SignMaker 2 User Guide Value...o SuperBuy! o Shop and Compare • Home & Garden Participants pay only $15 per month to take advantage of the complete array of signs available. There

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Contents TABLE OF CONTENTS ........................................................................................................................................... i

INTRODUCTORY SYSTEM INFORMATION .......................................................................................................... 1

Introduction ................................................................................................................................................... 1

Paid Account Benefits .................................................................................................................................... 1

News & Views ................................................................................................................................................ 2

Outside Print & Ship ....................................................................................................................................... 2

Sign Stock Ordering ........................................................................................................................................ 2

System Personalization .................................................................................................................................. 2

Terminology ................................................................................................................................................... 3

Additional Help .............................................................................................................................................. 3

True Value University (TVU) ....................................................................................................................... 3

Help Desk ................................................................................................................................................... 3

Maintenance Window.................................................................................................................................... 3

PROGRAM OVERVIEW........................................................................................................................................ 4

How to Find SignMaker2 ................................................................................................................................ 4

Merchandising: .......................................................................................................................................... 4

Store Environment: .................................................................................................................................... 4

Home Page Map ............................................................................................................................................. 5

Non-Paid User View ................................................................................................................................... 5

Navigation Bar ............................................................................................................................................ 5

Printing Options ........................................................................................................................................ 5

Program Guide Bar ..................................................................................................................................... 5

Template Folders ....................................................................................................................................... 5

Footnote ..................................................................................................................................................... 5

Navigation Bar Detail – Shopping Cart ........................................................................................................... 6

Navigation Bar Detail – Orders ...................................................................................................................... 8

Navigation Bar Detail – My Library ................................................................................................................ 9

Uploading Pictures ..................................................................................................................................... 9

Additional Notes ...................................................................................................................................... 10

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Navigation Bar Detail – My Profile ............................................................................................................... 11

Edit Profile Button .................................................................................................................................... 11

Change Password ..................................................................................................................................... 11

Address Book ........................................................................................................................................... 11

System Navigation ....................................................................................................................................... 12

BASIC PROGRAM INSTRUCTIONS ..................................................................................................................... 13

Five Steps to Making Signs in Minutes ..................................................................................................... 13

Currency Indicator ................................................................................................................................... 13

BEYOND THE BASICS .................................................................................................................................... 14

Selecting a Template ................................................................................................................................ 14

Product Selection ......................................................................................................................................... 15

Enter SKUs ................................................................................................................................................ 15

Upload SKU List ........................................................................................................................................ 16

Search Feature ......................................................................................................................................... 18

Non-Warehouse Items ................................................................................................................................. 20

Entering a Single Item .............................................................................................................................. 20

Uploading Non-Warehoused Items ......................................................................................................... 21

Upload Images via Custom Images .......................................................................................................... 23

Editing Signs ................................................................................................................................................. 24

Form Filling ................................................................................................................................................... 25

Sign Options ............................................................................................................................................. 25

PDF Preview – The Printing Shortcut ....................................................................................................... 25

Saving and Printing Your Signs ..................................................................................................................... 26

Saving to the SignMaker2 System ............................................................................................................ 26

Saving to Your Computer ......................................................................................................................... 27

Print on Demand ...................................................................................................................................... 28

TEMPLATE SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS ................................................................................................................ 31

Bin Cards ...................................................................................................................................................... 31

Basic Template Guidelines ....................................................................................................................... 31


Collections – Faucet Cards ........................................................................................................................... 32



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Collections – American with Disabilities Act (ADA) Sign .............................................................................. 33



Collections – Always Priced Right ................................................................................................................ 34


Collections – BadgeMaker 12Up & 20Up ..................................................................................................... 35



Collections – Cabinet Hardware ................................................................................................................... 37



Collections – Locksets .................................................................................................................................. 38



Collections – Power Tool Cards .................................................................................................................... 39



Custom Sale Template ................................................................................................................................. 40



DTV Informational Signs............................................................................................................................... 43



Home and Garden Showplace ..................................................................................................................... 45



Marketing Ad – Promo Sale ......................................................................................................................... 46


Marketing – Shop and Compare .................................................................................................................. 47



Marketing Ad – SuperBuy! ........................................................................................................................... 49


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Programs – Great Values ............................................................................................................................. 50



Programs – Greener Options ....................................................................................................................... 51



Promotions – Sale ........................................................................................................................................ 52



Promotions – Clearance ............................................................................................................................... 54


Promotions – Manager’s Special ................................................................................................................. 54


Rental Templates ......................................................................................................................................... 55



True Value Rewards Program ...................................................................................................................... 57


APPENDIX A – FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ............................................................................................. 58

APPENDIX B - SUPPLIES .................................................................................................................................... 60

Sign Stock Listing .......................................................................................................................................... 60

APPENDIX C – EASY QUICK START GUIDE ........................................................................................................ 67

APPENDIX D – AVAILABLE TEMPLATES ............................................................................................................ 68

Full Listing ................................................................................................................................................ 68

Image Listing ............................................................................................................................................ 69

APPENDIX E – BEYOND SIGNMAKER2 .............................................................................................................. 72

INDEX ............................................................................................................................................................... 74

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INTRODUCTORY SYSTEM INFORMATION Introduction SignMaker2 is a web-based signage program allowing True Value Retailers to create professional-looking signs with little effort. For items available in the True Value warehouse system, the program pulls product information such as a product picture and current Variable Pricing. If a Retailer is not participating in Variable Pricing, Suggested Retail or Zone Prices will populate the sign. For items not stocked in True Value warehouses, most signs can be created with custom information and pictures.

Retailers have asked for more customization options within the SignMaker2 program and we have listened. The most requested improvements have been:

• Tie Variable Pricing to program so signs show your store specific prices • Allow Retailers to insert pictures for items not stocked in True Value warehouses • Allow Retailers to insert their own logo in assigned location

We continue our commitment of providing you with the most useful and flexible options with SignMaker2 as illustrated with these three enhancements. Your continued feedback and suggestions are always welcome and important as we continue to work on new enhancements and solutions that best meets your needs.

Paid Account Benefits If you are not a participating Retailer in the SignMaker2 program, the first time you login to the system you will only see those signs located in the Collections folder. These are signs are available to all Retailers, not just paid participants. For full program access, you must be a participating Retailer. There are significant advantages to being a SignMaker2 paid participant. As a paid participant you will receive unlimited access to a wide-range of sign templates.

• Bin Cards • Collections

o Faucet Cards o ADA Sign o Always Priced

Right o Lockset Labels o Cabinet Hardware

Labels o Power Tool Cards

o BadgeMaker Inserts

• Custom (Full Header Text and Color Control)

• Program o Great Values o Greener Options

• Promotions o Sale o Clearance

o Manager’s Special • DTV Style (7 options) • Rental • TV Rewards • Marketing Ad

o National Ad o SuperBuy! o Shop and

Compare • Home & Garden

Showplace

Participants pay only $15 per month to take advantage of the complete array of signs available. There are no startup fees and you can cancel at any time. Simply contact the SignMaker2 Admin to sign up.

mailto:[email protected]?subject=SignMaker2%20Sign%20Up


News & Views SignMaker2 News & Views is a special section in your weekly Merchandising Newsletter containing program update information, answers to frequently asked questions and other helpful hints and tips. Look for it in the “Did You Know…” section of the newsletter.

If you would like to read past News & Views topics, go to the Merchandising and Product information section of MOL and click the News & Views icon on the right side of the screen or simply control+click here.

Outside Print & Ship As an added benefit of SignMaker2, you can now choose to have your signs professionally printed by our partner, Darwill. Our 2013 Spring Market Survey indicated Retailers were interested and considering this option. Here’s why:

• It’s A Timesaver: Particularly when needing a large quantity of signs during seasonal shifts, it allows Retailers to focus on preparing their stores rather than printing signage.

• Printing Quality: Utilizing a professional printer allows for perfect color matches and crisper images.

• Less Hassle: No need to load up on paper stock or expensive ink or worry about paper jams. • Easy: Simply select “Show All Outside Print & Ship Signs” rather than “Show All Print in Store Signs”

from the Product Box on the Home Page. Then create your signs within the SignMaker2 program, enter your billing information and your preferred method of delivery. It’s that easy.

