EXP-RO01-5.0.6.0

Entersoft Expert^®

New features and extensions

= Brief description of contents

Commercial and Financial administration

• TNT FeedEx integration

CRM

• Extension of the persons / sales relations display graph: People @ the center
• New territory management module
• The stock counting plan has been redesigned- extended
• New price monitoring task
• New closed pricing activities administrative list
• New price monitoring administrative report
• New competition – price monitoring report

Horizontal functionality

• Collaboration – Entersoft Chat | for immediate and effective cooperation by advanced Chat functionality between EBS users.
  • Sharing invokes, snapshots, excel exports
  • Utilization of Cognitive Tools
  • Flexible and contemporary infrastructure
  • Easy and guided configuration
• Flowcharts for automations
• Entity lists | New, dynamic form, with utilization references and improved usage controls
  • Personal lists and shared use lists
  • Intercompany and company lists
  • User defined fields
  • SEO support and administration on WEB
  • List snapshot
  • Improvements to the user-friendliness of ESList type parameters
• Edit OLAP | New Save as… feature
• Entersoft Cloud Store Integration | Create subscription
• Scrollers | Analog image resize feature & image preview in original size
• Scrollers | The context information definition is facilitated
• Design scrollers & EMIs | Preview results
• Option to use a login language other than the default, upon first login
• Keyboard shortcuts to the application messages

Up next, the new functionalities & improvements catalogue is analyzed in detail, with instructions and examples.

Commercial and Financial administration

TNT FedEX Integration

In this version, there’s the possibility of using the TNT FedEx eServices to manage shipments. The implementation was carried out using the TNT FedEx web tools. More specifically, it’s possible to:

• Create a new “shipment (voucher)” through which TNT FedEx is updated in real time content-wise. These shipments are considered “pending”, up until their finalization.
• Timely receive and print the shipments attachment (voucher), as this is issued by TNT FedEx.
• Create the daily shipment list. The Shipment list finalizes the shipments (vouchers) created in the previous step.

Create shipment (voucher)

When issuing a trade document (e.g. Delivery Note - AEV) you can create the shipment (voucher) entry using the Create shipment automation.

• Using this action, a new shipment entry is created and the TNT FedEx in real time content-wise.
• At the same time, a shipment printout pdf is sent out by the TNT FedEx, which is automatically included in document’s attachments.

	invoke
	Shipment creation concerns specific document types (usually the ones playing the role of a Delivery note) to which the SHIPMENT_TRACKING attribute should be added.

The process is activated only for documents where a transporter has been entered and is connected to the relevant Courier provider.

This connection is carried out through the management screen of the Transporter data (Menu: Configuration and Tools/Configuration/Transcaction parameters/Transporters), in the new Courier provider field by selecting the TNT.

Actions on shipments (vouchers)

After the shipments/vouchers are created, the relevant actions (automations) are activated, with which you can contact courier provider and prepare the shipment for this specific document.

The following actions are available on the document screen:

1. Print shipment. Using this action, we can print the shipment pdf, which was integrated when creating the shipment.

2. Update shipment status. This concerns already finalized shipments. The user can be informed on the current shipment status from the TNT service.

3. Cancel shipments. Deletes the shipment created/printed. The action informs the service about the shipment cancellation and deletes only the relevant shipment data from the document. It concerns ONLY non-finalized shipments, meaning the ones that have been integrated into a shipment list.

4. View shipment information. A window appears with the shipment information that’s related to the current document. All the important information pertaining the shipment is visible on the screen, such as Code, its status etc.

   Moreover, the Cancel and Print shipment actions are available on the same screen.

   The print action prints out the relevant pdf on a physical printer.

Shipment management is also possible from the Courier shipment management scroller (Sales / Order Routing/Invoicing). The scroller displays the documents that are part of the TNT Fedex shipment workflow, whether a shipment has been created by them or not. From the “Document status” criterium, select whether the document will be displayed with shipment or without.

Using this view, it’s possible to execute the aforementioned actions in mass, for all the selection entries.

Service integration

In order to use the TNT FedEx web services, registering to the service is required, along with the relevant agreement attached. Along with the registration, login credentials will be given. These have to be entered in the TNT FedEx Credentials Management screen (menu: Configuration and tools/System integration).

Attention

It’s already known that the web services supported and provided by the application are limited to the ones that the provider offers. Therefore, there are certain ΤΝΤ notes that should be taken into consideration regarding the application’s use:

• TΝΤ does not support selecting multiple documents at the same time from the Shipment List, in order to create shipment. Only one at a time.

• The document recipient needs to fill in the Telephone field.

• The recipient’s address needs to exist (Address-ZIP code-City combination)

• Upon the 1^st shipment creation of the day, a CLR (collection list) is also automatically created, and then, after each upcoming shipment of the same date, a query pops up on whether it will be integrated in the same shipment.

• Shipment creation is not allowed on a Weekend.

• Shipment creation is not allowed on the same day after 12:00 pm. but on the next day.

• Once the shipment is created, its status is Print shipment and once the Shipment list (TNT) - Attach files automation is executed, the status changes to Add to collection list.

