HINDEX KKEYBOARD HHELP Automatic Posting Reminder Help This screen appears only if today's date (actually, the computer's system date) is past the end of the month of the Last Auto Post date on the Update Company screen. Automatic posting allows you to post a recurring amount to each customer. The amount for the customer is taken from the Recurring Amount on the Update Customer screen. A typical use for automatic posting would be to charge rent, monthly dues, or any transaction that occurs periodically. Each customer may have the same or different amount. Transaction Code: the transaction type that will be used for all items posted. Transaction Date: the date that will be used. To disable the Automatic Posting feature, remove the date from the Last Auto Post field. Help Index Keyboard How to use help Press Esc to return to program HINDEX KKEYBOARD HHELP Help Index Keyboard How to use help Press Esc to return to program KKEYBOARD HINDEX KKEYBOARD How to Use Help The Help function may be invoked at any time by pressing F1=Help. You may then freely browse through the on-line help screens. You may return to the screen from which you entered Help by pressing Esc. While in Help, you may select another help screen by press- the first letter of a help topic (shown in red) and pressing Enter to display the screen. Or you may select a help scr- by moving the cursor with the editing keys (see Keyboard help). Most of the help topics are located at the bottom of the help screen, but sometimes they are embedded within the help text as well. To move backwards to a previously displayed help screen, press PgUp. Help Index Keyboard Press Esc to return to program, PgUp for previous help HINDEX KKEYBOARD HHELP How to Register Simple AR To register Simple AR, print the register.doc file included with the soft- ware. Fill out the registration form and send it together with your check or postal money order for $40 (plus 6.5% tax in Minnesota) to the following address: Simple Simon Accounting 3890 Hawthorne Circle Excelsior, MN 55331-7502 Upon receipt of your payment, you will be sent by US mail a registration card that will allow you to register your copy of Simple AR. Benefits of Registration 1. You are licensed to use the current version AND THE NEXT released ver- sion of Simple AR. (You are helping to support high quality shareware.) 2. You may choose to receive a diskette with the current or next version of Simple AR. 3. The opening menu will be personalized with your name and company. 4. The registration reminder window will no longer appear. Help Index Keyboard How to use help Press Esc to return to program HINDEX KKEYBOARD HHELP Select Activity Report Parameters Help Report Date: the date printed in the report heading. Transaction Date Range: transactions will be included in the report if they fall within the entered From and Thru dates. Include credit balances: include or omit accounts with credit balances in the report. Include zero balances: include or omit accounts with zero balances in the report. Destination: where the report is printed. Type prn to send the report to a printer connected to your computer. Another device name may be used as well. If a device name is not used, the name is interpreted as a file name and the report is sent to that file. Path names are supported. Help Index Keyboard How to use help Press Esc to return to program HINDEX KKEYBOARD HHELP Select Batch Report Parameters Help This report serves as an audit trail of entered transac- tions. The recommended method of entering transaction detail is to group each deposit into a batch. Assign a batch number and record it on the deposit slip. Similarly assign a batch number to charges. Use that batch number when entering each transaction. This report will then serve as a sales journal or cash receipts journal. Batch Number Range: batches will be included in the report if they fall within the entered Batch Numbers. Report Date: the date to be printed in the report heading. Destination: where the report is printed. Type prn to send the report to a printer connected to your computer. Another device name may be used as well. If a device name is not used, the name is interpreted as a file name and the report is sent to that file. Path names are supported. Help Index Keyboard How to use help Press Esc to return to program GXSTART1 JXJOURNAL AXAUD_TRL LXLOOKUP AAUTOPOST MXMENU BXBATCH RHOWREGIS IXINSTALL SXSUPPORT TXCODE KKEYBOARD HHELP Help Index The following general help topics are in addition to those which may be accessed directly from any point within Simple Getting Started Journals Audit Trail Lookups Automatic Posting Menu Usage Batch Control Registration Installation Support %Transaction Codes Keyboard How to use help Press Esc to return to program, PgUp for previous help HINDEX KKEYBOARD HHELP Select Report Parameters Help Report Date: the date printed in the report heading. Include credit balances: include or omit accounts with credit balances in the report. Include zero balances: include or omit accounts with zero balances in the report. Destination: where the report is printed. Type prn to send the report to a printer connected to your computer. Another device name may be used as well. If a device name is not used, the name is interpreted as a file name and the report is sent to that file. Path names are supported. Help Index Keyboard How to use help Press Esc to return to program HINDEX KKEYBOARD HHELP Select Report Parameters Help Report Date: the date printed in the report heading. Include credit balances: include or omit accounts with credit balances in the report. Include zero balances: include or omit accounts with zero balances in the report. Message on each statement: the default message is created from your entries on the Update Company screen. You may override this entry by typing something in this field. The message will print on the bottom of each statement. Destination: where the report is printed. Type prn to send the report to a printer connected to your computer. Another device name may be used as well. If a device name is not used, the name is interpreted as a file name and the report is sent to that file. Path names are supported. Help Index Keyboard How to use help Press Esc to return to program HINDEX HHELP " Keyboard Entry Keys Editing Keys Enter field completion cursor right field completion cursor left Minus (-) field completion, numeric toggle insert mode Ctrl+Enter accept entire screen delete character Ctrl+Esc reject entire screen backspace back up one field go to first char back up one field go to last char Lookup Keys Ctrl+Home clear entry Enter select highlighted record Ctrl+Enter update highlighted record Ctrl+End clear to end insert a record Ctrl+\ toggle char case delete a record Ctrl+ go to next word move highlight down Ctrl+ go to previous word move highlight up go right 8 chars PgDn next screen of records Shift+Tab go left 8 chars PgUp previous screen of records Gray * insert space/zero Home topmost displayed record bottommost displayed record Function Keys Ctrl+PgDn last record on file Help Ctrl+PgUp first record on file Help Index !How to use help Press Esc to return to program LXLOOKUP HINDEX KKEYBOARD HHELP Lookup Customer Help This window is the primary starting point for entering customer information. It allows you to see what customers are on file, to select one for further processing, or to add or delete customers. Customers are display alphbet- by last name. Only certain customer fields are shown. The rest of the customer information may be seen on the Update Customer screen. The Update Customer screen is accessed by pressing Ins to add a new customer, or by moving the highlight with the cursor control keys to select a customer and then pressing Enter to update the customer, or Del to delete. A check mark in the far right column indicates that the is a comment for this customer on the Update Customer window. See Lookup help for more information. Help Index Keyboard How to use help Press Esc to return to program LXLOOKUP HINDEX KKEYBOARD HHELP Transaction Detail Help This window is used to display and maintain customer trans- action detail. The transaction items are kept in the order that they were entered. (On printed statements however, they are displayed in date order.) The Update Transaction window is accessed by pressing Ins to add a transaction, or by selecting a transaction by moving the highlight with the cursor control keys, then pressing Enter to update the transaction, or Del to delete The totals at the bottom of the window show total debits, total credits and total net balance for the customer. See Lookup Help for more information. Help Index Keyboard How to use help Press Esc to return to program BXBATCH LXLOOKUP HINDEX KKEYBOARD HHELP Lookup Batch Number Help This window is used to display and maintain batch numbers. Batch numbers are used to group transactions for audit trail purposes. (See Batch Control help.) The Update Batch Number window is accessed automatically when an invalid batch number is entered on the Update Transaction window, or by entering zero in the Batch Nbr. See Lookup Help for more information. Help Index Keyboard How to use help Press Esc to return to program LXLOOKUP UUP_CODE TXCODE HINDEX KKEYBOARD HHELP Lookup Transaction Code Help This window is used to display and maintain Transaction Codes. Transaction codes are used to indicate the type of transaction, including whether it is a debit or credit, and what its default description is. The Update Transaction Code window is accessed by pressing Ins to add a new code, or by selecting a code by moving the highlight with the cursor control keys, then pressing Enter to update a code, or Del to Delete it. The Transaction Code window is also used to select a trans- action code when an invalid code is entered on the Update Transaction screen. (To add a new Transaction Code while enter transaction detail, press Ctrl-Enter when the Trans- action Code window appears on top of the Update Transaction window.) See Lookup Help, Update Transaction Code Help, or general help for Transaction Codes for more information. Help Index Keyboard How to use help Press Esc to return to program HINDEX KKEYBOARD HHELP Accounts Receivable Reports Help Batch Report - Prints all transactions for all batches numbered within the requested range. Can be used for matching up with deposits or journal entries. Trial Balance - Shows each customer name, phone number, and balance. Activity Report - For each customer, shows all transaction detail within the requested date range. Customer List - Shows account number, name, address, and balance of each customer. Mailing Labels - Prints a one-up mailing label for each customer. Help Index Keyboard How to use help Press Esc to return to program KKEYBOARD HINDEX KKEYBOARD HHELP Main Menu Help Customers - displays and maintains all customer information, including trans- actions. Statements - prints a statement for all selected customers. Statements are designed to print on plain 8-1/2 x 11 paper, and can be folded for window envelopes. Reports - shows a menu of available reports. Maintenance - shows a menu of maintenance functions, including transaction codes, company information, and roll balances forward. As in most menu systems, items may be selected in one of two ways: 1. Move the highlight with the cursor control keys (see Keyboard Help). 