Folders

Accountants Enterprise only

The help topics under this heading are:

• Folder Properties

• Folder Views

• The Folder View Window

• How to Create Folders

• How to Create Folder Links

• How to Delete Folders

• How to View Folders

• How to Setup an SQL Folder

• How to Copy CFS Data into a new SQL Folder

The term Folders is used for directories. Management functions for folders include:

• controlling access via visibility or password

• tracking the last user as well as date and time of access

• enforcing exclusive access during backup and for certain ledger operations.

Folders are presented as an index. The Ledgers list is an example of a folder.

The customisation of folders should be considered in any circumstance where a site wishes to show a different ledger selection according to the needs of a department or individual operator.

Back to System Information

Folder Properties

Accountants Enterprise only

The Folder properties window displays core information relating to the selected folder.

Master program and master data files may be separated. The default for any new folder may be set to have the master data files in the folder and the program file located centrally in \SOL64.

To view folder properties:

1. From the Navigation bar, click Administration > Folders.
   The Folders window opens.

1. Select the folder required and click File > Properties.
   The Folder properties window opens.

Folder Properties General tab

• Title: Displays the Name of the Folder selected.

• Reference: Displays an optional user defined code. This code identifies folders when folder links are used.

Altering the reference field in the Ledgers folder may result in errors when logging in. Unless all user preferences have been modified, do not alter the reference field for the Ledgers folder.

• Use database server: Identifies this folder as using SQL/MSDE instead of the Cheetah File System. How to Setup an SQL Folder

• Local/Network Path: Displays the location of the directory that this folder represents. When creating a new folder, if the Reference field has been defined it is used as the default sub-directory name.

• Contains master data files: Check this option if ledger master data files are to be stored in the folder. If it is not checked, the master data files are expected to be located in the system directory (\SOL64).

The Master Data Files option may simplify system maintenance in a large installation where MAS and related ledgers are stored in many different directory locations.
Master Data Files may also be referred to as application data files or format files.
By default, the checkbox for Contains master data files is selected.

• Contains master program files: Check this option if ledger master program files are to be stored in the folder. If it is not checked, the system will look for the master program files in the system directory (\SOL64). Master program files are the software application.

This checkbox is disabled for SQL folders and all master program files used by SQL are located in \SOL64.
By default, the checkbox for Contains master program files is not selected.

Folder Properties Controls tab

• Location: Displays whether a folder is located locally, on a network or remotely. This setting is defined by the system and cannot be altered.

• Access: Displays whether a folder is Fixed, Mounted or Off-line. This setting is defined by the system and cannot be altered.

• Storage: Displays whether the folder is available on a standard or archive storage medium. This setting is defined by the system and cannot be altered.

• Items in folder: This is the number of ledgers in this folder.

• Current users: This is the number of users currently logged into System Release.

Folder Properties Users tab

• Client: Displays the Client codes of the items and shortcuts in the folder currently being accessed.

• Type: Displays the application types currently being accessed.

• User: Displays the user who is currently accessing the item.

• Machine: Displays the machine name where the user is currently accessing the item.

 

Back to Folders

Folder Views

Accountants Enterprise only

Information about the contents of the active folder can be selected for display via the View menu. In addition, these details can also be accessed by selecting the Folder View  icon from the Folder Listing.

From here, you are able to alter:

• the columns that display in the folder

• the display order of the folder listing

• folder view defaults.

To access the Folder View dialog:

1. Open the required folder by double-clicking on it from the Folder List and select View > Folder View or click on the Folder View icon.
   The Folder View dialog displays.

2. Select the options that you require in your Folder View window.

Back to Folders

The Folder View Window

Accountants Enterprise only

The format in which a user views folders can be modified in accordance with preferences and requirements.

Columns

You may modify the selection of columns that display on your ledger list and change the order in which these appear.

To select and deselect columns, tick the relevant checkboxes.

The Columns control contains these fields:

• Client code: The Client code column contains the codes you have allocated to your clients. The Reference ID can be from one to ten characters and may contain letters and/or numbers. The Reference ID cannot be duplicate.

• App Type: The Application Type column details the type of item. For example, MAS4, PMA, Tax etc.

• Name: The Name column contains the first 30 characters of the client's name, entered when the item is created.

• Last Access: The Last Access column displays the date the item was last accessed.

• Last User: The Last User column displays the login code of the user who last accessed this item.

• Generation: This column displays the generation number of the item. This number is a running total of backups performed on the ledger and is maintained by the backup and restore routine.

