iMagic Inventory

iMagic Inventory Software - Frequently Asked Questions


If you can't find your question answered below you might like to view our support page for other options.

Below we have listed the most frequently asked questions about our software. Tip - press Ctrl+F to open the Find Command in your browser, you can then search on the keyword you're looking for.

Sales Questions

Q. What is iMagic Inventory Software?
Q. What do I do if I have a question?
Q. What do I get when I purchase iMagic Inventory?
Q. I'm using the trial version of iMagic Inventory, when I purchase the full version will I have to re-enter any information?
Q. Do you offer discounts to charities?
Q. What is your policy on refunds?
Q. Does iMagic Inventory Software support multiple users?
Q. For multiple user licenses, what is a 'user'?
Q. How much does it cost?
Q. I am wondering if iMagic Inventory has a limit to the number of inventory items the database will hold?
Q. I'm quite happy with my pencil and paper why should I use a computer?
Q. What support is offered?
Q. Can I download the software rather than pay for postage?

Technical Questions

Q. What do I do if I have a question?
Q. How do I uninstall the Trial or Full Edition?
Q. Does iMagic Inventory Software support multiple users?
Q. How can I change the default currency setting?
Q. I am wondering if iMagic Inventory has a limit to the number of inventory items the database will hold?
Q. What support is offered?
Q. Where is the manual?
Q. How can I delete all the data I have entered and start from scratch?
Q. Is it possible to change the invoice layout?
Q. Can we calculate commissions for sales reps?
Q. Does iMagic Inventory support barcode scanners?
Q. Can I create barcode labels?
Q. What reports are available?
Q. Does iMagic Inventory support multiple locations for items?
Q. For receiving stock, does iMagic Inventory automatically increase the "number in stock" count each time a particular barcode is scanned, or is further user input needed to enter the quantity?
Q. For outgoing stock, are scanned items automatically deducted from the "number in stock" count and moved to the invoice?
Q. How do I create Purchase Orders?
Q. How can I backup iMagic Inventory?
Q. How can I restore a previous backup to iMagic Inventory?
Q. How do I move iMagic Inventory and the database to another PC?
Q. Can remote sales people use the system over the internet?
Q. How can I send my Database File to iMagic for support?
Q. I'm getting the message "Unable to automatically upgrade the database as the Database File is located in the system Program Files folder.". How do I fix this?
Q. How can I stop iMagic Inventory from rounding the currency values entered? Say I want to enter $0.0237, it always rounds it to $0.02.
Q. Do you offer a version of iMagic Inventory for use with Microsoft SQL Server?


FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

What is iMagic Inventory Software?
It's an inventory management software system. It's used for tracking inventory, so that might be sales, usage, locations and so on. It’s customizable so you can set it up how you like and need it.

What do I do if I have a question?
Please use our dedicated support email. We'll get back to you within 24 hours (usually much sooner).

How do I uninstall the Trial or Full Edition?
iMagic Inventory can be uninstalled by:

  1. Opening the Windows Control Panel.
  2. Select 'Programs and Features'.
  3. Find iMagic Inventory in the list of programs and select it.
  4. Clicking the 'Uninstall' button.

What do I get when I purchase iMagic Inventory?
After purchase you'll be emailed a "registration key" and download link to the full version. You'll want to download the full version and enter in the key to register it. You'll also have technical support available and receive all updates for a year.

I'm using the trial version of iMagic Inventory, when I purchase the full version will I have to re-enter any information?
No your information is safe. Both versions use the same system.

What is your policy on refunds?
We offer a Trial Edition without limitations so that you can be sure that iMagic Inventory is right for you before purchasing so we don't usually offer refunds.

Do you offer discounts to charities?
Yes we offer discounts and other promotions for charity and education. Please contact us for details.

Does iMagic Inventory Software support multiple users?
Yes iMagic Inventory Software can be used on a LAN by several users at once.

To setup multiple users you would install the software onto each PC that needs it. Then designate one as the main/server PC, this then shares it's database with the other PCs on the network.

