E x c l u s i v e l y f o r D i s t r i b u t o r s –– E x c l u s i v e l y f o r P C - N e t w o r k s

Touchstone/2000TM provides a comprehensive suite of sophis-

ticated business management software applications

designed exclusively for distributors using PC-network

technology. The vast majority of distributors are turning to

Local Area Network (LAN) technology to tap the power of

today’s PCs as workstations and increase enterprise

productivity. So it makes sense to upgrade now to

Touchstone/2000 – the only proven network-based software

that provides the sophisticated functional capabilities

distributors need to manage complex business transactions,

deliver superior customer service and increase profitability.

Touchstone/2000 utilizes leading PC-networks such

as Microsoft NT and Novell Netware to efficiently process

business transactions and manage corporate data. The

database platform is SQL and ODBC compliant to provide

flexible and efficient custom reporting capabilities. And,

naturally, Touchstone/2000 programs and its database fully

comply with all Y2K standards. Touchstone/2000 is designed

exclusively for distributors and exclusively for PC-networks.

That’s why Touchstone/2000 is the

established industry standard for

profit generating software function-

ality on today’s network technology.

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T o u c h s t o n e / 2 0 0 0 S e t s N e w S o f t w a r e S t a n d a r d

Comprehensive Asset Managementfor Distributors

Touchstone/2000 is a sophisticated software system

designed to increase distributor productivity and profit-

ability. Effective asset management is the basis for

financial success in the distribution industry. That’s why

the business philosophies and operating procedures

championed by the industry’s leading asset management

experts are the foundation upon which Touchstone/2000

is built. Business automation without an underlying

transformation of strategic processes is simply no longer

enough to remain competitive, and certainly will not by

itself significantly improve profitability. Improved

business performance results from improved business

procedures – the procedures found in Touchstone/2000.

Industry experts universally agree with the following

tenant: A superior asset management system is fundamen-

tal to creating competitive advantage in the marketplace.

Inefficiency progressively erodes the ability to compete.

Profit without effective asset management is a mirage that

vanishes over time. Long-term performance is sustained

only when inventory and receivables are consistently and

efficiently converted back into cash. Touchstone/2000

provides you the comprehensive automated systems

you need to take complete control of your business,

manage your inventory investment, and collect your

accounts receivable while improving customer service.

Touchstone/2000 stands alone. And the experts agree:

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“Terrific use of windowing with very solid and complete adherence to

Gordon Graham concepts. ‘Graham on a LAN …and it works.’ One of the

best values on the market. Nobody else in that price range has anything

like that.”

Gordon Graham

Inventory Management Consultant, Author, and

Distribution System Design Consultant

“Touchstone/2000 far exceeds the standards Gordon Graham set for distri-

bution software. Unique concepts such as the StockAid and Costulator are

powerful tools that can help distributors reduce inventory levels and lower

cost. Its features are superior to any system in its price range on the market

today.”

Jon Schreibfeder

President, Effective Inventory Management, Inc., Author, and

“Inventory Subject Expert” American Productivity and Quality Center.

“Touchstone/2000’s implementation of our Profit Centered Credit and

Collections” system is comprehensive and well designed. Proper use of this

powerful business tool can transform the function of collecting Accounts

Receivables into a profit-generating process that improves customer rela-

tions and increases customer service.

Abe “WalkingBear” Sanchez

President, A/R Management Group, Inc.

Author, Business Management Consultant

interdependent “Scaleable Feature Sets” that define

transaction-processing rules and determine which specific

features in the software are activated. These Scaleable

Feature Sets are utilized in combination to define rules for

each customer, vendor, item and document to define the

most efficient processing procedure for any given

transaction. Dimasys calls this unique method of

software control “Scaleable Feature Set Technology”

(SFST)TM.

By developing Touchstone/2000 using SFST Dimasys

provides each distributor the ability to “customize” and

optimize system transaction procedures without the need

for customized software. In an era defined by “personal-

ized” customer service, the ability to treat each customer

and vendor as an individual entity – and easily meet

individualized needs – provides a distributor an over-

whelming competitive advantage. SFST transforms a

Comprehensive Business Management

Touchstone/2000’s core application suite includes the

following processing systems:

• Sales Order Management & Sales Analysis

• Lead & Prospect Management

• Customer Accounts Receivable

• Vendor Accounts Payable

• Inventory Management

• Purchasing & Warehouse Management

• General Ledger & Financial Reporting

• Executive Information Management

The integrated management system consists of

several dozen highly interactive transaction-processing

applications that control mission-critical business

functions. Each major system is controlled by several

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S c a l e a b l e F e a t u r e S e t T e c h n o l o g yTM

4

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W hen A. E. Carter decided to replace our highly customized

software system, we reviewed detailed RFP responses from

over 30 leading distribution software companies. We

narrowed the list and thoroughly investigated a wide range of products

including FACTS, Prophet 21, Daly & Wolcott, and J. D. Edwards. Cost was

NOT a factor. Touchstone/2000 was selected strictly on the basis of

functionality and features, not price, and it was on those grounds that Touchstone/2000 beat all other

competitors, including the big boys. Touchstone/2000 had the highest overall rating of any package we

examined, and we looked at everything.

