Set up SOP invoices to send via email
This example explains how to set up a SOP Invoice layout so that you can email invoices to preferred customer contacts. You could use a similar approach for other sales order documents such as credit notes, quotations and pro formas.
This example explains how to:
- Set up an invoice layout in Report Designer so that you can email your SOP invoices to the correct contact email address for each customer.
- Set up a customer role and associate this role with the new layout.
- Choose the new invoice layout and apply it to a customer account.
- Choose the customer contact you want to send the email to.
- Send invoices as email attachments.
- Send email messages to your Outbox first for checking.
Set up your invoice layout in Report Designer
Open: 
Tools > Run Sage Report Designer.
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Select the SOP Invoice layout that you want to use: File Explorer > Layouts.
Custom layouts that you've already saved can be found in custom > layouts or company > layouts folder.
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Select Report > Email settings from the toolbar, to set the report email settings.
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Choose the header section of the layout.
From the Email message should contain drop-down list, choose the group with the highest number (e.g. if there are 7 groups, select group 7). This makes each invoice is included on a separate email.
In this example, for the SOP Invoice (Single) layout, select Group 7 - SOPInvoiceCredits.SOPInvoiceCreditID.
Note: If you want to include your company logo, make sure that your logo is included the header section that you choose here.
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Add the customer account email address. Invoices are sent to the address stored on the customer account.
Click To, then copy and paste this text in to the expression editor:
Invoices created from Invoicing or Sales Orders, or Project AccountingCopySLCustomerAccounts.ContactEmailAddressFree text invoicesCopySAL_FREE_TXT_INV_AFD_5031.PX_CONTACT_EMAIL_ADDRESS -
Click Subject and enter the subject for the email.
This can be plain text, or you can use an expression to include details from Sage 200.
The following expression includes your company name and the invoice number. You can copy and paste this text into the expression editor:
Invoices created from Invoicing or Sales OrdersCopySYSCompanies.CompanyName + " Invoice No:" + SOPInvoiceCredits.DocumentNoFree text invoicesCopySYSCompanies.CompanyName + " Invoice No - " + SAL_FREE_TXT_INV_AFD_5031.PX_INVOICE_NUMBERInvoices created from Project AccountingCopySYSCompanies.CompanyName + " Proforma Invoice No - " + INVInvoiceCredits.DocumentNo -
Choose to send the invoices as an attachment.
- Enter the required message text.
- Set the Attachment Format to PDF.
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Click Filename and enter a filename for the attachment.
This can be plain text, or you can use an expression to include details from Sage 200.
The following expression includes your company name and the invoice number. You can copy and paste this text into the expression editor:
CopyREPORT.DESCRIPTION
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Select Save email to mailbox.
The emails are sent to your email drafts folder, so you can check them before sending to your customers.
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Choose your email account provider.
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MAPI: Select this if your email application uses a MAPI (Outlook / Exchange) mail server.
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Microsoft Outlook: Select this if you are using Microsoft Outlook.
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To save the new invoice layout, select File > Save As.
Note: When you change a default layout, letter or report, you must save the new layout, letter or report in the custom or company folder.
Set up your customer accounts and document layouts
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Choose the role that your want to send your invoices to. You can use an existing role or set up a new customer role.
See how to set up a new roleOpen: Accounting System Manager > Settings > Customer and Supplier Roles.
- Add a role.
- Select Sales and Use with Documents.
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Associate this role with Sales Invoice document type.
See how to associate roles with document typesOpen: Accounting System Manager > Settings > Customer and Supplier Document Types.
- Select the role for the Sales Invoice document type.
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Set up a Preferred Contact for the role with a valid email address for each customer account that you want to send the invoices to.
See how to set up a preferred contactOpen: Sales Ledger > Sales Accounts > Amend Account Details | Contacts.
- Select the contact and click Edit.
- Add the role and select Preferred Contact.
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Add the new invoice layout to the SOP module.
See how to add an invoice layoutOpen: Sales Order Processing > SOP Maintenance > Maintain Invoice Layouts.
- Click Add and select the invoice layout that you want to use. For example, SOP Invoice (Single).layout.
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If required, associate this invoice layout with the relevant customer accounts.
This means that this invoice layout is automatically used when printing invoices for this customer. If required, you can specify the invoice layout that you want to use when you print your invoices.
See how to associate invoice layout with customer accountsOpen: Sales Ledger > Sales Accounts > Amend Accounts Details | Documents.
- Select the invoice layout for the Sales invoice layout drop-down list.