TECHNICAL SUPPORT SOLUTIONS

Commonly Asked Questions

To protect you from illegal use of a software license you purchased, we have implemented a registration process to eliminate software piracy. Yes, it also enables us to stay in business to serve your needs.

Please do not confuse a combination code with your password.
The combination code is required occasionally to verify a valid licensee. The combination code is a one use number, so please discard it after you see the "Registration Was Successful" message. You'll never use the same combination code again.
The password on your white CD envelope is used to unlock Power! during your fist start up after installation. It is issued only once so keep it safe with your CD.

Only the original purchaser of a licensee for the Power! software is eligible to receive a combination code. Every request is verified. Combination codes will not be given to your friends, relatives, employees or strangers! License is not transferable.

At some point a registration screen will display stating you have grace logins. When it does display, it explains how and why to register your computer for a combination code directly from the registration screen. If you have an old version without an email button you must go to our registration page on the internet by clicking this link: www.jaffesoftware.com/register.htm

Please follow the instructions on the registration screen or follow these instructions to get a combination code:
1) Start the Power! software program.
2) Click the Help Pull-Down menu, then click register.
3) Click on the license button to read about your software license.
4) Write down your registration number.
5) Go to our registration page on the internet by clicking this link: www.jaffesoftware.com/register.htm

Eligible licensee has the non-exclusive right to use Jaffe Software Products on ONLY ONE COMPUTER (unless additional software licenses have been purchased). You must purchase and dedicate a license for each computer on which the Jaffe Software Product is installed. You may not distribute copies of Jaffe Software Products to others. Unauthorized use or reproduction of any portion of a Jaffe Software Product, may result in severe civil and criminal penalties, and will be prosecuted to the maximum extent possible under law.

Thank you for working with us on this registration process - it helps us to keep down the cost of our software products.

Windows^® 7, Vista, XP

Windows^® 7 requires Power! version 9.6.2. Do not install an earlier version of Power! onto a Windows 7 computer as the old installation files are not compatible. Please email us if you need to purchase an upgrade.  If you are re-installing, follow the instructions below, then read Transfer Files To A New Computer.

These instructions may vary in different Windows Operating Systems.
1) Close any open software programs including firewall and virus software.
2) Insert the Power! CD into your CD or DVD drive. Wait for the installation window to appear. If the installation window does not automatically appear follow these instructions:
a) Click the Windows Start button in the lower left corner of your screen.
b) Click My Computer or Computer. Then double click on the drive you put the CD into. The contents of the CD will display or installation will begin.
c) If the CD contents display, double click on the PowerSetup icon. Installation will begin.
d) Follow the prompts for installation.

Start Power! by clicking the Power! icon on your Windows desktop or,
click the windows Start button, then select Programs, then select the Power folder, then select and click the Power icon.

When prompted for a password carefully enter your password located on your white CD envelope.
Please do not confuse your password with a combination code.
The password on your white CD envelope is used to unlock Power! during your first start up after installation. It is issued only once so keep it safe with your CD.
The combination code is required occasionally to verify a valid licensee. The combination code is a one use number, so please discard it after you see the "Registration Was Successful" message. You'll never use the same combination code again.

We've built in a number of ways to keep up-to-date with electrical material pricing changes.
1) The built-in prices are easily changed individually or globally by a percentage. Consider that most electrical contractors only use 50 to 200 electrical items on a regular basis. So changing pricing manually is really very simple. A great source of current pricing, at your discount level is the invoices you receive from your electrical wholesaler. It's the most accurate source for items you use at the price you pay.
2) Our Power! Estimator™ software has a Quote Request feature to request pricing from your vendor.
3) Prices can easily be changed on the fly for just one estimate or invoice.
4) Prices can be updated from a computer file, if supplied by your electrical parts distributor.
5) Subscribe to a pricing service such as Trade Service Corporation's computerized pricing service. We are an authorized Tra-Ser^®  link vendor. Power!™ links with TRA-SER^®  pricing subscription service. Contact us about a DISCOUNT off TRA-SER^®  setup fees.

TRA-SER Software is a product of Trade Service Corp. Only they have the expertise to help you with their product. For any questions, installation, usage, linking to Power!, etc, you will need to contact Trade Service Support for expert help.

If you are having any issue with TRA-SER:
1. Carefully go thru installation instructions.
2. Perform a "Link Refresh" in the TRA-SER software. (This resolves 99% of all issues).
3. If you are told you need a .CU file, please explain the following:
The .CU file is created in the C:\TSP folder every time power is started. If a .CU file is not found in the C:\TSP folder it is possible that TRA-SER is not installed correctly or C:\TSP does not exist or is not accessible.