Since installing Touchstone/2000 we have increased sales by over 20% with no increase in average

inventory and no increase in sales people or accounting personnel. We successfully implemented

Gordon Graham’s inventory management system. Our customer service has improved in several ways

due to the information available to sales people during order entry and the superior special order

process incorporated into Touchstone/2000. Two years ago we absolutely believed Touchstone/2000 was

the best possible choice for us. Today we are even firmer in our conviction that we made the right decision.

Bert V. Pederson, General Manager

A.E. Carter – Salt Lake City UT

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suite of available software features into unique control

systems that become strategic weapons capable of

annihilating competing

distributors that can’t

match your personalized

level of service.

Software ThatGrows With You

Periodic updates to

Touchstone/2000

continually increase the

scope and number of

feature set options.

Distributors using the

product receive system

updates with new

SFST options. And

Touchstone/2000 always

remains upgradeable

since SFST eliminates

the need to individually

customize software for

each distributor using

the product. With SFST

any unused features

are automatically

suppressed during

transaction processing,

so each Touchstone/

2000 customer decides

which features to use

and how the system can

be best utilized to meet

specific objectives.

Touchstone/2000SnapOn Applications

Several optional SnapOn

applications are available

to handle specific

transaction processing

and system integration

requirements not

addressed within the

Touchstone/2000 core

application suite. A SnapOn application is activated with

a licensing code – available at any time your organization

5

Item parameters trigger specialized processing controls.

desires to activate these feature sets. SnapOn applications

are not priced by user-count, and are extremely valuable to

distributors that can

increase productivity and

efficiency by expanding

system capabilities to

address specific automa-

tion tasks. SnapOns are

periodically expanded

and enhanced with the

same procedures utilized

in core product develop-

ment activities. SnapOn

product functionality is

available for:

• RightFAX Integra-tion & FaxcentricProcessing

• Profit CenteredCredit &Collections

• Bar Code Printingon Documents &Labels

• Electronic DataInterchange (EDI)Files

• UPS On-LineProfessionalSystem Usage

• Federal ExpressPowershipIntegration

• Truck-load ScaleWeight BillingProcessing

• FABSoft ReformDocumentPrinting

• Trade ServicePFMS Integration

Several new SnapOns

are included in future

development plans.

These concepts offer the

ability to efficiently

interface to leading third

party tools or handle

industry-specific

requirements. Contact

Dimasys or your authorized Touchstone/2000 VAR for

additional SnapOn product information.

Customer transaction processing and pricing are controlledby unique profiles.

Credit Collection SnapOn provides detailed receivableprofiles and customer performance analysis.

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S p e c i a l i z e d C o n t r o l f o r Y o u r I n d u s t r y

Most distributors initially evaluate the suitability or “fit”

of business management software by scrutinizing the

features within the sales order processing and inventory

management applications. Features in these applications

provide most of the “mission critical” controls required

by a particular industry segment and address specific

customer service capabilities that distributors place on

the “must-have” checklist. Since these features are

critical to an initial review of a software product in every

industry segment and market niche, a majority of this

Touchstone/2000 feature presentation is devoted to

detailing this functionality.

Market Served Development

SFST allows a broad range of industry-specific features to

be designed into the foundation of the entire system.

Powerful feature sets are embedded into virtually every

application and provide complete control of system

documents. Touchstone/2000 provides sophisticated

scaleable feature set options to meet the needs of most

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A s a regional distributor for a leading manufacturer of outdoor

power equipment, Mon-Dak Stihl is ultimately responsible for

the success of the product line in our geographic territory. We

were convinced that any software product would have to be heavily

customized to handle our industry’s unique requirements. But we don’t

have customized software. We have Touchstone/2000, and it provides us

the specialized tools we need to work effectively with the manufacturer and hundreds of authorized

retail outlets in our area to help create brand awareness and insure product availability. There are a

whole lot of little things we like about the system that makes our business more efficient, but we are

most impressed by the way new features and enhancements are added to the product that add to our

ability to provide outstanding service to our customers. We are no longer stuck using customized

software that doesn’t keep up with changes in the market.

One of the capabilities the system provides is the ability to offer retailers extended payment terms

with various split payment options and available discounts so that seasonal products are on the shelf

and not in our warehouse when the customer is ready to buy. Inventory mix and order fill rates have

improved by selecting different replenishment methods for each item type, and we now have better

overall control of our service items and seasonal products. We even save $6,000 on postage each year

and over 200 man-hours by including invoices with each shipment. All of the little things add up to a big

plus for our business.

Vonnie Fagerland, Vice President

Mon-Dak Stihl, Inc. – Rapid City, SD

6

major industry segments and many smaller specialized

niche markets including:

• Industrial Equipment, Tooling & Supplies

• Building Material Supply Industries

• Electronic Components & Equipment

• Fluid Power & Hydraulics

• Lawn & Garden Equipment

• Chemical &Hazardous Materials

• Medical Equipment& Supplies

• Safety Equipment& Supplies

• Jewelry &Precious Metals

• Office Products& Supplies

• SpecialtyDistributors

• Fasteners &Hand Tools

• General & SpecialtyElectrical Supplies

• HVAC EquipmentSupplies

• Importers &Exporters

The procedural

control and transaction

processing requirements

of distributors in dozens

of diverse industries are

completely and compre-

hensively addressed by

the SFST options

available in the product.