It takes a few steps to setup the network feature. As follows:

To setup the central database on Windows 10:

  1. Launch iMagic Inventory, select Help > About and click 'Database', click 'open database folder'. The folder that holds the database will open, it should be -> My Documents\iMagic Inventory\Database.
  2. Right click in the white area somewhere to bring up the menu and select Properties.
  3. Click on the 'Sharing' tab, make a note of the 'Network Path' (you'll need this on the other PCs, for example the one I have here is '\\win10-pc\Database' yours will be different). Click 'Advanced Sharing'. The Advanced Sharing window will open.
  4. Check the 'Share this Folder' option. Click on 'Permissions' and check 'Full Control' for Everyone under 'Allow'. Click OK to accept, OK again, then Close.

    The easiest way to test is to stay on the same central PC and try and opening the 'Network Path' from step 3. It should open and display the Database File (db.mdb), if it doesn't then the folder isn't shared correctly.

To setup the other PCs so they use the same central database on Windows 10:

  1. Open the Windows Start Menu (the one with apps listed). Under the 'iMagic Inventory' section, click on 'Network Administration'. This will open the Network Administration utility on the desktop.
  2. Follow the wizard and when it asks for the 'Path to reservation database', put in the 'Network Path' that was saved previously. Then complete the wizard.
  3. That should be all that is required for the other PCs. To test open iMagic Inventory on the PC you setup and select Help > About and click 'Database'. It should display the Database Folder to your central database, for example here it is '\\win10-pc\Database' yours will be different.

To setup multiple PCs on Windows 7/8/Vista/XP:

  1. Install the software onto the server, this will then be the central database. Configure and setup the system and other details as required.
  2. Still on the server, create a share to the Database Folder. To find the Database Folder select Help/About and click "Database...".
    You can do this in Windows 7 by right clicking on the folder and selecting Properties, then clicking on the Sharing tab and clicking "Share". You'll then want to give "Full Access".
  3. Install the software onto each workstation (don't run it just yet).
  4. On each workstation run the Network Administration program (found by pressing Start/Program Files/iMagic Inventory). Follow the wizard and set the database path to the share that was created on the server.
  5. You can now run the software on each workstation and it will use the database on the server.

For multiple user licenses, what is a 'user'?
iMagic Inventory can be used on many PCs at the same, each sharing the same information. To do so you would need to purchase multiple 'licenses'. On the purchase page these are shown as 'users'.

Licensing is by PC, which simply means the number of PCs iMagic Inventory is installed onto. So if you have, say, a 3 user license then you can use iMagic Inventory on 3 separate PCs at the same time.

How can I change the default currency setting?
iMagic Inventory Software uses the system's currency setting. To change this to a different currency:

  1. Press Start/Settings/Control Panel.
  2. Select Regional Options.
  3. Select the Currency Tab.
  4. Change the Currency Symbol to your currency and click OK.

iMagic Inventory Software will now use your currency.

How much does it cost?
Latest pricing is available by clicking the Buy Now link on the menu.

I am wondering if iMagic Inventory has a limit to the number of inventory items the database will hold?
The upper limit depends on the speed of your PC, available RAM etc. The average PC should be able to deal with 20,000 items. A more powerful PC can handle many times that.

I'm quite happy with my pencil and paper why should I use a computer?
There are many advantages to using computer software although the main one should always be that it makes your life easier. The software product is intended to save you time and effort.

What support is offered?
Support is available online at our dedicated online email. Questions would normally be answered within 24 hours.

Where is the manual?
The manual is electronic, it contains tutorials, tips and help on specific sections of iMagic Inventory. To access it select Help/Contents from the main menu or press F1. There is also a PDF version of the manual in the installation folder which can be emailed or printed.

How can I delete all the data I have entered and start from scratch?
The easiest way to remove all the data and start from scratch would be to delete the "Database File" and then reinstall. This will then recreate a blank database for you.

To do this, select Help/About and click "Database...". Navigate to the folder in Windows and then exit iMagic Inventory. Delete the db.mdb file. Then reinstall from the original download installation.