Support - TRA-SER (Trade Service Corp.)
Monday - Friday   7a.m to 4:30p.m Pacific Time
Voice: 800-701-6999
E-Mail: technicalsupport@tradeservice.com

Attach the document to your email as a PDF file. It is as simple as printing the document to a PDF file, then attaching it to your email. There are many third-party software products that will allow you to print a document to a PDF file. They are very inexpensive, some are free to use basic features. Goggle "print 2 PDF", or here's a link to my favorite which can be used free: http://www.software602.com/download/.  A PDF file can be opened by anyone with Adobe Reader, very common on most computers. It is not possible for us to support third party software. Call the manufacturer of any third party software if you need assistance with their product.

Should you buy a new computer, you may want to transfer data from the old computer to the new computer. Data bases, estimates, invoices, proposals and assembly files can be transferred to a new computer. Keep in mind you may install the Power! software on only one computer (unless you have purchased additional computer licenses). If you need the Power! software on additional computers, please purchase additional computer licenses.

Transfer of files is a two step process.

First, you will copy files from the Power folder of your old computer and paste them onto your backup media (such as a USB thumb drive).

Second, you will copy the files from the backup media and paste them into the Power folder of the new computer.

A recommended list of files to copy for transfer is:
parts.pwr (electrical material data base)
cust.pwr (customer / vendor data base)
acct.pwr (accounts receivable data base)

Other files with the following file extension:
.est (estimate)
.inv (invoice)
.pro (proposal)
.prp (proposal)
.spl (custom assembly)
.wir (wire & conduit assembly)
.fdr (feeder assembly)
.ser (service assembly)
.rpt (receptacle assembly)
.swh (switch & fixture assembly)

Step One - Copy files from Power folder on your old computer and paste onto backup media:
1) Locate the files to copy using Microsoft Windows^® Explorer or "My Computer. Double click on drives and folders until you locate the files to copy. Most of the files to copy will be in the folder that Power! was installed in, usually the Power folder. You may have saved files anywhere on your computer hard drive. You will need to locate them. Please refer to your Microsoft Windows^® manual or call Microsoft if you need help using Microsoft Windows^® .

2) Click once on the file to highlight it.

3) Select Copy from the Edit menu.

4) Locate your floppy drive or other backup media, then double click on it's icon to open it.

5) Select Paste from the Edit menu.

6) Visually verify that the file is now copied to the backup media.

Repeat this process until all files are copied.

Step Two - Copy files from your backup media and paste them into the Power folder of the new computer, after Power! has been installed:
1) Put backup media, such as a floppy disk, into its drive. Locate the files to copy from Microsoft Windows^® Explorer or "My Computer", by double clicking on drives and folders.

2) Click once on the file to highlight it.

3) Select Copy from the Edit menu.

4) Locate, then double click on the folder that you installed Power! into (usually the Power folder).

5) Select Paste from the Edit menu to paste the file into the Power folder. You may be asked if you want to replace the existing file. Click Yes if you do want to replace the existing file. Click No if you do not want to replace the existing file.

6) Visually verify that the file is now pasted into the Power folder.

Repeat this process until all files are copied. Refer to your Microsoft Windows^® user manual or call Microsoft for technical support if you need help using Microsoft Windows^® Explorer.

Backing up important data every day is a must for the responsible business person. Should important filesbe deleted from your hard drive it is a simple matter to restore the file from backup, compared to recreating a file from scratch!

When you save an estimate a backup file is automatically copied into the same folder as the original estimate. You can identify the backup file by the prefix "Copy of" in the estimate file name. The copy can be opened liked any other estimate file. Invoices and Proposals are not automatically duplicated. You should manually make copies of them using the features of your Windows Operating System.  

Backup Data Bases
Power! Estimator and T&M Billing™ has three data base files. If you backup nothing else you must backup these three data base files:

parts.pwr                               Electrical Material Data Base file
cust.pwr                                Customer / Vendor Data Base file
acct.pwr                                Accounts Receivable file (T&M Billing only)

Each time you click the Save button in one of the above data base windows, a backup file of that data base is automatically updated and copied into the Power/Backup folder. The frequency of the backup file can be adjusted in the menu for Window/Options/Automatic Data Base Backup. It's also very important to manually backup the data bases ...

The three data base files, listed above, can be manually backed up using the Backup Data Bases feature in the File menu.
Prior to backing up, select Data Base Name from the Materials, Customer/Vendor or A/R menu to give the data base a name to help identify it in the event you use the backup file to restore a data base.
Prior to backing up, save changes by clicking the Save button in the data base window.

Follow these instructions to backup the three data base files:
1) Click on the File menu, then select one of the three Data Bases from the Backup Data Bases menu.