• If a Shipment is in a collection list and at the same time has the Add to collection list status, it cannot be Cancelled (a relevant message pops up). If its status is Print shipment, then it can be cancelled, but the smtp server needs to be configured in EBS, as it’s trying to send an email to the Company.

Apart from the above limitations, it should be highlighted that the functionality is available only in installations with an active Entersoft contract.

Budgets

• In Comparative Results, there is now the option to display the code or/and the description of the selected dimensions. For that reason, the parameter Dimensions display layout has been added, so that, each time, the user can select to display the code or/and the dimension description of the selected budget sheet. Alternatively, the user can select the sheet type from the default dimension display mode in the results cube, by selecting by type definition, in the “Cube layout» the appropriate values for:

• Dimension code
• Dimension description

• In the management screen for budget sheet profile information, the position on the screen and description of the definition field have changed on whether the sheet includes Intercompany transactions.

  

  1. == Retail ==

• In the Retail Documents – Packing process (menu: Accounting / Period completion processes / Postings/ Retail Documents – Packing), there is now the possibility of grouping the entries by using the Warehouse too, which has been designated in the receipt line. This feature can also be enabled by selecting the WH in parameter “Additional item line groupings”.

• The weighing machine – scanner Magellan 8400 is supported for the users to enter the weight of weighable items. Configuration instructions for using this specific scale from the application can be found in the Base Knowledge article:

  KB-02022 – Connect to weighing machine- scanner Magellan 8400

  It should be highlighted that, in ESRetail the weigh feature is provided through the window that appears when the user scans a weighable item, when the Enter quantity dialog displays automatically, with the Weigh button activated next to the quantity.

• For the more efficient management of weighable items, the new Enter Weight command has been created, which the user can add in document screens. By selecting this command on an item line, it’s possible to enter or edit the “Weight” field of the item line.

On the displayed window, there’s also an individual button for getting weighing information from a connected weighing scale.

Other

• In the document access privileges profile, in the fields to select from, the “Reason for VAT exemption” field of the header and the document lines has also been added.

  The functionality to Import bank transactions is now also supported in cases where the application is installed on Azure. Therefore, if the EAS installation was carried out on Azure, then the user needs to select the NO value in the new company parameter Strong Security in File management (found in: Online transaction parameters). By changing this parameter to NO, the transaction files that will be imported are searched in the local client folder and not in the server, in order to bypass the security limitations that are enforced by Azure regarding folder and file management.

CRM

People @ the center | Persons / sales graph

By clicking on the connector between Salespersons and Customers, now a dashboard opens up that includes the analysis of their activity with each other. For instance:

Keep in mind that the connectors between Salespersons and Customers offer direct information regarding the number of events. The events described at this point are the ones also displayed on the Timeline and concern sales. In order to for some of these types to be exempted or included in the timeline view, the user can (de)select the Timeline value (a) for task types: from task groups and (b) for document types: from attributes.

Territory management module

Territory management is a tool that allows you to manage your sales markets according to criteria of your choice. Territory structure is based on a territory hierarchy.

The territory hierarchy is related to the organizational model of your company via the job position of the resource (employee) responsible.

The organizational model represents the internal view of your company. On the other hand, the territory hierarchy reflects the market view. Changes to the territory hierarchy occur more frequently than changes to the organizational chart. Your customer base can increase or decrease and territories must be resized or reallocated to accommodate this, to ensure that a representative has the appropriate workload.

Territory management provides the following functions:

• Territory hierarchy structure

• Position management

• Rule based selection for business accounts and items

• Territory validity periods

• Territory rule period ownership - indirect link between customer-item-resource (sales rep)

• Territory rule period representation - indirect link between customer-item-resource (sales rep)

• Unattended calculation for territory relationships (business accounts, items)

• Territory planning (CRM Pharma Industry)

• Territory administrative reports

Stock counting plan

The stock counting plan form has been redesigned. The Recipients section has been renamed to Business addresses (POS), and in the select tab, the following three parameters have been added:

• Category 1 (POS)
• Category 2 (POS)
• Category 3 (POS)

The new section Merchandising templates has been added. Hereafter, the following are available in the context scroller:

Field name	Description
Columns
1st level
Code	The code of the merchandising plan.
Description	The description of the merchandising plan.
2nd level
Item	The description of the item
Category 1	The category 1 of the item
Number of facings	The number of facings. The value of this field can be edited.
Price	The price of the item. The value of this field can be edited.
Quantity	The quantity of the item. The value of this field can be edited.

Additionally to the aforementioned columns a selection panehas been added and, hence, the sign will indicate that this item has high priority.

When clicking on thebutton in the Merchandising template section, a dialog box with the following parameters is shown:

Field name	Description
Parameters
Execute until	The date set in this field is assigned to the closing date of the item counting plan.
Counting	If true then the selected items will be assigned to the counting items section (see the following paragraphs).
Price monitoring	If true then the selected items will be assigned to the price monitoring items section (see the following paragraphs).

Furthermore, the Counting items and the Price monitoring items sections have been added.

