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PC - GENERAL LEDGER USER SUPPORTED SOFTWARE This program is being distributed under the `FREEWARE' concept developed by Andrew Fluegelman. The idea is that an individual or a company using a program and finding it of value will compensate the author by voluntarily sending him a nominal fee. You are encouraged to copy this program and give it to others who may have a use for it. The only restriction is that you do not change any of the code and that you do not charge anything for the programs. If you are using this program and find that it has value, your contribution of $50 would be appreciated. Upon receipt of your contribution, you will be become a registered owner of PC - GENERAL LEDGER. This will entitle you to a copy of the most recent manual, telephone support, and all updates and enhancements as they become available. Gerry Fricke CHARTER SOFTWARE P.O. Box 70 Monticello, IL 61856 217-762-7143 PC - GENERAL LEDGER TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Getting Started 1 Initialization 2 Introduction 3 Summary 4 Data Entry 5 Chart of Accounts 6 Add new account 6 Delete account 7 Change account name 7 Print chart of accounts 7 Enter Transactions 8 Cash receipts 9 Check stubs 11 Journal entries 11 Write Checks 12 Transaction Register Printouts 13 Trial Balance Print-out 14 Financial Statements 15 Month or Year End Close 15 Maintenance 16 Page 1 GETTING STARTED PC - GENERAL LEDGER requires either two double sided floppy disks or a hard disk system. It will run under either DOS 1.1, DOS 2.0 or DOS 2.1. The programs will run on the Compaq and other IBM compatible computers. If you are using a floppy system the programs are on drive A and the data disk is put in drive B. The disk for drive B should not have DOS on it so that maximum space is available. The first thing to do is to format a disk and put your operating system on it. Then, transfer everything on the disk you received to the working disk that you created. The following files and programs are necessary to make PC - GENERAL LEDGER function properly and must be on the `A' disk or the hard drive. GLCTRL.FIL GLMENU.EXE GLCHART.EXE GLENTRY.EXE GLCHECKS.EXE GLTRIAL.EXE GLSTATE.EXE During the initialization part of the program, the proper files for the `B' drive are created automatically. Put the disk you received in a safe place in case that something happens to your working disk and you have to start over. If the disk you received has someone else's general ledger data already on it, the initialization will remove the data and reset the files properly. In order to start the program type `GLMENU' at the DOS prompt. The first thing that you will need to do is to enter the date. All dates are entered as 6 digits such as 060484. The computer will automatically format it to read 06-04-84. After you have entered the date, the main menu appears: 1 = Enter TRANSACTIONS or WRITE CHECKS 2 = Update or Print CHART of Accounts 3 = Print TRIAL BALANCE 4 = Print TRANSACTION Registers 5 = Print FINANCIAL Statements 6 = Month or Year End CLOSE 7 = DATE Change 8 = MAINTENANCE or INITIALIZATION 9 = END of Session Choose option 8 from this menu. Page 2 INITIALIZATION The first thing that you will be asked to do is to type in the name that you want printed on the various reports. After that, you have to tailor the programs to your hardware system. The next menu looks like this: MONITOR SELECTION: 1 = IBM Monochrome 2 = OTHER Monochrome 3 = COMPOSITE Color 4 = RGB Color 5 = Compaq DRIVE SELECTION: 6 = 320K Floppy disks 7 = 360K Floppy disks 8 = HARD Drive 9 = INTITIALIZATION 10 = MAIN MENU You will now need to choose which monitor you are using and which drive system. After making the selections, select option 9 to finish the initialization process. This final process sets up the necessary accounts and zeros all of the files so that PC - GENERAL LEDGER will function properly. If you have a floppy disk system you will need to have a formatted disk (without a system on it) ready for drive B. The procedure is very simple and the instructions on the screen will take you through the necessary steps. You will only need to identify which account number and name will be used for the account that you make your cash deposits to and the account number and name which you write checks on. They can be either the same account or different ones. After the initialization is complete, you will be taken back to the main menu and you are ready to use PC - GENERAL LEDGER. Page 3 INTRODUCTION This program was written by a financial executive with over 25 years of experience in all areas of accounting, finance, taxes, and general management. The program has all of the controls necessary to make sure that everything is kept in balance and that a complete audit trail always exists. This manual and the programs assume that you have a working knowledge of bookeeping, know the difference between debits and credits and know how to prepare and post entries. Charter Software's PC - GENERAL LEDGER is easy to use and we have done our best to see that you can't get into trouble. However, we can't detect typing errors such as `10.00' when you mean `100.00' or `espense' when you mean `expense'. The programs do provide two important safeguards: 1. All entries must balance. You will not be able to post an entry that does not. 2. There is a complete audit trail. Amounts cannot be posted to the general ledger until the details have been printed out to the printer. The general ledger system consist of seven working segments: CHART OF ACCOUNTS This enables you to add new accounts to the general ledger and change the name of an existing account or delete an account. ENTER TRANSACTIONS This is the main part of the general ledger package. You can make entries into the cash receipts journal or the general