2. Press the number of the selection. After you have selected a choice, press Enter to activate your selection. Help Index Keyboard How to use help Press Esc to return to program HINDEX KKEYBOARD HHELP Maintenance Menu Help Company - displays and maintains company information. Codes - displays and maintains transaction codes. Roll Balances Forward - purges all transactions for all customers prior to a specified date, leaving in their place a single "Balance Forward" transaction. Help Index Keyboard How to use help Press Esc to return to program SXSUPPORT HINDEX KKEYBOARD HHELP Simple AR Registration Form Help This window is used to register Simple AR. It is triggered by using the /R switch when the program is started. To complete the form, enter the name and company EXACTLY as they appear on the Simple AR registration card which was sent to you. To obtain a registration card, please follow the instructions found on the Support Help screen. After registering Simple AR, the opening menu window will display your name and company, rather than "Unregistered." Registration reminder screens will also no longer display. Help Index Keyboard How to use help Press Esc to return to program BXBATCH HINDEX KKEYBOARD HHELP Roll Balances Forward Help Batch Nbr: the batch number to use for the new balance forward transactions. Batch numbers are used to group transactions together and form part of the audit trail. For more information, see Batch Control Help. Roll To Date: all transactions dated prior to or on this date will be purged from the system and replaced with a single "Balance Forward" transaction. This transaction will be dated with the Roll To Date; the amount of this balance forward transaction will be equal to the net amount of the purged transactions. In order to use the Roll Bal- ances Forward function, you must have a transaction codes of BF and CF (for Balance Forward and Credit Balance For- ward). The system will automatically set these codes up for you. (Therefore, the codes BF and CF are reserved and may not be used for another function.) Help Index Keyboard How to use help Press Esc to return to program AAUTOPOST HINDEX KKEYBOARD HHELP Update Customer Help Account Number - an optional field which appears on statements and reports. LAVD "last address verification date" - an optional date field; could be used to indicate the last time the customer address was verified, or any other use Name and Address - used in reports and on statements. Balance - the current balance of the customer. Statement Status - Y or N, indicating whether a statement will be printed for this customer during a batch statement run (an individual statement will be printed by the F3 key on the Update Transaction Detail window regardless of the setting of Statement Status). Recurring Amount - an optional amount that will be posted by the automatic posting routine (see the Automatic Posting help). Comment - an optional text field which can be used for any purpose. It does not display anywhere but on the Update Customer window. Help Index Keyboard How to use help Press Esc to return to program BXBATCH HINDEX KKEYBOARD HHELP Update Transaction Help Batch Number - this entry controls how transactions are grouped. You must set up a method for designating batches. It is recommended that you assign each deposit and each group of charges a unique batch number. For more information, see Batch Control Help. Enter zero to set up a new transaction code during transaction entry. Date - usually the date of the transaction. For a payment received from a customer, could be the date of their check. Type - must be a Transaction Code either previously set up, or could be set up during transaction entry. To setup during entry, access the Lookup Trans- action Code window by entering a blank or an invalid code. Then press Ins. Description - an entry in this field is used to override the default descrip- tion on the Lookup Transaction Code window. If that default is adequate, do not enter anything into this field. Amount - the amount of the transaction. Do not attempt to use the minus key to indicate a credit, as the Type field controls the sign of the entry. Help Index Keyboard How to use help Press Esc to return to program AAUTOPOST HINDEX KKEYBOARD HHELP Update Company Help Company Name and Address - the lines entered into these fields appear as the page heading on statements. Although each line is specifically named, you can adapt them to your own needs. The first line appears as the heading of the other reports. Contact Name and Phone - used in the footer of the statements to indicate who your customer should contact if they have any questions about the statement. Last Auto Post - indicates when the last automatic posting was done. Leave blank to prevent automatic posting. (See Automatic Posting help.) Logo Position - selects the position of the logo on customer statements. Choose Left if you are using 2-window envelopes; Center if you are using single window envelopes. Boxes on Stmt - Y to print graphics lines on statements; N to omit. If your printer can be set up to print lines, you should set this to Y as the state- ments are nicer looking with lines. N is mainly used with printers that cannot be made to print graphic lines (see your printer manual). Help Index Keyboard How to use help Press Esc to return to program AAUTOPOST BXBATCH HINDEX KKEYBOARD HHELP Update Batch Number Help Batch Number - identifies a batch. Usually best to number batches sequentially. (When Automatic Posting is used, the next higher batch number is used.) See Batch Control Help. Description - used to describe the batch. The following examples show how this field can be used: - for a deposit Deposit 01/02/93 $7,500.00 - for charges January Sales $11,500.00 - other Audit Adjustments $1,900.00 In each of these cases, an amount was included in the desc- ription for documentation purposes. Help Index Keyboard How to use help Press Esc to return to program UUPARTRAN HINDEX KKEYBOARD HHELP Update Transaction Code Help Code - a one or two character code. (BF & CF reserved for Balance Forward.) Description - the description of a transaction. Used for an entered trans- action unless it is overridden on the Update Transaction window. Dr/Cr Indicator - either D or C; controls whether transactions of this type are treated as debits or credits. When Simple AR is first installed, the following two transaction codes are present: Charge Debit Payment Credit These codes may be modified and other codes may be added to meet your needs. The following are some examples of other commonly used transaction types: S - Sales CC - Credit Card Payment CH - Credit Card Chargeback R - Return RE - Refund CF - Consulting Fee Help Index Keyboard How to use help Press Esc to return to program BXBATCH HINDEX KKEYBOARD HHELP Audit Trail Help An audit trail allows transactions to be traced from paper documents ("source documents") through an information sys- tem to reports produced by that system. A good audit trail allows every item printed on a report to be traced to its origin as a transaction in the real world; likewise, each real-world transaction that the system is intended to track must be traceable to the appropriate informational output of the system. In Simple AR, the primary mechanism for implementing an audit trail is via the Batch Number field. See the help for Batch Control for more information on setting up a good audit trail. Help Index Keyboard How to use help Press Esc to return to program AXAUD_TRL TXCODE RROLL_DTE HINDEX KKEYBOARD HHELP Batch Control Help In Simple AR, the audit trail is implemented via Batch Numbers. To best use the batch number, you must devise a method such as the method recommended below to assign a batch number to every transaction. The recommended method of entering transaction detail is to group transac- tions together by type. For example, if you are recording Sales, set up a transaction code for Sales, and make a logical grouping of Sales transac- tions, such as by time period (day, week, month, etc.). Assign a common batch number to every item in the group. For another example, consider a deposit slip containing customer payments. Assign a batch number to the deposit, write the batch number on the actual deposit slip, and use that num- ber for each item entered. A separate batch number should also be used when rolling balances forward (see Roll Balances Forward Help). By using these methods, the Batch Report can be used as a transaction journal (i.e., sales journal, cash receipts journal) or as a record of deposits. Help Index Keyboard How to use help Press Esc to return to program HINDEX KKEYBOARD HHELP Transaction Code Help Transaction Codes are used to simplify identification of common transactions. The transaction code provides a default description for the transaction (which can be overridden) and indicates whether the item is a debit or a credit. When Simple AR is first installed, the following two transaction codes are present: Charge Debit Payment Credit These codes may be modified and other codes may be added to meet your needs. The following are some examples of other commonly used transaction types: S - Sales CC - Credit Card Payment CH - Credit Card Chargeback R - Return RE - Refund CF - Consulting Fee Help Index Keyboard How to use help Press Esc to return to program HINDEX KKEYBOARD HHELP Installation Procedures Help The Simple AR software is installed by running the program with the /install switch. At the DOS prompt, type "ar /install" (without the quotes). This command may be typed in upper or lower case. When the /install switch is used, the program creates the data files. Thereafter, if one of the data files cannot be found by the program, you will be instructed by the program as to your choices at that point (regarding recovery of the file, recreation of the file, etc.) Under normal circumstances, this "not found" situation should not occur. Help Index Keyboard How to use help Press Esc to return to program TXCODE UUP_CODE BXBATCH HINDEX KKEYBOARD HHELP Journals in Simple AR Journals are most easily used in Simple AR by setting up a transaction code (see also Update Transaction Code Help) and using this code with the batch number. The batch num- effectively identifies a journal entry. Help Index Keyboard How to use help Press Esc to return to program KKEYBOARD HINDEX KKEYBOARD HHELP Lookup Screen A lookup screen allows you to browse through the records in a file, usually for the purpose of