Faucet Product Cards are an exceptional value when printed though Darwill. A 16’ National Faucet Set of cards (approximately 58 signs) can be professionally printed and shipped for under $20.

All orders placed by 9:00 a.m. (CST) on Monday will SHIP on Wednesday via UPS from the Chicago area.

Sign Stock Ordering All the papers used with the SignMaker2 program are available for order through NetWarehouse. As an added convenience, we have included a master list of sign stock, BadgeMaker stock and sign holders in the back of this User Guide (see Appendix B). All sign stock ships from Central Ship (RDC41).

System Personalization While SignMaker2 has allowed for greater customization and flexibility for Retailers, there are additional resources available to you. From developing art for custom stock papers individualized with your brand to a fully personalized template grouping for your existing sign stock, our True Value Team can provide additional options for more in-depth customization. We are able to work within your budget and create the signage solutions that are just right for your business.

For more information on options and cost for a personalized system, please contact the SignMaker2 Admin.

https://www.membersonline.com/mol/home/mol_article.aspx?objectid=57941

mailto:[email protected]?subject=System%20Personalization


Terminology Checkout – The Checkout process is used for printing your signs through our printing partner, Darwill. Ctrl+Click – The action of pressing and holding the Control button on your PC keyboard (Command for Mac) and then clicking a link with the left button of your mouse. This will enable you to access documents outside of the program. Darwill – Our professional printing partner for SignMaker2 for your outside printing needs. Form Filling – The screen in SignMaker2 you see after clicking Next Step. From this screen you can print your signs via the PDF Preview button or add the order to your shopping cart to store for later printing. Home Page – This is the starting page of the SignMaker2 program. From there you can access the individual sign folders. Template – The design of the sign you are trying to make. (Refer to Paid Accounts Benefits for a list of templates available.) Work Window – This is the area in SignMaker2 under the brown navigation bar at the top. It is usually gray with tabs giving you input options.

Additional Help True Value University (TVU) There is a full training course available to you in the True Value University for SignMaker2. Courses are in module mode. Each module is usually 5-10 minutes and designed to be viewed in sequence for first time users. Each module addresses specific SignMaker2 topics and offers a handy reference for more detailed projects at a later date. To view these courses, simply open the TVU site from the MOL, and search for SignMaker2.

Help Desk For help beyond what is available in this guide or not included in the training modules, please feel free to contact the True Value Help Desk at 1-800-882-1137 Ext 3.

Maintenance Window Under normal circumstances there will typically be a 15 minute period of downtime per month for website maintenance. This is expected to occur on the third Saturday of each month between 7:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. Central.

Please note that during this time, “blank” will appear in the price field of signs.


PROGRAM OVERVIEW How to Find SignMaker2 There are two main links to SignMaker2 on MOL.

Merchandising: On the main page, hover over Merchandising & Product Info until you see the SignMaker2 link on the flyout menu.

Store Environment: On the main page, hover over Store Environment until you see the SignMaker2 link on the flyout menu.


Home Page Map The Home Page is the first page you see once you have logged into the SignMaker2 program. To help guide you through the page, we have broken it into five parts. Please note: Paid Users and Non-Paid Users will see different screens due to template access.

Paid User View

Non-Paid User View

Navigation Bar The navigation bar leads you to the four operational areas of SignMaker2 – your Shopping Cart, Order

History, Library and Profile Page. Printing Options The Printing Options box lists two print options. The “Show All Print in Store Signs” is the default

option so you can automatically print your signs in-house. The “Show All Outside Print & Ship Signs” is a secondary option if you desire to have your signs professional printed by our printing partner, Darwill. At any time during your sign making process, you can revise either of these options.

Program Guide Bar The Program Guide Bar area of SignMaker2 is there to help you on your way from picking a template

to ordering your signs. To the right side of the bar is a white link which allows you to see the template folders in a list view instead of the picture view. Also on the right is a link to program help files. Each level of the program will have this help link and, when clicked, will bring up the pertinent information for that particular page.

Template Folders All of our templates are stored within folders to make it easier to navigate the program Home Page.

Please note: Non-Participating Users will only see the items available in the Collections Folder. (For more details, see Appendix D – Available Templates).

Footnote The footnote includes a link back to MOL, a link to the current edition of the User Guide and a

navigation note.

1 2

3

4

5


Navigation Bar Detail – Shopping Cart Only Required for "Outside Print and Ship" Option

Your Shopping Cart is a holding place for the signs you create should you choose to save them within the program. Since each size and template of the signs you make must be in a separate file, they are held in the Shopping Cart until you are ready to place your sign order. The shopping cart and checkout process are not necessary to print sign orders but can be used to save your orders in the SignMaker2 system.

When you send an order to the shopping cart, the site displays this page. The shopping cart has two sections, the main shopping cart where orders can be placed and the Hold for Later section where you can hold orders for processing at a later date. If a document is incomplete, it is placed in the Hold for Later section. Typically you will see this if the data is entered outside the specified format, inclusive of additional spaces or returns. If your signs get placed in Hold for Later, please contact the Help Desk at 1-800-882-1137 #3. You can intentionally put items in your cart by clicking the Hold link in that file’s Options box. This can be especially helpful for instances when you’ve spent a lot of time creating your sign files but end up without


the proper paper stock on hand. Simply place your sign file in the Hold for Later section and come back to print them once your stock has arrived.

The following options are available from the shopping cart: • Proceed to Checkout - Click to finalize your order and proceed to the checkout steps. • Continue Shopping - Click to return to the Start page and customize another document. • Edit - Click to begin the document again. Sign files are saved as PDFs – once they are added to the

cart, they cannot be individually changed. • Proof - Click to create a PDF proof. • Duplicate - Click to duplicate the document. • Delete - Click to permanently remove the document. • Hold - Click to move the document into the Hold for Later section of the shopping cart. • Move to Cart - Click to move the item back into the main Shopping Cart from the Hold for Later

section.


Navigation Bar Detail – Orders The Orders screen is where all of your past sign orders are stored. From here you can reprint an order by clicking the red link in the Items column or review the order summary by clicking the Details link in the options column.

Once signs have been ordered, the prices cannot be changed. You can reorder the signs but the pricing field will not update nor will any other field if information for that SKU has changed. Please see the section on Uploading SKU Lists for an easy way to reprint signs that you print on a regular basis.


Navigation Bar Detail – My Library The Image in My Library is a place to store the pictures you use to customize signs. They can be store logos, clip-art, or images to help brand your store and will appear in the bottom left former of the Promotional-Sale and Custom templates.

Uploading Pictures By uploading your images to My Library in advance, SignMaker2 will save the picture to your profile so it can be easily accessed later. There is no naming requirement for these files. Picture file types accepted are GIF, JPG, JPEG, TIF, EPS and PDF.

1. Make sure you have the picture(s) you want to upload saved somewhere on your computer.

2. Click on the My Library link in the Navigation Bar.

3. Click the Upload Image button.


4. A dialogue box titled Upload Image will open. Click the Browse button to open a navigation window. Navigate to where you have saved the picture on your computer. Once selected, click the Open button, then click the Submit button from the Upload Image dialogue box.

5. Repeat steps to upload more pictures if necessary. Click the Start button on the Navigation Bar to begin making signs.

Additional Notes Pictures for custom DTV style signs (items not available in the True Value warehouse) should not be stored in your library. The system will not pull pictures from My Library onto your signs automatically. To upload pictures for your custom items, please see the Non-Warehouse Items instructions in this manual.


Navigation Bar Detail – My Profile The My Profile page is where you can update your password, your shipping address or add an additional address to send outside print and ship orders to.

Edit Profile Button Your profile information is accessed by SignMaker2 through Members Online but can be edited here. Any edits made through SignMaker2 will only affect your SignMaker2 account, not your True Value Retailer account.

Change Password Change your password here. Account alterations such as changing User Name or denying access need to go through the SignMaker2 Admin.

Address Book The address book allows you to add mailing addresses for your Outside Print and Ship orders if you don’t want them to ship to your main address. To add an address, simply click the Add New button from the Address Book screen.

mailto:[email protected]?subject=Account%20Update%20Request


System Navigation Depending upon your location within the sign-making process, there are three possible ways to safely go back within the program.

