Abc accounting 11. 0 Reference Guide

NOTE: The on-screen reports show information from the latest date to the oldest date. For example, Alt+I lists open invoices starting with the most recent and ending with the oldest invoice.

Display invoices, deposits and balance for the current customer.

Display open invoices for the currently loaded customer.

To set up a default record, use a quote (") as the code of the record. Then enter any information on the screen which is usually true. This could be G/L #, Update Code, Multiplier and Tax Code for Inventory Items. Or for Customers you could fill in Credit Limit, Late Charge, Tax Status and Terms. For Vendors you could enter Terms, Net Days, Discount Days and Discount % that fit most of your vendors. Possibly you want a Y in Auto Pay as well.

When this information is entered, save the record with F9. (If you get a message "Code doesn't Match Name", type 1 and press Enter).

When you enter a new Inventory Item, Vendor, Customer, Job, etc., the information that you entered in the Default Record for that category will be displayed. Then you enter whatever other information you want on that record. Change any of the default information, if necessary. Default Records can be changed whenever you wish.

For example, if you have a number of inventory items to enter with similar Descriptions and the same Book or List Prices, you could enter this information on the Inventory Default Record ("). Then enter the inventory items, using a different code for each one. At least one change has to be made on a record for the computer to save it as a unique record.

An example of how to use a default record follows. Let's say you have a lot of inventory items to enter with the same price and General Ledger number. Fill in those fields on the default record and they will automatically default to any new inventory item record you create.

The Inventory screen can have default records with partial item numbers. For example, use "AB as an item #. Now any new item # you enter beginning with AB will automatically load the information entered on the "AB record. You may override this information at any time on any of the files you are creating.

Customer Name (C)

Enter the customer's name as you want it to appear on invoices, statements, and A/R reports. If you use a comma in the name, what follows the comma will be placed first when it's printed on certain A/R reports, including invoices, statements, and labels. For example, Wengerman, T. Ray will be printed: T. Ray Wengerman. Note: if you have a customer with a business name such as Walker Parts, Inc., you should not include the comma before the Inc or else it will appear as Inc Walker Parts on invoices, labels and reports.

Attention (C)

This may be used as an additional name or address line. Enter the information here as you want it to appear on invoices, statements, and A/R reports.

Customer Address (C)

Enter the customer's Street Address as you want it to appear on invoices, statements, and A/R reports.

Zip Code

All addresses in the system use a common Zip Code screen. When you enter a zip code, the cursor goes to the city and state fields only if the computer cannot find the entered zip code in its file.

Do NOT enter the extension in the zip code field. A separate field is provided for the extension. Once the city and state have been entered, the only way to change them is by using the Zip Code (Z) screen.

NOTE: Changing the information on the Zip Code (Z) screen will change ALL addresses containing that zip code!

In some cases, two cities share the same zip code. Use the zip code as normal for one of the cities. For the other city, attach a period (.) to the end of the zip code to make it unique. For example, use 17538 for Landisville, PA and use 17538. for Salunga, PA. You could also use a comma if there are three cities sharing the same zip code.

On most files that contain zip codes, you can page through the file by Zip, using and with the cursor on the Zip field.

Zip Code Extension

If the address has a four-digit extension, enter it here.

E-Mail

Enter the customer's e-mail address here.

Telephone #

Enter the phone number here. When you enter 10 characters, the phone number will format automatically. This appears on various reports. You may enter several phone numbers on this line, separating them with commas. But the program auto- formats only when there is one phone number entered.

If you have a modem properly configured for your system, and the modem screen ('O) is setup, the computer can dial phone numbers for you. When you press , the computer dials the first number in the telephone number field, unless the cursor is at the beginning of another number.

You can page through the files by telephone numbers when you use and with the cursor on this field.

Print Code (C)

This field is used by Report # 3-30, CUSTOMER ADDRESS LABELS, to print selective mailing lists. Enter a character here to categorize the customer for this purpose. You can put the customer into a number of different categories by entering a series of characters, separated by commas. For example, all farmers could be identified with an F. All hog farmers could be identified with an HG,F. All dairy farmers could be identified with DR, F. Then to print out labels to all the farmers, use F as the print code, and to all the hog farmers, use HG.

