Table of contents
Print layouts in gFM-Business
In the gFM Business software, a print layout is a layout that is intended for the print output of any data. In gFM-Business, all print layouts are located in the separate FileMaker file [gFM_Printlayouts.fmp12]. When updating the software, print layouts can therefore in most cases simply be transferred from the previous version.
Print layouts in the print dialog
Each print dialog within gFM-Business shows all print layouts for selection that have been set up for the called module.
In the example above, the print dialog in item management contains a total of eight different print layouts to choose from. After selecting a print layout, the preview for the printout is automatically updated in the right-hand area. After clicking on the [Print] the selected data record or all selected data records are printed on the selected print layout.
Management of print layouts
All print layouts are managed under the menu item [Settings > Print layouts]. This is where all the data stored in the [gFM_Printlayouts.fmp12] print layouts with all associated settings.
The following settings can be made for each print layout in this screen:
- Layout name - This value is specified from the print layout file and cannot be changed at this point. The name corresponds to the name of the print layout in the file "gFM_Drucklayouts.fmp12".
- Paper size - Used to set the paper format for the selected print layout. You can choose between A3 portrait, A3 landscape, A4 portrait, A4 landscape, Dymo 11352, Dymo 11354, Dymo 11355, Dymo 11356 and Dymo 99014. Custom and deviating paper formats can be set up in gFM-Business Custom and in the open license.
- Module - Assigned module for the selected print layout
- Table (TOC) - Table origin for the selected print layout. For documents, the item table for the respective document type is always specified here.
- Function (optional) - Print layout function, only required for receipts.
- Layout type - Layout type of the selected print layout, either document or list.
- Archiving path - An archiving path must be entered here for each print layout so that the software knows where generated PDF documents are to be saved. The [Set all paths] function can also be used to enter the paths for most print layouts in a single step. The archiving path can be specified separately for Mac OS X and Windows computers.
Set up e-mail templates
For each print layout, the following can be selected under the [Details] corresponding text templates for e-mails can be saved. These texts are used when documents are sent as PDF files by email. In this way, it is possible to automatically generate different cover letters by email for offers and invoices, for example.
You can insert as many e-mail placeholders as you like both in the subject line and in the e-mail text. Please note that placeholders must always be inserted in curly brackets {}.
Placeholder for e-mail templates
Placeholders can be used in all email templates, which can be found in the third tab [E-mail placeholder] can be defined. More than 250 placeholders are already supplied in gFM-Business, which should be sufficient for most requirements.
If a placeholder for a desired field does not yet exist in the list, you can create a new placeholder. To do this, click on the [+] button at the top right of the list and enter the following data in the popover dialog:
- TOC - Table origin from which the print layout is called up. See TOC in the print layout
- Placeholder - Name of the placeholder in curly brackets {}
- Table - Table in which the desired field is located
- Field - Name of the desired field
- Reference key - Key used to link the table to the table origin.
As new placeholders are usually fields that are in the same table as most other fields that match the print layout, in most cases you can use the existing placeholders for the respective print layout as a guide.
Customize and extend print layouts
All print layouts can be adapted and extended in all gFM Business versions using the FileMaker Pro program. FileMaker Pro is available for Mac OS X and Windows. In gFM-Business Professional, new print layouts can also be added and assigned to any module.
Starting FileMaker and opening the print layouts
After you have installed FileMaker Pro (or the demo version) on your computer, open the FileMaker Pro program. In the menu bar, select the function [File/File > Open...] from. Now navigate to your program directory in which gFM-Business light or Free is located and select the file [gFM_Printlayouts.gfm] from.
Confirm the selection with the button [Open] and log in to the database with your login data. By default, you can log in with the start user gfmbusiness log in.
After logging in, the database opens gFM_Print layoutsin FileMaker, which contains all print layouts from gFM-Business free or Light. FileMaker first opens the file in Browse mode, which you are familiar with from gFM-Business as well as Find mode.
The mode can be switched in menu item [View] in the menu bar at the top of the screen. This menu item also provides further options, such as the display of additional status bars, a formatting bar, the inspector, the field selection or the display and hiding of Guide lines.
To change the layout of the displayed form, switch to the Layout mode by selecting the [View > Layout mode] function in the menu bar. The modes can also be switched using a key combination:
- Browse modecmd] - [B] under Mac OS X or [ctrl] - [B] under Windows
- Layout mode[cmd] - [L] under Mac OS X or [ctrl] - [L] under Windows
- Page view modecmd] - [U] under Mac OS X or [ctrl] - [U] under Windows
The toolbar at the top of the FileMaker window now contains all the functions required to customize the print layouts. If you are in layout mode, you can switch between all available print layouts in the "Layout:" pop-up menu under the toolbar.
Please note that Fields located in the non-printable area of a layout are not removed may be used. In the figure above, for example, the field that appears on the right-hand side next to the Total price was placed.
All changes to your print layouts are available after closing FileMaker and starting gFM-Business free or Light. Further information on customizing print layouts can be found in the gFM-Business user manual in chapter 14 "Print layouts". It also describes how you can create new print layouts in gFM-Business Light and Professional and assign them to a module in gFM-Business.