1. From SKU Input back to the template folder to select a different size: Click the START link in the Navigation Bar.

2. From the Template Folder back to the Home Page to select an entirely new Template Folder: Click the SHOW ALL PRINT IN STORE SIGNS link in the templates box.

3. At any point past the Editing stage, look for the

PREVIOUS BUTTON to go back without losing your information.

The Back-Space button should NOT BE USED to correct or revise your input. Utilizing the Back-Space button can result in a loss of information inputted.

Previous


BASIC PROGRAM INSTRUCTIONS

Five Steps to Making Signs in Minutes

1. Login to SignMaker2 and Select Template

2. Input the products you want to make signs for via Enter SKUs, Upload or Search options. Click the Add SKUs or Add Selected Items button.

3. Edit signs if necessary. Once all signs are entered and edited, click the Next Step button.

4. Click the PDF Preview button to open the ready-to-print file.

5. Print file using your browser's printer icon, the file menu or the print shortcut.

Note: To save your printable PDF Preview file, simply select the Save As option from the File Menu of your browser window.

For a printable version of this page, please see Appendix C.

Currency Indicator All templates with pricing on them have the option of printing with or without a currency indicator (dollar sign). Just click the box on the Form Filling screen if you would prefer to show the dollar sign, and each sign in that grouping will be updated.


BEYOND THE BASICS

Selecting a Template Templates, or sign styles, are arranged in folders on the SignMaker2 Home Page. To know where a particular sign is located, you can refer to the Available Templates document within the User Guide or simply hover your mouse over the folder for details.

As you navigate through the system and select templates, you will see various layouts that allow you to print one or more signs on a single sheet of 8 ½” x 11” paper, allowing you to maximize your paper usage. Each size description is labeled with a number followed by the word up. For Example One-Up, Two-Up, Four-Up. This indicates how many signs you can print on a single sheet of paper. In other words, One-Up indicates one sign can be printed on a single sheet of paper, Two-Up indicates two signs can be printed on a single sheet, and so on.

Sale, Clearance, Manager’s Special


Product Selection There are three ways to enter SKUs into the SignMaker2 system. They are entering SKUs (aka SKU-Coma list), uploading a spreadsheet and searching. You can access the three different methods via the tabs in the work section of the webpage once you have selected a template. Please note: Not all options are available for each template. See the Template Specific Instructions section for details.

Enter SKUs The Enter SKUs tab is the landing page once you select the template size you require. To tell SignMaker2 which SKUs to use, simply type the SKUs with a comma between them and without a space. (Ex: 123456,604295,458758) and then click the Add SKUs button. (Note: Do not hit the “return or enter” button; simply click the ADD SKUs button) This is a quick and easy method to enter a relatively small number of SKUs.

Duplicates If you need to make more than one sign for a particular SKU, simply add that SKU into the box the correct number of times for the amount of signs you need. This example illustrates entering the SKUs to receive one sign for SKU 123456, three signs for SKU 604295 and one sign for SKU 458758.


Upload SKU List If you have a long list of signs to make, the fastest way to input your request is by uploading a SKU list using an excel spreadsheet. This is particularly helpful for producing Sale Signs or any signs where system pricing may not match your POS pricing. This method is an additional timesaver as it allows you to save the spreadsheet you use so you can run the same signs at a later date with updated pricing. Just remember, each template and size sign will require a separate spreadsheet and should be limited to no more than 100 items at a time.

To use this option, click on the Upload SKU List tab within the working window. You will then see the area to upload your list as well as a picture showing how to format your spreadsheet to be uploadable.

Click the Select button to open a search window then navigate to where you have your spreadsheet stored. Once you have your spreadsheet selected and are back on the SignMaker2 screen, you click the Upload Lists button to add your SKU list into the program. You will then be taken to the Edit Skus tab to make changes to your signs if required.

Upload Troubleshooting Tips If you have uploaded your spreadsheet and, after clicking Upload Lists, there are no SKUs added into the program, try these three troubleshooting tips:

1 – The header row (row 1) in your spreadsheet needs to be exactly as the example shows. If your signs load but none of your sale or retail prices show up as you specified them in the spreadsheet, check to make sure the word is spelled exactly the same as the example ensuring there are no spaces before or after the actual text. If you have verified your spreadsheet is correct, but still cannot get your list uploaded, contact the Help Desk or SignMaker2 Admin for assistance.

2 – The SKU numbers are formatted as text instead of numbers. The SignMaker2 system views SKUs only formatted as numbers. The easiest way to identify this issue is to simply look at the SKU. If the numbers align on the left side of the cell, the number is stored as text. Numbers will align to the right as is shown in the example. If you run into this error, contact the Help Desk or SignMaker2 Admin for assistance in updating your Excel Error Checking options.

3 – You uploaded your SKU list for 20 items but only 15 appear. This may be because the SKU is not in the database. If you want to create a sign for a non-warehoused item, you will have to add this manually. The system will not recognize the SKU and therefore no sign for that item will be created. If the SKU input is a

mailto:[email protected]?subject=SignMaker2



True Value warehouse item but not showing up in the system, please email the Help Desk or the SignMaker2 Admin with the SKU number so we can add it to the database.

Verifying Your Upload When you are taken to the Edit Skus tab, you will see a number in parenthesis. This is the number of signs you have added to your request. Verify your upload was successful by comparing the number of SKUs on your spreadsheet to the number of SKUs added during the upload.

Duplicates If you need to make more than one sign for a particular SKU, simply repeat the SKU for as many copies you need. This example illustrates entering the SKUs to receive one sign for SKU 123456, three signs for SKU 604295 and one sign for SKU 458758



Search Feature Our search feature gives you multiple ways to locate a particular SKU in the SignMaker2 database. To use this option, click on the Search SKUs tab in the work area. This will open up the search fields.

Search Fields vary by template. See the instructions for the specific template you are using for more details.

SKU If you cannot remember the full SKU but know the first few digits or know the SKU and want to double check the sign information, simply enter the numbers you have and choose your filter.

Full SKU Known – Enter the SKU, click the filter icon, and select EqualTo.

Know First Digits – Enter the numbers you know and zeroes for the ones you don’t, click the filter icon, select GreaterThan.


Manufacturer Because the Manufacturer filter is in list form, you don’t need to start typing the Manufacturer’s name. Simply click the drop down button and scroll until you find either the Department or Manufacturer name.

Model and Description Another way to search is using the Model or Description fields supplied. These filters can help you find the copy that starts with, contains, ends with specific text. For example, if you know the Description is 3.5Amp Orbital Sander you can enter 3.5Amp and then filter for StartsWith to find all items that have a description starting with 3.5Amp.

Whichever method you use to find the products, you will have to add them to your signs before moving onto the editing step. To do this, click the radio button at the left of the item(s) you want to select then click the Add Selected Items button. When the page refreshes, you will see the number of signs in your queue in parenthesis next to the Edit Skus tab.

Duplicates When searching for SKUs, there is no immediate way to create duplicate signs. If you need more than one copy of a particular item, make note of the SKU and enter it on the Enter SKUs tab as necessary.


Non-Warehouse Items With SignMaker2, making signs for Non-Warehoused items, including adding product pictures, is a simple matter of data collection and inputting.

The information needed to create custom signs depends upon the sign template selected. Please see the Template Specific Instructions section for details.

Entering a Single Item The information needed is lined up in separate text boxes. You do have the option to format your text however you would like, but if you want a consistent look with your signs of True Value items and your custom ones, here is the formatting for each section beginning with the SKU field and working our way down.

• SKUs do not need to be only numbers. Type whatever your SKU is, but keep in mind that if you want to add a picture to the sign, the picture file name will need to identical the SKU name you had listed. (More on that later.)

• The Manufacturer field should be written all in capitalized letters. Also, this could be brand name instead of manufacturer. For example, SC Johnson manufactures Ziploc products. We would list the manufacturer as Ziploc, not SC Johnson to better identify the SKU.

• Model number field does not require the word “Model” or the number sign before the actual model number.

• Description field is the title of the product. This should be direct and to the point – perhaps only 3-5 words. Each word should be capitalized.

• Bullets are the selling points of the item. Your first bullet should be the most important selling feature, bullet 2 the second most important, and so on. These are written with each word capitalized. While there are four bullets for features, listing four is not a requirement. But we do suggest 2 or 3 as a guideline.

