Manual Document Processing

The manual document process follows a series of stages:

Choose the order to process. Key the order number, or accept the next default offered.You can then change the date and, optionally, the document number.

Next up to three sets of data are displayed for you to confirm. The first comes from the order header, the second comes from the sales ledger and the third is free-form according to your requirements.

Detail lines are now displayed ten at a time, to allow you to change or enter the quantity of each item that is to be processed on this document. A default quantity is likely to be set. Optionally for each line you can confirm one or two items of data – the price for example.

Optionally you can now enter some closing information – confirm a delivery address for example.

Now the document is ready to print and update the files. This can be optional or forced.

Preliminaries

Select Printer

On selection of the document the first prompt is likely to ask you for the printer you wish to send the document to (a configuration setting allows you to delay this selection until you actually print the document).

Options are available to send the document to:

Print Device – select the printer to output the document. Click the icon next to the printer name to select the printer if required.

Disk Spooler – save the document to the spooler for later enquiry/print.

 Email – send the document as a PDF attachment on an email (Microsoft Outlook, Outlook Express or Tobit David only).

PDF File – create the document as a PDF file.

Confirm Selection Criteria

Whilst unusual on manually processed documents you can set, on non-Compact systems, so that only orders that match a pre-defined criteria can be printed. You may, for example, have two different documents – one for UK customers and one for EC customers.

If configured to apply selection criteria, and to allow the operator to amend this criteria, then a prompt asks you to confirm the "Which Order Header” selection criteria to be used.The selection criteria are then displayed to be amended or accepted as required.

After the header criteria then if any detail criteria is set to be used (and allow amendment) then the operator is prompted to confirm/amend these details.

After confirming any selection criteria the document now asks for the order to process.

Order Reference

Depending on how the document was defined, either you are given an order number to confirm, or you must enter an order reference (the former occurs where the document process gives you orders to process one by one; the second where you can choose orders in any order you like). You can use the <F4–Select> key to find an order.

If selection criteria are defined but this order does not match them, you are warned of this and returned to the order reference prompt to re-select the order.

You can use the <Escape> key at any time to return to the order reference prompt.

After selecting the order reference the system will perform a credit check on the account that the order is against and, if the outstanding balance is over the limit, will warn accordingly. Credit checks can be ignored, act as a warning, or forced as per the settings in the Sales Ledger System Profiles.

If a memo is recorded against the sales order or sales account then these are displayed.

Date

Defaults to the ‘system’ date although may be overtyped (which is then remembered as the system date for next process). This date will be validated on delivery notes against the current stock period, and on invoice against the current sales period, and some warnings may be displayed when outside this date range. (The acknowledgement may also warn if the document is ‘chained’ to another document – the date is only prompted for at the start of a ‘chain’ and thus is validated assuming a delivery note and/or invoice will follow).

If the date is outside the current period, and previous and forward posting not allowed, then you will be warned the date is out of range and returned to the date field to reconfirm or abandon processing.

If forward processing is allowed and the transaction date is in the next period then you are warned as such but can elect to proceed with the document. Note you can only post one period in advance – if the date is further ahead than this you are warned ‘out of range’ as above.

If previous period posting is allowed and the transaction date is earlier than the start of the current period then you are warned as such but can elect to proceed with the document. Note that the date is used for ageing and credit terms purposes but in all other respects (i.e. VAT liability, turnover/demand recording etc.) is treated as being posted within the current period.

Document Number

The document number is used as the identifier for the printed document and is used as the delivery number or invoice number posted to the stock/sales ledgers. Normally by default this reference is automatically accepted and cannot be overridden but document options can enable you to amend this.

Header Information

Up to three sets of information are now offered to you here to accept or change.

Order Details OK?

The body of the screen may optionally display up to ten order header items, which you may accept or alter at this stage. Note that any changes you make here do not alter the order header information stored in the file. They are used only for the current document. (These items are defined in screen 7 of the document parameters.)

Account Details OK?

Up to eight items from the customer account record may now be displayed for you to accept or change.You might display the customer name and address, in case you need to change these details for this particular document. Again note that changes you make here are temporary for this document, and the customer record is not updated with these changes. (These items are defined in screen 8 of the document parameters.)

Header Prompts

Finally in this stage, up to six items may be requested for printing on the document depending on the document definition. Key in the information as prompted, pressing <Enter> after each item. Leave an item blank if not required. (These items are defined in screen 9 of the document parameters.)

Detail Line Procedures

Choose Details and Quantities

In most circumstances these particular options, which determine the order lines to display, and the quantities to which to default, are not asked and you may skip to the Process order lines step below.

If, however, the document definition is set up to do so, you can firstly decide which order detail lines to display for printing on the document, and secondly what quantity values to offer as the default on each line. The ability to make such choices at this stage can speed up the process and help reduce errors.

Which Order Details

Reply with one of the following values (one may already be prompted)

0 All — all order detail lines, regardless of status, are offered for processing

1 O/S — only order detail lines for which the invoiced quantity is less than the ordered quantity are offered for processing.

2 Del Date/Ref — only those order detail lines which have a specific delivery date and/or delivery reference field are offered for processing. The implication is that you have previously printed a delivery note, and you want to consider now only those lines for which a delivery note was printed on a particular date, and/or which match to a particular reference. You are asked to enter the delivery date and/or the delivery reference to which to match. You can enter either one or the other. But if you enter both, then both must match if the detail line is to display.

3 Del < Inv — this time you are offered only those order detail lines for which the quantity delivered is greater than the quantity invoiced.

4 To Deliver — this choice offers you only those order lines for which the quantity delivered is less than the quantity ordered.

