E-mail and Fax-Enabling Mfg/Pro
Joe Drouillard 
Principal/Consultant
Avenue Systems
(248) 894-7093
www.avenue-systems.com

It is fairly easy to send an e-mail or fax from a UNIX or Windows Mfg/Pro environment.  And, it can often be done without any additional software or hardware.  Here is a fast tip to get you started.   It all begins with using  the existing e-mail services already available (although, perhaps dormant) on your Mfg/Pro platform.  If you are running Mfg/Pro on a UNIX box, you might not even be aware that it has e-mail capabilities, but it does.    If you are running Mfg/Pro in a Windows environment, you may be able to use your normal e-mail program.

First, experiment with whatever e-mail facility is available on the same platform as Mfg/Pro, to send an e-mail from the command line.  In UNIX, this would often be the "mailx" command, from the system prompt.  If Windows, then see if your e-mail facility will let you send a simple e-mail from the DOS prompt.  This may take a little digging.   Your goal is to be able to send a simple e-mail to yourself from the command line.  Then, experiment further to get it to send the message body from a simple text file.

Once you have this working, in Progress, program a simple maintenance screen to store e-mail addresses in a file accessible by Mfg/Pro.  Normally, I use the usrw_wkfl, using one field for the supplier, customer, or employee-id, another field for type (customer, supplier, etc.), and a third field for the actual e-mail address.  

Then, when in an activity where e-mail is to be sent, the text message or report (perhaps a single or multi-page P/O) is stored in a text file, using the output to command.   Then, the appropriate system command (often "mailx" in UNIX environments) is called using the required syntax with the text/report file name and recipient's e-mail address.   This is done iteratively in the program until all messages (say, a P/O to every supplier receiving one that day) have been sent.  Naturally, if the supplier has no e-mail address, then then it is assumed that the supplier is not set up for e-mail.

Faxing:
Once e-mails are working, faxing can be implemented using an e-mail fax server.  This is done by e-mailing the fax server the text message and fax number.  The fax number is part of the e-mail address.  The P/O is sent in the body of the e-mail, the same as when e-mailing P/Os.  Fax servers can be installed internally on your company network.  But, it is often more economical to use an external fax service company.  These typically have low setup charges, fast implementation, and low pre-minute phone charges.  There is often no need for additional hardware and software, since you simply e-mail  the fax data to the external fax service.  Here is a sample e-mail destination, when using a fax service:  
  
                    fax:248-669-1234@faxservice.com

In the above example, "248-669-1234" is the ultimate recipient's fax phone number, and "faxservice.com" is the e-mail server of the fax service (internal or external) that you are using. This is e-mailed to the fax service, which then faxes the document to the ultimate recipient. The P/O  or other text message is put in the body of the fax.  The fax topic is put into the e-mail topic field.  There is also normally a way to receive an e-mail notification of faxes sent with status and time received.

Simpler than you thought, huh?

e-mail:  jad@avenue-systems.com
web-site:  avenue-systems.com

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Copyright Joseph A. Drouillard, 2002.  All rights reserved.