journal. You can either print checks on the printer or post check stubs to the check register. PRINT REGISTERS This part of the program enables you to print out the entries that you have made. After printing out the entries, the trial balance and general ledger can be updated. TRIAL BALANCE This will print out the beginning balance, all monthly entries, and the ending balance for each account. Page 4 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS This enables you to print out the balance sheet and profit and loss statement with month and year to date totals. MONTH AND YEAR END CLOSE This lets you close the books at month and year end in order to start the next accounting period. MAINTENANCE AND INITIALIZATION Allows you to configure the programs to your particular hardware and/or initialize all of the general ledger files. If you wish you can print checks on your printer using pre- printed customized check forms. The checks are available from Colwell Systems, Inc., 201 Kenyon Road, Champaign, IL 61820. The checks are catalog number 9045 and should be ordered without pre printed check numbers since the program prints the check number on the check form. SUMMARY - Daily entries show up on the screen as you make them. - All entries are saved on disk until you print them out and update the general ledger. - When you update the general ledger, the entries are then posted to the trial balance. - Once entries have been made to the trial balance, you can print out the trial balance and financial statements. - The month end close clears the files for the next month's entries. There is nothing sacred about a `month'. You can close your books, weekly, quarterly or annually. This manual assumes that you are using a monthly system, but the programs will work with any accounting period. Page 5 DATA ENTRY Whenever the computer is waiting for you to type something, the cursor will be blinking at the first dot in a row of dots. The number of dots indicates the maximum number of characters allowed for your input. When typing numbers, you do not have to put in the decimal point if it is a round dollar amount. For instance, if you type 10 for 10 dollars, the program will automatically format and display it as 10.00. Entering 9.5 will result in 9.50. This can save a lot of keystrokes. If you are entering a negative number, you can put the minus sign either before or after the number. Messages about what to enter or how to enter it are normally at the bottom of the screen. When in doubt, look for that message line. If you hear a `tone', you have probably typed something wrong and the message at the bottom of the screen will tell you what to do next. This is always an `escape route' if you make a mistake. Pressing `ENTER' or `ESC' will normally take you back to a point where you can recover and start again. Before any significant item gets entered or changed, you will get a chance to change your mind. If you are using a floppy disk system, the bottom of the screen will show the approximate amount of disk space used on your data disk based on the size of the floppy disks you indicated in the hardware configuration. If you are using the IBM monochrome monitor, some words should be highlighted. If not, adjust the two knobs on the monitor. If you are using a color monitor, some words will be in color. Page 6 CHART OF ACCOUNTS The chart of accounts numbering system has been pre-set as shown below. You are limited to 500 different account numbers. You can allocate them between the various categories such as assets, liabilities, income, etc. however you wish. The chart of accounts maintenance menu looks like this: CHART OF ACCOUNTS MAINTENANCE 1 = Add NEW Account 2 = DELETE Account 3 = CHANGE Account Name 4 = PRINT Chart of Accounts ADD NEW ACCOUNT The screen for adding new accounts is shown below: Account Number .... Description ....................... 1000-1499 Current Asset 1500-1799 Fixed Asset 1800-1999 Other Asset 2000-2499 Current Liability 2500-2999 Long Term Liability 3000-3999 Capital 4000-4999 Income 5000-5999 Cost of Sales 6000-6999 Expenses 7000-7999 Other Income/Expense After you enter a new account number, the program checks whether or not the number has already been used. If not, the type of account is highlighted at the bottom of the screen and you can then type in the name of the new account. After that, type `A' to accept or `T' to try again. When you are finished adding accounts, pressing `ENTER' takes you back to the menu. Page 7 DELETE ACCOUNT This option enables you get rid of an account you are no longer using. In order to safeguard the system, you can only delete an account when: - The month and year to date balances for that account are zero. and - You have closed the books for the month. and - You have not made any entries to any account in the new month. When you type in the account number the program checks the above. If all the conditions are met, the program then displays the account name and asks you confirm that you want to make the deletion. Type `D' to delete the account or `N' for no delete. CHANGE ACCOUNT NAME This option lets you change the name of the account in order to better describe it or to correct spelling errors. PRINT CHART OF ACCOUNTS You can display the current chart of accounts on the screen or print them on the printer for easy reference. The print out shows the account number, description and type of account (asset, liability, etc.) Page 8 ENTER TRANSACTIONS The procedure for entering transactions is essentially the same whether you are doing cash receipts, posting check stubs or journal entries. There are only minor differences in the screen layout and how data is entered. If you are using the program to print checks, you will provide the program with the necessary information such as date, check number, payee, etc. The program will