Reblogged from Slipstick Systems.

A popular question on many forums goes something like this

Outlook isn’t recognized by [application_name]. The error is “Either there is no default mail client or the current mail client cannot fulfill the messaging request. Please run Microsoft Outlook and set it as the default client.” When I check the Default Programs, Microsoft Outlook is the default for everything.

First and foremost, when you receive this message with Outlook 2010 or Outlook 2013 64-bit, try the 32-bit version of Office. While some applications and addins work with the 64-bit version, not all do. Unless you need to open large (2 GB) Excel and Access files, you won’t benefit the 64-bit version. Wanting to use the 64-bit version because you use a 64-bit operating system isn’t enough reason to use it, if you need compatibility between different applications, you’ll need to stick with the 32-bit build.

Click here to read more.

When you calculate the estimated costs of a material there is an option to get a cost breakdown.  By default the resulting list shows inclusive sub-module costs hierarchically, which means that the columns cannot be accumulated to the total because of the hierarchy.

Often a cost breakdown that shows accumulating costs is needed.

To do this go into the Options tab and tick the options as below:-

Then go back to the Detail tab and click the Expand button.

The Contrib cost and 1-off cost columns now show the component costs in a non-hierarchical manner and they will accumulate to the total.

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Note that while the contributing and 1-off total costs are accurate, being built up from fractional sub-costs while scheduling,  there may be some rounding errors because of the component costs having to be itemised out.

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If the Constraints column shows Minimum constraints applied it means that Match-IT has had to purchase or make a minimum quantity (more than needed) the remainder of which will be available for use other orders.  In the example shown, 200 sheets of material needed to be bought as a minimum from the supplier.

Background

The usual mechanism for e-mailing documents from Match-IT is by using an e-mail client, such as Outlook or Thunderbird.  Match-IT communicates with the e-mail client using a Windows facility called MAPI (Messaging Application Programming Interface).

This interface can be problematic, for example if Match-IT and the e-mail client are running under different user levels, or if the User Account Control restriction is too high.

Another major issue with this interface is if you are running your Match-IT sessions under Terminal Services (now called Remote Desktop).  In this situation you may not have an e-mail client running alongside your Match-IT session, so e-mailing documents is not possible.

Solution

SMTP: Simple Mail Transfer Protocol

You probably already use SMTP without knowing it. It is the mechanism by which your e-mail client communicates with the outside world.  The e-mail client sends its messages to an SMTP server, which is responsible for transmitting them to the recipient.

From within Match-IT you can bypass the e-mail client and communicate directly with the SMTP server you already use.

Details

SMTP e-mail is setup in a similar way to client based e-mail, from the Match-IT Print Queue for e-mail.  From an e-mail print queue, go into the Configure Email option. Select Send via … SMTP.  You will now need to enter details of your SMTP server, its IP address, port (usually 25), username (usually your whole email address or the part before @) and password – i.e. as you would normally set up an email client. This information will be available from your IT support or your ISP.  Please note that you can use any valid username and password, not necessarily yours, this is not used for sender information.

Don’t populate the Sender information as this will be provided by your Match-IT session as described below.

You will not automatically get a copy of the sent e-mail in your mail client, so you won’t know what’s been sent. The solution is for the document to include your e-mail address as a BCC (blind carbon copy), so you receive a copy of the sent e-mail in your client inbox.

A new field is included in version 21.4.4 in the User record called Internal E-mail for storing this address – typically your work email address.

There are two other ways of using this field:-

1.  Use the same email address for everybody so that all Match-IT emails sent in this way are collected in one place.

2.  As  per 1. but do it in addition to sending to yourself. Just comma separate the email addresses in this case.  If a comma doesn’t work try a semi-colon.  Note that there is no limit on the number of email addresses specified.

1. Go into the customer detail.

2. Click the Defaults button.

3. Click New.

4. Click the Selected Default elipsis button […].

5. Scroll down and click on the Usual VAT Code line and then click the Select button.

6. Click the Selected Value elipsis, click on the Zero Rated line and click Select.

7. Click Save at the bottom of the window and then click Close.

8. Close the other windows as required.

That customer is then set as zero rated.  It will come into effect immediately but will not affect any previous invoices.

Setting the value of the SD module default called Auto include carriage on invoice to Yes, either at a system level, or on a specific customer, enables the system to automatically add a carriage line to a new sales invoice when it is created. The details populated on the carriage line being derived from the carriage rule defined on the sales order.

If you set this default to Yes and the line is still not being created, what is the problem?

There are two mechanisms for carriage lines to be added: the one discussed above, and another which automatically adds a carriage line at the enquiry or sales order entry stage.

The second mechanism takes priority, so if it is active the first (described above) is disabled. This is the most likely cause of the problem.

The second mechanism is activated by values stored in the associated carriage rule. If a part number is present in the Our part num field on tab 3 of the carriage rule then this mechanism is active.

To disable the second mechanism simply remove the Our part num leaving it blank.