To define the document template for your documents, go to Administration > System > Basic settings and select the Letterhead tab.
Xentral allows you to design a simple stationery by adding and positioning a logo and defining a footer.
However, you can also create the stationery in an external tool and upload it as a PDF background. In many cases, this might produce better results.
The easiest way to add a logo and footer is as a PDF background that you upload:
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Create a blank document in Microsoft Word or another program of your choice.
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Insert a logo and footer in this document.
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Export the document as PDF.
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Upload it to Xentral as PDF background.
Further information about PDF backgrounds is provided in the section PDF as background.
You can define and position many elements in the document template, see image below.
When you want to set up your document template on the Letterhead tab, ensure you meet the prerequisites and then follow the workflow below.
Before you start setting up the document template, make sure you have the following prerequisites available:
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There must be at least one customer address available in the master data.
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You need to have one or two products available in your master data so that you can insert them in the article table.
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Create a draft document (e.g. a sales order).
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Select a customer address and add some products to the draft document.
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Go to Administration > System > Basic settings and open the Letterhead tab.
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Define the document template settings.
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Click on Save and Preview.
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Check your settings in the integrated Document Template Previewer.
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Adjust the settings, save them and check them again in the Document Template Previewer. Repeat this until you are satisfied with the results.
When you use the integrated Document Template Previewer, be aware of the following hints:
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If you are still in the onboarding phase setting up your Xentral and you define the document template for the first time, you need to create a document such as a sales order first. Otherwise, the Document Template Previewer will not be able to display a suitable document.
If you however use the Document Template Previewer to adjust your existing document template to new requirements and you already have "real" documents (sales orders, invoices, etc.) in Xentral, the Document Template Previewer will automatically use the last document you have created in Xentral.
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To update the settings applied to the document in the Document Template Previewer after you have changed something, click the Save and Preview button at the very bottom of the Letterhead tab.
While you can also press the Enter key after changing a setting, this will not have the same effect as clicking Save and Preview though: After pressing Enter, the settings are applied and the view reloads on the Company Address tab.
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The image above explains the controls available in the Document Template Previewer. Be aware that not all controls might make sense in the context of previewing. In particular, do not load a document from your local drive (even though it will be displayed in the Letterhead Previewer) because the Document Template Previewer can only apply the settings from the Letterhead tab to an internal document.
Many elements on the stationery can be customized.
Note
The stationery is already completely set by default and can be used unchanged in most cases. The following options are a list of all optional settings for the individual elements, in case something needs to be customized.
The sender can be deposited on the PDF background.
The following settings can be made in order to display the sender on the receipt as desired:
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Show sender → By ticking the sender will be displayed on the document if the sender is not stored on the PDF background. The respective sender is to be entered in the free field
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Show sender underlined → By ticking the sender is displayed underlined on the document
Various PDF basic settings can be set for the letterhead:
The following basic PDF settings can be made:
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Allow HTML in letterhead and text → Activates the advanced text editor and thus displays it for text boxes in the settings in order to apply e.g. font styles (bold, italic).
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Font → Here you can enter your own fonts which can be uploaded in the "Upload font" area below. Alternatively, a predefined font can be applied
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Hide crease → By ticking the checkbox the crease can be hidden on the stationery if a PDF background is used for page 1+2 is used
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Show barcode → Tick the checkbox to show the barcode with the document number displayed on documents
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Barcode Header Distance Top → The distance for the barcode to the address in the viewing window. This is only necessary on delivery bills for the shipping bags (viewing window) for the scan
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Barcode Header Distance Left → Set the distance for the barcode to the left under the address in the viewing window. This is only necessary on delivery bills for the shipping envelopes (viewing window) for the scan
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Barcode Footer Distance Left → The distance for the barcode to the left in the footer area is to be set
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Barcode Footer Distance Top → The distance for the barcode to the top in the footer area is to be set
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Page numbering and document no. alignment → By ticking off the page number in the form "Page x of y" and the document number is displayed on documents. The values in the free field stand for L=left, R=right and C=centered. They describe the alignment of the page and Document number
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Alignment to table → By ticking, the page number is aligned flush with the article table
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Display voucher number with page number → Tick the checkbox to the document number is displayed with the number of pages
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Article description over the complete width → By ticking off, the item description uses the entire space on the document, runs below the "Tax", "Unit", "Discount" and "Total" columns, and does not break in the item column
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Long article numbers in the stationery → By checking the box the article designations are displayed in the stationery below the article numbers, because the column widths are not sufficient due to long article numbers.