then ask you to provide the necessary accounting information in order to automatically post the entry. Entering the accounting data is done in the same manner whether you are posting from check stubs or actually printing checks. Each accounting entry is a two step process. First you type in the `header' information such as date, description, etc. The second part is entering account numbers and amounts. If you make a mistake there is a simple procedure to correct or change an entry so that you do not have to start over. You can have up to 15 different accounts in a single entry. Near the bottom of the screen is the `Balance' figure. This is updated after every amount is entered and shows how much the entry is `out of balance' at that point. Until you are familiar with the program, the key to making entries is to keep an eye on the message line at the bottom of the screen. It will prompt you as to what is expected next. The menu for the transaction program is shown below. You can choose to enter cash receipts, checks written or journal entries. ENTER TRANSACTIONS: 1 = CASH Receipts 2 = Enter CHECK STUBS 3 = JOURNAL Entries 4 = WRITE CHECKS Page 9 CASH RECEIPTS The screen layout for cash receipts looks like this: POST CASH RECEIPTS Last Cash: Date ...... Description ................ Ref:....... Line Acct Account Title Amount ----------- Balance TYPE CASH RECEIPTS DATE (MMDDYY) `ENTER' FOR TODAY'S DATE `ESC' WHEN DONE The program assumes that you have already made a deposit and are entering an accounting summary of that deposit. For reference purposes, the last cash receipts date that you posted is in the upper right hand corner of the screen. You can type in the date or press `ENTER' and the date you entered on start up will be automatically displayed. You can type any description you want to describe the entry. You also have an eight character reference field if you need it. Pressing `ENTER' at either place will create a blank description or reference and move you to the next field. Whatever information that you type into the header will show on the registers when you print them out. After the reference field, type `A' to accept the header or `T' to try again. Once you have accepted the header, it is time to enter account numbers and amounts. The entry can be up to 15 lines. The cash account number and description is automatically put on line 1 and cursor is waiting in the amount column. (Remember, you do not have to enter the decimal point if it is a whole dollar amount). After you type in the amount, it is formatted and displayed and the `Balance' amount is updated. Page 10 Then line by line, you finish the accounting distribution. First you enter either the account number or up to four letters of the account name. If you enter the account number, the program will automatically display the account description. If you type `RENT' the program will search for the first account having `RENT' in the description and display the account number and account description. If you are looking for `RENT EXPENSE' and the first account with `RENT' is `RENTAL INCOME', the program will display that one first. However, pressing `ENTER' again will find the next account with `RENT' in it. You can continue to press `ENTER' until you find the right account or reach the end of the account number file. Once you have the proper account, the next step is to enter the amount. If it is a simple two line entry, pressing `ENTER' will automatically display the offsetting amount from line 1. Otherwise, you will have to type in the amount. As you enter amounts line by line, the `Balance' amount will be updated. When that amount is zero, the entry is in balance and the following message is at the bottom of the screen: TYPE `A' TO ACCEPT (`ENTER' TO MAKE CHANGES) If you type `A' the entry is recorded on disk, the data is cleared from the screen, and you are ready for the next entry. (At that point, if you are done with cash receipts, pressing `ESC' will take you the menu.) If you need to make changes in the entry you were working on and pressed `ENTER' instead of `A', then you have the opportunity to change any of the lines in the entry or to add additional lines. This saves having to re-do the entire entry. The program will ask you for the line number to be changed. That line will be erased and you then enter a new account number and amount. You can continue in this manner until you have the changes made and the entry balances. At that point, type `A' to accept and move on to the next entry. Page 11 ENTER CHECK STUBS This section of the program enables you post from check stubs if you are not using the program to actually print checks. Transactions are posted here in the same manner as cash receipts with minor exceptions. The header is different in that it calls for a `check number' instead of a `reference'. The program will automatically put in the next check number (based on the last check number shown in the upper right hand corner of the screen) if you press `ENTER' in the Check Number field. Line 1 of the posting section is automatically displayed with the cash account number and description. Enter the amount of the check as a debit instead of a credit. The program will automatically format and display it is as negative. Again, after getting the proper account on line 2, pressing `ENTER' when you are in the amount column will automatically put in the offsetting amount for line 1. JOURNAL ENTRIES Again, the procedure is essentially the same as cash receipts or checks written with minor changes in the header. No account number or description is automatically displayed on the line 1. Page 12 WRITE CHECKS Using this option enables you to print checks on the computer instead of writing them by hand and then making an entry for the check stubs. You can mix check stub entries and actual check printing