Between Heaven & Hell 2/BetweenHeavenHell.cdr/500/405/acct.arc/PC-AR.DOC

Text File | 1986-06-10 | 22KB | 492 lines

                                 PC-AR MANUAL


PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

       PC-AR is an accounts receivable and sales analysis program for small
and medium size businesses.  The program runs on a IBM PC or compatible
computer with one disk drive and at least 128k memory.

       PC-AR is a user supported program.  Your are encouraged to give
copies to anyone who might use it.  If you like the program and find it
useful, please contribute $35 to:

              Jerry Medlin
              310 S. Jefferson St.
              Napa, Ca.  94559

       Your contribution will entitle you to free updates of the program and
a telephone number for limited telephone assistance should you require it.

       The complete system consist of two files.

       PC-AR.COM - The compiled program written in Turbo Pascal.

       PC-AR.DOC - This documentation in ASCII form.

       The program makes liberal use of the PC's numeric key pad both for
numbers and commands.  You can have the Num Lock on all the time.

       When inputting information, the plus <+> key has the same effect as
the return or enter key.  Numerical information is entered "calculator
style".  The decimal point is placed automatically.  The minus <-> key
enters a negative number.  This makes using the numeric key pad even easier.

       To run the program, simply type "PC-AR".  If you want to specify a
drive and path for your data just add the drive and path description after
the program name.  i.e. type "PC-AR B:AR\" to use the directory AR on the B
drive for data files.

       A menu is then displayed for operator selection:

              Enter or Change Sales Codes
              Enter or Change Customers
              Enter or Change Charges & Payments
              Print Mailing Labels
              Print Charges & Payments Listing
              Print Accounts Receivable Ledger
              Print Statements
              Print Sales Summary
              Print Customer Activity Report
              Apply Charges & Payments
              Print Customer Listing
              Save Data and End

       PC-AR is fast because it works with data in random access
memory, but the capacity is limited by available memory.  Available memory
is shared by the data.  With more customers on file, fewer charges and
payments can be entered and vice-versa.  PC-AR allows a maximum of 2000
customers and 1500 charges and payments per accounting period with 512k of
memory.  With 128k the capacity is reduced to about 100 customers and 100
charges and payments.




       Each time the menu is displayed, the number of charges and payments
that can be added with the available memory (limited to a maximum of 1500)
is printed at the bottom of the screen.  If this number is less than 1500,
then the number of employees that can be added can be obtained by dividing
the number by 6.

       Since a power interruption will result in loosing all the data
currently entered into the program, you should occasionally save your data
back to the disk.  This is done by selecting End Processing from the menu.
The current data will be saved to the disk then you will be asked "Do you
want to end ?".  Just answer with an "N" and you may resume processing.

THE PROCESSING CYCLE

       Accounting is done on a monthly cycle.  At the end of each month all
charges are added to the customer's balance and all payments are deducted
from the customer's balance and the new balances are used as the starting
balances for the next month.

       Each time the program is run, all customer data is loaded into
memory.  Also, any charges or payments entered since the last update are
loaded into memory.  When all of the charges and payments for the current
month have been entered, you may begin printing reports.  Reports may be
printed in any order and as often as desired.  If you discover an error in
any of the reports you may correct the problem and reprint the report.  At
any time you can stop processing by choosing the End Processing selection
from the menu.

       The last step in processing is to apply the charges and payments to
customer balances.  This is done by choosing the Apply Charges & Payments
selection on the menu.   This selection does four things:

       1) Age the customer balances.  All current due amounts become 30
       day due, all 30 day balances become 60 day, etc.

        2) Deduct the payments from the customers balance due starting with
       90 day and proceeding to current due.

        3) Calculate the late charge and add it to the current amount due.

       4) Add the charges to the current balance.

       You may then proceed with the next accounting period. (month)


ENTER OR CHANGE SALES CODES


      In addition to being an accounts receivable program, PC-AR is also a
sales analysis program.  Each charge or payment is posted to a sales code.
The Enter or Change Sales Descriptions selection allows you to enter up to
80 of these sales codes and their corresponding descriptions.  The sales
description is also printed on the various reports including the statement.