Counting items section

This section consists of two tabs: Inventory & catalogue items. The following fields are available in both tabs:

Field name	Description
Columns
Code	The code of the item
Description	The description of the item
Category 1	The category 1 of the item
Facings	The number of facings.
Quantity	The quantity of the item.
Counting priority	Counting priority

Price monitoring items section

This section consists of two tabs: Inventory & catalogue items. The following fields are available in both tabs:

Field name	Description
Columns
Item	The code of the item
Description	The description of the item
Number of facings	The number of facings.
Price	The price of the item.
Discounted	If true, then the catalogue item is on promotion. If false, then the catalogue item is not on promotion.

Price monitoring

Price monitoring can be used for capturing the price of items during a visit to a business address (POS). To register a price monitoring task, the following fields should be filled out:

Field name	Description
General info
General data
Task	The description of the monitor pricing task.
Person/Trade account	The person/trade account for whom the price monitoring task is performed.
Contact	The contact for whom the price monitoring task is performed.
Address	The address, at which the price monitoring task takes place.
Plan	The code of the merchandising plan.
Priority	The priority of the price monitoring task.
Status	The status of the price monitoring task.
Scheduling
Assigned to	The representative who performs the price monitoring task.
Due date	The due date of price monitoring task.
Start date	The start date of price monitoring task.
Closing date	The closing date of price monitoring task.
Pricing
Items
Code	The item’s code.
Description	The item’s description.
Price	The item’s price.
Discounted	If true, then the item was on promotion. If false, then the item was not on promotion.
Catalogue items
Code	The catalogue item’s code.
Description	The catalogue item’s description.
Price	The catalogue item’s price.
Discounted	If true, then the catalogue item was on promotion. If false, then the catalogue item was not on promotion.

Administrative lists

Closed pricing activities

This report is used for getting informed about the completed price monitoring tasks created and the recorded items and catalogue items as well as the competitive items. To access this report go to Menu: Marketing > Merchandise > Reports > Completed price monitoring tasks.

Field name	Description
Parameters
General info tab
Completed on	The date range that you wish to search for completed price monitoring tasks. By default, the date range is set to 2 months before up to date.
Merchandising plan	The code of the merchandising plan of the price monitoring task. By clicking on the button, you can search through the available merchandising plans.
Task code	The code of the price monitoring tasks. By clicking on the button, you can search through the available price monitoring tasks.
Group of companies	The code of the group that the POS belongs to, at which the price monitoring task took place.
Trade account code	The code of the trade account for whom the price monitoring task was performed. By clicking on the button, you can search through the available trade accounts.
Representative code	The code of the representative who performed the price monitoring task. By clicking on the button, you can search through the available representatives.
Geographical info tab
Zip Code	The ZIP code of the POS, at which the price monitoring task took place. By clicking on the button, you can search through the available ZIP codes. The city of the POS, at which the price monitoring task took place. By clicking on the button, you can search through the available cities.
City
Area	The area of the POS, at which the price monitoring task took place. By clicking on the button, you can search through the available areas.
District	The district of the POS, at which the price monitoring task took place. By clicking on the button, you can search through the available districts.
Geo zone	The geographical zone of the POS, at which the price monitoring task took place. By clicking on the button, you can search through the available geographical zones.
Columns
1st level
Date	The actual closed date of the price monitoring task.
Code	The code of the price monitoring task.
Trade account	The trade account for whom the price monitoring task was performed.
POS	The POS, at which the price monitoring task took place.
Representative	The representative who performed the price monitoring task.
Merchandising plan	The code of the merchandising plan of the price monitoring task.
2nd level
Items
Item	The item’s description.
Price	The item’s price.
Expected price	The item’s expected price.
Difference	The difference between the price and the expected price of the item.
Discounted	If true, then the item was on promotion. If false, then the item was not on promotion.
Competitive items
Item	The competitive item’s description.
Price	The competitive item’s price.
Expected price	The competitive item’s expected price.
Difference	The difference between the price and the expected price of the competitive item.
Discounted	If true, then the competitive item was on promotion. If false, then the competitive item was not on promotion.

Administrative reports

Price monitoring analysis

This dashboard is used for getting informed about the trend of the recorded prices of items and how these are distributed to the POS. To access this report go to Menu: Marketing > Merchandise > Price monitoring analysis.

Field name	Description
Parameters
Completion date	The date range that you wish to see the analytics. By default, the date range is set to 2 months before up to date.
Merchandising plan	The code of the merchandising plan. By clicking on the button, you can search through the available merchandising plans.
Branch	The code of the branch.
Item code	The code of the item/catalogue item. By clicking on the button, you can search through the available items/catalogue items.
Item family	The code of the item family. By clicking on the button, you can search through the available item families.
Item group	The code of the item group. By clicking on the button, you can search through the available item groups.
Item category	The code of the item category. By clicking on the button, you can search through the available item categories.
Item subcategory	The code of the item subcategory. By clicking on the button, you can search through the available item subcategories.
Trade account Group	The code of the trade account group. By clicking on the button, you can search through the available trade account groups.
Trade account code	The code of the trade account. By clicking on the button, you can search through the available trade accounts.
Representative code	The code of the representative. By clicking on the button, you can search through the available representatives.
Zip Code	The ZIP code of the POS. By clicking on the button, you can search through the available ZIP codes. The city of the POS. By clicking on the button, you can search through the available cities.
City
Area	The area of the POS. By clicking on the button, you can search through the available areas.
District	The district of the POS. By clicking on the button, you can search through the available districts.
Geo zone	The geographical zone of the POS. By clicking on the button, you can search through the available geographical zones.

