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YOUR MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS' BILLING LICENSE Even though the program is ShareWare, and can be freely copied, there are still some limitations to protect the quality of the distribution of the program and to support future development. Users of MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS' BILLING software may make copies of this program for trial use by others on a PRIVATE NON-COMMERCIAL BASIS. By accepting and using this software, you acknowledge that this software may not suit your particular requirements or be completely trouble-free. With proper application, this software will perform as described. However, MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS is not responsible for your specific application or any problems resulting from use of this software. If the software does not perform as described, our liability to you is limited to replacing the software or refunding the purchase price (if pur chased and registered). We have no liability to you or any other person or entity for any damage or loss, including special, incidental, or consequen tial damages, caused by this software, directly or indirectly. Some states do not allow the limitation or exclusion of liability for incidental or con sequential damages, so the above limitation or exclusion may not apply to you. This Agreement is governed by the laws of the State of Virginia. Should any part of this agreement be held invalid, the remainder of the Agreement will still be in effect. This Agreement can only be modified by written state ment signed by MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS. Under this license, you may NOT: 1) Distribute the program in connection with any other product or service, or as part of a corporate or institutionally sponsored distribution. Site licenses and bundling agreements are available upon request. 2) Charge anything for MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS' BILLING. An exception is made for registered user groups who may charge a cost-based fee (not to exceed $10) to cover their own costs. 3) Distribute the program in modified form. 4) Copy or reproduce the printed documentation in any form. THE SHAREWARE CONCEPT MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS' BILLING is distributed through a unique marketing approach called ShareWare. The diskette with programs on it can be freely copied and shared. It is also available from us, MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS, for $20.00 plus $2 shipping and handling. We ask you to help us distribute MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS BILLING by sharing unmodified copies of the diskette with others. We also encourage you and those to whom you have distributed the program to register your copy. Registration has a number of benefits to you: 1) You will receive the latest copy of the manual, including all recent updates, additions, complete table of contents and index. 2) The most recent version of the program. 3) Automatic notice of updates. 4) You will be supporting the concept that allowed you to receive MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS' BILLING in the first place. Only through user support can be continue to improve MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS BILLING and perhaps develop other products. Only by supporting the program's authors who release valuable programs as ShareWare can you encourage others to do the same. NO-QUIBBLE LICENSE AGREEMENT YOU ARE IMPORTANT TO US AS A CUSTOMER AND WE RESPECT YOUR NEEDS We know that it's extremely important to you that our software be easy to use, and so our disks contain only standard unprotected files with no 'fingerprints' and requiring no special installation routines. This means that you can install our files on hard disks with no fear of future problems. Our only concession to copy protection is that our program code is encrypted with serial number and/or user's name which appears on the screen and makes each disk traceable. Our software license restriction is essentially that each licensed copy of the software must be used on ONLY ONE COMPUTER AT A TIME. BY USING THIS SOFTWARE YOU INDICATE YOUR ACCEPTANCE OF THE THIS SOFTWARE LICENSING AGREEMENT. We hope you will find the program useful and will support the ShareWare concept by registering your copy with us. Please use the registration form on the next page. In the event that the REGISTRATION FORM is missing, you can receive one from us by writing to: MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS 6446 Kim Shelly Court Mechanicsville, Virginia 23111 or by calling: (804) 746-4352 There is no charge for the registration form. Even if you do not decide to send in the $20.00 purchase cost, you should register your copy with us. We only want those who find the program useful to purchase it. We appreciate your passing of the programs on to friends and fellow workers. MANUAL SUBJECT TO CHANGE Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the contents of this manual and we ask that you please inform Modern Microcomputers if any errors are detected. The above notwithstanding, Modern Microcomputers can assume no responsibility for errors in this manual or for their consequences, and the contents of this manual are subject to change without notice. SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS: IBM PC/XT/AT OR IBM COMPATIBLE computer with hard disk. IBM PC/TX/AT OR IBM COMPATIBLE with dual floppy drives. MS-DOS 2.1 (PC-DOS 2.1) or higher. 256K RANDOM ACCESS MEMORY REGISTRATION FORM ----------------- If you purchased MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS' BILLING directly from MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS in your own name, then your copy is already registered and you will receive all the benefits of registration. You do not need to send in a registration form. If you received MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS' BILLING some other way, you may register your copy by filling out the following form and mailing it to the listed address along with $20.00 + $2.00 shipping. You will promptly receive the latest version of MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS' BILLING with all recent updates and improvements. We will also place you on our update list so that you will automatically be notified of any changes to the program. Once your copy of MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS' BILLING is registered, you will be entitled to unlimited telephone support by calling (804) 746-4352 during business hours (10:00am - 3:00pm Virginia time). In addition, you will be supporting software distributed under the ShareWare concept and will be contributing to the further development of MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS'S BILLING and other ShareWare products. Mail To: MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS 6446 Kim Shelly Court Mechanicsville, VA 23111 NAME ______________________________________________ COMPANY ___________________________________________ ADDRESS ___________________________________________ CITY/STATE ________________________________________ ZIP ______________________________ How did you first learn about MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS' BILLING or where did you first obtain a copy of MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS' BILLING? ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ BBS THIS IS THE MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS PROFESSIONAL BILLING SYSTEM You have just acquired one of the finest (and most powerful) Billing Software Packages available for microcomputers. These programs have been thoroughly tested and are running every day in professional offices. Before you begin using the Software Package you should read the beginning sections of this manual carefully. We have discovered that most problems occur because the new user does not take time to read the manual and understand the philosophy of the system. Please take the time. It will prevent problems from occurring and make life easier for you. DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTY MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS makes no warranties with respect to the PROGRAMS, the sole obligation is to make available all published modifications or updates to all registered licensees, at the then current market price. There are no warranties of the suitability of the PROGRAMS or the suitability of the PROGRAM edit functions to any application or to any central processor. MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER RELATING TO OR ARISING FROM THE APPLICATION OF THE PROGRAMS. The programs may be freely distributed provided that this and the previous three pages of the manual are not altered or deleted from the diskette. The programs should only be distributed along with this manual. T R A D E M A R K The names MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS, C.P.A. CLIENT WRITE-UP and MODERN MICRO COMPUTERS' BILLING are trademarks of Modern Microcomputers. References are made throughout this manual to the Control Program for Microprocessors, commonly known as CP/M. CP/M is a trademark of Digital Research of Pacific Grove, California. IBM and IBM PC are trademarks of The International Business Machine Corporation. MS-DOS is the copyright of Microsoft, Inc. T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S I. INTRODUCTION Unpacking Notice I-1 Getting Started I-3 Accuracy and Good Housekeeping I-5 II. NOTATIONS AND REFERENCES Basic Information for the User R-1 Terms Used Throughout The Manual R-6 Some Do's and Don't's R-7 III. START-UP What is Expected From You S-1 Disk Copy Routine S-2 Entering Control Information S-3 IV. SECTION A Entering Basic Information A-1 Initializing the Master File A-3 Entering Company Information A-5 Transaction Codes A-6 Entering Transaction Codes A-9 Transaction Code Listing A-12 V. SECTION B Entering Client Information B-1 The Sorting Key B-2 The Clients B-3 Listing Client Information B-11 The Past Due Report B-13 VI. SECTION C Starting a New Transaction File C-1 Transaction Services Menu C-2 Automatic Transaction Entries C-3 Individual Transaction Entries C-6 On-The-Fly Transaction Code Creation C-8 Entry Transaction Report C-10 Entering Credits C-11 Transaction File Report C-12 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS - PROFESSIONAL BILLING SYSTEM VII. SECTION D Accounts Receivable Report D-1 Transaction Code Report D-2 Backing Up The Data D-4 Viewing The Statements D-5 Printing Statements D-8 Sample Statement D-10 Recent Billing Report D-11 Updating The Records D-12 Viewing Customer Data D-13 VIII. SUMMARY OF MENUS Master Menu M-1 Transaction Services Menu M-2 Customer Account Maintenance Menu M-3 Control File Maintenance Menu M-4 IX. INDEX SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS: DUAL DRIVE SYSTEM, 300+ K Storage Each or SINGLE DRIVE SYSTEM with Hard Disk. MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS will supply the programs as stand-alone programs which do not require that the user have any form of Basic language provided that MS-DOS 2.11 or PC-DOS 2.11 (or later versions) are available. RANDOM ACCESS MEMORY (RAM) 256 K MINIMUM. MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS 6446 Kim Shelly Court Mechanicsville, Virginia 23111 (804) 746-4352 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS Introduction * * * PLEASE READ * * * I M P O R T A N T U N P A C K I N G N O T I C E DO NOT TOUCH or otherwise contaminate the brown magnetic surface of the diskette supplied with the Manual. DO NOT REMOVE the write-protect tab from the diskette. Handle the diskette only by its outer envelope. Anytime a disk is not in use in the computer it should be in its outer envelope. Do not allow diskettes to contact the surface of the desk or the floor. The capability of your computer to perform the billing functions described in the Manual is contained on the MASTER diskette. Contamination risks destruction of the contents and thereby renders the system useless. * * * IMPORTANT * * * The diskette supplied with this Manual is NEVER to be used for the actual billing functions. It must be retained unused as backup permanent reference copies only. The contents must be copied onto User diskette as described in the Manual. If you are running a Hard Disk System, boot your system and then type A: in order to get the A> prompt. Put the supplied Master disk into Drive A and type MODERN followed by depressing the RETURN key. A sub-directory called BILLING will be created on the hard disk along with a batch file in the hard disk root directory. In order to run the programs simply type BILLING at the C> prompt. Professional Billing Manual Page I-1 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS Introduction PROFESSIONAL BILLING SYSTEM THE BILLING SYSTEM IS POWERFUL The billing system is an automated client billing and accounts receivable system that makes use of your microcomputer. The system utilizes the most up-to-date programming features and optimizes the capability of your micro computer both with regard to speed and information storage. THE BILLING SYSTEM IS A TIME-SAVER You will be able to reduce the time now required for billing your clients by a factor of about 50% in most cases. The use of transaction codes, which you customize for your company, allows you to type the three-digit transaction code and automatically create a description of up to four lines to explain a transaction which will then appear on the client's statement or invoice. You can also associate a transaction code with a client and have the computer automatically do the billing of that client for you. You will find this feature extremely useful for those clients who are repetitively billed each transaction period. You can assign the automatically billed clients to billing cycles. This will allow you to bill some clients more often than others. You can create up to eight billing cycles. While manually billing clients you can create new transaction codes 'On- The-Fly' in the event that you must indicate a description for which there is no present transaction code. THE BILLING SYSTEM IS INFORMATIVE You will have complete information at hand about any or all of your clients with regard to amount billed for the year and amount outstanding at any time. You will be able to determine your total billing for the year by transaction code and/or client. You will know how much you billed each client as well as how much was billed in each transaction code category. You will always know your outstanding accounts receivables. Daily, monthly and yearly reports are quickly produced either in printed form or for on-screen viewing. THE BILLING SYSTEM IS VERSATILE You will be able to produce statements on 8-1/2" by 11" paper either blank or letterhead as well as on 8-1/2" by 7" blank or pre-printed state ment forms. It is also possible to produce the bills on continuous run 3" x 5" cards. Labels can be produced for mailing purposes. You will be able to change information on the statements to keep your clients up-to-date about your company. Professional Billing Manual Page I-2 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS Introduction GETTING STARTED Here is a brief summary of the steps necessary to get your Billing System "up and running". The following is NOT INTENDED to be a substitute for reading this entire Manual, but it should give you an idea of what is involved: Step 1 - Connect up all the equipment and turn on the computer. Refer to your computer and printer manuals. Step 2 - Make duplicate copies of the diskette supplied with the Manual. Never use the original in day-to-day work. It must be retained as permanent, unused reference copy. Step 3 - Gather together in a logical manner the names, addresses, phone numbers and outstanding balances for all your clients. You may want to enter them alphabetically or by some other category. You should also determine a sorting code to be used with each client. The code should be made up of two letters and one number. A sorting routine will allow you to sort the clients by use of this sorting code. Step 4 - Determine which clients will be billed on an automatic basis. You should then decide into which billing cycle the client should be placed. You might want to set up a billing cycle for those billed monthly and another cycle for those billed quarterly. You can have up to eight billing cycles. Step 5 - Determine the types of comments you want on the statements with regard to the individual billed amounts. Things such as: Monthly maintenance $ 100.00 Consulting time 40.00 Tax Preparation of your Federal and Virginia State returns. 200.00 You can have up to four lines of descriptive information about each billed transaction. Also determine how you want to indicate that a payment has been received. You may want more than one form of 'Thank You'. Payment received. Thank you. Your payment is being credited. Thank you for your partial payment. The balance is now due and payable. Professional Billing Manual Page I-3 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS Introduction Step 6 - Decide on a three-digit code for each of the transaction types listed in Step 5. Try to make them easy to remember. For example: MM1 Monthly Maintenance $ 100.00 PIF Payment in full has been received. Thank you PAR Partial payment has been received. Balance is now due. Since you can print a billing report based on transaction codes it is possible to keep track of each transaction billing by office employee. You can use the three-digit code to identify not only the type of transaction, but, in addition, who performed the action. For example, you might use the following two codes: TP1 Tax preparation TP2 Tax preparation The code TP1 could be used for all clients who had tax preparation work done by the first partner and TP2 for work done by the second partner of your company. The statement will read the same in both cases but you can print, for your own use, the billings by trans action codes. This will show you how much was billed for each partner. Keep this technique in mind when setting up your transaction codes. Step 7 - Determine which clients receive the same statement each transaction period. You will then associate a transaction code with that client when entering the client information. These clients can be billed automatically without worry about accuracy or having missed one. Decide into which billing cycle you want each automatically billed client to appear. You can use up to eight billing cycles. For example, those billed daily might be cycle 1, those weekly, cycle 2, those monthly would be in cycle 3, those quarterly could be in cycle 4, etc. Refer back to step 4. Step 8 - Determine what kind of information you want included on the state ment. You will have the opportunity to change this information from time to time. Please see the sample statement on page D-8. Also see page A-4. Step 9 - Enter your company information, the client information and the transaction codes into the computer. Check the information by reviewing on the screen or getting a paper copy printout. Make any corrections to the entered information using the correction routines. Professional Billing Manual Page I-4 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS Introduction FINALLY, MAKE SURE YOU THINK THROUGH THE NEXT STEP CAREFULLY Step 10- Decide on some way to prepare the various billing transactions for entry into the computer. You may find that preparing a simple input sheet similar to the one you are now using will do fine. You may find that you want to adjust that input sheet to better fit this system. Whatever procedure you decide upon make sure you use it faithfully. The computer can only do the automatic billing for you. You must enter any other billing information by individual client. If you forget to enter something, there is no way in the world that the computer will be able to know that you FORGOT. Set up an input system and stick with it. If the system does not work properly, don't be afraid to change it to one that does. With all the information entered you will be able to do your billings daily, weekly, once a transaction period, or when you find it most convenient. You may want some reports daily, some weekly and some only at the end of the transaction period. The choice is yours. See the sample reports listed in the following sections. ACCURACY AND GOOD HOUSEKEEPING In general, the billing function consists of three important aspects, the entry of billable transactions into the computer, the production of reports on a daily, weekly or transaction period basis and the production of the statements at the end of the transaction period. When using an automated billing system such as this one in an office environment it is just as important to have your paperwork organized as it is to have the system itself. Among those techniques useful in organizing data are proper source docu ment filing procedures, the dating of documents, and the proper preservation of duplicate transaction period data diskettes. If your data is well-organized, this system can increase the throughput of your billing and statement preparation by about 100% over manual systems. The operator can be confident that the data can be entered rapidly and effi ciently, and that the totals are exact. The company executive in charge of the billing function can be confident that he can provide his clients with proper information regarding their accounts as well as providing for his company all necessary accounts receivable reports. This confidence is a secret of success in business. Professional Billing Manual Page I-5 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS Notations and References In order to make it a little easier for the first-time user this section will act as a reference in case the notation used in the manual becomes confusing. Computers are not smart. You are smart for using a computer. Computers don't know what to do. Programmers, like the one who produced the software you are about to use, have to instruct the computer, step by step, exactly what to do. Most computer programs, this one included, require that the user interact with the computer by means of the keyboard. Keyboards vary among computers but one key must appear on all keyboards in some form. It is the key which must be depressed to inform the computer that the user has completed any specific entry. For example, suppose the screen asks you the following question: HOW OLD ARE YOU _ Some computers will automatically place a question mark (?) after the word YOU. Others will not. Some will present a small dashed line just after the word 'YOU', others may show a blinking line, and still others may present you with a bright rectangle or a long bar of light to show where you should place your answer. Some day you may have to simply respond by voice, but for now, the keyboard does the job. (Oh, yes, we know there are Touch- Screens, Light-Pens, Joy Sticks and Mice or is it mouses?) To respond to the above question simply type your age, 21, by depressing the number '2' key and then depressing the number '1' key. It makes no difference if you use the row of keys at the top of the keyboard or the keypad of number keys at the side. Some keyboards don't have the upper row, some don't have the keypad but all must have some way to type in numbers. If you can't figure it out, see your operator's manual which came with the computer. DON'T' USE THE LOWER CASE 'Ell' (l) FOR THE NUMBER ONE (1). Now that you have typed in the two numbers, what next? The computer still patiently waits. It will continue waiting until you depress one more key. It is identified in different ways on the keyboard. Various names are RETURN, ENTER, ENT, RET, CR, and on some machines, some form of an arrow. Again, if you are confused, see your operator's manual. Depressing this key informs the computer that you have completed your entry. What kind of questions will you have to answer? We have given the example of inputting numbers (notice the use of the computer word, inputting). This is just a fancy way of saying 'entering'. You can also enter letters of the alphabet. Some keyboards allow both upper and lower case letter production by using the shift key or setting a shift lock key or even by using a key marked 'ALTERNATE' or 'ALT'. The method is the same. Type your input, such as, PAYMENT and then depress the ENTER or RETURN key. Throughout the manual we will use the notation <CR> to indicate when you should depress the ENTER or RETURN key. The <CR> stands for 'carriage return' which is the notation that has been used since the old Key Punch machines were used with the first computers. Professional Billing Manual Page R-1 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS Notations and References You can also enter various symbols but with this program you will be limited to such things as the plus (+) and minus signs (-), the decimal point (.) and the asterisk (*). Of course you DO NOT TYPE THE PARENTHESIS. In addition, you may want to enter the dollar sign ($). NEVER ENTER THE DOLLAR SIGN, it will totally confuse the machine. It is a good idea to enter only UPPER CASE letters of the alphabet when responding to questions such as DO YOU WANT A HARD COPY (Y or N) <Y>. Take a moment to note that you are being offered a choice of either 'YES' or 'NO' but you only have to type in the first letter, 'Y' or 'N'. In addi tion there is a letter 'Y' enclosed in brackets <Y>. This is called a 'DE FAULT'. It means that if you depress the ENTER or RETURN key the machine will understand it to mean 'YES'. This saves you a keystroke but it also indicates the usual answer at that point in the program. If no DEFAULT is shown and you simply depress the RETURN or ENTER key the program will PROMPT you to respond again in the correct fashion. A PROMPT is computer language for what appears on the screen in the form of a question or direction. One direction you will see many times is, Depress RETURN to continue. That is a prompt instructing you to depress the return key when you are ready to cont inue. This prompt is generally used when you are getting ready to use the printer. It allows the computer to stop and wait while you make sure the printer is on and the paper or forms are adjusted properly. When you are entering the names of clients or their addresses, it is permissible for you to use LOWER CASE letters such as, 'Modern Micro computers' rather than 'MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS' if you think that looks better in reports and on statements. This system is driven (another computer word) by MENUS. A menu is noth ing but a listing of various actions you can select to perform. In most cases each item has a number and you select the action by typing in (input ting or entering) the number you want followed by depressing the RETURN <CR>. Most menus also include a way to move to a different menu or to show additional selections. Sometimes you will select an action on a menu and find that a second, or SUB-MENU will appear that requires you to make another selection. For exam ple, you may select an item from a menu for a report. The sub-menu may give you the options of viewing the report on the screen or getting a HARDCOPY. A hardcopy (computer language) is a printout on the printer. Now some technical things. If you are familiar with your computer you may want to skip this section. Your computer must store information for later use. Some information is stored in the computer's RAM (Random Access Memory) so that it can be worked on very quickly. Other information is magnetically written onto some exter nal material. This may be a 'Floppy Disk', a 'Hard' or 'Rigid' disk, or magnetic tape. This externally stored information remains on the disk or tape until you or the program removes or overwrites it with new information. The information in the RAM remains only while the machine is turned on. If the computer goes off for some reason, that information is lost. Professional Billing Manual Page R-2 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS Notations and References These programs are designed to keep as little information in RAM as pos sible in case there is a power failure. Important information is written to the disk as soon as possible after entry. This is designed to protect you and your valuable data, but, problems can still happen if there is an inter ruption of electricity. You will notice the drive lights coming on and turning off during the process of running the programs indicating that information is being stored on the disks. (In most cases the Hard disk.) The data you produce using any software is extremely important. Many software packages require that you back up data at certain places before you can continue to some activity which could cause problems. The Modern Micro computers' Professional billing system works on this philosophy. Just before doing your monthly billing the system requests that you make a back-up copy onto a floppy disk which is in Drive 'A'. This disk back-up is quickly made and the data can be put back onto the hard drive very easily. Please, always make a back-up of the data when requested to do so. Make sure that you store the floppy disk in a safe place. Floppy disks can be damaged in many ways. If you are using the system running under MS-DOS or PC-DOS you must refer to the addendum at the end of this manual. Floppy disks come in boxes. Each disk comes in its own sleeve of paper. Disks should be either in the drive of your computer or in its sleeve in its box. When you get a new box of disks you don't know where they were before you received them. They may have been stored near some electric motor, left near a running engine in a truck or automobile, placed under a big air conditioning unit or in a box which passed through a metal detector in an airport. Anytime the disk is exposed to magnetic fields there is a possibility that the surface of the disk (the magnetic material on the disk) has become magnetized. This stray magnetism must be removed. Computer users refer to this procedure as FORMATTING the disk. Actually each machine does this slightly differently and while the procedure takes place the computer writes (magnetically, of course) onto the disk information it might need later on. This information is generally called a DIRECTORY or CONTROL TRACKS. You don't have to know what this information is or why it is there. What you must understand is that it must be there. Every new disk must be FORMATTED before it can be used in the computer to store information. The formatting process usually takes from one to three minutes. Again, each machine does it differently. Your operator's manual will explain how you must do it. Professional Billing Manual Page R-3 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS Notations and References The programs which run the computer are encoded (the word 'encoded' is computer language to mean that they are stored in magnetic form) on a MASTER DISK which was supplied with this manual. You should make at least two backup copies of this disk. Use ONLY a backup copy in your everyday work. NEVER USE THE ORIGINAL DISK to run the system directly. The ORIGINAL DISK should be stored away for safe keeping and if anything ever happens to the copy you are using in your daily work the