Consignment numbers: more data, more insight
The highlight of this release is the extension of the consignment number table (PARTTBL) with new fields that follow a consignment through its entire lifecycle, from creation to consumption. The aim is simple: the information you need about a consignment should live on the consignment, not in spreadsheets, customisations, or someone's memory.
For trade compliance, this means country of origin is now a standard part of the consignment record, and can be captured where it is known, at goods receipt or from item master data, and made available wherever it is needed for customs documents, supplier declarations, and customer enquiries. It also prepares the ground for a coming release in which country of origin for produced items will be calculated automatically from production feedback and the origin of the components used. For manufacturers who today spend hours determining origin by hand, this will turn a recurring compliance burden into a by-product of normal production.
For traceability and transparency, each consignment can now be tied directly to the purchase or production order and the receipt or feedback that created it. A set of free-use text, number, and date fields gives you room for internal references and customer-specific requirements without building your own extensions. Customers who already have individual extensions to PARTTBL should consider migrating to the standard fields when upgrading, reducing maintenance going forward.
Complementing this, supplementary texts for consignment numbers (9140) now have a dedicated file (PATTTBL) that supports the full consignment number key, so texts are reliably attached to the right consignment. A one-time conversion program migrates existing texts, and for globally shared consignment numbers the new file should be added to the intercompany setup (9190).
Faster Quick Filters with Server-Side Processing
Quick filters now run on the server instead of locally on your computer, which makes a clear difference when you work with large amounts of data.
Many applications in ASPECT4 can contain thousands or millions of records. Previously, filtering depended on your computer's power and on how much data had to be loaded from the server first. Now the server does the heavy work and sends only the matching records to your screen. This results in faster results, less waiting and consistent performance across devices.
Faster selection from settings in applications
Many applications have settings where a fixed filtering can be used. For example Orders with a fixed selection for order status, or Stock holdings and Despatch journals with a fixed selection for warehouse. This filtering is normally not part of the SQL-filtering which causes bad performance when the selection causes a lot of records to be omitted.
You can now choose to apply these filters directly in the database filtering instead of after the data has been fetched. When a filter excludes many records, response times can improve markedly, because only the relevant records are retrieved. This would result in quicker results and better performance especially in large datasets where the filter narrows the result to a small share of records.
By default this new SQL-based filtering is not activated. Many of our customers have customizations around filtering that may not work with the new filtering. An example of this could be a fixed selection for salesperson on sales orders but with the customization that if sales person is blank on the order, the selection should be based on sales person on the customers masterdata. This functionality would not work with the new database based filtering. Because of this and because the filtering in the fixed selections often handle important selection on for example orders to be shipped from different warehouses, we have decided not to switch it on be default.
Activating the new filtering is a quite simple change on the SELEKTION formats in the field definitions. See release notes below for how-to.
Other notable improvements
Direct Delivery purchase orders now automatically carry the customer's order number and the internal sales order number as reference fields, so supplier delivery notes are correct without manual entry.
The Goods Receipt app (7M65) is easier to work with: order numbers can be found by entering only the last digits, searches are faster thanks to a new database index, and a camera icon makes photo capture more obvious.
A new batch application (6274) generates package numbers for a given package type and warehouse and prints a label for each via Docmanager.
Customers maintained from Aspect4 Finance can now have the debtor's CVR number transferred as the VAT number, which is useful for validating against Danish authorities rather than the EU database.
Smaller additions include email address validation in Logistics field definitions (STFE), English and Danish file names in the application files, a new Mobile logs application (910M) for managing Crosspad session logs, the ability to copy system elements to another library, and a function for displaying supplementary text tips as plain text.
