DMS Help and User Guide – Legacy
DMS Help and User Guide will take you through the features and settings for the Sicon DMS module for Sage 200.
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Help and User Guide maintained for Pre-v2017 Document Manager (DMS)
This Help and User Guide is for Sicon DMS Pre-v2017, if you require the user guide for v2017, please click below.
Sicon DMS Help and User Guide - v2017
The Sicon DMS for Sage 200 product is designed to enable users to attach documents (scans or files) to transactions, accounts, orders & stock items while they work in Sage 200.
New buttons have been added to enable multiple documents to be attached to during the creation of an order (both Sales and Purchase) or during invoice entry.
Additional documents can be added later by using the transaction and order enquiry functions.
The following pages will explain how the Sicon DMS product is designed to help provide a very simple to use document management solution for Sage 200.
1. Purchase Ledger Invoices and Credits
When you open the Purchase Ledger Invoice/Credit Note entry screen, either directly from the Purchase ledger or following POP record invoices, you will see three additional buttons at the bottom of the screen:
- Show Document: This will list any existing scanned document related to this transaction, assuming you are linking multiple and may want to review those already attached.
- Add Document: This will allow you to attach any type of electronic document to this invoice or scan an image via a connected scanner with suitable twain driver.
- Source – File, Scan, Scan with options: This option will allow you change from you default method of attachment (eg Files) to select Scan or Scan with options depending on how you may with to scan an image: e.g. Black and White, Colour, etc.
Click the Add Document button with the source selected as File and Windows Explorer will open in your default file location setup for you in the system settings.
Change the Source to Scan to activate an attached scanner when you click Add Document
1.1. Viewing Documents
Open the purchase ledger transaction enquiry and select the required account.
You will notice a new column in the transaction listing showing No of documents attached to this transaction. Choose the Show Documents button below the list to open the document viewer for these transactions.
If you wish to add documents to this transaction choose your source method and click the Add Documents.
1.2. Authorise Supplier Transactions
(added v2011.0.18)
When authorising transactions the Show Document button may be clicked to display documents that have been stored against the selected purchase invoice transaction. An item must first be selected in the transactions list above.
2. Sales Ledger Invoices and Credits
When you open the Sales Ledger Invoice/Credit Note entry screen, you will see three additional buttons at the bottom of the screen:
- Show Document: This will list any existing scanned document related to this transaction, assuming you are linking multiple and may want to review those already attached.
- Add Document: This will allow you to attach any type of electronic document to this invoice or scan an image via a connected scanner with suitable twain driver.
- Source -File, Scan, Scan with Options: This option will allow you change from you default method of attachment (eg Files) to select Scan or Scan with options depending on how you may with to scan an image, e.g. Black and White, Colour, etc.
Click the Add Document button with the source selected as File and Windows Explorer will open in your default file location setup for you in the system settings.
Change the Source to Scan to activate an attached scanner when you click Add Document.
2.1. Viewing Documents
Open the sales ledger transaction enquiry and select the required account.
You will notice a new column in the transaction listing showing No of Documents attached to this transaction. Choose the Show Documents button below the list to open the document viewer for these transactions.
If you wish to add documents to this transaction choose your source method and click the Add Documents.
3. Sales Orders and Returns
Documents may be scanned against sales orders and returns using from the order/return selection and amendment screens as shown below.
Click the Add Document button with the source selected as File and Windows Explorer will open in your default file location setup for you in the system settings.
Change the Source to Scan to activate an attached scanner when you click Add Document.
3.1. Viewing Documents
Documents may be viewed or added using View Sales Order and View Sales Return enquiry screens.
You will notice a new column in the transaction listing showing No of Documents attached to this transaction.
Choose the Show Documents button below the list to open the document viewer for these transactions.
If you wish to add documents to this transaction choose your source method and click the Add Documents.
4. Purchase Orders and Returns
Documents may be scanned against purchase orders and returns using from the order/return selection and amendment screens as shown below.
Click the Add Document button with the source selected as File and Windows Explorer will open in your default file location setup for you in the system settings.
Change the Source to Scan to activate an attached scanner when you click Add Document.
4.1. Viewing Documents
Documents may be viewed or added using View Purchase Order and View Purchase Return enquiry screens.
