Work Smarter Work Smarter With SageWith Sage

(or how to make better use of (or how to make better use of some of that stuff you bought some of that stuff you bought but never got round to using!)but never got round to using!)

Cathrin WhartonTechnology Techniques Ltd

cwharton@techtech.euwww.techtech.eu

Cathrin WhartonCathrin Wharton

Worked with Tetra/Sage since 1984Worked with Tetra/Sage since 1984

Reseller Consultant, Group IT Manager, Reseller Consultant, Group IT Manager, Project Manager – been seated at both sides Project Manager – been seated at both sides of the desk!of the desk!

Independent of the reseller channelIndependent of the reseller channel

My aim is to help you get the best from your My aim is to help you get the best from your Sage ERP systemSage ERP system

and finally; when I don’t know the answer and finally; when I don’t know the answer then chances are I know a man, or woman, then chances are I know a man, or woman, who does!who does!

AgendaAgenda

• Using document print commandsUsing document print commands• Easy Emailing from SageEasy Emailing from Sage• Month end archiving and viewingMonth end archiving and viewing• EC Sales List Submission On-lineEC Sales List Submission On-line

Document Print Document Print CommandsCommands

• Make use of the in-built printer and paper Make use of the in-built printer and paper types of Sage to integrate your own types of Sage to integrate your own processprocess

• Create a new Sage printer with an Create a new Sage printer with an associated printer command that associated printer command that executes a set of instructions at the point executes a set of instructions at the point when you press the ‘Submit’ option from when you press the ‘Submit’ option from the Spool Submission windowthe Spool Submission window

Spool submission Spool submission windowwindow

Examples of document Examples of document print typesprint types

• filecopyfilecopy:: create a copy of your report create a copy of your report as a flat file suitable to be imported as a flat file suitable to be imported into another application, e.g. Excel, into another application, e.g. Excel, Word, etc.Word, etc.

• filepdffilepdf: : create a copy of your report create a copy of your report as a .pdf file suitable for sending on to as a .pdf file suitable for sending on to other destinationsother destinations

• or carry out a call to any other non-or carry out a call to any other non-Sage applicationSage application

Example Example filecopyfilecopy printer printer setupsetup

Example Example filecopyfilecopy paper paper type setuptype setup

Example Example filepdf filepdf printer printer setupsetup

Example Example filepdffilepdf paper paper type setuptype setup

The printcmd.ini fileThe printcmd.ini file

• Each Sage print command is listed in Each Sage print command is listed in a file called a file called printcmd.iniprintcmd.ini which you which you can usually find in the C:\csserver\can usually find in the C:\csserver\spool directoryspool directory

Example Example filepdffilepdf print print command setupcommand setup

• Create a new entry in Create a new entry in printcmd.iniprintcmd.ini with with the name of your new print command the name of your new print command and include something like the following and include something like the following string: string:

• filepdf = "printfmt %F %Q/%U.%Z %A %P %T %H %L filepdf = "printfmt %F %Q/%U.%Z %A %P %T %H %L %W %S %E %C c:\csserver\bin2\filepdf\filepdf.bat D:\%W %S %E %C c:\csserver\bin2\filepdf\filepdf.bat D:\user_file_extracts c:\csserver\bin2\filepdf %F %Q/%U.user_file_extracts c:\csserver\bin2\filepdf %F %Q/%U.%Z %A %P %H %L %W %S %E %C %T“%Z %A %P %H %L %W %S %E %C %T“

• (N.B. For an explanation of the arguments to the (N.B. For an explanation of the arguments to the ‘printfmt’ command, send me an email)‘printfmt’ command, send me an email)

Batch file called from Batch file called from printcmd.iniprintcmd.ini

• Finally, create a batch file, Finally, create a batch file, filepdf.bat,filepdf.bat, with the instructions with the instructions you would like carried out, e.g. call you would like carried out, e.g. call a .pdf generator program.a .pdf generator program.

filepdf.batfilepdf.bat

• set some variablesset some variables• get the system date and timeget the system date and time• change directory to the destination folderchange directory to the destination folder• Invoke a third-party PDF generator Invoke a third-party PDF generator

program with some parameters and re-program with some parameters and re-write the report to a .pdf file with the user write the report to a .pdf file with the user name, database name, report name, date name, database name, report name, date and time included in the file nameand time included in the file name

Locating the .pdf outputLocating the .pdf output

• Add an option to the Sage menu using Add an option to the Sage menu using TCR to point to the destination folder.TCR to point to the destination folder.

• Browse to the folder and you will see Browse to the folder and you will see your report as a .pdf file, something your report as a .pdf file, something like this:like this:

• manager_CS3DEMO_sk_info_maintenance_200901manager_CS3DEMO_sk_info_maintenance_20090128-0351-16980.pdf28-0351-16980.pdf

• The same logic applies for the The same logic applies for the filecopy command, except the file will filecopy command, except the file will be created as a .txt filebe created as a .txt file

Easy e-mailing from SageEasy e-mailing from Sage• Standard third-party applications that email from Sage rely Standard third-party applications that email from Sage rely

on retrieving an email address stored against each on retrieving an email address stored against each customer.customer.

