Documents Help and User Guide

Sicon Documents for Sage 200 is designed to enable users to attach/index documents (Scans or Files) to transactions, accounts, orders & stock items while working in Sage 200.

Back to all user guides

Documents Help and User Guide

Sicon Documents for Sage 200 is designed to enable users to attach/index documents (Scans or Files) to transactions, accounts, orders & stock items while working in Sage 200.

Back to all user guides

Product overview

Help and User Guide maintained for Sicon Documents version 220.0.0 and Upwards.


The Sicon Documents Help and User Guide will take you through the features and settings for this module.  Sicon Documents for Sage 200 is designed to enable users to attach (index) documents to transactions, accounts, orders and stock items while working in Sage 200.  Additional documents can be added later through the transaction and order enquiry functions.  Documents are automatically referenced using attributes to facilitate search options.


1. Overview

Sicon Documents allows users to attach documents, emails, orders and transactions in Sage, either by using a desktop scanner, browsing from a network location or dragging and dropping from an email.  There is no need to re-index a document after scanning; by attaching documents directly into Sage then relevant attributes are applied to each document automatically as each order, ledger or transaction etc. is saved.

Document Automation can be used if you would like to have your suppliers emailing you their invoices in, and you want the invoices to be scanned so that they can be processed into Sage with the minimum effort.

Document Distribution can be used to make the emailing of documents to customers or suppliers as efficient as possible while automatically archiving them at the same time.

Page Size Warning:  when scanning directly into Sage, a warning will appear if the size is greater than allowed, but the document can still be scanned in.  Our advice would be that an A4 page scan should be between 35 and 75 Kbytes and if there are scanned images much larger than this, to check the scanner settings.

Black & White or Colour:  HMRC are happy to see a black and white copy of the original invoice and so there is generally no need to scan images in full colour.  However, with modern scanners and image compression software, the colour scan and black and white scans should not be too dissimilar in size.

Drag and Drop:  drag and drop a file from a location, e.g. an email attachment – email is Outlook and Gmail, not web based email clients such as Gmail.  It is also possible to drag and drop from Windows Explorer.

Scanner Recommendations:  our recommendation would be the Fujitsu fi-7160 as a fast, reliable and robust scanner for use as a personal desktop scanner.  This is the most efficient way to work for high volume users that receive a lot of paper invoices; low volume users can use a shared scanner or network copier to scan images and attach via the file attachment method.


2. HM Revenue & Customs – Document Storage

The HMRC 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, 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 the appropriate details from any particular time can be provided if one of HMRC’s visiting officers asks you to do so.  The same rules apply to the storage of electronic invoices as to paper invoices; you must normally keep copies of all the invoices you issue and receive for six years.

Sicon Documents can assist with complying with these regulations; please ensure you adhere to HMRC guidelines when using this product.

Source – Electronic invoicing (VAT Notice 700/63) Published 19th May 2015.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/electronic-invoicing-notice-70063#conditions-for-electronic-storage

For further HMRC Document Retentions Guidelines, please refer to:

https://lgw.cnsonline.net/web/content/helpdesk/hmrcbestpracticeguides.jsp


3. Sage Admin Features

For users to be able to access Documents Settings and other features, users will require permissions detailed below; these will need enabling as required for each organisation.

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide - 3 Sage Admin features

Enquiries – POP Receipts and Despatches with No Documents:  this permission will allow users to be able to find all receipts and despatches that have not had documents added.

Enquiries – POP Orders and Returns with No Documents:  this permission will allow users to be able to find all orders and returns that have not had documents attached.

Enquiries – Document Search:  this will give users the ability to be able to search to find specific attachments within Sage.  Users will only be able to view documents as per their permissions set within Documents Settings.

Enquiries – PL Transactions with No Documents:  this permission will allow users to be able to find all PL transactions that have not had documents attached.

Settings:  configure to allow users the ability to access Documents settings.  As this will allow for users to allocate licences and switch on or off other settings, this would usually just be an Administrator permission. There is also a separate feature to give access to creating or editing Email Templates for use with Document Distribution. The feature for User Settings is likely only needed as a result of a support issue if the user needs to clear their caches, or if the user wants to reset the tips. The Enable Module screen allows you to review or update enable strings for any installed Sicon modules.

Tools – Split PDF:  this permission will allow users to be able to split multi-page PDF documents into single page documents.

Document Automation – Process Invoices/ Upload Suppliers: These permissions will allow users to access the Process Invoices screen where the document automation occurs or send all supplier information to Cogidocs (if using Document Automation).

Help & User Guide:  this will give users the ability to view the Help and User Guide from within Sage.


4. Settings


4.1. Licence Tab

A licence string will be supplied in accordance with how many ‘Index and View’ and ‘View only’ licences have been purchased.  This will need to be updated on a yearly basis or if the number of licences has changed.

If using Sicon Document Automation there is an additional enable string once you have proceeded beyond using the initial test bundle. You can add the Licence Bundles which have been purchased using the ‘Add Bundles’ button.

The bundles will be displayed outlining how many documents are available on that bundle and below will show how many are available in total, how many used and how many remaining (across all of your Sage companies). If you are using Document Automation in multiple Sage companies, then you can double click on the Bundle Usage figure to see this broken down across each of your companies.

Sicon Documents HUG - Section 4.1 Image 1


4.2. Sage Users Tab

Once the Documents Licence has been applied, allocate the ‘Full’ and ‘View Only’ licences to the Sage users as required. Note that a Full user licence will take up one of both of your Full and View Only licence counts. Clicking ‘Update Users’ will add in any users from Sage System Admin that have access to the current Sage Company.

Full licence rights:  whether the user is able to add documents into Sage; either by scanning, dragging and dropping or browsing. This permission is required if the user intends to process invoices using Document Automation.

Can Re-Index:  whether the user will be able to re-index a document once it has been added.

Can Delete:  whether the user is able to delete documents added into Sage.  This is usually just an Administrator permission.

Delete on Indexing:  selecting this option will delete documents from the location once uploaded; this is useful if documents are being scanned in using a network scanner and then uploaded into Sage from this folder.  This is dependent on Windows users file permissions.  Usually this would not be switched on initially but can be turned on once the users are confident with the system.

View Rights:  determine whether the user is able to view all indexed documents, only those they have indexed themselves, or documents that have been indexed by other users in their Sage Role.

Default Indexing Option:  if a particular option is specified, the default option will be performed as soon as the add document screen is opened.  This can be set as No Default, Scan, Scan with Options or Attach.

Default Attachment Path:  enter a file path if documents will always be added from a specific location – this will remove the need for the user to always browse to a particular location.

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide - 4.2 Sage Users tab


4.3. Setting Tab

Sicon Documents HUG - Section 4.3 Image 1

Scanning Options

Scanned File Type:  when scanning in documents, to either scan as a PDF or Tiff file.

Default Scan Resolution:  this sets the default DPI; increasing this will mean the document size will be greater when stored.

Page Size Warning:  when scanning directly into Sage, a warning will appear if the size will be greater than set here, but the document will still be scanned in.

Test Scan Driver:  select the driver configured, either Twain or WIA.

Test Scan Source:  select from the drop down list the scanner to run the test scan on.

Attaching Options

Default Attachment Location:  if a location is entered here, then when all users go to add a document, this will be the default location to pick up the attachment from.  Make sure that this location is able to be accessed by all users.

Logging Options

Log to File:  by default, these settings are off but can be enabled if tracking down a problem with Documents.  If on, this setting will record events in the Log File.

Log to Windows Event Log (on premise):  by default, these settings are off but can be enabled if tracking down a problem with Documents.  If on, this setting will record events in the Windows Event Log.