       Just enter a three character sales code (alphabetic or numeric
characters are allowed) and up to 21 characters for a description.  The
directions are printed at the bottom of the screen.  You may add new sales
descriptions and codes at any time, but don't change or delete sales codes
once charges or payments have been entered.  Wait until the charges and
payments have been applied to customer accounts and you are ready to start a
new accounting period before deleting or changing sales codes.






       At least one of the sales codes and its corresponding description
should be for payments on account.  Payments received from customers should
then be posted to that code as a negative amount using the minus <-> key
instead of the enter key.



ENTER OR CHANGE CUSTOMERS

       Customer information is entered and changed using this selection
       from the menu.  The following information is entered for each
       customer:

       Customer name - Two lines of 28 characters each are available.

       Customer Code - A ten character code that will be used to sort
       customers and also to post charges and payments to the customers
       account.  In most cases you will want to enter the customers last
       name, followed by as much of the first name as will fit in the
       remaining characters.  For instance, if the customers name is Jerry
       Medlin, the customer code would be MEDLINJERR.  Notice that all
       capital letters are used.  If you enter lower case letters they will
       be changed to upper case automatically.  Also, notice that no spaces
       are included.  The program will prevent you from entering a
       previously used customer code.

       Street Address - Up to 25 characters for the street address.

       City & State - Up to 25 characters for the city and state.

       Zip Code - Up to 10 characters are available for the zip code.
       Five characters for the regular zip code, plus a dash and four more
       characters if you use the extended zip code.

       Telephone - Up to 12 characters for the telephone number and
       assorted dashes.

       Late Charge % - Enter the desired late charge for this customer as a
       percentage.  If you are on a monthly cycle and you wish to charge an
       18% annual rate for balances overdue you would enter 1.5 (18 divided
       by 12 months.).  If you don't want to charge late fees then press
       return to enter a zero.

       Auto Bill Amount - Dollar amounts entered here may be posted to a
       customers account automatically each month.

       Balances Due - You may enter the current balance, the 30 day balance
       due, the 60 day balance due, and the 90 day balance due.  For new
       customers with no opening balances just press return to enter zero.

       Pressing the Escape key during entry takes you back to the previous
field.  Pressing the Escape key at the first name entry takes you to the
command mode.  The command mode allows you to scroll up and down through the
customer names, delete customers, change customer information and do a quick
check on the balances due for all customers.  Pressing the Escape key from
command mode takes you back to the menu.

       The acceptable commands at any point are printed at the bottom of the
screen.








ENTER OR CHANGE CHARGES AND PAYMENTS

       This selection allows you to enter charges and payments for the
current period.  Charge amounts are entered as positive numbers using the
plus <+> or enter key and payments are entered as negative numbers using the
minus <-> key (enter the number then press then minus key).

       Before any charges and payments can be posted you must have at least
one sales description entered so that you have a sales code to post to.  The
following information is entered for each charge or payment:

       Customer Code - The 10 character code previously entered for each
       customer is used to post a charge or payment.  You need enter only
       as much of the customer code necessary to distinguish it from any
       other code.  In other words, if only one customer has a customer
       code beginning with MEDL then you need only enter MEDL to post to
       this customer.  The customers name will be printed at the bottom of
       the screen so you can be sure you are posting to the correct
       customer account.  If all you know is that the customers code begins
       with ME then just enter ME and the program will print all of the
       customer codes beginning with ME at the bottom of the screen.

       Date - Enter the date of the charge or payment as in MODA form.  The
       date of June fourth would be entered 0604 with no dash or slash.

       Invoice number - Up to 5 characters for the invoice number.
       Alphabetic characters are allowed.  Pressing the plus <+> key adds
       one to the previous invoice number and clears the invoice total
       shown at the top of the screen.  Pressing <return> gives you the
       same invoice number as the previous line and does not change the
       invoice total.

       Sales Code - Enter one of the sales codes.  Sales codes and their
       corresponding descriptions should be setup using the Enter or Change
       Sales Descriptions selection of the menu.  The description will be
       printed at the bottom of the screen.  If you don't remember the
       sales code enter the number 999.  The program will then allow you to
       use the arrow keys to search through the possible sales codes.  When
       the desired sales code appears just press return to enter it.

