Basic Objects and User Interface

Allows the user to select a date. Users can key in a date or select a date from a calendar form by clicking on the "Calendar" button.

• To enter today's date, click in the field and press the "+" key on the keyboard.
• After entering a date, move it forward or backward by using the "+" and "-" keys on the keyboard.
• When typing directly in the date box, single digit months must be preceded with a zero (e.g. April is represented by "04").
• If the year is left out, the system defaults to the current year.
• If an entered date does not fit proper formatting, the field defaults back to the last valid entry.

Allows the user to select a file to attach to the field.

Allows the user to turn specific fields on or off.

Allows the user to select formatting properties such as text size or grid coloring.

Allows the user to input a string. Once the user starts typing in a memo field, a window will be displayed that allows the user to type in the desired text.

• Memo boxes include spell checking capability through the web browser spell check.
• It is possible to use standard notes across Deacom. Navigate to Tools > Maintenance > Predefined Notes. The notes created on the Predefined Notes form show up on the right side of the notes entry form when the user clicks in a memo field. In the notes entry form, double-click on the predefined note to move it to the note field, where it can be modified if needed.
• Right clicking in the left side text area of a Memo box will bring up the default browser context menu rather than the field info dialog. This allows users to paste text into the Memo box text area.

Allows the user to select from a predefined list of options.

Allows the user to select from a predefined list of options. When the user selects the searchbox icon or begins to type within the field, a window will open that allows the user to select the appropriate option. When the user begins to type within the field, the text select will automatically be input into the searchbox.

Allows the user to input a string. Text fields are limited in string length and the system will automatically cut off the user from typing beyond this limit. Details on text field masking are included below. When typing in text fields and misspellings occur, uses can right-click on the line that appears under the word to bring up the spell check window.

Print contents of current grid. Report is editable from Printed Reports toolbox and toolbox2 reports.

Exports the contents of the current grid to an Excel file.

Allows user to sort by any column of the current grid or create multiple filters for the data.

Refreshes the data in the current grid.

Automatically refreshes the data periodically if selected.

Allows user to subtotal the grid by various system fields.

Displays the Graph Data form where users may create various graph types. Graphs can be saved, refreshed, or printed. Additional information regarding Graphs is available via Deacom Basics > Graphs.

Allows user to save reports as a BI DataSet, Combined Report, Favorite, or Favorite With Preview. For more information, refer to BI and Graphs and Managing User Favorites and Previews.

Displays a list of the fields available for use in the grid. Grids may contain two different field types:

1. Native database fields - Stored in database tables. These fields start with two letters and an underscore. These are the fields listed in the Data Dictionary. An example of a native database field would be an item's "Part Number" (pr_codenum) or an item's "Description" (pr_descrip).
2. Variable fields - These fields are not stored within database tables but are generated or calculated when a report is run. These fields do not begin with two letters and an underscore. An example of a variable would be "Balance" which displays the balance due on a Sales Order.

Provides access to the Edit Grid Layout form and complete control of which fields are displayed on the grid and in what order. Additional information is available in the Edit Grid Layout Form section further down on this page. The security setting "Toolbar -- edit grid layouts" controls access to this button.

• Deacom system Grid Layouts cannot be modified. Instead, users can create and/or modify user versions of the system Grid Layouts. When a user version of a system grid is created, the word "User" will appear in parentheses next to this button on the Deacom Toolbar for that grid.
• Beginning in version 16.02.130, users can copy, and modify, grid layouts via System > Maintenance > Grid Layouts for all grid layouts, both system and user-defined.

If clicked, the currently displayed layout will be saved as the default the next time the grid/report is generated.

Shows all user modifications made to the highlighted entry including who made the entry and when. This feature is very useful to see the changes that have been made to master records, like item masters, security permissions, sales, jobs and purchase orders throughout the system.

Launches the Deacom Help System.

If clicked, displays the current filters set on the pre-filter for the selected grid.

Displays the name of the grid.

Displays the name of the grid as referred to in the code.

30 character description.

• Note: If the Grid Layout is associated with a report, the name in this field represents what the user will see in the "Report Type" drop down field on the various system pre-filters and can be changed as necessary. If modifying the Grid Layout associated with a transaction, for example "Issue/Reserve Inventory", It is recommended that users leave this as defined.

Options include: All users, Specific User, and User Group.

The field will open to select the appropriate value when either "Specific User" or "User Group" is indicated in the "Grid for" field.

Memo field used to create a script for the selected Grid Layout. The security setting "Tools -- edit scripts" controls access to this field. Additional information on scripting is available via the Configuring Through Code page.