Functionality

Enable Add and View button context menus:  by default, this will be on and will allow the user to right click on the Add Document button and add a different Document Type; i.e. when adding a document against Sales Order, the default document added would be an Order but another document type can be selected from the list if required.

Convert Tiff files to PDF when opened:  this is a work around for a limitation of Windows photo viewer which does not have an option to print a single page of a multi-page file.  By converting to PDF, all of the features of the PDF viewer can be used, including printing specific pages.

Enable Document Count Columns:  by default, this is enabled and will show a count of documents added, e.g. see Supplier Transaction screen against a PL Supplier below.  Documents can be added or viewed against an invoice here too by clicking the Add Document or View Document buttons at the bottom of the screen.

Disable Sage Scan and Attach functionality: This removes the buttons added by Sage in later versions of Sage 200c that enable you to add documents to transactions.

Enable Document Count column in Cashbook Transaction Enquiry

Enable Document Count column in Batch/Serial Entry

Enable Document Count column in Nominal Transaction Enquiry

If you start experiencing any performance issues in these screens (typically only when you are viewing large numbers of transactions), then you can tick these settings to disable the document count column in these screens.

Render PDF Files with Direct X (instead of GDI+):   A new setting to determine whether PDF files are rendered with Direct X or not (otherwise rendered with GDI+). This setting was introduced as a result of a support issue where the font was unreadable on scanned documents.


4.4. Indexing Information

This tab can be used to show how Modules, Entities, Document Types and Attributes are linked together and what attributes are available under a particular document type.

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide - 4.4 Documents Settings Indexing Information tab

Modules:  Sage and Sicon Add-on modules where Documents can be used to index and view documents.  The System modules cannot be edited but additional modules can be added as needed.

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide - 4.4 Modules

Entities:  this is a list of entities against which document types can be stored.  System entities cannot be edited but additional entities can be added if required.

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide - 4.4 Entities

Document Types:  the classification of documents when added to Sage via Documents against a particular entity.  System document types cannot be edited but new document types can be added if required; there is a wizard for adding new document types.

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide - 4.4 Document Types

Attributes: these are used to automatically reference the documents added to Sage via Documents.  System attributes cannot be deleted or edited (apart from the Description attribute which can be marked as mandatory if required), but additional attributes can be added if required.

Adding a New Document Type:  it is possible to either use the wizard to create a new document type, or right click on an Entity and click ‘Add New Document Type’.

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide - 4.4 Add a new document type

Enter a name and a friendly name; the name cannot contain spaces but the friendly name can.  Pick a template to copy the attributes from and click Save.  This new document type will then be visible against the chosen entity when right clicking on Add Docs.


4.5. Required Documents

It is possible to configure certain transaction types to require a document to be attached; for example, Purchase Invoices can be configured to require an attachment while a Purchase Credit can warn if no document has been attached but can be saved without.

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide - 4.5 Documents Settings Required Documents tab

Various pop up messages will show to the user depending on the required option if no document has been attached.

Warning prompt but the user is able to continue saving the transaction without adding a document.

4.5 Warning MessageSicon Documents Help and User Guide -

Warning prompt and the user is not able to save without attaching a document.

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide - 4.5 Warning Message 2


4.6. Document Automation

Before you can start using Document Automation you need to register an account and email address that will be used to process your invoices.  This email address can either be given to a Supplier or Invoices can be passed through from a company’s internal email address (e.g. Invoices@yourcompany.com). Invoices sent to this email address would need to be separate attachments, i.e. it can’t process a single PDF that contains multiple invoices. But there can be multiple PDFs on the same email, each being a separate invoice.

When you haven’t yet registered for an account, you will see two tabs within the Document Automation tab – the Customer tab and the Application tab. The Customer tab has details that are shared between all of your Sage companies and these details are editable up to the moment where you register one of the Sage companies. From that point onwards, these fields are then greyed out.

Sicon Documents HUG - Section 4.6 Image 1

All these details are required when signing up a new database / email source.

Customer Name: Company Name prepopulated from Sage

Contact Name: Main contact from process invoices

Contact Email: Main email address for the company contact (generic email address preferred)

Street: Street address prepopulated from Sage

City: City prepopulated from Sage

Post Code: Company postcode, prepopulated from Sage

VAT Registration No: Company VAT number, prepopulated from Sage

In order to register for an account, the Sign Up button is on the Application tab:

Sicon Documents HUG - Section 4.6 Image 2

Email Address: The email address you intend to use to send Invoices to, to be processed by Sicon Document Automation. You will also need to select the domain for the email address from the drop-down menu. The domains in the drop down are pre-set to point to the Cogidocs server.

Application Name: This is what will identify the use of Document Automation for this specific Sage database, so should be the Sage company name.

Forward emails without, or with un-supported attachment(s) to the address below for manual handling: This option, when selected, will notify the specified email address if an email is received that isn’t supported, so it can be processed manually.

Auto Respond to sender when email received: This option will respond to the sender when an email has been received to inform them that their email/invoice is being processed

Label Extraction – Enter a keyword to find in email subject. Separate with space: Extracting a keyword from the email subject to store in an OCR field

Sign Up: This button will then generate your account based on the information provided.  The system will prompt if any details are incorrect. E.g. Contact Name is missing

Once you have registered an email address the Setting screen changes to show additional sub-tabs. The Application tab can always be referred to if you need a reminder of the registered email address.

Sicon Documents HUG - Section 4.6 Image 3

Unlink Account: This will unlink the account from the database.  This is designed for unlinking accounts when overwriting a Test database with a copy of a Live database. Only use this option if absolutely sure as it is not possible to re-use the same email address when signing back up with Cogidocs.

Automation Options

Sicon Documents HUG - Section 4.6 Image 4

These options are the default for Sicon Document Automation.  They can be overridden per Supplier as required

Enable Order Number Matching: This will attempt to match the Invoice against an existing order within Sage.  The order number must appear on the Invoice

Enable Project Number Matching: This will attempt to match the Invoice against an existing Sicon Project within Sage.  The Project number must appear on the Invoice

Order Number Trim Non-Numeric Characters: Tick this box if you would like the data matched as the PO number to only pass through the numerical digits.

Enable Item Line Extraction: Sicon Document Automation will read each line on the Invoice and these will be generated when processing the Invoices to attempt to match them to the lines on the purchase order.

Enable Call-off Orders: Enabling this will activate a tick box on purchase orders, where you can then indicate that they will be call off orders. This will then mean that partial receipts against that purchase order are not considered invalid when matching invoices to them.

Enable Reference Extraction: coming soon

Enable Narrative Extraction: This will enable the training of a narrative field on the invoice, which can then be posted into the nominal narrative when the invoice is posted into Sage.

Enable Exporting to Excel to re-import using the Sage import routine (via Document Automation): This setting allows to you export invoices via the Process Invoice screen, and then re-import them back in again before processing them. With this setting ticked, a new Exported queue appears in the Process Invoices screen.

Receive Invoice Images Only: With this setting enabled, then no transactions would be created from Document Automation. Instead, the scanned invoices are matched to transactions already posted into Sage. So, you are using Document Automation just to add the images to the already posted transactions.

Vat Code for Zero Tax Invoices: Invoices in the Process Invoices screen would ordinarily have the default tax rate from the supplier account applied to them. If the invoice is found to have zero VAT, then the tax code specified here would be used instead, to enable to you to select Exempt or Zero Rated (or another similar tax code). This can be overridden by the same setting on a supplier account.

Process Gross Value as Goods Amount: This is to disassociate VAT from the scanned Invoices for companies that don’t record VAT, so the total Invoice Value will be recorded as the goods amount

Validation Options

Sicon Documents HUG - Section 4.6 Image 5

Validate Invoice Age: Enable validation on the Invoice Age and set the number of days i.e. do not process any Invoices that are dated more than 60 Days old.

Validate Purchase Orders have a GRN: Available if order number matching is enabled.  Will validate that the Purchase Order has been GRN’d in Sage, and flag them as invalid but they could still be processed.

Validate Invoices have a Second Reference: If this option is enabled, then all invoices will be validated to ensure they have a second reference field identified. Any that don’t will appear on the Needing Attention list in the Process Invoices screen where they could still be processed if desired.

Block Invoices with no GRN:

Vat Code for Zero Tax Invoices: Invoices in the Process Invoices screen would ordinarily have the default tax rate from the supplier account applied to them. If the invoice is found to have zero VAT, then the tax code specified here would be used instead, to enable to you to select Exempt or Zero Rated (or another similar tax code). This can be overridden by the same setting on a supplier account.

Process Gross Value as Goods Amount: This is to disassociate VAT from the scanned Invoices for companies that don’t record VAT, so the total Invoice Value will be recorded as the goods amount

Order Line Analysis Code for Stock Item: This enables you to specify an analysis code on a purchase order line that Document Automation will use to match the invoice line to the PO line.

Order Analysis Code for Order No: This enables you to specify an analysis code on a purchase order that Document Automation will use to match the order number to.

Receive Invoice Images Only: With this setting enabled, then no transactions would be created from Document Automation. Instead, the scanned invoices are matched to transactions already posted into Sage. So, you are using Document Automation just to add the images to the already posted transactions.

Revalidate all invoices each time they are loaded: By default, the Process Invoices screen requires users to manually revalidate invoices in order to assist with performance. If you enable this setting, then the Process Invoices screen will revalidate the invoices every time the screen is opened, or the Retrieve Invoices button is clicked. If you have a large volume of invoices in the Process Invoices screen then you may not want to enable this, as it could cause performance issues.

Variance Options

Sicon Documents HUG - Section 4.6 Image 6

Acceptable Variance %: Specify an acceptable variance percentage, if the invoice matches the value of the purchase order within this percentage, then it will be considered as valid in the Process Invoice screen.

Acceptable Variance Value: Specify an acceptable variance value, if the invoice matches the value of the purchase order within this difference, then it will be considered as valid in the Process Invoice screen.

Ignore variance if the invoice is less than the purchase order: Do not use either of the above settings if the invoice is less than the purchase order. This would be relevant where either the invoice is only a part invoice of the purchase order, or the supplier is invoicing you less than you were expecting.

Nominal Account for Variance: This enables you to specify a nominal account where any variance should be posted to. So, if you receive an invoice that differs from a purchase order by a value that falls within the acceptable options above, then you will see an extra nominal line when the invoice is posted using the nominal code set here for the variance.

WAP Options:

Sicon Documents HUG - Section 4.6 Image 7

Submit Purchase Ledger Invoices and Credits directly to WAP: With this setting enabled, then any invoices processed through the Process Invoices screen will be sent to Sicon WAP, instead of being posted into Sage. This would then enable you to authorise them in WAP, and only then would they be posted into Sage.


4.7. Document Distribution Tab

This tab is used to set defaults against the different document types that you will be emailing direct from Sage using the Document Distribution functionality.

The E-Mail Settings field at the top are only relevant if you are using the Sicon Courier Integration module, and enable you to specify both the From email address and the From name that will be used on emails sent alongside Courier despatches. Also see the next section relating to the SMTP settings used for this.

Sicon Documents HUG - Section 4.7 Image 1

The Disable standard Sage print button can be enabled if you want to prevent your users from using the standard Sage print buttons for the document types. The intention behind enabling this would be to force users to instead use the Email and Archive button to ensure that the generated document uses the correct email template and formatting, as well as being archived.

The first three columns display the Module, Entity and each Document Type that can be used with Document Distribution. You can use the next five columns to see which settings have been applied to each of these document types. If you wish to use the same header pages/backgrounds/terms and conditions across multiple document types, you’ll need to add them separately to each document type.

Header Pages:

It is possible to select a PDF letterhead document that will be merged in as previous pages to the Sage document when it is sent via Document Distribution. If you have already selected a letterhead, then it will be displayed in the preview window in the bottom left hand corner of the screen. If you wish to select a new PDF document, then click on the following button: –

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide - 4.7 Add new pdf button

This will then enable you to browse for a PDF file. The file is then copied into your Documents folder location (within the relevant Sage company attachment path), and is stored in a LetterHead folder within the relevant document type. The file name is then stored in the Letterhead column of the main window and you will then see your PDF previewed in the preview window. You can view the PDF in its entirety by clicking the following button: –

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide - 4.7 view pdf button

The final button allows you to delete the Letterhead from the selected document type: –

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide - 4.7 delete PDF button

This will then delete the PDF from the folder within the Sage Documents folder location.

Background:

In the same way as with header pages, it is possible to select a PDF document to merge in with the Sage document as a background.

Terms and Conditions:

In the same way as with header pages, it is possible to select a PDF document to add the terms and conditions to the bottom of the document that is emailed through Document Distribution.

Contact Role for Email:

Contacts held within Sage against customer and supplier accounts can be assigned one or more roles. These are created within the standard Sage Customer and Supplier Roles screen within the Accounting System Manager\Settings menu. Within each account, there can only be one preferred contact for each of these roles. In this column you can specify which role should be used in Document Distribution to ascertain which contact on the account should be the recipient of this email.

Outlook Options:

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide - 4.7 outlook options

These options let you specify against each of the document types what you would like to happen when you click the Email & Archive button. You can either send the email immediately, open the email window in Outlook or do neither (if you want it to go to the drafts folder). The Include Signature option will add the selected signature in your Outlook options.

The Save to Drafts option is not available if you have chosen the Send Immediately option.


4.8. E-Mail Tab

This tab is only required if you are using the Sicon Courier Integration module, and need to specify your SMTP email settings so that despatch emails can be generated from that module. If you are using Document Distribution, you do not need to configure this tab, as emails sent from there will go directly through your Outlook client.

Sicon Documents HUG - Section 4.8 Image 1


4.9. Storage Tab

This tab will show a breakdown of total documents in the Documents folder stored on the server by clicking on the Calculate Documents Folder Size button. You can expand the folders to drill into the size calculations.

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide - 4.8 Storage

Documents are stored in the attachments folder per company as assigned against the company within the Sage 200 System Administrator.


4.10. Metrics

This tab can be used to show the number of documents added per Module, Entity and Document Type to ascertain where documents are mainly being added to the Sage module.

N.B. as this feature requires .net Framework 4.0 or above, this functionality is only available for Sage 200 2015 and above.

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide - 4.9 Metrics

Hovering over each section will cause a pop-up window that summarises the number of documents within each box. There are three algorithm options available to display the information in different formats, and you can change the direction that the sections run in. You can also export the graphical information into Excel via the Export Data to Excel button, where the counts of each combination of account and document type will be summarised.


4.11. Web Users Tab

These tabs are for Business Partners working with Sicon on Documents integration.


4.12. Import/Export Tab

This tab will allow for Documents settings to be exported from one company and then imported into another.  When exporting, an XML file will be produced which can then be imported into another company.

NB: any new document types created will not be exported for reimport, these would need to be set up again.

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide - 4.11 Import Export


4.13. Warning within Settings

When editing/viewing the Documents settings, the below message may appear as a warning.  This is stating that there are multiple Companies configured in Sage System Admin to use the same attachments folder.  It is advised that all Companies in Sage System Admin are configured to store documents in individual folders.

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide - 4.12 attachments warning


4.14. User Settings

This screen gives access to two functions that affect the currently logged in user.