This unique software

development method

provides increasing

value to Touchstone/

2000 customers as feature sets are continually added to

the product. And every customer has the advantage of

being able to continually adapt new business controls and

customer service offerings that may be commonplace in

other market segments but are unique or extraordinary

service capabilities in their own competitive market niche.

There are literally dozens of unique “good ideas” in

this software product that can add tremendous value to

the way your company does business. Innovative

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7concepts you can use to attract new customers to your

business or to anchor your existing accounts firmly to

your organization for years to come. You haven’t seen

software like this before.

Other SFST Options

A diverse and powerful range of feature sets creates a

unique competitive advantage without customized

software. Dimasys’

Market Served Develop-

ment approach continu-

ally adds new features to

the core application suite.

A sample of additional

features sets includes:

• Job LocationControls:

■ Pricing■ Reporting■ Terms■ Credit Limits■ Sales History■ Item Usage

Adjustments

• Comprehensivedelivery andparcel manage-ment

• Blanket sales andpurchase orders

• Credit cardauthorizations

• Cataloging of nonstock items

• Weight BasedBilling

• Multiple backordermethods

• Margin erosionreporting

• Vendor CostIncrease Analysis

• Unit costadjustments for open and closed documents

• Trade Service PFMS Updates

• Unique ability to handle trade-ins, damageditems, vendor over shipments of non stockitems, and buy out purchase orders with theTouchstone/2000 StockAid file

• Hit and Miss Analysis for Customers, Vendors,and Inventory Items

• Foreign Currency

• Sales Team Commissions

Special point-of-sale payment processing easily handlescash, check, and credit card counter sales.

OrderPadTM templates provide a unique streamlined methodto enter customized orders, promotions or sales call productsheets.

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I n v e n t o r y M a n a g e m e n t

financial transaction posting and shipping requirements.

The extensive array of feature-sets include:

Touchstone/2000 offers a sophisticated suite of inventory

management applications that include a variety of

transaction-processing controls and replenishment

methods defined for each item. The combination of

specific parameter settings define how items flow through

the sales, fulfillment, and replenishment systems.

Item Types

A distributor’s inventory contains several different item

types. Unique item-type controls define the system rules

for processing these item classifications:

• Stocked Items • Consignment Items

• Service Items • Build-To-Order Kits

• Stocked Kits • Non-Stocked Items

• Cataloged • Free-Goods(special order) Items

Item Controls

Processing rules can also be set for each item to further

refine the sales order entry and item pricing procedures,

• Item SubstituteRules

• Item Upgrades

• ItemInterchanges

• Customer ItemNumber Reference

• Manufacturer Codes

• Country of Origin

• Serialized Items

• Re-Work Items

• TagAlongTM Item Sets

• Lot ControlledItems

• Promotional Items

• Commodity-PricedItems

• WeightControlled Items

• MinimumMargin %

• Item Family Pricing& Discounts

• HazardousMaterials

• MaximumDiscount %

• Product Groups

• Item Containers

• Back-Order Rules

• General Ledger SetCodes

• Product LicensingControls

• Extended Descrip-tion Controls

• Item replenishmentPath

8

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W e evaluated about a dozen software programs when look-

ing to move from Macola. After evaluating Touchstone/

2000 I knew I could use the software as the centerpiece for

reinventing our company and its processes. It embraces the solid func-

tions and procedures a distributor needs to make productive change.

So far since installing Touchstone/2000, we have used the software to

make tremendous improvements in our inventory control, shipping, reordering and kit building. Cycle

counting has reduced our inventory variance to about .05% from 3%. Kit-assemblies and inter-

warehouse transfers are completed in one day, which use to take up to two weeks. Backorders have

been reduced by two-thirds and by using the system with the RightFAX SnapOn, we provide better

customer service by generating instant order acknowledgments and requiring less time for ordering and

invoicing processes. Over the next 12 to 24 months we will continue to make significant changes in our

business. Touchstone/2000 will be the key tool our people will be using to make these changes a reality.

John Walker, President

DIPACO Diesel Parts, Inc. – Reno, NV

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Reorder Controls

Comprehensive inventory management philosophies are

ingrained into the feature sets that fine-tune all auto-

mated stock replenishment systems in Touchstone/2000.

Individually defined reorder methods result in suggested

purchase orders for inventory items based upon item

usage history and replenishment review cycles. Reorder

control methods include:

• Item Class

• Seasonal Item Usage

• Flow Point

• Economic OrderQuantity (EOQ)

• Blanket PurchaseOrders

• Min/Max

• Equivalent ItemGroups

• Kit AssemblyProcesses

• Transfers

Dollars, weight,

units and/or volume may

be used to define specific

vendor purchasing

controls. Purchase order

targets may be set for:

• Target Purchase

• Minimum Purchase

• Free Freight Amount

• Item FamilyDiscounts

Touchstone/2000

maintains detailed

information and history

on an unlimited number of vendors for each item.

