Computers do not like heat

This is something most of you are probably aware of, but once in a while we get a call to repair a dead computer which resides either in a garage or other very hot room. The usual cause is a dead power supply or worse a dead motherboard most likely brought about by extreme heat exposure. Here in Southern California in the summers temperatures can easily go up to 110 degrees or more in a garage and other rooms without air conditioning. This is a very hostile environment for computers.

Please try to keep your computers cool, they will appreciate it and will last a lot longer.


Take Out Your Computer Garbage

During the process of  using your computer temporary files get created and deleted automatically; this is part of the normal operation of your computer, it is akin to you taking a piece of scrap paper to make notes and discard it when done.

The problem is that your computer’s operating system is not always 100% successful in deleting all the “scrap notes” some bits and pieces get left behind thus accumulating as useless junk… you know, all those little bits of paper you accumulate on your desk on a regular basis! In the case of your desk the problem is regularly taken care of, otherwise you would not be able to work. With your computer it is a slightly different story, the computer cannot clean itself up and if enough junk accumulates the computer can no longer function properly.

The good news is that there is an easy way to remove the junk; Microsoft Windows computers have a built-in utility to help you “take out the garbage” You can find it in Programs\Accessories\System Tools\Disk Cleanup. When you run the program it will calculate how much junk is in your computer, this takes from a few seconds to a couple of minutes depending on how large your hard drive is; after the calculations are done you will see a screen with a list of check-boxes, you can safely check all of them as anything on that list is not critical; once you click on OK you will be asked if you are sure this is what you want to do; go ahead, click on Delete Files and all your junk will be deleted from your computer.

This is an easy task that should be done at least once a month, if you do not feel comfortable doing this, you can always call you and we will be happy to help you, computer service is what we do.


Good Day.

What is EDI

 What is EDI?

EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) is a set of definitions that determine how computers can exchange documents electronically without the need to have printed copies of such documents. The goal is to make the exchange of information more efficient, less prone to error and minimize human interaction. In a nutshell, EDI replaces the faxing and mailing of paper documents such as purchase orders, sales orders, shipping confirmation, invoices, medical documents, etc.

EDI documents use specific formats based on widely accepted standards. However, there is flexibility in the standards and each company can use this flexibility in a unique way to fit their business needs.

EDI is applicable to a wide range of businesses, large businesses use it because it saves them money and some small businesses have no choice but to use it because larger trading partners require it. In some cases a business is forced to pay a processing fee if they insist on not using EDI.

A typical EDI process goes like this:

A purchase order is entered in a buyer’s computer, the order gets translated into an EDI document called an 850 (purchased order). The document gets transmitted electronically to the supplier.

The supplier’s computer receives the document, processes it and converts it into a Sales Order.

If everything is correct and the merchandize is in stock, the order gets sent to the warehouse, it gets picked and made ready for shipping. The warehouse personnel create a shipping record and the computer system creates an Advanced Shipping Notification (ASN) which is known as form 856.

 Once the merchandize leaves the seller’s facility, the system automatically produces an invoice, commonly known as form 810 which is then transmitted electronically via EDI, the invoice is received by the purchaser’s computer system and the cycle is completed.

Contrary to widespread belief, EDI is not very expensive to implement; there are many ways to comply with EDI requirements that do not entail a large investment in computer resources, at CompTech Westwe specialize in helping companies setup EDI in the most efficient and cost effective way.