2) After clicking on the Yes button, a standard Windows Save dialog will appear. Use the default file name or enter your own file name. Select the folder or backup media you want to save in, then click the Save button.

3) Repeat these instructions for all three data base files.

Restore Data Bases
Should one of the three data base files become corrupt, you can restore a data base from a backup file following these instructions:
1) Click on the File menu, then select one of the three Data Bases from the Restore Data Bases menu.

2) After clicking on the Yes button, a dialog will recommend that you first make a backup of the current data base before replacing it. Click the OK button to continue.

3) After clicking on the OK button, a standard Windows Save dialog will appear. Use the default file name or enter your own file name. Select the folder you want to save in, then click the Save button.

4) A standard Windows Open dialog will appear. Select the backup file from your hard drive or backup media, then click the Open button. The backup data base file you selected replaces the previous data base.

5) Repeat these instructions for any of the three data base files.

Backup Other Files
The following lists other files you should backup. Use either Microsoft Windows Backup, a third party backup program, or follow the instructions after the list, on "How To Backup Other Files". 

.pwr                             File extension for default files used by Power!
.est                               File extension for estimate files
.inv                               File extension for invoice files
.pro                              File extension for one and two page proposal/contract files
.prp                              File extension for unlimited pages proposal/contract files
.spl                               File extension for custom assembly files
.wir                               File extension for wire & conduit assembly files
.fdr                               File extension for feeder assembly files
.ser                               File extension for service assembly files
.rpt                               File extension for receptacle assembly files
.swh                             File extension for switch & fixture assembly files
.net                               File extension for temporary network files
.ini                                File extension for information file
.bkm                             File extension for backup file - Electrical Material Data Base
.bkc                              File extension for backup file - Customer / Vendor Data Base
.bka                              File extension for backup file - Accounts Receivable

All files will be found on your hard drive, usually in the folder you installed Power! into.

How To Backup Other Files
There are many ways to backup files. Backup to USB drives, floppies, tape drive, net-work hard drive, zip drives, etc. The choice, method and responsibility is yours. Carefully read the documentation that came with your backup device, then use it.

If you do not have a backup storage device at least backup the *.pwr files to a backup media using Microsoft Windows^® Explorer or Microsoft Windows^® "My Computer".

To copy files from your hard drive to backup media using Microsoft Windows^® Explorer or "My Computer", follow these instructions.
1) Locate the files to backup using Microsoft Windows^® Explorer or "My Computer". Double click on drives and folders until you locate the files to backup. Please refer to your Microsoft Windows^® manual or contact Microsoft if you need help using Microsoft Windows^®.

2) Click once on the file to highlight it.

3) Select Copy from the Edit menu.

4) Locate your floppy disk or other backup media, then double click on it's icon to open it.

5) Select Paste from the Edit menu.

6) Visually verify that the file is now copied to the backup media.
Repeat this process until all files are copied. Refer to your Microsoft Windows^® user manual or contact Microsoft for technical support if you need help using Microsoft Windows^® Explorer.

How To Restore Other Files
Restoring files is very similar to backing them up. Instead of copying files from the Power folder, you will paste files into the Power folder.

To restore files from your backup folder or media using Microsoft Windows^® Explorer or "My Computer", follow these instructions.
1) Put backup media, such as a floppy disk, into its drive. Locate the files to restore from Microsoft Windows^® Explorer or "My Computer", by double clicking on drives and folders.

2) Click once on the file to highlight it.

3) Select Copy from the Edit menu.

4) Locate, then double click on the folder that you installed Power! into (usually the Power folder).

5) Select Paste from the Edit menu to paste the file into the Power folder. You may be asked if you want to replace the existing file. Click Yes if you do want to replace the existing file. Click No if you do not want to replace the existing file.

6) Visually verify that the file is now pasted into the Power folder. Repeat this process until all files are copied. Refer to your Microsoft Windows^® user manual or contact Microsoft for technical support if you need help using Microsoft Windows^® Explorer.

Material Description Wording Looks Garbled

If the wording in the Electrical Material Data Base, Estimates or Invoices looks garbled, like a strange language, you can easily restore it to normal. Microsoft Windows failing to process coded instruction causes the description column of the Electrical Material Data Base to become garbled. Estimates and invoices, which get information from the Data Base, will also appear garbled. Once the Data Base is restored, estimates and invoices will restore also.

Follow these instructions to restore a garbled Electrical Material Data Base:

Warning, do not continue with this procedure if the Data Base descriptions appear normal.

1) Click on the Materials button to make the Electrical Material Data Base the active window.

