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Configuring SleepingSalesman
The configuration window allows you to customise different aspects of SleepingSalesman. We'll go though them section by section.
Tip
If you make a change you decide you don't want and you have not pressed the "Submit" button then simply refresh the page. Note that this will clear ALL changes you made.
Company Information
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The company information allows you to make some basic changes to the way SleepingSalesman is presented and functions.
You can change any of the items then scroll to the bottom of the page and press the "Submit" button to save the change(s).
Company Name
The company name is displayed along the top of every SleepingSalesman page. This option is provided so you can easily change the company name without having to get in touch with opcs - and thereby being charged.
Type the new company name as required then press the "Submit" button at the bottom of the page to save your change.
Notes
- The name doesn't support HTML formatting.
- 50 characters maximum.
Address
This is the address shown at the bottom of all the SleepingSalesman pages. Enter your address as you see fit. You can also include telephone and fax numbers if you want.
Type the new company name as required then press the "Submit" button at the bottom of the page to save.
Notes
- You can leave this empty if you prefer.
- You can include some basic HTML formatting. E.G.
- <strong>Text</strong> - Text
- <em>Text</em> - Text
- <u>Text</u> - Text
- <a href=http://www.example.com/ target=_blank>Link</a> - Link
- Do not use the " character. Use " instead.
Telephone, Fax & Mobile
These details are provided for future use and not currently required. If you want to change them then by all means do so. Press the "Submit" button at the bottom of the page when you are finished.
The email address is required to allow your customers to send enquiry requests to you. If you don't want enquiries enabled then do not enter an email address.
Once you've set your email address (or cleared it) press the "Submit" button to save your changes.
Notes
- The email address will remain private. Even your customers who send enquiry requests will not be able to see it.
- opcs will not use your email address either - not without your permission.
Authorisation Settings
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The authentication settings control the username and password needed to log into the SleepingSalesman administration pages.
As a basic security precaution we recommend changing these details whenever staff responsible for updating SleepingSalesman leave your company. In the event you forget these details please contact opcs and we will be able to help you recover or reset them.
Username
Set your username to any alphanumeric combination you prefer.
Once you set it to a value you are happy with, press the "Submit" button to save your changes.
Notes
- DO NOT USE ANY PUNCTUATION IN YOUR USERNAME! If you do so, you will be unable to log in later.
- Username must be between 6 and 15 characters in length.
Password
Set your password to any alphanumeric combination you prefer. Remember to set the same value in the "Confirm Admin Password" box.
Once you set it to a value you are happy with, press the "Submit" button to save your changes.
Notes
- DO NOT USE ANY PUNCTUATION IN YOUR PASSWORD! If you do so, you will be unable to log in later.
- Password must be between 6 and 16 characters in length.
Image Settings
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The image settings allow you to control the dimensions of the various vehicle images shown on the SleepingSalesman.
Background
When you upload an image to the SleepingSalesman database, instead of the system keeping multiple copies of the same image at different sizes, it stores the image you upload then when someone asks to view an image it simply grabs the picture from the database then resizes it in real time. The values you set here are the sizes the SleepingSalesman resizes too.
Front Page Thumb Size
Click to Enlarge 
This is the size of the image shown on the list of vehicles on the SleepingSalesman front page. When considering this size you should remember that not all your visitors have large monitors. As a general rule of it's best to try and keep a site within 800 pixels wide. You must also consider that the vehicle description and key points may be displayed to the left of the image and so you should size them accordingly.
A good setting would be around "300" pixels.
Once you've chosen a suitable "Front Page Thumb Size" press the "Submit" button to save it.
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Item Small Thumb Size
Click to Enlarge 
This size refers to the small thumbnails shown on the vehicle details page at the bottom left. As a general rule it's a good idea to make these thumbnails at just under a third of the width you set for "Item Medium Thumb Size". This is because the small thumbnails are fixed to a column of 3 images.
The reason for doing this is to obtain a nice clean alignment with the larger thumbnail above it.
