diff --git a/site_ansto/instrument/config/scan/scan_common_1.tcl b/site_ansto/instrument/config/scan/scan_common_1.tcl
index 7cd74042..e1609f1a 100644
--- a/site_ansto/instrument/config/scan/scan_common_1.tcl
+++ b/site_ansto/instrument/config/scan/scan_common_1.tcl
@@ -1,4 +1,9 @@
-#TODO Define bmon and hmm scan commands in separate namespaces
+## \file Scan functionality and common high level commands are defined here.
+#
+# namespace variables\n
+# ::scan::save_filetype data/scratch, controls if data will be saved to a scratch file.
+# ::scan::reset_position true/false, drive motor back to start position at end of scan
+#TODO Get rid of duplication in bmonscan and hmscan code
 MakeScanCommand hmscan bm $cfPath(scan)/scan_common_1.hdd recover.bin
 MakeScanCommand bmonscan bm $cfPath(scan)/scan_common_1.hdd recover.bin
 MakeScanCommand scan2 bm $cfPath(scan)/scan_common_1.hdd recover.bin
@@ -8,6 +13,10 @@ namespace eval scan {
 # List of counts
 variable bmoncounts_array
 variable bmoncounts_axis
+variable save_filetype
+variable reset_position
+set save_filetype "data"
+set reset_position "false"
 
 variable bmonscanvar_axis_hpath
 # hpath to values from bmoncounts_array
@@ -17,9 +26,53 @@ variable scanVariable scan_var scanVarStart 0 scanVarStep 1
   proc scan_collect {sobj uobj point} {
   }
 
+## \brief Aborts scan if a scan variable target position exeeds the limits.
+proc check_limit {scan_variable limit_name target} {
+    switch $limit_name {
+      "hardlowerlim" - "softlowerlim" {
+        set limit [SplitReply [$scan_variable $limit_name]]
+        if { $target < $limit} {
+          return -code error "ERROR Scan aborted. Final position of $target violates $limit_name $limit for $scan_variable"
+        }
+      }
+      "hardupperlim" - "softupperlim" {
+        set limit [SplitReply [$scan_variable $limit_name]]
+        if { $target > $limit} {
+          return -code error "ERROR Scan aborted. Final position of $target violates $limit_name $limit for $scan_variable"
+        }
+      }
+      default {
+        error_msg "Invalid limit name $limit_name"
+      }
+    }
+}
+## \brief check final position against scan variable limits
+#
+# NOTE: The sics scan object alread checks if a variable is drivable
+# so we don't have to.
+# TODO We can't check limits of virtual motors yet because the 
+# configurablevirtualmotor doesn't set a checklimits function.
+  proc check_scanvar {sobj uobj} {
+    set vlist [split [$sobj getvarpar 0] = ];
+    set NP [SplitReply [$sobj np]]
+    set scan_variable [string trim [lindex [split [lindex $vlist 0] . ] 1]]
+    set scan_start [lindex $vlist 1];
+    set scan_increment [lindex $vlist 2];
+    if {[getatt $scan_variable type] != "configurablevirtualmotor"} {
+    if {[SplitReply [$scan_variable fixed]] >= 0} {
+      return -code error "Scan aborted. $scan_variable position is set to 'fixed'"
+    }
+    set target [expr $scan_start + $NP * $scan_increment]
+    ::scan::check_limit $scan_variable hardlowerlim $target
+    ::scan::check_limit $scan_variable hardupperlim $target
+    ::scan::check_limit $scan_variable softlowerlim $target
+    ::scan::check_limit $scan_variable softupperlim $target
+    }
+  }
   proc hmm_scan_prepare {sobj uobj} {
     variable scan_pt_start_time
-    set nexusdic hmscan.dic
+
+    ::scan::check_scanvar $sobj $uobj
 