selecting one of the entries. The records are sorted alphabetically, usually according to the leftmost field dis- played on the screen. If no records are present, the entry screen for the record is automatically opened to enable data entry. Browsing through the file is done via keystroke command keys (pleae see Keyboard help). Most lookup screens will also allow you to maintain the file by adding, updating, or deleting records, as appropriate to the particular file. A Locator function is available on many screens. The Locator is an entry field used to position the lookup to various records in the file by typing the first few characters of the desired record. As charac- ters are typed the records are positioned so that the top record is the first record whose key field begins with the characters entered so far. The Locator field is especially useful for quickly browsing files with large numbers of records. Help Index Keyboard How to use help Press Esc to return to program KKEYBOARD HINDEX KKEYBOARD HHELP !Menu Help As in most menu systems, items may be selected in one of two ways: 1. Move the highlight with the cursor control keys (see Keyboard Help). 2. Press the number of the selection. After you have selected a choice, press Enter to activate your selection. Help Index Keyboard How to use help Press Esc to return to program HHELP LXLOOKUP PXSTART2 HINDEX KKEYBOARD HHELP Getting Started (a mini tutorial) Page 1 of 3 Before following the steps needed to get started, please take note of the following general guidelines: 1. Observe that nearly every window has at the bottom a list of active keys. For example, where you see "Ins=Add", you know that to add a record you will need to press the Ins key. Where you see "Del=Delete", you know that to del- ete a record, you will need to press the Del key. Likewise, "Enter=Update" indicates that to update a record, you will need to press the Enter key. 2. Pressing F1 at nearly any point will display a pertinent help screen (in computer jargon, this is a "context-sensitive help" function). The help function is explained on the How to user help screen. 3. Generally Simple AR is organized around a sequence of a lookup window followed by a related update window that is used to update the rows of data shown on the lookup window. The update window may then in turn offer the possibility of another lookup window, to aid in entering data for a field. (continued on Page 2) Help Index Keyboard How to use help Press Esc to return to program PXSTART3 HINDEX KKEYBOARD HHELP Getting Started (a mini tutorial) Page 2 of 3 (continuing the discussion of window organization ..) As an example, when entering data for a customer, you would first select the customer from the Lookup Customer window, then proceed to the Update Customer window. Another common sequence would be to lookup a transaction, update the transaction, lookup a transaction type, add a new transaction type if one was needed, etc. (It is much easier than it sounds.) 4. When entering a lookup window for which no data is on file to look at, the system assumes you want to enter some data and goes right on to the related update window. 5. To accept all the information on an update screen going through every field, press Ctrl+Enter. To reject a complete screen, pres Ctrl+Esc. To go back one field, press either Esc or up-arrow. (The actual steps to getting started are on Page 3; press PgUp to go back to Page 1.) Help Index Keyboard How to use help Press Esc to return to program, PgUp for previous help TXCODES RMNREPORT HINDEX KKEYBOARD HHELP Getting Started (a mini tutorial) Page 3 of 3 To get started with Simple AR, follow these steps: 1. Enter customers From the main menu, choose customers. From the Lookup Customer window, Press Ins to add a new customer (the very first time you won't need to press Ins.) Press F1 to get help on a field. 2. Enter transactions From either the Lookup Customer or Update Customer window, press F2. Press Ins to add a new trans- action (the very first time you won't need to press Ins.) Use C for Charge or P for Payment. (Or you can set up your own Transaction Codes). Press F1 to get help on a field. 3. Print some reports From the Reports Menu, choose a report. 4. Print statements From the main menu, choose Statements. Press F1 to get help. Help Index Keyboard How to use help Press Esc to return to program, PgUp for previous help HINDEX KKEYBOARD HHELP Getting Support Registered users of Simple AR may obtain support via CompuServe, US Mail, or telephone during normal support hours. CompuServe 72274,2514 Phone 612-621-1613 Normal support hours: Monday through Friday, from 06:00 pm to 10:00 pm, CST. To register, print the register.doc file included with the software, fill out the registration form, and send it together with your check or postal money order for $40 (plus tax in Minnesota) to the following address: Simple Simon Accounting 3980 Hawthorne Circle Excelsior, MN 55331-7502 Upon receipt of your payment, you will be sent by US mail a registration card that will allow you to register your copy of Simple AR. Help Index Keyboard How to use help Press Esc to return to program AUTOPOST FRAME I HELP _ HOWREGIS INACTRPTt INBATRPT\ INDEX INREPORT INSTMT KEYBOARD0" LKARCUST LKARTRANs- LK_BATCH41 LK_CODE MNREPORT MN_MAIN 4< MN_MAINTi@ REGISTER ROLL_DTE%F UPARCUST UPARTRAN UPCOMPANBU UP_BATCH UP_CODE >^ XAUD_TRL XBATCH df XCODE XINSTALL XJOURNALPs XLOOKUP XMENU Q{ XSTART1 XSTART2 ? XSTART3 Z XSUPPORT