                   SQL-Ledger ERP
                    Version 3.0


DESCRIPTION:
------------
SQL-Ledger is a double-entry accounting/ERP system written
in perl. It has been tested with PostgreSQL, Apache, Netscape,
Mozilla, Galeon, Explorer, Links, Lynx, Konqueror, Voyager,
W3M and Opera clients on Linux, FreeBSD, Solaris, Windows,
Mac computers and PDA's.

Data is stored in a SQL database server, either locally or
remote, the display is through a text or GUI web browser.
The system is linked by a chart of accounts.  All transactions
for AR, AP and GL are stored in a transaction table. Hyper-links
from the chart of accounts let you view transactions posted
through AR, AP and GL.

Configuration files let you specify to which SQL database server
to connect to, personal preferences such as company name,
language, number and date format, etc.

System administrators can create, lock or delete datasets.

Each company (dataset) has their own admin with full rights
to access the dataset and to create additional logins.

Templates are supplied in html, text and tex format to
generate most of the forms. Forms can be printed to screen,
sent to a printer or e-mailed. In addition to the supplied
templates users may also create other formats such as xml.


LATEST VERSION:
---------------
available from http://www.sql-ledger.com


PLATFORMS:
----------
Non specific, see requirements.


REQUIREMENTS:
-------------
1 - Perl, 5+
2 - http server (Apache, NCSA, httpi, thttpd, ...)
3 - SQL Server (PostgreSQL 7.1+)
4 - DBD (DBD-Pg)
5 - DBI
6 - LaTeX (optional)


FOREIGN LANGUAGE SUPPORT:
-------------------------
30 languages are supported. Language files are
ordinary text files, no special software is
needed to change or add new translations.

Some of the translation files are not 100% complete.
If strings are missing, English is used instead.


INSTALLATION WITH setup.pl:
-----------------------------
Make a directory on your system

  mkdir /usr/local/sql-ledger

Copy setup.pl to /usr/local/sql-ledger

run setup.pl as root and follow the prompts.

  perl setup.pl

Go to the next step, "PREPARE YOUR SQL DATABASE SERVER".

VERY IMPORTANT: setup.pl tries to figure out your system
but it will not succeed if your distribution decided
to "hide" configuration files for your web server in some
other file.

If you cannot use setup.pl because of a proxy or firewall
download the tar.gz file and pass the filename to setup.pl

  perl setup.pl sql-ledger-3.0.0.tar.gz
  

INSTALLATION WITHOUT setup.pl:
--------------------------------
unpack the tar.gz file in /usr/local

  tar xzvf sql-ledger-3.0.0.tar.gz

you should now have everything in /usr/local/sql-ledger

rename sql-ledger.conf.default to sql-ledger.conf

edit sql-ledger.conf

create the file sql-ledger-httpd.conf in the same location
where httpd.conf is and copy the next section into the file

  Alias /sql-ledger /usr/local/sql-ledger/
  <Directory /usr/local/sql-ledger>
    AllowOverride All
    AddHandler cgi-script .pl
    AddDefaultCharset On
    Options ExecCGI Includes FollowSymlinks
    Order Allow,Deny
    Allow from All
  </Directory>

  <Directory /usr/local/sql-ledger/users>
    Order Deny,Allow
    Deny from All
  </Directory>

edit httpd.conf and add

  # SQL-Ledger
  Include /config_directory/sql-ledger-httpd.conf

Note: use an absolute or relative path to include
the configuration in your httpd.conf file.

i.e. /etc/httpd/sql-ledger-httpd.conf
     etc/apache2/sql-ledger-httpd.conf
     
restart your web server.


Note: /usr/local/sql-ledger is only a suggested
path, you can install in any directory.

Some versions of Apache 2 use a confd directory for
configuration files. If this is the case copy
sql-ledger-httpd.conf into this directory and leave
httpd.conf as is. Restart Apache.


SET PERMISSION:
---------------
change directory to /usr/local/sql-ledger

# chown -hR nobody:nogroup users templates css spool doc

replace nobody:nogroup with the web server user and group.
Some systems use apache:apache, www, www-data, ...


