OpenPro Application Guide - Accounts Payable (AP)
This chapter lists and defines key words used in this guide.
The OpenPro Software Systems' Accounts Payable module is designed to manage a company's entire payable process. It is an accrual system with a complete vendor master file. Accounts Payable can assist in the management of cash by scheduling payment dates and by keeping track of vendor payment terms.
Vendor Accounts: Each vendor is assigned a 15 digit alphanumeric code and is entered into the system only one time. An unlimited number of vendor accounts can be maintained.
Bills /Invoices: Bills and invoices are entered in Accounts Payable as vouchers. The vouchers are coded to the proper account in General Ledger, inventory item in Inventory Control, asset item in Fixed Assets, or job activity in Job Costing. A voucher can be disbursed to any module and no limit is set on the number of distributions for a single voucher.
Payments and Check Printing: The vouchers can be paid by either system generated or manually written checks. A voucher can be paid in part or full. Accounts Payable will keep the balance open until the voucher is paid or a debit memo is issued to relieve the balance. System and manual checks and the information required to produce bank reconciliations are recorded. The Accounts Payable module prints checks in standard check format and the forms for the checks are available from a national supplier.
Reports: A variety of reports are available in Accounts Payable including a listing of all vendors and their current balances; selected vouchers subtotaled by vendor; vouchers selected for payment, aging and cash requirements; and a listing of checks—both system generated and manual checks.
Accounting
<Accounting> is the function that provides quantitative information about your company through the collection, categorization, and presentation of financial records.
Accounts Payable
<Accounting> is <Accounts Payable> is the accounting area dealing with the purchases and disbursements of your company and with the money you owe. As used here:
Voucher
<Voucher> is the number assigned to invoices received. It is an internal number assigned to invoices received from vendors and is used to control and verify payment accounting areas dealing with the purchases and disbursements of your company and with the money you owe.
Vendor
A <Vendor> is a person or company from whom you purchase the goods and services used in your business. For example, the telephone company is one of your vendors. You purchase a service from them.
Accrual
<Accrual> is a term that describes one of the two methods of accounting for revenues and expenses that are commonly used and approved by the Internal Revenue Service in the United States). The other method is called the <cash> method.
Under the accrual method:
Under the cash method:
Transactions
As used in accounting, <Transaction> means a business event involving money and goods or services. For example, a transaction occurs each time you gas up your car, you pay money in exchange for gasoline (goods).
Because computer software deals primarily with business events that have already taken place, in OpenPro software, <transaction> means the record of a completed business event involving money and goods or services.
The records of sales made and payments received are examples of transactions from the accounting area called <Accounts Receivable>. The records of your purchases and the payments you make for such purchases are transactions from the accounting area called <Accounts Payable>. The records of quantities of goods received or sold are transactions from the accounting area called <inventory control>.
Payables
In OpenPro.com Accounts Payable, a <Payable> is an A/P transaction. When a vendor sends you an invoice, you enter this invoice into your computer system as a <payable> using the Payables function.
Open Item
In Accounts Payable, an <Open Item> is an unpaid invoice. After a payable has been entered and verified as correct, it is posted and becomes an <open item> until it is fully paid. (Also, any unused credit or debit memo from a vendor is an open item.)
Prepaid
In Accounts Payable, <prepaid> means a bill that has been paid before the good or service has been received. In this case it is not necessary for the computer to print a check paying this bill. In OpenPro.com A/P, a prepaid entry is called a <non-A/P> entry because it does not affect the A/P account (although it still affects other accounts).
Manual Payment
A <Manual Payment> is a payment made using a handwritten check instead of a computer-printed check.
A manual payment differs from a non-A/P (prepaid) transaction in that the non-A/P transaction was paid prior to entering into the computer system.
A manual payment can be made for an unpaid open item already entered into the system.
Immediate Payment
A special case is a method of entering an unpaid bill and having the system immediately and automatically, print a check for that bill. The bill is then considered paid. An example of this is paying for a COD shipment.
Aging
To <Age> means to determine how old a payables document is. You may select to age either by <due date> or by <invoice date>.
The software enables you to use the above aging periods, or to define your own.
When aging is done by invoice date, a document becomes 1 day old on the first day after the vendor’s invoice is posted. An invoice entered with a date of January 1 would be 30 days old on January 31, regardless of the due date.
When aging is done by due date, a document becomes 1 day old on the first day after the due date. A vendor’s invoice due for payment on January 1 would be 30 days old on January 31, regardless of the invoice date.
General Ledger
When your company receives payables and makes payments, this activity affects not only Accounts Payable, but also the accounting area called <General Ledger>.
General Ledger is the area of accounting where all accounting records are brought together to be classified and summarized. Financial statements are printed based on this data.
As used here, general means “pertaining to many areas.” Ledger means “a book where accounting records are kept.” This term evolved from pre-computer times when accounting records were kept exclusively by hand in large books called ledgers.
General Ledger is often abbreviated G/L or GL.
General Ledger Account
A <General Ledger Account> is a specific category under which all financial activity of a certain kind is classified. For example, you might have a General Ledger account called telephone expenses under which you categorized your telephone bills.
Typically, an independent business has one hundred or more G/L accounts. In OpenPro.com accounting packages, each time any financial activity occurs in any area of accounting, the dollar amount is recorded under the appropriate G/L account numbers.
Account Number
An <Account Number> can be fairly extensive. You can create an account number with up to four segments or many combinations of the four. If all four segments are used the first two segments are reserved for cost centers; the third segment is always the main account number; and the fourth segment is always the sub-account number. An account number must consist of at least one segment.
Refer to the Company Information chapter in the Installation and System Guide for complete information on General Ledger Account Numbers.
Distribution
As used in OpenPro.com Accounts Payable, <Distribution> means either:
For example, when you purchase office supplies on credit, you enter information into the computer about how much you owe, who you owe it to and when it is due.
In addition, you distribute (allocate) the amount of the purchase to your G/L Accounts Payable account and to your G/L office supply expenses account.
The OpenPro.com A/P package collects all distributions to G/L accounts and prints a report summarizing these distributions. These distributions can be automatically transferred into OpenPro.com General Ledger, if you use it.
Debit and Credits
In addition to handling a particular area of accounting, as described above (such as Accounts Receivable or Accounts Payable), each OpenPro.com package also keeps track of the effect of those transactions on G/L. For example, when you make sales to, or receive payment from, your customers, this activity affects not only A/R, but also G/L.
These transactions must be recorded both in the proper A/R customer accounts and in G/L under the proper G/L account numbers.
The terms <Debit> and <Credit> refer to the types of transactions that must be recorded in G/L accounts to accurately reflect the activity occurring in all accounting areas.
In A/P, a debit memo issued by a vendor to you increases what you owe that vendor, and a credit memo decreases what you owe.
Unfortunately, debit does not always mean <an increase in an account> and credit does not always mean <a decrease in an account>. In some accounting areas, such as most asset and expense accounts, a debit increases a G/L account and a credit decreases a G/L account. In other areas, such as most liability and sales accounts, a debit decreases and a credit increases a G/L account.
A minus entry changes the effect of most transactions. Where it is allowed, a minus credit becomes a debit.
This occurs because of the system called <double entry accounting> (also called <double entry bookkeeping>) which is the standard method of accounting used today.
Double Entry Accounting
The concept behind <Double Entry Accounting> is that every entry (transaction) results in balancing debit and credit entries into the General Ledger.
Let’s look at the debits and credits involved when a typical independent business pays for goods or services bought earlier on credit:
So two entries are made into G/L that balance each other. These balancing entries form the basis of double entry accounting. If you or your accountant ever find your G/L accounts <out of balance>, it means that the proper balancing entries were not made.
No attempt is made in this guide to teach you accounting, especially about what types of transactions cause debits or credits to what accounts. Unless you are an accountant or fully responsible for maintaining your company’s general ledger, you need not remember whether a debit increases or decreases a particular type of G/L account.
When using OpenPro.com accounting software, you are occasionally asked to enter the G/L account to be debited or credited. Just refer to the appropriate chapter in this User Guide, where you will find exact instructions about what to enter.
Within OpenPro.com General Ledger, Accounts Receivable, Accounts Payable, Payroll, Order Entry/Billing, Job Cost, Inventory Control, Purchase Order, and Check Reconciliation, the software automatically takes care of all double entry accounting as you enter the required information on the screen.
Function
As used here, <Function> means “one or more programs that accomplish a specific task.”
Each selection on the main menu for a OpenPro.com package is a function. When you select a function from the menu, one or more programs automatically execute, thereby allowing you to accomplish the task you selected.
When a set of accounting packages is <Integrated>, any information generated in one area and which is needed in another area is automatically supplied to that other area.
You do not have to enter the information twice.
OpenPro.com accounting software is fully integrated. When OpenPro.com Accounts Payable is used with OpenPro.com General Ledger, any information recorded in A/P that should be known to G/L can automatically be transferred into G/L.
G/L account distributions are created each time payables or checks are posted. The Payables Distributions to G/L Report can be printed on request. This is normally done at the end of each accounting period.
Similarly, when OpenPro.com Accounts Receivable is used with OpenPro.com Check Reconciliation, information on checks written or voided can be actually transferred to C/R.
If you use OpenPro.com Job Cost and/or Purchase Order, Accounts Payable automatically interfaces to one or both packages.
Data Organization
Most of the information you enter into your computer is stored on your disk. In order for computer programs to locate specific pieces of data (within large masses of data) and to process data logically, data must be organized in some predictable way. OpenPro.com accounting software organizes your data for you automatically as it stores it on your disk. Similarly, when OpenPro.com Accounts Payable is used with OpenPro.com Check Reconciliation, information on checks written or voided can be automatically transferred to Check Reconciliation.
There are five terms you should understand about the way the data is organized:
Each file is kept separate from other files on the disk.
(There are other types of files in addition to data files. For example, programs are stored on the disk as <program files>. However, references to <file> in this User Guide mean <data file> unless specifically stated otherwise.)
Enter
To <Enter> means to record in the computer. For example, in A/P vendor names and addresses must be entered into the A/P Vendor File and purchases must be entered into a transaction file.
Post
To <Post> means to take payables transactions from a temporary file and move them to a permanent file (where other transactions probably already exist). For example, in A/P, purchases from vendors are initially entered into a temporary transaction file. After payables transactions have been entered and verified as correct, they are posted to the permanent A/P Open Item File.
Often, during transaction posting, information in other data files is also updated. For example, in A/P, when payables are posted, the account balance and historical figures in the Vendor File are also updated.
Register
A <Register> is a formal report of transactions approved for posting. Registers should be retained like journals would be in a manual accounting system.
Alphanumeric
When the guide refers to <Alphanumeric>, it means letters of the alphabet, numerals (numbers), special symbols (*, &, $, etc.) or any combination of all three kinds. In contrast, <numeric> (or <digits>), means only numbers.
Multi-Company
<Multi-Company> refers to the capability to do accounting functions for multiple companies with the same set of software. A user wanting to do accounting functions for more than one company on OpenPro.com packages can select Define Multiple Companies (refer to this chapter in the Installation and System Guide).
Help
<Help> refers to descriptions of functions that appear on your screen by pressing a designated Help. The <Help> text gives you a quick reference to the highlights of functions while you are running them.