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide - 4.12 User Settings

Clear Company and Roles cache:  if a user’s company access or role permission (as set in Sage System Admin) has not changed the user’s Sage interface, clear the cache here to pull through the new permissions.

Reset Tips:  this will reset any tips shown so users will see any new tips for new features and hot fix enhancements along with any previously selected to not show.


4.15. Email Templates

In this screen you can maintain email templates for each document type that you would use with Documents Distribution.

You can also add email templates for additional document types – this doesn’t mean you can then use these for Document Distribution, they are only used if you are viewing a document and click the Email button available in that screen.

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide - 4.14 Email Templates

This screen lists all of the entities and document types that can be used with Document Distribution. You can create a template for the email that the document will be sent out with. Click the Edit button to open the Email Template editor.

Sicon Documents HUG - Section 4.15 Image 2

You can enter desired text into the subject and body fields. The Fields window on the right-hand side will show you which fields are available for merging in your template. You can drag these into both the subject and body of the email template. You can copy and paste any HTML into the HTML tab, and then use the Preview tab to see how this will display.


5. Adding a Document

If the Sage user has been given a full user licence, when entering a transaction or using the transaction/order enquiry functionality within Sage and Sicon Add-on modules (locations as defined in Documents Settings), there will be an option available to ‘Add Docs’.

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide - 5 Enter PL Invoice

For example, entering a Purchase Invoice within the Purchase Ledger:

Either drag and drop a file directly onto the ‘Add Docs’ button; i.e. a PDF from an email or click ‘Add Docs’ to open the main indexing screen.  This will allow you to either:

Scan/Scan with Options:  this will scan a document directly from a Desktop Scanner (must have a Twain driver installed).

Attach File:  add a document directly from a file source.

Drag and Drop:  drag and drop a file directly from a location onto the page from an email or other file source.

Once the document has been added, the options are to:

Save and Close.

Or

Add Security options, Save and Close; this will give the ability to specify which roles have access to view this document as per the user’s permissions (see Settings – Licence).

Or

Tools; if a multi-page PDF has been added, this tools option can split the document into single pages.

Or

Add New to add an additional document to this transaction or enquiry.

Once documents have been added the number of attachments will be displayed.


6. Viewing a Document

Once a transaction has a document indexed against it, select ‘View Docs’.

From here the document can be opened (a PDF could be printed) and if required, it can be emailed from here (which could use an Email template if one has been configured for this document type). Depending on user permissions, they may also be able to Re-Index the document or Delete the document.

If viewing a transaction in Sales/Purchase/Nominal Ledger Transaction Enquiry, and the transaction relates to a Sales/Purchase Order, then you can also view the other documents that are linked to that order.

If multiple documents have been attached against a single transaction or enquiry, these are displayed in either a list, as icons or in card form.

The Next and Previous buttons can be used to move between documents.

‘Multi Select’ can be ticked if multiple documents need to be opened or emailed out at once; it is possible to either hold down the Ctrl or Shift key to select multiple documents.  When in multi select view, the summary window will not be able to be shown.

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide - 6 Multiple Documents


7. Re-indexing a Document

If a user has permission they will be able to re-index a document already attached; for example, if there is a description that needs to be entered when the document is indexed but this was not done, a user can re-index, enter the description and Save and Close.  The majority of the fields cannot be edited as these are System fields and therefore read only.

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide - 7 Reindex Document

It is possible to edit the security of a document when re-indexing, for example to restrict what roles have access to view this document.  Once changes have been made, click Save.

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide - 7 Amending Document


8. Deleting a Document

If a user has permission, they will be able to delete documents attached onto the system.  When viewing a document, the Delete button will be visible.  Usually this permission is just given to Documents Admin users to delete a document that has been added incorrectly.

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide - 8 Delete document


9. Enquiries

Various enquiries can be run from Sicon Documents.


9.1. Document Search

Select the Entity and if applicable, the Document Type form the drop-down list.  It is possible to search either against a particular Attribute, e.g. Supplier Account code, or change to Text search and then start typing, e.g. a supplier name.  Clicking Find without entering a value against an attribute will return all documents indexed; this could result in a long search time once many documents have been added onto the system.  Multiple search filters can be used, for example in the search below all Purchase Invoices for Kitchen Builders with a document date between 1st July 2020 and 31st July 2020 will be returned.

It is also possible to perform the search across all of your Sage companies (via the check box in the top right-hand corner), if you are unsure which database holds the document that you are looking for.

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide - 9.1 Document Search

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide - 9.1 Search Results


9.2. PL Transactions with No Documents

Select ‘Enquiries’ and then ‘PL Transactions with No Documents’ from the side Sicon Documents menu.

It is possible here to select a particular supplier, transaction type (e.g. invoice or credit note) and date range to show all transactions where no document has been attached.

Once transactions are listed, it is possible to add documents directly onto the invoice; once added, the document can then be viewed.  If the search is run again, the invoice which has had a document attached will no longer be visible.


9.3. POP Orders and Returns with No Documents

It is possible here to select a particular supplier, transaction type (e.g. purchase order or purchase return) and the date range to show all orders or returns where no document has been attached.

Once transactions are listed, it is possible to add documents directly onto the purchase order; once added, the document can then be viewed.  If the search is run again, the order which has had a document attached will no longer be visible.


9.4. POP Receipts and Despatches with No Documents

It is possible here to select a particular supplier, transaction type (e.g. Purchase Order or Purchase Return) and date range to show all receipts or despatches where no document has been attached.

Once transactions are listed, it is possible to add documents directly onto the receipt; once added, the document can then be viewed.  If the search is run again, the receipt which has had a document attached will no longer be visible.


10. Document Automation

Please note, this is additional functionality at an additional cost.  For more information, please contact your Business Partner or refer to our price list.

In order to get Document Automation up and running, you need to sign up for an account with Cogidocs as detailed in section 4.6 of this Help and User Guide. If you have not yet purchased a Document Automation licence or any bundles, then you can try out the system by using a test account with 100 documents for free. Once you are signed up, you then need to use the Upload Suppliers screen to send your supplier details to Cogidocs, who hold this information for the purposes of matching incoming invoices to the correct account. This initial upload requires an overnight process at Cogidocs before you will be able to process any invoices through the Process Invoices screen.

If you are not sending your documents to Cogidocs for scanning, then please click here for the link to version 2 of Document Automation.


10.1. Upload Suppliers

The Upload Suppliers screen is used to either enable all (or a selected amount) Suppliers to use the Document Automation feature.  You can also see which Supplier has been enabled against each feature as outlined below:  Supplier KEN001 has been enabled for Project Number matching.

In order to enable a Supplier to use Document Automation first click the ‘Display’ button.  You can use the filter to select a specific supplier, use the ‘Enabled for Document Automation’ to display those that are and are not currently available and the ‘Order Number Matching Enabled’ to show Suppliers that have this option turned on.

Once you have the list of suppliers, you can select them individually or use the Select All option and click Update.

The Update to the Document Automation process runs overnight so it is best to allow 24 hours prior to being able to use a Supplier.

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide - 10.1 Upload Suppliers

It is also possible to Update the Suppliers from the Supplier Record themselves.  With Sicon Documents installed a Document Automation section will be added to the Sicon tab on the Supplier Record.  Here you can enable individual options as outlined in the Document Automation Settings.

Enabling the options per Supplier allows you to differentiate between Suppliers that require Purchase Orders and Suppliers that don’t (i.e. Utilities).  The same would be true for Suppliers that have the ability to put the Project Number on the Invoice. All of the settings in the Document Automation Options are overrides for the default settings specified within Document Automation Settings.