ORIGINAL DISK can be used to produce another working copy. With every box of disks come labels. Get yourself some felt tip pens. Make sure that you clearly put on the label the information about what is on the disk. DO THIS BEFORE PUTTING THE LABEL ON THE DISK. NEVER WRITE ON THE LABEL WHILE IT IS ON THE DISK. NEVER WRITE ON THE SLEEVE OF THE DISK WHILE THE DISK IS IN THE SLEEVE. USING A BALL POINT PEN TO WRITE DIRECTLY ON A DISK IS A SURE WAY TO DESTROY THE DISK. OK, now on to the programs. What exactly will you be doing? Professional Billing Manual Page R-4 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS Notations and References This series of programs allows you to keep track of your clients with regard to billing and payment of bills. Each client will be given a number by the computer beginning with 101. You can choose to use that number or substitute an alternate identification code. You can use up to eight char acters for the identification code. As an example, you might use JONES to represent the Jones and Smith Metal Casting Co. Using unique codes may be easier than using numbers. The choice is yours and you may use numbers for some clients and unique codes for others. You can have up to 500 clients on the system at one time. You can change information about the client such as name, address and phone number. You can add new clients at any time. You can print out or view the entire client list showing balances and/or show only one client if you so desire. YOU CANNOT, HOWEVER, CHANGE THE IDENTIFI CATION CODE FOR A CLIENT. ONCE USED, IT IS ALWAYS ASSIGNED TO THAT CLIENT. EVEN IF YOU DELETE THE CLIENT, THAT CODE CANNOT BE USED FOR ANOTHER CLIENT. In order to enter information quickly during the billing cycle you will use TRANSACTION codes which are three-character abbreviations such as, MON, which you might want to stand for MONTHLY BILLING. Each transaction code will have an associated description and unit cost. As an example, MAF Monthly billing for accounting and production of financial reports. $ 100.00 When billing your client you simply input MAF and the other information will automatically appear on his statement. This saves time in typing. At the time you are doing the entry of billing information, the machine will show you what will appear and you can then decide if you want to change the money amount. The associated money amount is the UNIT COST. If you are billing for three hours of consulting time you would input the transaction code for that item, such as CON and, when prompted, input 3 as the quantity. The machine will multiply the unit amount by 3. You can also associate a transaction code with a customer so that you can do automatic billing rather than have to input each client each billing period. You might associate MAF with a number of your clients, another code, such as MAG with another group of clients and still other codes with other clients. You then can place the clients into any one of eight billing cycles. The cycles can represent any periods you so desire. For instance, some clients might be billed monthly, others quarterly and still others every six months. Cycle 1 could represent those billed monthly, cycle 2, those billed quarterly and cycle 3 could be used for those bill every six months. At the time you decide to prepare the statements, you indicate (using the menu choices) that you want automatic billing and the machine will ask you to enter the number of the billing cycle. The machine will then form a transaction record for each of the clients with whom you have associated a transaction code and who are in that specific billing cycle. You can then elect to bill those clients in a second billing cycle. Monthly you might bill cycle 1 only. Quarterly you would bill both cycle 1 and cycle 2. Every six months you would bill cycles 1, 2 and 3. This should save you a considerable amount of time if many of your clients have a regular amount which is billed periodically. Professional Billing Manual Page R-5 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS Notations and References The system allows you to automatically bill those clients in a specific cycle only ONCE during a billing period to prevent you from accidentally billing the client automatically twice. You can, of course, add other things to his bill by using the option to individually create transactions using the proper menu choice. As you enter transactions you can have the machine print a record of what you are entering. At any time you can print or view the entire billing period transaction listing. You can delete or change a transaction at any time before you update (add the new information to the existing information which is presently stored) the permanent records. You will have to select the transaction codes you want to use. Make them meaningful for yourself so that you don't have to keep referring to the printed copy. As you use the system you will discover that you learn the codes very quickly. At the end of the billing period you can print the client's statements and labels to go on the envelopes. You can use either a printed form for the statements (available from many forms suppliers) or ordinary length white paper. You can also use your letterheads either one by one or in a continuous fan fold paper arrangement. You can have continuous letterheads printed by many forms suppliers. All the necessary reports that you need will be generated and at year's end the system will give you a yearly report showing how much you billed each client and any outstanding money for that client. The system will then re-set itself for a new year. SOME LAST NOTES: <CR> means depress the RETURN or ENTER key. <Y> or <N> means that depressing the RETURN or ENTER key will cause the machine to default to the value in the < >. Things outlined in ********* refer to what you will see on the screen. * * * * * * ********* BOLD PRINT shows what you should respond. TERMS USED THROUGHOUT THE MANUAL BACKUP means to make a copy of a disk. DEFAULT means the machine will assume the answer which is shown in the < > notation. Professional Billing Manual Page R-6 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS Notations and References DISK or DISKETTE refers to the storage medium. Diskettes are of various types and you must be sure that you have the proper type for your computer. Refer to your computer manual if you are in doubt. The minifloppy diskette is a 5-1/4" diameter flexible magnetic mylar disk made to store approximately 360,000 characters of data. It rotates inside the disk drive at 300 rotations per minute. Like high-grade audio recording tape, it is highly sensitive to grease, dirt, heat, creasing, scratches, fingerprints and smoke. The diskette is stored in a lubricated envelope so that it can be handled by the edges without damaging the magnetic surface, which is visible through various openings in the envelope. * * * W A R N I N G * * * DO NOT TOUCH OR OTHERWISE CONTAMINATE ANY DISKETTE. TO DO SO IS TO RISK LOSS OF ALL OR PART OF THE DATA STORED ON IT. DRIVE refers to the place where the diskette is held in the computer or an internal area of the computer which holds a rigid disk for data storage. ERROR MESSAGES refers to information which shows up on the screen to inform you of some problem. Most of these messages are generated because you have forgotten to do something such as closing a drive door or not turning on the printer. FORMAT means to clear off stray magnetism from a new disk. HARDCOPY or PRINTOUT means a printout on the printer. In some cases you will be offered the option to either view the information on the screen or to print it on the printer. PROMPT means the question or direction that the computer produces when it wants you to respond. The prompt often contains a default such as <Y>. Depressing the RETURN or ENTER key will indicate to the computer that you want the default value, Y for Yes. Sometimes you will be requested simply to 'Depress RETURN to continue'. TRANSACTION CODE is a three-digit code which represents a transaction which is to appear on the statement for the client. The three digits can represent up to four lines of description on the statement along with a unit cost for that transaction. TRANSACTION PERIOD is the length of time between sending statements. You decide how long it should be. Most companies will send statements monthly. SOME DOs AND DON'Ts DON'T turn on a computer with disks in the drives. (NEVER, NEVER) DON'T turn off a computer with disks in the drives. (NEVER, NEVER) Diskettes and computers DON'T like cigarette smoke. DO use meaningful transaction codes which will be easy to remember. DO take time to decide which clients will have transaction codes associated and when they will be automatically billed. Professional Billing Manual Page R-7 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS Start-Up If you are using an IBM machine with PC-DOS or an IBM compatible machine with MS-DOS, you should refer to the ADDENDUM and then read over the following information but use your computer manual for the correct way to do each of the following steps. Your DOS boot disk contains the necessary utility programs. It is expected that the user of MODERN BILLING SYSTEM will have read over the operating Manual which came with your computer. Different machines require a different sequence of actions in order to start the computer. One point which is often overlooked in the computer Manuals is the fact that no computer should ever be turned on or off while there is a disk in one of the drives. Make sure that you are set to enter all information in UPPER CASE. It is also advisable to lock the keypad for numbers. Refer to your operator's Manual if you are uncertain on how to do this. In order to make the duplicate copy of the MASTER Diskette you will use the DISKCOPY routine which was supplied on your original DOS diskette. You will be making a copy of the disk in Drive 'A' onto a formatted disk which will also eventually be put into Drive 'A'. First, with the DOS disk in Drive 'A' and depress the CONTROL key and the C key at the same time. Now type the letter A followed by a colon and depress the RETURN key. The A:> prompt will appear. Now type the single word DISKCOPY and depress the RETURN key. Follow the directions as they appear on the screen. You will have to remove the DOS disk and replace it with the MASTER disk supplied with this manual. After you depress the RETURN key the information will be read from the disk and stored in memory. At the appropriate place you will be asked to replace the disk in Drive 'A' with the 'TARGET' disk which is the disk that will hold the copy. If you have trouble, please refer to your system manual. Depending on how much memory you have this routine may repeat itself. At the appearance of the prompt 'Copy another disk (Y/N) ?' you should remove the disk from Drive 'A' and place a label on it indicating that it is a COPY of the MASTER disk. Refer to page I-1 at the front of this manual for directions on how to load the programs onto your hard disk. Put the original MASTER disk and the copy just made in a safe place. You will not use them while running the programs. At one point while running the programs you will be asked to make a back up copy of your transaction and customer files. These will be located on the disk in Drive 'C'. The copy will be made to a formatted disk in Drive 'A'. Once the programs are loaded on the hard disk you should get to the root directory of your hard drive. You can do this from any place by simply typing CD\ and depressing the RETURN key. The sign \ is called a back- slash. Now type C: and again depress the RETURN key. You should get the C:> prompt. Now type the word BILLING and depress the RETURN key. Professional Billing Manual Page S-1 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS Entering Control Information ************************************************************************ * * * MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS - PROFESSIONAL BILLING * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Enter today's date (MMDDYY) 040190 <CR> * * * * * You are requested to enter the date. All dates are entered in the format shown, that is, MMDDYY, Month Day Year. This date will appear on a number of screens with the request that you verify that it is the date to use. Anytime this request appears you will have the opportunity to change the date. The next thing to decide is where the programs and the data will be located. Normally both will be in the same sub-directory or on the same disk. With a hard disk system you could have the data kept on Drive A if you so desire. This might make it easier to make back-up copies. It is also possible to run the software using a single drive machine by indicating that you want both the programs and the data on drive A. ************************************************************************* * * * On which drive will the programs be located (A - H) C <CR> * * On which drive will the data be located (A - H) C <CR> * * * In this case we will indicate that both the programs and data should be on drive C. This places the data in the same sub-directory (the BILLING sub-directory) as the programs. This is the usually the most convenient way of running the software. Professional Billing Manual Page S-2 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS Entering Control Information The next thing is a code word. Pick one you can remember. The code word is not designed to lock out anyone but rather to make you stop and think at certain points so that you don't accidentally erase data before you have all your reports. Enter the code word and <CR>. In our examples we will use the code word DOG. * * * * * You may now enter a CODE WORD to be used at certain places * * in the programs. Please make a record of the word so that * * you will not forget it. Please enter the code word DOG <CR> * * * * * The only time that you will see the preceding questions and be required to answer them is the very first time you use the system. Once this basic information is recorded you will not have to re-enter it. In the event that you ever want to change the code word simply following the steps listed below. 1. Boot the system and get to the C:> prompt. 2. Type CD BILLING to move to the sub-directory. 3. Type DIR FORM and depress the RETURN key. Information about a file called FORM will appear. The file contains the information concerning the code word and the instructions on how the printer is to move the paper to top of the next form. 5. Type the words ERASE FORM and depress the RETURN key. 6. Type the word MENU and depress the RETURN key. With the basic information entered you will be greeted into the program menus. ************************************************************************* * * * MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS * * PROFESSIONAL BILLING SYSTEM * * * * MODBILL? VERSION * * JAN 1991 * * * * Today's date is 04/01/90 Is this O.K. to use (Y or N) <Y> <CR> * * * * * Just a quick reminder. When you see a reply bracketed with < > it means that simply depressing the RETURN key will make that selection. In the screen above, depressing the RETURN key makes the selection 'Y" to indicate that the answer should be, YES. Professional Billing Manual Page S-3 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS Entering Basic Information You will now see the first of a number of menu screens. We refer to this one as the MASTER MENU or MASTER SELECTOR. ************************************************************************* * * * In which area would you like to work? * * * * 1 - TRANSACTION FILE SERVICES * * Enter/View/Print/Change Transactions * * * * 2 - CUSTOMER FILE SERVICES * * Setup/Change Customer Account Information * * * * 3 - ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE AND TRANSACTION CODE REPORT * * * * 4 - INVOICE/STATEMENT PRINTING - RECORD UPDATING * * * * 5 - REPORT ON MOST RECENT BILLING * * * * 6 - PRINT LABELS * * * * 7 - CONTROL FILE SERVICES * * Setup/Change Statement Information * * Setup/Change Transaction Codes * * * * 0 - TO EXIT SYSTEM * * * * Enter your choice by NUMBER (0 - 7) _ * * * ************************************************************************* The entire system is driven by menu screens. You will generally have to answer with a number or in some cases with a letter such as, Y or N to repre sent YES or NO. If you see <Y> or <N> at the end of a question on the screen it means that depressing the ENTER or RETURN key will cause that selection. You could, of course, enter the Y even if <Y> was showing but the <CR> default will save some time. Remember we use <CR> as the notation to indicate that you should depress the ENTER or RETURN key. Before we go on let us take a quick look at the basic procedure which you will follow now and then the procedure you will follow during and at the end of the billing cycle. You will now have to enter: 1. Your company information which will appear on reports, invoices, and statements. 