[Microsoft] [ODBC Text Driver] Too few parameters. Expected:1

I had a complex query that returned the above error intermittently. It turned out that one of the fields was DATE (upper case) as specified in the schema.ini file for the text file. The query referred to Date (proper case). When the query was changed to refer to DATE (upper case) throughout, the intermittent failures stopped.

What does PivotCache.OptimizeCache do?

After much searching in vain I finally came across this nugget of an explanation:

PivotCache::OptimizeCache Optimize storage for fields with less than or equal to 255 items

It is buried in the innards of a file explaining changes introduced in Excel 97. Here's the link to the file if you want to see it for yourself: Excel 97 Product Enhancements Guide‎

I presume this means that a different internal indexing mechanism is used in the cache if a byte is big enough to reference all the unique data occurences in a field.

Automated email reminders for customers on Sage Line 50 / Sage Instant

The good thing is that, if you already have Excel, this will cost you nothing. The idea goes like this:

• In the Memo field in the Sage Customer Record, start a dedicated line with something like "#Service date:" and then enter, say, 0630 for the 30th of June each year.
• Run an Excel macro periodically to identify and automatically email customers where the Memo field indicates that the next service is due soon.

SMS messages are possible too, but you may need to pay for each message sent.

Please drop me a note if you are interested in the Excel file that will facilitate this functionality.

Import into Sage from Excel to create a multi-line sales invoice in the Invoicing module

The standard response from most is that if you want to create an invoice in the Invoicing module, then the built in import routines do not allow it, so you'd need a 3rd party import program. You can import the invoice as a transaction to the Audit Trail using the Audit Trail Excel import template though.

However, there is a way to create an invoice in the Invoicing module using standard Sage routines - just not using the Excel import templates supplied by Sage. Sage help files outline the process whereby sales invoices can be created in either Sage Line 50 or Sage Instant here. Whilst this process requires Sage 50 Accounts Professional to raise a Purchase Order, instead, we can create a "virtual" Sage 50 Accounts Professional Purchase Order using only Excel.

A summary of the process is given below. In the summary, Company B is the company wishing to create multi-line invoices in the Invoicing module.

• Company A (or someone in Company B) creates a virtual Purchase Order using Excel and sends it using Transaction email to Company B. Company B receives this as a Sales Order.
• The Sales Order details are matched and updated.
• Then Transaction Email automatically creates a Sales Invoice in Sage 50 Accounts / Sage Instant.
• Company B sends this Sales Invoice to Company A using Transaction Email. Company A receives this as a Purchase Invoice.

The folks at Onion Reporting Software have a free Excel template to create the "virtual" Purchase Order needed for this process.