There is also a field that lets you specify an override date format for this supplier. You would only need to use this field if the invoice dates being read on invoices for this supplier are being interpreted into the wrong format when you are trying to process them. This field has lots of formats available on its drop-down; if the exact format is not available you can overtype it (but what you enter manually needs to precisely match the date format on that supplier’s invoices). You can hover over the blue ‘i’ to see a list of the available format options.

Sicon Documents HUG - Section 10.1 Image 1

Supplier Identification Fine Tuning: If you enable this setting, you can apply some controls as to which fields for this supplier will be sent to Cogidocs (the default option is that they are all sent). If you enable this setting, then the fields below all activate. Ordinarily you would then use the ‘Copy from Supplier’ button to populate the relevant fields with the values read from the supplier account.

You will likely not need to use this facility for the majority of your supplier accounts. It is useful in assisting with examples of the invoices from this supplier persistently not being identified. This can happen if the phone number or other details you hold in Sage do not agree with what is printed on their invoices. So, you can use these fine tuning options to either control what information is sent to Cogidocs (you might want to use the phone number field here to match their invoices but not update the phone number on the account for example).

Delete Supplier: Removes the Supplier from Sicon Document Automation (does not remove them from Sage) by deleting their details from the Cogidocs server.

Create Supplier: Creates the Supplier within Sicon Document Automation so they can be used for the Invoicing process and sends their details to the Cogidocs server. Again, allow 24 hours from doing this before trying to process any invoices against this supplier through Document Automation.

Any changes made to this screen, or any updates to any of the fields sent to Cogidocs (i.e. address fields, phone numbers, bank account details) are automatically sent to Cogidocs when you save the account (for accounts set to enabled for document automation).


10.2. Process Invoices

Once you have sent an Invoice to your nominated email address specified in the settings it will be picked up by Sicon Document Automation and the Optical Character Recognition (OCR) process will start to process the Invoices.

For this screen to work, access to the Cogidocs web services are required. What this means is that the computer that you are using this screen on will require a working internet connection, and be able to access https://api.cogidocs365.co.uk. You will also require a Full licence in Documents settings for your Sage user, otherwise you wouldn’t be able to add the document images to the posted transactions.

Sicon Document Automation takes a little time to process each Invoice before they will appear in the Process Invoices screen, typically 10-15 minutes after they are received at Cogidocs. Some of the information it is trying to find is listed below:

Type: Invoice or Credit Note
Supplier Account No:
Supplier Name to associate to a Supplier Reference
Invoice No:
The Document No.
Invoice Date
: The Date of the Document
Net Amount: Total Net Value of the Document
VAT Amount:
Total VAT Value of the Document

Total Amount: Total Net+VAT Value of the Document.  This is also checking the Net Amount and VAT Amount equals the Total Amount.

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide - 10.2 Process Automated Invoices

The invoices are filtered by their current status using a filter line above the main window.

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide - 10.2 filters

This filter the displayed invoices as to whether they are ready for processing (i.e. all required details have been established) or are needing some kind of attention. Any that relate the purchase order lines that have not been goods received will appear in that filter. It is also possible to export invoices into another system for external processing (if enabled in Settings), and finally you can flag invoices as being under query and they will then only appear under that filter.

You can also click the Filters button at the end of this row to display additionally available filters: –

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide - 10.2 additional filters

The main window of the Process Automated Invoice screen is split into two sections.  The left-hand side of the screen is the list of Invoices in a Grid.

The Grid displayed is editable which allows you either enter or overwrite the data that Document Automation has retrieved from the Document.  Any field that has been pulled from the Document is editable at this point.  Any field shown in Green has been successfully validated on the Document, anything in Red is a column that couldn’t be recognised. An additional narrative field is available for editing in this grid that will add anything entered within it onto the narrative of the nominal postings for the invoice.

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide - 10.2 Waiting invoices

If you wish to resize any columns, you can click on the vertical line between the column headings to drag the columns wider or smaller. You can also drag columns around if you would like them to be in a different order. These column changes are remembered when you exit the screen, and are stored per user so your edits won’t impact on other users.

The right-hand side of the screen by defaults shows an image of the highlighted line in the Grid.  This will allow you to spot any missing fields and manually update the Grid with the missing information.  As well as manually typing in the information you can ‘Train’ the system to find any missing information on a Document Layout.

At the bottom of the screen are the following buttons: –

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide - 10.2 bottom buttons

Save Invoices – Save any changes to the currently displayed invoices.

Retrieve Invoices – Reconnect to Cogidocs to see if any additional invoices have been received.

Validate Invoices – Select any invoices to refresh their validation status, if you have updated some information against them.

Process Invoices – Select any invoices that you wish to now post into Sage.

Export / Import Invoices – Select any invoices that you with to export for processing within an external system, or to import any that you have in a file to import back into this screen. The import would use the standard Sage PL Invoices import format, and would update the records tagged as exported. This option is only available if you have enabled exporting on the Document Automation tab of the Settings screen.

Delete Invoices – Select any invoices that you wish to delete, such as ones that have been emailed through more than once.

Query Invoice – Select any invoices that you wish to flag with a query indicator, to make use of the Queried filter at the top to remove them from the main lists. This will then prompt you to enter a query code (which can be any single letter that you want to use), and you can record query details via the Notes box). The invoice then moves to the Queried list where it will remain until you clear the query via the same method.

Sicon Documents HUG - Section 10.2 Image 6

The Auto Reload checkbox is a setting stored per user on their local machine, and allows edits to values on the invoices to immediately validate and possibly move them to a different queue (i.e. from Needing Attention to Ready for example). If you don’t want this to happen automatically because it causes invoices to disappear from their current queue, then you can untick this box. The invoices would then only move when you manually choose to validate them. Because this setting is stored locally, it will be remembered for the currently logged in user on this machine.

These actions and others are also available by right clicking on invoices in this screen: –

Sicon Documents HUG - Section 10.2 Image 7

Any invoices in the Needing Attention section can quickly have their situation diagnosed using the Invoice Validation tab on the right-hand side.

Taking a look at the bottom Kitchen Builders Invoice, we can see that it has picked up the Invoice Date, Currency, Net Amount, VAT Amount, Total Amount and Supplier Name (and associating Reference) but couldn’t pick up the Invoice No.

Other tabs in this area show the scanned invoice, the Email that it was sent with, the OCR Data (meaning which values have been read against which fields and their status) and a Log displaying the timeline of the retrieval and processing of this invoice.


10.3. Supplier Not Identified

If the supplier account has not been identified, then you will not be able to use the Training button against this invoice. This is because the training information is updated to Cogidocs to improve future invoices received from that supplier. Where Cogidocs haven’t been able to identify the supplier account, then they are unable to update it with any training information received.

In order to process the invoice, you can manually enter the supplier account and any other missing fields by clicking on those fields in the main list of invoices and entering them, but you will likely have the same issues on future invoices from that supplier.

So if invoices are received and the supplier isn’t identified, it is important to review why that is and rectify it in order for future invoices to be processed automatically. The most important fields that Cogidocs are using to identify the supplier from the invoice are:

  • Supplier Name            2.26
  • VAT Number               2.26
  • Bank Account No.      2.26
  • Street                            2.00
  • Telephone No.            1.26
  • Fax No.                         1.26
  • City                                0.24
  • Post code                      0.24

As these fields are matched by Cogidocs, the numerical value displayed above is added to their identification ‘score’. If this reaches a total of 4 or higher, then a positive match is declared.

