General Settings

General Settings

General settings allow you to configure various system-wide preferences and default behaviors in EquiBillBook. These settings affect how the system operates and how users interact with it on a daily basis.

What are General Settings?

General settings include:

• System Preferences: Default behaviors and system-wide options
• User Interface Settings: UI preferences and customization
• Default Values: Default settings for new records
• Notification Preferences: System notification settings
• Workflow Settings: Default workflow behaviors
• Data Entry Preferences: Default data entry behaviors

Accessing General Settings

To configure general settings:

1. Navigate to Settings → Other Settings → General Settings
2. You'll find various system-wide configuration options
3. Configure settings based on your business preferences

Key Configuration Areas

1. System Preferences

Core system behaviors:

• Auto-save: Automatically save data during entry
• Auto-refresh: Automatically refresh data on pages
• Confirm Before Delete: Require confirmation before deleting records
• Show Tooltips: Display helpful tooltips on interface elements
• Enable Sounds: Play sounds for notifications and alerts
• Default Page Size: Default number of records per page

2. User Interface Settings

Interface customization:

• Theme: Light or dark theme preference
• Color Scheme: Primary color scheme
• Font Size: Default font size for interface
• Compact Mode: Enable compact display mode
• Show Sidebar: Display navigation sidebar
• Menu Style: Menu display style

3. Default Values

Default settings for new records:

• Default Payment Terms: Default payment terms for invoices
• Default Tax Rate: Default tax rate for transactions
• Default Currency: Default currency (if multi-currency enabled)
• Default Location: Default business location
• Default Account: Default account for transactions
• Default Status: Default status for new records

4. Data Entry Preferences

Data entry behaviors:

• Auto-complete: Enable auto-complete for fields
• Auto-calculate: Automatically calculate totals and taxes
• Validate on Entry: Validate data as it's entered
• Show Suggestions: Show suggestions while typing
• Tab Navigation: Enable tab key navigation
• Enter to Submit: Allow Enter key to submit forms

5. Workflow Settings

Default workflow behaviors:

• Auto-approve: Automatically approve certain transactions
• Require Approval: Require approval for specific operations
• Default Workflow: Default workflow for transactions
• Status Transitions: Allowed status transitions
• Auto-assign: Automatically assign records to users

Step-by-Step Configuration

Step 1: Configure System Preferences

1. Navigate to General Settings
2. Enable or disable auto-save based on your preference
3. Set auto-refresh interval if needed
4. Enable confirmation dialogs for important actions
5. Configure tooltip display
6. Set default page size for lists

Step 2: Customize User Interface

1. Choose your preferred theme (light or dark)
2. Select color scheme if options available
3. Adjust font size for readability
4. Enable compact mode if you prefer denser display
5. Configure sidebar and menu preferences

Step 3: Set Default Values

1. Set default payment terms for invoices
2. Configure default tax rate
3. Set default currency if applicable
4. Choose default location for transactions
5. Set default account for transactions

Step 4: Configure Data Entry

1. Enable auto-complete for faster data entry
2. Enable auto-calculate for totals and taxes
3. Configure validation settings
4. Enable suggestions and hints
5. Set keyboard navigation preferences

Step 5: Configure Workflows

1. Set default workflow behaviors
2. Configure auto-approval rules if applicable
3. Set approval requirements
4. Configure status transition rules
5. Set auto-assignment rules

Step 6: Save Settings

Click "Update" or "Save" to apply your general settings.

How Settings Affect Your Business

User Experience

• Interface customization improves usability
• Auto-save prevents data loss
• Default values speed up data entry
• Tooltips help users understand features

Efficiency

• Auto-complete reduces typing time
• Auto-calculate reduces manual calculations
• Default values eliminate repetitive entry
• Workflow automation saves time

Data Quality

• Validation on entry prevents errors
• Confirmation dialogs prevent accidental actions
• Auto-calculate ensures accuracy
• Default values ensure consistency

Best Practices

• User Preferences: Consider team preferences when setting defaults
• Balance: Balance automation with control
• Test Settings: Test new settings before applying organization-wide
• Documentation: Document custom settings for reference
• Regular Review: Periodically review and optimize settings
• User Training: Train users on configured settings
• Feedback: Gather user feedback on settings

Troubleshooting

Settings not saving?

• Verify you have permission to change settings
• Check if settings are locked by administrator
• Clear browser cache and try again
• Refresh page and verify settings

Auto-save not working?

• Verify auto-save is enabled
• Check auto-save interval setting
• Ensure form has unsaved changes
• Check browser console for errors

Default values not appearing?

• Verify default values are set correctly
• Check if defaults apply to new records only
• Clear form and create new record
• Verify default value settings are saved

Interface changes not visible?

• Refresh the page
• Clear browser cache
• Log out and log back in
• Check if changes require page reload

Important Notes

• General settings affect all users - configure carefully
• Some settings may require page refresh to take effect
• Default values only apply to new records
• User-specific settings may override general settings
• Test settings before applying organization-wide
• Document custom configurations for future reference

Additional Resources

For related information, see:

• Display Settings article
• User Settings article
• System Configuration article
• Workflow Configuration article

Proper general settings configuration improves user experience and operational efficiency. Configure settings based on your business needs and user preferences!