Credit Limit (C)

Enter an amount in dollars and cents. This will trigger an automatic "over credit" message on the order or invoice screen when the customer exceeds the limit.

Late Charge (C)

Enter N here if you do not want this customer to receive finance charges for overdue invoices. If this field is left blank, the computer uses the finance charge information set up in the Setup A/P and A/R (&) Screen to generate finance charges when you run Report # 3-20. You may enter a number in this field which will overrride the finance charge in the Monthly Rate field of the Setup A/P and A/R screen. The computer will read this number as a percent.

Tax Status (C)

If this customer normally pays sales tax, enter a tax code here which will reference a tax code in the Inventory (I) screen. Usually the two-letter State Code preceded by a period, such as .PA or .MS is used for the State Sales Tax.

If this customer is tax-exempt, enter the tax code with a backslash (/) after it.

(The old E option for exempt will still work if you have an E tax code set up for 0% tax.)

If you collect tax or track sales for more than one tax jurisdiction, you can enter multiple codes in this field. Press M for more on

You can use the next field, to choose how to handle items that are sometimes taxable.

Discount Level (C) (Y) (Q)

The discount level is found on the Customer (C) screen, the Customer Type (Y) screen and the Quoted Price (Q) screen - with the latter overriding the former.

The computer uses this field to calculate discounted prices for this customer. Enter A, B, C or D to specify which Discount field from the Inventory (I) screen you want to use. If this field is blank, the computer will automatically use Discount field A.

You may also enter a Level Code (A, B, C or D), followed by a percentage, to give this customer an additional discount. For example, if you enter A5 here, items sold to this customer will be given the Level A discount from Discount A on the Inventory item, plus an additional discount of 5%. Discounts are calculated sequentially, so if Discount A is 20% and the customer gets an additional 5%, the resulting discount would be 24% (80% x 95% = 76%).

To calculate prices for this customer as a certain percent over Book Cost, enter E followed by a number. For example, E20 means that prices for this customer will be calculated as 20% over cost.

Ship Via (C)

Enter the normal shipping method for this customer. This information will be carried across to the customer's invoices automatically as they are entered.

Customer Terms (C)

This field is used to calculate Due Date, Discount Date, and Discount Amount on A/R invoices. It also appears on printed invoices.

Some examples follow:
Example 1: NET 30

Example 2: 2% -10,NET 30

Example 3: 2% 10TH N 30

Example 4: NET 30TH

The first three examples will set the due date to 30 days after the invoice date. The word NET and the letter N indicate that the net days are being specified. The fourth example sets the due date to the 30th of the following month.

Example 2 will set the discount to 2% of the invoice amount, and the discount date to 10 days after the invoice date. The percent sign (%) indicates that a discount is being specified.

Example 3 will set the discount to 2% of the invoice amount, and the discount date to the tenth of the following month. The TH indicates that a day of the following month is being specified, rather than the number of days.

The only delimiters (spacers) required are N or NET for net days, TH for a specific day of the following month, and % for discounts. Commas, spaces, and hyphens are optional.

If you want to give a customer a discount for immediate payment (0 discount days), enter a C or a word beginning with C (such as COD or CASH) in the discount days position. (Using 0 as in 2%0 will not work.) Examples follow:
2%C

2%CASH NET30

2%COD

2%COD N10TH

Enter the salesman code as entered in the Salesman (S) screen. This will carry across to receivable invoices automatically as they are entered, and each time an invoice is saved for this customer, the computer will automatically post the total sales to the specified Salesman's screen.

Advertiser (C)

This is an information field by which some reports may be sorted.

Shipping Address (C)

This field is used for customers whose billing and shipping addresses are not the same. Enter the code for the shipping address as entered in the Names (N) screen. This address will carry across onto the customer's invoices automatically as they are entered.