You will notice a new column in the transaction listing showing No of Documents attached to this transaction.
Choose the Show Documents button below the list to open the document viewer for these transactions.
If you wish to add documents to this transaction, choose your source method and click the Add Documents.
5. Purchase Order Goods Received
Documents may be scanned against purchase orders at the point of goods being received.
Click the Add Document button with the source selected as File and Windows Explorer will open in your default file location setup for you in the system settings.
Change the Source to Scan to activate an attached scanner when you click Add Document.
All documents added using this screen can be viewed via the View Purchase Order enquiry screens.
6. Cash Book (Nominal Ledger Transactions)
Documents may be scanned during entry of the following cash book nominal ledger transactions:
- Nominal Taxable Receipt
- Nominal Taxable Payment
- Nominal Non-Taxable Receipt
- Nominal Non-Taxable Payment
Click the Add Document button with the source selected as File and Windows Explorer will open in your default file location setup for you in the system settings.
Change the Source to Scan to activate an attached scanner when you click Add Document.
6.1. Cash Book Transaction Enquiry
Documents may be viewed or added using Cash Book Transaction enquiry screen.
Choose the Show Documents button below the list to open the document viewer for these transactions.
If you wish to add documents to this transaction, choose your source method and click the Add Documents.
6.2. Cash Book Account Enquiry
Statement documents may be viewed (or added) using the Cash Book Account Enquiry screen.
Choose the Show Documents button to view documents for the selected statement. If you wish to add documents for a statement, choose your source method and click the Add Documents.
7. Nominal Ledger
Documents may be added or viewed using Nominal Ledger Transaction enquiry screen.
Choose the Show Documents button below the list to open the document viewer for these transactions.
If you wish to add documents to this transaction, choose your source method and click the Add Documents.
It is also possible to add documents when entering the following types of transactions from the Nominal Ledger Enter Transactions menu:
- Nominal Taxable Receipt
- Nominal Taxable Payment
- Nominal Non-Taxable Receipt
- Nominal Non-Taxable Payment
- See the Cash Book (Nominal Ledger) page of this user guide for screen-shots of these entry screens
See the Cash Book (Nominal Ledger) page of this user guide for screen-shots of these entry screens.
8. Stock Items
Documents may be scanned against stock items using the Amend Stock Item Details screen.
Click the Add Document button with the source selected as File and Windows Explorer will open in your default file location setup for you in the system settings.
Change the Source to Scan to activate an attached scanner when you click Add Document.
Documents may be viewed or added using View Stock Item Details enquiry screen.
Choose the Show Documents button below the list to open the document viewer for these transactions.
If you wish to add documents to this transaction, choose your source method and click the Add Documents.
9. Import Documents (Existing Transaction)
(added V2011.0.22)
This screen allows document image files to be imported against transactions, which already exist in the Sage 200 system. Currently documents may be imported against the following Sage transactions:
- Purchase Invoices
- Purchase Credit Notes
- Sales Invoices
- Sales Credit Notes
This process is intended to be used with .csv and .pdf files generated by the Draycir Spindle product. It is possible to use this function with files created by other means, provided the following rules/formats are followed:
- Each document to be imported must have a related .csv and .pdf file. The .pdf file must contain the document image and the .csv file must contain transaction references.
- The import will only link documents to existing Sage transactions; it will not post new transactions.
- The .csv file must contain columns of transaction index details in the following sequence: Column 1: Sequential number (i.e. 1), not used by the import. Column 2: Must be ‘Sicon DMS’. Column 4 to 5: Blank/optional, not used by the import. Column 6: The document type, ‘PurchaseInvoices’, ‘PurchaseCreditNote’, ‘SalesInvoices’ or ‘SalesCreditNote’. Column 7: The trader account code (i.e. the Sage supplier or customer account number). Column 8: The transaction reference (i.e. the purchase/sales invoice/credit note number. This, along with the trader account code, is used to find the related transaction in Sage). Column 9: The Sage company name (used to identify the company. Columns 10 to 42: Blank/optional, not used by the import. Column 43: The document (.pdf) file name, including the network path.
- The .csv and .pdf files are normally given the same name (i.e. PI010112.csv and PI010112.pdf). However this is not mandatory provided the index file includes the correct document file name in column 43.