6 Credit Delivered – includes lines that have been delivered, this option would apply on goods returned notes.

7 Credit Invoiced – includes lines that have been invoiced, this option would apply on sales credit notes.

 Note

Which Quantities

Reply with one of the following values (one may already be prompted)

0 O/S Qty — the quantity still outstanding, defined as the order quantity less the invoiced quantity

1 Order Qty — the order quantity, regardless of how many invoiced or delivered

2 Last Del Qty — each time a delivery note is printed, the quantity delivered is updated in those order detail lines for which there was one or more delivered.You would probably use this quantity if you invoice after each delivery.

3 Del < Inv — this is the difference between the delivered quantity and that invoiced so far. You would use this option rather than the previous option if you could make more than one delivery before you raised invoices.

4 Del O/S — this is the difference between the original order quantity and that delivered so far.

6 Credit Del Qty – this is the quantity delivered so far, used on goods returned documents

7 Credit Inv Qty – this is the quantity invoiced so far, used on sales credit documents

8 Blank – this defaults to blank forcing the operator to enter a qty even if zero.

9 Zero — in this case no attempt is made to offer a default quantity, and you must enter the quantities yourself at document processing time (defaults to 0).

Process Order Lines

The system now displays the order details which match any selection criteria and parameters as defined above, ten at a time down the screen as illustrated below.

For each line the program displays, by default, the entry number, stock code, stock description and two quantity columns. The first quantity column shows the quantity which was originally ordered. The final "Action Quantity” column shows values as specified above — outstanding quantity, order quantity, last delivered quantity, quantity not yet invoiced, or not yet delivered. The cursor is positioned in the final column — "Action Quantity”. The quantity in this column is going to be used for this particular document.Accept the quantity prompted by keying <Enter> or overtype it with another quantity <Enter> (you can set it to zero too).

If the document is designed to do so, you may be asked to confirm up to two items for each line — but only if the action quantity is not zero. The purpose of this is to allow you to confirm the final price, for example.

If the document updates stock (although under certain circumstances an acknowledgement can do this also) and the stock item is batch or serial-tracked then a pop-up will ask for the batch codes to be delivered on this document. The total quantity of the selected batches must match that of the confirmed action quantity before you can proceed to the next line.

If you confirm a quantity less than outstanding (for delivery or invoice) you may be prompted if you wish to write-off the balance of the line meaning that you are not going to make any further delivery or invoices as your customer has cancelled the balance of the order. The prompt ‘Leave on back-order’ can be responded to as required. NB: the assumption is usually made when this prompt does not appear that the order is left on back order. If write-off options are available then you can also exceed the originally entered order quantity.

As you key <Enter> to each item, the top of the screen shows you the number of entries selected so far. When you reach the last line on the screen, or if you key <End> in the "Action Quantity” column

‘No’ returns you to amend the details. ‘Yes’ calculates the value of the document so far. If there are more details to process, then another screen is offered with these details. If you have processed the last order detail line then you are passed to the next stage.

<Escape> in the "Action Quantity” prompt asks you to key <Escape> again if you wish to abandon the document.

Most of the closing document prompts are optional, and are driven by the document definition.

Delivery Charge

You may enter a closing amount to cover (for example) postage and packing. Whether or not to prompt for this, and the text of the prompt, is determined by the document definition. If you are using this feature, you can predefine a value in the order header, although you can overwrite this value now.

Overall Discount

If you are using an overall discount, then the customer default (or that entered into the order header) is displayed here, although you can overwrite it.

Payment Required?

If configured for payment analysis or deposit processing then an invoice will prompt for the payment detail if required.

Enter the payment amount against the appropriate payment type (or across types if appropriate).<F4-Select> updates the required payment amount against the type. You cannot proceed with the rest of the invoice unless the payment amount equals the invoice value.

Footer Prompts

Depending on the document definition, you may now be prompted for up to six further items of information to be printed on the document. Key the information requested, pressing <Enter> after each item.

Credit Checks

If this order puts your customer over the credit limit defined in the sales ledger, and your system is set up to check this, then you may occasionally get a message at the bottom of the screen similar to: credit limit xxx exceeded by xxx Accept?

Enter ‘Yes’ to accept and proceed with the document, respond ‘No’ to cancel the document. Depending on configuration settings in the sales ledger system profiles this may be a mandatory warning and only allow you to cancel the document.

Header Text Amendment

If you are using the header text facility, you are asked if you wish to edit the text before printing the document. Reply ‘Yes’ and the text box opens for you to edit the text displayed. ‘No’ takes you to the closing steps.

Printing & Updating

The next stage allows you to print the document and update the files.

Print the Document

‘Y’ prints the document, ‘N’ bypasses printing. Note you may be forced to respond ‘Y’ by document parameter settings.

Document parameter settings allow you to confirm the printer at this point as opposed to at the start of the document selection process. If configured then you are prompted for the print device at this point.

Another Printout

This option allows you to print another copy of the document – ‘Y’ to print, ‘N’ to move to the next stage.Note you stay on this prompt until you respond ‘N’.

If confirming the print device at the start of the document then the second copy is printed to the same printer. If confirming at point of printing then you will be prompted for the print device to send the second copy to.

Document OK for Updating?

You are now asked whether you wish to update the files – order, stock and sales depending on document type and configuration. Respond ‘Y’ to update or ‘N’ to bypass this – note you may be forced to respond ‘Y’ based on document configuration.

Notes – Document OK for Updating

Notes – Invoiced and Paid

Another Document

After printing and updating the files you will be prompted ‘Another Document’ – ‘Yes’ allows you start another document and ‘No’ returns you to the menu.