without causing any problems. The program puts a picture of a blank check on the screen and all you have to do is `fill in the blanks'. By pressing `ENTER' at the date, the `system' date will be entered. Pressing `ENTER' at the check number will automatically insert the next check number. After entering the payee, amount, and address, you can put a message on the check stub by typing something on the `For' line. After completing the check form and typing `A' to accept, the screen will change so that you can enter the various accounts and amounts in order to complete the entry. This segment is the same whether you are entering check stubs or actually entering checks to be printed. The program saves all of the checks to be printed so you can print them all at once. You can print a test check to make sure that the check forms are lined up properly prior to printing the actual checks. Page 13 TRANSACTION REGISTER PRINTOUTS As you make each entry during the course of the month it is added to one of the three registers (cash, check or journal entry). You can print out any of one of these registers at any time in order to check out your work or to make copies for your files. After a print-out is finished, the following message is at the top of the screen: TYPE `U' TO UPDATE TRIAL BALANCE AND GENERAL LEDGER AND CLOSE THIS REGISTER (`ENTER' TO EXIT). If you press `U' all of the entries for that register will posted to the trial balance and the general ledger. At the bottom of the print-out a message will print indicating that the posting has taken place. The register will then be erased from the disk. You have to decide whether to close the register and update the general ledger at the end of any register print-out. CONSIDERATIONS 1. Financial Statements - The trial balance, profit and loss statement, and balance sheet will only be updated when the register is closed out. 2. Printed Reports - Closing a register several times during the month will mean having your check register, for instance, on several pieces of paper rather than on one print-out. Closing the register at month end only makes the print-out a`complete' one. 3. Disk Usage - Closing a register frees up disk space. If your disk usage exceeds 90%, you should probably close one or more registers to be on the safe side. You can stop any print-out at any time by pressing `ESC'. This will not affect any of the data in the computer or on the disk. Page 14 TRIAL BALANCE PRINT-OUT You have two options on the trial balance: 1. Print out a complete trial balance 2. Display or print an individual account. Note: As indicated before, any entries on a register that is not closed out will not be included on the trial balance. If any registers are open, you will receive a message to that effect before the complete trial balance is printed. You will be given an opportunity to close the registers if you wish to do so. The complete trial balance prints the number of the account, its name, the balance at the beginning of the month, all entries posted to that account during the month, and the ending balance. For profit and loss accounts, the year to date ending balance is shown also. The print-out can be stopped at any time by pressing `ESC'. The final line on the complete print-out shows a `proof' amount. It should show `zero'. However, the BASIC language that was used in writing this program will not always do its math properly. Any errors that occur are normally less than a penny. The point to remember is that if the trial balance and/or financial statements are off by a penny or two, it was not caused by your entries. It is the fault of the programming language and you should not be concerned about it. You can also look at individual accounts. In this instance, you will be given the choice of displaying the account on the screen or printing it on the printer. Page 15 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS The balance sheet or profit and loss statement can be printed out at any time. It will not include entries on any register that has not been closed out. You will have the choice of having accounts with zero balances printed or not. Again, you can stop the print-out at any time by pressing `ESC'. MONTH OR YEAR END CLOSE When all transactions for the month have been posted and all registers closed out, and you have made all print-outs that you want, you are ready to close the ledger for the month. You will not be able to close out if any one of the three registers is still open. The month end close returns all of the monthly profit and loss balances to zero, updates all of the year to date totals and erases the trial balance detail from the disk. The year end close is the same except that it also zeros out the profit and loss year to date amounts and automatically updates retained earnings with the annual profit. Page 16 MAINTENANCE You can change the name on your reports at any time by selecting option 8 from the main menu. After the system is operating you can also change from a floppy drive system to a hard drive system if you add a hard drive at a later date. Make sure that you copy all of the files from both disks to your hard disk before you change your hardware configuration in the maintenance section of the program. You can also change from a hard disk to a floppy system. However, first make sure that you have completed a month end close. Copy the file `GLDATA.FIL' from the hard disk to a `B' disk. The files to be transfered to an `A' disk (with DOS already on it) are as follows: GLMENU.EXE GLCHART.EXE GLENTRY.EXE GLTRIAL.EXE GLCHECKS.EXE GLSTATE.EXE GLCTRL.FIL AUTOEXEC.BAT (if appropriate) After you have transferred the files, make sure that you start from the new disk in the `A' drive and not from the hard drive and then move directly to the maintenance option and make the appropriate disk change.