2. The various transaction codes you intend to use along with their descriptions and money values. Professional Billing Manual Page A-1 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS Entering Basic Information 3. Some information which you can have appear on the statements if you wish. 4. The client information including any outstanding balances, any associated transaction codes for those clients you want to bill automatically, and, the billing cycle for each client you want automatically billed. Each client must be given a sorting code. Since the first step is to enter the company information, you will select Option 7 from the menu. In order to do this type 7 <CR> at this point and you will start by putting in the company information. Remember that <CR> means to depress the ENTER or RETURN key. The screen will clear and present a new menu, the CONTROL FILE MAINTENANCE MENU. You will not use it very often unless you want to change the informa tion to appear on the statements or add new transaction codes. ************************************************************************* * * * CONTROL FILE MAINTENANCE MENU * * * * You may now: * * * * 1 - INITIALIZE MASTER FILE * * * * 2 - CHANGE STATEMENT HEADER INFORMATION * * * * 3 - SET UP OR ADD NEW TRANSACTION CODES * * * * 4 - CHANGE A TRANSACTION CODE * * * * 5 - LIST THE TRANSACTION CODES * * * * 6 - RETURN TO MASTER MENU * * * * * * Enter your CHOICE by NUMBER ( 1- 8) 1 <CR> * * * ************************************************************************* The above screen shows the entire menu. The first time you run the programs you will only see choices 1 and 6. Since you have not yet entered any information, the other choices do not yet appear. The computer holds information in a number of files. The Master File holds the company information as well as a series of transaction codes which are used while entering data. Type 1 <CR> since you want to INITIALIZE THE MASTER FILE. You will ONLY do this ONCE because this clears the information from the file and causes you to START OVER. Professional Billing Manual Page A-2 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS Entering Basic Information The screen will clear and you will be asked to verify that this is the action you would like to take. At various times while running the program you will have to verify your answer or choice. This is to prevent you from accidentally deleting data. ************************************************************************* * * * INITIALIZATION OF MASTER FILE * * * * This clears all information from the master file. * * * * Are you SURE that's what you want to do (Y or N) <N> Y <CR> * * * * * Type Y <CR>. You will note that the default is N for NO if you simply use the <CR> as a response. You don't want the default since you do want to clear out this file. IN ALL PROBABILITY YOU WILL NEVER DO THIS AGAIN. * * * Please enter the code word at this time DOG <CR> * * * * * Note: One more protection to keep you from losing information. Type in your code word, we use DOG and <CR>. The machine now has the files established on the disk and you are ready to enter the information about our company. You will set up an accounting firm, A. and B. Accounting Co., run by Mr. Able and Mr. Baker. They are involved with accounting and tax work. NOTE: There may have been some changes made to the manual since it was printed. PLEASE READ THE ADDENDUM for any new information. Professional Billing Manual Page A-3 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS Entering Basic Information Before we go on let's take a look at the top of a typical statement. Note that there are four lines of comments opposite the client's name and address. You can change these lines at any time or leave them blank. There is also a longer comment line which you can change or leave blank whenever you desire. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ A. AND B. ACCOUNTING CO. STATEMENT 63 SUDBURY LANE 20 WESTBURY, NEW YORK 11590 (516) 333-9248 05/15/90 TO: ACCOUNT IDENT. 120 MARTINE AND FRANKLIN, INC. WE VALUE YOUR BUSINESS AND MR. J. W. MARTINE STAND READY TO HELP WHENEVER 20020 LONG AVENUE WE CAN. DON'T HESITATE TO CALL HICKSVILLE, NEW YORK 11581 US WHEN TROUBLE APPEARS. QUALITY - ACCURACY - PRIDE: WE HOLD THESE VALUES VERY HIGHLY. DATE DESCRIPTION CHARGE CREDIT BALANCE ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ In addition to being asked about our company you will also be asked for the four lines of comments to appear opposite the client information. You can change these comments any time you want by using Option number 2 on the CONTROL FILE MAINTENANCE MENU. Each line can be up to 32 characters long. You might find this helpful to advise your clients of any changes of company policy or for season's greetings at the end of the year. You can, of course, simply leave them blank if you wish. You are going to use four lines shown above in our examples but you can choose to use others or none at all. Finally, you will be asked for the comment which appears in the center of the statement. In our example it reads QUALITY - ACCURACY - PRIDE: etc. Since it sounds good, you will use it in our examples. You can, of course, use any comment you feel appropriate and you can change it at any time. You might even like to use a row of '======' double dashes. To help illustrate the entry of information we will represent what your response should be in BOLD letters. You will note that the responses in most cases are limited to a certain number of characters. If you try to enter too much the machine will reject your entry and request that you re-enter it in the proper fashion. Remember to end each of your entries by depressing the ENTER or RETURN key. We use the <CR> notation. Note also that you are limited in the length of the permitted entry. The limit will be shown as (32 Chr. Max) or (14 Chr. Max). Please do not exceed the limit indicated. Professional Billing Manual Page A-4 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS Entering Basic Information **************************************************************************** * * * Maximum of 32 Characters * -------------------------------- * * ENTER COMPANY NAME (32 Chr. Max) A. AND B. ACCOUNTING CO <CR> * * ENTER STREET ADDRESS (32 Chr. Max) 63 SUDBURY LANE <CR> * * ENTER CITY, STATE, ZIP (32 Chr. Max) WESTBURY, NEW YORK 11590 <CR> * * * * * * 14 Chr. Max. * * -------------- * * ENTER PHONE NUMBER (14 Chr. Max) (516) 333-9248 <CR> * * * This completes the information for the top of the statements. If you are planning to use pre-printed forms which have your company information included, then, instead of entering the information at this time, simply tap the space bar three times before depressing the RETURN key for each answer. When the bills print, the space which would normally contain your company information will be left blank. **************************************************************************** * * * You can enter up to four lines of comments to * * appear on the statement form. Each comment can * * be a maximum of 32 characters in length. If * * you wish to include comments, enter them now. * * If not, simply depress RETURN. * * * * * * Maximum of 32 Characters * * -------------------------------- * * ENTER COMMENT 1 WE VALUE YOUR BUSINESS AND <CR> * * ENTER COMMENT 2 STAND READY TO HELP WHENEVER <CR> * * ENTER COMMENT 3 WE CAN. DON'T HESITATE TO CALL <CR> * * ENTER COMMENT 4 US WHEN TROUBLE APPEARS. <CR> * * * * Enter a comment for the CENTER of STATEMENT (Max 72 Characters). * * If you wish to leave it blank, type a '*' * * -------------------------------------------------------------------- * * QUALITY - ACCURACY - PRIDE: WE HOLD THESE VALUES VERY HIGHLY. <CR> * * * **************************************************************************** When you have entered the company information, the four short comments and the longer comment which appears in the center of the statement, the screen will clear and return you to the full CONTROL FILE MAINTENANCE MENU You will now have the opportunity to enter the transaction codes which we plan to use while entering data. Professional Billing Manual Page A-5 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS Transaction codes The heart of the system centers around TRANSACTION CODES. In order to speed up entry of information you must set up these codes at this time. What exactly is a Transaction Code? It is a three (3) character code representing a TYPE of transaction. For example, you might want the following billing explanation to appear on an invoice or statement. CONSULTING TIME IN YOUR OFFICE $ 80.00 You could use as a code, CIY. During the entry of information you will be asked for the Transaction code. You input CIY and the computer will auto matically know you want that billing explanation to appear. Suppose you also want as a transaction, the following on some statements. CONSULTING TIME IN OUR OFFICE $ 80.00 You might choose to use CIO. Now during entry of information you would enter CIO and the machine will automatically know you want this alternate billing explanation to appear. You will note that the two transaction codes shown are both one line billing explanations. The system does not limit you to one line but rather allows up to four lines of 32 characters each. STANDARD MAINTENANCE PERFORMED ON YOUR RENTAL EQUIPMENT AS OUTLINED IN MANUFACTURER'S MANUAL. TO BE DONE QUARTERLY. $ 250.00 You could use a code such as STQ for this one. When you select the codes to be used you will be asked for an associated money value. This value can be changed during the transaction entry phase of the work as you will see later when that phase is explained. We suggest that you put in the value most commonly used with that billing explanation. Some users of the system will do the following to help speed up transaction entries later in the program. C1 CONSULTING TIME $ 100.00 (Using the number to C2 CONSULTING TIME $ 200.00 represent the money value.) C25 CONSULTING TIME $ 250.00 or MM1 MAINTENANCE MONTHLY $ 100.00 (Using a letter to MM2 MAINTENANCE MONTHLY $ 200.00 represent a time period, MQ1 MAINTENANCE QUARTERLY $ 100.00 M for month, Q for quarter.) MQ2 MAINTENANCE QUARTERLY $ 200.00 You have three characters in each code. You will have to decide what codes to use and what billing explanations you want to appear. One further piece of information will have to be added, whether or not the billing explanation refers to a debit or a credit. Professional Billing Manual Page A-6 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS Transaction codes Of course you will want one or more codes to represent that you have received payment. CHK CHECK RECEIVED, THANK YOU $ 0.00 PA PART PAYMENT RECEIVED $ 0.00 PAP PART PAYMENT RECEIVED, PLEASE REMIT BALANCE. $ 0.00 PAA PART PAYMENT RECEIVED. PLEASE REMIT BALANCE AT ONCE IN ORDER TO KEEP YOUR CREDIT RECORD UP TO DATE. $ 0.00 OR OK, WISE GUY, PAY UP AT (Enter as a credit and ONCE OR THE MEN IN THE BIG it will print with no BLACK CAR WILL PAY YOU A money value showing on VISIT AT 2:00 A.M. $ 0.00 the statement.) You can have up to 1,500 Transaction codes. One additional point. If you create a transaction code as a debit but do not include an associated amount of money this will cause the billing explanation to print with 'NC' in the money area. If you create a transaction code as a credit but do not include an associated amount of money this will cause the billing explanation to print with nothing in the money area. You might want to use this to add a line to a statement indicating that the statement was overdue. Note the 'OR' code included in the above examples. OK, enter choice 3 so that we can move on to entering the codes. ************************************************************************* * * * CONTROL FILE MAINTENANCE MENU * * * * You may now: * * * * 1 - INITIALIZE MASTER FILE * * * * 2 - CHANGE STATEMENT HEADER INFORMATION * * * * 3 - SET UP OR ADD NEW TRANSACTION CODES * * * * 4 - CHANGE A TRANSACTION CODE * * * * 5 - LIST THE TRANSACTION CODES * * * * 6 - RETURN TO MASTER MENU * * * * * * Enter your CHOICE by NUMBER ( 1- 6) 3 <CR> * * * ************************************************************************* Professional Billing Manual Page A-7 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS Transaction codes Note that you can change any of the information just entered using Option number 2. You can try that later but now we want you to enter some trans action codes. The following is a list of transaction codes which we intend to use in our examples. MAA MONTHLY ACCOUNTING SERVICES $100.00 MAB MONTHLY ACCOUNTING SERVICES $100.00 TPA TAX PLANNING $ 75.00 TPB TAX PLANNING $ 75.00 FSA INCOME TAX PREPARATION FEDERAL AND STATE FORMS $175.00 FSB INCOME TAX PREPARATION FEDERAL AND STATE FORMS $175.00 F-A INCOME TAX PREPARATION FEDERAL TAX RETURN ONLY $125.00 F-B INCOME TAX PREPARATION FEDERAL TAX RETURN ONLY $125.00 PAY PAYMENT RECEIVED. THANK YOU. $ 0.00 (Enter as a credit) PAR PARTIAL PAYMENT RECEIVED. THANK YOU. $ 0.00 (Enter as a credit) OVD THIS AMOUNT IS NOW OVERDUE. PLEASE REMIT PROMPTLY. $ 0.00 (Enter as a credit) ACC QUARTERLY ACCOUNTING WORK $225.00 This gives us 12 billing explanations which should be enough to demonstrate how the system works. Before we go any further take note of the fact that we set up pairs of transaction codes MAA and MAB, TPA and TPB, FSA and FSB, F-A and F-B. In each case the first of each pair of codes will be used by Mr. Able and the second by Mr. Baker. In this way the billing explanations will contain the same information but the two partners will be able to determine how much billing was accomplished by each. The letter 'A' at the end of the code will identify Mr. Able's billings and the letter 'B' will be used by Mr. Baker. Professional Billing Manual Page A-8 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS Transaction codes Don't be overly concerned about the amounts of money associated with each transaction code. When the actual billing routine is in progress it is possible to change the amount quite easily. As a matter of fact, TPA and TPB will be used by the partners as a per hour billing charge. In all other cases the amount is a set fee which is usually charged. Mr. Able and Mr. Baker have decided that their basic rate per hour should be at least $ 75.00, and they intend to receive no less than $ 175.00 per tax form preparation. After making