Is it possible to change the invoice layout?
Yes. Currently iMagic Inventory supports Custom Invoices created in MS Word. This allows you to design your own layout of invoice as you'd like it. To do this, select from the main menu Configure/Invoice Style then change the Invoice Template to "Custom Invoice". You can then choose the example invoice "InvoiceTemplate.doc".

To create your own just copy the InvoiceTemplate.doc file and then edit it in Word. You'll see various "tags" when you edit the file, which can be used to show additional information.

Can we calculate commissions for sales reps?
Yes you can track sales reps. You'd need to activate the User Access feature (Configure/User Access) and then assign a login for each sales rep. Then when they create an invoice it will be linked to their login details. You can then calculate commission based on the items sold.

Can I download the software rather than pay for postage?
Yes. After purchase you'll be emailed a keycode and download to the full version.

Does iMagic Inventory support barcode scanners?
Yes. You can use just about any barcode scanner with iMagic Inventory. Most computer shops sell reasonably priced barcode scanners. If you ask the sales clerk if the scanner inserts the "scanned barcode into the keyboard buffer" then you can be sure. Take a look at some example barcode scanners.

Can I create barcode labels?
Yes. You can create barcode labels by selecting Reports/Barcodes.

What reports are available?
All commonly used reports are available, including sales, customers, vendors and inventory. iMagic Inventory is fully compatible with MS Access, so most reporting applications can be used including Microsoft Office, Microsoft Access and Crystal Reports. You can also export to Excel for even more options.

Does iMagic Inventory support multiple locations for items?
Yes you can use multiple locations. Select Configure/Item Locations and Warehouses. From here you can define in which locations the items are stored and available.

Then when you create an Item you can set the Warehouse/Location combination to store those items. Note that Items can be stored in many Warehouse/Location combinations.

For receiving stock, does iMagic Inventory automatically increase the "number in stock" count each time a particular barcode is scanned, or is further user input needed to enter the quantity?
Yes iMagic Inventory can automatically increase stock levels when it arrives. From the main menu select Inventory/Receive Stock.

For outgoing stock, are scanned items automatically deducted from the "number in stock" count and moved to the invoice?
Yes as you add items to the invoice the stock level is automatically updated.

How do I create Purchase Orders?
The inbuilt reordering system is under the Vendor menu. Select Vendors/View Reorders then click New Reorder or you can automatically create reorders based on the stock level from Vendors/Generate Vendor Reorders.

How can I backup iMagic Inventory?
You'll need to backup the Database File called db.mdb, the easiest way to do this is to select File/Backup Database. However you can also directly backup by copying the file from the Database Folder to another place. To find the Database Folder on your PC select Help/About and click "Database". To restore from the backup, copy the file back to the Database Folder.

How can I restore a previous backup to iMagic Inventory?
You'd need to copy the database file, db.mdb, from your backup to the Database Folder. To find the Database Folder select Help/About and click "Database".

If you are using Windows 7 or Windows Vista and the above folder is in the "Program Files" folder you'll need to click on the "Compatibility Folder" button to open the actual folder.

If you used the File/Backup Database command the file may have been renamed with the date of the backup. In this case you'd need to rename the file back to db.mdb after copying it to the Database Folder.

How do I move iMagic Inventory and the database to another PC?
To move the iMagic Inventory to another PC you would need to install and register iMagic Inventory, then copy over your database. The steps are:

  1. On the old PC, find the folder of the current Database File by launching iMagic Inventory, then selecting Help > About and clicking "Database".
  2. Open the database folder found and exit iMagic Inventory (otherwise you'll receive a 'lock' error when you copy the database file).
  3. Install iMagic Inventory on the new PC. If you have an active support/updates license you can download the latest version from our website (contact support for the link if you don't have it already). If you don't have an active license you'll need to use your original download installation.
  4. Enter your key/name details to register.
  5. Copy the Database File (db.mdb) to the new PC either over the network or copy it to a USB key.
  6. On the new PC, find the folder of the Database File, again to do this launch iMagic Inventory on the new PC, select Help > About and click "Database". Then exit iMagic Inventory (so you can copy the database over).
  7. Copy the Database File to the database folder.
  8. You can now launch iMagic Inventory on the new PC with your existing information.