So, if the supplier was not identified, then the invoice needs to be looked at and the details above need to be compared to the details against the Supplier account in your Purchase Ledger. If there are any differences, then you should update the Purchase Ledger account so that it matches their invoices. Bear in mind that if any of the fields (including phone/fax numbers) are different, then this can reduce the chance of a successful match, so there are circumstances where you could be better off leaving a field empty. E.g. you have a phone number populated on a supplier account, but their invoice doesn’t show the phone number and they are not being identified by Cogidocs. Cogidocs could be failing this supplier identification because they are expecting that phone number to be on their invoices, and this omission is counting against the identification. You should empty that phone number from the account and try another invoice from them (after a delay to the next day) to see if this improves the identification of that supplier.

We only recommend removing details from your Purchase Ledger accounts where supplier identification is failing.

If it’s not desirable to change the details on the Purchase Ledger account itself, then we would recommend using the fine-tuning section of the Document Automation area within the Sicon tab on the relevant supplier account. Tick the Supplier Identification Fine Tuning checkbox and then click the Copy from Supplier button the populate the fields in this section. You can then amend as required, and when you click Save these details would be used instead of the main account details. You would only need to use this section on suppliers who are not already identified when their invoices appear within the Process Invoices screen.

Changes you make to supplier details are automatically sent to Cogidocs, but only update their system overnight, so you will not notice the benefit until the next day.

Sicon Documents HUG - Section 10.3 Image 1


10.4. Training

Cogidocs hold invoice layout information against each supplier account that they are storing on their system. When they receive an invoice that they identify as coming from a supplier, they will then refer to that information to ensure they are using the correct fields. Initially they will set this layout information automatically, but where the wrong fields are picked up you can use the Training button to make alterations to this information. So, if the wrong date is being picked up as the invoice date for example, you can then use the training button to identify the correct date it should have used. This information is then sent to Cogidocs when the invoice is posted into Sage, so that they can apply this to future invoices from that supplier. This information only updates in their system overnight, so any further invoices received on the same day will not reflect this updated training information.

Note that training is only possible where Cogidocs have identified the correct supplier account. If you are manually selecting the supplier account for an invoice, then you will not be able to perform any training against that invoice layout. For this reason, it is important that you review the supplier account details and compare them to what is being read from the invoice in order to ensure that future invoices do identify the supplier correctly. See the previous section titled Supplier Not Identified for further information in this area.

In order to train the system to find the Invoice Number, click the Training Button below the Invoice Image.

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide - Section 10.2 Image 5

This then enables a tool that will allow you to draw a location around the area where the Invoice Number appears.

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide - 10.2 Training

Once you have drawn the area where the Invoice number appears on the Document, a new prompt is shown so you can associate that location with the Invoice number.

Sicon Documents HUG - Section 10.4 Image 3

Field Type: OCR/Switch. Defaults to OCR, can be changed to Switch if this field contains the information you need to switch to a different supplier account. See Section 10.8. Switching to Different Supplier Accounts for more information.

Field Name: A drop-down list of the available fields

Field Value: The value of area that has been marked on the Document, if Sicon AI recognises the value (alpha numeric) then this will be pre-populated.  If the Value is incorrection then it can be overwritten.

Field Location: This displays the location where the field is located on the Documents

Region: This displays what has been drawn on the document.

Split Character: Specify a character that should be used to separate multiple values in the field value that you have highlighted. For example, you receive an invoice that contains a value of 123/5000. The 123 part is the invoice number, while the 5000 part if your order number. You would specify here that ‘/’ is the character to use to split the field. Then click the Split button to populate the next box.

Sicon Documents HUG - Section 10.4 Image 4

Extracted Value/Extracted Field Name: This box will then display the split field value based on the split character that you selected. You can then choose against each extracted value which field name to train it for.

The system will then use this information the next time it receives a Document from the same Supplier to retrieve the Invoice Number. Typically, you might need to do these multiple times before the system learns.

Note. The Training feature that allows you to draw is only available on certain types of PDF.  As an example, if you receive a paper copy, which is scanned and emailed you won’t be able to specify a specific location, where as you would if the invoice was generated from software (i.e. Sage or Word).

The Training will remain open so you can train multiple fields values at one time.  Once you have finished, click the Exit Training button.  This will then populate the new Values into the Invoices Grid.

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide - 10.2 Waiting invoices after training

If there are other invoices in the grid for the same supplier that you have just applied training to, then you will be prompted if you also want to apply that training to those invoices also.


10.5. Training Templates

You can use local training templates to store and quickly apply training information to invoices for different suppliers. The regular Training information is done per supplier account, but if you receive invoices from multiple suppliers that have identical layouts (perhaps they are being generated from the same originating system) then it may be more convenient to work with local templates. This would enable you to quickly process these invoices, and when they get posted the training information would be sent to Cogidocs. So, any future invoices from those suppliers received on later days (due to the overnight updates at Cogidocs) shouldn’t then need to use training templates to update them again.

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide - 10.2 Training button

The Training button is actually two buttons in one, and if you click on the ‘v’ that is displayed on the right-hand side of the button then you are presented with these three choices: –

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide - 10.2 Training Template options

Save Training Template: This will save the current training information for the currently selected invoice as a training template.

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide - 10.2 Saving Training Template

The template will default to the supplier name and will be stored as a template available for this supplier account – there is only ever one training template for a supplier account. You can untick the Supplier Specific Template checkbox, which will then save the template and would be available for all supplier accounts. There is no limit to how many templates you can save that are not supplier specific.

Load Training Template: This option lets you load a previously saved template, either one that is specific to this supplier account or one of the not supplier specific templates. Loading this template will then apply the information within it (as to which fields are in which locations) to the current invoice.

Apply Default Supplier Template: This option would apply the one specific template for that supplier to the currently selected invoices (you can tick multiple ones before selecting this option). This doesn’t allow selection of non-supplier specific templates.


10.6. Posting Invoices into Sage

Once all details have been captured, the Process Invoice button can be pressed.  Here you have two options, Manual and Automatic.  Manual process is used to manually code the Invoice and Automatic will automatically generate the Invoice. If you are capturing just the content, i.e. not capturing the Purchase Order then you will be required to enter the Invoice details against a Project, if using Project Costing, or the Nominal.

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide - 10.2 Process button

A prompt will show to confirm you want to process all selected documents:

If the system, believes the Document has already been posted in Sage, is within the Document Automation system, or doesn’t contain the correct amount of details, then you will receive an extra warning confirming if you want to continue.  At this point you can cancel the Invoice or Credit Note creation to ensure that no duplicates are created.

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide - 10.2 Validation Summary

With manual verification selected, if the Invoice isn’t linked to a Purchase Order, then the Purchase Invoice screen is shown, with the details captured filled in.

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide - 10.2 Enter Purchase Invoice

If you maximise this screen, you are then shown the Invoice entry screen and the document, so it can be coded accordingly.

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide - Section 10.2 Image 8

If matching against a Purchase Order you are shown the Record Purchase Invoice screen against a Purchase Order.  In this example Purchase Order 3483 the system is ignoring the leading zeros on the Purchase Order.

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide - Section 10.2 Image 9

If the purchase order had any GRN discrepancies, then a box would be displayed showing these and asking if you wanted to continue.

If the invoice relates to multiple purchase orders, then you can use the Amend Selected Orders button within the Record Purchase Invoice screen to add additional order lines to this screen.

If the invoice fully matches the value of the purchase order, then the invoice quantity of each item on the purchase order will be set to match the purchase order full quantity. If this is not the case, then no line quantities will default and you will need to manually update these quantities.

How to Handle Invoice Price Differences from Purchase Order Prices

If the invoice turns up with a different unit price to the purchase order line price, you can of course update the price on the purchase order if you are happy to do so, or add a missing delivery charge line. You could also edit the price on the Record Purchase Invoice screen, which will also update the purchase order. Alternatively, you can let Documents record any price differences as a variance, and have it create an extra variance line in the nominal postings that you can then code accordingly. An example of this would be if the invoice has a carriage line that has been omitted from the purchase order.

