Standing Transactions Overview
The Standing Transactions Inquiry screen within SapphireOne Payroll/HR Mode is the permanent reoccurring record of an employees normal pay. The Standing Transaction only reflects any permanent arrangements that you have for your employees pay or hours worked once their employment data has been entered by the Pay Roll officer. This includes arrangements that do not change, such as an employees base Salary or Wage, or if for example a car allowance is given to an employee on a permanent basis.
This functionality has been added to the Payroll function as a convenience for the Payroll/HR officer, so that the actual transactions that go to make up an employee’s pay may be checked from within the Payroll function itself.
Any modifications made within the Standing Transactions Inquiry screen to any employee will remain permanent, and will keep the employee’s data current for all subsequent pay runs. Any updates or modifications required for a current pay run, such as Sick Leave, Holiday Leave, Allowances, etc are made within the Working Transaction Inquiry screen, and as such will not change the data stored in this Standing Transaction record.
If there are no Standing Transactions entered or set up for an employee, the employee will not be displayed in any Pay Runs. When a new employee starts, the Payroll/HR office will need to open the employees Standing Transaction file and enter in a minimum of data such as a Salary or a Wage.
When opening the Working Transactions Inquiry screen the user is presented with a list view of all employees Standard Transactions. Highlight an employee and use the Modify 
icon to open the employee files and make adjustments. Select the Green Tick 
icon to save the Standing Transaction.
In SapphireOne, all inquiry screens provide the option for customisation of the displayed item list. The feature, called Custom Inquiry, lets users choose the data fields to be shown and the sequence of data columns across the screen. The user can save infinite custom views. While a client list is used as an example to follow, any inquiry type can be customised in SapphireOne.
The Standard Inquiry Screen
The Standard Inquiry Screen in SapphireOne provides a foundational view of data, presenting a set of column fields for each record. This screen is designed to offer a straightforward and efficient way to access and review essential information.
The list above represents the standard inquiry list, displaying a fundamental set of data fields for each client record and includes two buttons as follows:
- Swap to Custom Inquiry – When the user selects the ‘Swap to Custom Inquiry’ button in the lower left-hand corner of the screen, SapphireOne will display the default Custom Inquiry Screen, which is documented below.
- Show/Hide Audit Lines – Toggle the Audit lines panel open. This panel will display at the bottom of the Inquiry screen, benefiting workflow by providing an immediate view of the critical details for a selected line.
The Custom Inquiry Screen
When the user selects the ‘Swap to Custom Inquiry’ button from the Standard Inquiry, SapphireOne will display the default Custom Inquiry Screen, as shown below. This screen provides the user with a customisable view of the data set, which is maintained per user and for each particular inquiry.
The options available from the Custom Inquiry Screen are as follows:
- Swap to Standard Inquiry – Return the view to a standard Inquiry.
- Method List Box – This list box, in conjunction with the adjacent operator list box, allows for calculations to be performed across all rows of the displayed data. The results are displayed adjacent to the operator list box.
- Operator List Box – Select an operator to apply to the method selected using the method list box.
- Setup Button – The Setup button will open a modal screen with functionality to customise the Custom Inquiry, as documented in the following section.
- Export Button – Open the data set in CSV format in the devices default spreadsheet application.
The Custom Inquiry Setup Screen
The Custom Inquiry setup screen allows for the customisation of the data view, which is maintained per user and for each particular inquiry. Once the user has customised the Custom Inquiry screen, the screen view will be maintained in subsequent sessions and is unique to the current user account. This screen also provides the option to select and save an unlimited number of custom views per user.
The Custom Inquiry setup screen provides the following functionality:
- Favourite Sets – This option enables the user to save a custom-created screen for future use. For instance, the user can have a simple Inquiry screen for general use and a more complex screen view when auditing specific information.
- Row Height – Adjust the table row height to the users preference.
- Show Related Record – This option allows the user to add related fields from other tables. By ticking the Show Related checkbox at the top of the screen, the user can select a related record, and a view of that related record for the chosen entry will be displayed for that currently selected record. The user will need to select the fields to be displayed.
- Reset to Default – Reset the display to the default view configuration as established by SapphireOne.
The Custom Inquiry setup screen provides the user with two main options for organising the data displayed:
- To remove or relocate a column – Right-click on the column lines and choose from Delete, Move Left, or Move Right.
- To add a column – Locate the desired data set in the list and double-click on it to add it to the custom view as a new column. Edit the location as described above if required. Almost every field within the SapphireOne data tables can be included in the Custom List screen, provided the user has the necessary authorisation.