Can remote sales people use the system over the internet?
In some situations you may have remote workers either mobile or in remote locations yet still have them access the central system. They may need to create invoices remotely or you might just want them to be able to check stock levels.

The solution depends on how many concurrent (at the same time) sales people you need connected at the same time.

If it's only 1 or 2 at a time then you can do it quite simply with the standard version. On the remote PCs you'd create a "Virtual Private Network" (VPN) which would connect to the central PC over the internet where the database is. Then you'd follow the multiple user setup as normal.

If it's more than a few at once then you'd want to use iMagic Inventory for MS SQL Server. By using MS SQL Server you can then handle many users at the same time, they can also directly connect to the central database over the internet (a VPN would not be needed, but would provide extra security).

How can I send my Database File to iMagic for support?
Sometimes it is helpful to send your Database File (db.mdb) to iMagic for support purposes. Usually this can be done directly from within iMagic Inventory by selecting from the main menu Help/Send Database to iMagic Support. However if you are unable to open iMagic Inventory then there is an additional utility provided by pressing Start then selecting iMagic Inventory/Send Database to iMagic Support.

Both of those techniques require you to be using a PC with internet access and with your Firewall properly configured for FTP access. While this is not normally a problem, if for some reason this is not possible then you can manually email the Database File. To do this:

  1. From iMagic Inventory find your Database Folder by selecting from the main menu, Help/About and then clicking "Database...".
  2. Navigate to the folder shown in Windows.
  3. Exit iMagic Inventory (this will remove any locks on the file).
  4. (If possible ZIP) and then email the db.mdb file (Database File). Note that the db.mdb file may be shown as just "db" if you have file extensions hidden in Windows.

I'm getting the message "Unable to automatically upgrade the database as the Database File is located in the system Program Files folder.". How do I fix this?
If at some point you have installed an older version of iMagic Inventory on Windows 7 or Windows 8 then try to update to the latest version of iMagic Inventory you may receive the message "Unable to automatically upgrade the database as the Database File is located in the system Program Files folder.". This is due to changes in Windows that require data files to be in specific folders. As such you will need to move the Database File (db.mdb) into a different folder.

On Windows 7 you can do this by:

  1. Go to My Documents and create a new folder, "iMagic Database" (without the quotes).
  2. Open the existing Database Folder, if you're receiving this message it is most likely:
    C:\Program Files (x86)\iMagic Inventory
  3. On the toolbar click on the "Compatibility Files" button, this will take you to the actual folder where the Database File (db.mdb) is located.
  4. Copy this file into the folder you just created:
    My Documents\iMagic Database
  5. Launch Start/All Programs/iMagic Inventory/Network Administration and follow the prompts and set the Database Folder to your new folder:
    My Documents\iMagic Database
  6. You can then launch iMagic Inventory and it will use the Database File in the new folder.

On Windows 8, Microsoft have removed the "Compatibility Files" button. So you'll have to go to the folder manually. To do so:

  1. Go to My Documents and create a new folder, "iMagic Database" (without the quotes).
  2. Press Windows Key+R, this will open the Run command.
  3. Type in or copy/paste in the following and press enter:
    %SystemDrive%\Users\%username%\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files (x86)\iMagic Inventory
  4. This will take you to the Compatibility Files folder. You should see the db.mdb file.
  5. Copy this file into the folder you just created:
    My Documents\iMagic Database
  6. Go to the Start Menu (from the Desktop press Start) then find iMagic Inventory/Network Administration and launch it. Follow the prompts and set the Database Folder to your new folder:
    My Documents\iMagic Database
  7. You can then launch iMagic Inventory and it will use the Database File in the new folder.

How can I stop iMagic Inventory from rounding the currency values entered? Say I want to enter $0.0237, it always rounds it to $0.02.
The number of decimal places is controlled by Windows. If you select Start/Configure/Control Panel and then Regional Settings and then Currency. You can change the number of decimal places.

Do you offer a version of iMagic Inventory for use with Microsoft SQL Server?
Yes. If you own Microsoft SQL Server you might like to look at iMagic Inventory for SQL Server.