Spool
SPOOL is a computer term meaning <Save Printer Output Off-Line>. Spooling is a technique that allows a report to print at a later time. Instead of reports going directly to a printer, they are saved as a disk file (which is usually a lot faster). When a printer is available, all or some saved reports can be printed in one long run (for example, overnight).
Check Reconciliation
<Reconciliation> means, “bringing into agreement.” When reconciliation is applied to checkbooks, it means, “bringing into agreement the balance of your checkbook and the balance shown on your bank statement.”
Auxiliary Files
An easily maintainable control file allows you to define various parameters that control many of the characteristics of the package.
Vendor File
A/P contains programs to maintain the Vendor File, including entering, changing, and deleting information. In addition to the usual name and address information, the vendor record contains information about the normal terms offered by the vendor and year-todate and last year purchases and discounts.
The Vendors by Vendor # Report and Vendors by Vendor Name Report can be printed on request.
Payables (A/P transactions)
With the Payables function, you can enter, edit, and post payables (A/P transactions). A <voucher number> is automatically assigned to each new payable entered. This number is used as an internal reference for each invoice and requires no extra work by the user.
As each payable is entered, A/P automatically calculates the due date, discount amount, and discount date, based on the terms stored in the vendor record, and presents them as default values that can be used while entering information.
Payables can be entered for <temporary> vendors, so that one-time vendors can be used without having to maintain Vendor File records for them.
Payable distributions can be made to an unlimited number of G/L accounts.
Credit vouchers, adjustments, and prepaid can also be entered through this function.
The Payables Edit List is available on request as an aid in the editing process.
On request, new payables are posted to the A/P Open Item File and a Payables Register is printed.
Recurring Payables
You can also enter and edit recurring payables. A recurring payable is one that you know occurs at some regular time interval.
You only have to enter the recurring payable once. Then you simply select the recurring payables that are currently due.
Regular A/P transactions are created for them automatically.
Aged Open Items Report
The Aged Open Items Report can be printed on request for all or selected vendors. Two formats are available. The detailed format shows all open items, by invoice, with aged totals for each vendor. The summary format shows only the aged totals for each vendor.
Four user-defined aging periods are provided, and aging can be done by either the invoice date or the due date.
View Open items
You can view all open items for a selected vendor.
Cash Requirements Report
You can print the <Cash Requirements Report> on request for all or selected vendors.
This report is useful in determining which vendors’ items to pay. It shows past and current items due with any valid discounts. It also shows items not yet due, but on which the discount would be lost if they were not paid before the next anticipated payment date.
Manual Payments and Modifications
A/P handles manual payment of open items already entered as regular vouchers.
A manual payment is a payment made using a handwritten check instead of a computer-printed check.
You can also edit due dates, discount dates, and discount amounts for existing open items.
Payment Preparation
A very flexible payment preparation procedure is provided.
In the <group> selection mode, all current and/or past due items can be selected for payment at once. You can also choose to pay items whose discount would be lost if not paid prior to the next payment date.
You can select for payment individual invoices, or all invoices for a specified vendor, or you can defer them from payment.
Partial payments can be made on any open item.
A Pre-Check Writing Report can be printed, showing all selected vouchers and what the payment amounts plus discounts are, so that any needed adjustments can be made prior to actually printing checks.
Check Printing
At any time after payment preparation has been done, A/P checks can be printed. For COD and other special cases, A/P may write the check immediately on entry.
Multiple check formats are provided, allowing increased flexibility in the format of the check stub. A reference field may be printed on the stub for each voucher paid. One line per voucher may be printed using compressed format. Checks can purchased through the www.openpro.com website.
Provisions are included for restarting check printing from any specified point if necessary to recover from a printer jam.
After printing checks, the A/P Check Register is automatically printed, showing all computer-written checks, as well as all manual checks and prepaids entered since the last Check Register was printed. The vouchers paid by each check are also shown.
Automatic Check Voiding
A simple check voiding procedure is provided. Distributions for checks are reversed and vouchers are reinstated to the Open Item File automatically. (This requires that Vendor History be used.)
Vendor History
A complete history of all transactions and payments for all vendors is kept on file for as long as desired. At any time, you can print various reports showing this vendor history information. These reports include the Open Payables by Date Report and the full Check Register, showing all checks printed for any date range. The history of any particular invoice can be inquired into on request.
Purchases/Discounts
The Purchases/Discounts Report shows the total purchases and discounts (year-to-date and last year) for each vendor shown.
Password Protection
You have the option to specify that passwords are required. A password is a unique code you assign to each individual using your OpenPro.com software.
When passwords are required, each potential user must first enter a valid password before being allowed to use a protected function.
File Recovery Procedure
This function provides the capacity to recover corrupted data files. You can also use it to convert important files to a format that can easily be interfaced to common database and word processing programs. For more information, refer to the Installation and System Guide.
Printers
You can easily configure your OpenPro.com software to work with any of the most popular printers. Additionally, instructions are given to allow you to configure the software to use virtually any other printer. Here is a summary of major A/P features:
Can be used with either <traditional> multi-level menus or a <menu bar> from which you can quickly access other functions or packages.
Before getting started, ensure that the Accounts Payable software is installed on your computer. Refer to the OpenPro.com Installation and System Guide (ISG) to install the A/P package before proceeding.
Also, you may want to familiarize yourself with the main features of this package by reading the <Understanding Accounts Payable> chapter in this guide.
You should consult with your accountant before using OpenPro.com software. Your accountant should be familiar with your accounting software, and can advise you on converting from your existing Accounts Payable system.
In order to use this package, you first must enter certain information describing your A/P system and how you want your transactions handled.
There are six different data files that you must <build> (enter) before the package will be ready to use. Listed below is a brief explanation of those six files:
1. General Ledger Chart Accounts File
This file contains all of your general ledger accounts used in A/P. Any time you use a G/L account number, A/P will verify that it is in this file. If you are running other OpenPro.com packages, this file may already exist.
2. General Ledger GL Cash Accounts File
This file contains all of your cash accounts, including those used by OpenPro.com Accounts Receivable, Accounts Payable, Check Reconciliation, and Payroll. If you are using these other packages, this file may already exist. These accounts must also exist in the G/L Accounts file.
3. Rules Setup Company File
This file is used to record information about your company, such as your company name, address, etc. If you are running any other OpenPro.com package, this file may already exist.
4. Rules Setup Business Rules Setup File
This file contains basic information that defines the way you do your Accounts Payable and, as a result, controls some of the features of the OpenPro.com package.
For example, part of this control information determines how you age your vendor accounts. Since this information may affect other OpenPro.com packages, it is important that you enter it correctly.
5. Payables Vendor File
This file contains a record for each of your vendors. Each record contains such information as the vendor’s name, address, usual terms, and year-to-date and last-year statistics.
6. A/P Open Item File
In OpenPro.com A/P, an open item is any bill that has not been fully paid or any unused credit or debit memo on file for any vendor. The A/P Open Item file is simply the collection of all open items (called <payables>) for all vendors.
Setting up A/P
Perform these steps to use OpenPro.com Accounts Payable:
Refer to the Guide to Daily Operations chapter.
If you are not using OpenPro.com General Ledger
Gather together the documents that correspond to the outstanding account balance in your General Ledger as of the day you plan to start using OpenPro.com A/P on a regular basis.
Enter and post regular payable transactions for all of these outstanding payables.
You may enter each individual payable for each vendor, or one summary payable for each vendor. Your choice here depends upon your business situation and should be done with the advice of your accountant.
Note that if you enter one summary payable for each vendor, you will not be able to track early payment discounts for the individual vouchers summarized, nor will you be able to age these individual vouchers using the Aged open items report.
At this point, the open items in A/P correspond to your A/P account balance in General Ledger and you are now ready to start using A/P on a regular basis.
Payables that are posted from this point forward will create G/L distributions. These distributions can then be printed and purged. The Payables Distribution to G/L Report is then used to transfer the debits and credits from A/P to your manual General Ledger.
If you are using OpenPro.com General Ledger
Gather together the documents that correspond to the outstanding account balance in your General Ledger as of the day you plan to start using OpenPro.com A/P on a regular basis.
Enter and post regular payable transactions for all of these outstanding payables.
You may enter each individual payable for each vendor, or one summary payable for each vendor. Your choice here depends on your business situation and should be done with the advice of your accountant.
Note that if you enter one summary payable for each vendor, you will not be able to track early payment discounts for the individual vouchers summarized, nor are you able to age these individual vouchers using Aged open items report.
The outstanding balance for your A/P account, as shown on the Aged Open Items Report (when run by invoice date), should be linked with the A/P account in your General Ledger.
At this point, the open items in A/P correspond to your A/P account balance in General Ledger and you are now ready to start using G/L on a regular basis.
Payables that are posted from this point forward create G/L distributions. These distributions are transferred to General Ledger using the selection Get Distributions in G/L. Refer to the G/L Get Distributions chapter for more information on this selection.
Regular Use
When you finish building your data files, you are ready to use A/P. The remaining chapters in this guide show you how to:
You are ready to continue now. Build the data files per the above instructions, and then you can begin using OpenPro.com A/P to process your work.
If you have problems with this software package, contact your dealer or authorized consultant.
For the name and location of a OpenPro.com dealer or an authorized consultant near you, contact the OpenPro.com receptionist at 1-714-378-4600.
If you want to receive support directly from OpenPro.com, please call our End User Support Department at 1-714-378-4600.
Or, when you are in OpenPro, you can select “support” on the top right side and have live support chat sessions.
When you call this number, you are billed for support on a per-incident basis. Before the billing starts, you are informed of the current rates, and you are given the opportunity to disconnect before you incur any charges.
You may go to your own distributor for training; however, if your dealer does not offer training, Authorized Training Centers are available.
Call OpenPro.com at 1-714-378-4600 for the name of the Authorized Training Center in your area.
This chapter provides the information you need in order to use OpenPro.com Accounts Payable.
The next chapter is a guide to daily operations. It explains how you use OpenPro.com Accounts Payable to perform various daily, weekly, and periodic tasks.
After the guide, the next few chapters give instructions on entering basic information to set up your package according to your needs and to prepare you for daily operation.
Next are chapters that you use most frequently. They describe how to use OpenPro.com Accounts Payable on a daily basis.
The last few chapters describe selections that are used periodically.
Additional information such as defining multiple companies, passwords, advanced features, and file recovery utilities, can be obtained from the Installation and System Guide (ISG).
Each chapter of this guide provides instructions on how to use a particular selection of your software.
The instructions include many examples. In fact, you can go through the guide and enter the examples shown in each chapter. This will demonstrate the capabilities of your new software. Each chapter has sample printouts of the information entered. Do not attempt to do the examples on a production system. If you use the multi-company feature, you can reserve a test company for experimentation. If not, either do all your experimentation before beginning routine business use of the system, or back up all your data before your training sessions and restore it afterwards.
Before entering the examples, either initialize the data files before you begin entering your actual business information or, better yet, load demonstration data as described in the ISG. When you <initialize> a file, you “clear out all information you had entered” for that file. After initialization, restart with this chapter and enter your actual business information. Initialization is described in the File Initialization appendix at the end of this guide.
You can press the <HELP> key, on the upper right side of the screen, at any time for on-line help about a task or selection you are currently using.
A <Menu> is a list of items from which you can select.
Selecting items from a menu on a computer is the way you tell your computer what you want to do.
If you have been using previous versions of OpenPro.com software, you are familiar with the way those menus work. Selecting an item from one of those menus either allowed you to perform an action or brought you to another menu from which to make another selection. Menus can be customized to your liking.
Your computer has an operating system (which is the basic software of the computer) such as Windows, Linux, Mac, or UNIX®. If you are uncertain which operating system your computer has, contact your supplier.
For any operating system, you can start your software by typing in the URL in your Browser. If you do this, you can select Accounts Payable from the master menu that appears.
You are always asked to enter a user login. On the top left side it displays the version number of your OpenPro.com packages.
You may be asked to enter your password. If so, enter your password. The characters type are encrypted on your computer screen. Remember to click <Enter> after typing your password.
If you have set up your software to process information for more than one company (refer to the Define Multiple Companies chapter in the Installation and System Guide), you are asked to enter an identifying code for the company you want to use.
The selections that you use most often (such as Payables) are on the first screen of the main menu.
To exit the A/P package, click on <logout> from the top right side of the A/P menu. Depending on your computer setup, either the OpenPro.com master menu appears, listing packages, or your operating system prompt appears.
The following checklists are provided as examples of how you might use Accounts Payable to perform various daily and periodic tasks.
The tasks are presented in a logical order. You should adjust the checklist as necessary to meet your own needs. Consult with your accountant for advice on organizing your own checklists to ensure the efficiency and security of your business operations.
EACH DAY
EACH DAY, AS NEEDED
EACH PERIOD
EACH PERIOD, AS NEEDED
-
EACH YEAR
EACH YEAR, AS NEEDED
-
EACH YEAR
EACH YEAR, AS NEEDED
-
The Business Rules are located in:
Rules Setup/Business Rules
.
This A/P Control Information section contains basic information about the accounting setup of your Accounts Payable package. The information contained in the Business Rules describes various functions in the Accounts Payable package and supplies default values for other functions. This has information like the Default Accounts Payable number, Next Voucher number, and Next Journal number for the distribution to General Ledger.
To set up the defaults, select Rules Setup from the main menu. From the drop down menu you click on Rules Setup, then Business Rules. Select the company you would like to configure and you will be able to enter all of your default information.
Default information for Payables
To fill out the default information for payables you need to go to maintenance. In order to get here, select Payables from the main menu, then click on Maintenance.
Another drop down menu will appear with the options of “Class,” “Rates,” and “Templates.”
From here you are able to default the options by clicking on whatever option you would like to default and enter in the desired default information.
An Accounts Payable account is a current liability (or short term liability) in your General Ledger summarizing the amount of money owed to your vendors for goods or services you have received.
All accounts are included in the G/L Account file, but some accounts are also included in separate files of their own.
OpenPro.com A/P provides for an unlimited number of Accounts Payable accounts. You may define as many as your business needs.
You can set up multiple A/P accounts and then assign each vendor to one of those accounts. All postings (payables and checks) for a vendor debit or credit the A/P account associated with that vendor.
Entering Vendor Class with A/P Accounts
The G/L accounts must already exist in the G/L chart of accounts before creating the vendor class. A/P Classes are required and all fields need to be filled in or you may get incorrect results when posting vouchers.
Description
The vendor class is a list of default charts of accounts in the system. The class is associated with the Vendor and during the entry and posting of transactions in payables, these accounts are used.
Comments
Class Code – any code you want to use for some vendors.
Enter any comments about the A/P account.
“A/P Acct” is the BALANCE SHEET A/P ACCOUNT FOR THIS CLASS.
“Discount account” is for order discounts.
Distribution 1 and 2 are the Payables expense accounts from your P&L. They all must be filled out and can be the same account number.
Printing a List of A/P Accounts
To print an A/P class list click on Payables, and then on Maintenance. From there you click on Class and can print a list by clicking on the printer icon located on the status bar line.
Click on the PRINTER icon to print the list of A/P Classes.
A/P Classes are the default accounts that come up during the entry process of A/P vouchers.
This is a list of AP voucher processing option table.
These are used to turn on or off Remit to address, 1099 address, the request for received date during ap entry and ask for the invoice total during entry process.
These are also used for the vendor prepayment options.
Enter a new Vendor.
From the main menu, go to the Payables section, and from the drop down list click on A/P Vendors. This will take you to the following screen:
From this screen click on the blue Make a new Vendor Here button on the top left hand side of the screen. That will take you to the following screen:
To enter a new vendor you will need to input the vendor information in ALL of the required fields in blue. Once you have done this you can input any additional information that you have for that vendor and click the blue Add button when you are finished. The default A/P Account is the G/L balance sheet account in Business Rules.
Once you have added a new vendor you will be able to view all information pertaining to the vendor, edit the vendor’s information, and print a list of all documented vendors.
To view a list of vendors or any particular vendor, from the main menu go to Payables, and then click on A/P Vendors. From here you can input search information for that vendor or you can do a quick search and click on the Search button. Leaving the parameter fields empty will give a list of all the existing vendors.
This will take you to the following screen:
View
To view details and information for a specific vendor locate the desired vendor and click on the blue Info button located to the right of the vendor that you have chosen.
A window similar to the one shown above will appear with all the information that has been entered for that vendor.
To Edit
To edit a vendor you need to go back to the general A/P Vendors list, then locate the vendor that you would like to make changes to. Once you have found the vendor click the green Edit button located to the right of the vendor. A window similar to the following will appear:
From this window make all necessary changes to the vendor information. Once you are through click on the “Save” button, and all of the information you have changed for that vendor will be saved.
Vendor types includes a TEMPORARY vendor for which you can enter in the address and name of the check during the posting of the voucher and check process.
To Print
To print a list of vendors go to the A/P Vendors list of vendors and click on the print this page button (printer icon) located at the top left hand corner of the screen.
Sometimes a vendor may supply you with goods from one or more locations that are different from that vendor’s remittance address. This would be the case when you purchase from a vendor’s branch location but make payments to their home office or corporate headquarters. Use this selection to enter addresses for those vendors who have one or more purchasing addresses distinct from their vendor address.
To enter a purchasing address you need to go into A/P Vendors. If you are entering a new vendor, do everything you would normally do to enter a new vendor, and when you are finished scroll down the page. The following screen will come into view:
When you reach this screen you are able to input all the pertinent purchasing address information in the “Remit To” section. The purchasing address is the address that prints on the checks for payment.
To Edit To edit purchasing orders go to the A/P Vendors list and find the vendor that needs changes made to the address. When you find the vendor click on the green “Edit” button located to the right of the vendor. This will take you to the screen where you originally entered all the vendor’s original information. When the window appears you are able to make any changes necessary to the Purchasing Address. When you are finished click on the Save button and all of your changes will be saved in the system.
Payables are entries requiring payment. There are one-time-only payables and payables that recur periodically (like a monthly payment). For each payable to be paid, a voucher is created. There is a voucher number that identifies each single payment.
Although the dictionary says that a voucher is as much a physical document as a receipt or a check, OpenPro.com does not use the term in this sense. A voucher in this package is exclusively an internal record in the computer, and there is no physical document corresponding to it. Also, OpenPro.com uses the terms voucher and payable interchangeably.
The Payables selection lets you enter or change various kinds of vouchers. If a voucher has already been entered (but not yet posted) for the information you specify, that voucher appears and is available for changes or deletion. Once the vouchers have been verified as correct (with the edit list), you can post them to the various A/P files.
The types of vouchers that can be entered in this function are: regular, credit and finance charge vouchers. The following is a description of these different types:
Regular Voucher
<Regular Vouchers> are entered for invoices and debit memos. Entering a positive invoice amount credits (increases) Accounts Payable. When entering a voucher for a vendor’s invoice or entering a vendor’s debit memo, enter a positive invoice amount.
The total of the distributions entered for the voucher must equal the invoice amount.
You can select and break up the invoice into as many different payable expense accounts as you want.
During entry of the regular voucher, you can do the three-way matching to the payroll system, by entering in the purchase order and applying the amounts to this voucher.
If you are using Job Costing or Projects, you can apply the payables amounts to the Job Costing and Projects systems.
Credit Voucher Memo
When you enter in the voucher, change the Document Type from “Voucher” (the default) to “Credit” memo. This will allow you to enter in the amount in the CREDIT column. Entering a negative invoice or credit memo amount debits (decreases) Accounts Payable.
Version 6.0.5 will also require a verification by entering in amount to record in INVOICE TOTAL field. For crediting vouchers, enter amount with negative sign.
For the G/L distributions, distribute the amount to the same account that was used earlier when the original payable, for which this entry is a credit memo, was entered, or distribute the amount to a returned purchases account. Consult with your accountant as to the exact account to use, which may vary depending on the nature of the credit memo.
Enter the distribution amount as a negative number. If multiple G/L distributions were used for the original payable, then you have to determine the amounts distributed to each account.
Partially Paid Vouchers
Vouchers that have been partially paid cannot be cancelled using a <cancellation> voucher. In order to cancel the balance of a partially paid voucher, do the following:
Marking the voucher as manually paid credits the cash account and debits the vendor’s Accounts Payable account. This reduces the Accounts Payable account correctly. A negative <non-A/P check> debits cash and credits the expense distribution accounts.
Thus, the debit and credit to the cash account wash and the net result is to reduce the Accounts Payable account and to reduce the expense accounts.
There are other methods that can be used to cancel a partially paid voucher. For example, you may enter a <negative regular> voucher for the balance to cancel and then select both the original voucher and the negative voucher for payment and then cut a check for $0.00. However, this technique requires the use of a computer check.
To begin you will need to go to the A/P Vouchers list and search either a specific vendor or click on fast search for the entire list of vendors.
To Add a New Voucher
To add a new voucher you need to choose the vendor that you want to enter the voucher for. Once you have found the vendor, click on the blue and bolded voucher button located to the right of the vendor. This will take you to the following screen:
The voucher button is used to pay Vendor invoices.
Fields required to enter in are as follows: Invoice #
, PO
or reference
and Amount
.
The other fields will default to today’s date, Vendor Terms setup on the vendor file, and 1099 processing.
Then you have 3 posting options depending on what you want to do:
Once you are at this screen you can select either the default information or make a payable with new information. Notice the default accounts show up on the form, but you can add new accounts to the screen. Also, you can look up the purchase order processing. If the vendor is a temporary vendor, then on the top left side go to Show Details to see the vendor information; that is where the vendor’s detailed information can be entered into the system.
Default Vouchers
To select default information for a voucher, choose a template in the purple area at the top of the voucher. Once you have selected a template click on the paintbrush icon directly next to the “Template” category, and this will automatically input default information for the specific template that you have chosen. When you have chosen a default voucher template click on the green Post button located at the bottom of the screen.
New Information
If you are entering new information on a voucher, input all desired information into the correct categories, then you can either click “Post” to post the voucher, or hold the voucher by marking the designated area “on hold.”
Notes
Once you have posted a voucher you are able to attach date and time stamped notes to the voucher that you have just posted. While entering the notes you can also attach scanned version of the invoice for future reference.
If you need an immediate check, you can select a cash account and PRINT CHECK, then POST after printing. If you do not need to print a check then click on the Close button.
During the entry process there are many options to lookup and review the Purchase Order.