       Amount - Enter the amount of the charge or payment.  Payments should
       be entered as a negative number.  A negative number is entered by
       using the minus (-) key instead of the Enter key after the number is
       typed in.

       Pressing the return key on any entry except the amount, defaults to
the previous value.  This allows you to make multiple entries for an invoice
with the same customer, date and invoice number.  Pressing the plus <+> key
for the invoice number increments the previous number by one.

       Two numbers are printed at the top right of the screen.  The bottom
of the two numbers is the net total of all the entries entered this
accounting period.  Use this number to check your input data.  The top
number is the total for the current invoice.  This total is reset to zero
each time you enter a new invoice number and should be checked against the
invoice total.










        Pressing the Escape key during entry takes you back to the previous
field.  Pressing the Escape key at first entry position takes you to the
command mode.  The command mode allows you to scroll up and down through the
entries, delete entries and change entries.  From the command mode you may
press the <A> Auto Bill key to automatically post the amount entered for
each customer as an auto bill amount.  You will be asked to enter a date and
invoice number for the automatic postings.

Pressing the Escape key from command mode takes you back to the menu.  All
the available commands are printed at the bottom of the screen and may be
chosen by a single keystroke.


PRINTING REPORTS

       The first time you choose a printed report from the menu you will be
asked to enter a report date.  This date will be used on all reports.  If
you want to change the report date you must end processing and start over,
otherwise the same report date is used on all reports printed during a
posting session.

       On some reports before you start printing you will be asked to enter
a customer code.  This is the starting customer for printing.  Press the
return key to start at the first customer.  You will then be asked how many
to print.  Enter the number of customers you want, starting at the selected
customer, or press return to print from the starting customer to the end of
the list.  This feature allows you to print partial reports, and is handy
when your printer eats the 598th of 600 statements.

       When printing more than 20 statements or mailing labels, you will be
asked if you want to sort the customers by zip code.  If you answer Y (yes)
the statements or mailing labels will be printed in zip code order.  This
allows you to take advantage of the cheaper bulk mailing rates.

       Next, you will be asked to choose if you want to print the report to
the printer <P>, to the screen <S> or to a file <F>.  If you choose to print
to a file you will be asked for a file name.  The report will then be saved
as an ASCII file.  These files are not readable by PC-AR, but can be viewed
and changed with a text editor and used by other programs that can read
ASCII files. (Like the latest version of 123).  Since the report is printed
to a file exactly as it would be printed to a printer, if you use LPT2 for a
file name, the report would be printed to your second line printer.


PRINT MAILING LABELS

       As long as you have all this customer information on your computer,
you might as well use it to print mailing labels.  You can print labels for
all the customers or only one customer and you can sort them by zip code if
you wish.  Labels are printed on standard peel off labels with one inch
spacing between labels.  To align the printer, use the selection process to
print a single label.


PRINT CHARGES & PAYMENTS LISTING

       To provide an adequate audit trail, this report should be printed and
retained before closing out the month.  It will list all the charges and
payments entered for the accounting period and the total of charges and
payments.






PRINT ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE LEDGER

       This report prints each customer's opening balance, all charges and
payments for that customer, any late charges applied and the closing
balance.  It should be printed and retained.  Since PC-AR is a "balance
forward" accounts receivable program, this report will be your only source
of information several months from now on how a customers balance got that
way.


PRINT STATEMENTS

       Customer statements are printed on a common statement form.  The form
may be ordered preprinted with your company name.  The following is a list
of suppliers, their toll free order number and their catalog number for the
preprinted statement forms you will need:

NEW ENGLAND BUSINESS SERVICES (NEBS)            800-225-9550    Form 9060
GLOBAL COMPUTER SUPPLIES                        800-645-6393    Form C2052
CHECKS TO GO                                    800-854-2750    Form 380-03
                                                800-552-8817    In Calif.
FORMS SERVICE INC.                              800-553-5125    Form 5060
                                                312-671-2821    In Illinois


       If you don't want to use forms preprinted with your name and return
address you may have the program print your name and address on blank
forms.  If you make an ASCII file on the program drive named PC-AR.HDG the
program will read that file and use the first five lines of the file as the
name and return address to print on your blank statements.  An ASCII file
may created with most word processing systems or by using the COPY CON
PC-AR.HDG command.