Customer Type (C)

You can enter any code here that you have set up in the Customer Type (Y) screen. The Customer Type can be used by Report # 3-1, CUSTOMER ADDRESS LIST, to print a selective listing and by Report # 3-12, CUSTOMER AGED TRIAL BALANCE, to sort the customers by Type. The Customer Type can also specify Restrictions and special Terms for the customer. These are set up in the Customer Type (Y) screen.

Message 1, 2, 3, 4 (C)

Any information in the Message 1 field will appear on Report # 3-26, CUSTOMER REVIEW. Enter any other information you wish to keep in reference to this customer on the remaining lines. The computer may print one or more of these messages if the # of Customer Messages (0-4) field on the Setup A/P and A/R (&) screen contains a number. Message 4 is displayed on the bottom of the Receivable Invoice (R) screen when the customer's code is entered.

See page 50 for Message 1, 2, 3, 4 (C)

See page 50 for Message 1, 2, 3, 4 (C)

See page 50 for Message 1, 2, 3, 4 (C)

Contact Person (C)

This is an information field for your convenience. It does not reference any other files. You may enter the name of the person you normally deal with.

Review Date (C)

If you want this customer to appear on Report # 3-26, CUSTOMER REVIEW, on or after a certain date, enter that date here along with an appplicable message in the Message 1 field.

Last Change Date (C)

This field is automatically set to the system date each time you change something on the screen and save it.

Telephone # (C)

Enter the Home telephone number here. If you enter 7 or 10 characters, the phone number will format automatically. This appears on various reports. You may enter several phone numbers on this line, separating them with commas. But the program auto-formats only when there is one phone # entered.

If you have a modem properly configured for your system, and the modem screen ('O) is setup, the computer can dial phone numbers for you. When you press , the computer dials the first number in the Home telephone number field, unless the cursor is at the beginning of another number.

You can page through the files by telephone number when you use and with the cursor on this field.

P. O. Required (C)

If this customer requires a Purchase Order # on every invoice, enter a Y here. Whenever you enter an order or invoice for this customer, the computer will require a Purchase Order # and automatically ask you for one if it is missing.

Customer Tax Exemption Number (C)

If the customer is tax-exempt, enter his tax-exemption number here. If the Tax Status field indicates the customer is tax-exempt, and there is no tax-exemption number, the computer will alert you each time you enter the customer's code on a receivable order or invoice.

You may also use this field to tell how to handle items that are sometimes taxable (items with an S in the Tax field on the Inventory screen). To do this, enter one of the following letters in this field:

E - these items are usually Exempt for this customer

T - these items are usually Taxable for this customer

Not entering any of these letters will have the same effect as entering a T. You may enter a tax-exemption number after one of the above letters, as in A12345678.

Commission % (C)

This is an information field used by some custom reports.

Zone (C)

Zone charges are used when there are varying charges depending where the customer lives. One example would be the charge for a service call. Here are the steps for setting up varying service call charges.

1. Enter a code in the Zone field of the Customer screen to identify the zone in which this customer lives. You may use letters or numbers such as: 01, 02, 03, or A, B,C.

2. In the Inventory screen, set up an item using a code such as SC as the item #, SERVICE CALL CHARGE as the description, and put a Z in the Unit field.

3. Also in the Inventory screen, set up an item for each zone, starting with the letters SC (or whatever you chose in Step # 2) and ending with the various zone codes; for example, SC01, SC02, SC03, or SCA, SCB, SCC. Type the description that you want to appear on the invoices. In the List Price field put the service call charge that corresponds to that zone. DO NOT put a Z in the Unit field of these items.

To put a service charge on an invoice, enter SC for the Item #. The computer will automatically attach the correct zone for the customer and enter the appropriate Item # and charge on the invoice.

Fax Number

On the Customer, Vendor and Names screens, you can enter a FAX number. If you enter 10 characters, the FAX number will format automatically.

If you have a CAS Fax-Modem such as the PureData SatisFAXtion 400, you can send Word Processor records to someone with a Fax machine. Here's how:
1. Load the person on the C, V or N screen.

2. Go to the W screen and load the document that you

want to send.

3. Press Ctrl+P. A message box appears asking you to

press P, N, D or Enter. Just press F for FAX.

