Sage Enterprise Solutions - Product Modules

The Auto-Q module is a system which allows users to queue batch-type functions for later processing at user-specified times, instead of online. These programs would typically be reports and batch processing facilities such as file reorganisations that would normally be run manually at period end.

Features

The main features of the system are:

Allows batch running of programs

Ad hoc and regular runs

Multiple requests for the same program

Relieves pressure on CPU during office hours

Saves on out of hours working by staff

Allows period-end procedures to be standardised

Can accept user-prepared ASCII files

There are two versions of the Auto-Q module depending on the platform users choose. The UNIX version runs with Sage CS/3 and consists of three elements: Screen Definitions, Screen Processing and Program Processing. This system is available only for Sage CS/3 users while Sage Enterprise and Sage Line 200 customers can use the NT/Windows 2000 Auto-Q which is detailed below. In summary, the features are as follows:

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Screen Definitions
The principle of the Auto-Q system is that the user can set up screens which look and behave in the same way as the original Sage CS/3 programs. The difference is that the Auto-Q screens do not run the functions immediately. Instead, the requests are stored for processing at a later stage. In order to achieve this, the Sage CS/3 forms editor cannot be used, and therefore the Auto-Q system provides an alternative method of defining screen layouts.

The user can specify the following screen characteristics:

Field Title

Field Position, i.e. line and column

Field Length

Field Type, i.e. alphanumeric or date

Field Validation

Page Numbers

Function Keys

By using these characteristics, the user can set up screen layouts which closely resemble those in the original Sage CS/3 programs.

Auto-Q is also available for Sage Enterprise and Sage Line 200 products on an NT/Windows 2000 platform. The system consists of two elements, a Server application which runs on the Sage Enterprise or Sage Line 200 system and a client application which runs on the user’s PC.

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Server Application
The Server-side application is used to validate the licensing of the product. Without a valid licence in each company that the client systems are accessing the required programs will not run.

Client Application
The principle of the NT Auto-Q system is that the user can record programs by running them through the NT Auto-Q client. The GUI client API functionality then allows the NT Auto-Q application to define the keystrokes, function keys and data which are used to run the programs. There are some restrictions within the GUI client API but these are manageable.

The data fields and function keys are then stored in user-defined records for replaying later. The routine can be edited and updated without having to completely rerun the record process from scratch.

There is a special calculation option for the processing of date fields so that the system date, period end date, and period start date can be entered with adjustments by date and period. This intelligent date calculation enables the user to forget about the application which will run each month, week, and day without the need to re-enter the correct dates each time. The period is defined from a user-defined link to the various ledger period systems keys i.e. SLPERIOD.

Each program can be replicated so that the user only has to run a program once to record the initial data fields and function keys. Then a copy of that program can be made and the data amended to give the alternative ranges and values required for the subsequent runs of that program.

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		Features
		Screen Definitions
		Server/Client Application