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Width position → Set the width of the position column in the article table in millimeters. This shows the numbering of the positions
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Width number → Set the width of the number column in the article table in mm. If the option with long article numbers is set, this column does not need to be excessively large
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Width quantity → Set the width of the quantity column in the Article table in mm. This column shows the quantity of the inserted position
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Article width → The width of the article column in the article table in mm. This column shows article name, article description and optionally various additional information, such as free fields, batches, best before date, etc. In addition the option for the article description over the complete width is to be considered.
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Tax width → Enter the width of the tax column in the article table in mm. This column can be hidden in the tax options in the basic settings
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Width unit → The width of the unit column in the article table in mm. This column shown in the system settings can be faded in
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Subitems in groups → The items of a group are listed as subitems with appropriate numbering, e.g. 1.1
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Sub-items in parts lists → The items of a parts list are listed as sub-items of the BOM, e.g. 1.1, 1.2, 2.1 etc.
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Indent parts lists → Parts list items can be moved by x millimeters to the right in order to better recognize the BOM structure.
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Total amount without double bar → double bar under total amount is hidden
Note
The total width should be respected, otherwise the table is shifted. So, if one column is increased or decreased in width another column should be adjusted in the opposite direction. The Entering 0 to hide the column is not possible and may cause problems.
The barcode always corresponds to the voucher number and is normally displayed at the bottom above the footer for released documents. In the delivery note there is another barcode with the same content further up.
The formatting of the letterhead holds many choices:
The letterhead can be formatted using the following fields:
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Font size subject line → The font size for the subject line is to be entered
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Font size table headings → The font size for table headings like article, quantity, VAT, etc. has to be entered
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Article description font size → The font size for item description below the item name must be specified. From this all additional, optional information below the article, such as such as EAN, free fields, storage location, batch/MHD are affected.
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Font size info box
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Receiver font size → The font size for the receiver is to be set
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Font size document text → The font size for the text in front of the article table is to be set
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Font size table content → The font size within the article table, apart from the article description, is to be specified
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Font size free text → The font size for the text after the article table is to be entered
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Font size letter text → The font size for special letter papers. such as address master sheet, commission items, POS closing, travel expenses, Stock minimum quantities must be specified
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Sender font size → Set the font size for the sender.
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Font size total → The font size for total net and total amount below the article table is to be entered
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Tax font size → The font size for the VAT line is to be entered below the item table, i.e. between total net and total amount
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Distance infobox top/bottom → The positioning of the Infobox is to be done vertically, in millimeters, where the input shifts the Distance in mm +- or shifts up and down.
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Distance infobox right/left → The positioning of the infobox is to be made horizontally, in millimeters, whereby the input shifts the distance in mm +- and to the left and right respectively
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Alignment Infobox Text → The text of the infobox can be L = left-aligned, R = right-aligned, optionally column width to be displayed. Either L;30;40 = Left-aligned + 1st column = 30 millimeters wide + 2. Column = 40 millimeters wide or R;30;40
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Distance article table top/bottom → The positioning of the text before the article table itself and the text after the article table as one unit is to be done vertically, in millimeters. The distance can be shifted +- in mm.
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Spacing Contents from page 2 Top → The spacing that is kept at the top on the second page must be specified in mm. This separate setting is needed if, for example, the logo on the letterhead should not take up as much space as on the first page.
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Pagination distance → distance in mm to the bottom of the page, after which the text breaks to the next page after the article table.
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Distance receiver top/bottom (shift in mm) → The Positioning of the sender & receiver is to be done vertically, defined in absolute millimeters.
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Distance receiver left → The positioning of the sender & receiver is to be made horizontally, in absolute millimeters
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Distance subject line top/bottom → The positioning of the info box is to be made vertically, in millimeters, the distance can be be shifted +- in mm
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Spacing article name to description → The spacing creates an empty paragraph between article name and article description and is to be specified in mm
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Distance to page margin left / right → The distance to the larger values are set, the further the content slides inwards. The width of the entire article table must then also be reduced accordingly.
Note
You have to enter positive values into the field. If you enter a 0 or negative values, you will receive the error message: Briefpapier::getStyleElement() or LieferscheinPDF::getstyleelemenset().
