The following keys on the keyboard can help speed data entry and navigation through your Sage BusinessWorks software. Depending on the type of computer you have, your keys may be located in different places and may be called different things.

Hot Keys on Processing, Transaction, & Report Forms

      Post [Ctrl]+P

      Void [Ctrl]+V

      Save [Ctrl]+S 

      Cancel [Ctrl]+C

      OK  [Ctrl]+O

      Help [Ctrl]+H

      Undo [Ctrl]+U

Hot Keys on Maintenance Forms

      First [Ctrl]+F            

      Save [Ctrl]+S

      Next [Ctrl]+X            

      Undo [Ctrl]+U

      Previous [Ctrl]_P 

      Help [Ctrk]+H

      Last [Ctrl]+L

      Rename [Ctrl]+R

      Lookup [Ctrl]+K

      New [Ctrl]+N

      Delete [Ctrl]+D

Function Keys

      F1 Help system

      F2 Opens a list box or Lookup window

      F5 Microsoft Calculator (suggested)

      F6 Any application

      F7 Any application

      F8 Any application

For keys F5 through F8, use the Users option to assign an application to a function key for another user. Or use the User Preferences Option in the Launcher to assign an application to a function key for your own user ID. Use the Browse… button to select the application, and the Test button to test the application.

Special Keys

Ctrl & Alt – Notice the underlined letter on any button in an option window. To quickly perform the same action as clicking the button, press that letter on your keyboard at the same time that you press the [Ctrl] or [Alt] key. Which you use, [Ctrl] or [Alt], depends on where the button is located within the option window.

Ctrl – Press the [Ctrl] key plus the underlined letter from any button in the toolbar at the bottom of an option window to perform the same action as clicking the button (for example, pressing [Ctrl]+[S] on the keyboard saves the information in the option window and clears the window for continued entry).

Alt – Use the [Alt] key plus the underlined letter from a button that is NOT in the toolbar to perform the same action as clicking the button. For example, pressing [Alt]+[T] on the keyboard “presses” the Notes… button in many option windows.

In addition, you can use [Alt]+down arrow to open a (drop-down list box) or (Lookup window). [Alt]+up arrow will close a list box.

Arrow Keys – When entering text or numbers, pressing the arrow keys will move the cursor within a field one character at a time. (This does not apply to numeric fields, such as Net Amount.) In a Lookup (search) window, the up and down arrows move to the next item in the list. In a list box, these keys move to the next item in the list. The right arrow moves in the same direction as the down arrow, and the left arrow moves in the same direction as the up arrow. Also, pressing [Alt]+down arrow will open the box and [Alt]+up arrow will close it. When selecting option buttons (radio buttons), the arrow keys will move the selection from one option to the next.

Home, End – When entering text or numbers, the [Home] and [End] keys on your keyboard move the cursor to the first or last position in the field, so that you can easily add to the information in the field. In a Look-up window, these keys move the selection to the first or last item in the list.

Enter – Moves the cursor to the next logical selection or entry field, but not to command buttons (such as Save and Cancel). When entering text, pressing [Enter] access what you’ve entered and moves you to the next field.

Register for our Sage BusinessWorks newsletter today!