• Create date: This column displays the creation date of the item.

• Usage count: This column displays the number of times the item has been entered. It is a running total for all sessions and users.

• Active Sessions: The Active Sessions column displays the number of sessions currently active for a particular item.

• Location: The Location column lists the location of each client’s data files.

• With a standalone system, this is the drive letter followed by the directory, (for example, C:\S6CLIENT.

• Where the client is located on a network drive, the location commences with two back slash (\\) characters, followed by the name of the file server, the volume name (or share name if on a Microsoft network), and then the directory that contains the data. This is the absolute path and is independent of any drive mappings on your workstation. For example, if the client ABC is on the volume SYS of file server FS4, the location is shown as: \\FS4\SYS\S6CLIENT).

• If the location is too large to fit into the field the beginning of the location is replaced with an ellipsis. For example, the location \\FS4\SYS\PRACT\MAS2003\S6CLIENT\ will show as ...\PRACT\MAS2003\S6CLIENT.

• Status: This column depicts the status of an item graphically.

• A padlock appears if the item has been locked for single user.

• A cross appears where the item has been exported.

• The column is blank if the item is available to all users.

• Identity: Used to identify a folder, shortcut or item.

 

Apply as Default

The first time that you access the Folder View, you are presented with the standard default. Any modifications that you make apply to the user who is logged in. If you wish to apply your modifications generally as standard, select the button Apply as default. This actions sets your current settings as the standard default.

Load Default

To load the current default for a user:

1. log in as that user

2. access the View button and

3. select the Load default button.

Back to Folders

How to Create Folders

Accountants Enterprise only

The term folder describes a directory and should be considered for use where the system administrator wishes to a different ledger selection according to departmental or individual team member needs.

Folders give you the ability to organise and group ledgers together. For example, you may only want to give certain team members access to your Practice Management System (PMA), Central Database System (CDS), ledgers but not Tax and Management Accounting System (MAS). You may have several partners or departments in your practice and want each team member to only access MAS ledgers relevant to the partner or department for which they work.

Before creating any folders it is important to consider:

• How you would like your ledgers to appear?

• Location of program files for each application.

• Logical naming conventions for folders.

• Visibility of ledgers to different users.

To create a folder:

1. From the Navigation bar, select Administration > Folders.


The Folders window opens.

2. Click File > New or right click on an existing folder and select New.


The New folder properties window opens.

3. Enter the Title for the folder you wish to create.

The Folder Client code must be unique.

4. Enter the shortcut code for this folder in the Reference field. This code should be unique.


The local path or network path defaults to a sub-directory in the \SOL64 directory. The sub-directory name is taken from the Reference field.
If you wish to change the folder location, overtype the text currently displayed in the local or network path field. The path must be an existing directory on the system.

On a network, server based paths are expressed in UNC format (that is, start with ‘\\<server-name>\<sharename>…’).

5. If appropriate, de-select the Contains master data files option. Refer to Folder Properties.

6. Click OK to complete.

Back to Folders

How to Create Folder Links

Accountants Enterprise only

Folder links allow you to access the contents of a folder from within My Folders. This allows a tree-like structure of nested folders similar to a directory structure to be supported. Once a folder link is created, you can select the link to access the list of items for that folder. This allows you to access a group of folders from one area.

To create a folder link from a folder window:

1. From the Folder window, ensure you have more than one folder created with a Reference ID attached.


Refer to How to Create Folders.

To view the Select Folder dialog, you must have a MLS setup of 6. Refer to Menu Level Security (MLS) Setup

2. From the Folder window, open the folder from which you wish to create the link.
   The folder's contents display.

3. From the right click menu, click New or click [Ctrl+Insert].


The Select new object to create... window opens.

4. Select the Folder link button.


The New folder link properties window opens.

5. In the Reference field, click the ellipsis  button to search for the required folder.

Alternatively, enter the Reference ID for the folder to which you want to create the folder link. The Reference field is case sensitive and must be typed exactly how the Reference ID appears in the Folder properties window. If the Reference field is recognised as an existing folder, the Name field displays the folder’s name.


The Name field can be altered, but does not alter the original folder title.

6. Click OK when complete.

A folder link now appears in the Folder listing.

To create a folder link from the navigation bar:

1. In the My folders window, right click on the folder in which to create the new link.

2. Click on Copy settings from the menu.


The New folder link properties window opens.

3. In the Reference field, click the ellipsis  button to search for the required folder. The Name field displays the folder’s name.


