Channel Letters and Logos

Channel Letters is a product for pricing fabricated channel letters and logos. It is stored in Products & Modifiers, in the Digital / Vinyl category. Channel Style on the Sales Form takes letter text and a height, or a logo width and height. The Pricing card sets the method Calculate uses. The same Sales Form is used when Channel Letters is added on an estimate or order.

Table of Contents

Where to Find Channel Letters
What Channel Letters Includes
Product Settings
Linked Components
Enter Letters
Enter a Logo
Faces and Trim
Review the Price
Add Channel Letters to an Estimate
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Articles

Where to Find Channel Letters

Navigate to System Settings / Components / Products & Modifiers.

1. Open Channel Letters.

Note: Search can also list a modifier whose description is Channel Letters and Logo's. Open the row whose Type is Product.

What Channel Letters Includes

a. The name is Channel Letters. The category is Digital / Vinyl. The description is Channel Letters and Logo's.

b. Pricing is the method Calculate uses.

For the fields on this card, see Product Details.
For how each method calculates, see Understanding Market-Based vs. Cost-Plus Pricing, Cost Based Pricing, and Market Based Pricing.
For tables, minimums, and fees, see Markup and Margin Pricing Tables and Product Minimums and Fees.

c. Product Settings holds lead time, order-entry visibility, and assembly defaults.

d. Linked Components are the materials, labor, machine, and modifiers this product can use.

e. Accounting & Tax assigns income, expense, and tax.

For the fields on this card, see Product Details.
Taxability Codes are managed at System Settings / Accounting / Taxability Codes. See Taxability Codes.

Product Settings

Product Settings holds the defaults that follow the product onto an estimate or order. The card shows how many settings are saved.

a. Lead Time (Days) is the number of days orders use when calculating a production due date.

b. Hide in Order Entry, when on, keeps the product out of the estimate and order list without deleting it. On this product it is off, so Channel Letters can be added to a line.

c. Assembly Defaults can fill a starting Height when the product is added.

d. Machine and labor options include whether the machine is included on the Sales Form. On this product the machine is included, which is why Channel Bender 2.1 appears on the form.

Note: Default Line Item Category and Default Workflow are optional starting values.

For every setting on the card, see Product Details.

Linked Components

Linked Components are the materials, labor, machine, and modifiers the product is allowed to use. The card counts linked rows and unlinked rows. A shop links its own catalog.

a. The coil material on this product is Channel Coil - Mill Finish 8in.

b. Assembly Labor is the unlinked row. Link a labor there when the product should include assembly time.

c. The machine is Channel Bender 2.1.

d. The modifiers are Layout and Prep, Lighting, Production Rush, Routed Face / Back 1, Routed Face / Back 2, Trim Cap 1, and Trim Cap 2. Those options appear on the Sales Form.

For how to link or unlink a component, see Linked Components.
For how a modifier differs from a product, see Products vs. Modifiers.

Enter Letters

1. Set Quantity.

2. Set Channel Style to Letters.

3. Select the Coil. On this product, the coil is Channel Coil - Mill Finish 8in.

4. Enter the Text.

5. Enter the Height (in).

6. Select a Font Style. The choices are Narrow, Standard, and Wide.

Note: Characters Per Line Item shows the number of characters in Text. The Machine on this form is Channel Bender 2.1.

Enter a Logo

1. Set Channel Style to Logo.

2. Enter the Width (in).

3. Enter the Height (in).

Note: Text and Font Style are replaced by Width (in) and Height (in). The Coil and Machine stay on the form.

Faces and Trim

a. Routed Face / Back 1 adds the front face. That section includes Material, Machine, and Printed Face.

b. Trim Cap 1 adds trim for the front face.

c. Routed Face / Back 2 adds the back.

d. Trim Cap 2 adds trim for the back.

Note: Standard Options on the same form lists Layout and Prep, Production Rush, and Lighting.

Review the Price

1. Click Calculate.

a. Cost Breakdown lists Material, Labor, Machine, and Total Cost.

b. Margin is the amount added by the saved Cost Plus - Margin method. In this example it is 50%.

c. Unit Price is the price for one. The line total is Unit Price times Quantity.

Note: Calculate prices the current Sales Form with the method on the Pricing card. The amounts below are one example: text OPEN at 12 in, quantity 1, with the saved method Cost Plus - Margin at 50%. Material is $16.56, Labor is $9.92, Machine is $1.44, and Total Cost is $27.92. The margin is $13.96, so Unit Price is $55.84. A different method, percentage, or form value produces a different price. Click Calculate again after the form changes. The button label then reads Recalculate. The note under the price says the estimate uses the default pricing tier.

Add Channel Letters to an Estimate

Navigate to Sales / Estimates.

1. Click the Estimate. This example is EST-1160 for Jerry Gorman, Motorhead Auto Repair. The description is Service bay door lettering.

2. Click Line Item.

3. On the Products tab, click Channel Letters. Line Item Name fills with Channel Letters.

4. Select a Line Item Category. This example uses Outdoor Signage.

5. Click Next.

6. Set Channel Style to Letters.

7. Select the Coil. This example uses Channel Coil - Mill Finish 8in.

8. Enter the Text. This example uses OPEN.

9. Enter Height (in). This example uses 12. Font Style in this example is Standard. Line Item Qty is 1.

10. Click Save Changes. Line Item Price is calculated from the letter text, height, quantity, coil, and the pricing method on the product.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the difference between Letters and Logo?

Answer: Letters asks for Text, Height (in), and Font Style. Logo asks for Width (in) and Height (in). Both use the Coil and the Machine.

2. Why does search show two rows for Channel Letters?

Answer: One row is the Product named Channel Letters. The other is a modifier with a similar description. Open the Product to use this Sales Form.

3. Does Channel Letters have to use 50% Cost Plus - Margin?

Answer: No. 50% Cost Plus - Margin is only the method saved on this product. Method on the Pricing card can be Cost Plus - Margin, Cost Plus - Markup, Market - Product, Market - Component, or Custom. Calculate uses the method that is saved.