Am I required to install special software to my computer to use the Administrator utility of AHOY.COM solutions?

No. All AHOY.COM solutions are created to run via a Web browser. It is required, however, that I.E. (5.5 or greater) or Netscape 7.0 (or greater) are utilized when working within AHOY.COM administrative tools.

Can I use any Web browser to use the Administrator utility?

All AHOY.COM Solutions are built using the latest technology. To make certain that you can use all functions we ask that either Internet Explorer 5.5 or above or Netscape 7.0 and above browser versions are used.

Is more than one individual able to add information to the database at a given time?

Yes. Although you will want to be very careful that the other individuals working within the database are not working on any of the same items, categories, etc. or some of the information may be overwritten.

How many FAQs can I add to the FAQ database?

As many as you want. There is no limit to the number of FAQ questions and answers so create as many as you want.

How does the "Ask a Question" feature work?

If a site visitor cannot locate an answer to their question within the FAQ post, they may send their question to the FAQ administrator via email using the Ask a Question form. The administrator may answer the question by replying to the email. If desired, the administrator may add the question and answer to the FAQ database through the password-protected maintenance page.

Can the FAQ application be customized to look like my site?

Yes. The FAQ Manager is fully customizable and integrates with almost any design to retain the look and feel that matches your site.

Am I able to categorize FAQ questions?

Absolutely. You can easily create and sort FAQ categories from the administration interface.

Can viewers search for FAQs.

Yes. The Web site visitor is able to find items by browsing categories or by using a keyword search.

How are FAQs displayed?

The standard setup for FAQs displays the search function, the five most frequently viewed FAQs, the five most recent FAQs as well as a link to each of the categories. All elements can be adjusted or removed to meet your requirements.

Can a FAQ be found in more than one category?

Yes. Each FAQ can be associated with as many categories as you would like.

What are categories used for?

Site visitors may find an answer to their question quicker if the FAQs are sorted into categories. Categories are optional, and can be added, edited or disabled via a password-protected maintenance page. An individual FAQ can be assigned to one or multiple categories for quick and easy maintenance.

Can I extract the contact information from the database?

Yes. An extract of the database can be acquired at any time. The file can either be saved to your hard drive as a .csv file or viewed in a browser window.

When I upload contacts in bulk, will the existing information be overwritten.

You can select to not overwrite existing date, overwrite contacts or attributes with empty fields.

Can I find information on the number of visitors that subscribe and unsubscribe?

Yes. The contact activity report provides subscribe and unsubscribe information on a daily basis.

Can I use Flash files within my HTML message?

Yes.

What is an attribute?

An attribute is a characteristic that is associated with a subscriber. It will allow you to highly target your email campaigns and tailor the information that you send. Each subscriber can have many attributes associated to them. For example, if your database of subscribers would be for a catalog of shoes, you could add in attributes such as "mens", "womens", "casual", "golf shoes" and many more. When visitors subscribe, you can ask them to identify information that they would be interested in.

Can I identify more than one attribute to a subscriber.

Yes. You can add as many as you would like. This will help you target the information that you send to your recipients.

Can I test broadcast messages before they are launched?

Yes. We expect that you will want to test each message before you send it. You can identify the individuals that you would like to receive the test messages and change them at any time.

Can I add a contact to the database without an email address.

Yes. The contact database can be used as an overall database for collecting contacts that can later be extracted from the database for print mailings.

Can a subscriber sign up for more than one newsletter?

Yes. You can add in newsletter options on your contact form(s) and let the subscriber identify which newsletters he/she would like to receive. The attributes are then stored in the database and can be viewed on the subscribers individual profile.

What type of image files can I upload to the email messages?

.jpg, .jpeg, .jpe, .gif, .png, swf

Can I change a subscriber's information in the database.

Once a visitor to the Web site has submitted a form, the site administrator can change any field within the profile.

Can I customize the contact pages that are associated with the database?

Yes. All forms can be customized to meet the need of the form. Additional attributes can also be added to the database to retain the additional field information.

When a broadcast message is sent, can I track the results?