Alternatively, enter the Reference ID for the folder to which you want to create the folder link. If the Reference field is recognised as an existing folder, the Name field displays the folder’s name.
This Name field can be altered, however this does not alter the original folder title.

4. Click OK when complete.

A folder link now appears in the Folder listing.

Back to Folders

How to Delete Folders

Accountants Enterprise only

Redundant folders may be deleted after they have been emptied.

To delete a folder:

1. From the Navigation bar, select Administration > Folders.


The Folder maintenance window opens.

2. Select the folder you wish to remove and right click to select the Delete menu option.


A warning message displays.

3. Click Yes to delete the folder or No to abort this routine.

The folder is deleted from the Folder List.

Back to Folders

How to View Folders

Accountants Enterprise only

To populate a folder with information, you must firstly be able to view and access the folders that have been created. These steps describe how to log in and view folders instead of the standard ledger list, by changing the Startup option.

To view folders:

1. Ensure you log in as SUPERVIS or a user with a level 6 security access.

2. From the Navigation bar, c lick Administration > User Accounts.


The User Accounts window opens.

3. Highlight the required user.

4. Right click and select Properties. The User Properties window opens.

5. Click the Preferences tab.

6. In the Start field, click the arrow  and select Folders.

7. Click OK to save the changes.

8. Click File > Login as to test the new login for the user just changed. You should be presented with the Folder Listing.

Back to Folders

How to Setup an SQL Folder

Accountants Enterprise only

To utilise SQL functionality for your application ledgers, a new folder must be created and flagged accordingly. Existing data that is stored in a Cheetah File System folder (for example, Central Database and all Tax ledgers for 2003 or later) must be copied into this new folder to enable the required tables to be created for the SQL database.

How to create a SQL folder:

1. From the Navigation bar, click Administration > Folders to open the Folder Maintenance window.

2. Click File > New or
   right click on an existing folder and select New to create a new SQL folder.


The New Folder properties window opens.

3. Enter the name of this folder in the Title field.


It is highly recommended that you identify in the title that this is an SQL folder (for example, **SQL** Tax).

4. Enter a user defined code in the Reference field which identifies folders when folder links are used. For example, TAXSQL. It is recommended that the code used is up to a maximum of 10 alpha-numeric characters in length and is unique.

5. Tick the checkbox Use database server.


This is the only mechanism that identifies this folder as using an SQL database. Selecting this checkbox changes the available fields below.

6. Click the Down arrow  to list the available SQL servers, types and databases. Select the required information for the SQL folder being setup.

7. Ensure the Contains master data files checkbox is ticked.


The Contains master program files checkbox is blank for SQL folders as master programs reside in the \SOL64 folder.

8. Click OK to create the SQL folder. Refer to How to Copy CFS Data into a new SQL Folder.

Back to Folders

How to Copy CFS Data into a new SQL Folder

Accountants Enterprise only

In 2003 or later income years, to use Tax with an SQL database, you must copy your existing Cheetah File System (CFS) folder to a newly created SQL folder. If you are using Tax with SQL then Central Database must use SQL also.

To copy CFS data into an SQL folder:

1. Double-click on the CFS folder that contains your data for Tax or later from the Select Folder window.

2. Highlight your DATABASE ledger item you want to copy into the SQL folder.

3. Right click on the ledger to display menu options and select Copy.


The Ledger copy wizard displays.

4. Click Next.


The Select destination folder window opens.

5. From the Ledgers chosen section, select whether to copy the selected ledger, related ledgers or all ledgers in the folder.

6. Click Next.


The Select destination folder window opens.

7. Choose the SQL folder by highlighting it in the list provided and click Next.

8. Click Finish to confirm the details and complete the process.

9. Repeat these steps for Tax Calculator (for example, Calc2008).

10. Repeat these steps for Tax Tracking (TaxTrack).

IMPORTANT: When copying your Tax Tracking ledger from the CFS folder to the SQL folder, a warning message displays “DS6TA410 already exists - do you want to replace the existing file?” Answer NO.

11. Repeat these steps for any years of Tax and Calculator subsequent to 2003.

12. You are now able to open your SQL folder and access the ledger for Tax for 2003 or later income years.

13. Once copied, it is imperative that the Refresh System links routine is run to ensure that the SQL version of CDS is used and not the CFS.


For information on refreshing system links consult the knowledgeBase.

14. Lastly, the automatic updating of DS6CL010 is no longer required and it is recommended that the automatic update of the DS6CL010 be turned off.

For information on how to turn off automatic updates to DS6CL010 consult the knowledgeBase.

Back to Folders