Vendor-Item controls that influence purchasing recom-

mendations include:

• Standard PackQuantity

• Master PackQuantity

9

Stocked items are individually managed by fine tuningparameters in the item warehouse record.

Vendor item cost tables provide easy price updating from avendor and detailed cost analysis of identical itemspurchased from multiple vendors.

• Vendor Promotions

• Full Landed ProductCost

• Vendor Item LeadTime

• Vendor Item CostTables

• Vendor FamilyDiscounts

• CostulatorTM VendorComparison

Touchstone/2000’s item usage history and replenish-

ment calculations may be used to follow Gordon Graham’s

exact specification.

Order point and line

point controls allow each

purchase decision to be

optimized for each

vendor purchase order.

For all “special order”

items, catalog items,

and special purchases of

stock-items, Touchstone/

2000’s exclusive “Re-

served-Line” purchasing

procedures insure special

purchase orders are

matched to sales order

lines – automatically.

Complete inventory

and vendor-item manage-

ment systems provide

sophisticated options for

implementing and

managing advanced

warehouse disciplines

and vendor relationships.

Powerful SFST options

are provided to handle:

• Cycle Counting

• Item TurnoverAnalysis

• Vendor ProductLine Performance

• WarehouseTransfers

• Item MovementClass Analysis

• Service LevelRatings

• Item ValuationReports

• Vendor Item PriceContracts

• Vendor Rebates

• Vendor ReturnAuthorization

• Vendor Price FileUpdates

• Price/Cost (TradeService) Updates

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S a l e s M a n a g e m e n t

Comprehensive sales order management features include

flexible customer service, account management and

administrative systems for the following transactions and

functions:

• Lead & Prospect Management• Rebate Management• Pay-From Account Credit Management• Sales Order Processing• Returned Goods Management (RMA)• Tax Jurisdiction Reporting• Sales Quotation System• Minimum Order Charges• Sales Commissions• Order Bookings Analysis• Minimum Order Margin• NSF Check Processing• Customer Billing & Invoicing

• Remote Customer Access• Document Archive & Reprint• Shipping Confirmation• Summarized Account Invoicing• Customer Contact Phonebook• Order Service Level Reporting• Co-op Advertising• Accounts Receivable Management• Customer Usage Reporting• Point-Of-Sale (POS) Processing• Customer Memos• ScratchPad Quotes & Orders• On-line Profitability Profiles• Customer Revenue Ranking• OrderPad Sales Templates• Vendor POS Reporting• Available-To-Promise (ATP) Calculations

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A little over five years ago Carolina Machine & Tool purchased a

software system that would completely change the way we do

business. Now our salespeople do more than take orders from

customers – they create new business relationships based upon improving

the profitability of our customers. We use technology and systems supply

programs to reduce our customer’s total cost of product acquisition. The

flexibility of Touchstone/2000 allows us to customize our value-added services and reporting for each

customer. From detailed department level customer item usage reporting and customized summary

billing options to replenishment systems that allow CMT to pro-actively manage a customer’s on-site

inventory stores, Touchstone/2000 gives us the ability to set standards for customer service that our

competitors simply can not touch.

We never compete for business on “price,” but we can deliver products and service for the lowest

absolute cost primarily because of the efficiency of our internal systems built around the power of the

Touchstone/2000 product. Our systems are so well defined and easily monitored that we recently achieved

ISO9002 certification – yet another standard for customer service that will further distinguish CMT from

our competitors, that’s made possible by our software.

John Stevens, Operations Manager

Carolina Machine & Tool – Greenville, SC

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Specialized Sales Order Controls

Powerful order-management processes are built into

specialized programs to handle the different types of

orders distributors are often required to process. Each

type of sales-order program contains its own flexible

parameters to tailor customer service options around:

• Basic Orders

• WarehouseDropship Orders

• Will-Call Orders

• Future Orders

• Vendor DirectOrders

• Tag & Hold Orders

• Repetitive Orders

• Ship-CompleteOrders

Additional param-

eters are managed at the

sales order line level to

define procedures for:

• Sales From Stock

• Stocked KitAssembly Orders

• Service Items

• Build To Order KitConfiguration

• Non-Stock Items

• Order Commentsand MemoLinkTM

Printing

• Special Order Items

• Future Lines

• Vendor DirectShipments

• Warehouse Transfers

• Warehouse DropShips

Sales order lines

may contain different shipping dates, ship-to locations,

purchase order numbers, release numbers, and product

commit dates. The sales order line type determines how

product demand is filled and how service levels are

measured.

On-line access to credit management information,

document archive look-ups, sales history, product

availability and item cost information is available from

Sales order entry is fast and efficient. Special features andoptions are present only when activated.

11within order entry if user security permissions allow the

information to be displayed.

Customer Document Controls

Print control parameters for customer documents are

managed by customer and transaction type. SFST

controls are included for:

• OrderAcknowledgments

• Packing Slips

• Order & InvoiceComments

• Picking Tickets

• Customer Invoices

• Statements &Dunning Messages

• Delivery Tickets

• Memo Invoices

• DepartmentalUsage Statements

• Language Masks

• Currency Selection

• Paper or FaxDesignation

Sales Order Inquiries

Customer service is

improved with easy access

to critical information.