choice 3 from the CONTROL FILE MAINTENANCE MENU, the screen clears and another set of directions and questions appears. As we did before we will indicate the information printed by the computer on the screen in BOLD print and your responses in ordinary print. ************************************************************************* * * * You must now enter your TRANSACTION CODES, their * * DESCRIPTIONS, and whether they are DEBITS or CREDITS. * * * * TRANSACTION CODES can be 1, 2, or 3 characters. * * Their DESCRIPTION can be a MAXIMUM of 4 lines of up * * to 32 characters each. * * * * Type 'END' for the last transaction code. * * * * TRANSACTION CODE MAA <CR> * * DEBIT OR CREDIT (D OR C) <D> D <CR> * * * * Maximum of 32 Characters * * -------------------------------- * * Line 1 of DESCRIPTION MONTHLY ACCOUNTING SERVICES <CR> * * Line 2 of DESCRIPTION <CR> * * Line 3 of DESCRIPTION <CR> * * Line 4 of DESCRIPTION <CR> * * AMOUNT PER UNIT <CR> IF 0 100 <CR> * * * * Everything O.K. (Y or N) <Y> Y <CR> * * * * THIS IS BEING WRITTEN TO THE FILE * * * ************************************************************************* After you enter this first transaction code and information the screen clears and you are presented with the same requests so that you can enter the second transaction code. Professional Billing Manual Page A-9 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS Transaction codes ************************************************************************* * * * You must now enter your TRANSACTION CODES, their * * DESCRIPTIONS, and whether they are DEBITS or CREDITS. * * * * TRANSACTION CODES can be 1, 2, or 3 characters. * * Their DESCRIPTION can be a MAXIMUM of 4 lines of up * * to 32 characters each. * * * * Type 'END' for the last transaction code. * * * * TRANSACTION CODE MAB <CR> * * DEBIT OR CREDIT (D OR C) <D> D <CR> * * * * Maximum of 32 Characters * * -------------------------------- * * Line 1 of DESCRIPTION MONTHLY ACCOUNTING SERVICES <CR> * * Line 2 of DESCRIPTION <CR> * * Line 3 of DESCRIPTION <CR> * * Line 4 of DESCRIPTION <CR> * * AMOUNT PER UNIT <CR> IF 0 100 <CR> * * * * Everything O.K. (Y or N) <Y> Y <CR> * * * * THIS IS BEING WRITTEN TO THE FILE * * * ************************************************************************* Professional Billing Manual Page A-10 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS Transaction codes You probably noticed that the machine included <D> as a default regarding the Debit or Credit entry. Depressing the RETURN or ENTER key causes the letter 'D' to be entered. In a similar fashion the default becomes the letter 'Y' if you depress the RETURN or ENTER key as the answer to the question "EVERYTHING O.K. (Y or N) <Y>". Defaults will help speed data entry. One common direction will be "Depress RETURN to continue". You need do nothing more than Depress the ENTER or RETURN key at that time. YOU will continue adding the transaction codes, one by one, until they are all into the machine. Just enter the transaction codes that we indicated we will be using. By the time you have entered them all you should be very familiar with this stage of the work. In order to conclude this section of the program you must type END <CR> instead of a three letter transaction code. Just follow the prompts as they appear on the screen. When you finish entering the transaction codes continue on to the next page. Here are the transaction codes YOU must enter: TPA TAX PLANNING DEBIT $ 75.00 TPB TAX PLANNING DEBIT $ 75.00 FSA INCOME TAX PREPARATION FEDERAL AND STATE FORMS DEBIT $175.00 FSB INCOME TAX PREPARATION FEDERAL AND STATE FORMS DEBIT $175.00 F-A INCOME TAX PREPARATION FEDERAL TAX RETURN ONLY DEBIT $125.00 F-B INCOME TAX PREPARATION FEDERAL TAX RETURN ONLY DEBIT $125.00 PAY PAYMENT RECEIVED. THANK YOU. CREDIT $ 0.00 PAR PARTIAL PAYMENT RECEIVED. THANK YOU. CREDIT $ 0.00 OVD THIS AMOUNT IS NOW OVERDUE. PLEASE REMIT PROMPTLY. CREDIT $ 0.00 ACC QUARTERLY ACCOUNTING WORK. DEBIT $225.00 Professional Billing Manual Page A-11 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS Transaction codes When you have completed entering the transaction codes you must type END when asked for the next transaction code. This indicates to the computer that you have completed your entries. ************************************************************************* * * * You must now enter your TRANSACTION CODES, their * * DESCRIPTIONS, and whether they are DEBITS or CREDITS. * * * * TRANSACTION CODES can be 1, 2, or 3 characters. * * Their DESCRIPTION can be a MAXIMUM of 4 lines of up * * to 32 characters each. * * * * Type 'END' for the last transaction code. * * * * TRANSACTION CODE END <CR> * * * At this time it makes sense to get your first printout of information. You will need to see the transaction codes that were entered to pick up any errors which may have occurred. You will select the option to list the codes. The first time you will ask to see them on the screen and then repeat this step asking for a printout on the printer. You need to select Option 5. ************************************************************************* * * * CONTROL FILE MAINTENANCE MENU * * * * You may now: * * * * 1 - INITIALIZE MASTER FILE * * * * 2 - CHANGE STATEMENT HEADER INFORMATION * * * * 3 - SET UP OR ADD NEW TRANSACTION CODES * * * * 4 - CHANGE A TRANSACTION CODE * * * * 5 - LIST THE TRANSACTION CODES * * * * 6 - RETURN TO MASTER MENU * * * * * * Enter your CHOICE by NUMBER ( 1- 6) 5 <CR> * * * ************************************************************************* Type 5 <CR> to get the listing. You will be offered a choice on how you want to view the information. Your choice is N <CR>. Professional Billing Manual Page A-12 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS Transaction codes First you will take a look at the codes on the screen so your response is N followed by depressing the RETURN or ENTER key. You will note that you could accomplish the same thing by simply depressing the RETURN or ENTER key since the default is indicated on the screen as <N>. ************************************************************************* * * * DO YOU WANT A HARDCOPY (Y OR N) <N> N <CR> * * * * * The screen clears and the transaction codes appear for your viewing pleasure. You could get a hardcopy printout of this information and should do so to use as a reference later on. The information will appear in the following form. ************************************************************************* * * * CURRENT TRANSACTION CODES * * * * CODE TYPE DESCRIPTION TO APPEAR ASSOCIATED AMOUNT * * * * MAA DEBIT MONTHLY ACCOUNTING SERVICES $100.00 * * * * MAB DEBIT MONTHLY ACCOUNTING SERVICES $100.00 * * * * TPA DEBIT TAX PLANNING $ 75.00 * * * and the remainder of the codes. You will note that this report also shows the Y-T-D amount which has been billed under the code and the total number of units which have been billed. At the present time these values are zero. When the prompt, Depress RETURN to continue appears on the screen simply depress the RETURN or ENTER key and the total accumulated debits and credits will be shown. Again, since this is the beginning of the work, the values will be zero. You can use this routine at any time during the year to see how much has been billed under each transaction code and if you are using the units to represent hours (or minutes), you can see how much time has been involved with each code. Depressing RETURN causes the CONTROL FILE MAINTENANCE MENU to reappear. Now lets get a hardcopy listing on the printer. Make sure that the printer is on line and type 5 <CR> and when the prompt appears type Y <CR> so that the printer will record the information for you. Professional Billing Manual Page A-13 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS Transaction codes ************************************************************************* * * * CONTROL FILE MAINTENANCE MENU * * * * You may now: * * * * 1 - INITIALIZE MASTER FILE * * * * 2 - CHANGE STATEMENT HEADER INFORMATION * * * * 3 - SET UP OR ADD NEW TRANSACTION CODES * * * * 4 - CHANGE A TRANSACTION CODE * * * * 5 - LIST THE TRANSACTION CODES * * * * 6 - RETURN TO MASTER MENU * * * * * * Enter your CHOICE by NUMBER ( 1- 6) 5 <CR> * * * ************************************************************************* This time type Y <CR> to get the printer into action. ************************************************************************* * * * DO YOU WANT A HARDCOPY (Y OR N) <N> Y <CR> * * * * Make sure your printer is turned on and has paper. * * * * Set your printer to the top of the page and * * Depress RETURN to continue <CR> * * * After the printout function is complete depress <CR> at the prompt and the CONTROL FILE MAINTENANCE MENU appears once more. Let us take a brief time for review. On this menu you use Option 1 ONLY at the initialization of the system. If you use it again all data will be removed from the disks. YOU DO NOT WANT THIS TO HAPPEN. Option 2 allows you to change the information contained at the top of the statements. You may want to use it to change the four lines of comments which appear opposite the client's name and address. You can also change the single long line which appears on the statements. Some users change this to a row of double dashes ======. You will use Option 3 if you intend to add any new transaction codes and Option 4 if you want to change any. Finally, Option 5 allows you to print out or view the transaction codes. Professional Billing Manual Page A-14 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS Entering Client Information Now that you have finished with the CONTROL FILE MAINTENANCE MENU you would like to get back to the MASTER MENU. In order to do this enter 6 <CR> which is the bottom choice on the CONTROL FILE MAINTENANCE MENU. You have completed the first part of the system set up and now must enter the information about the clients. You therefore select Option 2 on the MASTER MENU. ************************************************************************* * * * In which area would you like to work? * * * * 1 - TRANSACTION FILE SERVICES * * Enter/View/Print/Change Transactions * * * * 2 - CUSTOMER FILE SERVICES * * Setup/Change Customer Account Information * * * * 3 - ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE AND TRANSACTION CODE REPORT * * * * 4 - INVOICE/STATEMENT PRINTING - RECORD UPDATING * * * * 5 - REPORT OF MOST RECENT BILLING * * * * 6 - PRINT LABELS * * * * 7 - CONTROL FILE SERVICES * * Setup/Change Statement Information * * Setup/Change Transaction Codes * * * * 0 - TO EXIT SYSTEM * * * * Enter your choice by NUMBER (0 - 7) 2 <CR> * * * ************************************************************************* You should have the names, addresses and phone numbers of each of your clients ready. In addition, you should know their present outstanding balance, if any. The machine will automatically assign a client number to each client you enter. If you would rather have a special identification code for the client instead of a number, you can enter up to 8 characters instead of the number. For example, you might want to use JONES to represent the JONES AND SMITH LUMBER COMPANY. You will also be able to include, if you so desire, a second name in addition to the primary name of the client. This is an attention line in the address. It is quite possible that after you have entered your clients, you will want to re-arrange the order in which the clients appear on your reports. In order to allow you to re-arrange the list, you must assign a sorting code to each client. The code is made up of two letters and a number between 1 and 9. For example, BR5 might stand for Bright-Cleaning Corporation. If you wanted Bronson Gas Co. to appear after Bright-Cleaning Corporation in the list, assign a sorting code of BR6 to Bronson Gas Co. The machine will sort the codes BR5 before BR6. If you then had still another company called Professional Billing Manual Page B-1 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS Entering Client Information Branford and Branford, make their sorting code BR4. They will then appear before the other two companies in the file. You can alter the sorting codes of clients at any time. For instance you have set up the following: Clancy Industries CL4 Clipper Hedge Cutting CL5 Clothing For You CL6 and then you take on another client, Cleaning Materials Rentals. You would want them to appear after Clancy Industries and before Clipper Hedge Cutting. You would have to adjust Clancy Industries to be CL3 and then make Cleaning Materials Rentals, CL4. In this way the list would become: Clancy Industries CL3 Cleaning Materials Rentals CL4 Clipper Hedge Cutting CL5 Clothing For You CL6 It is suggested that you start each client with two letters and the number 5. In that way if you have another client and you want to use the same two letters you made make their number more or less than 5. Of course, like many of the options available, you do not have to use the sorting option. It is there in case you want to make use of it. You will note that the sorting process appears on the next menu. YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SORT YOUR LIST UNTIL YOU HAVE DONE AT LEAST ONE COMPLETE BILLING ROUTINE. You will be entering eight dummy companies which are serviced by A. and B. Accounting Co. In order to demonstrate the various functions you will associ ate transaction codes with the first five. You will assume that Mr. Able does the accounting work for the first company and that Mr. Baker does the account ing work for the second and third companies. These three companies are billed each month. The forth and fifth companies will be billed only quarterly. These five will serve as examples of how the automatic billing feature works. The remaining three companies or individuals have various needs which the A. and B. Accounting Co. handles. Here is a listing of the eight companies we would like you to enter into the computer. ACE HARDWARE CO. MR. GOODWRENCH 557-9129 1 FIRST STREET SMALL TOWN, N.Y. 11220 ASSOCIATED TRANSACTION CODE WILL BE MAA (Mr. Able's client) BILLING CYCLE 1 SORTING CODE AC5. Professional Billing Manual Page B-2 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS Entering Client Information BIG TIME SHOE COMPANY MRS. IMA FITTER 826-2200 2 SECOND AVENUE LITTLE TOWN, N.Y. 11340 ASSOCIATED TRANSACTION CODE WILL BE MAB (Mr. Baker's client) BILLING CYCLE 1 SORTING CODE BI5. CRUNCHY CANDY STAND 333-5693 3 THIRD PLACE MIDDLE TOWN, N.Y. 11567 ASSOCIATED TRANSACTION CODE WILL BE MAB (The second of Mr. Baker's BILLING CYCLE 1 SORTING CODE CR5. clients) MADE-TO-ORDER PARTS ACCOUNTS PAYABLE DEPT. 824-2200 100 INDUSTRIAL PARK ROAD SUBURBIA, N.Y. 11001 ASSOCIATED TRANSACTION CODE WILL BE ACC BILLING CYCLE 2 SORTING CODE MA5. W. & T. COAT COMPANY MR. W. WARMER 2127578210 NOTE: You are limited to 10 characters 32 DEGREE LANE for the telephone numbers. OCEAN FRONT, N.Y. 12788 ASSOCIATED TRANSACTION CODE WILL BE ACC BILLING CYCLE 2 SORTING CODE WA5. D. D. DOING, INC. MR. DAVID DOING 376-8221 4 FORTH AVENUE BIG TOWN, N.Y. 11556 SORTING CODE DO5. EVER-NEAR PLUMBING CO. MR. DIKEMENDER 522-7710 5 FIFTH STREET ANOTHER TOWN, N.Y. 11664 SORTING CODE EV5. MRS. FRANCINE FARMER 634-0031 6 SIXTH ROAD IN THE STIKS, NEW YORK 19822 SORTING CODE FA5. Professional Billing Manual Page B-3 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS Entering Client Information Note that 'Crunchy Candy Stand' and 'Mrs. Francine Farmer' have no second line to their address. The other four companies direct the mail to a certain individual. Actually, Mrs. Farmer is not a company but A. and B. Accounting Co. has handled her money activities for a number of years. You will assume