      To test statement alignment use the start print feature to print a
single statement then adjust the alignment accordingly.


PRINT SALES SUMMARY

       This is a listing of all charges and payments by sales category,
followed by a one page listing of total sales by category.  If you choose,
you can omit the detailed listing, but you should print it at the end of the
accounting period (month) for audit trail purposes.  The last amount printed
is the total of all service charges accrued during the current period.  If
you have a lot of customers and invoices this may cause a noticeable pause
while service charges are calculated.


PRINT CUSTOMER ACTIVITY REPORT

      The Customer Activity Report will summarize all the transactions
posted to a customers account for the past 12 months.  It will look at all
the transaction files on your disk that start with a three character month
abbreviation.  In other words, it will look at JAN.INV, FEB.INV, MAR.INV
etc. and print all the transactions made to the selected customer code.  The
period currently being processed will not be included unless you have
completed the Apply Charges and Payments process. (See next page).










APPLY CHARGES AND PAYMENTS

      When you have printed all the reports you need and all is in order you
can complete the accounting period.  You will be asked to enter a three
month abbreviation for the month just processed.  For instance, if you had
just completed the month of February you would enter FEB.  The program would
then save a file named FEB.INV to the disk.  This is a backup copy of the
transactions with the three character month abbreviation as the first part
of the file name.  It is saved so that later you may review all the
transactions posted to an account for the past year using the Print Customer
Activity Report selection of the menu.

     All charges and payments will then be applied to customer balances. Any
late charges due will be added also.  The customers balances will be updated
to agree with the balances shown on the statements and the Accounts
Receivable Ledger.


PRINT CUSTOMER LISTING

       This report is a printout of all customer information on file
including ageing information.  The balances shown do not reflect any charges
or payments made since the last accounting period ended.  Only the Apply
Charges & Payments selection actually changes customer balances.


SAVE DATA AND END

     When processing is completed you must exit the program using this
selection.   Do not end processing by just turning off the computer, you
will lose any data entered since the last save operation.  If you just want
to save the current data to the disk without ending, you may answer "N" to
the question "Do you want to end processing?" and you will be returned to
the menu.


ADDING A LITTLE COLOR

       If you have a color monitor and wish to have colors other than the
normal black and white you may specify the colors when you run the program.
Just include the decimal values for the colors after the path description
separated by spaces.  The first number specifies the color for borders, the
second specifies the color for all data and the third number specifies the
color for prompts.  For example, if you run the program by typing:  PC-AR
C:AR\ 6 14 10 1  you will be telling the program to look for data on drive C
in the sub directory AR and use brown borders, yellow data, light green
prompts on a dark blue background.  Beware - the program does not check to
see if the colors are valid or tasteful.  Once you decide what you want, put
the command in a batch file to avoid typing errors.

VERSION 3.0 CONVERSION

       If you are changing from version 2.xx to version 3.0 you will need
to convert your customer data.  A program called CONVERT.COM is available
for that purpose and is free to all registered users.   Just run the program
and follow the directions on the screen.











HELPFUL HINTS

       The escape key is always used to go back to the previous operation.
From anywhere in the program if you continue to press the escape key you
will eventually return to the main menu.

       When printing reports you may pause the printing by pressing any
key.  To resume printing press any key again.  To quit printing press the
escape key after pausing.

       Each customer must have a unique customer code for posting.  If you
insist on using numbers, the program won't object.  You should at least try
the method suggested earlier in the manual.  Use a customer code made up of
the customers last name plus as much of the first name as the 10 character
limit will allow.  Jane Smith would then have a code of SMITHJANE (Notice
that there are no spaces).  This method allows rapid posting of invoices
without looking up customer numbers.  The searching method allows you to
quickly examine the codes for all of the Smiths by just typing SMITH when
asked for a code.

       PC-AR is written in Turbo Pascal.  The source code is available for
$95.

To print this manual:
       Turn on your printer and set it to the top of the page.
       Enter     COPY PC-AR.DOC LPT1: