Document Parameters - Document Design Manager

In addition to the design features accessible from the document mask there are various parameter screens, thirteen in all for the Sales Statements (17 for Purchase), which can be used to configure the printed output and the processing of the document.When you select Parameters we automatically display the first of these parameter screens. You can navigate between the parameter screens by using the options available at the bottom of the parameter screen.

The PREVIOUS button, available on all bar the first parameter screen, takes you to the previous parameter screen. The NEXT button, available on all bar the last parameter screen, takes you to the next parameter screen. The OK and CLOSE buttons both return you to the document mask.

The ACTION pull-down lists the parameter screens available allowing you to go directly to the required screen if desired.

In addition to the buttons you can navigate between pages by use of the <Page-Up> and <Page-Down> keys. The <End> key will also take you to the next page and the <ESC> key will return you to the document mask. Note that once you have changed the value of an item then the value is updated to the definition – if you want to reset it you must either change it back or exit from the document design without saving.

Screen 1 - General Statement Parameters 1

Which Printer Control Set

Select the printer profile that you wish to use when printing this document layout. A help bubble at the bottom of the screen gives the available styles.

Single Sheet Stationery (Pause Each Time)

Selecting this option causes the printer to stop at the end of each page to give the operator time to insert another sheet of paper. Leaving blank assumes automatic feeding.

Number of Lines down on Statement

Reports take the ‘page size’ settings from the print profile or the printer; however these settings are defined separately for the document. Note that although you can size the document to a maximum of 132 lines to match the page length of the stationery you are using, you can only configure the print of detail up to 66 lines.

Width of Each Line

Key in the number of characters of the document width – max is 136 characters although you can only design up to 128 characters. If using direct windows print then the more characters across the page the smaller the print (in essence other print methods follow the same guideline but require ASCII codes to set the font size as well).

Line where transaction details start / end

These parameters refer to where the first and last lines on the document between which the statement details are printed.

Save Statements to F10 for later enquiry (Diamond and Premier only)

This refers to whether, when you print the document, a copy is to be saved into the document history available on the sales/purchase ledger enquiry. Enter ‘S’ if the document is to be saved.

Include Forward Posted Transactions

In most cases you will print statements before the end of a period. Although you may have posted some payments, and even raised some invoices in the few days for the next period, you may not want to include these when printing the statement. If left blank forward transactions are not included.

Print Retained Transactions

If leave blank then current transactions are reported – current being transactions entered during the period and those that were outstanding at the start of the period.If set then the full account history (or as much of it as set to retain in the system profiles) is printed. This option only applies to ‘open-item’ type accounts.

Eligible Accounts

When printing the statement the system asks you for the accounts that you wish to print for – All accounts, a List of specified accounts, a Range of Accounts or Selective accounts. Enter A L R or S for the default accounts to print (can amend at run-time as required).

Open Item Type Statements

An open-item type statement does not normally give a running balance, it shows the value of each transaction, and the balance outstanding on each invoice. This option is usually set.

Print Running Balance on Open-Item Statement

Set to allow the ‘balance’ item to print as a running balance, like the final column on a bank statement, rather than the outstanding value of each transaction.

Skip a line after Balance B/F message

If not set to print an open-item type statement, i.e. all accounts are set as ‘balance brought-forward’, then a balance b/f value is printed at the start of the statement.Set to leave a blank line between this value and the start of the transaction detail.

Aged Analysis on Due-Date

When left blank, transactions are aged by the transaction dates entered, if set then they are aged on the due date of the transaction.

Flag Account with Date Statement Printed (excluding Compact)

Setting this option saves the statement date back to the account record for enquiry. Note, if set for this option the system requires an exclusive lock on the ledger files to print a statement.

Acc Stm Flag (S/L only)

Up to five statement date fields can be maintain on the customer accounts file. If configured this option controls which date, of the five, is updated. These five dates are in addition to the generic statement date item above.

Pre-set Criteria (excluding Compact)

Setting this option allows you to pre-define selection criteria for the accounts to be processed.Note that this option only applies if you set ‘Eligible Accounts’ parameter at run-time to ‘Search Criteria Screen’.

Maintain Account Page No on this Print Run (excluding Compact)

This feature allows you to number statement pages consecutively for each customer. So today, for example, you might be printing the 42^nd statement page for customer BAL001 and the 65^th page for customer WAL001. If set then the system requires an exclusive lock on the ledger files when printing the statement.

Print the Statement Page No on line/column (excluding Compact)

Here you can define were on the statement layout the page number is to print (can define up to two places). It is more usual to define the printing position from the document mask using the category ‘Statement Headings’.