Searchbox that allows a user to apply a previously made active filter into the selected grid, implementing fields such as Logic, Operator, Value, and Type. More information on creating filters can be found in Configuring Grid Layouts and Automated Reports.

• Advanced Filters can not be applied to BI Pages or Favorites.
• To delete an Advanced Filter, navigate to the Filter/Sort button on the toolbar of the selected grid, highlight it, and hit Remove.

The primary functionality of the User Auto-Refresh and User Parent Refresh option below is to give the customer the option to update records right away or when needed. Some companies might contain a large amount of records and might take a few minutes or hours to update them all. Attempting to update all the records during work hours will cause the program to slow and the company to fall behind schedule. This "User Auto Refresh" field is used to update all the records automatically when an update occurs to a record and keeps all the records up to date with the latest changes. It is set to "On" by default but can be configured by drilling into a management form, then selecting the modify layout option. Options are:

• System - Set by default.
• Yes - Uses the auto refresh option. This updates every time a change occurs to a record.
• No - Does not auto refresh. This turns the auto refresh button off for that management form only.

Used to update the parent form when the child form is saved. If turned on, when the user hits save, the parent form will automatically update. If turned off, the parent form will not update until the child form is closed. It is set to "On" by default but can be configured by drilling into a management form, then selecting the "Modify Layout" option. Options are:

• System - Set by default.
• Yes - Uses the parent refresh option. The parent form will only update when the child form is saved and closed.
• No - Does not refresh the parent form until the child form is saved and closed.

Pick list used to indicate the application where the grid will be applied. Options are:

• Mobile
• Desktop (main application)
• All (both Mobile and Desktop)
  • Note: Users can create separate grids, one for Mobile and one for Desktop from the same system grid. If changing this setting to All and grids exist for either Mobile or Desktop, the system will delete those grids.

Defines the number of columns, beginning on the left, that will be pinned or frozen on the grid. Example: If your report has 30 columns, entering a value of 2 will result in the two leftmost columns being frozen as the user scrolls from left to right.

• The system will display a vertical line to indicate which columns are pinned.
• Users may drag the vertical line to the right or left to change the number of pinned columns. Note that this change only effects the current session. Once the user exits the grid, the system will revert back to the value entered in this field.
• Double clicking the "Resize Columns to Fit" button, located at the top left of the grid, causes the grid to revert back to the value in this field.
• The number of pinned columns does not impact the printing of the report or the export to Excel feature.

If checked, indicates that the mobile specific grid for this system grid will be made available to mobile application. The mobile specific grid is a simplified version of the default system grid containing the core information for the report.

Informational only. If checked, determines whether the grid will refresh itself automatically after modifying an entry and exiting, such as Category Maintenance or the PO Summary report.

Informational only. If checked, determines if editing an entry will update the parent form's grid before the entry form is closed, such as the Edit PO form's grid when editing PO line items or the Edit Financial Statement form's grid while editing the statement line items.

If checked, this Grid Layout will be added to the Grid Layout Security form.

• Grid Layout Security is controlled both at the User Group and individual User level.

Click to add fields to the grid. See the Edit Grid Column Form section below for additional details.

Click to modify existing fields in the grid.

Deletes the selected field from the grid.

Click to delete all the fields on the current grid. If the "Save" button is clicked without any fields on a grid the program will restore the system default fields for this grid the next time it is run.

Click to change the sort order of the fields on the current grid. Deacom Web Versions include an enhanced “Sort” button that displays additional information for the underlying data or grid. In addition to providing more information, users now have the option to sort any column alphabetically, not just the first column as was the case in previous versions. The option is available when clicking the “Alphabetical”  button.

Saves all changes made to the grid layout. 

The "Save Button" field in System > Options determines if clicking the save button commit changes or both commits changes and closes the form.

Reverses any changes made since last save.

Allows users to attach files or pictures directly to the selected Grid Layout as well as email the attachments. Once users click the "Add" button they are presented with the Edit Document Entry form which allows users to select the specific document to attach, enter a description of the document and select the appropriate Document Category. 

If clicked, opens the Form Layout for the current grid.

Field used to find and select the actual Document.

Displays a description of the Document.

Search field used to assign the document to a Document Category.

Enter the name of the Export Format.

Select "Print Out" or "Text."

Select an available report.

• This field is enabled and required when selecting "Print Out" Type.

• This field is enabled and required when selecting "Text" Type.
• All fields available to the grid layout should be available to the Text field and it should be treated like the Message field on triggers where fields within carets <<>> should be evaluated as variables and returned. There should be one line per record on the grid exported into a .txt file when exported.

Pick list of available fields. In addition, there is an option to have the field defined by the user via the "User-Defined" option in the list. The "User Expression" field, defined below, is used when creating a user-defined field.