Yes. The open and click thru results are provided in a chart or bar graph format. Additionally, each link is also tracked. (Note. Opened messages cannot be tracked for text messages.)

Can I load data into the contact database from an existing database.

Yes. The database allows you to upload information from other databases. Bulk loads can be uploaded from either a .csv or .txt formatted file. The administrator would format the field heading information prior to upload.

Can I send just a text broadcast message?

Yes. A broadcast email message can be sent either as a text message, a HTML message or both messages can be sent.

Can I send a broadcast mail sending with the name included in the mailing?

Yes. Variables can be added to your text or HTML messages allowing you to add in information from any fields that you have within the database.

How do images get loaded for the HTML email broadcasts.

An easy upload form is utilized from the administrator pages to upload images to be used in your HTML messages.

How does the Recipe search work?

Visitors search the recipe database
by entering a keyword and/or a combination of
recipe characteristics to narrow their search
results. The search results are displayed with
each title linking to its corresponding recipe
page.

Can I use HTML from the Administration, area to help display content in any recipe fields?

Yes. Within the "Description," "Chef Bio," "Restaurant Location," "Footnote" and "Nutrition Notes" fields you can use properly formatted HTML.

Can I change ingredient types?

Yes. You can add or change the ingredient types to suit your needs.

Is a subscriber able to unsubscribe themselves from the Recipe Club?

Yes. When a recipe is sent, they will want to click on the "Unsubscribe" link which will identify them as no longer being a subscriber and will no longer receive Recipe Club emails.

What formats can be used for the recipe photos?

Recipe photos must be in .jpg or .gif format.

When I upload a .jpg file the image does not display.

The Web does not support .jpg images in CMYK color format - the format must be RGB. If you uploaded a .jpg image file and see an "x" where the image should be placed, your image is most likely formatted as CMYK. In order to change the format you will have to make the change within your photo editor.

I get an error when uploading an image.

If you have difficulties uploading an image you will want to make certain that it is properly formatted. File names must exclusively contain letters, numbers, underscores or hyphens.
Any other character types are not permitted. If you are using a Macintosh you will also want to make certain that the extension is turned on.

What is the Recipe Manager Solution.

Recipe Manager is a flexible and customizable Web site solution that includes a searchable recipe database, an ingredient shopping cart, a Recipe Club and a simple, secure Web-based interface for maintaining recipes and administration of Recipe Club activity.

What are the main user functions of the Recipe Manager?

The Recipe Manager Solution features allow the Web site visitor to browse recipes, search for recipes, learn about recipes, keep track of ingredients in a shopping list and become a member of the Recipe Club where they will receive periodic recipes via email.

What is the Recipe Club?

The Recipe Club is a opt-in subscriber utility that allows subscribers to receive period recipe emailings. Administrators use a simple Web interface to easily maintain recipe information and manage Recipe Club correspondence.

How does the shopping list work?

Visitors may select to add the recipe ingredients to the shopping list. The
shopping list contains ingredients for any
recipes that the Visitor has added to their
shopping list.

Shopping list ingredients are grouped by the
optional ingredient type then by the ingredient.

When adding new recipes, if I do not add in any Nutrition Label content what will display.

The nutrition information label displays whenever any of the nutrition label
components are entered into the recipe nutrition table and the nutrition
information is configured to display.

Can I upload more than one image at a time?

Yes. Photos may be placed in a .zip file and uploaded in bulk. From there the file is automatically unzipped and will allow you to move the images to the appropriate albums.

Images can also be uploaded via FTP to an import folder when they can then be assigned to an album.

How does the Catalog search work?

Simply enter a single keyword into the search box. If more that one keyword is entered in the search box, the Catalog search engine will search for all products that contain either keyword. The keywords will be used to search for products containing those words in their title and description fields. Select a category to limit your search results to products from that category only.

Can I use images that I download from my digital camera?

If the images are in .jpg format you can use the images from your digital camera and the Photo Library will resize them for your Web site. The one restriction is that the images must be under 4 meg in file size.

How are product images added?