- It is intended that all .csv and .pdf files are located in the same folder.
A selected import file folder must be selected using the Folder button at the top-right of the screen.
Once selected, all .csv files in the folder will be read and validated. File data will be shown in the upper grid and informational (and error) message will be displayed in the lower list.
When validation is complete the Import button is clicked to import (link) documents for all valid transactions associated with the current Sage company (using the company names in column 9).
Successfully imported index (.csv) and document (.pdf) files will be automatically moved to an Archive folder (i.e. a sub-folder of the original file path).
Documents with index files containing invalid trader/transaction references will not be imported, but will be retained in their current folder for future import runs.
A informational message will be displayed confirming the number of documents which have been imported.
10. Search
The search screen allows you to view any documents on one screen.
The top of the screen allows you to filter by document type or a particular property of the document. Once you have entered your criteria press Search.
The central grid should then display a list of document as filtered by the criteria.
Using the buttons at the bottom, you can either view the document by pressing the Show button or remove the document by pressing Delete.
11. Settings
The system settings for the Sicon DMS module are divided into several sections:
- Document Management Selection: DMS or other third-party document management package.
- Users: This will show you a list of all of your Sage 200 users to which you can apply settings.
- Defaults: Setup the default location fro archived documents, setup & test scanners.
- Types and Properties: Choose which documents you wish to use in the DMS system.
- Invoice Import: Optional, settings related to ‘Purchase Invoice Order Matching’ functionality.
- Version One: Only shown when Version One software is installed/selected.
- M-Files Types and Properties: Only shown when M-Files software is installed/selected.
11.1. Document Management Selection
As a default, documents will be stored in the DMS databases. However, if either of the third-party ‘Version One’ or ‘M-Files’ document management solutions are installed these can be selected as the default document repository.
The Update Database button should be used following installation or upgrade of the DMS module to generate new settings. This process must be run on each individual Sage company.
The Select Scanner button may be used to change the default scanner, if required.
The Remove Records button may be used to clear DMS records where document files have been removed from DMS network folders. If this process is not used following deletion of documents, broken links may be reported when attempting to view documents which no longer exist.
11.2. Options
(only available in older DMS versions, now replaced by the Update Database button)
The options sections provides some system functions, such as Update Database that builds new SQL database tables after an upgrade.
11.3. Users
All of your Sage 200 users will be listed on this screen when you open the Sicon DMS settings. You can enable view only or scan and view for each user.
Choose the default document source for each user (File, Scan, Scan with options). If you select File, you can choose the default location for documents to be found for this user in the default location.
When you are happy with the process, you can set the system to delete the original files after they have been archived. This will ensure that only non-archived documents are shown in the Windows Explorer when adding new documents.
11.4. Defaults
The Root path is the location into which the archived documents will be created.
A new folder structure will be created in this root location in the following structure:
- Sage Company Name
- Document Type eg PLInvoice
- Supplier or Customer Account Number
- Document Name (Account Ref _ Reference No)
The enable string contains the number of users – View only, full scan and view users plus an expiry date for the software.
The default viewer option uses the Windows associated viewer for the document type being opened. If this is not selected the Sicon image viewer will be opened instead. This viewer allows multi page documents to be viewed and zoomed. The Sicon image viewer does not currently support PDF files. If you are using the PDF file type, select to use the default windows program. This option was removed in version 2011.0.19+, now the windows default program is always used.
Use scanner default options screen option uses the built-in scanner software screen when you select to use Scan with option.
Use Search Screen to show documents if this is selected then when viewing a document, it will display all the documents in a list. If this is not selected then it will show the first document and the user will need to navigate to the other images using the the Image Viewer navigation buttons.
Remove physical file when the user uploads a file the local version will be removed.
Document quality – enter a number between 1-100 this will set the compression on a tiff and jpeg image. 1 would be the highest compression. This option was removed in version 2011.0.16+.
Document type allows you to select the type of file that the scanner will convert the image to. It is recommended to use either Tiff or PDF files because they support multiple pages in one file.
Max page file size enter a maximum file size per page. If the scanned image is over this value then a message warning the user will appear.