New features and functionalities
| Client Release Notes | Key |
|---|---|
Quickfilter is now made serverside if possible Quickfilter in the lower right corner in the client is now made serverside if possible. It requires that the list doesn't include not SQL supported calculated columns as possible hits. If an alfanumeric value is entered, numeric columns are not possible hits. The same is due if the entered value is longer than the maximum length of a field in a column. If serverside filtering is possible, it results in much better performance for the quickfilter search. | A4-844 |
Enhancement and general support for additional filters in traditional applications In applications with settings which include a filter, the filter was not part of the SQL filtering. This causes a bad performance when the filter causes a lot of records to be omitted. This task introduce a general method to include these kind of selections to be handled as SQL filters. All general SQL handling is after implementing the current changes made in the DB modules. Until now it was only the case for views. In SELEKTION formats of the STFE it is now possible to relate a SSS field to a DB field. It is done in STFERELFLD (Relative to field), which is not used in SELEKTION formats for its original purpose. It has been for a lot of standard formats. When this is set, the SQL includes this in the filter and can reduce the number of records returned dramatically. If a field in SELEKTION has value type D and refers to a DB field like above, then the field will set to descending in the order by. This is now a general handling of the descending order feature like we have for descending order numbers in order applications. | A4-29850 |
New application for showing logs from Crosspad | A4-33104 |
Translation of tables In applications files (9164, 9165, and 9166), filenames are currently only available with the name which is related to the objects which has typically been in Danish. Two fields have now been added where there is now support for English and Danish file names. The file names are stored in the file SPOTTBL with the field name FILFBETEGN. Concerning the standard files, the data are deployed with this solution. | A4-36971 |
New application for generating package numbers Input parameters:
Note: The program name ZPAKLQBNR and a reference to package number parameters must be configured on the package type for the automatic generation of package numbers. | A4-38010 |
Direct Delivery (IG) — Purchase Order Form: Automatic Reference Fields When a Direct Delivery order is processed, the supplier ships order directly to the customer. The delivery note must include both the customer's order number and the internal sales order number. Previously these had to be entered manually on the purchase order form. The purchase order document now will automatically populate these two order numbers as reference fields for Direct Delivery orders. | A4-38616 |
Copy to another library | A4-38641 |
Email Address Validation in Logistics Field Definition (STFE) It is now possible to validate email address fields in A4 Logistics using the Field Definition (STFE) function. Two new Field Control IDs are available: EMAILVAL — Validates that the field contains a correctly formatted email address. A blank value is not accepted. EMAILVALB — Validates that the field contains a correctly formatted email address, but also accepts a blank value. If the field is empty, no validation is performed. | A4-39075 |
Goods Receipt App 7M65 — Camera Icon Added A camera icon has been added next to the image capture options in the Goods Receipt app(7M65), making it clearer where users can take photos. The icon appears on both the Order Update page and the Receive All Lines confirmation page. | A4-39162 |
Goods Receipt – Order Number Partial Search The order number search in the Goods Receipt(7M65) app now supports partial (suffix) matching. You can now search by entering only the last digits of an order number, without needing to type the full number. Search performance has also been improved through a new database index on the purchase order table. | A4-40079 |
Show tip as plain text and support for SQL described Procedures. A function HTMLTOTXT_() is made to convert a html formatted text to plain text. It can be used in a field control to convert the tip for supplementary text to plain text to be shown. In a field control for supplementary text it can be emplemented by replacing the line *TIP := &RETUR by IF &RETUR <> ' ' *DATA := SQL('SYSIBM.SYSDUMMY1','HTMLTOTXT_("' + &RETUR + '")','1=1'). 2 field controls are deployed: SUPTXTTIEB and SUPTXTTIEBT. The SUPTXTTIEB show the supplementary text as an icon as elsewhere. SUPTXTTIEBT show the supplementary text as 1 line text. | A4-40616 |
CVR vs. EU VAT Number – Debtors When the Logistics part of a customer is maintained based on Aspect4 Finance, it is now possible to transfer the debtors KDCIR number (CVR number) to the customers VAT-number. This is specified via a new field in the Systemparameter Module 3 - Sales Management(MODUL-3). If KPBSN is filled out (on the debtor), this value is transferred as VAT-number. If KPBSN is blank, KDCIR (CVR number) is filled out and the MODUL-3 field is marked, the value from KDCIR is used as the VAT-number. If both KPBSN and KDCIR are blank, blank is assigned to the customers VAT-number This feature is mainly relevant for customer who wishes to validate their customers VAT-numbers against the databases of the official Danish authorities instead of the EU-database. | A4-40642 |
New fields for consignment numbers The new fields fall into three groups. Trade compliance. Traceability and transparency. Free use. Customers who have individual extensions to PARTTBL should consider how migrate to the standard fields when upgrading | A4-41947 |
Supplementary texts for consignment numbers. It is now possible to maintain supplementary texts for consignment numbers(9140). Data will now be stored in a new dedicated file (PATTTBL) for consignment numbers. Previously they were stored in TEXTTBL but this had some limitations in relation to the key-structure for consignment numbers and the new dedicated file supports the full key-structure from the consignment numbers. Note: If consignment numbers are set up globally (shared across companies), the new PATTTBL table must also be configured in the intercompany setup (application 9190) to ensure supplement texts are available in an intercompany context. Conversion of existing supplement texts The program reads all records from TEXTTBL with text type 'Q', resolves the full consignment-number key (item number and UDF fields) from PARTREG, and writes the texts into PATTTBL. Records that already exist in PATTTBL are skipped.. | A4-41991 |
Reported errors and inconveniences
| Client Release Notes | Key |
|---|---|
Incorrect sign for price adjustment variance postings | A4-13102 |
Better help texts for update Finance | A4-32829 |
Work with Production Order Transactions (8101) Previously, users were unable to delete a production order journal header from application Production Order Transactions (8101) if the journal had a status other than 0. Additionally, it was not possible to navigate to the line level to view data. This has been corrected — journals can now always be deleted from the header level, and users can navigate to the line level regardless of journal status, as described in the application help. | A4-34395 |
Default VAT code for purchase orders | A4-37290 |
Refresh of previous screen in Crosspad A list in Crosspad is now been refreshed automatically when returning from a lower level. | A4-37423 |
Empty list in application 9780 | A4-37977 |
Wrong sign for the amount on the DocManager invoice form When reprinting or previewing invoices and credit notes via DocManager, the amounts (totals, VAT, discounts, etc.) were shown with the wrong sign — for example, a negative amount appearing as positive. This has been corrected. DocManager invoice and credit note forms now display the correct sign for all amounts, consistent with the spool print output. | A4-38021 |
Choosing alternative resets the list in Production Orders(8102) After choosing an alternative the list was reset and the cursor moved to the top. It now remains at the changed line. | A4-38517 |
Eliminated print from Invoice Match | A4-39134 |
Cannot create EAN number Automatic creation of EAN numbers had stopped working caused by a previously issue. | A4-39807 |
Incorrect PTYPE0 VAT transactions For the pseudoaccount of charts account types IO, IM, SO and SM the value for the postingtype PTYPE0 would be in error if summarization was used before transferring data to the financial system. This has now been fixed. PTYPE0 was not ok for account types IW and IZ. It is also fixed. | A4-40328 |
Delivery follow-up (7173) – Dispatch date not recalculated when receipt date changed in list view When the receipt date was changed directly in the list view of application Delivery follow-up (7173), the dispatch date on the Purchase order line (7102) was not recalculated. The dispatch date was only recalculated correctly when the change was made using the "Change" function in the field view. | A4-40831 |
9212 Update not happening if VARBMAXORD < VARBENHORD Fixed an update failure in application Calculate basic information (9212) that could cause items to be purchased based on outdated consumption rates. Sometimes the max-order could be rounded to 0 which had as consequence that the item was not updated. This has now been changed so that if Max order size has been calculated to a value less than unit order size then the value of Max order is set to unit order size so that the value can be updated on the item. | A4-41404 |
Invoice Match (7769) — Edit of Automatically Matched Invoice Lines In application Invoice Match (7769), users can now edit invoice receipt lines — such as the purchase price — after an automatic goods receipt match has occurred. | A4-41520 |
9213 does not handle Base Unit <> Purchasing Unit Min/max purchase order quantities were calculated incorrectly when Base Unit ≠ Purchasing Unit. The daily consumption (in base units) was not converted to purchasing units before calculation, causing inflated results. | A4-41748 |
Precalculated Cost price copied incorrectly Previously, when copying a production order or a single order line, the pre-calculated cost price on the copied material line could incorrectly retain the value from the original order. This has been corrected — the precalculated cost price on a copied line now always starts at zero, consistent with how new lines are normally created. The precalculated cost price (field PROL-FPRIS) continues to be calculated automatically as usual once the order is started. | A4-41948 |
ONEXIT did not work as expected in Crosspad If a field is set to IMED on the Property STFE for a Crosspad form it did not update the screen. | A4-42545 |
Technical Notes
Prerequisites | |
|---|---|
ASPECT4 Foundation release Y26H2 need to be installed. | |
ASPECT4 Logistics release Y26H1 need to be installed. | |
The above conditions can be investigated via application 0361 'Display of system level information'. | |
Installation activities before loading | |
|---|---|
Sign-on and receive the forwarded shipment via application 0590 ‘Install ASPECT4 software’. | |
After receive sign-off. | |
Before installation all automatic jobs shall be stopped (e.g. appl. 9272, 8262). | |
Installation activities after loading | |
|---|---|
Sign-on and run application 0690 ’Conversion runs’ - need to be done in all companies. | |
After converting sign-off. | |
Any additional language packets received for ASPECT4 Logistics are installed. | |
Any additional program shipments received with special software for ASPECT4 Logistics will be installed. | |
The system is now ready for use with ASPECT4 Logistics Release Y26H2. | |