TODO: DS

There are two parts to Avails:

1. Searching for available sites
2. Reading and understanding the data SIGNZ gives you

Searching for sites:

Note: Don't feel like you have to fill in every list to select what you need.  eg. size, area.

Tick boxes - Areas

Screen shot A shows a grey tick box beside the field 'All Areas' and a white tick box ticked beside 'North Island'.  The white tick boxes, when ticked, means that this is the only area(s) which you want to search in.  A grey tick box means that SIGNZ will search inside this field but within another sub-field which is more specific.  In this case North Island.

Screen shot B shows a similar thing but with an extra sub-field.  SIGNZ will search in the North Island but only in Auckland not Northland or Provincial etc.  Again, the grey tick box indicates that SIGNS will search within 'All Areas' and 'North Island' but specifically within 'Auckland'.    

Screen shot C shows us exactly how the grey tick box can be useful.  Here we have 'All Areas' in grey along with both 'North Island' and 'NSW'.  Here we know that 'Auckland' is still selected (as was seen in screen shot B) under the 'North Island' field even though we can't see it - because the box next to 'North Island' is grey.  In addition to this we have 'Sydney' selected under 'NSW'.

Long story short - grey tick boxes just mean that there is another category selected within this field. 

Another thing to look out for is highlighting in screen shots D and E.  In screen shot D, all the boxes are ticked and none are grey - therefore SIGNZ will search under ALL these areas.  In screen shot E no boxes are ticked because the All Areas is white, not grey.  In this case, SIGNZ will again search under all areas as none have been specifically selected.

All this information applies to the sizes (boxes) in the avails screen as well. 

 

Field Selections Lighting - Here you can only select one of the three options. SIGNZ will then search for all sites that INCLUDE this option.   Directions - Here you can select multiple fields by simply clicking in the corresponding tick boxes.  SIGNZ will then find sites that INCLUDE all these fields.   Features - This list operates in the same way as Directions.  You can select multiple fields by turning on the tick in the corresponding box.  SIGNZ will then find sites that INCLUDE all these fields.   Restrictions - Again, here you can select multiple fields.  BUT this time select the things that you don't want to come up in the search.  For example:  In the screen shot to the right we are looking for a site that will allow Alcohol and Political advertising.  So in the Restrictions list we have selected 'No Booze' and 'No Political Advertising'.  This means that any sites that include these restrictions will be left out of the search.    Public / Private sites - Here you may only select one of the fields from the list.  This will tell SIGNZ what sites to show you in the avails eg. 'Public, Private booked' or 'Development sites' or simply 'Public' or 'Private'.

Selecting dates You have three options when it comes to date selection in the Avails: List all sites, regardless of availability Only sites available for ALL selected months - this will.give you sites available in all the selected months Sites available for ANY selected months - this will give you sites available in any of the selected (eg sites available in just Dec, or just Jan or both Dec and Jan). As you can see at the bottom of this shot, there is the option to view the avails either by Months or by Weeks.  This just depends on what you want to look at. Simply click on the format you want and it will change accordingly. The 'Start Date' drop down can be found at the bottom of the Avails Search screen.  It is not to be confused with the date selection list shown above.  The 'Start Date' simply is there for you to choose what date you want the avails to start at regardless of any date selection made above.  It will automatically change to the first month which you have selected.  If none are selected from the above list it will simply start from today's date.  For more information on how to use the date picker, click here.

TODO: LS Screen shot and links please

• treat P/E as free (flexible)

For most people, this option will be ticked on by default and allows SIGNZ to show P/E or flexible bookings in the list of available sites as this option on a booking typically means this booking could be moved if we have a sale for another customer.

• treat site holds as free

Normally on by default so that SIGNZ can show you site holds in the list of vacant sites as these are typically short term reservations for sites that don't have an identified contract yet.

• treat contract holds as free

Normally off by default.  SIGNZ will normally NOT show you these bookings as being available because they have an identified client, ie a contract for the given period.

Selected site no's  This tool lets you type specific site numbers into the box.  This will mean that the avails search will only find sites that have those numerals or letters in their name.  For example, you could type in Ak2.   All the sites that started with Ak2 would come up in the search results eg: Ak201, Ak202 etc..  You may type more than one site number into the field.  All you need to do is separate the site numbers by a comma.  For example, you could type: "Ak2, Ak014, BRI" all sites beginning with these letters or numbers would appear in the search results.

Maximum Monthly Ratecard This tool lets you type in dollar amounts for the maximum monthly ratecard - ie the most the client is willing to pay for the rental.  For example, if we were to type in 2000, SIGNZ would then show all sites that had a monthly rate card of $2000 or less.

Search Once you have completed entering in all the information you want, click

Clear Search Criteria If, before searching, you find you have made a mistake or simply just want to start entering the information in again from scratch, click the 'Clear all search criteria' button at the bottom of the Search screen.

Reading data on the Avails screen:

Sorting the information By clicking on any of the headings (eg. site no, area, etc.) the avails information will sort by that field.  Another way of sorting the information is by using the 'Sort/ Split by' drop down.  Here you can select from a wide variety of fields to sort your info by.  For example, Size, Area, State, Lighting, Region, SizeType and a mixture of these.
Note: If sorted by the 'Sort/Split by' category, you cannot sort by clicking a heading. If you try to do so the following warning sign will appear.
Customizing the screen Once you have sorted the data you have a couple of options that will help you read it. Firstly, the 'Format / Font sizes' button.  This changes the font size to suit you.  Use the + and - signs to increase or decrease the size of the writing.
You can also change the cell width by clicking and dragging it to make it smaller or bigger.  SIGNZ will remember what size you have made the cells.  To reset to the original settings go to 'Options' on the tool bar and click 'Reset Avails Column width' as shown to the right.
TODO: LS Dale wants new screen shot (2nd one) with "Contract Name" instead of No.  He has just changed our development system to be name first.  I guess you could update the "Merge Cells" screen shots below while you are there. If you wish to see the contract name or more details tick 'Show description'.  There may be times you don't wish these details to be visible so details are turned off by default.   The information will change from looking like the first screen shot to the right, to looking like the one below it.  As you can see, the contract name now shows (if that is what your company chooses to display for description).
If you like this set up (seeing the name of the client the site is rented to) and want to permanently see the descriptions go to .. 'Options' on the tool bar and select 'Start Avails with contract name showing'.  SIGNZ will remember this request.
If you prefer to see data divided clearly into months turn off 'Merge cells'.   However, this is sometimes hard to see the bookings.  Selecting 'Merge cells' allows you to see block bookings instead of monthly, as can be seen in the screen shots to the right.
'Weekly Avails' simply lets you see the information weekly as opposed to monthly.
'Show Legend' makes the legend (below) pop up at the top of the screen and explains what all the colours mean. See here for info on the legend and what each colour means...

Buttons at the bottom of the screen

You will note that the only button enabled when you first enter the Avails screen is the 'Excel' button.  This can be used to simply transfer all the data the avails search has found across to an Excel spreadsheet.  

In order to enable the rest of the buttons you must first click on a site.  It is from here that you can then use the tools at the bottom of the screen to view the site details, hold or book, create a proposal, open in Powerpoint or view the map, in addition to the export to Excel tool that was already enabled.

Click on the buttons below for more information on what they do.

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