 #  stdscan prepare $sobj $uobj;
     ::scan::hdb_hmscan -set NP [SplitReply [$sobj np]]
@@ -36,7 +89,7 @@ variable scanVariable scan_var scanVarStart 0 scanVarStep 1
     ::histogram_memory::prepare 
     data axis 1 [::scan::hdb_hmscan -set scan_variable]
     ::hdb::set_save / true
-    newfile [SplitReply [SicsDataSuffix]] $nexusdic 
+    ::nexus::newfile data 
   }
 
   proc hmm_count {sobj uobj point mode preset} {
@@ -50,16 +103,41 @@ variable scanVariable scan_var scanVarStart 0 scanVarStep 1
   }
 
   proc hmm_scan_finish {sobj uobj} {
+    variable save_filetype
+    variable reset_position
+    set $save_filetype "data"
     ::histogram_memory::finish;
     ::scan::hdb_hmscan -set feedback status IDLE
     # Make sure that the next save command doesn't overwrite our scan data.
-    newfile [SplitReply [SicsDataSuffix]]
+    # and clear any data links
+    ::nexus::newfile data
+    ::nexus::data clear
+    if {$reset_position == "true"} {
+      set svar [::scan::hdb_hmscan -get scan_variable]
+      set svtype [getatt $svar type]
+      if {$svtype == "motor" || $svtype == "configurablevirtualmotor"} {
+        drive $svar [::scan::hdb_hmscan -get scan_start]
+      }
+      set reset_position "false" 
+    }
+    ::histogram_memory::configure_server Filler_defaults
   }
 
   proc bm_scan_finish {sobj uobj} {
+    variable reset_position
     ::scan::hdb_bmonscan -set feedback status IDLE
     # Make sure that the next save command doesn't overwrite our scan data.
-    newfile [SplitReply [SicsDataSuffix]]
+    # and clear any data links
+    ::nexus::newfile data
+    ::nexus::data clear
+    if {$reset_position == "true"} {
+      set svar [::scan::hdb_bmonscan -get scan_variable]
+      set svtype [getatt $svar type]
+      if {$svtype == "motor" || $svtype == "configurablevirtualmotor"} {
+        drive $svar [::scan::hdb_bmonscan -get scan_start]
+      }
+      set reset_position "false"
+    }
   }
 #proc hmm_scan_finish {sobj uobj} {
 #  nxclosefile;
@@ -84,15 +162,16 @@ variable scanVariable scan_var scanVarStart 0 scanVarStep 1
   proc bm_writepoint {sobj uobj pt} {
     variable bmoncounts_array
     set bmoncounts_array [string map {\{ "" \} ""} [SplitReply [bmonscan getcounts]]];
-    save $pt
+    ::nexus::save $pt
 
     ::scan::hdb_bmonscan -set feedback counts [SplitReply [bm getcounts]];
   }
 
 #TODO Feedback for Histogram memory scan
   proc hmm_writepoint {sobj uobj pt} {
+    variable save_filetype 
     # Write hdb tree
-    save $pt
+    ::nexus::save $pt
   }
 
   proc donothing {args} {}
@@ -110,8 +189,6 @@ variable scanVariable scan_var scanVarStart 0 scanVarStep 1
 
   proc bm_scan_prepare {sobj uobj} {
     variable event; 
-    variable nexusdic
-    set nexusdic bmonscan.dic
 
     variable bmoncounts_array;
     variable bmoncounts_axis;
@@ -139,12 +216,11 @@ variable scanVariable scan_var scanVarStart 0 scanVarStep 1
     data axis 1 [::scan::hdb_bmonscan -set scan_variable]
     ::hdb::set_save / true
     ::hdb::set_save /instrument/detector false
-    newfile [SplitReply [SicsDataSuffix]] $nexusdic 
+    ::nexus::newfile data
     #stdscan prepare $sobj $uobj;
   }
 
 
-
 # group=beam_monitor_scan 
 proc hdb_bmonscan_graphics {process args} {
   set eid hdb_bmonscan/graphics
@@ -220,8 +296,7 @@ command hdb_bmonscan { text:drivable scan_variable float: scan_start float: scan
     if {$status == 0} {
       return $msg
     } else {
-      clientput "ERROR, [info level 0], $msg"
-      error $msg
+      return -code error "ERROR [info level 0]"
     }
 
 
@@ -242,8 +317,7 @@ command hdb_hmscan { text:drivable scan_variable float: scan_start float: scan_i
     if {$status == 0} {
       return $msg
     } else {
-      clientput "ERROR, [info level 0], $msg"
-      error $msg
+      return -code error "ERROR [info level 0]"
     }