2) Click anywhere in the Description column of the Data Base window.

3) Hold down the Ctrl and Alt keys on your keyboard. While holding down the Ctrl and Alt keys, tap your Shift key, then release the Ctrl and Alt keys.

4) A window titled "Restore the Electrical Material Data Base" will appear. Click the Cancel button if your Data Base description column is not garbled. If your Data Base description column is garbled, type in the word "restore", then click the OK button.

5) Examine your Data Base description column by scrolling up and down.

6) If your Data Base description column looks normal, click the Save button. If not, try the above instructions again.

 How To Print in Black and White and Eliminate Gray Shades

Select Page Setup from the File menu, then make sure Black & White is checked in the Print Options section. This will force text to print as black & white, eliminating gray shades. You can permanently set this feature selecting Customize from the File menu, then set Black & White in the Page Setup window.

Unable to load - Unable To Open File

Your file is corrupt and will not open. If you made a backup copy of your file, locate it and then open it. Estimate files are automatically copied, so look for estimate files that begin with "Copy of ..." and then open it.

Some possible reasons for a corrupt file are: 

1) It is possible your hard drive is beginning to fail, or your Windows operating system has a problem. Check your hard drive for bad sectors and lost clusters. Please also check Windows for problems.

2) Do you remember a power outage or did someone turn off your computer while Power! was running?"

3) Do you have a virus on your system? Update your virus software and then do a virus scan.

4) It is possible your printer may corrupt files. To test if your printer corrupted the file:

a) Make a new estimate, invoice or proposal.
b) Save it to your hard drive and then close it.
c) Open the file and then print it.
d) Save the file again, then close and open it.

If it fails to open, your printer is corrupting files. Your printer is stealing memory from the file you are working on. then when you save the file, it can't save to your hard drive because the file was corrupting by the printer.

SOLUTION #1: Upgrade the Power! software. You are running a very old version of Power!. Included in our newest upgrade  is a work around for this issue, caused by the printer. Please request information about our newest upgrade.

SOLUTION #2: Try another printer, cabled directly to the computer, or don't save after printing. Save before printing, then close the file but don't save. Then re-open it, modify and save. If you go with this manual solution remember, don't save after printing. If you forget, your printer may destroy the file and crash Power!.

This applies only to Power! Network CD users. As an example, you purchased the Power! Network CD with a total of 3 network licenses, but you get a message that you exceeded your number of licenses with only 2 users on the network. This can happen if a computer is improperly shutdown, such as a power outage or computer crash. To enable all your network licenses to run follow these instructions:
Shut down Power! software on all computers. Then search for and delete all files with the extension ".nwk" from your entire network. All your licenses will now run.

Only applies only to Power! Network CD users. This message will appear if another network user is using a file you are trying to open. Check all network computers if the file is indeed in use.

 If the file is not in use on your network follow these instructions:
Shut down Power! software on all computers. Then search for and delete all files with the extension ".net" from your entire network. Your file will now run. This issue may occur if a computer is improperly shutdown, such as a power outage or computer crash.

Right Mouse Click In Estimates Or Invoices

An unknown Microsoft Windows process may prevent you from displaying a pop-down menu, used to add parts into estimates or invoices. If you click your right mouse button in the ID# column or Description column of an estimate or invoice, and nothing happens, you can display an excellent Lookup Explorer instead.

Please follow these instructions:

1) Select Category Selection Display from the View menu, then click on Lookup Explorer Display.

Next time you right click to add parts into an estimate or invoice, you will select material categories from a Lookup Explorer instead of a pop-down menu.

The scroll button on your mouse is controlled by the software driver that came with your mouse, and your windows operating system. Our software has no feature to control any button of your mouse, nor any feature to enable your mouse scroll button.

You can try to control your mouse from the "Windows Control Panel", then click on "Mouse", then experiment with the different features. Also, you can try installing the device driver for the mouse, if not all ready done. Different mouse have different features and also work different, so you can try a different mouse and get different results.

Printing Accounts Receivable

Select the entire accounts receivable list by clicking your left mouse button in the top left hand corner of the list, then hold down the shift key while clicking the bottom right hand corner of the list. Once the entire list is selected, hold down the Ctrl and Alt key, then press the Shift key. This will force the printing area to your selection.

When you save an estimate a backup file is automatically copied into the same folder as the original estimate. This is an important feature to help prevent data loss. You can identify the backup file by the prefix "Copy of" in the estimate file name. The copy can be opened liked any other estimate file, but if you do, and save it, "Copy of" will be prefixed to the existing name of the file. Thus copy of copy of copy. To avoid this, open up your original file, not the copy. The copy is a backup. Estimates are the only file automatically backed up.