FTP INSTALLATION:
-----------------
If you do not have access to the server's configuration
files install SQL-Ledger in userspace by ftp'ing all the
files to your server.

a) untar sql-ledger in your private_html directory
b) turn on script execution for the folder sql-ledger
You can control this with an .htaccess file

  Options +ExecCGI
  DirectoryIndex login.pl

c) protect the users, template and spool directory with an .htpasswd file

AuthGroupFile /dev/null
AuthName "Unauthorized"
AuthType Basic
AuthUserFile /home/host.domain/private_html/sql-ledger/users/.htpasswd
require valid-user

replace 'users' with 'templates' and 'spool' to protect the
other directories


PREPARE YOUR SQL DATABASE SERVER:
---------------------------------

  PostgreSQL:
  -----------
  add one database user with create database privileges
  to manage the datasets and tables for SQL-Ledger
  
  # su postgres
  $ createuser -d sql-ledger
  Shall the new user be allowed to create more new users? (y/n) n
  
  if you use passwords to access postgres use this command
  $ createuser -d -P sql-ledger


Note: If you cannot create a database directly go to
CREATE A DATASET WITHOUT CREATE PRIVILEGES.


CREATE DATASET:
---------------
Load your web browser and connect to
http://localhost/sql-ledger/admin.pl

There is no password so just hit the Enter key or click
on "Continue".

Check the appropriate database driver if there is more
than one installed.

Click on "Add Dataset"

Host [database host]               Port [      ]
User [database user]           Password [database password]
Connect to [template1 or your_database]

Note: template1 or your_database is required to make a connection
to access the database, nothing will be created yet.

Click on "Continue"

Dataset [your_dataset]
Company [name of the company]
Templates [template set to create]
Multibyte Encoding [                 ]

Select a chart of accounts and click on "Continue".

Your tables will now be created and the chart of accounts
will be loaded.


CREATE DATASET WITHOUT CREATE PRIVILEGES:
-----------------------------------------
If you cannot create a database, most ISPs won't let you
directly access the database, you can still create the
neccessary files to run SQL-Ledger.

1) use your database manager (pgadmin, etc) and log in with the
database user your ISP has assigned to you
2) create a blank database
3) go to the previous step CREATE DATASET and enter
the name of the database in the field "Dataset".


LOAD THE PROGRAM:
----------------------------
Load your web browser and connect to
http://localhost/sql-ledger/login.pl


SET UP USERS:
-------------
Log into SQL-Ledger as user 'admin'

If you have more than one dataset you can either
choose from a list of datasets or log in directly
to the dataset by appending @dataset to admin

Go HR -> Add Employee

In the field 'login' assign a login for the employee.

Note: The same interface is used to remove a login,
simply remove the login and the employee will no
longer be able to log in.


UPGRADING TO A NEWER VERSION:
-----------------------------
1. load admin.pl and lock the system
2. untar the new version over top
3. check the doc directory for specific notes
4. load admin.pl and unlock the system

Please read the UPGRADE file in the doc directory
for further instructions.


INSTALLATION CHECKLIST:
-----------------------
1. untar SQL-Ledger somewhere (i.e /usr/local, /opt)
2. change permission for the users, templates, css, doc and spool directory
3. edit httpd.conf
4. edit sql-ledger.conf
5. add the database user sql-ledger (or some other name)
6. load admin.pl
7. create datasets for companies

   In the Database section enter
   
   a) PostgreSQL
   
      Host:     for local connections leave blank
      Dataset:  the dataset created in step 7
      Port:     for local connections leave blank
      User:     sql-ledger
      Password: password for sql-ledger

Windows: You must enter a host in the Host field. You
can use an IP number too if you do not have a hostname.


IF SOMETHING DOESN'T WORK:
--------------------------
There is a FAQ at http://www.sql-ledger.com/misc/faq.html
or see the one included in the doc directory.

For other support options please see http://www.sql-ledger.com
=====================================================================