Sorted Statements on (Diamond and Premier only)

Ascending / Descending (Diamond and Premier only)

Statements are usually printed in account code order but this option allows you to specify a different order by defining a sorting sequence. Enter the item number, <F4-Select> available if required, of the data items of the sort.

Normally you would print in ascending order (set to A) but you can print in descending order also (set to D)

Clear Auto Payment Details on Account (Purchase Ledger) (excluding Compact)

If the statement is configured as a remittance advice for use with the automatic generation of payments, particularly with a combined cheque, then the remittance is printed for the automatic payment detail recorded against the account. This option, when set, clears this payment detail so that the remittance cannot be reprocessed.

Apply Interest Charges to Overdue Accounts (Sales Ledger) (excluding Compact)

This option allows you to calculate and add an interest charge to an overdue sales account. When set a pop up form allows extra parameters.If calculating and recording interest the statement process will require an exclusive file lock.

The following parameters appear in the interest pop-up window.

Print Only Run – Do Not Write Interest Transactions

Set to calculate interest for printing but don’t add to the account. You could print the calculated interest as a warning of the charge that would be applied if the account is not brought up-to-date.

Charge Interest if overdue by number of days

Interest would only be charged if the balance was overdue by the number of days stated here.

Global Interest Rate (if not on account file)

You can either put an interest rate on the account itself or else use a global rate. To use a global rate enter the value here. If you enter zero here, then the routine assumes the rate is set per account record.

Account Item for specific interest rate

This defines the (optional) item which holds the interest rate to be charged for this account. You must give an item if the global rate is zero.

Omit Interest calculation if overdue less than amount

Enter a value below which no interest change will be calculated – i.e. if outstanding value less than £1.00 then do not calculate any interest.

Interest Trans Record: Tax Code (zero rated)

Interest charges do not attract VAT in the UK, enter here the zero-rated tax code.

Interest Trans Record: Sales Analysis Code

Interest Trans Record: General Analysis Code

Interest Trans Record: Nominal Code

Interest Trans Record: Reference

Interest Trans Record: Description

Enter here the default values to write into the interest transaction as it is written.

Append nn.nn% to transaction description

Set this if you want the interest rate to be part of the description. E.g. if the description above were set to ‘Interest charged at’ then the actual transaction description, assuming a rate of 1.75% would be ‘Interest charged at 1.75%’.

Transaction Item No for Interest Trans Y/N

To flag interest transactions for analysis or other purposes, give the transaction file item number to hold the ‘Y’ flag here.

Omit Interest Transactions from future calculations

Some companies do not like to charge interest on unpaid interest charges; if so set this option (note the transaction flag item above is required).

Omit printing of a/c if no interest rate on account

Your statement design may differ according to whether you charge interest or not. A simple way to omit accounts for the interest rate calculation is to set this option. In which case, only accounts with a non-zero rate of interest will be processed.

Check Account Statement FLAG=Y omit?

The customer / supplier accounts field can record a flag to omit print of the statement for this account.Set this option to take this flag into account when printing this individual statement.

Pre-Set Criteria?

The ‘Eligible Accounts’ option when printing a statement at run-time includes the option for selection criteria. This option gives the ability to set default criteria to be applied.

Screen 2 - General Statement Parameters 2

Print Only Transactions Marked P-to-Pay (Purchase Ledger) (excluding Compact)

Usually set for purchase remittance advices, this option would only print transactions that have been paid as part of the payment generation process.

Show Only Outstanding Invoices

If you set this option only outstanding invoice transactions will be printed. If you leave this option blank then invoices that have been fully settled since the last period end will also be shown (with a nil balance).

Omit Allocated Invoices

Omit Allocated Payments

Omit Allocated Credits

Omit Allocated Inv Adjustments

Omit Allocated Pay Adjustments

An open-item statement usually shows all transactions on file, regardless of date or allocation status.These options allow you to include or omit fully allocated transactions of each type. For purchase remittances you would not set these options. On the sales ledger side, if you wish your customers to use your statement as a remittance advice, then setting these questions will make the remittance advice clearer in terms of what is owed.

Omit Ignored Transactions (flag X)

When a transaction is posted with an incorrect value, or to the wrong account, you can enter an invoice adjustment to cancel it and re-enter correctly. If you do not wish the statement to show these errors you can flag the transactions, once allocated, with an ‘X’ status. Setting this option configures the statement to ignore X flagged transactions where they have been allocated.

Ignore Flags

The sales and purchase allocation routines allow other flags in addition to X-Omit. These include C-Contra and D-Disputed for both the sales and purchase ledger, B-Bad Debt for the sales ledger, plus U-Unauthorised and P-to-Pay for the purchase ledger. This option allows entry of a string of flags which, if match a flag set on the transaction, will mean that transaction isn’t included on the statement / remittance.For example a purchase remittance may be set to DU meaning that disputed and un-authorised transactions are excluded.

Omit invoice allocation value in credit column

Typically, an open-item statement which includes a partially-paid invoice is configured to show the total invoice amount in the debit column, the amount paid so far in the credit column, and the amount outstanding in the total column. Some people find this confusing so by setting this option the amount paid so far will not be printed.

Print Unallocated credit value in balance (-ve)

Where payment and credit note transactions are present, but you have not yet allocated them against invoices, the total of these unallocated credit values can be printed on the statement in the balance column. Set if required.

Print Unallocated Amount for Invoices Only

One of the detail items that can be printed, particularly useful if the balance is configured to be a running balance, allows print of the unallocated amount of the transaction.Setting this option means that this value is only printed for invoice transactions.

Size of Values (7= 9999999.99)

This prompt asks for the maximum number of significant figures to use when a value item is printed.The maximum is 10 significant figures but this can be a lot more than is necessary and, where print room is tight, reducing this value can help.

ASCII code for overdue highlight character

The system can print a flag, usually an asterisk, to highlight overdue transactions. Set here the ASCII code value, <F4-Select> is available if required, to use for the highlight character.

Print Compressed Statements (no page per account)

If printing statements for file purposes, rather than to send, or print one page per account, setting this option means that blank lines are suppressed (depending on the number of transactions), more than one account is processed per page. You would want to design a much simpler statement layout for this report if this option was to be set.

Allow Stationery Test Printout

When using pre-printed continuous stationery it can be helpful to run a test print for alignment purposes. Setting this option allows the option for a test print at run-time.

Print ‘This Statement’ Page No on line/column

Print ‘This Statement’ Page Of on line/column

These options allow, where statements are often printed over several pages for an account a page number to be printed – i.e. Page 2 of 4. Set the line/column these items are to be printed at.

Generate Payment: Total (Purchase Ledger) (excluding Compact)

Generate Payment: Net (Purchase Ledger) (excluding Compact)

Generate Payment: Discount (Purchase Ledger) (excluding Compact)

Usually configured for print via the document mask and the category ‘Amount Due / Settlement Discount’ these options allow you specify the line/column print position, usually in the footer section of the remittance advice, of the total pay amount including any discount taken, the net amount of the payment, and the discount taken.

Omit Payment Tx (P/L only) (excluding Compact)

If you want to exclude the payment that the remittance is being printed for, you could set the ‘omit allocated payments’ option above. However, if you want to include previously unallocated payments, but not ‘this payment’ then setting this option alone allows this.

Combine Cheque Definition (P/L only) (excluding Compact)

Set if the designed remittance includes a cheque layout.

Screen 3 - Column Settings

This parameter screen primarily contains print items which are better set via the document mask.The items that can be printed include

General Description (e.g. Balance B/F)

Usually, printed in the same detail column as the transaction description. Applies only to Balance B/F statements

Account Code

Allows you to specify the print position (twice) of the account code.

Statement Date

Allows you to specify the print position (twice) of the statement date.

Month End Date

Allows you to specify the print position (twice) of the month end date.

Debit Column

Allows you to specify the print position of the debit column. Two print positions can be specified – one for the statement and one for any remittance tear-off.

Credit Column

Allows you to specify the print position of the credit column. Again two print positions can be specified.

Unallocated Column

Allows, on an open-item statement, the separate print of the unallocated value of a transaction when the balance column is used as a running balance.

Balance Column

Prints either the outstanding value of the transaction, or a running balance of the outstanding values.

Final Balance

Set the print position in the document footer where the final balance is to be printed (note this must be in vertical alignment with the print of the balance detail item)

Transaction Type

Set the print position of the document type – i.e. INV, PAY, CRD etc.

Invoice Age

Set the print position of the age of the invoice transaction.

Omit Balance, Net Values in DB/CR

If you are not printing the balance column then setting this option means that instead of the value of the invoice/payment being printed in the debit and credit columns, the outstanding value is printed instead. This parameter can be set for either the first or second print of the debit/credit columns.

Print Last Alloc Amount in DB/CR

Useful for the purchase remittance advice, this setting allows the debit/credit columns to display the actual values paid. This parameter can only be set for the first print of the debit/credit column.

