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The function of linking a digital document, saved on your computer or on the Internet, to an transaction line allows you to open a receipt, invoice or other document directly in the accounting file with a simple click. Your documents will always be just a click away and you can say goodbye to paper and switch to fully digital accounting.
Also refer to Organise accounting files locally, online or in the cloud.
- The function of linking a digital document to a row is available in all tables, also for the Accounts, Items and Other tables.
- From the print preview, with Export to PDF, the programme also allows you to include the linked digital document files in PDF. When auditing, the auditor can also open the attached document (invoice, receipt, other PDF document) in the accounting file.
The Links Column
The DocLink column (in the Transactions table) and the Links column (in all other tables) make it possible to enter a link to an external file (usually a scan of a receipt or an invoice).
- The Links column is usually not visible.
In order to display it, use the Columns setup command from the Data menu. - Once the Links column is visible, you can edit the file name.
- The file name is related to the accounting file:
- If the documents are in a sub-folder, the file name in the Links column will be preceded by the folder's name.
- If the contents of the folder are copied to another computer, the links remain valid, unless the files are in the copied folder or contain characters such as '*&%', which cannot be transferred to other operating systems.
- It is equally possible to manually enter a web address in the Links column. The connection must be preceded by the "https: //" or "http: //" indication.
- In order to open the linked document, click Data > Links > Open link command, or click on the small square that appears on the upper right hand corner of the cell that contains the link.
Entering a link to a file
There are three ways to enter a link to a document:
Add Link command
- Place yourself on the row of the table where you wish to create a link and the choose the Data menu > Links > Add link.
- Select the document file that you want to link and click on the Open button (the program inserts the link automatically).
- The program enters the path to the digital file in the Links column, even if the column is not visible.
- The file name is relative to the accounting file.
In this way, the link will be valid even if you move the accounts folder or use it over the network or on another computer via a synchronisation system.- If the file is in the same folder, only the file name 'invoice.pdf' will appear
- If the file is in the 'attachments' subfolder, it will be 'attachments/invoice.pdf'.
Add Link Icon
- In the table, make the Links column visible. Also see: Columns setup.
- Click on the small icon at the top right of the cell.
- Indicate the path where the chosen file is located.
Directly enter the file name into the cell
The file name of the digital document can be entered directly in the DocLink column cell, without having to select the file in the folder where it is located.
This mode allows you to speed up the insertion work even more.
- Double-click on cell to edit it .
- Type in the file name or enter it using copy and paste.
- The auto-complete function lists the files of documents that are not yet linked.
- To get a list of available files, at least the name of a file must be entered with the file selection dialogue.
- Of the files contained in the folders, only the following are shown:
- Files appearing in search folders.
- Files that have not yet been included as links in other rows.
- If the text starts with '*', the programme displays all files, even if they have already been used (if they belong to the accounting folder or a subfolder).
This makes it possible to search for files, which have already been included in the list. - Files that contain the text you are entering in their name.
- Files that have an extension that is considered safe.
- Files that do not exceed the Smartfill limit
Setting up document search folders
When you insert a link to a document and it is located in the accounts folder or in a subfolder, the document folder is automatically inserted into the document search folders. In the list proposed by the auto-completion, there are files in the same folder that have not yet been used.
With specific commands, to be entered in the Link column, you can indicate to search in other folders or even to exclude specific folders from the search.
The commands are folder names with an exclamation mark '!
- !folder1
Searches for files only in the subfolder and does not search in folders of already included files. - !+folder1
The '+' sign adds the folder to the folders of files already used or already specified with include. - !-folder1
The '-' sign excludes the specified folder from the search. It takes precedence over the other indications.
It serves to exclude a folder of which a file has been used, but which is no longer used for other files. - Special symbols:
- !.
The dot "." indicates the current folder where the accounting file is located.
To exclude the folder use "!-.". - !folder1*
"*" at the end of the folder name also means including all sub-folders.
If there are many sub-folders with many files, the search may be slowed down. - !*
Includes the folder where the accounting file is located and all sub-folders. - !folder1;folder2
the semicolon ';' is used to include multiple folders.
!../folder1
The ".." refers to the top-level folder.
- !.
The include or exclude folder commands:
- They must be entered in the column where the document link is inserted.
- They can be entered in any row.
- They determine the search for all cells, even those that come before.
Edit a link
Proceed in the same way as when entering a new link.
Rename a link
This feature allows you to change/rename the link. The program will also automatically:
- Rename the file name in its original directory
- Rename all the links to that document recurring in the accounting file.
This way you can change file names without having to open the file manager.
Requirements
- Only available with the Advanced plan of Banana Accounting Plus → switch now to the Advanced plan.
- You must use the Rename function from the Data menu.
More info on the Rename feature.
Opening the link
There are two ways to open the link:
- Position yourself on the row and follow the Data > Links > Open link command
- Or position yourself on the cell of the Links column and click on the icon to open the link.
For security reasons, the program only opens files with an extension that is considered secure, see Program Options > File handling section, from the Tools menu.
Remove a link
There are two ways to delete a link:
- Position yourself on the row and follow via the Data menu > Links > Remove link.
- Clear the contents of the Links cell with Delete.
Other useful resources: