Practice CS: Setting up standard text

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Practice CS includes a feature called Standard Text which enables you to define blocks of text of any length, each identified by an ID, that can then be used in several places in the program where you would enter text. In text fields that are enabled for Standard Text, you can specify a Standard Text ID and the system will automatically insert the text associated with the ID. This can be a significant time saver when you enter the same or similar text multiple times. Standard text can be used in the following places:

  • Time & Expense Entry: Comment field
  • Time & Expense Entry: Biller Note field
  • Receipt & Adjustment Entry: Comment field
  • Billing: Compose screen

Note to former users of Creative Solutions Practice: Practice Solution included Standard Text. If you converted from CSP, the Standard Text items in the Practice Solutions database were brought over to the Practice CS database. A difference between the two systems is in the way variables were inserted into the text. Practice Solution used a "^" mark in the text and you would provide the value to insert where the "^" appeared in the text. Practice CS uses a different method for inserting variables in the text that is described below. Therefore, the "^" marks will convert as plain text which you can substitute with the variable inserts used in Practice CS.

For information on how to use Standard Text once it has been set up, see Using standard text.

Adding a Standard Text item

  1. Go to Setup / Standard Text.
  2. Click the Add button.
  3. Enter an ID for the Standard Text item (up to 11 alphanumeric characters).
  4. In the in the Description field enter the text that you want inserted when you use the ID.

    Note: To insert a line break in the text, press Shift + Enter.

  5. Click Enter to save the new Standard Text item.

Inserting a date variable to the standard text

You can insert one or more date variables into the Standard Text:

  1. Position the cursor where you would like to insert the date variable.
  2. Click on the Insert Variable Date button Calendar buttonlocated in the upper right of the screen.
  3. Select a variable date and a format then click OK.

    The system will insert a formula which represents the date variable and format selected.

    Ex: [Date Format(Report Date Period End(-1), "MM/dd/yyyy")].

  4. The date will be evaluated at the time the standard text is printed on an invoice or report.

Inserting a variable Text Prompt

You can insert one or more text variables into the Standard Text. The standard text prompt causes the system to request the value you want inserted into the text using a specified text prompt.

  1. Position the cursor where you want the text variable to be inserted.
  2. Click on the Insert Text Prompt button Keyboard key button located in the upper right of the screen.
  3. Enter the prompt you would like displayed to enter the text value you want inserted into the Standard Text.

    The system will insert a formula which represents the text variable and the prompt that will be displayed:

    Ex: <<Forms>>

  4. When the Standard text is used, the system will display a prompt using the entered Text Prompt for which you can enter the value that will be inserted into the Standard Text.

    Note: If you insert more than one text prompt in the Standard Text, they will all appear in the window above where you can enter the text corresponding to each prompt.

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