This FAQ section provides answers to some of the most commonly asked questions.  Before contacting CLIP technical support try browsing this list of FAQ's

How Do I Make a Backup of CLIP

How Do I Move CLIP to a New Computer

Day Detail Error

QuickBooks 2007 - Transferring Invoices

Cannot Locate Microsoft Visual Fox Pro Support Library error message

How Do I Change the Name That Prints On My Invoices

CLIP Updates

Printing with CLIP

QuickBooks and CLINKER Accounting Links

Setting Up Taxes in CLIP

Backups / Moving / Copying

Why should I make backup's? How do I make a backup? What can I store my backup on? How many backup's should I have? How do I restore a backup? Do I need to backup only certain files? Buying a new computer...moving vs. reinstalling?

Why should I make backup's?
Think about this.  If you had to re-enter all the data what day do you want to start from?  Yesterday, last week, last month, from scratch?   You walked in one morning and CLIP was gone what would you do?  Of course it depends on your business.  This is how you make a living.  Protect it with everything you have.  MAKE BACKUP'S. 

Three things can bring your program to a grinding halt:

How do I make a backup?
Do to the fact that there are so many different types of backup utilities, it would be impossible to answer this here.  Please refer to the manual provided by the backup manufacturer.

To view a short tutorial on making a backup using a CD Burner, please
click here

What can I store my backup on?
The most common types of storage are diskettes, tape, Zip, Jazz, and CD-ROM.  There are benefits and draw backs to each. 

How many backup's should I have?
This is a matter of opinion.  Think about this.  If you had to re-enter all the data what day do you want to start from? Yesterday, last week, last month, from scratch?  Two weeks worth of backup's is recommended.   Your End of Month should be saved forever.  These backup's should be stored in a safe place separate from your computer.

How do I restore a backup?
Your backup's should be complete copies if the program.  Everything you need is on the backup. You should NOT install the original installation disks.  Restore your backup according to the instructions provided by the backup manufacturer. 

Do I need to backup only certain files?
No.  Backup all files in the CLIP folder.   CLIP uses multiple databases.  If you forget to backup one of them correctly the program will not work.

Buying A New Computer
Moving CLIP vs. Installing CLIP 

When you buy a new computer, you will want to “move” your current copy of CLIP rather than “reinstall” CLIP.  If you simply install CLIP from your install disks, you lose all customer information, history, billing etc.   

Your daily backups retain all your customer information as well as the actual program.  When you move CLIP to your new computer you should not reinstall the program from the install disks.   Your backup media (tapes, diskettes, Zip, Jazz, etc.) should be used so that you will have all your customer information in the new computer.  

** Assumes use of minimum of Windows XP Operating System – Legacy MS Operating Systems not supported**

This is very easy as long as you are using a CLIP2006 or newer.

Make a complete backup of your CLIPV folder to some type of removable media. (zip drive, flash drive, CD, DVD, external drive, etc) You should be out of the CLIP program when making this backup. If you remain in CLIP all files will not be copied as they are in use.

The easiest way to make a complete backup is to do a copy and paste of the CLIPV folder to your desired media.

On your new computer.

If you are setting up a server, make sure you set up the same folder hierarchy as you had on the old server. (e.g. – CLIPV was in a folder called Netclip. Configure a Netclip folder on your new system.)

Paste the CLIPV folder you just copied to your removable media to the Local Disk C: drive on your new computer. (if it’s a server, paste the CLIPV folder inside the Netclip folder).

After the copy and paste has completed, locate the CLIPV / CLIENT folder on the new computer. Locate the file named “setup.exe” – double click this file. Click in the postive on each question presented.

Running this setup program will install all the files needed to run CLIP on your new computer. It will place the icon on the desktop to get into CLIP.

*** NOTE: Vista users – you will need to run setup.exe as an administrative user. Please contact your local computer support person if you don’t know what this means.

Printing with CLIP

Will my printer work with CLIP? Should I use a dot matrix, bubble jet or laser printer? Why do my other programs print fine but I am having a problem with CLIP printing correctly? How can I adjust the printing of the bills? The bill is not printing on the forms correctly? Can I put my logo on the bill? How can I get more than one copy to print out? I do lawn care and I need an exact copy of what the technician gave the customer.

Will my printer work with CLIP?
Yes.  Programs that are written for Windows® actually rely on Windows to control the printer so any printer will work. 

Should I use a dot matrix, bubble jet or laser printer?
Dot matrix printers have been around for many years.  They use impact printing like a typewriter.  Tiny little pins actually shoot out and hit the ribbon against the page to form letters.  This works well with the multi-part forms.  The drawbacks are that they are extremely slow with Windows and the quality is low compared to today's standards.