4. Press C, V or N depending on who you are faxing to,

or type in the fax number and press Enter.

You can page through your files by FAX Number, using and with the cursor on this field.

Ship - R or C (C)

This is an information field which may be used with the optional ABC Shipping Manifest Module; R for Residential customers or C for Commercial customers.

Old Code (C)

This is used with special programming when transferring records from another system to ABC Accounting.

You can page through your customer screen by Old Code, using and with the cursor on this field.

Ship - R or C (C)

This is an information field which may be used with the optional ABC Shipping Manifest Module; R for Residential customers or C for Commercial customers.

New Code (C)

If you need to assign a customer a new code, enter a new customer record for him. Then, on the customer's old record, enter his new code in this field. Now when you enter this customer on an Invoice, Order, or Job, you can enter the old code, and the computer will automatically use the new code and the customer information you have entered on the new record.

Report # 3-1, CUSTOMER ADDRESS LIST, and Report # 3-30, CUSTOMER ADDRESS LABELS, skips customers with this field filled in, because they use the new code assigned to the customer.

City

If the Zip Code you entered in the Zip Code field, did not exist in the Zip Code (Z) screen, the cursor jumps from the Zip Code field to the CITY field. Type the name of the city here and press enter.

See page 37 for State or Province

See page 37 for # NE Nebraska NH New Hampshire

Paying Back a Customer Overpayment (C)

When a customer overpays an invoice, the computer will automatically apply the extra amount to the customer's NIA (Non-Invoiced Amount) as a credit. Then when a new invoice is entered for the customer, the credit can be applied to it. A credit invoice can be taken care of the same way. Press Page 95 to see "Applying an NIA (Non-Invoiced Amount)." The same information is found from the D screen by pressing Shift+F1, selecting Questions, and then option N.

Sometimes you may want to issue a check to take care of a customer's credit balance. To do this, enter a deposit using the Customer's Code, but without a Check # or Check Amount. In the Apply to G/L Account field, enter the G/L account number that is set up for transfers. (ABC's standard Transfer Account is # 25.) Enter the NIA or credit invoice amount as a positive figure. If it is an

NIA amount you are taking care of, that is all you need to enter on the Deposit (D) screen. If you are taking care of a credit invoice, you will also need to apply payment in the Pmt Apd (Payment Applied) field on the lower section of the screen, on the line which has the credit invoice. Enter the number as a negative figure. This changes the invoice on the Customer (C) to a closed, rather than an open, invoice.

Then, issue a check to the customer from the Ledger (L) screen, applying the check amount to the same G/L Account that you used on the Deposit (D) screen.

If you use automatic deposit posting, it will put the amount into the specified G/L account, and the next two paragraphs will not apply to your case.

If you post Accounts Receivable to General Ledger by making a manual entry on the Ledger screen, you will need to make a special entry to post this transaction properly. If you are paying a credit invoice, make an entry to subtract the check amount from the G/L Transfer Account and add it to the G/L Accounts Receivable Account. When you enter the bank deposit, you will take the whole deposit amount out of the G/L Accounts Receivable Account as usual. For a Non-invoiced Amount, simply take the check amount out of the same G/L Account that you applied it to on the Deposit screen. The rest of the bank deposit gets taken out of the G/L Accounts Receivable Account.

If you post Accounts Receivable to General Ledger with Report # 3-37, CASH DEPOSITS BY G/L#, the computer will automatically post this transaction properly.

Posted Fields (C)

The following fields are restricted and are maintained by the computer: Date First Entered, Post Date, Last Change Date, Month-to-date Sales, Prior Sales, Month-to-Date Payments, Balance, Prior Balance, Month-to-date Cost, Prior Cost, Non-invoice Amount, Sales 1 Year Ago, Sales 2 Years Ago and Special Deposit amount.

These fields are updated upon entry of a receivable invoice or deposit. The Post Date tells when the last transaction was posted, and indicates which month is represented in the month-to-date figures.

Customer Setup (C)

To set up a new Customer, go to the C screen. If the screen is not blank, press the space bar when the cursor is on the Code field and press Enter. This gives you a blank screen to enter the new Customer. Type the Customer Name the way it appears in the phone book - the last name, a comma, the first name and the middle name or intitial.

After you have typed the name, press Enter. The computer should enter the code. If the code is duplicated, the Customer lookup will be displayed with the new entry. If the customer is already there, put the cursor on that line. Press Enter. (If the code does not enter, make sure the Code Generator has been set up for Customers on the Setup Company G/L (#) screen.) The rest of the fields on the C screen are optional, depending on your needs. The information in these fields can be entered or changed at any time.

The most commonly used fields are Name, Street Address, Zip, Phone # and Tax Status.

When you are done, press F9 to save. The cursor returns to the Code field. To enter another Customer, press the Space Bar and press Enter. The Customer you just entered disappears from the screen, but it has been saved in the computer.

Customer Refunds (C)

If you are writing a check to a customer who returned something that was invoiced to him, make another invoice with a negative number in the quantity field and the refund in the amount field. When you press F9 to save, the POS screen appears. Choose option B for Both which takes you to the Deposit screen. Leave Check # and Check Amt. fields blank. In the Apply to G/L Acct. # field, enter the # of the Customer Refund Acct. (ABC's standard Customer Refund Acct. # is 22.) Enter the amount. Enter the amount again in the Pmt Apd Field as a negative amount. Save with F9. To write the check, go to the Ledger Select (-) screen, choose the Ledger you usually use for checks. In the Vendor Code field, type in the Customer's name. Use the Customer Refund Account # as the Acct. # and type in the amount of the refund as the amount. Use Ctrl+P to print and save the check.

If the customer returns something that was not paid for, make another invoice as described above. To remove this transaction from the Open Invoice Report # 3-09, go to the Deposit (D) screen. Enter this customer's code. Below, enter a positive amount for the one invoice and a negative amount for the other. Save with F9.

Using a Credit Card to Pay Bills

1. On the G screen, set up an account labeled Credit Card Transactions.

2. On the # screen, enter the G/L # that you set up in step # 1 in one of the unused ledgers. The ledgers are numbered from 3 to 7.

3. When a credit card bill arrives, mark it paid by going to the Check Writing (/) screen. Use the Ledger # set up in step # 2. Enter the Bill # in the Ref column and press F9. Print the check on plain paper.

4. When a credit card payment is due, write a G/L check from your Bank Ledger using the L screen. For the account number, use the G/L # from step # 1.

Bad Check Transaction

The correct time to record a bad check transaction is immediately after printing a deposit slip (using a Y in Deposit Total.)

Make a separate entry on the Deposit (D) screen instead of deleting the original deposit entry. Enter a Y in Deposit Total. Enter the amount as a negative figure. With your cursor in the bottom part of the screen, press Alt+I. The following message will appear at the bottom of the screen: "Enter Invoice # to load." Enter the invoice number that the customer's bad check was to cover. The computer will load that invoice to the Deposit screen.

You may use Alt+I as many times as necessary to load more invoices in situations where one check covered several invoices. Apply the check amount to the invoices as negative figures. The computer will put the invoices back on the Customer (C) screen as open invoices. When you are finished, press F9 to save the record.

Data Management Utilities for Customers (C)

If you want to start using a new code for a customer, leaving the original record intact, simply use the New Code field. (For help, press F1 while on that field.)

However, if you want to change a customer's code and delete the original record, any transactions that have been entered for that customer must also be changed to use the new code. A utility is provided for this purpose. Use it with care, observing the following steps:

1. Make sure you have a current backup of your data.

2. If you are on a network, use the ABC server for the

following steps.

3. Go to the Customer (C) screen.

4. Load the customer you want to change.

5. Write down any posted amounts, such as Balance.

6. Press Alt+C.

7. Enter the new code you want to use for the customer.

8. After the computer is finished posting (hard disk

activity will stop), load the new customer and make sure

the posted amounts are correct.

9. When the new record is correct, you may delete the old

one if you wish.

10. To change another customer, go back to step # 4.