Design a Form from a Task Screen

When you create a template for a task screen, in some cases, you can associate a form with the template. You can also customize the form that is associated with the template so that it specifically meets your needs.

The task screens that allow you to create templates with associated forms are:

Quotes

Sales Orders

Proposals

Sales/Invoicing

Purchase Orders

To design a form from a Task screen:

  1. Open the appropriate Task screen.
  2. Click the Layout button.
  3. Select Customize <task screen> Layout. The Maintain <task screen> Templates window will open.
  4. Select a template from the Template Name drop list or enter a new template name if you want to create a new template.
  5. On the right side of the screen, under the More Options for Printed Form section, select a form from the drop list. You cannot edit the Standard Forms that come with Sage 50 so you must select a custom form or accept the default value which will create a new custom form to associate with this template.
  6. If you are creating a new template or have made changes to an existing one, you should click the Save button to save the template before making changes to the form.
  7. Now you can add/remove fields and columns, add a logo, add text, or change the layout, fonts, or colors on the selected form.

Add/Remove Fields and Columns

ClosedWhat are individual fields and columns?

Individual Fields are data fields that only have one possible value on each form. Examples of individual fields on an invoice are the invoice number, invoice date, and customer name. An invoice can only have one invoice number, one invoice date, and one customer name.

Columns are data fields that appear in a column (or list) on a form. Examples of column fields on an invoice are quantity, item description, and unit price. You can sell multiple items on one invoice so these fields can appear multiple times on the invoice.

Warning! It is important to place these fields in the correct location on the form. If you place an individual field within a column or a column field outside of a column, you may get unpredictable results.

Fields and columns that exist on both the entry screen and the printed form are listed in the Add/Remove Fields and Columns section of the screen. The fields and columns that are checked in the Printed Form column appear on the form and the fields and columns that are unchecked do not appear on the form.

  1. In the Printed Form column, check any fields or columns that you want to add to the form. Uncheck any fields or columns that you want to remove from the form. If the checkbox for a particular field or column is disabled, you cannot add or remove this field or column.
  2. Click Save.

  3. Select the review this layout link located next to the Add/Remove Fields and Columns heading.

  4. The Forms Design window will open with the form shown with the fields added and/or removed. You may need to reposition the fields on the form. How do I use the Forms Design window?

  5. When you are satisfied with the changes, click Save to save the form.

Add more fields to the printed form

You can add more fields to the form than just the ones that are shown in the Add/Remove Fields and Columns section.

  1. In the Individual Fields section, select the Add more fields to printed form link.
  2. If the Confirmation dialog appears, verify the Add an individual field radio button is selected and click OK.
  3. The form will open in the Forms Design window with the Add Field dialog shown.
  4. On the Add Field dialog, select the field that you want to add from the Individual Fields tab.
  5. Click OK..
  6. The field will appear on the form.
  7. Move the field to the desired location on the form.
  8. Click Save to save the form.

Add more columns to the printed form

You can add more columns to the form than just the ones that are shown in the Add/Remove Fields and Columns section.

  1. In the Columns section, select the Add more columns to printed form link.
  2. If the Confirmation dialog appears, verify the Add a column radio button is selected and click OK.
  3. The form will open in the Forms Design window.
  4. The Add Field dialog will be shown on top of the Column Data Options dialog.
  5. On the Add Field dialog, select the field that you want to add from the Columns tab.
  6. Click OK..
  7. The field now appears in the list of fields on the Column Data Options dialog.
  8. You can change the field heading if you want to. This is the heading at the top of the column.
  9. You can use the Move Up and Move Down buttons to change the position of the column on the form. For example, the first field in the list will be the first column on the form.
  10. Click OK. to add the column to the form.
  11. Click Save to save the form.

Add logo to printed form

  1. Select the Add logo to printed form link in the More Options for Printed Form section of the screen.
  2. Select the logo or image file that you want to add to the form. The file should be a bitmap (.bmp), JPEG (.jpg, .jpeg, .jpe, or .jfif), or GIF (.gif) file.

    3. Note: Bitmap, JPEG, and GIF files are typical image files. If you need to add a different type of file (such as a Microsoft Word document) to your form, you will need to insert the file as an OLE object. How do I an OLE object to my form?

  3. Click Open.
  4. The image should appear on the form.
  5. Select the image and move it to the desired location on the form using the mouse or arrow keys.
  6. Click Save to save the form.

ClosedDo you want this image to be a background image?

  1. In the Forms Design window, right click on the image.
  2. Select Order from the right click menu.
  3. The object (image) should be highlighted in the order list.
  4. Use the Move Object arrow keys to move the object up until it is the first object in the order list. This ensures that the image will print in the background on the form.
  5. Click OK..
  6. Click Save to save the form.

Add text to printed form

ClosedWhat is a text field?

A text field is a field that displays the exact text that you enter in forms design on the printed form itself. You could use a text field to create a label for a data field such as "Invoice Number:" or you could use a text field to create a message that prints on the form such as "Thank you for your business".

  1. Select the Add text to printed form link in the More Options for Printed Form section of the screen.
  2. The form will open in the Forms Design window.
  3. If the Add Text Confirmation dialog appears, make sure Add Text Field is selected and click OK.
  4. A blank text field should have been added to the form.
  5. Type the text that you want to appear in the text box.
  6. Click out of the text box.
  7. Move the text field to the desired location on the form.
  8. Click Save to save the form.

Change printed layout, fonts, or colors

  1. Select the Change printed layout, fonts, or colors link in the More Options for Printed Form section of the screen.
  2. The form will open in the Forms Design window.
  3. Make any necessary changes to the layout, fonts, or colors of the form. How do I use the Forms Design window?
  4. Click Save to save the form.
What do you want to do next?

Published: March 21, 2017
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