Legler Systems - Accounting Software Revision History

Legler Systems Company

Accounting Software Revision History

Legler Systems frequently improves the online business accounting software to include new features to enhance operational productivity. This financial software is composed of a number of separate and specific accounting applications summarized in the Online Business Accounting Software Overview document.

2018 Accounting Software Revisions:

The 2018 version of the online multi-user accounting software is now available for any version of MS Windows operating system. New features for 2018 are described below:

New option (Sys-Opt-44 in procedure DB03) to change automatically all uppercase letters to uppercase and lowercase letters in all printed accounting reports to make them easier to read.
Automatically change lowercase State codes in vendor, customer and contact addresses to uppercase letters. For example, if ca is entered, it is changed to CA and stored in the database as CA.
Revise procedure DB11 (program DBS885) to print the source file and output file in the File Load Control Report for clarity.
Revise procedure DB94 (program DBS894) to display the limit date when no records are found for a data search.
The Online Help File has been revised for version 11.8.

2017 Accounting Software Revisions:

The 2017 version of the online multi-user accounting software is now available. The source programs have been updated to handle 32-bit COBOL compilers, such as Micro Focus Net Express. New features for 2017 are described below:

Add year-to-date feature to procedures AP20, AR20 and OE20 when column1 days and column2 days equal zero to quickly display year-to-date vendor purchases or GL expense summary.
Revise source programs to reference a new copy member (SLP320) for performing report sort operations.
Revise screen program DBSSCR to implement column sorting (identified by a double underline column) with the click of the mouse in inquiry results prepared by procedures AP10, AR10 and OE10.
Allow lowercase entry of System-ID in procedure DB12.
Expand the edits in ML System for "ALL" or "all" print ranges.
Add Display Option of "A" for GL account codes in procedures AP10 and AR10.
Add latest year prompt to OE17 to enable any 5-year period to be specified by the user.
Revise source programs to reference a new copy member (SLP310) for an IBM AIX call to execute a chmod command when an output file is created.
Revise source programs to eliminate literals spanning more than one line to avoid the use of "-" in column 7.
Add new Opr-Sys-Parm value of "WIN" to support 32-bit COBOL applications with dynamic load library (.dll) executables in the DBSPGM file and as shown in procedure DB04.
Add a prompt to enter a new start date for real-time dashboards 1 and 2 when function key F8 and then the enter key are pressed. Normally, the start date is set to the current system date.
The Online Help File has been revised for version 11.7.
Revise source programs to standardize the binary definition of numeric fields to ensure the size allocation of 2-bytes, 4-bytes or 8-bytes regardless of the COBOL compiler used. For example, some 32-bit COBOL compilers allocate 3 bytes of storage for a 9(6) COMP numeric data field rather than 4 bytes. To ensure 4 bytes are always allocated, the binary data fields are changed to 9(8) COMP. Numeric dollar amount fields greater than 9(7)V99 COMP are changed to 9(15)V99 COMP to ensure 8 bytes of storage allocation.
Revise seven source programs to eliminate all reference to a reserved field named "FUNCTION-ID".
Correct DBSRPT program to handle graphic characters associated with special forms (customer invoices, order confirmations, etc.) when function key F9 (print) is pressed in a separate report window.
Correct source programs for subscript out-of-range when using a 32-bit COBOL compiler.
Change "Diskette Mount" screen to "Diskette/Tape Mount" screen.
Insert a blank line before help message paragraphs for added readability in a large Help Window when loading the online Help File with a special Message-ID of "DB11" in procedure DB11.
Add more screen color codes for the background color and foreground color with 32-bit code.

2016 Accounting Software Revisions:

The 2016 version of the online multi-user accounting software is now available and runs under any version of Microsoft Windows, including MS Windows 10. The new 2016 features that improve staff efficiency are described below:

New Report History Dashboard is displayed below each data selection parameter screen for all reporting and inquiry procedures when using the large screen size (80x50). The Report History Dashboard (program DBSGR7) shows the last 12 times a procedure was run. Refer to the Dashboard-ID setting in DB08.
Vertical lines were added to the result column heading for clarity in the following procedures: AP10, AP17, GL10, OE10, OE14, CR05, CR13, AR10, DB14, DB16, ML06, IM10, PO10, FA10, FA11 and FA13.
The Display Option specified by the user is now shown in the result heading as OPT=x for the following procedures: AP10, AP17, GL10, AR10, OE10, OE14, IM10, PO10 and FA13.
Instantly sort results in procedures DB94, DB96, AP10 and AR10 by clicking the mouse on a column heading with a double underline.
A new Display Option ("M") is added to AP10 to show misc. vendor names. A new Display Option ("N") is added to AR10 to show Bill-To and Ship-To contact names.
Show the field help window whenever a question mark (?) is entered as the first character of any field, same as pressing the F1 key.
Automatically convert single lowercase letters entered by the operator to uppercase by DBSSCR when System-Option-29 (DB03) is set to "0".
A new Report Option ("P") is added to procedure DB13 (User Activity Report) to show individual prompts, similar to the Report History Dashboard. The "Time Option" prompt is changed to "Report Option" in the Format File (DBSFMT).
Display the current active Print File and F9-Printer names in procedure DB04, similar to procedure DB92 and add a new system message "S021-Active File Settings" to the online Help File.
Procedure DB11 (DBS885) is revised to show the number of help records edited when the Load Help File prompt is "E" or "F".
Support for IBM EBCDIC coding when converting lowercase letters to uppercase letters is implemented in all accounting modules for internal field matching.
Authorization is improved in all purge procedures to allow for the printing of record counts, prohibit some DOS commands (e.g. Delete and Format) in DB92 and restrict sending e-mails from AP01, AR01, ML01 and OE19 using the F7 key when the procedure-flag in DB08 is set to 9.
Two new Print Program File options in DB11 are added to print the remarks (* in cc 7) in COBOL source programs and copy members.
The online Help File (v11.6) is updated, along with a few minor program edits.
Automatically change lowercase System-ID entered by the operator to uppercase letters using a new copy member SLP864 in procedures DB03, DB05, DB09, DB10, DB11, DB13, DB94 and DB96.
The date the user password was last changed is displayed on the PW screen.

2015 Accounting Software Revisions:

The 2015 software release has been updated to include: (a) display "Dashboard=F4/F5/F5" on the function line, (b) force name initials field to uppercase letters only in AP01, AR01, ML01, FA01 and OE19 for record indexing and rapid number lookup by name, (c) new Date-Added field to Code Definition Records (DB01), (d) new Active option prompt to OE19, ML02 and FA02, (e) add Vendor Text Record for vendor's web URL, e-mail address and cell phone number (refer to AP01), (f) add Customer Text Record for customer's web URL, e-mail address and cell phone number (refer to AR01), (g) automatically assign State code from the ZIP code in procedures AP01, AR01, ML01 and OE19 and (h) updates to the online Help File.

2014 Accounting Software Revisions:

The 2014 software release has been revised to include: (a) display of a red up arrowhead next to those data fields that can "hot key" (F7) to another data entry screen, (b) mouse support to rotate real-time dashboards in addition to the F5/F6 function keys, (c) new high value transaction selection options to inquiry procedures AP10, AR10 and OE10 to balance to data shown in Dashboard number 2, (d) expand Dashboard 1 and Dashboard 2 to easily display transaction data by 15 days, 15 months or 15 years by pressing the F4 key, add prompt to procedures DB02 and IM04 for Active-Flag selection and (e) text updates to the online Help Field used to support the F1 key.

2013 Accounting Software Revisions:

The 2013 software update includes a new procedure DB18 in the Database Control System that is a general import/export program supporting comma separated values (csv) which are processed by most spreadsheet programs, such as MS Excel. Also, elapsed execution time is added to all one-page control reports, as well as the command window title changed to "Accounting Systems - Online". The online Help File is expanded and can be searched by any word or phrase using procedure DB94.

2012 Accounting Software Revisions:

The 2012 software version includes a new inquiry procedure 96 (Inquire Latest Changes) for each accounting module, a new update procedure CR14 in the Check Reconciliation System to easily clear multiple checks (paid by the bank) at one time, tracking e-mails sent from the financial software and updates to the online Help File.

2011 Accounting Software Revisions:

The business accounting software by Legler Systems Company is revised with a number of new features with five of the most significant software enhancements described below. These 2011 software features are designed to improve end-user productivity and provide real-time Cash Management Dashboard for better decision making and customer service.

1. Real-Time Cash Management Dashboard:

The real-time Cash Management Dashboard is displayed at the bottom of the main Financial Menu for a specific cash account code specified by the user. The up-to-the-minute or real-time cash balance is shown from the last General Ledger closing. Anticipated or future cash balance, including dollar amounts not yet received or paid is shown in the Cash Management Dashboard. To support the real-time Cash Management Dashboard, the large screen size (80x50) feature implemented in Version 9.0 of the Legler financial software is required.

2. Automatic Account Master Record Update:

Whenever changes are made to Code Definition Records by procedure DB01 that affects General Ledger account codes, the corresponding Account Master Record is updated automatically at the same time. These changes can be viewed by online procedure GL19 in the General Ledger System.