At the top of the dashboard the code and the description of the selected items are listed along with the following key figures:

• Minimum price
• Maximum price
• Average price
• Tasks – The number of price monitoring tasks performed
• Number of POS
• A sparkle line showing the item’s price trend

By clicking on a row of the aforementioned list, you can see at the bottom left of the dashboard the price analysis by POS. In this context, the following key figures are shown:

• Person
• POS
• Minimum price
• If the indication is shown next to the minimum price, then this price is the lowest among all the recorded minimum prices
• Maximum price
• If the indication is shown next to the maximum price, then this price is the lowest among all the recorded maximum prices
• Average price
• Tasks – The number of price monitoring tasks performed

By clicking on a row of the aforementioned list, you can the location of the selected POS on the map.

Competition price monitoring analysis

This dashboard is used for getting informed about the trend of the recorded prices of competitive items and how these are distributed to the POS. To access this report go to Menu: Marketing > Merchandise > Competition - Price monitoring analysis.

Field name	Description
Parameters
Completion date	The date range that you wish to see the analytics. By default, the date range is set to 2 months before up to date.
Merchandising plan	The code of the merchandising plan. By clicking on the button, you can search through the available merchandising plans.
Branch	The code of the branch.
Item code	The code of the competitive item. By clicking on the button, you can search through the available competitive items.
Trade account Group	The code of the trade account group. By clicking on the button, you can search through the available trade account groups.
Trade account code	The code of the trade account. By clicking on the button, you can search through the available trade accounts.
Representative code	The code of the representative. By clicking on the button, you can search through the available representatives.
Zip Code	The ZIP code of the POS. By clicking on the button, you can search through the available ZIP codes. The city of the POS. By clicking on the button, you can search through the available cities.
City
Area	The area of the POS. By clicking on the button, you can search through the available areas.
District	The district of the POS. By clicking on the button, you can search through the available districts.
Geo zone	The geographical zone of the POS. By clicking on the button, you can search through the available geographical zones.
Competitor	The code of the competitor. By clicking on the button, you can search through the available competitors.

At the top of the dashboard the code and the description of the selected items are listed along with the following key figures:

• Minimum price
• Maximum price
• Average price
• Tasks – The number of price monitoring tasks performed
• Number of POS
• A sparkle line showing the item’s price trend

By clicking on a row of the aforementioned list, you can see at the bottom left of the dashboard the price analysis by POS. In this context, the following key figures are shown:

• Person
• POS
• Minimum price
• If the indication is shown next to the minimum price, then this price is the lowest among all the recorded minimum prices
• Maximum price
• If the indication is shown next to the maximum price, then this price is the lowest among all the recorded maximum prices
• Average price
• Tasks – The number of price monitoring tasks performed

By clicking on a row of the aforementioned list, you can the location of the selected POS on the map.

Price monitoring connected applications

Price monitoring is connected to and executed by the following mobile applications:

• SFA & Merchandise app
• X-Van

Horizontal functionality

From this version, the default background image is a photograph of a sailing boat in the Mediterranean, replacing the one of mountain Matterhorn in the Alpes.

Entersoft Collaboration | Chat

The contemporary working style, in general, but more specifically, the current reality, calls for remote cooperation among Entersoft Business Suite application users and renders the facilitation of communication, in any way, more imperative than ever. In recognition of this need, EBS applications will integrate a series of features that aim to ensure the conditions for direct and high-level cooperation. Starting from this version, Entersoft Business Suite applications provide a Chat feature among their users.

Next up, you’ll find an introduction to the basic infrastructure dimensions of Entersoft Chat.

Basic infrastructure dimensions – Entersoft Chat

https://www.docker.com/

In an effort to describe the Docket in a simpler way, one could say it’s a platform that providers “packaged software” which are called containers. On one hand, these containers are isolated, with their own software, libraries and configuration files, and, on the other hand, they can communicate with each other through distinctly designated channels. The Docker offers the possibility of creating and managing a package with an application and its dependencies, a virtual container. One of the key advantages of the Docker is the low resource usage.

https://www.igniterealtime.org/projects/openfire/

Entersoft using Docker’s features in order to utilize Openfire, a real time collaboration (RTC) server (open-source), which uses the widespread instant messaging XMPP protocol. Openfire is easy to manage and install, while, at the same time, it offers security and high performance.

The default Openfire Docker image provided has been configured to use an MS SQL database for Openfire server to function. It is recommended to create an empty DB on your SQL Server, in order to be able to create and use various backup plans, storage means, etc.

If this is not the case, the same transactional DB that’s used by EBS can be utilized. Upon Openfire server start-up, the DB schema check and update will run automatically.

	Technical information
	Find the fundamental details on configuring, installing and managing the Entersoft chat infrastructure on Entersoft wiki.

Indicatively…

The following images are indicative. On the first image, one can view the Containers list in the Docket, and, more specifically, of the Openfire, as well as the basic administration actions of this container.