We recommend a value of "75" pixels for this.
Once you've chosen a suitable "Item Small Thumb Size" press the "Submit" button to save it.
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Item Medium Thumb Size
Click to Enlarge 
This size refers to the larger thumbnail shown on the vehicle details page at the top left.
If we assume the recommended size for the smaller thumbnails below of 75 pixels then it's a good idea to make the "Item Medium Thumb Size" around 3 times wider.
The reason for doing this is to obtain a nice clean alignment with the smaller thumbnails below.
We recommend a value of "230" - "240 " pixels for this - Assuming you've chosen a value of around 75 pixels for "Item Small Thumb Size".
Once you've chosen a suitable "Item Medium Thumb Size" press the "Submit" button to save it.
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Maximum Image Width
This image size is used to dictate the maximum size of picture that should be stored in the SleepingSalesman database. When you upload pictures to SleepingSalesman then anything wider than this value will be shrunk down in size. The reason for this is two fold.
- Saves database space. Ultimately you have to pay for disk space therefore anything that can be done to minimise space helps.
- Speeds up page generation times.
- Each vehicle image you see in the SleepingSalesman is built from a single image stored in the database. If the image is large then it takes proportionally longer to resize the image from large to thumbnail sized.
- The more large images you have the slower page generation times become.
We recommend a value of between "600" and "700" pixels for this.
Once you've chosen a suitable "Maximum Image Width" press the "Submit" button to save it.
Miscellaneous
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Theme
SleepingSalesman can have different themes - created by opcs - here you can select which one you wish to use. Under normal circumstances there is only one theme to choose from I.E. The one created specifically to match your company branding.
Themes simply define the fonts, colours and link properties you see within the SleepingSalesman system.
When you select the theme you want, press the "Submit" button to save the changes.
Currency
This is the currency symbol used in front of any prices displayed in SleepingSalesman.
Display Key Points
The key points are the summary properties of the vehicle list or vehicle details page. This option allows you to switch off displaying the key points.
This option is available because the Key Points could be construed as a repetition of the vehicle description. The key points are built up from the information you enter about the vehicle. For more information this information, click here.
Set "Display Key Points" to your preferred option then press the "Submit" button to save your changes.
Allow Sort By Date Added
SleepingSalesman can display your vehicles to your visitors in the order you added them to the system. You may wish to switch this feature off if you have stock which has been on sale for some time. This option allows you to do this.
Set "Allow Sort By Date Added" to your preferred option then press the "Submit" button to save your changes.
Cost Increment
When your visitors are searching for vehicles based on price. You can control the amount the options for your visitors increases by. The minimum price range has 10 options while the maximum price range has 20 options. From the tables below you should be able to see how this option works.
Cost Increment = "500"
Minimum
Price
RangeMaximum
Price
Range0 <ANY> 500 2500 1000 3000 1500 3500 2000 4000 2500 4500 3000 5000 3500 5500 4000 6000 4500 6500 - 7000 - 7500 - 8000 - 8500 - 9000 - 9500 - 10000 - 10500 - 11000 - 11500 - 12000
Cost Increment = "1000"
Minimum
Price
RangeMaximum
Price
Range0 <ANY> 1000 5000 2000 6000 3000 7000 4000 8000 5000 9000 6000 10000 7000 11000 8000 12000 9000 13000 - 14000 - 15000 - 16000 - 17000 - 18000 - 19000 - 20000 - 21000 - 22000 - 23000 - 24000
Cost Increment = "250"
Minimum
Price
RangeMaximum
Price
Range0 <ANY> 250 1250 500 1500 750 1750 1000 2000 1250 2250 1500 2500 1750 2750 2000 3000 2250 3250 - 3500 - 3750 - 4000 - 4250 - 4500 - 4750 - 5000 - 5250 - 5500 - 5750 - 6000 As you can see from the tables, the cost increment allows you to tailor the price ranges your customers can choose from to a range that is suitable for your stock.
Set "Cost Increment" to your preferred option then press the "Submit" button to save your changes.
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