• Automatic recallof quoted items

• Credit Profile

• Aging byinvoice number

• Sales History andCustomer ServiceLevels

• CustomerRolodex and E-mail information

• Customer anditem memos

Detailed history windows offer a complete customer profileand help provide better customer service.

• Open Purchase andSales Orders

• Alternate Warehouses

• Pegboard Inquiry –shows open sales andpurchase orderstogether with a netavailable to promisequantity (ATP)

• Customer contract

• Extended InventoryDescriptions

• Kit Component List

• CostulatorTM

• Flexible ItemInquiries

• CustomerTransaction Listing

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• Order Date • Customer• Warehouse • Location• Salesperson • Territory• Vendor • Order Source• Manufacturer • Document Number

Sales Analysis

Flexible detailed and summary

sales reporting systems are

structured for item, customer,

salesperson, territory, and

product group analysis. Addi-

tional on-line sales and gross

margin analysis is maintained by:

• Account Type• Territory• Customer &

Ship-to Location• Price Column• Delivery Route• Warehouse• Customer Source• SIC Code• Item Product Group• Order Source• Sales Person• Vendor Product Line

The power and flexibility

of Touchstone/2000’s sales

order management system

provide distributors unique

capabilities that can create

competitive advantages in the

marketplace. Every customer

can receive personalized

service by utilizing SFST

transaction options to match

system capabilities to indi-

vidual customer needs.

To improve your customer’s

profitability, you should go

beyond selling products for a lower price. With Touchstone/

2000 you can give your customers accurate product performance

information to help optimize their product mix. Touchstone/

2000’s detailed item sales analysis and tracking capabilities

provide the tools you need to make sure that the right products

are on the shelf when your customer calls – helping them provide

better service to their customers and minimize lost sales.

Customer Pricing Controls

Prices and price calculations can be displayed and rounded

using either two or four decimal places. Comprehensive

item-pricing mechanisms include the following base formulas:

List Price Less Discount, List Price Plus, Cost Up %, Gross

Margin % and Multiplier or Price Factor. Several methods can

be used to determine customer prices, including:

• Customer Price Column

• Item Family Pricing

• Customer Contracts

• Product Group Price Table

• Family Discount Table

• Customer ExceptionContracts

• Item Price Table

• Item Promotional Pricing

• Item Reference Prices

• Best Price

Advanced pricing

features, such as Touchstone/

2000’s promotional pricing,

allow distributors to market

and manage themselves in

new ways. Different types of

products or customers may be

targeted for promotion

activity. Also, promotions

provide a great way of

moving dead or slow stock!

Activity is tracked in detail by

hits, misses, units, dollars,

cost, profit dollars and gross

margin percentage for good

management analysis.

Booking Analysis

Order bookings and shipments

are tracked separately within

Touchstone/2000 allowing for

better analysis of the “business flow” and the order fulfillment

process. Bookings detail is presented on screen for quick monthly

snapshots of dollar values by day, and on paper for a detailed

audit trail. Order changes, additions, deletions and their reason

codes, are recorded by date, time, and user ID, providing a

complete and accurate appraisal of bookings activity. Bookings

analysis can be generated in a detailed or summary format by:

Date, item, and customer controls allow promotions to behighly customized. Detailed promotion statistics are alsokept for campaign monitoring.

Advanced reporting capabilities allow sales data to begenerated multiple ways for detailed insight into customerand product sales trends.

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Touchstone/2000 incorporates the hard business tools I need to

allow my employees to make quick decisions in areas ranging

from inventory and pricing to creditworthiness and vendor

selection. The ability to instantly refer to a customer’s past purchases right

in the middle of sales order or quotation entry is an invaluable tool.

It saves countless hours of time, and the time saved is doubled since my

employees don’t have to spend it and my customers don’t have to wait. In addition, one unique feature

saves me five percentage points on my cost of sales every day. The CostulatorTM picks out the lowest cost

vendor on identical items and commodity items taking into account cash discount, year-end rebates,

and any other factors I wish to include. In my size of business that is worth $90,000 per year!

Touchstone/2000 has the flexibility I need to compete with anyone and provide an extremely efficient

operation for the benefit of my customers and my bottom line.

Steve Berdinis, President

Bishop Office City – Houston, TX

Costulator provides easy analysis when comparing vendorsto maximize savings

11aCostulatorTM

Costulator is a selectable feature set that saves many

distributors thousands of dollars each year. It provides

an interactive cost

comparison for the

purchase of an identical

item available from

many different vendors.

The comparison is based

from an adjusted unit

cost, which is comprised

of: unit cost, landed cost

elements, vendor rebates

or item discounts, and

vendor load factors –

which produces a

recommended vendor

and corresponding

savings percentage.

Vendor lead times are also shown. Costulator is also a

key component of Touchstone/2000’s replenishment

worksheet processing. Once a recommended item

purchase order quantity is calculated, Touchstone/2000

will assign the lowest price vendor to an item – if desired.

Automatic Vendor Cost Updating

Vendor list price and cost updates are easily accommodated

within Touchstone/2000. Vendors that provide electronic price

updates can be “mapped”

into the vendor item

records within Touchstone/

2000 to record any new

changes with one simple

process. Individual items

may even be excluded from

price updates just in case

“special” pricing exist.