There are also options where you can apply the Purchase Order receivers to the invoice and fill in the account numbers and amounts in the voucher. This will grab the account numbers from the Purchase Order; if the Purchase Order has a Job Cost or Project account assigned to it, the account number comes from there.
View Purchase Order
The Purchase Order can be looked up and printed.
View Purchase Order and Receivers; Apply to Voucher
If you select “receiver,” the system will look up the Purchase Order, review all the receivers for the Purchase Order and attach them to the Purchase Order.
Select the receivers for this Purchase Order and click Save to move the cost information over to the voucher.
The Recurring Payables Templates selection makes it easier to handle payables that occur periodically. Examples include: rent, utilities, telephone, loan payments, and insurance premiums.
Setting up a recurring payable does not commit you to creating a voucher when a certain time interval falls due. It merely simplifies the process of creating such vouchers, while ensuring consistency and accuracy for them.
You still have to select the recurring payables before using them as regular vouchers.
This is a two-stage process; selection is one step and using is the other. This allows you to review your selections before committing to them.
Automatic selection allows you to select many entries at a time.
You can do this by groups, based on a group code you assign to each entry.
* The using process takes all selected recurring payables and converts them to regular vouchers (that is, to entries in Payables).
Once recurring payables have been selected for use, they cease to be selected. They remain on file as entries in Recurring Payables, but you have to select them again the next time you want to use them.
The vouchers created by Use Selected are just like vouchers entered manually. Like other Payables entries, they still have to be posted before checks can be written for them.
In addition to entering, selecting, and using recurring payables, you can print an <edit list> of all recurring payable entries or a <selection list> of selected entries.
You can also print a list of expired recurring payables.
Select Templates from the A/P Vendors list for any vendor. If no templates have been specified for that vendor, the program will ask you to Make a New Template.
When you click on this link, the following screen appears:
Select a Template Name and fill in the other parameters. To make this a template for a recurring payable, mark the box next to the word Recurring.
This will create a template that can be chosen when creating a voucher for the vendor from the A/P Vendors list for which the template was created. Once you have made a template, you can choose to make that template the default for that particular vendor.
You can also make the template available to all vendors by clicking on Make General.
At this point, the template will no longer be available by clicking on Templates next to that vendor, but instead can be found in Maintenance Templates in the Payables menu.
The View Open Items and History selection enables you to examine A/P open items for specified vendors. An <open item> is any entry in Payables that has been posted but not yet paid (unpaid).
This feature is intended for rapid viewing of information, not for maintenance; so this selection is read-only (data entry is not allowed). There is a drill down to see details of the voucher. There are two exceptions: notes can be both viewed/ added using this selection and vouchers can be voided by bringing up the voucher and clicking the Void button.
In the view history section you are able to view ALL vouchers for a certain vendor. To do this go to the A/P Vendors list of vendors and find the vendor that you would like to view the vouchers for. Then, click the blue History button located to the right of the vendor. This brings up the following screen:
From this screen you choose what type of vouchers you would like to view.
You are not only able to view Open Items but you are able to view All vouchers for a vendor whether they are paid or unpaid.
More information about the vendor
For more information on the vendor rather than their open items, click A/P Vendors. This opens a window as follows:
From here click on the Info button next to the vendor that you would like to see details about, that vendor will pop up so you can view the details.
Distribution with Job Costing
When Job Costing is used, you can distribute the invoice amount to specific job accounts and/or to expense (non-job) accounts.
Begin by opening the A/P Vendors list in the Payables menu. Choose a vendor for whom you would like to start a voucher. The voucher creation screen is shown below:
To assign a job to the voucher, there are two methods: you can choose a job number in “Job for bottom acct” to assign a job to the bottom account in the list, or, alternatively, you can manually add a job number to the Job ID
field by typing in one of the jobs that is defined in the Job Costing module (Job Costing → Job Master). For a quick reference to the job numbers, you can use the “Job for bottom acct” pull down menu.
When you have finished creating the voucher, click the Post button. This will take you to the following screen:
At this point, note that the job details can be edited or created by selecting Details in the Jobs Listing menu (Job Costing → Job Master). You can also choose a job group distribution by selecting an item in the “Job Dist” drop down menus. Note: Job groups are defined in Job Groups in the Job Costing menu. When you have chosen a job group, click on DJ to edit the job number distribution for that job group. Click Save when you are done.
The Aged Open Items selection enables you to view details of an open item as well as print a report showing all items in the A/P Open Item File. The Aged Open Items Report shows the age of open items as of a particular date that you specify (called the aging date).
You can define aging periods either by days (0-30 days, 31-60 days, etc.) or by specific dates (3/16/1998 to 4/10/1998, 2/28/1998 to 3/15/1998, etc.). This is the date that is used to calculate the age of items. Items later than this date are not considered in calculating vendor balances.
Each voucher dated on or before the aging date is put into an aging amount due according to either its invoice date or due date.
The vendor’s balance in each aging amount due is obtained and shown on the Aged Open Items Report.
In order to view an aging list you need to click on the Select to Pay button from the Payables menu. Once you have done this, the following screen will appear:
From this screen you click on the AGING “view aging listing” button located at the bottom center of the screen. Once you click this button a list of all aging open items will appear in a separate window:
If you want to print an aging as of a PRIOR date, there is A/P Aging by Date under the REPORTS folder.
From this window you are able to click on the invoice number to the right of the vendor name and view details about that item:
You have the option to enter notes into that item by using the notes button located on the bottom right hand side of the screen. You are also able to view notes by using the view notes to the right of the enter notes button on the bottom right hand side of the screen.
When you view open items you also have the option to void an open item or put that voucher on hold. In order to void an item, click on the invoice that you would like to void. Once you have done this, the following screen will appear:
Located at the bottom right hand side of the screen is a red Void button. To void the item, click on this button. Once you have done this the open item will be voided immediately.