• For the store price field, you should list the price with dollars and cents.

Instructions for adding pictures to non-warehoused items can be found here.

425LH

BRAND OR MANUF

42MOD

Product Description

Bullet One Tells Customers Why To Buy This

Bullet Two Tells Customers Another Reason

Bullet Three Gives Customers More Information

Bullet Four Is Your Last Information Option

24.99


Uploading Non-Warehoused Items If you have a large number of non-True Value items to input, the Upload Product List option will be a time-saver. Similar to the upload option for warehoused items, the custom option allows you to enter your product information into an Excel spreadsheet, save it, and then upload the data in one step to create up to 100 signs at a time.

From the SKU input screen, click the Upload Product List tab.

On the Upload Product List, you will see an example of the spreadsheet needed to upload custom signs. Since the spreadsheet has quite a few more columns than the one we use for warehoused items, we have given you a link to be able to download a blank spreadsheet file with your header row already filled in. When you click the link, save the file to your computer (it will download with the name Example Layout). To assist you in adding information, there will be one row which has been filled out for you so you can see which information goes where. Feel free to delete this row.


This is a cleaner version of the example data. A few notes on product information for custom items – while you might not see the advantage of creating these signs in spreadsheet form for uploading, there is a monetary value placed on the information collected based on number of employee hours necessary for collection and input. By creating these spreadsheets, you can go back to update pricing and reprint instead of having to start from scratch and/or retype. Create your spreadsheets based on seasons, collections or categories, and then save them to your computer so the information asset is stored.

Also, remember that each template has a different requirement for data. The spreadsheet gives you the option for eight bullet points – we recommend no more than four unless they are quite short in which case five may be acceptable. If you plan to use the sheets for DTV templates as well as Sale templates, fill the sheet out entirely. If the column is not used on the sign, the field on the sign will be blank. Blank fields will not cause an error.

Just like when uploading any SKU list, save the file to your computer.

Click the Select button and navigate to wherever you saved your Excel spreadsheet. Once selected, click the Upload Lists button.

Your sheet will upload and you will be taken to the Edit SKUs tab.

Nursery_Signs.xls


Upload Images via Custom Images If you are making signs and need to enter a custom image, you enter both within the template. You will need to use the SKU you plan to use to make your signs as a name for your picture. For example, if your store SKU for an item is 145-8796 you will name your picture 145-8796.jpg. Picture file types accepted are GIF, JPG, JPEG, TIF, EPS and PDF.

1. Once you have selected your template, click the Custom Images tab from within the working window.

2. Click the Select button

3. A navigation window will open. Navigate to where you have the picture saved on your computer. Once selected, click the Open button.

4. If you need more than one picture added, click the Add button to open up another line, and then repeat steps two and three.

5. Once all your picture files are listed, click the Upload Images button.

6. Once uploaded you can select the Next Step button to move onto the Form Filling screen.


Editing Signs Most of the sign templates on SignMaker2 can be edited for description, manufacturer, price and bullet copy. To do this you will need to have products selected and added to your queue, then click the Edit Skus tab.

Pick the item you want to change then click the Edit link on the far left of the work area.

The information available to change depends upon the sign template selected. Please see Template Specific Instructions for details.


Form Filling The Form Filling screen is a space to finalize the signs being printed. Depending upon the template, you may need to make selections of information to include on the signs, enter a sale end date, whether to show a

dollar sign or not, add a picture logo file or any number of options.

Sign Options When you reach this page, if there are Form Filling options available for the specific template you are working with, you will see them in the area outlined by a green box in the picture above. Once your Form Filling options are completed, press the Update button to confirm the signs will be updated.

PDF Preview – The Printing Shortcut To verify your signs are accurate, you can click the PDF Preview button. This will open a window with the PRINTABLE FILE for your signs. You can print from this file and save it as a PDF to your computer for easier reprinting. If you want to save your signs within the SignMaker2 program, you will need to go through the Add to Cart/Checkout procedure to store the file within your orders. There is no charge for signs printed in store.


Saving and Printing Your Signs There are two ways to save your files so you can reprint easily. You can save them within the Signmaker2 system or save them to your computer. The sign files are saved as PDFs and as such, cannot be revised.

Please note: While the buttons say checkout and shopping cart, this does not mean your store will be charged for the signs you are creating. The print-on-demand program must be selected purposely from the Main Page and requires credit card information. The order process when printing in store includes these buttons as is required by the programming language.

The checkout procedure is NOT REQUIRED to simply print signs. You can print from the PDF Preview button on the Form Filling page.

Saving to the SignMaker2 System Saving your signs within the SignMaker2 system gives you easy access to reprint and long term, web-based storage. To save them within the SignMaker2 system, from the Form Filling page select the ADD TO CART button.

Once the screen brings you to your shopping cart, click the PLACE ORDER button to continue.

Your new signs will show at the top of your order history. When the screen first loads, the Status Column will show the order as In Process. You can refresh the browser page to see if that status has been moved to Completed.


Printing Your Saved Signs within the Signmaker2 System Once completed, select the link under the Items column to access the print files via the Download Output page.

There will be two links on the Download Output screen. The first link (the one without the word Proof in the name) is the actual file to print on your paper stock.

To print, select the correct link. A new window will open with your PDF file. If the window doesn’t open and/or you see a yellow error bar at the top of your screen, you may need to adjust your Pop-Up Blocker settings to allow pop-ups from www.myforsite.com.

Saving to Your Computer As the files created in SignMaker2 are PDF files, they can be saved directly from the PDF Preview file. Saving your signs on your computer instead of within the SignMaker2 system gives you easy access to reprint without the need to be online.

If your browser shows the Adobe PDF document pane between the image of your signs and your browser menus, simply click the small disk icon to begin the Save As process.

If you do not see these bars, click the File menu on your browser menu, then the Save As option. You can now save your file as a PDF to your computer for easy, offline printing.

These PDF files can be printed using your Adobe Reader print button or the Print option in your menu.

http://www.myforsite.com/


For Best Results When printing in store, we highly recommend using a color laser printer. With advances in technology, printers have dramatically dropped in price.

Alignment Issues SignMaker2 was created to print files as PDFs. This allows much more control from a system perspective on the alignment of the printed copy. If you run into an alignment issue, especially with our smaller signs, please double check you have turned off your page-scaling option.

When printing, a dialogue box will appear which allows you to select which printer to send the document to, what tray the paper should come from and many other options. One such option is Page Scaling or Handling. You need to be sure the file is set to print Actual Size or with None selected from the Page Scaling drop-down box. Below are two examples of print dialogue boxes with the correct option selected.

If you have any questions on Page Scaling, please contact the Help Desk or the SignMaker2 Admin for assistance with your particular system.

Print on Demand To have your signs printed by Darwill, you will need to select the Show All Outside Print & Ship Signs from the Templates Box before you begin inputting your SKUs. Not all templates are available to be printed outside. Please see Specific Template Instructions for details.

Follow the Basic Instructions to input the signs information you want printed. Once you have completed Entering SKUs, Editing and Form Filling steps, add signs to your Shopping Cart.



Click the Proceed to Checkout button to continue.

Select your shipping address from the drop down menu (if different than your default address shown on the screen) and select the shipping option that fits your timeline. If no address is stored, you will need to manually enter a shipping address for your order.

All orders placed by 9:00 a.m. (CST) on Monday will SHIP on Wednesday via UPS from the Chicago area.


Input your billing address and method of payment. The credit card processing is not handled through the True Value but by our printing partner, Darwill.

To complete order, click Place Order button.


TEMPLATE SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS Most templates use the standard SKU input, Upload and Search criteria for creating signs. Please see the Basic Instructions section for instructions on how to create signs. These instructions contain template specific details broken down by sign category.

Bin Cards Bin Cards give Retailers a way to own their small-item signage instead of relying on manufacturers. While these small signs are almost exactly the same size as the DTV 9Up, their format is entirely unique. These cards are made for items that fall within the categories where Bin Card POP Kits have been created.

If you believe a category would benefit from being included in the Bin Card program, please contact your Product Merchant to request they initiate a POP Kit.

Basic Template Guidelines Full Database Access: No, restricted SKUs based on POP kits Print Outside Available: Yes Non-Warehouse Items Allowed: Yes Logo Field: No Extra Information: This template uses Bin Labels to show product price.