Below, there’s an image from the Openfire administration environment and, more specifically, the users list of an EBS that have been also set as Chat users.

Configuration

Having completed the installation and customization of the Entersoft Chat infrastructure, we can proceed to configurating it from within Entersoft Business Suite.

Set collaboration groups

Collaboration groups are the user groups opened in Openfire server (see User & collaboration group synchronization). When synchronizing users to Openfire, the companies to which the users have access are automatically opened as user groups. The user can set collaboration groups in Settings > General > User groups from the relevant check box.

Interaction profile configuration

The last step is entering the Openfire server data in the interaction profile. In Settings > General > Interaction profile the user can create or edit the profiles they wish. In new area: Chat settings the user enters the Openfire credentials to activate the service. For instance:

Save and restart the application, as well as the Entersoft Application Server. After logging in, the “Conversations” button will appear on the horizontal menu of the EBS application action bar.

User & collaboration group synchronization

The synchronization is carried out through the Openfire Console that the user can access using the User & collaboration group synchronization virtual button, on the Interaction profile form. On the dialog that appears, the user can enter their info and login to the Openfire Server. They can select to save the login info with a distinctive name (Save credentials) and use them for all next synchronizations (Use saved).

On the screen that pops up, the first thing the user sees is the existing users list in Openfire server, if there’s been a previous synchronization.

Here, the first step is to synchronize the Entersoft application users with the Openfire Server users, by clicking on the Synchronize users button. On the dialog, the user sees:

• Existing users in the Entersoft application but not in Openfire Server (Create)
• Existing users in Openfire Server but not in EBS (Delete)
• Users that exist in both Openfire Server and EBS but with inconsistent data (Update)

Select the desired users and click on OK, in order for the synchronization process to start. A message will appear reading that the process has been successfully completed and that the users list has been updated. Moreover, there’s the possibility of deleting (exempting) certain users from Openfire server: select the users to delete and click on “Delete” from the toolbar (right side). Finally, the current user’s EBS form opens up using the “Show” button.

The next step is synchronizing the groups. Synchronizing the groups is about:

1. Synchronizing EBS companies as Openfire User Groups
2. Synchronizing EBS collaboration groups (see Set collaboration groups) as Openfire User Groups
3. Adding and removing EBS users to the corresponding Openfire groups

By clicking on the Synchronize groups button, a dialog appears that is equivalent to the one of user synchronization. However, this specific dialog has 2 levels:

• The first level shows the groups which will be synchronized with Openfire server
• The second level shows the users of each group that will be synchronized with Openfire server.

Therefore, the user has to select both the groups they wish to synchronize, as well as their users.

By clicking on OK, the synchronization process starts. A message will pop-up, reading that the process has been successfully completed and the users/groups list will be update. By clicking on Delete on the toolbar, it’s possible to delete the selected groups or remove the selected users from any groups. Using the Configuration button, it’s possible to open the user groups list, in order to manage the collaboration groups.

Entersoft Chat in the Users’ Daily Routine

After the feature has been activated for Entersoft Application users, it appears on the horizontal menu, on the right of Search (Horizontal menu > Conversations).

Using this option, the Entersoft Chat form opens up.

Entersoft Chat form

The form contextually consists of 3 parts:

• The login user area | on the top of the form. It includes the user’s photo, their UserID and their full name, the online status selected and an optional status that describes their mood, position or anything that they think represents them.

  The user’s online status may be one of the following: Offline, Available, Away, Out of Office and Busy and the user can update it from the Chat form, using the corresponding drop-down menu.

  

  The status can be update by clicking on the relevant form area, where a relevant dialog appears. There, the user can type in the text they wish. The text can be up to 100 characters. This status is not kept for more than the user’s current connection to the Chat Server and can be set anew upon each login. Both the Online status, as well as the status are also available on the user’s menu (Horizontal menu > User) and can be set in a corresponding way from there.

  

• The users, user groups and active conversations area | This area has three subsections:

  • The contacts, meaning the Entersoft Chat users, grouped per Online status. There’s a search feature in the contact list’s visible data.

  • The collaboration groups created in Entersoft Chat, with each group’s users. It should be clear that a user can belong to one or more collaboration groups.

  • The active conversations list of each user. There’s a search feature in the active conversations list’s visible data.

• The conversation | meaning the selected active conversation with another user, where we can type a new message, read the messages sent by our interlocutor, etc.

  In the beginning of this area, the interlocutor’s information is visible: Their UserID and full name, their online status and their status.

  Next comes the dialog between the two users. On the left, the interlocutor’s messages can be seen, along with their photo, the time the message was sent, their UserID and full name. On the right, the login user’s messages can be seen, with the time each message was sent. The messages are grouped based on their sent date.

  On the bottom the Write a new message area can be found, the height of which can be adjusted by the login user. The user can send a message by pressing the <enter> key and go to the next line by using the <shift> + <enter> key combination.

Chatting…

Entersoft Chat allows communication between users from different Entersoft Business Suite applications, regardless the company they’ve logged in from.

For instance, in the following images we can see a dialog between two users, where user NAN uses Entersoft WMS and has logged in to the ES company, whereas the other two users, KAR and ESDEV, use Entersoft ERP and have logged in to the ESN company.