Note: All Item Master UDFs are available to the purchase order line grid.

Available only when the user-defined option is selected in the "Field" pick list. User expressions can access fields that are already in the grid or fields that are available to the grid display (which can be shown through the View All Fields button on the grid toolbar). Functions and operators as defined in Deacom Basics > Functions and Operators Library can be used to format user expressions.

Enter the name that will be displayed as the column heading, up to 30 characters.

Default width of the column.

Option to enter pre-defined FoxPro format options such as left, center, or right justify. Rarely used; generally left blank. This field can be used create a variety of formats for output generated from Field controls by creating a format string expression. A format string contains format codes and format templates.

Format Expression for Field Controls

• Format Codes

Format codes apply to all the characters in the Field control expression and must be preceded by the at sign (@) in the format string. For example, you can pad a numeric value with leading zeros instead of spaces by using the format string "@L 999999".

Format Code Description Applies to date of type 

!  Force text to uppercase. Character only 

B Left justify. All types 

J Right justify. All types 

I Center justify. All types 

L Leading zeros. Numeric only 

Z Blank if zero Numeric, Date, and DateTime 

( Surround negative numbers (). Numeric only 

C Appends "CR" to positive, non-zero numbers. Numeric only

X Appends "DB" to negative, non-zero numbers. Numeric only

$ Uses currency notation. Numeric only 

D Use current SET DATE setting. All types 

E Display as if SET DATE BRITISH was in effect. All types 

YL Display using system Long Date format. Date

YS Display using system Short Date format. Date 

R Prevents non-formatting characters in the template string from, replacing the corresponding character of the field expression value, When @R is used, the template string interleaves instead of overlaying. (See example below.)

Character and Numeric 

Notes

• Numeric data is right-justified by default.
• l Character and Date data are left-justified by default.
• l You can use combinations of format codes. For example "@CX" will display both credits and debits on numeric data, where appropriate.

• Template Characters

Format template characters apply to individual characters in the Field control expression. You can create a pattern with format template characters with each character in the template representing a character you want to display. For example, some characters in a format template alter the display of specific character types. For example, including the character "Y" in a format template for a logical expression

displays the letters "Y" instead of ".T." for True and "N" instead of ".F." for False. The character "9" in a format template is a placeholder for any digit in character or numeric data. Other format template characters, such as parentheses, spaces, and hyphens, display as themselves.

• Examples

The following examples show how format codes and format template characters work together to create the output:

Field Expression Value Format String Rendered Output 

-43.05 @(CX 999.999( 43.050 DB) 

65.43 (999) 999-9999 ( ) - -43 

"4505551023" (999) 999-9999 (505) 102- 

"4505551023" @R (999) 999-9999 (450) 555-1023 

ca90210 @R !! 99999 CA 90210 

Controls how number values will be displayed and is used for formatting purposes only. (i.e. 999-999-9999 for phone number.) Use "9" for digit placeholders.

• Other characters print as written. (i.e. Comma, Decimal, and Percentage sign and these signs , . % may be used in the mask)

Used in connection with the "iPhone" flag on the Edit Grid Layout form. Option to select if the selected field will be a primary or secondary field on the iPhone display. Primary fields will be displayed in a larger font and generally on top of secondary fields.

If checked, the first double-click on a column header sorts in descending order.

If checked, indicates column will be summed and results will be displayed underneath the toolbar on the report the next time it is displayed. Only numeric fields can be summed.

If checked, indicates this field will be displayed in the print preview. This is applicable for user defined columns that have this flag checked.

If checked, requires field to be entered in the following time format: MM:HH PM/AM.

Moves to the previous field in the grid.

Moves to the next field in the grid.

Saves all changes.

• The "Save Button" field in System > Options determines if clicking the save button commit changes or both commits changes and closes the for

Reverses any modifications since last save.

Options are "And" and "Or". Allows users to filter based on resulting criteria. "And" indicates all criteria must be meet in order to return results on the report. If set to "Or", indicates it is optional that the data be returned.

Select from a list a applicable tables. The table presented depend on the pre-filter being used. For example, if using a Sales > Order Reporting pre-filter typical tables to choose from would include Bill to companies, Ship to companies, Sales order header, and sales order lines. 

Options depend on the Table chosen above.

• Example: If a user input the field "Unit Weight" then "<" as the Operator and "25" as the Value, the search will yield results with a Unit Weight less than 25.

Works in connection with the Operator field below and, if checked, will not include the criteria specified in the value field.

Defines what operator the system will use when filtering results. Options are: <, <+, <>, =, >, >

=, Contains, Is Empty.