Additional Notes

Non-Warehouse Item Instructions Due to the format of the data necessary to recreate these cards, the custom product fields are different than what you will see with any other template. To help you determine which field populates which area on the card, we have created a bin card for a custom item using the field titles for the product information. There is NO Custom Upload option available for this template due to the data format which pulls from two separate sources.


Collections – Faucet Cards Faucet Cards give your faucet displays a more polished look than our standard DTV style signs. These cards are created to match the item groupings found in the various National Assortments available.

Basic Template Guidelines Full Database Access: No, restricted SKUs based on faucet sets Print Outside Available: Yes Non-Warehouse Items Allowed: No Logo Field: No Extra Information: Faucet Cards should be printed on our blank stock (132459 4Up Blank Paper or 674012 4Up Blank Adhesive label)

Additional Notes

Searching by National Set To filter the SKU list for items included in the National Assortment, simply check the box under the correct size set, click the filter button and select EqualTo. The SKUs not in the National Assortment will be removed, making it easier to locate items based on assortment.

Print Outside These signs should be printed in full color on our blank sign stock. If you do not have a color printer available, consider printing them through our SignMaker2 partner, Darwill. A professionally printed set of cards for a standard 16’ National Faucet Set will cost you under $20 with shipping.

Sign Holder An adhesive-backed, clear sign holder is available for mounting your paper Faucet Cards to your faucet pods. The SKU is 127412 and they are sold in packs of 25.


Collections – American with Disabilities Act (ADA) Sign The ADA Act sign was developed to give our Retailers a way to inform their customers that store personnel are available should they need assistance pursuant to the American Disabilities Act of 1990. Per our Point of Purchase (POP) installation instructions:

In compliance with the American Disability Act (ADA) guidelines for any Point of Purchase (POP) displays that invite customer interaction such as coupon dispensers or signs with Quick Response (QR) codes printed on them, signs must be mounted no higher than 46" above the floor and no further than 24" from the edge of the aisle. Retailers should review these guideline standards and consult with their legal counsel as needed.

We encourage you to let customers know your employees are available to assist them should interactive displays be out of their reach.

Basic Template Guidelines Full Database Access: No, not a product sign Print Outside Available: No Non-Warehouse Items Allowed: No Logo Field: No Extra Information: The ADA template does not have an input screen – once selected, you will go directly to the Form Filling screen. This sign is printed on our 2Up blank stock – SKU 612152.

Additional Notes

Sign Holders There are a couple different sign holder options for the 2Up signs (5-1/2” x 7”). If you would like to order something to display and protect your ADA signs, please select from one of the following and order through your RDC.

SKU 525813 – Clear Price Channel Sign Holder For mounting signs on shelf channels or slat wall.

SKU 782746 – Clear Acrylic Slant Back Sign Holder For placing signs on a horizontal surface such as a table or shelf.

SKU 782724 – Clear Acrylic Open Top Sign Holder For placing signs on a horizontal surface such as a table or shelf.


Collections – Always Priced Right The Always Priced Right program has sometimes also been called the Highly Visible SKU program and the Everyday Low Price program. The only SKUs available when making these signs are the ones in the Always Priced Right program as decided by the True Value Pricing Team.

Basic Template Guidelines Full Database Access: No, restricted SKU list set by Pricing Team Print Outside Available: Yes Non-Warehouse Items Allowed: No Logo Field: No Extra Information: The stock for this sign is SKU 123362


Collections – BadgeMaker 12Up & 20Up The BadgeMaker program allows stores to make professional looking name badges quickly and easily.

Basic Template Guidelines Full Database Access: No, not a product sign Print Outside Available: No Non-Warehouse Items Allowed: No Logo Field: No Extra Information: The BadgeMaker templates do not have an input screen – once selected, you will go directly to the Form Filling screen where you will be able to input a name and determine if you would like a tagline to print.

Additional Notes

Form Filling Options All BadgeMaker tags are 100% custom. They have their own set of instructions for creation.

The Form Filling screen is where you will enter all your information to create a label. Each label on the page has their own section to fill in, differentiated by the Left/Right # headers on the field titles (ex. Left Tagline 1 for tag #1). The fields are as follows:

Tagline 1 – This gives you the option to place the True Value tagline “Start Right. Start Here.” on the individual name badge.

Name 1 – Employee’s name. There is a limited space and the font will shrink to fit until that space is reached.

Title 1 – Space for title of employee if you so desire to list on the badge. Not available on small tags (20Up).


Paper Stock The BadgeMaker template prints on the BadgeMaker insert stock sheets specified in the Basic Template Guidelines. These SKUs are only for replacement stock sheets – the full kit needed for making badges must be ordered first.

SKU 747065 True Value Large Name Badge Kit Contains: (20) 1½” x 2¾” Steel Plates with True Value Logo (20) Protective Lens Covers (10) Durable Pin Fasteners (20) Extra Strength Magnet Fasteners (5) Insert Stock Sheets (20 Inserts per Sheet) SKU 747103 True Value Medium Name Badge Kit Contains: (20) 1” x 3” Steel Plates with True Value Logo (20) Protective Lens Covers (10) Durable Pin Fasteners (20) Extra Strength Magnet Fasteners (5) Insert Stock Sheets (20 Inserts per Sheet) - All insert sheets are inkjet and laser printer compatible. For additional kits, replacement badge components and the name-badge stock listing, please see Appendix B.


Collections – Cabinet Hardware The Cabinet Hardware Stickers offer Retailers a way to re-price their Cabinet Hardware display boards without waiting for a vendor to provide labels.

Basic Template Guidelines Full Database Access: No, cabinet hardware SKUs only Print Outside Available: No Non-Warehouse Items Allowed: No Logo Field: No Extra Information: See Additional Notes

Additional Notes

Stock There are two stock items in warehouse for these stickers. The first, SKU 169414, is for use with laser printers only. The second, SKU 170867, is for use with inkjet printers only. These stickers are not interchangeable as the ink will not stick to the label if used in the wrong type of printer, causing smearing and ink flaking

Location Code There is an option in the Form Filling page of the program that allows you to turn off the location code. The location code is shown in the example under Basic Template Guidelines – it is the number within the parenthesis following the SKU. As cabinet hardware is organized by board and location on the board, this option offers an easy way for stores to place the label with the correct item.

Board Designation To the left of each sticker, you will see the board designation. This text is written vertically and falls in an area that will not be seen once the label is pulled off the backing and applied to the board. This is simply a way to help you locate the correct label for the SKU.


Collections – Locksets The Lockset Labels offer Retailers a way to re-price their Lockset display boards without waiting for a vendor to provide labels.

Basic Template Guidelines Full Database Access: No, lockset SKUs only Print Outside Available: No Non-Warehouse Items Allowed: No Logo Field: No Extra Information: See Additional Notes

Additional Notes

SKU Format Because the lockset category has multiple locations for individual SKUs, the individual item SKUs are formatted with their board and location code to differentiate them. If you know the SKU you are looking for but not the board or location, simply enter the SKU in the search field then filter to either StartsWith or Contains and the program will pull up all the different locations for that SKU.

Stock There are two stock items in warehouse for these stickers. The first, SKU 169414, is for use with laser printers only. The second, SKU 170867, is for use with inkjet printers only. These stickers are not interchangeable as the ink will not stick to the label if used in the wrong type of printer, causing smearing and ink flaking.

Location Code There is an option in the Form Filling page of the program that allows you to turn off the location code. The location code is shown in the example under Basic Template Guidelines – it is the number within the parenthesis following the SKU. As locksets are organized by board and location on the board, this option offers an easy way for stores to place the label with the correct item.

Board Designation To the left of each sticker, you will see the board designation. This text is written vertically and falls in an area that will not be seen once the label is pulled off the backing and applied to the board. This is simply a way to help you locate the correct label for the SKU.


Collections – Power Tool Cards The Power Tool Cards offer Retailers a way to re-price their Power Tool displays with a sign that has a space marked for a price sticker instead of a retail printed on the sign. These signs mimic the ones originally included in the Power Tool POP Kits. The Power Tool Cards are formatted for a specific POP program.