To put an open item on hold there is a checkbox located to the bottom right hand side of the screen. Once you click this checkbox your open item will be “on hold.” You can unhold the item by clicking on the on hold checkbox a second time, or by clicking on the box if an item is already on hold.
To print a list of aged open items you need to enter a different screen from the “view aged open items” screen. To do this, go to the main menu and click on Payables, and from that drop down menu click on the Select to Pay option. This will take you to the following screen:
From this screen you need to click on the make printable aging button located to the right of the “view aged open items” button.
Once you click this button the following window will appear:
This window is different from ‘view open items” because you cannot edit or view the details of an item. It is strictly used for printing an aged open items report. To print this list you click on the <control> button on your keyboard, and at the same time click on the <P> key. This will print out the list of aged open items that is shown on your screen.
The Cash Disbursements Projection (Select to pay) selection shows the amount of cash required to meet your Accounts Payable obligations. This can be for specified periods, vendors, and A/P accounts.
For example, this report can be printed to show cash disbursements projected by week for the next six weeks for a particular vendor. These projections are based solely on the open items currently on file.
This report is available whether or not you are interfaced to the OpenPro.com Purchase Order package; but if you are, you will probably prefer to use the Cash Disbursements Projection report provided by P/O. That report takes into account outstanding purchase orders and uninvoiced receivings, as well as A/P open items.
To select items for payment you need to first go to Payables in the main OpenPro Menu and then go to Select to Pay. That will take you to the following screen:
From here you click on the “view selected for payment” button with the scroll at the bottom of the screen. This will take you to a list of all open items. Here, you can select vouchers for payment.
Once at this screen select all vouchers that you would like to pay. You have the option to pay either the entire amount that is owed, or just part of what is owed. Selecting “Pay All” will automatically bring up the total voucher amount in the “Amt to Pay” field. If you select “Pay Part,” you will need to specify an amount in “Amt to Pay.” Pressing the Click to select all button will select “Pay All” for all of the vendors shown. Note: when “Pay All” is already selected, you must select “Pay Part” if you want to edit the Amount to Pay. Otherwise, the amount will revert back to the “Voucher Total.”
“Clear All Selections to Pay” will clear all the prior selected payables so you can start ith a clean entry again.
Before you print your checks you have the option to view what you are going to be paying. To view the items you selected to pay, from the main payables menu you click on the show to pay button. This will bring up a list of all the items in which you have selected to pay, as well as the amounts that are being paid:
Prepare Payments / Print Checks contains the functions needed to select the vouchers you want to pay, verify your selections, then pay them and post the checks to the A/P files.
Before you can print checks, you need to make sure that you have selected open items for payment and rechecked those items in the Show to Pay section. Once you have done this you are able to print checks. It is not mandatory that you view the items you have selected to pay before you pay them, but OpenPro highly recommends it. Select the checking account and verify the next number number is correct. Also, verify the check and G/L post date are correct. Enter in any notes regarding this check run.
In order to print checks you need to select the Print Checks option from the mainpayables menu. Once you have done this, the following screen will appear:
From this screen you need to select the cash account that you would like to use for the check. Once you have done this, click on the Payment button or Initiate Check button located in the middle of the screen.
From this window you can click the <control> key and the <P> key on your keyboard simultaneously (or right click, print) to print a check or go to FILE PRINT on the screen.
If you had a temporary vendor setup you will see the vendor information show up on the check.
You can print the checks as many times as you want. So verify your check paper is in the printer. If you make a mistake, just print them again on the correct paper.
If the check numbers are not correct, they can be fixed by going to General Ledger, Maintenance, Cash accounts, Edit; edit the cash account and put in the correct check number. This can be done as many times as you need as long as you do not POST the process. Once you post the process you have to void the checks and start all over.
Before running the checks, verify that the browser forms format is correct. There must be no headers and no footers, and .5 margins on all 4 sides, top, bottom, right and left.
Like in the picture below:
If you have too many invoices (15 or over) being paid at one time a remittance report will print out for the vendors to apply all the invoices.
The stub will take the first 15 vouchers and print them on the stub, then generate the remittance report.
There is more than one check format for printing checks.
Based upon the “yes” and “no,” the system knows what format to use.
There is a regular format stub with check stub.
There is a regular format with no titles (used for a preprinted check form).
There is also a format for the check on top and two stubs below.
Here is the format that is designed to print on pre-printed forms.
This is an example of the check on top and two stubs.
Once you have printed your checks you need to click on the orange Postbutton located at the bottom of the previous screen. Once you have done this, the system will mark your items as paid and you can view them in the vendor history as paid vouchers.
Also, all transactions that are posted will be sent to General Ledger for processing.
Once you post the screen will appear like below:
During the check printing and posting process, General Ledger transactions were created.
You can drill down to the details of the check run.
This will show you the check run, the notes, and the payee information from the temporary vendor.
Manual Checks under Maintenance contains the functions needed to select the vouchers that you have paid already via a manual check; verify your selections; enter in notes regarding this manual check; then pay them and post the checks to the A/P files.
Manual Checks
Before you can enter in the manual check, verify that the vouchers are entered into the system. Once the vouchers are entered, you can then select the vendor, select the vouchers, and post the manual check. Also, verify the check and G/L post date are correct. Enter in any notes regarding this check run.
Select each voucher, the system will add up the total. Then enter:
Click Post to post the transaction.
Search for the vendor and the cash account, you can put in the dates if needed. the click Search.
Then a list of checks will display. To VOID a check, select VOID against the selected entry.
The system will ask:
Click on OK,
On the top it displays the check that has been voided.
Voiding the check creates a reversal entry in the General Ledger.
Void transactions also show up on the check register as VOID.
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[Last Review Date January 2015]