Customising inquiry screens in SapphireOne allows for a tailored data view that meets the users specific needs. By leveraging the Custom Inquiry feature, the user can enhance their workflow efficiency and ensure that critical information is readily accessible.
Setting up Standing Transactions for Employees
Standing Transactions for employees must be entered when any new employee commences employment. These details are updated when there are any changes to his employment record that has to be made permanent. For example, a car allowance is given on a permanent basis.
Until you have set up Standing Transactions for an Employee, that employee will not be displayed in the list when you do a Payrun.The first Standing Transaction set up for any employee would normally be some type of payment in the form of a Salary or Hourly pay with a set number of hours declared for each pay period.
Alternatively, an Hourly Pay rate may be declared with zero hours for each pay period. This would mean that the employee would receive nothing until their Working Transaction file was modified by the Payroll Officer to reflect the actual number of hours worked each pay period. This is useful when an employee works varying numbers of hours for any given pay period.
Standing Transactions Details Page
Information Tab Area
The Information Tab area at the top of the Standing Transactions Details page includes four seperate tabs all containing various Payroll/HR information and details that have been set up for the Employee. The Tabs include Employee, Allowance, Miscellaneous and Log.
Select the appropriate Tab to display the required information. These Tabs allow for reading and viewing only of all employee details, and any modifications can be made within the corresponding Employee Inquiry screen.
Dictation and Speech to Text Overview
SapphireOne’s implementation of both Dictation (MacOS) and Speech to Text (Windows) is a game changer for data entry. Any data entry field you can type into using a keyboard can use this feature.
You can also use this functionality on all inquiry screens within SapphireOne. For example, the user is in a Contact within a Client. They may have made a phone call to that particular client using the Softphone technology. Consequently, this will automatically date and time stamp both the contact and the phone number you called.
As soon as the call is completed, the user has the ability to use Speech to Text (Windows) or Dictation (MacOS). They can dictate into the memo field of the CRM contact, adding as much description as they require.
Dictation and Speech to Text Procedure
This functionality applies across every single Data Entry screen. For example, the SapphireOne user is entering a Vendor Invoice (VI). Additionally, you may want to add a memo within the Vendor Invoice (VI). The user can utilise the tool and simply dictate the memo.
Another example is if the user wants to add additional lines to the General Ledger account, within each General Ledger account. When the user is completing data entry using a General Ledger, there’s always a unique memo field for each GL account line.
The user can then utilise this feature to quickly add the information they need to add. Alternatively, you may have an interview with an employee. After the interview process is completed, the user can then make notes about the employee.
Speech to Text or Dictation is an extremely powerful tool. It is something that we at SapphireOne, as well as our clients, utilise daily. It is a massive time saver.
Payslip Details Area
The user may enter a message here that will be printed on the payslip itself.
Standing Paysheet Area
The Standing Paysheet area is for the entry of all employees Standing Transactions such as Salary, Superannuation, Allowances, etc.
Select the 
icon to add a new working Paysheet line and the 
icon to delete a Paysheet line. When a line is selected the details are displayed above the line entry area and may be modified as required.
Once all of the line items have been entered into the Standing Pay sheet area the user is advised to select the Recalc Button. This will cause SapphireOne to calculate the pay and insert any items that are to be included in the employee’s pay, such as RDO and PAYG tax.
In each and every Payrun executed each Employee’s Standing Pay details here will be loaded into the Working Transactions inquiry file.
Summary Area
- ID – SapphireOne will automatically display the Employee ID.
- Name – SapphireOne will automatically display the Employee Name.
- Gross – This displays the Gross value of the Standard Transaction.
- Total Net – This displays the Total Net after taxes and deductions of the Standard Transaction.
- Recalc Button – This button is for the purpose of visually displaying to the user how SapphireOne will calculate the pay when the Payrun is finally executed. Any running alterations to the Working Paysheet will require the selection of this buttons to visually check that the pay sheet has been correctly calculated.
- Company Split Button – Selecting this button allows a detailed Costing Split to be used for the selected line. Either a Department or Project Costing split can be set up if desired from this single screen.
How to Split Pay between Departments and Projects
There are two ways to split a pay between Departments and Projects. These include:
- By adding an additional line within the Working Paysheet area of the Standing Transaction to seperate the pay into two lines between Department and Project. Please note that this will only split the actual Pay in hours and not any other items such as RDO, Union Fees etc. that also appear in the employees’ Pay Sheet. To create a, for example 60% to 40%, across the employee’s entire pay, please see the second method as outlined below.