that none of these individuals has an outstanding balance at the present time. When asked for the present balance and the year to date billings while entering information you will indicate 0 (zero) as the amount. The first three companies are to be billed each month and are therefore entered as billing cycle 1. The next two companies are billed quarterly and are put into billing cycle 2. After entering choice 2 on the MASTER MENU the CUSTOMER ACCOUNT MAINTENANCE MENU now appears. You will use Option 1 to begin since you want to add new customers to the file. ************************************************************************ * * * CUSTOMER ACCOUNT MAINTENANCE MENU * * * * You may now: * * 1 - ADD NEW ACCOUNTS TO FILE * * * * 2 - MODIFY AN EXISTING ACCOUNT * * * * 3 - LIST ACCOUNT NAMES AND ADDRESSES * * * * 4 - SEARCH FILE BY ACCOUNT NAME * * * * 5 - LIST ACCOUNTS, BALANCES AND TOTAL OUTSTANDING * * * * 6 - RE-INITIALIZE CUSTOMER FILE * * * * 7 - END OF YEAR REPORTS * * * * 8 - SORT FILE BASED ON SORT KEY * * * * 9 - RETURN TO MASTER MENU * * * * Enter your CHOICE by NUMBER ( 1- 9) 1 <CR> * * * * * Enter 1 <CR> in order to add customers to the file. NOTE: Option 6 allows you to re-initialize the customer file. Please do not use this option without careful thought. It removes everything from the customer file. Professional Billing Manual Page B-4 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS Entering Client Information * * * YOU PRESENTLY HAVE 0 CUSTOMERS IN THE FILE. * * * * This will become IDENT. No. 101 * * * * Do you want to have it as a DIFFERENT IDENT. (Y or N) <N> ? <CR> * * * * Depress RETURN when finished entering customers. * * PRIMARY NAME _ * * * * * Before you enter information a few points should be made clear. First, each client will be assigned an account number beginning with 101. You can have up to 1,500 clients on the system. You can enter an alternate identification code if you so desire. It can be up to eight characters in length and will be used instead of the number suggested by the computer. In order to look at information about a specific customer you will call up the data by account number, account identification or you can search the file for a specific name. You will see that using Option 3 (on the previous menu) will list the names, addresses and account numbers for reference. Option 5 will list the accounts by number and also show their outstanding balances. Each client can be given a PRIMARY NAME and a SECONDARY NAME. You are going to input only eight (8) customers. With each customer you can associate a Transaction code if you so desire. This will allow us to do an automatic transaction routine later when entering information during the transaction period. You will only associate trans action codes with five of the clients. ************************************************************************ * YOU PRESENTLY HAVE 0 CUSTOMERS IN THE FILE. * * * * This will become IDENT. No. 101 * * * * Do you want to have it as a DIFFERENT IDENT. (Y or N) <N> ? <CR> * * * * Depress RETURN when finished entering customers. * * PRIMARY NAME ACE HARDWARE CO. <CR> * * SECONDARY NAME MR. GOODWRENCH <CR> * * PHONE 557-9129 <CR> * * STREET ADDRESS 1 FIRST STREET <CR> * * CITY, STATE, ZIP SMALL TOWN, N.Y. 11220 <CR> * * ACCOUNT BALANCE 0 <CR> * * BILLED Y-T-D 0 <CR> * * * * * The screen will clear. Professional Billing Manual Page B-5 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS Entering Client Information * * * You can now attach a Transaction code to this customer. * * This will allow you to AUTOMATICALLY enter this client and * * the associated Transaction into the Transaction file each billing * * period. If you would rather not have this function involved with * * this client, simply depress RETURN in response to the question. * * * * WHAT TRANSACTION CODE TO BE ASSOCIATED MAA <CR> * * * * To which billing cycle (1-8) do you want this assigned? 1 <CR> * * * The screen will clear. * * * You can now add a sorting key to this customer. The sorting key * * must be 2 letters and 1 number, e.i., AB1 or GE3. You will be * * able to sort your customers by using this key. You can change * * a customer's sorting key at any time. * * * * Please enter the sorting key. AC5 <CR> * * * * * * ACE HARDWARE CO. * * MR. GOODWRENCH Associated Transaction Code MAA * * 1 FIRST STREET Billing Cycle will be 1 * * SMALL TOWN, N.Y. 11220 * * PRESENT BALANCE 0.00 * * Y-T-D BILLING 0.00 * * Sort Code AC5 * * * * Is this CORRECT (Y or N) <Y> Y <CR> * * * ************************************************************************ You have made your first entry. After you depress the ENTER or RETURN key the information is written to the file. Ace Hardware Co. has become client number 101. From now on when you wish to view this client you will call him up by using his customer number. Professional Billing Manual Page B-6 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS Entering Client Information The screen clears and you see: ************************************************************************ * YOU PRESENTLY HAVE 1 CUSTOMERS IN THE FILE. * * * * This will become IDENT. No. 102 * * * * Do you want to have it as a DIFFERENT IDENT. (Y or N) <N> ? <CR> * * * * Depress RETURN when finished entering customers. * * PRIMARY NAME BIG TIME SHOE COMPANY <CR> * * SECONDARY NAME MRS. IMA FITTER <CR> * * PHONE 826-2200 <CR> * * STREET ADDRESS 2 SECOND AVENUE <CR> * * CITY, STATE, ZIP LITTLE TOWN, N.Y. 11340 <CR> * * ACCOUNT BALANCE 0 <CR> * * BILLED Y-T-D 0 <CR> * * * * You can now attach a Transaction code to this customer. * * This will allow you to AUTOMATICALLY enter this client and * * the associated Transaction into the Transaction file each billing * * period. If you would rather not have this function involved with * * this client, simply depress RETURN in response to the question. * * * * WHAT TRANSACTION CODE TO BE ASSOCIATED MAB <CR> * * * * To which billing cycle (1-8) do you want this assigned 1 <CR> * * * The screen will clear. * * * You can now add a sorting key to this customer. The sorting key * * must be 2 letters and 1 number, e.i., AB1 or GE3. You will be * * able to sort your customers by using this key. You can change * * a customer's sorting key at any time. * * * * Please enter the sorting key. BI5 <CR> * * * * * * BIG TIME SHOE COMPANY * * MRS. IMA FITTER Associated Transaction Code MAB * * 2 SECOND AVENUE Billing Cycle will be 1 * * LITTLE TOWN, N.Y. 11340 * * PRESENT BALANCE 0.00 * * Y-T-D BILLING 0.00 * * Sorting Code BI5 * * * * Is this CORRECT (Y or N) <Y> Y <CR> * * * ************************************************************************ Professional Billing Manual Page B-7 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS Entering Client Information OK, That takes care of your second customer. Now YOU will enter the remaining six customers. You can enter them, one by one. In the case of the last three entries which you will make you do not want to associate any transaction code with these clients so you simply use the RETURN key and the machine will do the rest. The 'Crunchy Candy Stand' would normally become client number 103. When you are asked if you want to have a different identification number, respond with Y <CR>. You will then be asked what IDENT. you want. Enter CANDY <CR>. From this point on, the 'Crunchy Candy Stand' will be called up, not by number, but by the unique identification code, CANDY. The associated trans action code will allow automatic billing and the use of MAB will indicated to the partners that the billing is for Mr. Baker's work. The billing cycle will be 1 so that this account is billed monthly. PRIMARY NAME CRUNCHY CANDY STAND SECONDARY NAME PHONE 333-5693 STREET ADDRESS 3 THIRD PLACE CITY, STATE, ZIP MIDDLE TOWN, N.Y. 11567 ACCOUNT BALANCE 0 BILLED Y-T-D 0 ASSOCIATED TRANSACTION CODE WILL BE MAB BILLING CYCLE 1 Sorting Key CR5 Let the IDENT. number for MADE-TO-ORDER be 104 as indicated by the computer by responding with only <CR> when asked if you want a different identi fication. Remember, the billing cycle is 2 because we want to bill this client quarterly rather than monthly. Cycle 1 will be those we want to bill monthly, cycle 2, for those we want to bill quarterly. PRIMARY NAME MADE-TO-ORDER PARTS SECONDARY NAME ACCOUNTS PAYABLE DEPT. PHONE 824-2200 STREET ADDRESS 100 INDUSTRIAL PARK ROAD CITY, STATE, ZIP SUBURBIA, N.Y. 11001 ACCOUNT BALANCE 0 BILLED Y-T-D 0 ASSOCIATED TRANSACTION CODE WILL BE ACC BILLING CYCLE 2 Sorting Key MA5 Just to be unusual, make the IDENT. for the coat company, COAT, instead of the suggested number offered by the computer of 105. Again, simply responding with Y <CR> when asked if you want a different IDENT. Then enter COAT <CR>. Please note that with the first customers we used the first two letters of their name along with the number 5 as the sorting key. This allows us to put other companies with the same first two letters either before of after the existing ones by altering the number to be more or less than 5. Remember, CA3 comes before CA5 so you might have Casey's Bar as CA3 and Carry-All Bags as CA5. Professional Billing Manual Page B-8 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS Entering Client Information With W. &. T. we used WA5. This will cause W. & T. to appear at the beginning of the companies whose names begin with a 'W'. If you get another company beginning with 'WA' or the initial 'W' you may have to make some slight adjustments to the sorting keys. This is easily done and will be explained later on. PRIMARY NAME W. & T. COAT COMPANY SECONDARY NAME MR. W. WARMER PHONE 2127578210 (Remember - limited to 10 characters) STREET ADDRESS 32 DEGREE LANE CITY, STATE ZIP OCEAN FRONT, N.Y. 12788 ASSOCIATED TRANSACTION CODE WILL BE ACC BILLING CYCLE 2 Sorting Key WA5 Let the last three clients assume the number suggested by the computer for their identification codes. PRIMARY NAME D. D. DOING, INC. SECONDARY NAME MR. DAVID DOING PHONE 376-8221 STREET ADDRESS 4 FORTH AVENUE CITY, STATE, ZIP BIG TOWN, N.Y. 11556 ACCOUNT BALANCE 0 BILLED Y-T-D 0 THERE IS NO ASSOCIATED TRANSACTION CODE FOR THIS CLIENT SO SIMPLY <CR> WHEN ASKED FOR THE ASSOCIATED TRANSACTION CODE. Sorting Key DO5 PRIMARY NAME EVER-NEAR PLUMBING CO. SECONDARY NAME MR. DIKEMENDER PHONE 522-7710 STREET ADDRESS 5 FIFTH STREET CITY, STATE, ZIP ANOTHER TOWN, N.Y. 11664 ACCOUNT BALANCE 0 BILLED Y-T-D 0 THERE IS NO ASSOCIATED TRANSACTION CODE FOR THIS CLIENT SO SIMPLY <CR> WHEN ASKED FOR THE ASSOCIATED TRANSACTION CODE. Sorting Key EV5 PRIMARY NAME MRS. FRANCINE FARMER SECONDARY NAME PHONE 624-0031 STREET ADDRESS 6 SIXTH ROAD CITY, STATE, ZIP IN THE STIKS, NEW YORK 19822 ACCOUNT BALANCE 0 BILLED Y-T-D 0 THERE IS NO ASSOCIATED TRANSACTION CODE FOR THIS CLIENT SO SIMPLY <CR> WHEN ASKED FOR THE ASSOCIATED TRANSACTION CODE. Sorting Key FA5 Now that all eight clients are entered you must simply depress the RETURN key when asked for the next PRIMARY NAME. The machine will then close the customer file and move back to the CUSTOMER ACCOUNT MAINTENANCE MENU. Professional Billing Manual Page B-9 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS Entering Client Information Of course, you will have many more than eight clients to enter. When you are done entering the clients you will want to get a printout of the names, addresses, phone numbers, and account numbers to check to be sure you have not made a mistake in your entry procedure. You can do this by using Option 3 on the Customer Account Maintenance Menu. You will also get an opportunity to either print or simply view the information on the screen. Since you have only eight customers you will first view them on the screen and then repeat the procedure and print them out. It is also possible to use Option 5 to show just the names and outstanding balances if you so desire. Now you want a listing of the customers so you enter 3 <CR>. ************************************************************************ * * * CUSTOMER ACCOUNT MAINTENANCE MENU * * * * You may now: * * 1 - ADD NEW ACCOUNTS TO FILE * * * * 2 - MODIFY AN EXISTING ACCOUNT * * * * 3 - LIST ACCOUNT NAMES AND ADDRESSES * * * * 4 - SEARCH FILE BY ACCOUNT NAME * * * * 5 - LIST ACCOUNTS, BALANCES AND TOTAL OUTSTANDING * * * * 6 - RE-INITIALIZE CUSTOMER FILE * * * * 7 - END OF YEAR REPORTS * * * * 8 - SORT FILE BASED ON SORT KEY * * * * 9 - RETURN TO MASTER MENU * * * * Enter your CHOICE by NUMBER ( 1- 9) 3 <CR> * * * * * ************************************************************************ The screen clears and you must now select whether you want to view or to get a printout (Hardcopy). You will choose to view by answering N to the question. ************************************************************************ * * * Do you want HARDCOPY (Y or N) <N> N <CR> * * * * * The listing will appear on the screen and after each four customers you will have to depress the RETURN key to continue on. Professional Billing Manual Page B-10 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS Entering Client Information ***************************************************************************** * * * CUSTOMER ACCOUNT FILE LISTING * * * * IDENT. NAME AND ADDRESS PHONE ASSOC CYCLE SORT KEY * * * * 101 ACE HARDWARE CO. 557-9129 MAA 1 AC5 * * MR. GOODWRENCH * * 1 FIRST STREET * * SMALL TOWN, NEW YORK 11220 * * * * 102 BIG TIME SHOE COMPANY 826-2200 MAB 1 BI5 * * MRS. IMA FITTER * * 2 SECOND AVENUE * * LITTLE TOWN, N.Y. 11340 * * * * CANDY CRUNCHY CANDY STAND 333-5693 MAB 1 CR5 * * * * 3 THIRD PLACE * * MIDDLE TOWN, N.Y. 11567 * * * * * And each customer shows up on the screen. Note that CANDY and COAT show up as the IDENT. for two of the clients, the other six, have the assigned number given by the computer. You will note that if you want to quit before seeing all the customers you can by typing Q <CR> when you see the prompt: Depress RETURN to continue (Q to Quit) When the screen display is complete the CUSTOMER ACCOUNT MAINTENANCE MENU reappears on the screen. You can now repeat what was just done but this time ask for a hard copy print out by typing Y instead of N in response to the question, Do you want HARDCOPY (Y or N) <N>. ************************************************************************ * * * Do you want HARDCOPY (Y or N) <N> Y <CR> * * * * * The screen responds with a short beep and: ************************************************************************ * * * Make sure your printer is turned on and has paper. * * * * Set your printer to the top of the page and Depress RETURN * * * * * Turn on your printer, make sure the paper is adjusted to the top of the next sheet and make sure the printer is ready before depressing the RETURN key. Professional Billing Manual Page B-11 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS Entering Client Information The printer will respond with a printout of the customers. When the print er is finished with the listing you are once more returned to the CUSTOMER ACCOUNT MAINTENANCE MENU. You might like to use Option 5 at this point so you can compare the infor mation produced by it with that produced by Option 3. When running Option 5 you will need to input your code word at the correct place and also indicate you want a hardcopy printout. ************************************************************************ * * * Do you want the report to show (A)ll customers, * * or divided by (B)illing codes ? A <CR> * Ask to see all the customers. If you would like, you can re-run this routine and ask to see the customers by Billing codes by entering B <CR>. The next option allows you to see only those customers who have balances exceeding a certain value. You can put in any value you desire or simply depress the RETURN key to show all customers regardless of their outstanding balance. Since no customer has a balance, simply depress RETURN. * * * Show those with balances greater than .... * * Enter amount or <CR> for all <CR> * * * Since the computer will keep a record of the last debit and last credit for each customer it is possible to look for customers who have outstanding balances by indicating the number of days they must exceed to be considered over due. You might enter 30, 60 or 90 to get such a report. Since none of the newly entered customers have yet to incur a debit or receive a credit, simply depress RETURN once more. * * * Show those that have not paid in the last ..... days. * * Enter 0 to ignore the time factor. 