• User NAN’s, in Entersoft WMS (company: ES)

  

• User Kar’s environment, in Entersoft ERP (company: ESN)

  

• User ESDEV’s environment, in Entersoft ERP (company: ESN)

  

Sharing

Entersoft Chat’s key advantage is that it ensures the smooth workflow between two or more users, even remote ones, by allowing them to share content in a direct and dynamic way, as well as invokes to entities, views, dashboards, etc.

Therefore, by activating Entersoft Chat, the icon appears in the application’s various components, which allows the users to easily share an invoke to the object they’re studying or editing or / and an image of it or / and an export of its data. More specifically, the share feature is available on the following parts of the application:

Views | where it’s possible to send, to one or more users, in individual conversations, an invoke to the view, including the parameters, or an image snapshot of the view, or an export of the select lines (or all of them) in Excel.

Dashboard | where it’s possible to send, to one or more users, in individual conversations, an invoke to the dashboard, or an image snapshot of the whole dashboard, or an image snapshot of the dashboard’s selected item.

BITs / OLAPs / Administration form (ISUD) | where it’s possible to send, to one or more users, in individual conversations, an invoke to the BIT / OLAP / ISUD, or an image snapshot of the BIT / OLAP / ISUD.

Finally, a horizontal feature of sending a screen snapshot or a screen slipping is available, using the edit image option and the Horizontal Menu > Screenshot option.

After the user has selected one of the sharing methods, a dialog appears in order to select to which user or users they wish to share the content or the invoke, in individual conversations.

	Examples of sending invokes to a Dashboard, View, BIT, OLAP

Cognitive Tools

In order to support efficient conversations among Entersoft Business Suite users, Entersoft Chat fully utilizes the already available cognitive tools.

Therefore, Sentiment analysis, text moderation, translation, as well as read text are available for the conversation’s text messages.

For messages written by the login user, there’s also the possibility to spell check and replace the text typed in by the user with what is recommended e.g. by the translation’s cognitive tool. In image messages the user can analyze and classify an image, through the View image dialog that opens up by clicking on an image message,

New message notifications

When a conversation is not selected for full view, meaning, it’s not the conversation where the login user is actively participating at a specific point in time, receiving a message from another user, other than the current interlocutor, results in a relevant notification popping-up, showing the number of messages, at the following places:

• Indication @ active conversations list.
• Indication @ horizontal menu, as a badge, on the icon that corresponds to the Entersoft Chat option.

In the next image, we can see that login user KAR is conversing with user NAN. In the meantime, user ESDEV sends 3 messages to login user KAR. In the active conversations list, as well as the Chat icon on the horizontal menu, there’s an indication visible, showcasing the number of messages received.

Moreover, if the application window in general is not the active one on the recipient’s environment at the moment the messages are received, the Entersoft application icon on the Windows Taskbar will flash.

Display Workflows as Flowcharts

Automations and Business Rules are Entersoft tools for creating and executing business workflows of any complexity, for validating conditions, while they ensure rich feedback, repeatability and consistency. The primary goal is to minimize users’ workload and, on the other hand, to maximize efficiency and effectiveness. An automation or a business rule can be, and in most cases they actually are, parts of a more extensive business workflow that is executed by the application and the users. In general, the starting point is a data set (e.g. an entity, the records of a view, a dashboard object etc.) and following a user’s selection (in case of Automations) or an event (in case of Business Rules, e.g.: the update of a field value), BRs and Automations allow us to execute sequential tasks and processes and, at the same time, the UI of the tool supports exceptionally flexible and adjustable implementations. No special or in-depth knowledge of specific programming languages or scripting is required. The UI of the tool guides and facilitates the advanced user to create execution conditions and value assignments, to utilize embedded entity actions and the user input (params panel / wizard) in a clear, simple, and structured way.

This particular version includes functionality for representing workflows (implemented using the Automations tool) as flowcharts. By selecting Show flowchart on the automation toolbar, the processes and tasks included in an automation are represented as a process flowchart. The standard symbols and shapes are used and, for keeping the chart simple, the false connectors between nodes are not included.

The representation as a flowchart will be further enhanced gradually and will also cover BRs (Business Rules). The goal of the flowchart representation is twofold: on one hand it aims to clarify the sequence of the execution of the conditions, map profiles etc. and on the other hand it attempts to provide a comprehensive overview of the logic of the business flow.

The previous screenshot demonstrates a very simple automation that creates a new static Entity List of social media accounts as a focus group, in the context of a particular business case. Based on the data provided by the user (params panel), the automation checks whether the typed code already exists or not and if it is indeed a new one, proceeds with the creation of a new group and saves it in the data base. Rich tooltips are provided (e.g. for value assignments). And, finally, and the following design decision has been implemented: Map profiles are distinctively shown in containers, with their own start & end nodes.

Certainly, automations are commonly more complicated and the implemented processes are multifaceted and with many branches and options, with special conditions etc. Next such an automation is shown.

The flowchart can be exported as an image. Pan and zoom is also supported. The user can refresh the flowchart in case of modifications on the automation. Initially the flowcharted opens docked filled, on a second tab page, named Diagram. Drag the tab page & drop it wherever you wish in order to have simultaneous view of the 3 main parts of the tool UI.

