windows Server.
Contacting Technical Support
Please send emails to techsupport@cus.com instead of an individual email address. Other CUS consultants will see the question and be able to help you if the person you tried to reach is not available. If you don’t get an answer to your emailed question in a day or two, follow up by calling to our office at 954.680.6545. Your email might have been trapped by a spam or junk filter and blocked. Of course, if you have an emergency, don’t rely on email at all. Call us right away at 954.680.6545 (all hours). If the office is closed and you reach our automated recording, select extension 501 for emergency support.
Technical Support via Remote Access
If you need technical support but aren’t comfortable on a computer, we can help. With your permission, we’ll get the job done using an internet connection to let us log in remotely. We can troubleshoot most network issues, install CUS on your computer or do program updates from older CUS versions.
There’s a link to our live remote support from the CUS Version 8, 9 and 10 Support Centers at www.cus.com or from the Help Menu in your Version 8, 9 or 10 CUS program. For older CUS versions, contact Steve to help you connect to CUS remote support. This is live real-time support, so you must make arrangements with us before connecting to have a consultant available for you.
Contacting CUS
sales@cus.com for price quotes or other sales related questions
techsupport@cus.com for any support or training questions
websupport@cus.com for website content or maintenance
billing@cus.com for any billing questions to our bookkeeper
Phone: 954.680.6545 (all hours) Fax: 954.680.6018
CUS Business Systems
5722 S. Flamingo Rd. PMB #3130
Cooper City FL 33330
Ellen Weintraub
Sales Manager