0 <CR> * * Do you want HARDCOPY (Y or N) <N> ? <CR> * Professional Billing Manual Page B-12 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS Entering Client Information ************************************************************************ * * * ACCOUNT NAMES AND BALANCES * * ACT NAME BALANCE LST DEBIT LST PAY * * * * 101 ACE HARDWARE CO. 0.00 * * 102 BIG TIME SHOE COMPANY 0.00 * * CANDY CRUNCHY CANDY STAND 0.00 * * 104 MADE-TO-ORDER PARTS 0.00 * * COAT W. & T. COAT COMPANY 0.00 * * 106 D. D. DOING, INC. 0.00 * * 107 EVER-NEAR PLUMBING CO. 0.00 * * 108 MRS. FRANCINE FARMER 0.00 * * * * TOTAL BALANCES DUE $0.00 * * * * Depress RETURN to continue <CR> * * * ************************************************************************ Once more the CUSTOMER ACCOUNT MAINTENANCE MENU will appear. Since you are finished for the time being with this work you must use Option 9 to return to the MASTER MENU. ************************************************************************ * * * CUSTOMER ACCOUNT MAINTENANCE MENU * * * * You may now: * * 1 - ADD NEW ACCOUNTS TO FILE * * * * 2 - MODIFY AN EXISTING ACCOUNT * * * * 3 - LIST ACCOUNT NAMES AND ADDRESSES * * * * 4 - SEARCH FILE BY ACCOUNT NAME * * * * 5 - LIST ACCOUNTS, BALANCES AND TOTAL OUTSTANDING * * * * 6 - RE-INITIALIZE CUSTOMER FILE * * * * 7 - END OF YEAR REPORTS * * * * 8 - SORT FILE BASED ON SORT KEY * * * * 9 - RETURN TO MASTER MENU * * * * Enter your CHOICE by NUMBER ( 1- 9) 9 <CR> * * * * * ************************************************************************ Professional Billing Manual Page B-13 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS Entering Client Information That gives you an idea of how to use the CUSTOMER ACCOUNT menu. We have included number 6 just in case you ever do want to start over. Under normal conditions you will NEVER USE OPTION 6. Option 4 allows you to search the file by name. Simply put the first FEW LETTERS of the customer name in when asked for the name. The machine will find ALL CUSTOMERS with those beginning letters. Now let us turn to actually entering information in order to produce a transaction file for this billing period. Enter 9 <CR> to get back to the MASTER MENU Professional Billing Manual Page B-14 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS Entering Transactions You are now going to enter information into the transaction file so that you can eventually produce your statements. A transaction period can be of any length. You might want to enter information daily, print the reports, and update the Master file each day. You can, if you wish, enter information daily, have the machine list the entries for the day but only update the Master file once a month after you have printed out a complete listing of the transaction file. There are various other ways to handle the data. We leave that up to you. When you enter 1 <CR> you get the TRANSACTION ENTRY AND REPORT ROUTINE heading. ************************************************************************* * * * In which area would you like to work? * * * * 1 - TRANSACTION FILE SERVICES * * Enter/View/Print/Change Transactions * * * * 2 - CUSTOMER FILE SERVICES * * Setup/Change Customer Account Information * * * * 3 - ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE AND TRANSACTION CODE REPORT * * * * 4 - INVOICE/STATEMENT PRINTING - RECORD UPDATING * * * * 5 - REPORT OF MOST RECENT BILLING * * * * 6 - PRINT LABELS * * * * 7 - CONTROL FILE SERVICES * * Setup/Change Statement Information * * Setup/Change Transaction Codes * * * * 0 - TO EXIT SYSTEM * * * * Enter your choice by NUMBER (0 - 7) 1 <CR> * * * You must now check the date. The date is picked up from the date you entered when you 'booted up' the system. Please note that dates are always entered as six (6) digits. The first nine months are preceded with a 0, that is, February is 02. MAKE THE DATE APRIL 1, 1990. You enter April 1, 1990 as 040190. Please make sure that you enter zero and not the letter 'Oh'. ************************************************************************* * * * Today's date is 05/15/90 is it O.K. to use (Y or N) <Y>? N <CR> * * * * Enter today's date to use (MMDDYY) 040190 <CR> * * * * Please wait while files are checked * * * * * Professional Billing Manual Page C-1 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS Entering Transactions At this time the machine is reading information into active memory. In the event there is a problem with the disk an error message will appear at this time. If everything is O.K. you will get the TRANSACTION SERVICES MENU. Our procedure this first transaction period will be to use Option 1 to start a new transaction file, use Options 2 and 3 to enter information, list the transaction file using Option 6 and make any changes or corrections using Option 4. After this first use of Option 1 it will no longer be necessary to start a new transaction file each transaction period. During the updating of the master file, which you normally do after sending out statements, the transaction file is cleared and automatically set up for a new period. Enter 1 <CR>. This will probably be the first, last and only time that you use this option. ************************************************************************* * * * TRANSACTION SERVICES MENU * * You may now : * * * * 1 - START A NEW TRANSACTION FILE * * * * 2 - AUTOMATIC TRANSACTION ENTRY * * * * 3 - ADD INDIVIDUAL TRANSACTIONS TO THE FILE * * * * 4 - MODIFY A TRANSACTION ENTRY * * * * 5 - DELETE A TRANSACTION ENTRY * * * * 6 - LIST TRANSACTION FILE * * * * 7 - LIST TRANSACTION CODES * * * * 8 - RETURN TO SYSTEM MENU * * * * Enter your CHOICE by NUMBER ( 1- 8) 1 <CR> * * * ************************************************************************* As an additional aid, the machine will print the daily transactions on the printer as you make them if you so desire. This gives you a daily report. You can also get the complete transaction file for the period at any time by using Option 6. One other point. Later you will print the statements and update the files. At that time the transaction file will be automatically cleared to prevent us from accidentally adding the transaction file to the master file more than once. Professional Billing Manual Page C-2 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS Entering Automatic Transactions When you enter 1 <CR> in order to begin a new transaction file period you must verify that this is what you want to do since this option will delete any transaction presently in the file. The verification process involves your response to two questions. The first requires a 'Y' answer and the second involves entering your code word. You remember, of course, that we are using the word 'DOG' as the code word. ************************************************************************* * * * ARE YOU SURE THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT TO DO (Y or N) <N> Y <CR> * * * * You must now enter the code word to start a NEW TRANSACTION FILE * * * * * You should realize that these questions are to make you stop and think before you accidentally remove a transaction file which may have data which has not yet been used to update the Master file. Remember, you really have to initialize the transaction file ONCE. You need ONLY DO IT THE VERY FIRST TIME YOU RUN THE SYSTEM. After entering the code word 'DOG' <CR> the menu will appear again. You will now begin by using Option 2 to automatically add the Monthly Accounting charges to your first three clients. When that is completed, you will then put in some entries for two of the other clients, and then put in one trans action for one of the three who were billed automatically. You will not bill the two clients who are in cycle 2, the quarterly cycle. Enter 2 <CR> to get to the automatic function routine. ************************************************************************* * * * TRANSACTION SERVICES MENU * * You may now : * * * * 1 - START A NEW TRANSACTION FILE * * * * 2 - AUTOMATIC TRANSACTION ENTRY * * * * 3 - ADD INDIVIDUAL TRANSACTIONS TO THE FILE * * * * 4 - MODIFY A TRANSACTION ENTRY * * * * 5 - DELETE A TRANSACTION ENTRY * * * * 6 - LIST TRANSACTION FILE * * * * 7 - LIST TRANSACTION CODES * * * * 8 - RETURN TO SYSTEM MENU * * * * Enter your CHOICE by NUMBER ( 1- 8) 2 <CR> * * * ************************************************************************* Professional Billing Manual Page C-3 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS Entering Automatic Transactions Since you want to prepare bills for those clients in cycle 1, make that your first reply. ************************************************************************* * * * YOU MAY NOW AUTOMATICALLY ADD NEW TRANSACTIONS TO THE FILE. * * * * WHICH CYCLE TO PUT INTO TRANSACTION FILE (1-8, 0 IF NONE) ? 1 <CR> * * * Under normal circumstances you would only want to prepare bills for those who are to receive automatic bills once each cycle. In order to protect against the double billing of these automatic clients, the machine prevents you from doing such double billing. There may be circumstances, although very rare, in which you might want to over-ride this protection and actually double bill the clients. You can do such an over-ride but it, like other choices, will require that you enter the code word. We are going through a normal billing routine so we do not want to over-ride the double billing protection. * * * Normally you would not want to accidentally bill the same cycle of * * clients more than once before sending out statements. if you would * * like to OVER-RIDE this protection you can do so by entering the * * code word at this time. If you do not want to OVER-RIDE this * * protection simply depress the RETURN key. * * * * Enter the code word to OVER-RIDE the protection or, * * depress RETURN to keep protection <CR> * * * You will now elect to get a print-out by responding Y to the next question. * * * Do you want a HARDCOPY of today's transactions (Y or N) <Y> Y <CR> * * * * Make sure your printer is turned on and has paper. * * * * SET YOUR PRINTER TO THE TOP OF THE PAGE * * Depress RETURN to continue <CR> * * ACE HARDWARE CO. * * BIG TIME SHOE COMP * * CRUNCHY CANDY STAND * * AUTOMATIC WORK IS COMPLETE FOR CYCLE 1 * * Do you have other AUTOMATIC transactions to enter (Y or N) <N>? * * * The printer will respond by printing information about the first three customers since they had associated transaction codes. The screen will show the names of these three clients. Professional Billing Manual Page C-4 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS Entering Individual Transactions Take a look at what the printer has produced. ************************************************************************* * * * A. AND B. ACCOUNTING CO. * * TRANSACTIONS FOR 04/01/90 * * * * IDENT DATE CUSTOMER CODE UNITS AMOUNT TOTAL * * * * 101 04/01 ACE HARDWARE CO. D MAA AUTO 100.00 100.00 * * 102 04/01 BIG TIME SHOE COMPANY D MAB AUTO 100.00 100.00 * * CANDY 04/01 CRUNCHY CANDY STAND D MAB AUTO 100.00 100.00 * * * * * To this point you have automatically put into the file these three trans actions. You do not intend to automatically bill clients in any other cycle so you should respond with N <CR> when ask if you have other AUTOMATIC transactions to enter. * * * AUTOMATIC WORK IS COMPLETE. * * Do you have other MANUAL transactions to enter (Y or N) <N> Y <CR> * * * * Do you want to skip all accounts that have been automatically * * entered for this transaction file period (Y or N) <Y> Y <CR> * * * Normally when you enter information the client identifications appear in sequence and you have the opportunity inputting the necessary transaction information. In order to save time the machine will automatically skip all clients that have been automatically taken care of. You would like to incor porate this feature so you simply enter Y <CR>. The screen will now show us each client identification in order, which have not been automatically worked on. If you want to enter information about that individual you <CR> and information about the client will appear. If you do not want to deal with that client you can move through the list by simply entering the plus sign (+) and <CR>. If you want to move backward through the list, enter the minus sign (-) and <CR>. Enter just the appropriate sign, not the parentheses. You can also jump to any client by entering his client identification and the <CR>. This is what we will do first. You will enter information about client number 106, skip 107, go back to 101 and then finally do 108. Remember, some clients have numbers and two others have unique identification codes, CANDY and COAT. You will note that the date is automatically in place as 0401 standing for April 1st. For the time being don't concern yourself with the 'On-The-Fly' statement. You will see the transaction code MAB show up after the term TRANSACTION CODE and before the words 'Enter Trans Code'. This happens because the machine remembers the last transaction code entered. In this case it was for CRUNCHY CANDY STAND, the last client automatically billed. Professional Billing Manual Page C-5 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS Entering Individual Transactions You may find that this 'remembering' on the part of the computer helpful if you are manually billing a number of clients with the same transaction code. This is especially useful when you are entering credits to accounts who have paid their bills. The transaction code we want to use with D. D. Doing will be TPA because some tax planning work was performed. You should enter TPA <CR> so that the statement which will be produced for D. D. Doing, Inc. will read "TAX PLANNING". Next you will enter 3 for the quantity since a total of three hours were spent doing Mr. Doing's work. A. and B. Accounting Co. gets $75.00 per hour for this type of work so you either accept the default value by simply depressing the RETURN key. If you wanted to charge another unit price you have the opportunity at this time to make such a change. This change will only effect the current client. The transaction code TPA will still have its originally associated unit price of $75.00. If you do decide to enter another price rather than the default price, remember not to enter the dollar sign. If you simply enter another amount, such as 85 for the unit amount, the computer will automatically change it to 85.00. You do not have to enter the decimal point or the zeros following the decimal point unless you so desire. Remember, changing the unit price at this time ONLY effects this client's bill. ************************************************************************* * * * IDENT NUMBER (+ Forward, - Backward, 000 TO END) 104 106 <CR> * * * * D. D. DOING, INC. * * MR. DAVID DOING (Y OR N) <Y> <CR> * * * * TRANSACTION DATE (MMDD) 0401 <CR> * * On-The-Fly Enter +++ * * TRANSACTION CODE MAB Enter code TPA <CR> * * QUANTITY 1 3 <CR> * * UNIT AMOUNT 75.00 <CR> * * * * A DEBIT TAX PLANNING * * * * $225.00 (Y or N) <Y> <CR> * * * * * The printer responds and the