- By selecting the Company Split button found in the bottom right hand corner of the Standing Transactions Inquiry. Selecting the Company Split button allows a detailed Costing Split to be used for the selected item. Either a Department or Project Costing split can be set up if desired from this single screen as seen below.
The user can first select the button to add a line. Then enter a percentage into either the Department or Project data entry field and enter the percentage for that line. For a 2-way split, two lines will be needed that add up to 100%. Using Project or Departmental costing allows the journals transferred to SapphireOne to be split between the selected costing areas.
Actions Page
Action Page Overview
The Action Page is a versatile tool that can be added to major records and transaction tables. It includes various actionable items such as Calendar Reminders, Meeting Invites, Alarms, Emails, To-Do Lists, General Notes, Private Notes, Meeting Notes with Date and Time, Start and Finish stamps, as well as All Day Notifications. This provides users with a centralised location to manage and organise their tasks, meetings, and notes, improving efficiency and productivity.
The Action Page allows users to use the add or delete buttons to add or delete actions as required. Simply select the relevant button to add or delete an action.
Diary Area
The Diary Area in SapphireOne provides users with a comprehensive range of options to customise their actions. It includes a sequence number, title, type, action, user, privacy settings, status, tag, and link fields.
- Sequence – SapphireOne automatically generates a unique sequence number for each action.
- Title – Enter a title for the action.
- Type – Choose from the customisable drop-down menu to input a type. This will subsequently become a permanent type within the drop-down.
- Action – Utilise the user-customisable drop-down menu to input an Action. This will then become a permanent action within the drop-down.
- User – SapphireOne automatically inputs the user creating this action, though it can be modified if necessary.
- Private – If this checkbox is selected, SapphireOne will only permit the specified user to view or modify this action.
- Status – The user has three options: Open, Hold, and Completed.
- Open – Action is open and active.
- Hold – Action is active, but no alarms will be active.
- Completed – Action is now Inactive and won’t be displayed in any list of actions.
- Tag – Users may attach a tag to an action, which will create a permanent tag within the drop-down. To add a new tag, type the name of the new tag into the tag box and press the tab key. Select “Yes” from the pop-up window to confirm. To remove a tag from the list, click on the tag name while holding down the Command (MacOS) or Control (Windows) key. Select “Yes” from the pop-up window to confirm the deletion.
- Link – When created within a transaction or record, SapphireOne automatically generates a link to the transaction or record. When created from the Options Menu, Palette, or Workbook, users must select an item or function from the drop-down menu to link the action. There are 12 items on this list, ranging from Clients to Manager.
Check List Area
SapphireOne offers a user-friendly checklist tool to create and track actions, allowing users to check off completed items as they progress.
Dates and Times Area
- Start/Finish – Set a Start and Finish time for the action, or select the checkbox for an all-day option.
- Completed – Entering a completion date for an action deactivates it, and it will no longer appear in action lists.
Alarm Area
Never forget a task again – set up alarms to send reminders via email at specific dates and times. Users can also receive email notifications with the provided email address.
Recurring Area
If necessary, the alarm can be set to recur at intervals selected from the Type drop-down menu. Additionally, the recurring period can be defined by date.
Notes Area
Click the green clock button to add time and date stamps to your notes. You can also customise the font, style, color, and background color of the text in the Notes area by highlighting it and right-clicking.
Invite Attendees Area
In the event module, you can invite multiple attendees to your event and track their acceptance or rejection of the invitation. You can also send them an email notification if their email addresses are provided. Additionally, you can manage and track attendees’ RSVP status in real-time.
Documents Page
Documents Page Overview
The Documents Page centralises document and information storage for transactions and master tables, streamlining organisation and management for easy access and improved efficiency.
Documents Area
The Documents Page simplifies file management by allowing various document types to be attached via drag and drop, including PDFs, spreadsheets, photos, and more. It provides a centralised location for document and information storage for transactions and master tables, streamlining organisation and management for easy access and improved efficiency.
Documents can only be attached once the corresponding record has an assigned ID.
Documents List Screen Options
There are eight buttons on the Document List screen, as follows:
- Open
– Allows viewing of the currently selected document. - Update
– Prompts the user to import a new version of the selected document while maintaining links to any associated transactions. - Scan
– Accesses a scanner for scanning documents directly into the data file and linking them to the current transaction (requires a compatible scanner with software). - Save
– Saves the currently selected document. - Link Document: Enables linking of the selected document to other transactions in the data file, presenting a popup for user selection.