When you start to process the invoice, if the invoice line value is different from the purchase order line prices then you would see this message displayed: –

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide - Section 10.2 Image 10

This message is only displayed if the invoice value differs from the purchase order value by either a greater percentage or greater difference in value as specified in the variance options on the Document Automation tab in the Settings.

Assuming that you wish to continue with this, you would then click OK. If you are processing the invoice automatically, then a variance line would be created automatically. The example worked through below has been processed using the Manual Verification option.

To ensure the variance line is created, then do not change the Discounted Unit Price in the Record Purchase Invoice screen. In the example below, our purchase order has the delivery line missing If the delivery line should not have been invoiced, we could of course have flagged a query against the invoice in the Process Invoice screen, and not clicked OK at the earlier warning prompt. Assuming that the invoicing of the delivery value is correct, and that we want to record this as a variance, then process the stock lines as normal.

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide - Section 10.2 Image 11

Matching the order lines to the GRNs (if applicable), when you then click Accept and Post you would see the following warning.

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide - Section 10.2 Image 12

If you click Yes to continue, then Documents will create an extra line in the Nominal Analysis section of the subsequent Enter Purchase Invoice screen for the variance amount. No nominal code is selected automatically against this line, you will need to choose the relevant nominal code before you can save and post this invoice.

Note that if you have Sicon Projects installed, then this variance line will have a nominal code determined by Sicon Projects selected for this variance line.

This variance behaviour can also occur if the invoice value against any of the other lines is different to the prices on the purchase order, and you don’t change those line values in the Record Purchase Invoice screen on the order lines. This will then lead to the same warning message displayed above, and a variance posting being created automatically.


10.7. How to Handle Invoice Price Differences from Purchase Order Prices

If the invoice turns up with a different unit price to the purchase order line price, you can of course update the price on the purchase order if you are happy to do so, or add a missing delivery charge line. You could also edit the price on the Record Purchase Invoice screen, which will also update the purchase order. Alternatively, you can let Documents record any price differences as a variance, and have it create an extra variance line in the nominal postings that you can then code accordingly. An example of this would be if the invoice has a carriage line that has been omitted from the purchase order.

When you start to process the invoice, if the invoice line value is different from the purchase order line prices then you would see this message displayed: –

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide - Section 10.2 Image 10

This message is only displayed if the invoice value differs from the purchase order value by either a greater percentage or greater difference in value as specified in the variance options on the Document Automation tab in the Settings.

Assuming that you wish to continue with this, you would then click OK. If you are processing the invoice automatically, then a variance line would be created automatically. The example worked through below has been processed using the Manual Verification option.

If you are not using Item Line Extraction in the settings and receive a part invoice on a purchase order, then you must process it via the manual processing option so that you can confirm the line quantities that are being invoiced. If Item Line Extraction is enabled, then variance will be checked based on the unit prices rather than the total value.

If you are often receiving part invoices for purchase orders, and they are regularly being flagged as needing attention due to Document Automation not being able to match the lines correctly, then we would recommend consider tagging the purchase order as a Call Off order (using that checkbox on the purchase order added by Sicon Documents). Any purchase order tagged as being a call off order will not flag a part invoice as having any kind of variance, until an invoice is being matched to the final quantities on the purchase order.

To ensure the variance line is created, then do not change the Discounted Unit Price in the Record Purchase Invoice screen. In the example below, our purchase order has the delivery line missing If the delivery line should not have been invoiced, we could of course have flagged a query against the invoice in the Process Invoice screen, and not clicked OK at the earlier warning prompt. Assuming that the invoicing of the delivery value is correct, and that we want to record this as a variance, then process the stock lines as normal.

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide - Section 10.2 Image 11

Matching the order lines to the GRNs (if applicable), when you then click Accept and Post you would see the following warning.

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide - Section 10.2 Image 12

If you click Yes to continue, then Documents will create an extra line in the Nominal Analysis section of the subsequent Enter Purchase Invoice screen for the variance amount. No nominal code is selected automatically against this line, you will need to choose the relevant nominal code before you can save and post this invoice.

Note that if you have Sicon Projects installed, then this variance line will have a nominal code determined by Sicon Projects selected for this variance line.

This variance behaviour can also occur if the invoice value against any of the other lines is different to the prices on the purchase order, and you don’t change those line values in the Record Purchase Invoice screen on the order lines. This will then lead to the same warning message displayed above, and a variance posting being created automatically.


10.8. Switching to Different Supplier Accounts

There could be a situation where you have multiple purchase ledger accounts for the same supplier, and Document Automation is then having issues identifying which supplier account it should be matching the invoices to.

If this is the case, and there is something on the invoice that could be used to determine the correct account, then you can train the invoice layout to apply this logic to redirect the identified supplier account to the desired one.

In this scenario, you would only want one of these supplier accounts to have been enabled for Document Automation and uploaded to Cogidocs. If you have already uploaded all of the accounts to Cogidocs, then amend the ones that you don’t want them to have the details, and on the Sicon tab de-select the option to Enable Sicon Document Automation for this Supplier. You should also click the Delete Supplier button at the bottom of the screen, this just deletes the supplier from the list at Cogidocs, it doesn’t affect anything in Sage.

So, at this point you have chosen which account will be the one identified by Cogidocs for all invoices from this supplier. The best choice is usually the account that will have most of the invoices posted to it. Send an invoice that should be redirected through, and when it is available in the Process Invoice screen it will have the ‘wrong’ supplier account on it. Work out which field on the invoice holds the information that controls which other purchase ledger account it should be redirected to, and then go into the training mode and highlight that field. On the OCR Field Details screen that appears, choose the Switch option.

Sicon Documents HUG - Section 10.8 Image 1

This will change the window so that is appears as below, and all you need to do is enter the supplier reference that you want it to switch to in the Switch Value field. You will need to manually correct the supplier account number in the main grid of the Process Invoices screen, but future invoices that match the selected value will redirect to the correct account automatically.

Sicon Documents HUG - Section 10.8 Image 2

Example:

You have two different supplier accounts ABC001 and ABC002 for the same supplier. When their invoices are received in Document Automation, there are supplier identification issues, because the system doesn’t know which invoices belong to which account. Both of the accounts have been enabled for Document Automation, and both have been uploaded to Cogidocs.

You decide that the account number field on the invoice can be used to identify which invoices are relevant to account ABC002. Most of the invoices that are received will be posted to ABC001.

You amend supplier account ABC002 to deselect the Enabled for Document Automation checkbox, and click the Delete Supplier button at the bottom of the Sicon tab to delete it from the Cogidocs web server.

When the next invoice comes in for ABC002, it will be identified as relating to supplier account ABC001, as that is now the only one of the two accounts that Document Automation knows about.

You enter the training mode on this invoice and highlight the account number field. In the screenshot above it held the value 487. You choose the Switch option on the OCR Fields Details window when it appears.

You then enter ABC002 as the Switch value and Save the window and exit the training. The invoice still shows as being for the ABC001 account at this point, so you manually change it to ABC002 and then post it.

Future invoices for this supplier with an account number value of 487 will automatically have ABC002 as their account.


11. Tools


11.1. Split PDF

This tool will split a multi-page PDF document into single PDF files per page.  This can be useful if a supplier sends one PDF containing multiple invoices.  If a PDF has 10 pages, then once split, 10 individual PDF documents will be created once split.

Select a PDF file to split and then with the Output file, enter the location for where the documents will be created once split.  Use the Browse buttons to find the correct location.


12. Document Distribution

With this feature, you can create email templates to facilitate efficient emailing of documents using Outlook from Sage to the relevant customer/supplier contacts. Using the existing functions in Documents, these documents can be automatically archived against the relevant order/document type.

The standard document types where this can be configured are:

  • Customer Statements
  • Purchase Orders
  • Purchase Returns
  • Sales Credit Notes
  • Sales Invoices
  • Sales Order Acknowledgements
  • Sales Order Goods Despatched Notes
  • Sales Orders
  • Sales Proformas
  • Sales Quotations
  • Supplier Remittances
  • Customer Debtor Collection Notices (requires Sicon Debtor Management)
  • Contract Renewal Reminders (requires Sicon Contracts)

12.1. Distribution Setup

In order to configure this functionality, there are two screens that require configuration. You can also configure information against a stock record if you would like additional documents to be added to emails that relate to orders containing that stock item.

Within the Documents Settings screen, there is a Document Distribution tab. In here you can configure whether you want to merge letterheads and terms and conditions with each of the relevant document types. You can also configure which contact role should be used to determine the recipient of the email, and whether the email will be sent immediately or created in your Outlook drafts folder.

The second step is then to customise the email templates associated with each document type. This is done via the Email Templates screen.

Once you have configured these two screens, then you are ready to use this functionality for the relevant document types.

If you wish to attach additional documents relating to particular stock items that are on the order in question, then you can configure additional documents to be attached to the email templates against the specific document type. In the screenshot below, you can see that there is a product specification document available on this stock item, this was added to the stock item in the normal way via the Add Docs button.

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide - 12.1 Amend Stock Details

If you then wanted this document added as an attachment to all emailed Order Acknowledgements, then you would just drag this across into the window on the left and drop it onto the order acknowledgement line. This would then create an expanded line that would display this information in the window on the left. In this way, you can drop the document onto different document types, as well as being able to drop multiple documents onto the same document type.

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide - 12.1 selected document


12.2. Sending emails using Distribution

For the document types mentioned previously, a new Email & Archive button has been added to the relevant screens where this document type would be printed.

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide - 12.2 Print Orders

Using this button instead of the regular Print button will then merge the generated document with the email template (including any letterhead and terms and conditions document), and also archive the document against the relevant entity as if you had added the document yourself.

Depending upon the configuration of your Outlook client, you may see the following warning message. You can click Allow access for up to 10 minutes using this window. If you would like to prevent this message from appearing, then guidance can be found here: –

https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/office/i-get-warnings-about-a-program-accessing-email-address-information-or-sending-email-on-my-behalf-86cc5ece-379e-45e3-b8eb-3fefba09946b#:~:text=A%20program%20is%20trying%20to,is%20up%2Dto%2Ddate.

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide - 12.2 Outlook warning message


13. Documents with Disputed Invoices

Sicon Documents adds some enhancements to the standard Sage 200 Disputed Invoices processing. This enables you to add documents to invoices that are currently under dispute, but to also flag existing posted transactions as being under dispute. This enhances the standard Sage functionality by allowing you to record the dispute code and enter a comment against this.

Note that Sicon Documents uses a query code of ‘D’ against purchase invoices to reflect that they are under dispute. It is strongly recommended that you do not have any existing invoices under this same dispute code when you first install/upgrade Sicon Documents. Please speak to Sicon Support if you want to discuss this further.


13.1. Adding a Document while Disputing Invoice at Time of Recording

If an invoice is being marked as disputed when recorded (i.e. with the Sage setting enabled to use disputed invoice processing), it is possible to add a document when entering dispute details.

Against the Purchase Ledger Supplier account a new tab will show ‘Disputed Invoices/Credits’ where individual invoices will be listed and show any attachments; if the user has permission they will be able to view the document or attach new documents.

It is also possible to view these documents through the Disputed Invoices screen.

If the disputed invoice is accepted, the document attached originally will post through to the invoice.


14. Documents with Sicon Construction

Documents can be added on both supplier and customer applications, valuations and retentions and also Construction Purchase Orders.

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide - 14 New Incoming Application

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide - 14 Supplier Valuations

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide - 14 Supplier Applications

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide - 14 Construction Purchase Orders


15. Documents with Sicon Contracts

Documents can be added against contracts and contract lines.

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide - 15 Contract Line


16. Documents with Sicon CRM

Documents can be added to Company, Person, Task, Opportunity or Tender records.

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide - 16 CRM Company

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide - 16 CRM Person

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide - 16 CRM Task

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide - 16 CRM Opportunity

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide - 16 CRM Tenders


17. Documents with Sicon Fixed Assets

Documents can be added against a fixed asset, either when initially adding or when amending an asset.

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide


18. Documents with Sicon Hire

Documents can be added against a hire order, or against lines on the hire order.

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide - 18 Hire Order

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide - 18 Hire Order Line


19. Documents with Sicon Projects

Documents can be added against a project; NB documents can only be added against the project once it has been initially created.

Documents can be viewed against a project by using the option to view the Project Enquiry and then the Sicon Documents tab.

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide - 17 Project Enquiry


20. Documents with Sicon Service

Documents can be added against a service case; either when viewing or amending, or against equipment.

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide


21. Documents with Sicon Common Components

Documents can be added against a Sicon Employee record; either when creating a new employee or amending an existing one.

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide


22. Documents with Sicon Works Order Processing

Documents can be added or viewed when amending a works order.

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide


23. Documents Location

Documents can be added or viewed (permission dependant) in the below locations.

Cash Book

Bank Account

Bank Statement

Bank Payment

Bank Receipt

Construction

Customer Application

Customer Valuation

Supplier Application

Supplier Valuation

Construction Purchase Order

Construction Customer Retention

Construction Supplier Retention

Contract Manager

Contract

Contract Line

CRM

Company

Person

Task

Opportunity

Tender

Fixed Assets

Fixed Asset

Hire

Hire Order

Hire Order Line

Nominal Ledger

Bank Payment

Bank Receipt

Nominal Transaction

Projects

Project

Purchase Ledger

Purchase Invoice

Purchase Credit

Purchase Payment

Purchase Receipt

Supplier Account

Purchase Batch Invoice

Purchase Batch Credit

Purchase Rapid Invoice

Purchase Order Processing

Supplier Account

Purchase Order

Purchase Return

POP Received Notes

POP Returned Note

POP Invoice Dispute

POP Credit Note Dispute

Sales Ledger

Sales Invoice

Sales Credit

Sales Receipt

Sales Payment

Customer Account

Sales Batch Invoice

Sales Batch Credit

Sales Order Processing

Customer Account

Sales Order

Sales Quote

Sales Proforma

Sales Return

SOP Despatched Note

SOP Returned Note

SOP Tax Only Invoice

SOP Tax Only Credit Note

Service Manager

Service Manager Case

Service Manager Equipment

Sicon Common

Sicon Employee

Stock

Stock Item

Traceable Item

Works Order Processing

Works Order


24. 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 Documents menu.  Select the Licence tab and paste the module enable string provided by Sicon Customer Services, then click the Save button.

A separate enable string can be entered for Document Automation, but this is not required if you are using a Test bundle.

Sicon Documents Help and User Guide - 22 Enable Module


25. Release Notes

The release notes page shows which release of the system includes new features or issues resolved.

At the release of Sicon v21 we announced that going forward, we will only be supporting Sage 200c and as such we are able to drop the year from our version numbers. We moved from 201.201.0.0 to 210.0.0.

New features detailed in the Release Notes relating to Pre-Release versions will not be detailed in the current Help and User Guide until the end of development phase.

Sicon Documents Release Notes

26. Sicon Documents Help and User Guide v20

Documents Help and User Guide v20


27. Sicon Documents Help and User Guide v17

DMS Help and User Guide v17


28. New Features & Important Information

Sicon Documents New Features & Important Information