Start Column for Remittance Advice

This parameter asks, when using a statement with a remittance tear-off slip, at what column the remittance advice starts.

Screen 4 – Aged Analysis Printing

Applicable for open-item statements, this screen allows you to configure the aged analysis periods for print. It allows you to print the five ageing period values, the current period values plus, when ageing on due date, the forward value.

You may print the aged totals for debits and credits separately as well as having the balance, or just print the balance. All of these items can be set for print via the document mask. In addition parameters are available for:

Default Types of Account

When running the statement you have the option to select the types of account printed – All, those with a balance, those with a balance overn days, etc. Setting this option applies a default setting to this parameter each time it is run otherwise the value is remembered each time. A help bubble at the bottom right of the screen shows the options available.

Only Print Older Than Selection

If set a default type of account such as ‘balance over 30 days’ then this option can be set to only include the transactions over 30 days ignoring anything that is due in the current/forward period. This option can be useful when the statement is being used as a debtor chasing letter.

Blankout Unused Ageing Periods / Print Actual Age Days / Consolidate

Setting this option gives a pop-up window with these parameters.

Blankout Text When Age Not Used

If you age over days such as 30, 60, 90, and 120 then printing the aged analysis table with entries for the later entries could actually encourage late payment. On the statement design you are likely to have text such as ‘Balance Over 30 days’, ‘Balance Over 60 days’, and so on. These options allow you to blank out a length of text if the customer does not have any balance over that number of days.(If they have no balance over 30 days, but do have a balance over 60 days then the 30 days text is not blanked).

Print Actual Age Days

Usually you would enter the age days on the mask – i.e. ‘Over 30 days’. However this would be inappropriate if you change the number of days as part of the pre-run parameters. This option allows you to set a line/column for the actual ageing periods used.

Consolidate Unprinted Aged Values

If you define five ageing periods but, for the statement, you only print the first three then any values after in the fourth and fifth ageing period would be omitted unless you set this option, when they would be included in the third ageing period.

Screen 5 – Unallocated Totals Options

This screen allows you to print unallocated amounts on the statement, either in total or divided between payments and credit notes. For a sales statement these amounts may be printed on the statement only, or on a remittance advice alongside as well.

The print positions would usually be positioned via the mask and the category ‘Statement Totals’ but the messages printed must first be defined via this parameter screen. The messages will not be displayed if the appropriate value is zero.

Screen 6 – Amount Due / Settlement Discount

Net Settlement Discount for Part Allocations

If set then the settlement discount available for any invoice that is partially allocated is proportional to the outstanding value otherwise the discount available is displayed in full.

Normal Amount to Pay (Balance less Forward)

Total Over 1^st Aged Period (Not Forward / Current)

Total Amount Overdue (Due before Statement Date)

Usually set via the mask and the category ‘Amount Due / Settlement Discount’ alternatively you can set the line/column for these three print items.

Message to be printed if any Discount to be taken

Enter the text to be printed, over two lines, if any settlement discount is available. These items only print if settlement discount available is not zero. Although the items can be configured to print from the document mask, category ‘Amount Due/Settlement Discount’, the message must be entered first.

Column Number of Any Settlement Discount

Print the total of "current” discount

Print the "amount to pay” total

These items ask for the print positions of the settlement discount values and, as such, would usually be set to print from the document mask. The first item is available to print from the category ‘Statement Detail Lines’, the remaining two from the category ‘Amount Due / Settlement Discount’

Screen 7 – Account Items to be Printed

This screen allows you to select up to fifteen items from the accounts file to be printed, and as such would usually be configured to printed from the document mask and the category ‘Account Details’

Compress Address Lines (Premier only)

This option allows you to omit blank lines from the address detail where you enter the address in a structure format – line 1 and 2 is address, line 3 is town, line 4 is county etc.The name and address range must be defined in the advanced features of the database structure for this option to apply.

Screen 8 – Account Items from Originating Account (Excluding Compact)

If you are using the statement address facility, where a statement for an account is sent to another account (perhaps a head office) items on screen 7 above relate to the account to which the statement is being sent. These items relate to the account that the statement is for. Again these print items would usually be configured to print from the document mask and the category ‘Originating Account Details’.These items only print if the statement address facility is in use for the account.

Screen 9 – Transaction Items to be printed

This screen allows you to configure for print up to 10 items from the transaction record. Although the items can be configured to print from the document mask, category ‘Transaction Detail Lines’ you can also configure here whether, if printing a value item, to omit the print if the value is 0.