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Spacing page number Bottom → The positioning of the Page number is to be specified vertically, in millimeters
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Distance Grand Total Left → Positioning Grand Total. (Net, VAT, Total) horizontally in millimeters. Note: The double bar underneath will not be moved and should then be hidden if necessary.
It is possible to display text blocks with individually selected texts and variables freely and in millimeter on the letterhead:
The following information can be provided for this purpose:
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Show → By ticking, the free text is displayed on the document.
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Distance left → The distance to the left from the free text to the edge of the document.
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Top distance → The distance from the free text to the top must be specified in mm.
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Font size → The desired font size must be entered manually.
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Width → The width of the free text must be specified in mm
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Content → The desired free text can be entered in this field. The font and the possible listing can be selected, among other things.
Additional contents of the free text fields on all documents
This input causes the content entered in the free text field to be displayed on all documents:
Note
These text fields with freitext1content and freitext2content can be translated under Administration → Settings → Translations. Alternatively, you can click on the "Globe" button to display an overview of all translations.
It is also possible to store content in the free text fields via IF queries. This is useful if, for example, the content should only appear if it is filled at all.
Further information: IF query with variables
The footer of the letter header can be displayed individually:
The following settings can be made for the footer:
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Show Footer → By checking the box, the footer is displayed on the letterhead.
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Footer centered (column 1) → By ticking, column 1 is displayed centered, all other footer columns are hidden
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Color → Select whether the color of the footer is to be black (=0), default color/default (=30) or white (=255).
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Column 1 → Six lines are available, to enter what should be displayed in column 1
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Column 2 → Six lines are available to enter, what is to be displayed in column 2
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Column 3 → Six lines are available to enter, what is to be displayed in column 3
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Column 4 → Six lines are available to enter, what is to be displayed in column 4
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Width → For each column you can select the width in mm on the letterhead. The total width must be respected. It is possible to reduce a column width to 0 in order to display fewer columns
Note
This option should not be selected if there are multiple stationeries (projects), because the footer cannot be customized per project.
There are several ways to insert a background for the stationery. The background currently being used is also displayed:
The following options are available:
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Logo → An image file with the logo is the background. Note: Currently only JPG format is supported
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PDF as background → A PDF file represents the background
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No background → The stationery has no background
It is possible to deposit an image file (JPG) as logo. Note: Xentral recommends to use a PDF file instead of an image file.
Example logo: If the logo is to be placed further to the right, the image must be large enough in width (fill it up with white space to the left), since it can only be "placed" in this way.
Results on the receipt:
You can use a PDF with the desired company content (logo, footer, design, etc.) as background. If there is no PDF with the stationery available, you can proceed as follows:
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Create blank document in Word or similar program
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Logo, footer, design, etc. insert there
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Export as PDF
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Set the PDF as background in Xentral
Note
PDF papers which have been created using Adobe products may not be compatible with Xentral stationery. Try to create the PDF using another tool. A simple re-save or re-export may be sufficient.
Optionally, a different background can be set from page 2 (e.g. if there is a sender line on page 1 or if the logo is to be positioned differently). Check the box to activate the following pages, upload and save the PDF:
No background is needed only if:
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No logo to be used
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Each project has its own stationery
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All printouts are made on pre-printed paper and the receipts are not sent via e-mail.
Loading time of the letter paper
Depending on the logo and PDF size, large files can load briefly here. Then reduce the file size or check the server connection. The stationery should load relatively fast in the preview.
Note
The file for the logo / stationery PDF should not be larger than 100 KB. Otherwise there will be longer loading times and automatic printing processes can get confused. As of version 17.4, a warning has been added. Mostly it is sufficient, to slightly adjust the resolution/quality of the logo on the stationery, to reduce the size of the exported PDF.
The following warning appears for files larger than 100 KB:
In addition to the standard fonts, you can also define your own font.
The font files must be in TTF format in 4 variants:
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Normal
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Italic
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Fat
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Bold + Italic
For the font, proceed as follows:
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Name → Here you can enter the name of the font, only letters, numbers, underscores and minus are allowed.
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Font style → 4 TTF files are to be uploaded via the "Select file" button.
Then click on the "Save" button.
The 4 variants can then be added as a TTF file and a name to be given to the font in order to save it afterwards.
In order to be able to use certain special characters, a font must be selected that contains the corresponding special characters. By default, the following fonts can be selected in Xentral and entered in the "Font" field (Administration → Settings → System → Basic settings → Letterhead).
