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Launch Pad
Setup FAQ's

What is Drill Down?
How do I implement Drill Down?

What are Keystrokes?
How do I implement Keystrokes

What is AutoSync?
How do I implement AutoSync?

 

What is Drill Down?

The Client HQ is the BalaBoss Client Navigator user interface.

LaunchPad buttons on the Client HQ are used to launch external applications.

The Client HQ includes twelve LaunchPad buttons. (Eleven in the fourth quadrant, plus one for individual tax).

The above twelve LaunchPad buttons, which are visible on Client HQ, are referred to as the primary launch pad buttons.

Instead of being defined to launch an external application, any of the primary LaunchPad buttons may be defined - by the user- as a Drill Down button.

Any primary LaunchPad button that is defined as Drill Down will have an additional twenty secondary LaunchPad buttons available for assignment.

If each primary button were defined as drill down, the total LaunchPad buttons available to the user would be 240!

The effect is that users will have no difficulty in finding a LaunchPad button, for example:

bulletTo launch a variety of client driven accounting software
bulletTo maintain access to historical versions of tax programs
bulletEtc, etc, etc ...!

How do I implement Drill Down?

The implementation of the Drill Down feature is very simple.

bulletDefine the primary LaunchPad button as Drill Down by entering the words "drill down" in the Associated Application Name text box.
bulletClick Drill Down
bulletSetup any or all of the twenty secondary LaunchPad buttons in exactly the same way as you would setup primary buttons.

Note: Chapter 4 of the BalaBoss Client Navigator User Guide provides examples including screen shots.

Note: Chapter 1 of the BalaBoss Client Navigator System Administration Guide provides additional detailed documentation in relation to Launch Pad Button Titles and Associations.

What are Keystrokes?

The keystroke feature integrated into BalaBoss enables the user to define a series of keystrokes, similar to macros, which are associated with the launching of an external application from within BalaBoss.

Initially keystrokes were developed to handle those exceptions where an external data file could not be loaded by a standard command line structure.

Providing for an extended range of keystrokes broadened the functionality of that feature. The enhanced keystrokes included a data substitution capability. It is this data substitution capability that forms the basis of another very powerful BalaBoss feature called AutoSync.

How do I implement Keystrokes?

Keystrokes, if required, are implemented once only for each application/data location.

In many instances, BalaBoss will be able to provide you with the appropriate keystroke entries in a keystroke text file. From the keystroke setup form, open the Import dialog box, click on the text file and, in the blink of an eye, your keystrokes are imported.

Alternatively, you may wish to setup or customize your keystrokes manually, as follows:

  1. Check the Key Stroke option for the application requiring keystrokes. To define the keystrokes for this application, click the Key Stroke button. The Key Stroke Setup form will appear.
  2. Define the keystroke sequence you require by selecting items from the drop-down list or entering keystroke definitions directly into the entry field.

    3. Note: The entries are not limited to the items in the drop-down list, which are provided as examples.

    Tip: Click on the check box in the lower portion of the form, to include an extended keystroke list in the drop-box.

  3. You may optionally include a note as a reminder of the context in which you are adding a keystroke. For example: Pressing {Enter} to Accept the License Agreement
  4. Click the appropriate icon to Print or Preview the Keystroke Report.
    In addition to actual keystrokes, if any, the Keystroke Report also contains current application references, which may be useful in trouble shooting.
  5. Keystrokes may also include reference to the <<first file>> and <<next file>> syntax. These references are useful in controlling the efficient use of memory on your workstation. For example <<first file>> may load Excel into memory, then activate a client data file. <<next file>> on the same application will detect Excel is already loaded. Therefore, using the existing instance of Excel, an additional data file will be activated. You could then switch files by selecting alternate "windows" within the same instance of Excel, rather than loading Excel each time you open a new client file.

What is AutoSync?

As its name implies, AutoSync is a short form for Automatic Data Synchronization

AutoSync is a very significant new BalaBoss Client Navigator feature, which has been under development for some time.

With AutoSync, BalaBoss has achieved what many considered to be an impossible dream. One click and BalaBoss will automatically update the client data file in any linked application.

For example:
Your client has a new address and phone number ...
update the information in BalaBoss, then click ...

bulletThe data recorded in your client's tax file is automatically updated
bulletThe data recorded in your client's working paper file is automatically updated
bulletThe data recorded in your client's time & billing file is automatically updated
bulletand so on ...!

How do I implement AutoSync?

BalaBoss Client Navigator includes a keystroke feature.

The keystroke feature enables the user to define a series of keystrokes, similar to macros, which are associated with the launching of an external application from within BalaBoss Client Navigator.

Initially keystrokes were developed to handle those exceptions where an external data file could not be loaded by a standard command line structure.

Providing for an extended range of keystrokes broadened the functionality of that feature. The enhanced keystrokes included a data substitution capability. It is this data substitution capability that forms the basis of AutoSync.

AutoSync, therefore is implemented though the inclusion of keystrokes specifically designed to update the external file of your choice.

Sometimes the keystroke sequence for an external update comprises a few rows. On other occasions it may be longer.

BalaBoss Client Navigator includes the ability to import and export keystroke sequences as text files. The BalaBoss Technical Support Group has tested a wide variety of applications and has stored these text files for distribution to users.

 The existence of keystroke text files makes the implementation of AutoSync a snap. Let us know what application you want to AutoSync - and chances are we'll e-mail the keystroke file to you from our library! 

 

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