The Single Title Order Plan (S.T.O.P.) is the result of a cooperative effort between the American Booksellers Association (ABA) and the Association of American Publishers.

Booksellers benefit from the S.T.O.P. program because they earn a higher discount than they would normally receive on single-title orders (special orders).

Publishers benefit because S.T.O.P forms are in triplicate and include a Return form so that paperwork is reduced, and because you prepay for titles ordered through the S.T.O.P. program.

Whenever you place a S.T.O.P. order, you must use a S.T.O.P. form, and include a check with your order. WordStock can print S.T.O.P. forms and checks as you need them. You can also print a register of all your S.T.O.P. checks for a specified period of time. S.T.O.P. forms are available through the WordStock Sales department. Call 1-(800)-753-9673 for ordering information.

Depending on your store's procedure, you may or may not have a checking account exclusively for S.T.O.P. orders. Regardless, you need pin-fed checks if you want to use WordStock's check printing option. Contact your bank to order pin-fed checks.

Placing a S.T.O.P. Order

There are three steps involved in placing a S.T.O.P. order:

1. Sorting the unordered S.T.O.P.s from the Special Order file
2. Printing the S.T.O.P. check(s)
3. Printing the S.T.O.P. form(s)

Sorting the Unordered S.T.O.P. Orders
from the Special Order File

Before you can print S.T.O.P. check(s) and form(s), you must isolate the unordered S.T.O.P. orders from the rest of your Special Orders by sorting out all Special Orders with status 'NEW' and type 'STOP'.

If you are not familiar with the sorting process, please review Chapter 7: Reports.

1. Use the keyboard arrow method or the hot key method (page 2–3 through 2–5) to select 'Reports' from the Main Menu. The 'Reports' sub-menu is opened, and 'Sort a data file' is highlighted.

2. Press <Enter>. The PROGRAM TO SORT A DATA FILE is opened, and a Data Files Menu box is displayed.

3. Select 'Special Order'.The program to SORT THE SPECIAL ORDER file is opened, a Menu box of your Sort Include Specifications is displayed, and you are prompted to 'Please select an include specification.'

Press <Enter> to return to the Main Menu. Follow the instructions under 'SORTING THE UNORDERED STOPS FROM THE SPECIAL ORDER FILE' on page A7–2 above.

4. Select 'NEW_STOP'. A Menu box of your Sort Order Specifications is displayed, and you are prompted to 'Please select an order specification.'

5. Select 'vendor' to sort alphabetically by Vendor name. You are prompted to 'Enter a name for this sort output:'

6. Type <new_stops> and then press <Enter>. There is a delay while your Special Order file is sorted. A series of messages is displayed while the sort is processed. When the sort is complete, you are prompted to 'Press <Enter> to return to the menu'. See Figure A7-1 below.

Fig. A7–1: A Sample Sort Output Display

Please Note The Sort Output Display shows how many records with status 'NEW' type 'STOP' were sorted out of your Special Order file.

7. Press <Enter>. The Main Menu is displayed with the Reports sub-menu opened.

Printing S.T.O.P. Checks

1. Load pin-fed form checks into your printer.

2. Use the keyboard arrow method or the hot key method (page 2–3 through 2–5) to select 'Ordering' from the Main Menu. The 'Ordering' sub-menu is opened.

3. Select S.T.O.P. The S.T.O.P. sub-menu is opened.

4. Select 'Print S.T.O.P. Checks'. The PROGRAM TO SELECT A SORT FILE FOR THE SPECIAL ORDER DATABASE is opened, and a chronological list of all the Special Order Sort Outputs is displayed. See Figure A7–2 below.

Fig. A7–2: A Sample Special Order Sort Output List Box

4. Select 'NEW_STOP'. The PROGRAM TO PRINT S.T.O.P. CHECKS is opened, and a series of messages is displayed as the system identifies the sorted Special Orders. See Figure A7–3 below.

Fig. A7–3: Sample Program to Print S.T.O.P. Checks Messages

If there is more than one printer in your store: A list of your printers is displayed. If there is only one printer in your store: You are asked if you want to 'Print alignment check?', and "Y" is entered by default. Skip to step 6.

5. Select a printer from the list. You are asked if you want to 'Print alignment check?', and "Y" is entered by default.

6. If you are not certain that the checks are aligned properly in the printer, press <Enter>. You are notified that an alignment check has been printed and asked 'Do you want to print another alignment check', and "n" is entered by default. If you are certain that the checks are aligned properly in the printer: press <n> and then press <Enter>. You are prompted to 'Enter beginning check number:' Skip to step 9.

7. Determine whether the checks are aligned properly.

8. If the checks are aligned properly, press <Enter>. You are prompted to 'Enter beginning check number:'. If the checks are not aligned properly, press <y> and then press <Enter>. You are notified that an alignment check has been printed and asked 'Do you want to print another alignment check', and "n" is entered by default. Repeat step 7.