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DejaVuSans
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DejaVuSansMono
Alternatively, you can upload your own fonts with corresponding character sets. For this purpose there are the following fields in the letterhead:
For example, an extended character set for the Arial font can be stored here. Some open source fonts can be found online by searching for "Arial CE Fonts Download".
Note
A new font is necessary if you want to use special characters or letters outside the English alphabet.
With the following setting it is possible to list long article numbers and names to each other in the article table. The number flows over the description. Likewise, long article descriptions can be displayed across the entire width. Width can be displayed.
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Order Own item number first column → Set as default
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Order Long Part Numbers → Set as Default
The sender line (the own company) can be moved on the stationery together with the recipient . These two are coupled together here.
If several stationeries are to be used, e.g. linguistically different, B2B vs. B2C, this can be set via separate stationery in the project.
Via Master data → Projects → Select project → Settings → Basic settings the following setting is to be made:
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Own stationery for project → Overwrites the general stationery with the stationery stored in the project, for all documents, that belong to this project
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Letterhead → Sender and Footer can be taken from the default letterhead settings. Otherwise, the sender and footer would have to be stored on the PDF
Master data → Projects → Select project → Settings → Basic settings
Note
The PDF stationery must be uploaded with the type "Stationery Page 1" Optionally, a second PDF with type "Stationery Page 2" can be stored for the following pages.
Hide stationery
The stationery can be hidden directly per document:
The following setting is important here:
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no stationery → To hide the stationery per document, the check mark must be set and the job must be saved.
Only PDF and/or logo will be hidden. The footer and the address bar in the fixed settings will remain.
Note
If in the basic settings for the document texts for all documents or e.g. for the offer "Offer without letterhead" is set, this checkbox will be set automatically in the respective document, e.g. when creating a new offer. The stationery can then be shown again, by removing this check mark directly in the respective document and saving it.
Once all the data has been entered, click on the "Save" button at the bottom right.
Under Administration → Settings → System → Basic Settings → System further information for the letterhead can be specified.
The recipient is automatically taken from the document with the address data. The following display settings are possible:
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Address Type in Document → Displays the address type (Mr., Ms, Company, own type) in the first line of the address block on the document. (AN, AB, RE, LS, GS)
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Show contact person in invoice, credit note → The contact person will be shown or hidden on the invoice. The credit note in the 2nd line in the address block if the check mark is set
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Display contact person in quotation, order, purchase order By checking the box, the contact person is displayed on the document in the quotation, order and purchase order in the second line in the address block.
By default, various information is displayed in the info box per document type. Furthermore, there are additional options that can be checked:
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Hide documents editor → Hides the editor from
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Hide documents sales → Hides the sales employee from
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Agent 's phone in the document → Agent's phone number is displayed, set in the master data address of the user
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Editor e-mail in the document → Editor e-mail is displayed. set in the master data address of the user
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Documents Label Processor → The designation "Processor" can be rewritten here
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Documents Label Sales → The label "Sales" can be renamed here
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Project in document → The project identifier is displayed (AN, AB, RE, LS, GS, BE)
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Label Internet number → The order number from the Store (Internet number) is displayed
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Documents Label Internet number → The label "Internet number" can be renamed here
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Customer number label → The "Customer number" label can be renamed here
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Documents Label Order number → The label "Order number". can be renamed here
Alternatively, to set up infoboxes for documents yourself, follow the instructions in Documents Info Boxes.
The subject is composed of the document type & document number. The following setting can be made:
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Label Deviating "..." → An alternative label for the document can be specified, which can be selected directly in the document details. This is possible for AN, AB, LS, RE, GS, BE and the pro forma invoice.
The article table is filled by the voucher items. The following settings can be made for the item table under Administration → Settings → System → Basic Settings → System. Basic settings → System:
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Items with free fields → name and content of the free field is displayed below the item description. Free fields must be activated in the basic settings
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Items with EAN → EAN number is displayed below the item description
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Items with customs tariff number → Customs tariff number is always displayed below the item description. If the option is inactive, only in Export invoices
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Always hide country of origin → Country of origin is hidden, also for export invoices
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Items with MHD → MHDs are displayed on RE and LS below the item description, if the correct logistics process is set in the project (scanning in the shipping center / FIFO).