Touchstone/2000’s ability

to store and track catalog

items means that updates

can be performed for both

stocked and non stocked

inventory. Powerful, yet

easy to use tools also exist

to allow list price and cost updates to be entered by:

• A range of items • Manufacturers

• Family codes • Vendors

• Product Group Codes • Effective Date

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12

W hen we bought Touchstone/2000 three years ago, my first

project after going live was to hire another customer

service person because we were so bogged down in paper-

work. That person was never hired, our business has since doubled twice,

and we will not need that person until it doubles again. Does it get any

better than that?

As a matter of fact it does. We still do a physical inventory only once each year. We used to be

overstocked on many items and had none of others. This year inventory had a variance of only 1.8%! I

call that perfect. We now ship 99% of our orders on the same day or next and have a good inventory

mix, which is 3% lower as a percent of sales than before we implemented Touchstone/2000.

I have perfect inventory control. I can hire sales people instead of administrative staff. I can always

tell at a glance what is going on in our company and what our customers are doing. I have customers

who are delighted with the customer service we can provide because of Touchstone/2000, and on top of

that, I have never had the software cause us any downtime! Everyday I appreciate what the system does

for Blacoh.

Diana L. Blythe, Vice President

Blacoh Fluid Control, Inc. – Riverside, CA

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E x e c u t i v e I n f o r m a t i o n M a n a g e m e n t

PeriscopeTM

The periscope inquiry system monitors operational and

financial statistics that

reveal a distributor’s

effectiveness and

procedural efficiency.

This executive informa-

tion system provides

managers the ability to

target and track

measurable improve-

ment in each aspect of

business activity. The

gathering, reporting,

and analysis of key

decision making data

has never been easier.

The real-time picture of

Seeing key business trends in graphic detail sharpens yourmanagement focus.

performance trends is maintained for the past 24 months

and can be detailed by:

• Customer Location

• Customer Totals

• WarehouseLocation

• Vendors

Each performance

inquiry provides

monthly transactional

data measuring dollar

amounts for billings,

payables, receivables,

and individual ware-

houses. Document

totals and key statistical

information is kept for

each business function.

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This “dream screen” snapshots vital statistics from keyoperating data of the company.

User defined forecasting parameters can be arbitrarily setand the system will dynamically calculate table values.

Financial performance trends indicate where managementattention should be focused.

13Performance Trends

From the company level down to the individual customer,

Touchstone/2000’s EIS

inquiries, let you see

exactly what’s going on.

The graphic display

makes performance

trends easy to monitor.

The “Cat Scan” inquiry

empowers management

with single-screen

instant feedback on

performance. Monthly,

quarterly and annual

data comparisons of

sales, cost of sales,

profit levels and margins

are provided as is the

crucial incoming

bookings flow. Key

summaries of Accounts

Receivable, Accounts

Payable and Cash

Receipts activity keep

vital cash flow levels

always at management’s

fingertips. If you can’t

measure it, you can’t

manage it!

Cash Requirements

Forecasting

Touchstone/2000’s

sophisticated cash

requirements forecasting

system graphically

projects net corporate

cash flow position using

a combination of

receivable and payable

system information.

The system calculates

expected cash receipts

based upon the out-

standing receivable

balance and customer

payment history. Vendor payments are projected using

payment selection criteria. Projected net cash positions

are derived according to user defined forecast horizons.

Forecast horizons can be sequenced into eight user

defined time intervals.

Each interval shows its

net change and cumula-

tive change for all

preceding intervals.

Financial Ratio

Analysis

Graphical trend analysis

is provided for seven-

teen key financial

performance ratios that

measure corporate

business performance

and return on invest-

ment. Each of the

seventeen financial

ratios can be displayed

in a bar graph or trend

line format. Each

format can be based

on either monthly,

quarterly, or annual

statistics. The ratio

package includes:

• Net Margin• Fixed Assets/

Equity• Current Ratio• Quick Ratio• Inventory/

Working Capital• Times Interest

Earning• Debt/Total Assets• Current

Liabilities/Equity• Cash Velocity• Inventory

Turnover• Sales Margin• Fixed Asset

Turnover• Gross Operating

Margin• Asset Productivity• Return On Equity

• Average Collection Days • Total Asset Turnover

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T h e N e t w o r k A d v a n t a g e

Touchstone/2000 is designed for PC-networks using either

Novell Netware or Microsoft NT Operating System platforms.

It also works efficiently with all of today’s popular desktop

operating systems to allow business data to be easily integrated

with a wide variety of

network and workstation

productivity tools. Touch-

stone/2000 brings the

transactional history of

business operations into clear

focus by transforming

business data into powerful

information you can use. And

the scaleable nature of PC

hardware and powerful

network operating systems

provide tremendous flexibility

in configuring and upgrading

an enterprise business

computing system that will

meet your automation needs

today – and into the future.

Network based systems

offer several advantages over

CPU-terminal configurations.

Multiple sessions of Touch-

stone/2000 can be initiated

from a properly configured

workstation, along with

concurrent sessions of

personal productivity or

business automation software.