- Link Document
– Allows linking of an existing document in the data file to the current transaction or record, displaying a popup with a list of documents to choose from. - Link Existing Document
– Allows linking of an existing document in the data file to the current transaction or record, displaying a popup with a list of documents to choose from. - Delete – Deletes the currently selected transaction or record.
- Add – Displays a search function for selecting a document from the local computer or device.
Details Area
The Details area allows users to add a custom name, description, and tags to each document, enabling easy search and location of specific documents. These details can be customised to meet the specific needs of the user or organisation, further improving the efficiency and organisation of the Documents Page.
Last Modified Area
The Last Modified section displays the date and time when the document was last modified, as well as the user who made the changes. This feature helps maintain accountability and enables efficient tracking of document modifications.
History Area
The History area records changes made to the document, including the date, time, and user who made the changes. This provides a valuable tool for tracking and managing document revisions.
Links Area
The Links area allows users to record links to other places where the document has been attached. Links can be added or removed using the (+) and (-) buttons, providing an efficient way to manage and organise related documents.
Notes Area
The Notes area allows users to add any relevant notes related to the document. Clicking the green clock button will add a date/time stamp, further improving document tracking and management.
Digital Assets Page
Digital Assets Page Overview
The Digital Assets Page enables users to attach an unlimited number of media files to almost any record in SapphireOne. Only the digital assets that have been entered by users for the selected record will be listed from the page menu in the selected record.
It should be noted that there is a Digital Asset item in Workbook mode on the General drop-down menu as well. This Digital Asset item lists all digital assets within the data file as a complete list. While very limited modifications are allowed from this list, it is very handy for getting an overall view of the digital assets in the data file. SapphireOne has provided the search function, enabling the user to search for a specific digital asset.
The key to successful image optimisation for performance is finding the perfect balance between the lowest file size and acceptable image quality. There are three things that play a huge role in image optimisation:
Image File Format
For most website owners, the three image file formats that matter the most are JPEG, PNG, and GIF. Choosing the right file type is crucial in image optimisation. To simplify things, JPEGs are ideal for photos or images with lots of colors, PNGs are recommended for simple images or transparent images, and GIFs are suitable for animated images only. PNG images are uncompressed, making them higher-quality, but also much larger in file size. JPEGs are a compressed file format that slightly reduces image quality to provide a significantly smaller file size. GIFs only use 256 colors along with lossless compression, making them the best choice for animated images.
Compression
Image compression plays a significant role in image optimisation. Various types and levels of image compression are available, and the settings for each will depend on the image compression tool you use. Most image editing tools such as Adobe Photoshop, ON1 Photo, GIMP, Affinity Photo, among others, have built-in image compression features. You can also save images normally and use web tools such as TinyPNG or JPEGmini to compress images before uploading them to SapphireOne. Although they require some manual effort, these two methods allow you to compress images efficiently.
Image Dimensions
When you import a photo from your phone or a digital camera, it usually has a high resolution and large file dimensions (height and width). These photos typically have a resolution of 300 DPI and dimensions starting from 2000 pixels or more. Although high-quality photos are perfect for print or desktop publishing, their dimensions can still be optimised. Reducing the image dimensions can significantly decrease image file size. You can resize images easily using image editing software on your computer.
To illustrate the impact of image optimization, let’s consider an example. We optimized a photo with a resolution of 300 DPI and image dimensions of 4900 x 3200 pixels. The original file size was 1.8 MB. We selected the JPEG format for higher compression and adjusted the dimensions to 1200 x 795 pixels. The resulting file size was reduced to just 103 KB. That’s a remarkable 94% reduction in file size from the original.
Choosing the Digital Assets option from the Page menu in a record displays a list of digital assets currently stored in the data file for the selected record.
This screen, as well as any subsequent screens, will overlay the existing screen displayed in your major table. This feature facilitates the attachment of digital assets to your Master Record, providing an efficient way to manage and organise media files associated with your data.
- To add a picture, simply click the Add button.
- To delete a picture, select the Delete button.
Considerations for Adding Digital Assets
Adding digital assets can impact your data file size and system performance. It is important to consider the following:
- Storage capacity: Assess your storage capacity to ensure it can accommodate an increase in file size.
- System performance: Adding a large number of media files can potentially slow down your system. Evaluate the impact on system performance before attaching a significant number of digital assets.
You can review our Blog and YouTube channel for additional information and resources on SapphireOne ERP, CRM and Business Accounting software.