Basic Template Guidelines Full Database Access: No, power tool SKUs only Print Outside Available: No Non-Warehouse Items Allowed: No Logo Field: No Extra Information: Printed on DTV 4Up stock (SKU 325685)

Additional Notes

Comparing Power Tool Cards to DTV 4UP The Power Tool Card template was created to offer all Retailers, even those not paying to be a part of the SignMaker2 program, to recreate the signs originally provided in the Power Tool assortments. The signs are formatted in the old style, leading with the Vendor name instead of the product description. There is also no retail price on the signs. Power Tool Cards and DTV 4Up are the exact same size so you can choose to print whichever sign you prefer for your set.


Custom Sale Template The Custom Sign Template offer Retailers a chance to truly personalize events within their store. This sign offers a custom headline color bar and custom headline text along with a logo field so you can customize your signage to your ad or your community.

There are three sizes available for this sign – 1Up, 2Up and 4Up. These instructions work for any of the three.

Basic Template Guidelines Full Database Access: Yes Print Outside Available: Yes, but not with product picture Non-Warehouse Items Allowed: Yes Logo Field: Yes Extra Information: Printed on blank stock

Additional Notes

Template Options The Custom Template offers you the option to print signs with or without product pictures. Select the correct template for the signs you wish to create.


Form Filling Options

Header Customization The Form Filling page is where you will find the option to customize your headline. There are two choices for headline customization – text and color.

Headline Text We recommend that your headline be short and sweet. An example of this is the True Value Sale Signs where the headline simply says “SALE.”

Not only is this direct and to the point, it allows your text to be larger than if you used more words. Keep in mind, the more text you use, the smaller your font will be.

We encourage you to experiment with the text to see your layout options and select what ideally will be most impactful. To experiment, simply enter the text and hit UPDATE which will allow you to see your layout options.

Headline Background Color There are 11 options for headline background color. These options are listed in the drop down box. Simply click the button to access the list and select the color you require.

A note on colors –Due to inconsistencies in color profiles, monitor settings and individual printers, the colors you see on your screen may and probably will differ from what is printed.

Below is an illustration of this where a pink headline background color was selected, but the on-screen visual appears purple in color.

The settings of your printer will ultimately decide the actual color to print. To help you see the color options available, below is a color bar of the actual colors that will be printed. For reference, you can print this page

with the color bars for future reference.


Sale End Date At the bottom of these signs is a section to note when the sale ends. You will need to input a date or else “Sale Ends” will print on the sign with no date specified. The preferred format for this field would be the six-digit date (i.e. mm/dd/yy or 09/01/14 for an end date of September 1, 2014).

Logo Field The logo field is an area on the bottom left side of the sign where a picture file can be inserted. The field was originally designed as a space for a branded store to use their company logo to personalize their signage. Retailers have creatively used the picture field to insert the picture of a circle of color to help pull sale signs down on the right timeline, to place a community event logo to attract local sales and for many other types of customization.

When looking for pictures to insert or if you are designing a store logo, please note the size and shape of the logo field.

Pictures for the Logo Field can be uploaded and stored in your Image Library. Please see the My Library section for instructions.

Paper Stock Currently there is no 8½” x 11” plain white stock paper in warehouse. The white paper we use to print all our stock on is a specific brand and color only available to professional printers. If you are looking for something similar, please look for 100 pound (100#) paper at your local office supply center. Blank 2Up stock is SKU 612152; blank 4Up stock is SKU 132459.

Template Width Height

1Up 3.33” 0.84”

2Up 3.00” 0.75”

4Up 1.47” 0.375”


DTV Informational Signs Our DTV signs give you the ability to provide your customers with information on the product, a picture and a price all in one sign. These signs are not only used in DTV stores, they are just called DTV due to the color and font matching our current DTV format. Adding sale price is no longer an option on DTV signs.

Basic Template Guidelines Full Database Access: Yes Print Outside Available: Yes Non-Warehouse Items Allowed: Yes Logo Field: No Extra Information: See additional notes

Additional Notes

9Up Options The 9Up DTV paper has two options – one for Retailers with paper stock which has the DTV logo in the upper left corner in the red header bar, and one for the paper without the logo. Please select the correct template for the paper you have in your store.


DTV Stock options There are currently six sizes of DTV signs on two different types of substrate.

Paper Stock 325764 – 1Up Vertical - 8½” x 11” 325735 – 1Up Horizontal - 11” x 8½” 325636 – 1Up Horizontal - 11” x 7” 325723 – 2Up - 7” x 5½” 325685 – 4Up - 5½” x 3½” 325673 – 9Up - 2⅞” x 3⅝”

Weatherproof Paper Our weatherproof paper is designed to be used outdoors or in any location where a sign could be affected by water, heat or sunlight. Weatherproof signs posted outdoors can usually last for about six months before needing to be reprinted (longer in areas with more temperate weather). To make a weatherproof sign, simply use the template in SignMaker2 for the correct size but load the weatherproof paper into your LASER printer (inkjet printers cannot be used with weatherproof paper).

114677 – 1Up Horizontal Weatherproof – 11” x 8½” 114712 – 2Up Weatherproof - 7” x 5½”


Home and Garden Showplace The Home and Garden Showplace signs are only available to those stores registered as H&GS stores with True Value. They offer four templates that fit the one SKU of stock program with the H&GS design.

Basic Template Guidelines Full Database Access: Yes Print Outside Available: No Non-Warehouse Items Allowed: Yes Logo Field: No Extra Information: H&GS stock is weatherproof – there is no paper option

Additional Notes

Four Templates, One Paper The H&GS sign was designed to accommodate four separate template options on one stock paper. Please select the correct template for the options you prefer. The options are regular price sign without picture, regular price sign with picture, sale price sign without picture, and sale price sign with picture.


Marketing Ad – Promo Sale In an effort to support our Retailers and our National Ad campaigns, we have developed the Marketing-Ad template. This template is the same style as the signs included in your monthly sale packets. Please note – these signs are meant to be printed on our 4Up blank stock rather than on any pre-printed stock that comes with your National Ad kits.

Basic Template Guidelines Full Database Access: Yes Print Outside Available: No Non-Warehouse Items Allowed: Yes Logo Field: No Extra Information: Must be printed on a color printer as the signs are printed on blank stock (4Up SKU 132459)


Marketing – Shop and Compare Our Shop and Compare sign is a way to show your customers how your pricing on specific items compares to local competition.

Basic Template Guidelines Full Database Access: No, does not pull product info from database Print Outside Available: No Non-Warehouse Items Allowed: NA Logo Field: No Extra Information: The Shop and Compare template does not have an input screen – once selected, you will go directly to the Form Filling screen

Additional Notes

Form Filling Options The Shop and Compare sign is 100% custom. Is has its own set of instructions for creation.

The Form Filling screen is where you will enter all your information to create a sign. All fields starting with TV are for the True Value product while the fields starting with Competitor are for the comparison item. The fields are as follows:


Choose Background – There are four colors available to represent the Competitor you are comparing against without actually using their name. The colors are Blue, Red, Green and Orange. If there are additional colors needed for more localized competition, please contact the SignMaker2 Admin.

TV/Competitor Manufacturer – The product’s brand name

TV/Competitor Item Desc – Description of the product

TV/Competitor Price Dollars – The field to enter the dollar price (Example: For a product priced at $19.99, 19 would be entered in this field.)

TV/Competitor Price Cents – The field to enter the cents price (Example: For a product priced at $19.99, 99 would be entered in this field)

TV SKU – Item SKU. No information will be pulled from the database for this item so it can be your store SKU if comparing items not stocked in the True Value warehouse system.

Shopped on Date – This field is used to indicate the date the comparison shop was completed. There is legal copy on the bottom of the sign which reference this date. DO NOT print this sign without an accurate Shop Date listed.

Paper Stock Currently, we do not house 8½” x 11” plain white stock paper in our warehouse. The white paper we use to print all our stock on is a specific brand and color only available to professional printers. If you are looking for something similar, please look for 100 pound (100#) paper at your local office supply center.

mailto:[email protected]?subject=Competitor%20Color%20Request


Marketing Ad – SuperBuy! In an effort to support our Retailers and our National Ad campaigns, we have developed the Marketing-SuperBuy! template. This template is the same style as the signs included in your monthly sale packets.

