Sometimes I get calls about forms, such as invoices or checks, that take a long time to print. Usually when they click the print button, they get an hourglass and it takes a long time for the print window to open and/or become responsive. There are two possible causes for this, both involve forms that have been customized.
The first is when an image, typically a logo, has been added to the form. The larger the image, the more it will slow down the opening of the form for printing. If the file is large enough it could even slow down the actual printing. If you run into this, try replacing the image with a lower resolution copy of the same image file. On a typical office printer, you won’t be able to tell the difference in print quality, but it can make a big difference in speed.
The second possible problem results from an apparent bug in Sage 50/Peachtree. Customizing a form often involves making many changes and test prints before you get it exactly the way you want it. Along the way you will probably save your changes many times. For some reason, when you save a form repeatedly, its file starts to grow. As it gets larger, printing slows down. Fortunately the fix is very easy. Once you get the form the way you want it, save it again using a new name. The new file will be smaller than the old one and you won’t experience the slowdown when using it. If you want to use the original form name, just delete the original form from the list, then save the copy again using the original name. Then you can delete the copy or save it as a backup.