The processing power of each

workstation can be configured

to match the transaction

workload of specific applica-

tions. And every time a workstation is added to the network

the total processing power of the network increases rather than

causing additional system degradation.

The speed and efficiency of networked workstations is so

widely recognized today that even UNIX based systems are

installed with PC-LANs to provide increased data transmission

speeds between the CPU and the workstation. Although CPU

based configurations relegate PC workstations to simple dumb-

terminals when running the primary business application from

the host, having a network in place is so valuable to the

operation of enterprise automation systems today that virtually

every new system is delivered with a network. The simple

question is why not use the enormous computing power of

PC-workstations to process

business transactions instead

of re-purchasing and duplicat-

ing that power on a UNIX

host that must be continually

upgraded and replaced as the

number of attached worksta-

tions increases? With

Touchstone/2000 you can use

the power of the workstation to

process business transactions.

User Level Controls

SFST controls the extent to

which each user interacts with

the system. Similar to the

Customer, Item and Vendor

records, SFST at the user level

can influence the level of

impact each user can exercise.

Event driven “SMART

ALERT” buttons can be

selected for specific users and

will intuitively display on the

screen. SFST offers users the

ability to add item, vendor,

customer and general ledger

accounts on-the-fly, user

restrictions specific to

customers or warehouses can

also be controlled. Many

other user controls can be

defined. SFST truly defines how each user impacts files,

records and field values within Touchstone/2000.

Customer Remote Access

Remote access is another unique feature set provided

within Touchstone/2000. High profile or high maintenance

customers can be granted this extra layer of customer service,

which aligns them even more closely with your organization,

while lessening the load on your customer service personnel.

Remote customer order entry provides a new level of on-lineservice.

Touchstone/2000’s SFST design controls each user’s accessibilityand defines the feature sets available.

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13a

Smart alerts intuitively inform users of impending eventsthat require immediate action.

T ouchstone/2000 allows us to implement Graham’s philosophy of

inventory management, and at the same time implement our

management techniques that are industry specific. We are con-

vinced Touchstone/2000 offers the most comprehensive order-entry system

of any product on the market today. Our customer service level has risen

dramatically and with the help of Touchstone/2000, in three short years we

have increased sales 46% while at the same time significantly decreasing our inventory and holding A/R

growth to a modest 10%. Clearly, this unique product makes a significant difference in how effectively

we compete in our marketplace and how efficiently we manage internal operations.

Touchstone/2000 is also designed to run on Novell’s Netware and Microsoft NT. Although

Graham maintains one should select software to fit ones needs prior to selecting hardware, in the

21st century this cannot be ignored. With Touchstone/2000’s PC-based architecture we have the

ability to integrate our system with a world of products enabling us to be on the cutting edge of

today’s technological revolution.

Danny Kurzmann, President

Linwood Plumbing Supply – Detroit, MI

Customers are given unique logons and passwords to

your system. You decide by customer which of the

following functions you will allow: the ability to check

their A/R aging;

inquire into the status

of any open order,

quote, or credit; place

an actual order

request; check pricing;

or check stock status.

User Defined Alerts

Touchstone/2000

provides a unique

notification mechanism

for action items. Main

menu “SMART

ALERT” buttons

highlight conditions that

require your attention

as soon as they occur, ensuring that important customer

related transaction activity does not get delayed.

Touchstone/2000 alert buttons include notification of:

• Mail • Auto Fills

• Manual Fills • Refills

• Transfer Request

• Drop ShipRequest

• Remote CustomerOrders

• Lead follow upactivity

• Customer orderson holds

The “Fill” alert

buttons are specifically

activated any time

inventory is received or

returned. Touchstone/

2000 looks for

backorders or special

orders and allocates

inventory to them

automatically. The alert buttons provide user notifica-

tions that backorders can now be shipped.

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C r e a t i n g T e c h n o l o g y P a r t n e r s h i p s

Implementing new business automation software requires

many significant changes. One of the more significant

changes can be working with a new software company

and creating new business partnerships. In the past, a

distributor may have looked to a “sole-source supplier”

for hardware, software, training and consulting services –

but today a partnership with only one organization

would probably not deliver the best available talent to

work with your business. Today talent is decentralized –

and the best resources are self-employed or working for

highly focused small businesses. Multiple partnerships

provide access to more specialized expertise. So Dimasys

established a network of specialists to work with our

customers to meet the challenges presented by implement-

ing a new system, using new technology while changing

business procedures to improve customer service and

operating efficiency.

Embedded Database Integration

Dimasys publishes the Touchstone/2000 product and

distributes the powerful Pervasive SQL, ODBC

compliant, database system as an embedded component

of the software application product to permit a level of

integration that optimizes software installation and

support. Developing software to tap the power of the

industry’s leading PC Network SQL database engine

allows Dimasys to offer comprehensive maintenance and

support services to Touchstone/2000 customers covering

both the system and the underlying database engine.

Pervasive Software, Inc. works closely with Dimasys to

provide Touchstone/2000 customers the most reliable

platform available for mission-critical transaction

processing applications available. This partnership also

delivers the lowest total cost of ownership available in the

distribution software industry.

14

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P roviding outstanding customer service is absolutely critical to the

success of our company. Touchstone/2000 is a vital tool in helping

us meet this objective in all areas of our business. The power and

sophistication of the software has given us a significant advantage over

our competition. The people at Dimasys are very quick to respond to our

requests and suggestions, and their responsiveness helps us continually

offer new and better services to our customers. It is a dynamic product that continues to add new

features we can use every year.

Continuous and Never-ending Improvement is a basic principle of our business, and we need

business software that supports this principle. Touchstone/2000 fits in with our business principle

because it helps us to continually improve our processes. As a wholesale distributor, our inventory is our

largest physical asset. In just the past 18 months we have been able to significantly reduce our inventory

(15%), increase our turns (40%) while increasing our customer service level, and thus substantially raise

our profitability. Our Return On Investment (ROI) is up by 39%, which is a pretty dramatic

improvement. Touchstone/2000 played a major role in helping us achieve these results, and we are

obviously very happy with the software.

Paul Gallin, President

Ohio Travel Bag, Cleveland, OH

Building Strategic Relationships

Dimasys maintains unique strategic relationships with

Effective Inventory Management, Inc. and A/R

Management Group, Inc. that provide Touchstone/2000

customers product-specific educational guides, seminars,

and value-added consulting relationships. Dimasys

recognizes a distribution software product is ultimately

an asset management tool, and that real product value is

measured by how well distributors achieve their intended

results. By pioneering strategic relationships with the

premier asset management companies in the industry,

Dimasys provides our customers the opportunity to work

closely with the best available talent in the marketplace.

And the instructional content is not just theory – it is

product-specific instruction made possible by the

framework our partnership relationships bring to the

Touchstone/2000 community.

Industry and Technology Experts

Managing a change in strategic technology may also

require new relationships be formed with local

resources that provide ongoing technical expertise to your

company. A company that understands today’s network-

based technology and also understands the distribution

industry – can partner with you to implement proven,

cost effective technology. That’s why Dimasys established

an authorized network of Value Added Resellers (VARs)

to add value to the product and the companies that use it.

An international network of Touchstone/2000 VARs offer

implementation assistance, data conversion, training,

support and consulting services to help ensure that your

business takes advantage of the full range of tools and

technology that can make a difference in your business –

and in your bottom line.

Contact Dimasys, Inc. or your authorized

Touchstone/2000 Value Added Reseller for more informa-

tion about the leading PC-network based distribution

software product. The only distribution software product

supported by a comprehensive network of independent

industry consultants and local VARs working together to

promote business change. This unique framework

pioneered by Dimasys, combines proven asset manage-

ment procedures with product-based expertise to help

distributors leverage technology as a tool to manage

change. Put the power of the Touchstone/2000

partnership network to work for you – and see how

industry-specific training and technology can create a

competitive advantage for your company.

15

W hen we installed Touchstone/2000 we never imagined the

revolution that it would provoke inside the company. It is

not only a software package, the system is a whole new

way to work and increase productivity, which means more profit for the

company. The work flow procedures designed into Touchstone/2000 re-

fine every area of a distributor’s business from customer quotes to finan-

cial statements. At TBC Mexico we have found that now every employee understands his role and can

contribute to improving the company’s operation and customer service, even when they are miles away

from each other working at 15 different branches across the country. Despite the logistics involved with

managing a decentralized operation, we have decreased our Systems department from 6 Employees to

only 2 and are a much more efficient organization. Touchstone/2000 is the cornerstone of TBC Mexico’s

reorganization program and the catalyst that bonded our employees to the overall mission and direc-

tion of the company.

Ricardo Villalobos, Dir. of Information Technology

TBC de Mexico, S. A. – Leon, Gto, Mexico

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Dimasys, Inc.3010 LBJ FreewaySuite 1207Dallas, Texas 75234

Phone: (972) 888-6043Fax: (972) 888-6091Internet: www.dimasys.comE-Mail: sales@dimasys.com

“In Memory of Stan Leu,whose creativity and endless commitment

will forever be missed”.

Touchstone/2000TM is developed and licensed exclusively by Dimasys, Inc.

Touchstone/2000TM, PeriscopeTM, Scaleable Feature Set TechnologyTM, SFSTTM, TagAlongTM, CostulatorTM, StockAidTM, SnapOnTM,“Graham on a LANTM” and “You haven’t seen software like this before!TM” are all Trademarks of Dimasys, Inc.

“Effective Inventory Management with Touchstone/2000” is a copyrighted publication of Effective Inventory Management,Inc. (EIM), a corporation with no affiliation to Dimasys, Inc. Profit Centered Credit and Collections with Touchstone/2000” is a copyrighted work of A/R Management Group, Inc. (ARMG), a corporation with no affiliation to Dimasys, Inc.Dimasys contractually authorizes EIM and ARMG to reprint screens and concepts contained within Touchstone/2000 foruse within these publications and other instructional materials for their own respective use. Dimasys also has licensedpermission to use copyrighted concepts and terminology from ARMG for developing related software functionality.

The names of companies and products otherwise referred to herein are trademarks, tradenames, or registered trademarks oftheir respective owners.