Basic Template Guidelines Full Database Access: Yes Print Outside Available: No Non-Warehouse Items Allowed: Yes Logo Field: No Extra Information: See additional notes

Additional Notes

Form Filling Options On the Form Filling page, there is the option to print the header or not. In your monthly national ad kits, pre-printed stock is included for SuperBuy! items. If you choose to print on this stock, select the None option. If you choose to print on fully blank paper, select the Print option.

Paper Stock Currently, we do not house 8½” x 11” plain white stock paper in our warehouse. The white paper we use to print all our stock on is a specific brand and color only available to professional printers. If you are looking for something similar, please look for 100 pound (100#) paper at your local office supply center.

This sign can also be printed on any SuperBuy! pre-printed sign stock included in your National Ad kits.


Programs – Great Values Our Great Values program helps maximize your main power-aisle and drive sales by encouraging impulse buys. This sign template offers in-aisle support for the program to coordinate with the endcaps the program is known for.

Basic Template Guidelines Full Database Access: Yes Print Outside Available: Yes Non-Warehouse Items Allowed: Yes Logo Field: No Extra Information: See additional notes

Additional Notes

Template Options There are two sizes for the Great Values template, 2Up and 4Up.


Programs – Greener Options Our Greener Options program was started in response to consumer demand for a larger assortment of environmentally friendly products. This sign template is a way to price and sign your Greener Options products in a manner compatible with the Greener Options in-store signage options available in warehouse (see additional notes for product listing).

Basic Template Guidelines Full Database Access: No, restricted SKU template Print Outside Available: Yes Non-Warehouse Items Allowed: No Logo Field: No Extra Information: See additional notes

Additional Notes

SKU Availability There are legal requirements that must be met for a product to be considered for the Greener Options program. In compliance, only items officially designated as a Greener Option can be used on this template. The signs cannot be edited except for price due to this same reason.

In-Store Signage Available Item # Description Member Cost 331374 22” x 28” Greeter Sign $9.05 331473 Counter Top Sign $5.77 331345 End Cap Signage $8.50 331386 10 Pk. Shelf/Peg Signage $8.30

290726 Greener Options Reusable Bag $0.58 $0.99SR


Promotions – Sale Nothing is more effective to drive sales than to let your customers know how much they are saving, particularly for a limited time. That is why our sale signs list the sale price along with the original retail price and the savings, to encourage that “impulse” buy. These signs have the exact same format as the Custom Signs available, though the stock is pre-printed with a red headline.

Basic Template Guidelines Full Database Access: Yes Print Outside Available: Yes but not with product pic Non-Warehouse Items Allowed: Yes Logo Field: Yes Extra Information: See additional notes

Please note – the 15Up Sale Sign has a slightly different format due to size constraints. There is no Logo Field or Sale End date, nor is there a ‘Save’ calculation.

Additional Notes

Template Options The Custom Template offers you the option to print signs with or without product pictures. Select the correct template for the signs you wish to create.


Sale End Date At the bottom of these signs is a section to note when the sale ends. You will need to input a date or else “Sale Ends” will print on the sign with no date specified. The preferred format for this field would be the six-digit date (i.e. mm/dd/yy or 09/01/13 for an end date of September 1, 2013). Not available on 15Up.


Logo Field The logo field is an area on the bottom left side of the sign where a picture file can be inserted. The field was originally designed as a space for a branded store to use their company logo to personalize their signage. Retailers have creatively used the picture field to insert the picture of a circle of color to help pull sale signs down on the right timeline, to place a community event logo to drive local sales and other types of customization.

When looking for pictures to insert or if you are designing a store logo, please note the size and shape of the logo field. Pictures for the Logo Field can be uploaded and stored in your Image Library. Please see the My Library section for instructions. This field is not available on the 15Up.

Sale Stock options There are currently five sizes of DTV signs on two different types of substrate.

Paper Stock 134747 – 1Up - 11” x 8½” 134812 – 2Up - 7” x 5½” 134752 – 4Up - 5½” x 3½” 134748 – 6Up - 2⅝” x 3¾” 134749 – 15Up - 2⅞” x 2⅛”

Weatherproof Paper Our weatherproof paper is designed to be used outdoors or in any location where a sign could be affected by water, heat or sunlight. Weatherproof signs posted outdoors can usually last approximately six months before needing to be reprinted. To make a weatherproof sign, simply use the template in SignMaker2 for the correct size but load the weatherproof paper into your LASER printer (inkjet printers cannot be used with weatherproof paper).

137883 – 1Up Horizontal Weatherproof – 11” x 8½” 137887 – 2Up Weatherproof - 7” x 5½”

Template Width Height

1Up 3.33” 0.84”

2Up 3.00” 0.75”

4Up 1.47” 0.375”


Promotions – Clearance The Clearance sign template will continue to be available within the SignMaker2 program, although the stock has been discontinued due to style and font incompatibility with the new True Value brand requirements. This will allow Retailers to use up their existing stock.

Basic Template Guidelines Full Database Access: Yes Print Outside Available: Yes Non-Warehouse Items Allowed: Yes Logo Field: No Extra Information: Discontinued sign stock

Promotions – Manager’s Special The Manager’s Special sign template will continue to be available with the SignMaker2 program, although the stock has been discontinued due to style and font incompatibility with the new True Value brand requirements. This will allow Retailers to use up their existing stock.

Basic Template Guidelines Full Database Access: Yes Print Outside Available: Yes Non-Warehouse Items Allowed: Yes Logo Field: No Extra Information: Discontinued sign stock


Rental Templates All three rental brands are available within the SignMaker2 program. Though the sign format is the same for each, separate templates are needed to accommodate the different logo sizes for each brand. These signs are 100% custom, meaning they will not pull information from the SignMaker2 database.

Basic Template Guidelines Full Database Access: No, no database access Print Outside Available: Yes Non-Warehouse Items Allowed: Yes Logo Field: No Extra Information: Three brands available

Additional Notes


All rental signs are 100% custom. They have their own set of instructions for creation.

The Form Filling screen is where you will enter all your information to create a sign. Each sign on the page has their own section to fill in, differentiated by the p## on the field titles (ex p01_Item for sign #1). The fields are as follows:


Item – This is meant to be the title of the product. For the example signs, this is “Generac 65000W Portable Generator”.

Bullet 1 – List the most important selling feature of the product.

Bullet 2 – List the second most important selling feature. If none, leave the space blank.

Bullet 3 – List the third most important selling feature. If none, leave the space blank.

Image – An upgrade in SignMaker2 was the added ability to add your own picture to the Rental signs. See the instructions in the My Library section for how to upload your pictures. Since there is no SKU associated with the Rental templates, you can name your files however you wish.

There are five rate fields on each Rental sign – Minimum, Hourly, Daily, Weekend and Weekday. Our recommendation on these fields is to keep them as whole numbers (5 vs. 4.99). A currency indicator will automatically populate the sign.

Completed Sign Examples To help you understand the look of the signs we offer with these Rental templates, here are examples of each brand with the same product.

Rental Stock Options

338723 - 2Up Just Ask 338681 – 4Up Just Ask 576964 – 2Up Grand Station 576923 – 4Up Grand Station 577759 – 2Up Taylor 577130 – 4Up Taylor


True Value Rewards Program The True Value Rewards templates can be used to call out those items that have a special Rewards Customer price. There are two formats available for the True Value Rewards program due to a program rebranding in early 2014. Please select the correct template based on your paper stock.

Basic Template Guidelines 2014 Style

Full Database Access: Yes Print Outside Available: Yes Non-Warehouse Items Allowed: Yes Logo Field: No Extra Information: 2014 redesign

Pre-2014 Style Full Database Access: Yes Print Outside Available: Yes Non-Warehouse Items Allowed: Yes Logo Field: No Extra Information: Paper stock in this design was removed from Central Ship in April of 2014.


APPENDIX A – FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Below is a list of answers to our Retailers frequently asked questions. These questions and answers are updated and refreshed frequently.

Q. The original SignMaker program had no link to current pricing information. Is SignMaker2 different? A. Yes, with SignMaker2 live variable pricing information is available, allowing you to customize signs with your store specific prices.

Q. What will the new SignMaker2 customization options allow me to do? A. You can now upload and insert product images, your logo and choose different colored headlines on various signs. The original SignMaker program was limited as it only offered images available for items in the True Value Warehouse system. Now, you can easily upload any image, product shots, logos and more.