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Items with batch → Batches are displayed on RE and LS below the item description, if the correct logistics process is set , the project is displayed on RE and LS below the item description
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Items with serial number → Serial numbers are displayed on invoice and delivery note below the item description
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Manufacturer number in the document → Manufacturer number is displayed below the description of the article
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Dimension in document → height, width, length is shown below the description of the article
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Article Unit in PDF → Unit column is displayed on the document. Further info: Maintain units
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Delivery date in week → Set the check mark for calendar week (KW) as delivery date in the document items to active.
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Show item image in "..." → Displays the item image below the item number.
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Possible documents: AN, AB, LS, RE, GS, BE
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Order without prices → Does not display purchase prices in the orders
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Order with item text → Displays item description in orders
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Order Own article number first column → Displays the "normal" article number in the article number column and not the order number from the stored EK price
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Order Long article numbers → The article number in orders also writes in the article column next to it. The content of the article column (name, item description, etc.) slides down one line to make room for the long item number.
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Explode sub-BOMs in the order → Explode also sub-BOMs in the order and not only the 1st level. Prerequisite: In the project that BOMs are generally exploded in the order.
For the article table, additional information can be entered under Administration → Settings → Basic settings → Tax/currency. The following settings are possible:
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Hide tax column → Tax column is completely hidden. Prerequisite: There is only one tax rate in the document
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Always net / gross invoices → Positions are always displayed net / gross for the unit price (further settings in project and address)
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Documents with 4 decimal places → 4 decimal places in the amounts instead of 2
For the article table, additional information can be entered under Master data → Projects → Select project → Settings → Tax/currency. Select → Settings → Tax/Currency. The following settings are possible:
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Display tax on vouchers → items are always displayed net / gross for the unit price (further settings in basic settings and address)
Additional information for the article table can be entered under Master data → Projects → Select project → Settings → Logistics/shipping. Select → Settings → Logistics/Shipping. The following settings are possible:
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Hide storage bin on delivery bill → Hides the storage bin as a suggestion
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Group picking run according to delivery bills → The table of the picking list in the selected picking run is divided among the different delivery bills. So if there are delivery bills with the same item, this article is divided into individual rows and not cumulated in one row.
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Sort picking slip → Sorts the picking slip according to delivery note items / storage bin rows
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Automatically explode / explode bills of material → When inserting a JIT bill of material, it is completely dissolved in the order into the sub-articles.
Text Template After Article Table
The text after the article table is stored in the text templates per document type & additionally in the free text of each individual document.
More info about text templates: Set Up Text Templates
It is possible to display numbered subitems in the positions. This is especially helpful with different product groups or a parts list, to be able to assign the individual products.
To define a product group in the document, click on "Insert special field" at the very bottom of the corresponding document:
After that the articles can be added. In our example 2 parts lists are are delimited from each other:
On the documents, the groups now appear with sub-numbers:
In the letterhead settings there are also the options "Sub-items in BOMs" and "Indent BOMs". and "Indent parts lists
This causes the BOMs to be displayed on the document with indentation. Starting version 18.3, this option is also available for sub-BOMs - and therefore 2-level - possible:
Should this display also be desired in the order (normally "explode" sub-bills of material only in productions), you must go to Administration → Settings → Basic Settings → System: Settings Articles, Options (and there very far down) the option "Explode sub-BOMs in order:" must be set:
The following error messages can occur when calling a PDF document, among others:
"FPDF error: Unable to find pointer to xref table".
"FPDF error: Unable to find xref table - Maybe a Problem with auto_detect_line_endings"
"Unexpected server response (500) while retrieving PDF".
Generally, these errors indicate one of the following reasons:
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PDF display error: The PDF class cannot read/display the PDF file completely. The PDF was not created in the standard. Not every PDF format is supported by xentral.
→ Often it is enough to open PDF file (e.g. in preview) and export it again as PDF. Usually it works with Export as PDF from Word or Export as PDF from Apple Preview. We have also had good experience with the PDF/A-1a:2005 format. This is the file from Administration > System > Basic Settings > Settings tab > Letterhead tab > Background section.
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Stationery setting project: If necessary, the check mark for a separate stationery was set in the project without the stationery actually being uploaded.
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the file for upload was too big
→ Choose a smaller file
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Stationery Settings Letterhead: Page 2 Check mark is checked and no PDF has been stored for page 2.
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a font used in the PDF is unknown to the system or is incompatible.
→ Under Administration → Settings → Basic settings → Letterhead, temporarily delete the entry in the "Font" field or use one of the specified default fonts.