3. Dollar Sign ($) Option:

A new Dollar-Sign option is added to the User Control Record (DB08) that automatically displays a dollar sign ($) in dollar amount fields for added clarity. Each user can define his preference for displaying the dollar sign or not.

4. New GL Account Code Prompt:

A new GL account code prompt is added to Inquire Customer Status (AR10) and Inquire Vendor Status (AP10) to allow the selection of invoices by a GL account code. This feature provides a capability to identify specific invoices to balance to dollar amounts shown in the real-time Cash Management Dashboard.

5. New Customer Invoice Fields:

Two new dollar amount fields (Total-Paid and Balance-Due) are added to the Customer Invoice screens (AR02 and AR03). These new status fields are calculated automatically whenever a customer invoice is queried and are not entered by the user.

2010 Version 10.0 Accounting Software Revisions:

The business accounting software by Legler Systems Company is revised with a number of new features with seven of the most significant software enhancements described below. These 2010 software features are designed to improve end-user productivity and provide real-time transaction dashboards for better operational decision making and customer service.

1. Real-Time Transaction Dashboards:

Real-time Bar Chart Dashboards and List Dashboards are displayed at the bottom of each application menu for user reference of key metrics. Up to four different real-time transaction dashboards can be displayed and setup for each user, so that each user can predefine a specific dashboard or view all dashboards by using function keys F5/F6.

a. Bar Chart Dashboard (No. 1) is a bar chart by day for 15 days. If function key F4 is pressed, the bar chart is changed to show 15 months (x-axis).

b. Bar Chart Dashboard (No. 2) is a bar chart by day for 15 days of only large transactions (such as invoices over a predefined dollar limit). The Dollar-Limit amount that defines large transactions is specified for each user in procedure DB08. If function key F4 is pressed, the bar chart is changed to show 15 months (x-axis).

c. List Dashboard (No. 3) is a list of the ten latest (most recent) transactions.

d. List Dashboard (No. 4) is a list of the ten oldest transactions, such as unpaid invoices in the AR System and AP System and open orders in the OE System and PO System.

To support real-time transaction dashboards, two new fields (Dashboard-ID and Dollar-Limit) have been added to the DB08 entry screen in the Database Control System. Also, the large screen size (80x50) feature implemented in Version 9.0 is required to display real-time Bar Chart Dashboards and List Dashboards.

2. Separate Report Window Support:

A new report window is opened automatically when "92W" is the suffix of a print file (e.g. c:\newrpt.92W) defined in procedure "92". Additionally, if the print file is defined as a regular disk file (e.g. c:\test.rpt), then when "92W" is entered as the procedure number on any menu screen, the report (as stored in c:\test.rpt) is displayed in a new separate report window.

Procedures "92W" and "92V" function the same, except "92W" displays the report in a separate report window, while "92V" displays the report in the original window. Either way, a report can be viewed without physically printing it. To print the report, press function key F9.

Using the new "92W" option allows the user to view a report at the same time other online transactions can be performed in the original window. The separate report window can be closed at any time without affecting the original window.

3. Multiple Sales Tax Rates:

The accounting software is updated to support multiple sales tax rates for the same county as stored in Code Definition Records (DB01 with a code-type of "TX" and code-no equal to the county ID), where the comments field defines the effective from-to dates of the sales tax rate change for a county (DATES:20090501-20290501). The sales tax rate is stored in the Control-no field. The Rpt-Seqno field is used to identify multiple sales tax codes for the same county ID.

Any change in the state sales tax rate is easily implemented without having to change individual customer master records.

4. Password Check:

The standard password security check has been strengthened by displaying warning message W914 for a weak password when the "PW" procedure is used to change a user's password. A user password should be any combination of more than 4 letters, numbers and special characters.

5. Search Text Field Expanded:

When using the "#" lookup character, the search text prompt at the bottom of the screen has been expanded from 12 to 16 characters. To support this change, 14 copy members have been revised. Also, the search text prompt for procedures ML06, AP17, OE14, CR13 and FA13 have been expanded to 16 characters.

6. New PO Menu Procedures:

The Purchase Order System menu has been expanded with 3 new purchase order procedures: a. PO02 - Enter Vendor Master Record (identical to AP01), b. PO12 - Print Purchase History Report and c. PO17 - Inquire PO History by Month.

7. Source Code Setting in GL:

All computer procedures that automatically create General Journal Records in the General Ledger System now set the Source-Code field to the procedure ID (e.g. AP09) that created the General Journal Record for audit purposes.

2009 Version 9.0 Accounting Software Revisions:

The online accounting software by Legler Systems Company is revised with a number of new features with four of the most significant enhancements described below. These 2009 features are designed to improve end-user productivity and management information for better customer service.

1. Mouse Support:

Mouse support is now provided to add user flexibility in interacting with the online accounting software in the following ways:

(a) To load a menu, single-click (left mouse button) to load the menu the mouse is pointing to.

(b) To load a specific procedure, single-click (left mouse button) to load the procedure number the mouse is pointing to.

(c) On data entry screens, point the mouse to any field and single-click the left mouse button to move the cursor to that field.

(d) On inquiry screens, after the results are displayed, point the mouse to any line and double-click the left mouse button to automatically display the associated detail data record.

2. Large Screen Size (80x50) Support:

Large screen size of 80 characters wide by 50 rows (80x50) is now supported as an option, as well as the standard screen or window size of 80 columns by 25 rows (80x25). This new large screen size (80x50) allows all data elements to be displayed about a specific record without having to switch between pages. Also, on inquiry procedures, more data lines (rows) are shown at one time when using a large screen. For MS Windows XP and later Windows versions, the Properties option associated with the Command Prompt window needs to be adjusted for the larger window size.

3. Inquire Top Vendors Procedure:

A new procedure AP20 (Inquire Top Vendors) has been developed to display the top vendors in the last x days, where x is any value showing either dollar amounts or number of invoices. A second column identifies values for either the next x days, same accounting period last year or any other accounting period (YRMO) for comparative purposes. Also, summary by selected codes can be displayed with vendor drill-down capability.

4. Inquire Top Customers Procedure:

A new procedure AR20 (Inquire Top Customers) has been developed to display the top customers in the last x days, where x is any value showing either dollar amounts or number of invoices. A second column identifies values for either the next x days, same accounting period last year or any other accounting period (YRMO) for comparative purposes. Also, summary by selected codes can be displayed with customer drill-down capability.

2008 Version 8.0 Accounting Software Revisions:

The online accounting software by Legler Systems Company is updated with a number of new features with six of the most significant enhancements described below. These 2008 features are designed to improve end-user productivity and information flow for better customer service.

1. Notes Data Entry Procedure:

Notes, comments and instructions can be easily and quickly entered about a customer, order, product, vendor or employee by setting the Trans-Code of "N" on data entry screens and pressing the F7 key or going to a new procedure DB17 (Enter General Notes Record). When notes have been entered into the database, the word "NOTES" is displayed between the Trans-Code and Company-ID fields to alert the user.

2. F7 Hot Key Display:

The use of function key F7 (hot key) allows the operator/user to immediately jump from one data entry screen to another without closing the first screen. For example, when a customer order is displayed by procedure OE01, the user can jump to the Customer Master Record (AR01) by placing the cursor on the customer number field and pressing the F7 Hot Key. To return back to the original customer order screen, press F10. Also from OE01, the user can jump to the Product Master Record (OE09) by placing the cursor on an item number field and pressing the F7 Hot Key, thereby easily adding new products on-the-fly during order processing.

3. Data Search Procedure 94:

A new generalized search procedure 94 is added to each application module to allow the operator/user to search for any dollar amount, date, code or text in all or selected data records. Procedure 94 search results identify the data field name, as well as the data itself. The F7 hot key allows the user to display the detail record directly on the screen.

4. Bill-To and Ship-To Contacts:

A customer order can have separate Bill-To and Ship-To name and address information associated with the order. These contact names can include cell numbers and e-mail addresses and provide a valuable resource to be used in future company marketing campaigns.

5. Code Number Lookup by Name:

A new on-the-fly code number lookup feature is available at any time to quickly get a customer number, item number, vendor number, contact name-ID, mailing name-ID and employee number from the name or part of the name. When the "#" character is entered as the code number, the operator is prompted for the name (any text) to search for with all matching names shown in a separate help window.

6. Removable Disk Support:

When the Legler Systems accounting software (LSC directory) is copied to a CD-ROM or USB flash drive for off-site storage, the backup CD-ROM or removable USB disk can be accessed directly, rather than having to copy it back to a hard disk, to view data screens and print reports. The Report-Date field in procedure DB03 should be set before the LSC directory is copied to a CD or USB disk, since it is shown in the heading line when the removable disk is read. Separate menu scripts have been developed to access the CD (menucd.bat) and USB flash drive (menuusb.bat) from any personal computer at any time.

Legler Systems, developer of the business accounting software, is located in the East Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area in Northern California and provides local on-site technical support in Contra Costa County and other counties in California (CA).