The three parts of the Automation Tool UI are coordinated. E.g. by selecting (a) a node on the flowchart, the corresponding node on the validation condition will be also selected and (c) the UI for editing the condition too.

Entity lists

The entity lists are being updated and enriched. Essential changes and extensions are provided at a structural and functional level of the entity lists.

For starters, there’s now the possibility of managing entity lists as a Security Item through the Set privileges environment (menu: Settings > Users > Set privileges...).

Private lists & shared use lists

Keep in mind that access basic list management is provided, mainly, through the menu: Settings > Development & customization tools > Entity lists.

Already from this view (scroller), one is introduced to the concept of private lists. As long as the login user is also the creator of a list, then they’re able to set it to private. Private user lists are visible to the rest of the users, apart from their creator, through the relevant views (scrollers). They are, however, exempted from their horizontal (framework) use and implementation actions. If e.g. there is a ESList type parameter in a scroller, then the shared use lists (not private) and the login user’s private lists are available in it. Accordingly, through the options of the Lists menu too.

The basic view (scroller) of entity list management (menu: Settings > Development & customization tools > Entity lists) has been reorganized in order for this new dimension of lists to be displayed. By default, a user would view their own private lists and the shared use lists. They can, after selecting the relevant option, also view the private lists of the rest of the users, but they cannot edit them or delete them. The default list grouping, in this specific scroller, is entirely based on this dimension. Moreover, a subtle color difference has been applied, depending on whether a list is a shared use list, or a login user’s private list (my lists) or of the rest of the users.

Note that this scroller now also returns campaign lists, as long as the option is selected using the new relevant parameter (parameter page: All).

Intercompany and company lists

The lists now have an additional dimension, the company one. By default, the lists keep their intercompany property. The basic entity list management view (menu: Settings > Development & customization tools > Entity lists) returns the login company’s lists and the intercompany ones. In case e.g. there’s an ESList type parameter in a scroller, then the intercompany lists and current company’s lists are available in it. Accordingly, through the options of the Lists menu too.

New dynamic form

The list administration form is now dynamic (meaning, it is now possible to adjust it to an installation’s specialized needs) and has been significantly enriched. Note that a relevant dashboard is provided, which briefly displays the parts where this list is utilized. For instance, in a marketing campaign, in other combined lists, in credit discount plans, etc.

Dynamic lists | Scroller-based entities

Similar to previous versions, different features are (de)activated in the form, depending on the list type (static, dynamic, combined). When a list is dynamic, the Scroller-based entities expander is available. At this point, Select view area and Select view have been rendered more user-friendly and now provide the possibility of searching and filtering while typing.

Additionally, in case a view has parameters organized in pages / categories, that’s the way these will be displayed from this part too.

Entity lists | Select fields to display

This view has been modified and now supports multiple selection of fields to add as columns in the entity list, or vise-versa, when it comes to removing them.

User-definable fields

A series of user-definable fields has been added. More specifically, 10 numeric fields, 10 date-related fields, 10 tables, 10 comments (text fields) and 10 flags.

Entity lists on the web

In the cases of lists that are utilized by some dynamic website, there’s now the possibility of recording data aiming to optimize their search through search machines (SEO), in a series of new fields (Title, Description, Keyword, URL) that are now available for the local language, as well as in English.

Additionally, there’s the possibility of importing extensive notes and the flag which states whether the list is available on the web to easily check its visibility on the dynamic website.

Note that the lists now have an alternative description.

Reporting support | List snapshot

A new structure has been added, called List snapshot (ES00ListSnapshot, ES00ListItemSnapshot), where a snapshot of Non-static & Saved lists is being kept and, more specifically, of their Entities during Recreate list, as long as the following option (flag) has been enabled: Take snapshot. This structure aims to support references in cases that use the lists.

The “from” date (date of previous snapshot or list recreation) and the “until” date (date of recreation) are saved in the list snapshot. In the snapshot list entities the saved entity GIDs are copied when taking the snapshot.

ESList parameters| Using lists as Scroller filters

The lists of an entity can appear as a parameter in scrollers (ESList type parameter). For instance, in the following view, the parameter “Filter by list” has been added. In previous versions, the drop down of this type of parameters showcased the list description, in order for the user to select the one they want. Now, the drop down of this type has been enriched with additional information. More specifically, it includes:

• List code and description
• Whether it’s a private list (login user list) or shared use list
• Whether it’s an intercompany list and which is the company in question
• The date the list was recreated

Moreover, the user can enter data from any of the above lists and search / filter automatically through the lists that match the typed-in characters.

Note that the same columns have been added in the select list dialog, to apply a list filter.

Entersoft Cloud Store – Create subscription from the ES desktop application

Until recently, the start point of configuring an Entersoft Cloud Store subscription was found on the Store itself. More information available here: https://wiki.entersoft.eu/wiki/Entersoft_Cloud_Subscription_EN

From this version and on, creating the subscription is also possible using Entersoft applications (Entersoft Business Suite) through the menu: Settings > Application Server > Create ES Cloud subscription.

