All CCS Accounting Programs are designed to allow high speed data entry by utilizing keyboard commands to move from control to control, as well as Hot keys. Generally, you should use the TAB or ENTER keys to move from control to control, using the mouse only when necessary to bypass the normal sequence, to switch Forms etc.

When you use the ENTER or TAB keys to move through a Form:

1. All existing text in the Control is selected, and ready for replacement. That is, you don't have to select or backspace over the existing text to enter new text. When you move to a control with the mouse, the text is not selected and you must position the cursor where you wish to start entry. This is very slow and cumbersome.

2. Validation routines are run as soon as you ENTER or TAB out of a control. When you use the mouse to leave a control, the control is not validated until you attempt to save (or close) the Form. Therefore, when repositioning with the mouse, you will be required to go back and correct the problem each time a control fails validation during a save. Since the valid entries of one control may be contingent upon the entries of another, it is generally quicker for both you and the validation routines if the controls are validated as they are completed, i.e., if you use ENTER to move between controls.

3. In multi-page forms, each successive page (tabbed page) is opened for you as you ENTER or TAB past the last control in a multi-page Form. In other words, you do not need to click on the next tab in multi-page forms; simply pressing ENTER or TAB in the last control of the page positions the cursor in the first TAB stop of the next page.

4. The Form is automatically saved as you ENTER or TAB past the last control (of the last page). You do not need to Press OK, or Save to save your entries when you use the keyboard movement keys.

Here are a few shortcut keys:

The F3 Key:

The F3 key dittos (repeats) the last entry made in a given control. For instance, if you are adding multiple records, you can use the F3 key to automatically enter the value that was entered in the same control for the last record. This is very useful when several records are added/edited, each containing fields with the same values.

The F6 Key:

The F6 key moves from pane to pane. A pane is a view or a window within a splitter window.

The F7 Key:

If the form has multiple pages that access via a tab control, the F7 key moves from tab to tab of the currently active form.

The F8 Key:

The F8 key moves from/to the header/footer portion of entry form. For example, if you are in the footer portion of an entry form that is comprised of a header/footer. (Events Form, Timecard Form etc.) then pressing F8 will move the cursor to the header portion.

Right Click:

Most controls offer special commands such as Find/Replace, What's This etc. when you right click them. Also, most controls allow you to change the properties and validation associated with a control by right-clicking and selecting Properties or Validation from the popup menu.