Images are easily managed by you - simply upload any image in .jpg format from your computer or network and the application will manage the images in three different sizes - thumbnail, main product image and the larger product view. Best of all you can add as many views of each product as you would like and all will be viewable in all three sizes.

Can I add and manage my own products?

Absolutely! You can easily add products and product images. Product information can contain varied pricing, options and availability. Images are easily managed by you - simply upload any image in .jpg format from your computer or network and the application will manage the images in three different sizes - thumbnail, main product image and the larger product view. Best of all you can add as many views of each product as you would like and all will be viewable in all three sizes.

Am I able to add more than one image for a product?

Multiple images can be included for any product. You may choose to add product images in different colors, views or with product options.

How do I view my orders?

Orders are managed from the eCatalog & eCommerce Solution Administration tool. From the Administration tool, you can Search and view orders and change status. You can also view all orders placed by any individual customer.

How many product options can I use for each product?

A product can up to four options than can be identified by the administrator. Each product option can contain several option values each of which can have their own product code and pricing.

What forms of payment can I receive via the eCatalog & eCommerce Solution?

Web site Users purchasing via the catalog can make a secure payment with any major credit card. You as the catalog administrator determine the credit cards that you will accept this information can be changed at any time.

If you would prefer, we can configure your catalog so that payment can be sent via any method outside of the catalog based on information provided by you. Details on payment will be placed in the checkout pages for your viewers information.

Can I have more than one category level?

Sure, you can have as many categories and sub-categories as needed. Actually - an unlimited amount. Using categories and sub-categories will make it easier for your catalog Visitors to find products.

Are catalog visitors able to search for products?

Yes. Products can be searched by keyword based on the information provided within the product information including the product title, description and additional keywords.

How are shipping costs calculated?

A shipping matrix is maintained by the catalog administrator which allows for multiple shipping vendors and pricing options. Shipping costs are calculated based on total order amount. Additional shipping and additional handling fees can be added

Are viewers able to create a customer account?

Yes, when checking out, customers are able to register to create a customer account for quick check-out on future orders.

Can I temporarily hide a product if out of stock?

You can either identify the particular options that are not currently available or you can make the entire product inactive. Many other product and pricing options are available for your products.

Can I use HTML to format product content?

Yes. Description fields are all able to handle HTML content. Using HTML will allow you to change font colors, add images, etc.

Can the catalog be set-up to display without pricing?

Yes. The catalog will allow you to set-up your catalog so that prices will not display and prevent the user from checking out. At any time, pricing and online ordering can be activated.

What do I need to start a new online catalog?

All of the tools you will need to manage products and orders online will be provided to you. A secure certificate will need to be purchased for your catalog if you will be accepting online credit card payments.

Can the eCatalog be setup to look like my site.

Yes. In addition to the standard configuration options, the appearance and layout of the eCatalog & eCommerce pages are controlled by templates that can be modified to a client's specific requirements.

Can credit card payments be paid directly to my bank account?

Yes. The eCatalog can be configured to integrate with VeriSign's Payflow Pro service to allow for online credit card validation and processing.

How many categories and subcategories can be created.

An unlimited number of categories and sub-categories can be added.

Can I deactivate products and categories in the event that the products are out-of-stock?

Yes. Products and categories can be either deactivated or placed in a staging status rather than removing the product when it is out-of-stock? The staging option allows the administrator to launch multiple products and categories at one time. Staging is typically used when setting up groups or collections of items in advance of launching the items so that the items can be viewable at the same time.

Can I change the order of categories and products?

Yes. The administrator controls the order in which categories, sub-categories and products are displayed.

Can I view sales reports.

Yes. The reporting function allows the administrator to view daily and monthly order report summaries by date.

Is a confirmation email sent to the customer after an order is placed?

Yes. The standard eCatalog installation is configured to send a confirmation email to the customer once the order is placed. Additionally, an email is sent to the administrator to alert them that an order has been placed. Either function can be easily turned off to accommodate your requirements.

Are credit card orders placed secure?

Yes. The standard eCatalog configuration is set to accept payments via credit card. The purchase of a secure certificate is required when accepting credit card payments via the AHOY.COM eCatalog & eCommerce Solution to ensure a secure transaction process. Also, once an order is placed in a "processed" status, all but the last four digits of the credit card are removed from the database.

Can I upload .bmp or .gif images.

No. The photo library will only work with .jpg, .jpeg or .jpe format.

Can I manage image changes within the Photo Library?

The photo library will allow you to reorient your images by rotating the image to the right or left or flip the image. Other changes must be made within a photo editor prior to uploading the photo.

Am I limited to the number of photo albums or categories I can create?

No. You can add as many albums or categories as you would like.

Can I change the size of the images that are displayed?

Yes. The standard settings for both the thumbnail and main image can be changed to meet your requirements.

Am I limited to the size image that can be uploaded to the Photo Library?

Yes. The Photo Library accepts photos up to 4 megabytes in size and automatically prepares them for the Web.

Can I deactivate images that I want to hide until a later date?

Yes. You can deactivate photos, albums and categories until you would like them to display to your viewers.

Can I move or copy photos from one album to another.

Photos may be moved to another album but not copied to another album.

Am I able to provide a title for the photos?

Yes. An image an description can be provided for each image. The standard setup will include the title and description on the photo page. The title and/or description can also be configured to display on the thumbnail page.

If an photo is small in size will it be blown up to display as a large photo?

No. Images are only resized down. Any photos whose greatest dimension (width or height) is larger than the maximum photo size will be scaled down. During the initial setup, the maximum photo size may be set to any suitable dimension. No resizing is undertaken on photos whose maximum dimension is less than the maximum photo size.

How are thumbnail images generated?

When a photo is uploaded, a thumbnail version of the photo is also generated. The thumbnail image will display on the album pages. The full-sized photo displays when a thumbnail is clicked.

What image file types can I use in the Photo Library?

The Photo Library will only allow you to upload .jpg, .jpeg and .jpe image formats.

What document file formats can be uploaded to the library?

txt, doc. ppt, xls, csv, htm, html, pdf, mp3, mov and wmv files can be uploaded.

Can visitor search for words within documents?

Yes. A keyword sear can be performed by the visitor to locate documents. The search performed will locate keywords within any document title or description as well as a full document text search within .txt or .pdf document.

In addition, the visitor is also able to perform a search by document category and document type.

How do I upload a document into the library?

A document is loaded by selecting to add a new document to the library. When adding a document you will be asked up select a document from your computer. Note that only txt, doc. ppt, xls, csv, htm, html, pdf, mp3, mov and wmv files can be uploaded.

Are there any file size limitations?

Yes, the Document Library accepts most documents up to 10 megabytes in file size.

Can I change the order of the document categories.

Yes. Category display is determined by sort order provided by the administrator.

Can I group documents?

Yes. You can set-up categories and associate documents with as many categories as you would like.

What information am I able to provide about a document?

Other than the category and document type, you are able to provide the following about every document:

• Published date
• Author
• Source
• File format

Can I add a link to give credit to the author or source?

Yes. You are able to identify the source of the document as well as provide a URL to a Web page.

Can I temporarily deactivate a document.

Yes. All document pages have an "active" field that will allow you to temporarily turn off a document. It is however recommended to delete items that you do not plan to reactivate.

Can the Document Library accept Macintosh files?

Yes. As long as the acceptable files types and naming conventions are used. File types must be txt, doc, ppt, xls, csv, html, htm, pdf, mp3, mov and wmv. File names must exclusively contain letters, numbers, underscores or hyphens.

What order are documents displayed?

Documents are displayed in order of most current based on the date of the document published date.

Can I use HTML within the event profile?

Yes. Properly formatted HTML can be used within the Event Description.

How are multiple day events displayed?

The event is displayed on the first day of the event and will display the date range within the display. The event will display at the top of each subsequent month with the same information.

Can I designate a person to only events relevant to that person or company?

Yes. Each event within the Calendar Database has a designated Event Maintainer who can modify the event record. The eCalendar Administrator can maintain all events in the database.