If the following company parameters are not satisfied, meaning, a subscription hasn’t been created and the connection hasn’t been verified, then the application will display a relevant system warning to the administrators, allowing them to proceed with creating a subscription right away.

	ES Cloud Store – Subscription GID
	Entersoft Cloud Store parameters category

	ES Cloud Store – Subscription ID
	Entersoft Cloud Store parameters category

In case the parameters are not fully completed, a relevant system error message will pop-up. The subscription creation dialog is the following:

Through this process, the above parameters will be automatically updated, as will the following one:

	ES Cloud Store - Endpoint Token ID for accessing usage insights of application components
	Entersoft Cloud Store parameters category

This one concerns the usage Insights of application Components.

The process of creating a subscription to Entersoft Cloud Store, using the cloud store itself, is described hereby: https://wiki.entersoft.eu/wiki/Entersoft_Cloud_Subscription_EN. Observe that a series of information, which the user should search and enter manually, end up automatically filled-in when the Entersoft application itself is the process starting point. The registration requirements described in the aforementioned URL, still apply in this subscription creation method.

	Cloud.Entersoft.gr
	You can learn more about Entersoft Cloud Applications: here: https://www.entersoft.gr/products/entersoft-cloud-apps and here: https://cloud.entersoft.gr/el/apps/

Scrollers

Extensions on the direct customization of column display

New features have been added in the right-click menu of scroller column headers, as well as in the updated “Properties’ dialog.

Image display management in scrollers

More specifically, the user can now set maximum dimensions for external source images (e.g. images from an area of the disk or the web), such as, in the Photos – Gallery view of Merchandising.

In this case, the photographs displayed on the scroller are usually unedited, with big dimensions and varied proportions, depending on the method they were taken (from a tablet or mobile phone, landscape or portrait etc.). The proportional resizing based on maximum dimensions results in a more readable scroller.

In order for the user to directly view the photograph in its original size, they can select “View image” by right-clicking on it (possible in BoundImage type columns). Through view image, there’s now the possibility of copying or saving the image, as well as analyzing or classifying it, with the help of the cognitive tools.

Enable context information (Decision Cards)

Additionally, through this specific dialog there’s now the possibility of enabling context information -for the entities where it’s available: Meaning, to enable direct access to Overview, Timeline, Gantt Chart, Scorecard, depending on the entity. This is attained after entering instruction: <Entity table name >|<Entity GID field> in the context information field.

Keep in mind that changes in column display are not saved right away, which is also true for the Advanced Designer (<ctrl+F12>). In case the user wishes to save their changes, they need to manually select Layout save.

More information about context Information available here: https://wiki.entersoft.eu/wiki/2020_DecisionCards

View designer and EMIs designer | Data preview

• The data preview feature is available using the top-level query of the scroller, on a saved view, through the relevant button, on the right of the layout configuration designer.

Data preview was already available at a specific part of the EMIs, where there was a point for it. That part was importing data from an entity and was accessed by pressing <ctrl> + <left mouse click> on the three dots button, in the source column of the Entity Info dialog. In order for this feature to be visible, a discernible button was added on the dialog’s toolbar.

New OLAP

Show totals

In order for the totals in new OLAs to be more discernible, changes were made in their font.

For instance:

Edit OLAP – Save as

Using the option “Save as…”, there’s now the possibility of creating an OLAP copy. When the source is a view, a dialog appears in order for the user to select whether they would like to also create a copy of the source – view, or of the OLAP only. In case the source is a SSAS cube, only the OLAP is copied. In the new OLAP that’s created, only the default layout is copied. After successfully saving, the new OLAP loads.

Miscellaneous

Application messages| Keyboard shortcuts

Keyboard shortcuts have been designated for the Yes/No, Confirmation, Warning, Stop, Inform and Error dialogs, in order for the user to be able to quickly respond to the relevant dialog. Using the <ALT> key, the user can view which characters act as keyboard shortcuts.

Documentation & search in the text

In the application’s Documentation presentation (Horizontal menu > Help > Documentation) and, more specifically, when viewing the PDF file’s contents (right part of the screen) the search feature is by default open and available on the PDF file.

Bank connections

The option Horizontal menu > Bank connections is now only visible as long as there are active bank connections.

Option to use a login language other than the default, upon first login

If, in the application’s CSConfig catalogue the user adds a file named: force_product_lang.txt and within the file there’s a number defined (e.g. 1), then the product overrides its default language and instead of 0 (which is the default one from the ES application’s supported languages list) the applications loads in the language that corresponds to the number included in the file.

For instance, the EL-02 products have three languages el-GR, en-GB, en-US that correspond to positions 0, 1, 2. The default language of EL-02 products is the first one, namely the one with index 0. If, in the force_product_lang.txt file we set 2 as a value, then en-US will be considered the default language, Additionally, the Entersoft application has to be invoked through the extended shortcut of the following form: ESMainApp.EXE -language en-US

The above is implemented the first time the Entersoft application is executed on a terminal. If the user has already logged in before, the previous login’s language will override any other.

More

• Aesthetic quality upgrade of the Download and Install dialog for new versions

• Use of the ESFICALYEARBASECURRENCYSYMBOL parameter session in Scorecards for correct display of information, in case the login language applies currency settings different to the company settings.

PDF Version