Multiple 'Formats' with the same UBE name

Multiple \'Formats\' with the same UBE name

Hey guys, I am in a bit of a pickle here. I need to design multiple 'Invoice Formats' for our vendors (its a requirement from their end). But I only have one UBE 'Invoice Print' which I use to generate these different invoices as an 'Input File'. Now the issues arises when I have the same 'Input File Name' with multiple formats based on client/vendor no. How would I go about creating multiple projects in Create!Form from the same job?

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XE, SQL Server, Create!Form Designer 3, Create!Stream

Re: Multiple \'Formats\' with the same UBE name

Why not overlay all three reports on same CF rep and flip flop based on the name. it would be a bit complex but that was one quick one i could think.

Chan

Re: Multiple \'Formats\' with the same UBE name

How different are the invoice formats? A batch run of invoices could contain multiple invoice formats right?

There are probably several “design” approaches that will get you what you need with Cform. Not knowing your requirements it’s hard to say what would work best for you. Three things come to mind though;
1) Section Alternates to dynamically change how the page looks when a condition occurs (i.e. vendor number = 123456).

2) Page Styles also give the ability to change how things look based on conditions.

3) Variable Subforms, same as above – dynamically change how the page looks based on a condition.


Hope this helps –

Karen.

Re: Multiple \'Formats\' with the same UBE name

ADM,

I had the need to print different logo's depending on company amd then recently I added another logo for a certain GL Class/Offset. I use Alternate Sections (Karen's Option 1). In the UBE I print the company and the GL Class/Offset, but only use it in Create!form to determine which Alternate Section to use, they are not printed on the final invoice.

In you situation with different looks for different vendors, you could use the vendor number or possibly a vendor or address book reporting code to determine which Alternate Section to use, only printing the vendor number or vendor or address book reporting code on the final invoice if required.

Re: Multiple \'Formats\' with the same UBE name

Another solution could be to use Create!form Director. In that case you can call other Create!form versions of the same UBE.

rgds,
Walter.

Re: Multiple \'Formats\' with the same UBE name

Yall, thank you for your feed back and ideas. I got in touch with Create!Form support yesterday and they told me that the easiest and most effective way to go about doing this would be to use Create!Stream and to create a Job Ticket Template. Which I don't know how to do.

P.S. karen, the output files are separate for every client. Meaning only one client and invoice number per PDF.

I apologize for not clearly defining the requirement. The invoice formats are entirely different. They are for different companies, hence everything from Address, phone number, logo, terms to layout is different. Some would even require me to manipulate the info (calculations) within the CF report.

I understand the Idea of having alternate sections and sub forms. But what would be the advantage of one over the other.

Re: Multiple \'Formats\' with the same UBE name

The advantage of building the functionality into the Cform project is that you would be able to merge & print using the Acrobat Reader plug-in (View PDF) or by printing to Cstream (Print Immediate). If the variations to the form project were reasonable then it also gives a single point of maintenance when something needs to change that applies to all invoice formats. From what you're describing this is not the case.

The disadvantage of putting all that logic into one form project is that you'll end up with a Cform project with too much logic and functionality in it. Projects like that become very difficult to maintain and there's a good chance that you'd get 90% done only to find that you can't get it to work and end up making separate form projects anyhow. Trust me, that's the voice of experience talking.

I'll have to look and post the information about how to configure the Cstream script so that it calls a specific Cform project. It's not difficult, I just need to review some notes on the pieces you'll need. The general scenario would be: R42565_ZJDE0001 is the PDF sent from JDE, a Cstream script (R42565.PDFstream) calls a Cform project named R42565_AAAInvoice2. It's easy enough to name Cform project anything you want after the UBE name.


Karen.

Re: Multiple \'Formats\' with the same UBE name

Karen,

I definitely don't doubt your 'voice' of experience and would go the 'JTT' route.

There are couple of things I am confused about:

1) we are already using Create!Stream to take the spool file output (a separate one, which also happens to be an invoice) and rename it based on the client number and place it in a directory where the pertinent user can view it as a proof before approval. My question is, where in that process do I insert the JTT and where would the merge take place?

2) The name that is given to the PDF through Create!Stream while placing it in a specific directory, doesn't contain the JD Edwards job/report name. i.e. from R5648507_V00010_XXX it becomes INVOICE_39427_50003576 (client number and contract number). Now if we add the functionality of merge and JTT to this process would the naming convention as such cause a problem since we are not using the job name at all?

Re: Multiple \'Formats\' with the same UBE name

I would need to see your Cstream script to be sure about what’s going on with your jobs.

1) When you go to the folder and open one of the PDF’s, has a Cform project been merged with it?
2) What’s the sequence of events in the work-flow?
3) Do Final Invoices come out from a different UBE_Version than Proof Invoices?

The JTT parameter “%PDFfileName=” is what you’ll use to “rename” the JDE PDF so that it can merge with a different Cform project. The name assignment can be made directly (%PDFfileName=R42565_AAAInvoice2) in the JTT file or indirectly (%PDFfileName=#!FileName!#) using JTT Mapping in the Cstream script to assign the Cform project name to the JTT parameter.

You will also need to figure out how to put logic in the Cstream script so that different names get assigned automatically. It’s really hard to tell you what you need since there are so many things involved (how jobs run in your environment, general workflow, UBE and version names, etc.). If you’d like to continue the discussion off-line just let me know.


Karen.

Re: Multiple \'Formats\' with the same UBE name

Hi there folks
A couple of points...

Would just like to second the sentiment - use JTT to separate out projects. Trying to do it all in one project, especially using alternate sections, can prove very frustrating, especially trying to generate input to make the alternates display. In any case, the CF consultants say they are "trying to get away from using" them. Not that they don't work - we run our delinquency notices using them, but they are a pain in the proverbial.

If you are using CreateStream, you are probably in significant need of an upgrade. CF Director is its replacement, and it is wildly more flexible and intuitive. Eg permits use of user-defined variables in your project. Only trick I liked that you miss out on is being able to text edit your script.

As regards saving off PDF's, naming etc, there is a fundamental difference. Below is a JTT for emailing.

%cpEmailBegin
%cpEmail:-TO#!To Address!#
%cpEmail:-CC#!CC Address!#
%cpEmail:-BCC#!BCC Address!#
%cpEmail:-FROM#!From Address!#
%cpEmail:-S#!Subject!#
%cpEmail:-AT#!Attachment1!#
%cpEmail:-AT#!Attachment2!#
%cpEmail:-TMPL#!Template!#
%cpEmailReplace1=#!ReplaceWith1!#
%cpEmailReplace2=#!ReplaceWith2!#
%cpEmail:-THIS#!Merged PDF Filename!# << Name of file attached to mail
%cpEmail:-COPYTO#!CopyToFilename!# << Saves off a file (1)
%PDFfileName=#!FileName!# << Name of merge project(2)
%cpEmailEnd

(1) the file name can be set using variables from the input file, location as you define it.
(2) I have not used this variable in Stream, only the Director equivalent, however it is available from Stream.

Good luck. Chris