How do I change the main calendar to display a new month?

On the first day of each month the main calendar page updates to display the new month's events.

Can the viewer search for a particular event?

Yes. The viewer is able to perform a search from any calendar month page. All words within an event are indexed and searchable. The search can be narrowed by category and month/year.

When a visitor registers for an event, where is the information retrieved?

When an registration form is completed, registrant information is sent via email to the event contact email address

Can I add images to an event?

Yes. An image can be added for each event by adding the image URL to the event profile page and uploading the image.

How can the site visitor tell the different types of events?

On the main calendar page, the different types of events will display with different colors assigned by the Administrator when creating categories.

Can I preview an event prior to posting to the live Web site?

Yes. An event can be previewed to allow the administrator to check content prior to posting.

Can I make the Calendar pages look like my existing site?

Yes. The eCalendar Solution added to your site can be customized to have the look and feel of your existing Web site.

Can I monitor events added to the database?

Yes. At the time of set-up (or at anytime thereafter) the calendar configuration can be adjusted to allow the Calendar Administrator is able to view any new or updated events prior to publishing.

Can a viewer register for an event?

Yes. When adding an event, the Administrator or Event Maintainer is able to select to allow the user to register for the event.

Can I manage accounts for approved event maintainers.

Yes. Account maintenance is managed only by individuals with Administrative rights.

What are News Highlights?

News Highlights are news articles that are identified by the administrator as "Highlights". Once identified as a highlighted article, the article will display on the main News page or wherever the highlights are placed on your site.

How are the news articles displayed?

The News articles are displayed chronologically by most current date. When news items have the same date, the administrator can provide a sort order for articles on the same date.

Are News articles searchable?

Yes. The news articles are easily located by site visitors by performing a keyword search. The articles can also be placed in categories where they are easily browsed based on content type.

How many categories can be created?

Unlimited, sortable, categories can be created by the administrator.

Am I able to send a news articles via email?

Yes. The standard News Manager setup includes a "Send to a Friend" option that is on every article page which allows viewers to quickly send the article via email and supply a personalized message.

If there are multiple articles with the same date, am I able to determine the display order?

Yes. A sort order field is provided to determine the order in which articles will display when articles have the same date. If no date is supplied all articles can be sorted.

Can I change the appearance of the News Manager Application to look like my Web site?

Yes. All AHOY.COM solutions were created to make it easy to change the layout, colors, styles, fonts, etc.

Can I use HTML within the articles for accentuating information?

Yes. The description field can handle either plain text or HTML code.

Can I add images to my article?

If you have access to upload images to your site, yes. Once an image is uploaded to your site you can then reference it in HTML code within the news article.

How do I sort or archive articles by year?

When a date is provided for a news article it is automatically is then viewable in the Browse News By Year folder for that year.

Where does the Poll question display?

The poll question can be placed at the location of your choice on your Web site.

What is Poll Manager?

Poll Manager provides a means to store and maintain poll questions and answers within a web site. A Web site Visitor may submit their vote for the current poll question and view poll results.

Can a voter vote multiple times?

Session cookies are used to prevent the Visitor from voting more than once per browser session.

How are Poll questions changed?

Poll questions are added by you and will automatically change based on the start date that is assigned to the individual poll questions.

How are poll results displayed to viewers?

Each answer choice is listed with a corresponding number of votes, a graphical representation and a percentage of votes. The total number of votes is also calculated.

Can I display more than one poll question at a time.

Only one poll question can display.

What if I get an error attempting to login to the administration area?

First check to make certain that you have a good internet connection. If you do have a good connection, check to make sure that you have provided the correct username and password - remember, usernames and passwords are CASE SENSITIVE.

How many questions can I feature in the Top FAQs list?

As many as you want. The list can be configured to display the top 5, 10 or any other amount.

How many questions can I feature in the Newest FAQs list?

As many as you want. The list can be configured to display the newest 5, 10 or any other amount.

Can I use HTML to format my answers?

You sure can! Answers can be created in plain text or you can use HTML to format your answers.

How does the FAQ search work?

Simply enter a singl