User-Definable Ledger Enquiry Applications Extended

Initially introduced in Release 6.2, this feature expanded the Ledger Enquiry tool to allow up to two user-definable applications to be created that can be accessed via the <Alt>+<L>. 

These applications could be based on a ProFiler application (such as the Fixed Asset Register perhaps) or allow additional enquiry options for the likes of Batch Tracking or a linked Sales Order application in another company (e.g. a Quotes set-up).

For Datafile 2018 the number of allowed user applications has been expanded to four.

As with the standard applications the CRM, Utilities and Action panel options are available, the Action options configurable to launch options such as ProFiler maintenance screens, etc.

Installation

Ledger Enquiry Manager

The new application options are configured via the Ledger Enquiry Manager. 

From the main menu select Installationfollowed by Ledger Enquiry Manager.  The first action is to mark the extra applications as ‘allowed’ and to set authority levels for access, this is achieved via the option Applications Allowed.

Each application for enquiry is listed and you have the option to allow the enquiry and set the authority level for enquiry.  To enable Extra Applications 3/4 set to allow and confirm the authority level (0-9 where 0 is the highest authority level and 9 the lowest)

To configure the databases to be enquired upon and the links between them an extra parameter screen ‘Application Profile’ has been added to the Enquiries Configuration options for the extra applications to define these items.

Selecting ‘Application Profile’ allows you to define the databases to be enquired and the links between them.

Menu Title – enter the title to be displayed on the left-hand application menu within the Ledger Enquiry

Application Id – the CRM options Mail, Word, Notes and Scans can create/store files against the extra enquiry application.  On standard applications these are held in a folder XXUSER as a sub-folder off the MSWORD location (full path is MSWORD location + Company-ID + XXUSER), the extra applications don’t have a pre-set id so you can set your own two characters here which will be used to create the folder where any associated files are stored.

If you enter an id that matches that of an application (SL – Sales Ledger, SP – Sales Order Processing etc.) you will be asked if you wish to copy the configuration from the existing application.  Select as required.

Master Database Title – enter the title to be displayed in the main form header when enquiring on this database.

Path Name – enter the path/filename of the master database.

Code Format – enter the prime-index code format of the master database, i.e. AA9999, UUUUUUUU, etc.

F4-Select Items – select up to ten items from the master enquiry database to be listed when press <F4-Select> to enquire upon a record.

F4 LIFO – select whether F4 search results are to be listed in Last-In-First-Out order, if left blank records are listed in the FIFO order.

History Item –the system maintains a history of the last ten enquiry records in a panel on the top left of the enquiry screen.  The history records the prime-indexes selected plus one other item, this option allows you to select this ‘other’ item.

1^st/2^nd Datafile Link – many application enquiries allow you to cross link to another enquiry, for example the sales order enquiry can link to the sales account enquiry on the order header and the stock enquiry when viewing order details.  These options allow you to define a link to a standard application enquiry. 

For each link you define the data item which is the primary link field – the STOCK-CODE, the ACCOUNT-CODE etc – and then the application to link to.  Note that the links allowed are currently restricted to those master links already allowed on other enquiries (so master links are restricted to either the sales/purchase ledger (not both) or the stock enquiry.

Once the Master enquiry definition is set you can select the DETAIL-1 and DETAIL-2 buttons at the foot of the screen to define up to two detail databases to view.

Both Detail configuration screens are identical and prompt for:

Detail Database Title – enter the title to be used in the form header when listing records from the database.

Pathname – enter the path/filename of the detail database

Short Name – enter a short title for the detail database that is to be used as the button title on the main enquiry form.

Master Code Item – enter the item on the detail database that holds the main code item (i.e. on the batch transaction database the main code will be the batch-code item). This option is mandatory.  This item would usually be a secondary index on the detail file (and must be a secondary index if details to be listed in LIFO order)

First Detail Pointer - if details to be listed in FIFO order, and a record pointer chain exists between the main file and the detail file, reference here the main file item here that contains the record number of the first detail record.  Leave blank if intending to list details in LIFO order.

Next Detail Pointer – reference here the detail database item that holds the record number of the next detail record for the main enquiry record.  Leave blank if listing in LIFO order or not using the pointer chain.

Prev Detail Pointer – standard application databases do not generally maintain a previous pointer link although ProFiler can do so.  If a previous pointer record number exists this can be referenced here otherwise leave blank.

1^st / 2^nd Datafile Link – as with the master enquiry you can configure a link to two of the standard application enquiries based on a data item on the detail database.  Again this is currently restricted to standard cross-application detail links, in this case Stock Control or Sales / Purchase Orders (not both orders)

The remaining options in the Enquiry Configuration for the Extra Application enquiries are as per the standard applications:

Main Database FULL Screen Design – if Premier this option allows you to define, using standard screen design tools, the details to be viewed from the main enquiry database.  Up to two screens can be configured.

Main Database ITEM Screen Design – if Diamond, or a Premier user who doesn’t wish to use the full screen design, then you can nominate up to thirty two items from the main database to be displayed (in two columns of sixteen items).

Transaction / Detail Enquiries – allows you to set the authority levels for access to the detail databases, the items from the detail database(s) to be listed, the display order and, if Premier, design the full VIEW enquiry screen for the detail database record.

Extra File Scans – set the authority level for access to the SCANS option within the CRM panel. If left blank the SCANS option is not allowed.

Link to Report Generator Label – this option allows you to set a link to any pre-defined label definition that shares the same main database (on file 48).

Database INI Settings – access the INI settings for the main database; this allows you to set authority levels required to view selected data items, to set any restrictions on item access to Microsoft Word or SQL (if in use) and to define any Database Alerts.

Launch Other Programs – allows you to define up to eight ‘actions’ that can be used to call other areas of the Datafile system.  With the extra applications this is likely to be restricted to ProFiler screen options, remember the key link requirement is that the first input is the main code prime index value.

Alternate Panel Settings – as with the standard applications you can use this new Alternate Panel feature to control the display options for the left / right enquiry panels.  See notes later in this manual for more details.

Ignore Records on F4-Lookup – allows you to hide records from view that don’t match filtered criteria.