9. Type the number printed on the first S.T.O.P. check (not including any alignment checks), and press <Enter>. When the printing is complete, '[Printing S.T.O.P check(s) .. done]' is displayed. You are asked, 'Did the S.T.O.P. checks print OK?', and "Y" is entered by default.

10. Determine if the checks printed OK.

11. If the checks printed OK, press <Enter>. 'Updating special orders ..done' is displayed indicating that the "Ckdate" (check date) and "Ck#" fields on the sorted S.T.O.P.s have been updated. You are prompted to 'Press <Enter> to return to the menu. Skip to step 13. 

If the checks did not print OK, press <n> and then press <Enter>. You are asked, 'Do you want to print again?', and "Y" is entered by default.

12. If you want to print again, press <Enter>. 'Updating special orders ..done' is displayed indicating that the "Ckdate" (check date) If you do not want to print again, press <n> and then press <Enter>. You are notified that 'No special order is updated' and "Ck#" fields on the sorted S.T.O.P.s have been updated. You are prompted to 'Press <Enter> to return to the menu.

13. Press <Enter>. The Main Menu is displayed with the Ordering sub-menu and the S.T.O.P. sub-up menu opened.

Printing S.T.O.P. Forms

1. Load S.T.O.P. forms into your printer.

2. Select 'Ordering' from the Main Menu. The 'Ordering' sub-menu is opened.

3. Select S.T.O.P. The S.T.O.P. sub-menu is opened.

4. Select 'Print S.T.O.P. Forms'. The PROGRAM TO SELECT A SORT FILE FOR THE SPECIAL ORDER DATABASE is opened, and a chronological list of all the Special Order Sort Outputs from the last week is displayed. See Figure A7–2 on page A7–4.

5. Select 'NEW_STOP'. The PROGRAM TO PROCESS SPECIAL ORDERS VIA SINGLE TITLE ORDER PLAN is opened, and you are asked 'Do you want to print S.T.O.P. forms right now?'.

6. Press <y> and then press <Enter>. You are asked, 'Do you want to add these S.T.O.P. orders to a P.O.?'

7. If you want to put the S.T.O.P. orders on a PO, press <y> and then press <Enter>. If you do not want to put the S.T.O.P. orders on a PO, press <n> and then press <Enter>.

If there is more than one printer in your store, a list of your printers is displayed. If there is only one printer in your store, you are asked if you want to 'Print alignment form?', and "Y" is entered by default. Skip to step 9.

8. Select a printer from the list. You are asked if you want to 'Print an alignment form?', and "Y" is entered by default.

9. If you are not certain that the forms are aligned properly in the printer, press <Enter>. You are notified that an alignment form has been printed and asked 'Do you want to print another alignment form', and "n" is entered by default. If you are certain that the forms are aligned properly in the printer: Press <n> and then press <Enter>.

When the printing is complete, '[Printing S.T.O.P form(s) .. done]' is displayed. You are asked, 'Did the S.T.O.P. form(s) print OK?', and "Y" is entered by default. Skip to step 12.

10. Determine whether the forms are aligned properly.

11. If the forms are aligned properly, press <Enter>. 'Printing S.T.O.P. forms .. done is displayed, you are asked, Did the S.T.O.P. forms print OK?', and "Y" is entered by default. If the forms are not aligned properly, press <y> and then press <Enter>.You are notified that an alignment form has been printed and asked 'Do you want to print another alignment form', and "n" is entered by default. Repeat step 10.

12. Determine whether the form(s) printed OK.

13. If the form(s) printed OK, press <Enter>. 'Updating special orders .. done' is displayed, indicating that the Special Order Status has been changed to 'ON ORDER'.

If the checks did not print OK, press <n> and then press <Enter>.You are asked, 'Do you want to print again?', and "Y" is entered by default. Skip to step 15.

14. If you want to print again, press <Enter>. 'Updating special orders ..done' is displayed indicating that the Special Order Status has been changed to 'ON ORDER'.

If you do not want to print again, press <n> and then press <Enter>. You are notified that 'No special order is updated'

15. If you are adding the S.T.O.P.s to a PO, you are prompted to 'Press <Enter> to create P.O.'.

You are asked whether you want to 'Sort the special orders by vendor?'

If you are not adding the S.T.O.P.s to a PO: You are prompted to 'Press <Enter> to return to the menu'. Press <Enter>. The Main Menu is displayed with the Ordering sub-menu and the S.T.O.P. sub-menu opened.

16. Press <y> and then press <Enter>. The program to CREATE PURCHASE ORDERS FROM SPECIAL ORDER FILE SORTED OUTPUT is opened. See Fig. 12–9 on in Chapter 12.