Q. Will I still be able to print in-store? A. Absolutely. In-store printing is essential for our Retailers. Whenever you log into the SignMaker2, the system defaults to the “Show All Print In Store Signs” option so you can automatically print your signs in-store. There is no fee for printing in-store.

If you did choose to have your signs printed by our professional printing partner, Darwill, you would first need to select the “Show all Outside Print and Ship Signs” and then enter a credit card. There is no way to accidentally charge your store for an order.

Q. What would be the benefit of using the Outside Print and Ship service? A. Outside Print and Ship provides Retailers an inexpensive and easy way to have their signs printed professionally and sent directly to the store. This professional printing service always has the stock available for any sign you need. It also provides superior printing with perfect color matches. Essentially it alleviates the burden of having stock on hand or running out of ink, saving you time and money.

Q. I've noticed that the SignMaker2 seems to be a bit slower than the original SignMaker program. I'm not sure if it is my computer or the new system. Could you explain? A. When the new system was being designed, it was in response to many Retailers' requests for greater flexibility and customization. Consequently, we built a more robust site so you are now able to have variable pricing, create signs that allow customization of signs with your specific logo and upload any product image you desire. Consequently, SignMaker2 requires a bit more processing time and a few more steps than the original SignMaker system. We believe that these benefits of variable prices, enhanced customization and flexibility outweigh the slight change in the speed of the program.

Q. In the original SignMaker system, Retailers were able to enter sale prices on the input screen which seemed faster than the method on SignMaker2. Is there any way to go back to the method we had used in the original system? A. We are working on updating the procedure for sale sign populating. While we are continually looking at the site creator for updates and options that could make entering sale prices faster, one method is to upload your sale prices through Excel. These instructions are explained in detail within the SignMaker2 User Guide.


Q. I like the idea of SignMaker2, but I have a non-True Value branded store or have built a brand identity outside of True Value. Can the system still work for me? A. Of course! The flexibility of the SignMaker2 site allows Affiliate Members, Multi-Store Members and any self-branded entity within the True Value family to take advantage of the program with individualization. While SignMaker2 has allowed for greater customization and flexibility for Retailers, there are additional resources available to you. From developing art for custom stock papers individualized with your brand to a fully personalized template grouping for your existing sign stock, our True Value Team can provide additional options for more in-depth customization. We are able to work within your budget and create the signage solutions that are just right for your business.

For more information on options and cost for a personalized system, please contact the SignMaker2 Admin Kristin Grimpe at [email protected] or 773-695-5878 for more information.

Q. I want to use the Signmaker2 system but want to print on a store-specific paper with different graphics. Can you help me with that? A. Yes! If you like the information and format of the DTV style sign but want a paper stock with your store colors and logo instead of the DTV-style red and brown, we can send you an art file for the paper which will call out the “live” (where the product information is printed) area of the sign to design around. From there, you can work with a local designer and printer to create the art and use the stock you prefer. All you need to do is contact the SignMaker2 Admin Kristin Grimpe at [email protected] or 773-695-5878 for more information.

Q. Is there training available? A. Yes! There is a full class consisting of six short modules. Search for SignMaker2 in the True Value University website for more details.

Q. How can we learn about updates and current program information? Every week we send out a News and Views article under the Did You Know section of the Merchandising Newsletter. All articles are also stored on MOL on the Merchandising and Product Info page for future reference.

Q. Who do I contact for more information? A. The True Value Help Desk is trained in the SignMaker2 system and willing to assist you if you run into a problem. If they can’t answer your questions, you can contact the SignMaker2 Admin Kristin Grimpe at [email protected] or 773-695-5878 for more information.

mailto:SignMaker2%20Administrator




APPENDIX B - SUPPLIES

Sign Stock Listing





Sign Holders



BadgeMaker Stock


APPENDIX C – EASY QUICK START GUIDE


APPENDIX D – AVAILABLE TEMPLATES

Full Listing Bin Cards – Template to duplicate signs currently included in the bin card POP kits Collections – Signs printable by Participating and Non-Participating Retailers

o Faucet Cards - Printable by SKU or by POG (8’, 12’, 16’ National Sets) o ADA Sign - A sign for areas with interactive displays that may or may not meet the

American with Disabilities Act guidelines o Always Priced Right Tags - Only SKUs on our Highly Visible list can print on these program-

specific signs o BadgeMaker Inserts o Cabinet Hardware Labels o Lockset labels o Power Tool Cards

Custom – Signs which can be customized using header color, header text and logo in lower left corner

DTV – All sizes of our DTV format signs. Stores do not need to be DTV style to utilize these signs, we simply use the DTV notation to indicate they meet the DTV color and style standard

Home and Garden Showcase – Signs developed and only available to our Home and Garden Showplace Retailers. There are four options, all printed on the same sign stock. Regular price with or without picture and sale price with or without picture.

Marketing Ad o Marketing Ad - For printing duplicates of the signs included in national ad packs o SuperBuy! – For printing duplicates of the SuperBuy! signs included in national ad packs o Shop & Compare – Use this sign to call out a price savings between your store and a local

competitor Programs

o Great Value o Greener Options – Only items on our Greener Options list can be printed on this sign

Promotions o Sale with picture o Sale without picture o Manager’s Special o Clearance

Rental – All signs completely customizable, allowing Retailers to input product details, pictures and hourly, daily and weekly pricing. All three brands are available in two sizes per brand.

TV Rewards – There are currently two TVR templates available, one for the pre-2014 paper (blue/red) and one for the 2014 Rebranded paper (tan/red)


Image Listing




APPENDIX E – BEYOND SIGNMAKER2 Beyond SignMaker 2 – Where the Product Information Comes From The product information you see on NetWarehouse comes directly from our vendors. As this is not necessarily customer-facing language, we have a team of experienced professional writers research the products and write copy that provide customers with the most compelling selling features of the product. Copy is written within True Value style guidelines for consistency and brand conformity.

If you ever try to make a sign and the product is not available, or if the information for the product is not accurate please contact the SignMaker2 Admin with the SKU number.

Beyond SignMaker 2 – Google Drive If you don’t have Excel and don’t want to invest in the program, you can still utilize the upload option by using the free spreadsheet creator within Google Drive.

To use Google Drive, sign into your Google account and select Drive from the menu bar. Once in Google Drive, select Create and then Spreadsheet. The instructions for entering information in Excel are the exact same for Google Drive spreadsheets. The only difference is you must

download the spreadsheet file to your computer so you can upload into SignMaker2.

Anyone with a Google account has access to Google Drive, which is a web-based program where you can create, edit

and download office documents such as spreadsheets.

To use Google Drive, sign into your Google account and select Drive from the menu bar. Once in Google Drive, select Create and then Spreadsheet. The instructions for entering information in Excel are the exact same for Google Drive spreadsheets. The only difference is you must download the spreadsheet file to your computer so you can upload into SignMaker2.

mailto:[email protected]?subject=Missing/Inaccurate%20SignMaker2%20Data


TIPS & TRICKS – Test Paper Direction When Printing To verify page direction when printing simply take a blank piece of regular copy paper and make a mark on the upper left-hand corner. Once the sign prints, you can match your stock to the paper direction and print again on the stock.

Due to the thickness of our stock, we recommend printing via the manual feed tray of your printer if available.


INDEX Alignment Issues, 30

Common Input Issues, 16

Duplicates, 16

Faucet Product Cards, 2

Form Filling, 27

Google Drive, 26

Help Desk, 3

Image Library, 11

Members Online, 4

Navigation Bar, 6

News & Views, 2

Non-Warehoused Items, 22

Entering a Single Item, 22

Product Pictures, 25

Uploading Items. See

PDF Preview, 27

Print on Demand, 32

Products Box, 6

Program Guide Bar, 6

Search, 19

Manufacturer, 20

Model and Description, 20

SKU, 19

Shopping Cart, 8

Template Folders, 6

Training, 3

Upload, 17

Common Upload Issues, 17

Duplicates, 18

Verifying Your Upload, 18

User Guide, 7

Variable Pricing, 1

SignMaker 2 User Guide Value...o SuperBuy! o Shop and Compare • Home & Garden Participants pay only $15 per month to take advantage of the complete array of signs available. There

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