• Quite often the addressee can be different depending upon Quite often the addressee can be different depending upon what is being emailed, i.e. a statement or a purchase order what is being emailed, i.e. a statement or a purchase order etc.etc.

• When printing a report or document, choose When printing a report or document, choose filepdffilepdf in the in the printer/paper type of the spool submission window and printer/paper type of the spool submission window and the .pdf output will be dropped into a folder on the Sage the .pdf output will be dropped into a folder on the Sage server. server.

• A TCR option on the Sage menu can connect to this folder A TCR option on the Sage menu can connect to this folder and allow the user to browse to their .pdf document, right-and allow the user to browse to their .pdf document, right-click on it and send it, as an attachment, using their e-mail click on it and send it, as an attachment, using their e-mail client and substituting an appropriate email address. client and substituting an appropriate email address.

• This has the added advantage that the transmission is This has the added advantage that the transmission is recorded in the email sent itemsrecorded in the email sent items

Month End Archiving and Month End Archiving and ViewingViewing

• The Finance team spool the month The Finance team spool the month end reports, defer them and forget end reports, defer them and forget about them.about them.

• The Auditors arrive and want to see The Auditors arrive and want to see the print-outs from 12 months ago the print-outs from 12 months ago and no-one can find them!and no-one can find them!

• Use a document print type called Use a document print type called monthendmonthend to solve this problem to solve this problem

monthendmonthend• monthendmonthend takes the month end takes the month end

report, converts it to .pdf and moves report, converts it to .pdf and moves it to a folder available to view as a it to a folder available to view as a web page from the Sage menu as a web page from the Sage menu as a TCR optionTCR option

Sales ledger month end Sales ledger month end web pageweb page

Month end web pagesMonth end web pages

• The web page is organised into sub-folders The web page is organised into sub-folders for company, module, financial year and for company, module, financial year and period and resides under the existing IIS period and resides under the existing IIS structure already driving your Sage Help structure already driving your Sage Help FilesFiles

Month end report as .pdfMonth end report as .pdf

EC Sales List SubmissionEC Sales List Submission

• Assuming that commodity codes and Assuming that commodity codes and VAT numbers are correctly entered VAT numbers are correctly entered for all your stock items, customers for all your stock items, customers and suppliers, (and suppliers, (), then submitting ), then submitting the EC Sales List on-line is very easy the EC Sales List on-line is very easy using the using the filecopyfilecopy print command. print command.

• You will need to pre-register with You will need to pre-register with HMRC and have your login name and HMRC and have your login name and password availablepassword available

EC Sales List SubmissionEC Sales List Submission

• From the EC Intrastat menu, run the UK From the EC Intrastat menu, run the UK Intrastat listingIntrastat listing

• And when presented with the spool And when presented with the spool submission box, choose submission box, choose filecopyfilecopy as the as the paper type and press enter.paper type and press enter.

EC Sales List SubmissionEC Sales List Submission

• From the Sage menu, choose the From the Sage menu, choose the option to browse to the destination option to browse to the destination folder and locate your file. folder and locate your file.

EC Sales List SubmissionEC Sales List Submission

• Open Excel and then import the file, Open Excel and then import the file, choosing to view all files, in order to choosing to view all files, in order to see the .txt file see the .txt file

• Sort the data by column headings on Sort the data by column headings on the ‘Error’ column, in order to bring the ‘Error’ column, in order to bring any errors to the top and then print any errors to the top and then print out these rows. out these rows.

• Correct the data using ‘EC Intrastat Correct the data using ‘EC Intrastat Direct Entry’Direct Entry’

EC Sales List SubmissionEC Sales List Submission

• Create the submission file using the Create the submission file using the UK Intrastat EDI option and when the UK Intrastat EDI option and when the report has spooled, press F5 to exit.report has spooled, press F5 to exit.

EC Sales List SubmissionEC Sales List Submission

• Choose the Text and EDI file viewer optionChoose the Text and EDI file viewer option

• Select the file UKISCSV and press F8 to Select the file UKISCSV and press F8 to viewview

Intrastat file viewerIntrastat file viewer

Upload to HMRCUpload to HMRC

• Select all the text using Control-A and Select all the text using Control-A and copy it using Control-C and paste it into copy it using Control-C and paste it into Notepad using Control-V. Save the file to Notepad using Control-V. Save the file to your local PC C: drive, (because the your local PC C: drive, (because the Intrastat upload facility does not Intrastat upload facility does not tolerate folder or filenames with spaces)tolerate folder or filenames with spaces)

• Locate the following URL:Locate the following URL:•

https://secure.hmce.gov.uk/ecom/is2/static/is2.htmlhttps://secure.hmce.gov.uk/ecom/is2/static/is2.html

• Follow the instructions to upload your Follow the instructions to upload your file.file.