Bubble jet printers have little jets that squirt ink out on the paper to form the letters on the page. These printers are faster then the dot matrix printers and give better quality.  The cost of these are very reasonable.  Most bubble jet printers also have color capabilities.  The drawbacks are speed, the ink can sometimes smudge, and the cost per page can be high depending on the cost of the replacement ink cartridges.

Laser printers are the fastest and give the best quality.   These work by heating up the paper where the letters are to be made.  Toner dust is then spread on the page and sticks to the heated area.   The remaining toner is wiped off and then the page goes through a fuser which seals the toner permanently on to the page.  The only drawback is that they can only produce black and white images unless you buy expensive equipment and the cost is more then the bubble jet.  Most offices will find the laser printer the best option for business applications. 

Why do my other programs print fine but I am having a problem with Clip printing correctly?
CLIP is written in Microsoft FoxPro®.  This programming language works well for our program.  It gives it the speed to search large amounts of data quickly.  You probably do not have any other program that uses FoxPro.  Let us explain how a printer works.  The first step is that the Windows based program (CLIP) sends a file to be printed to the actual Windows Operating System.   Windows then starts up the printer and sends the file to it to be printed.   In-between Windows and the printer is a piece of software called the print driver.   This print driver reads the file and converts it into the printers language and proceeds to print out.  The problem arises when the print driver does not translate the file properly.  This leads to the file not printing out properly.  The most common errors cause the spacing on the page to be incorrect.

Solution:  Here is the order of suggested fixes.

1. Delete the printer and reinstall it.

2. Go the printer manufactures web page and get the latest printer driver (this is free).

3. Try printing from another printer.

4. Try using a different print driver (the Windows installation disk has some on them and your printer may have come with a diskette that contains the drivers).

How can I adjust the printing of the bills?
In the Mid-Month and End of Month billing screen there is an "Offset Laser By" option.  The "0" prints at the highest and the "2" will lower the print two lines down.  No other page adjustments should be needed. 

The bill is not printing on the forms correctly?
Please read "How can I adjust the printing of the bills?"  and "Why do my other programs print fine but I have a problem with CLIP printing correctly?"

Can I put my logo on the bill?
There are two ways of doing this.  Shut off the "Print Company Name" option (on the Mid-Month and End of Month billing screens). Create your logo, save it as cologo.bmp and save it in the BMP folder under the CLIPV folder. The alternative is to have your logo preprinted in the spot where the company name used to print.  Both CLIPPro and CLIPClassic have been enhanced, allowing CLIP to print your logo directly on the bills for you.

How can I get more than one copy to print out?
Make sure to have the "Prompt Printer Before Printing" option (on the Mid-Month and End of Month billing screens) checked off.  When the print dialog window appears you can select as many copies as desired to be printed.

I do lawn care and I need an exact copy of what the technician gave the customer.
Recently, carbonless paper has been invented to be used with laser printers.  This paper is available by special order from most office supply places.  The cost is more expensive and should be compared to actually printing two copies.  A dot matrix can be also used with standard carbonless paper, but they print extremely slow. 

QuickBooks and Clinker Accounting Links

How do the links work? Can I only use the links with QuickBooks and SBT? How often can I transfer GL information?

How do the links work?
These links allow CLIP to export GL information for Bank, Income, and A/R type accounts.  Anytime money is involved there are fields that specify which accounts should be credited and debited.  When exporting this information CLIP totals all transactions by GL number, which can then be imported directly into the Chart of Accounts of either QuickBooks or SBT.

Can I only use the links with QuickBooks and SBT?
Although CLIP links to QuickBooks and SBT it can certainly work with any accounting package.  CLIP will allow you to use your GL numbers and will give you a report with the totals for each of these accounts.

How often can I transfer the information?
As often as you like.  Transferring this information on a regular basis insures that the totals in CLIP and your accounting program match.

Setting Up Taxes In Clip

How do I setup taxes for Australia?

Q:   Does CLIP offer a solution to the new taxation system in Australia of GST Goods and Services tax where we have to charge our customers 10% extra and record all these taxes collected each month?   Also we will have to pay our suppliers 10% tax on goods and record this and the difference.

A:  The short answer is that CLIP will only handle one tax on a service/item at a time. If Australia is like Canada where there is a value added tax, we suggest that you figure out what the tax is, normally, and place that in the tax rate. Then, at the end of the month, divide it back out and fill in the reports for the government.

Example: 10% “A” tax and then a 5% “B” tax.

$100 plus (A) 10%=$110 plus (B) 5%=$115.50

So I would place a tax rate of 15.5%

At the end of the month, CLIP would tell me that there was $15.50 in tax = This means that (5.5/15.5) or 35.48% of the tax is from the last 5% and (10/15.5) or 64.51% of the tax is from the 10% tax.

(15.5 Times 35.48% = $5.4994 (B) And 15.5 Times 64.51% = $9.999 (A) )