Blank Line between Entries

Set to print a blank line between statement detail entries

Allow Sel Trans (Excluding Compact andProfessional)

Set to allow a run-time facility to only report selective transactions. You might enable this option on an account history statement so you can restrict the detail printed (say) to the last financial year.

Print Extra Text (Excluding Compactand Professional)

This option allows you to print an extra 10 items from the transaction file. These items, however, all print in the same column down the statement rather than across. When set, a pop-up window asks for the column number to print the extra text in and the items to be printed.

Screen 10 – Special Print Options

Print Dates in DD/MM/YYYY

This option allows the statement date or month end date to be printed with a four-digit year. Set if required.

Print Dates in 1^st May 2005?

Set to print document dates, as printed from the Statement Headings category, in full text format rather than digits.

Screen 11 – Statement Messages

This allows you to specify certain text messages to be printed. You can print up to three lines of text that are to be input at run-time plus selected messages to print when an account has a balance greater than one of the ageing periods – only one of these print at run-time, that for the oldest invoice.

As with other items these can be set for print from the document mask though you have to enter the ageing messages here first.

Screen 12 – Foreign Currency Options

On a currency based system the statement is (usually) printed in the currency of the account.These options allow you to configure the print of the currency code, name and short name on the statement.These items can be set to print from the document mask.

Screen 13 (17 if P/L) – Customised Features

This screen is reserved for those occasions when a user has a special requirement that Datafile Software has programmed specifically. Any parameter settings required for this special option are defined here, and your reseller will advise.

Screen 13 – General Cheque Parameters (P/L only)

Only applicable if remittance layout includes cheque print.

Print the date on which line

Column on full date

Column for DD

Column for MM

Column for YY (YYYY)

These prompts control where and how the cheque date is printed. Usually set from the Cheque Details category on the mask these options allow you to set the line/column for print of the date either as one item or split into its component parts.

Print the Cheque Number on Line/Column

These prompts control where and how the cheque number is printed (if not pre-set on the layout).Alternatively you can position the cheque number print item from the mask via the ‘Cheque Details’ category.

ASCII Code for Currency Sign (e.g. £)

ASCII Code for Leading Zeroes in Value

These prompts control when printing the amount whether it is prefixed with the currency sign, or leading zeroes. Enter the appropriate ASCII code for these characters if required.

Line Number for Amount in Words

This prompt controls the line number on which the cheque narrative is printed. Alternatively you can position the narrative from the mask.

Transaction Item Number for Value (else Amount)

The system will use the AMOUNT field from the purchase transaction as the cheque value unless you nominate another item here.

Screen 14 – Cheque Detail Parameters (P/L only)

First Part of Name Printed – Line / Column / Size

Second Part of Name Printed – Line / Column / Size

These prompts ask for printing position of the payee name, usually set via the document mask although the size must be set here. The item used for the payee name is set within the ‘Account Items to be Printed’ parameter screen.

Cheque Amount Printed on Line / Column

These prompts ask for the printing position of the cheque amount, usually set via the document mask although it can also be set here.

Amount in Words 10,000,000 Column

Amount in Words 1,000,000, Column

Amount in Words 100,000 Column

Amount in Words 10,000 Column

Amount in Words 1,000 Column

Amount in Words 100 Column

Amount in Words 10 Column

If your cheque layout has boxes into which you update a number into – for example if writing a cheque for £357 pounds you update THREE into the hundreds box, FIVE into the tens box, and SEVEN into the singles box, then these parameters allow you to specify the column number to print at. If setting manually, and not via the mask, you also need to update the line number on the first parameter screen.

Number of Pence Printed in Column

Similar to the above this asks for the column to update the number of pence into, however this updates as a value ‘57’.

Screen 15 – Cheque Printing in Words (P/L only)

Amount in Words (First) – Line / Column / Size

Amount in Words (Second) – Line / Column / Size

If the cheque layout has a narrative for updating the cheque value into – for example, if writing a cheque for £357.52 then you write Three Hundred Fifty Seven Pounds and Fifty-Two pence, then these parameters allows you to specify the line, column and size to print the narrative at. If setting the print position via the mask you must set the size manually first.

Screen 16 – Account Items to be Printed on the Cheque (P/L only)

Data Item Number for Account Name

This prompt asks for the data item number on the supplier database that contains the PAYEE name for a cheque. Usually set as the account name you can nominate an alternative item if required.

The remainder of this screen allows you to specify a further ten items from the accounts file to print on the cheque. You can, of course, position these data items from the document mask.