XP Mode select should be used if any of the computers that are scanning are XP or Vista and you have selected the Tiff file type. This will remove the compression on the file. This option was removed in version 2011.0.16+.
Remove transaction count column – select this if you want to suppress the document count column from the various transaction screen, this is recommended if you are displaying thousands of transactions.
Test Scan – this allows you to attach a Twain compatible scanner and test that it works.
12. Type and Properties
These options can be enabled or disabled within the system depending on which type of documents are required by your organisation.
Following installation, default values for all document types will be set when the Update Database process is run (see above).
It is recommended that these defaults are used in most cases, however it is possible to amend the properties if required.
NB: Changes to document properties after initial installation of the DMS module may result in broken document links and corruption of the DMS database.
Example document types available in the Sicon DMS module
Retail Original File name When Adding File
By default DMS will rename document files based on account codes, transaction references, etc. If this box is ‘ticked’ original file names will be retained.
13. Invoice Import
The settings on this tab are only required when the optional ‘Purchase Invoice Order Matching’ functionality is intended to be used.
Invoice Matching Variance Percentage
When importing/matching invoices against purchase orders the process will allow order/variance amount variances based on the percentage entered here.
Batch Invoices Authorisation Type
This setting defines the authorisation type set for imported/matched invoices, available values are:
- AuthorisationTypeNotRequired
- AuthorisationTypeYes
- AuthorisationTypeNo
- AuthorisationTypeInvoiceExceedsLimit
Version One
These options can be enabled or disabled within the system depending on which types of documents are required by your organisation.
14. M-Files Types and Properties
These options can be enabled or disabled within the system depending on which type of documents are required by your organisation.
15. Enable Module
This module will automatically be enabled for a 30 day trial period from the date of installation. After this period, a new module enable string must be entered for continued use of the module.
To enter a new enable string open the Settings screen from the Sage DMS menu.
Select the Defaults tab and enter (paste) the module enable string provided by Sicon Customer Services, then click the Enable button followed by the Save button.
16. Purchase Invoice Order Matching
These functions may be used to match purchase invoice details (stored in an .csv import file) against purchase orders which already exist in the Sage system.
16.1. Purchase Invoice Import
This screen is used to import purchase invoice details from a selected .csv file.
The .csv file must have columns of data as shown in the column headings of the top grid.
During validation, informational and error messages will be written to the lower list.
16.2. Existing Invoice Imports
This screen may be used to review and correct/reject imported transactions which have previously failed the validation process.
17. HM Revenue & Customs - Document Storage
HM Revenue & Customs: The HM Revenue & Customs guidelines state that you must be able to guarantee the authenticity and the integrity of the content of your source documents throughout the storage period by either electronic or procedural means. store all the data related to your invoices, including such evidence as is required to demonstrate that authenticity and integrity has been ensured, and be able to recreate the invoice data as at the time of its original transmission or receipt, and present the invoice data in a readable format. You must keep history files so that you can find the appropriate details from any particular time in the past if one of HMRC’s visiting officers asks you to do so. The same rules apply to storage of electronic invoices as to paper invoices. You must normally keep copies of all the invoices you issue and all the invoices you receive for 6 years.
Sicon DMS can assist you in complying with these regulations with regards to the storage of your documents. Please ensure you adhere to the HM Revenue & Customs guidelines when using this product.
Source – Electronic invoicing, HMRC Reference: Notice 700/63 (22 May 2015) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/vat-notice-70063-electronic-invoicing/vat-notice-70063-electronic-invoicing#conditions-for-electronic-storage17.1. Document Retention
For further HMRC Document Retentions Guidelines, please refer to: https://lgw.cnsonline.net/web/content/helpdesk/hmrcbestpracticeguides.jsp
18. Release Notes
The Release Notes document below shows which release of the DMS system includes which new features and for which version of Sage these will work.
The version number indicated in the DMS Release Notes includes a full release number and a sub version number; e.g. ’6.1′ indicates the full release version number of the software. Pre-release version builds of the software are available to certain clients requiring new or enhanced features being developed from the wish list. If these versions are installed on your system, you will see an additional number e.g. 39.113 making up a specific database version and interim build number of 6.1.39.113.
It is unlikely that these features will be documented in this help and user guide until the end of the development phase.
Document Manager - DMS Release Notes