information is written to the disk. If you check the printer you will see that a new entry has been made for D. D. Doing, Inc. Professional Billing Manual Page C-6 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS Entering Individual Transactions The screen will now clear up to present the next possible client. Since D. D. Doing, Inc. was number 106, the screen will show number 107. You have nothing to enter for account number 107, 'Ever-Near Plumbing Co.' but you do want to enter something for client 101, the Ace Hardware Co. Mr. Able did a federal and state tax return for Mr. Goodwrench and would now like to be paid. In order to bill Mr. Goodwrench you will enter 101 <CR> to bring to the screen the information about Ace Hardware Co. You are informed that this client has been automatically billed. You want to add the extra charges so simply select the default date and when the question regarding the transaction code shows up, enter FSA which is the tran saction code for income tax preparation by Mr. Able. The unit amount will be entered as 200 to indicate $ 200.00. Remember, you don't have to enter the decimal point or the zeros. Note that this must have been a rather extensive form since Mr. Able decided to charge $ 25.00 more than the default value of $ 175. Oh, yes, don't enter the dollar sign. ************************************************************************* * * * IDENT NUMBER (+ Forward, - Backward, 000 TO END) 107 101 <CR> * * * * The AUTOMATIC function has placed this client along with his * * associated Transaction code and amount in the Transaction file. * * Make sure that you are not duplicating that amount at this time. * * * * ACE HARDWARE CO. * * MR. GOODWRENCH (Y OR N) <Y> <CR> * * * * TRANSACTION DATE (MMDD) 0401 <CR> * * On-The-Fly Enter +++ * * TRANSACTION CODE TPA Enter code FSA <CR> * * QUANTITY 1 <CR> * * UNIT AMOUNT 175.00 200 <CR> * * * * A DEBIT INCOME TAX PREPARATION * * FEDERAL AND STATE FORMS * * * * $200.00 (Y or N) <Y> <CR> * * * * * The printer again pops to life and shows the entry for ACE HARDWARE. The machine will now present us with the next account number 104 since you had indicated that you wanted to skip those that had been automatically taken care of. You skipped that account before and will skip it again at this time since you want to bill client 108, Francine Farmer. You now enter 108 <CR> to move to Mrs. Francine Farmer for whom Mr. Baker did some tax planning. Professional Billing Manual Page C-7 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS Creating Transactions On-The-Fly Mr. Baker spent one and one-half hours with Mrs. Farmer and intends to bill at the set rate of $ 75.00 per hour. Note how this is done by looking over the following screen. ************************************************************************* * * * IDENT NUMBER (+ Forward, - Backward, 000 TO END) 104 108 <CR> * * * * MRS. FRANCINE FARMER * * (Y OR N) <Y> <CR> * * * * TRANSACTION DATE (MMDD) 0401 <CR> * * On-The-Fly Enter +++ * * TRANSACTION CODE FSA Enter code TPB <CR> * * QUANTITY 1 1.5 <CR> * * UNIT AMOUNT 75.00 <CR> * * * * A DEBIT TAX PLANNING * * * * $112.50 (Y or N) <Y> <CR> * * * * * Notice how the machine calculated the final cost to Mrs. Farmer. One and one-half hours at $ 75.00 per hour comes to $ 112.50. We will now try the On-The-Fly production of a transaction code. We will make the assumption that Mr. Baker spent thirty minutes on the phone with the Crunchy Candy Stand owner giving him some investment advice. Mr. Baker would like to include this time on the statement to Crunchy. There is presently no transaction code to cover that situation. We will create one without going through the procedure we used on page A-7. First, get the Crunchy Candy Stand information by typing CANDY <CR>. Now, indicate the date at which the call advice was given, assume March 20, 1990. Enter the date as 032090. At the request for the Transaction code, enter three plus signs, (+++) to instruct the machine to begin the routine to create a new transaction code. We will call it FAB, standing for financial advice from Mr. Baker. ************************************************************************* * * * IDENT NUMBER (+ Forward, - Backward, 000 TO END) CANDY <CR> * * * * CRUNCHY CANDY STAND * * (Y OR N) <Y> <CR> * * * * TRANSACTION DATE (MMDD) 0401 0320<CR> * * On-The-Fly Enter +++ * * TRANSACTION CODE TPB Enter code +++ <CR> * * * * ON-THE-FLY TRANSACTION CODE GENERATOR * * * * CHECKING THE FILE, PLEASE WAIT * Professional Billing Manual Page C-8 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS Creating Transactions On-The-Fly The machine has moved to the routine for entering transaction codes. It will first check all the existing codes so that it will know if you try to enter a code is presently in use. You will then be given directions on how to make your entry. * * * TRANSACTION CODES can be 1, 2, or 3 characters. * * Their DESCRIPTION can be a MAXIMUM of 4 lines of up * * to 32 characters each. * * * * Type 'END' if you DON'T want to create a new transaction code. * * TRANSACTION CODE FAB <CR> * * DEBIT OR CREDIT (D or C) <D> <CR> * * * * Maximum of 32 Characters * * -------------------------------- * * Line 1 of DESCRIPTION FINANCIAL CONSULTING BILLED <CR> * * Line 2 of DESCRIPTION ON A PER HOUR BASIS. <CR> * * Line 3 of DESCRIPTION <CR> * * Line 4 of DESCRIPTION <CR> * * AMOUNT PER UNIT <CR> IF 0 60 <CR> * The explanation to appear on the statement will be as follows: FINANCIAL CONSULTING BILLED ON A PER HOUR BASIS. Mr. Baker wants to charge at a rate of $60.00 per hour for such advice. Since Mr. Baker used only 30 minutes for such advice, the quantity is entered as .5 representing one-half hour. * * * Everything O.K. (Y or N) <Y>? <CR> * * * * THIS IS BEING WRITTEN TO THE FILE * * QUANTITY 1 .5 <CR> * * UNIT AMOUNT 60.00 <CR> * * * * A DEBIT FINANCIAL CONSULTING BILLED * * ON A PER HOUR BASIS. * * * * $30.00 (Y or N) <Y> <CR> * * * * * Again the printer records the transaction. Since you have completed the entries, enter 000 <CR> (three zeros, not the letter Oh) to advise the computer that you want to terminate the work. The computer prints the totals on the printer, and advances the paper to the top of the next page. Professional Billing Manual Page C-9 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS Entry Transaction Report The report produced shows JUST WHAT YOU ENTERED AT THIS SITTING. ************************************************************************* * * * MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS * * TRANSACTIONS FOR 04/01/90 * * * * IDENT DATE CUSTOMER CODE UNITS AMOUNT TOTALS * * * * 101 04/01 ACE HARDWARE CO. D MAA AUTO 100.00 100.00 * * 102 04/01 BIG TIME SHOE COMPANY D MAB AUTO 100.00 100.00 * * CANDY 04/01 CRUNCHY CANDY STAND D MAB AUTO 100.00 100.00 * * 106 04/01 D. D. DOING, INC. D TPA 3 75.00 225.00 * * 101 04/01 ACE HARDWARE CO. D FSA 1 200.00 200.00 * * 108 04/01 MRS. FRANCINE FARMER D TPB 1.5 75.00 112.50 * * CANDY 03/20 CRUNCHY CANDY STAND D FAB .5 60.00 30.00 * * * * TOTAL DR ENTRIES $867.50 * * * * TOTAL CR ENTRIES $0.00 * * * ************************************************************************* Let us now stop for a moment and point out the things which were done for this transaction period. 1. You first set up a new transaction period. In order to do this you had to enter the code word. Later, when you update records the transaction period will be automatically cleared but it is always a good idea to use Option 6 to see if anything of importance is in the file before a new one is started. 2. You choose to use the AUTOMATIC function to bill three clients for their monthly accounting charges. They were in billing cycle 1. You did not bill two clients who are in billing cycle 2 and are billed only quarterly. You can, however, add other transactions to any of these clients by using Option 3. You did this for account number 101 when you billed him for preparation of his federal and state income taxes. When you do this you will see a message appear to remind us that the AUTOMATIC function has been used for these clients. 3. You used Option 3 to add individual transactions and asked the machine to skip over those already automatically worked on. During these entries you could accept the default value shown or enter an alternate amount. In all cases you accepted the default, 0401, as the date by using the <CR>. 4. You created a new transaction code since there was none available to explain the billing for the consulting that Mr. Baker did for CRUNCHY CANDY STAND. The newly created transaction code is now available any time you need it. You now have 3 transaction codes. The limit is 1,500. Professional Billing Manual Page C-10 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS Entry Transaction Report Options 4- 7 explain themselves. You can, if you want, try them out at this time. Simply because we are stopping at this point does not mean that you are done entering transactions. You can do this as many times during the trans action period as you would like. The transaction file keeps building. You can get the type of report shown above each time you enter transactions and then at the end of the transaction period print the entire transaction file using Option 6. Before preparing your statements you must carefully look over the entire transaction file to determine if there are any errors and if so, correct them before printing the statements. Before you leave this section you should try your hand at entering a credit or two. Assume that on April 5, 1990, Mr. Goodwrench from Ace Hardware Co. sent in $150.00 as part payment on his account and Mrs. Farmer sent in the full amount she owed of $112.50. Go to Option 3, ADD INDIVIDUAL TRANSACTIONS TO THE FILE, call up account 101, Ace Hardware Co., put in the new date, and use transaction code PAR which is for partial payment of an account. Credit him with 150.00. Then call up 108, Mrs. Farmer, and credit her with the full amount of 112.50 using transaction code, PAY. Then leave the entry of transactions and print the entire transaction file using Option 6. You might want to try viewing the information on the screen before printing it out. When you are finished, use Option 8 - RETURN TO SYSTEM MENU to get back to the MASTER MENU. Enter 8 <CR>. ************************************************************************* * * * TRANSACTION SERVICES MENU * * You may now : * * * * 1 - START A NEW TRANSACTION FILE * * * * 2 - AUTOMATIC TRANSACTION ENTRY * * * * 3 - ADD INDIVIDUAL TRANSACTIONS TO THE FILE * * * * 4 - MODIFY A TRANSACTION ENTRY * * * * 5 - DELETE A TRANSACTION ENTRY * * * * 6 - LIST TRANSACTION FILE * * * * 7 - LIST TRANSACTION CODES * * * * 8 - RETURN TO SYSTEM MENU * * * * Enter your CHOICE by NUMBER ( 1- 8) 8 <CR> * * * ************************************************************************* Professional Billing Manual Page C-11 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS Entry Transaction Report At this time you should have the following transaction file printout. ************************************************************************* * * * TRANSACTION FILE REPORT * * REC IDENT. NAME DATE CODE QUANT. AMOUNT * * * * 1 101 ACE HARDWARE CO. 0401 MAA D 1 100.00 * * 2 102 BIG TIME SHOE COMPANY 0401 MAB D 1 100.00 * * 3 CANDY CRUNCHY CANDY STAND 0401 MAB D 1 100.00 * * 4 106 D. D. DOING, INC. 0401 TPA D 3 225.00 * * 5 101 ACE HARDWARE CO. 0401 FSA D 1 200.00 * * 6 108 MRS. FRANCINE FARMER 0401 TPB D 1.5 112.50 * * 7 CANDY CRUNCHY CANDY STAND 0320 FAB D .5 30.00 * * 8 101 ACE HARDWARE CO. 0405 PAR C 1 150.00 * * 9 108 MRS. FRANCINE FARMER 0405 PAY C 1 112.50 * * * * * * TOTAL DR ENTRIES $867.50 * * * * TOTAL CR ENTRIES $262.50 * * * ************************************************************************* Look it over. Everything is correct. You have established transactions totaling $ 867.50 and have received payments of $ 262.50. This information is contained in a temporary file and has not yet been added to the permanent customer file. You will do that updating of information when you print the statements later. For now, however, you want to produce one other report. This is called the ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE REVIEW report. If you are not yet back to the MASTER MENU make the correct option choice and return to that menu. It is choice 8 on the TRANSACTION SERVICES MENU. Simply enter 8 <CR>. Professional Billing Manual Page C-12 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS Accounts Receivable Report When you enter 8 <CR> you get the MASTER MENU back once more. You will use Option 3 at this time to get an accounts receivable report. This, along with the transaction report can be used to check for any errors. Enter 3 <CR> to select this option. You will be offered other choices as the next screens show. ************************************************************************* * * * In which area would you like to work? * * * * 1 - TRANSACTION FILE SERVICES * * Enter/View/Print/Change Transactions * * * * 2 - CUSTOMER FILE SERVICES * * Setup/Change Customer Account Information * * * * 3 - ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE AND TRANSACTION CODE REPORT * * * * 4 - INVOICE/STATEMENT PRINTING - RECORD UPDATING * * * * 5 - REPORT OF MOST RECENT BILLING * * * * 6 - PRINT LABELS * * * * 7 - CONTROL FILE SERVICES * * Setup/Change Statement Information * * Setup/Change Transaction Codes * * * * 0 - TO EXIT SYSTEM * * * * Enter your choice by NUMBER (0 - 6) 3 <CR> * * * ************************************************************************* Select to see all transactions and to get a printout. ************************************************************************* * * * PLEASE WAIT WHILE THE FILES ARE CHECKED * * * * ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE REPORT FOR CURRENT TRANSACTIONS * * * * 31 - SHOW ALL TRANSACTIONS * * 32 - SHOW ONLY SUMMARY * * 33 - RETURN TO MASTER MENU * * * * Enter your choice by number (31-33) <31> 31 <CR> * * * * Do you want a HARDCOPY (Y or N) <N> Y <CR> * * * * Set your printer to the top of the page. * * Depress RETURN to continue <CR> * * * Professional Billing Manual Page D-1 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS Transaction Code Report The following report will be produced. It contains the previous balance and shows charges and credits to each account. The final balance owed also appears and at the end of the report each column is totaled. ************************************************************************* * * * ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE PREVIEW * * * * ACT ACCOUNT NAME OLD BAL CHARGES CREDITS NEW BAL * * * * 101 ACE HARDWARE CO. 0.00 100.00 MAA * * 200.00 FSA * * 150.00 PAR * * 150.00 * * * * 102 BIG TIME SHOE COMPANY 0.00 100.00 MAB * * 100.00 * * * * CANDY CRUNCHY CANDY STAND 0.00 100.00 MAB * * 30.00 FAB * * 130.00 * * * * 106 D. D. DOING, INC. 0.00 225.00 TPA * * 225.00 * * * * 108 MRS. FRANCINE FARMER 0.00 112.50 TPB * * 112.50 PAY * * 0.00 * * * * * * * * TOTALS 0.00 867.50 262.50 605.00 * * * ************************************************************************* Please note that accounts 104, COAT, and 107 which had neither beginning balances for the previous transaction period nor any transactions for this period, did not print. Now you are offered one more choice. You can have a break-down of the billing by transaction code. Answer Y to the question which appears and then Y again when given the choice for a HARDCOPY. ************************************************************************* * * * Do you want the SUMMARY by transaction codes (Y or N) <Y> <CR> * * Do you want a HARDCOPY (Y or N) <Y> <CR> * * * * Set your printer to the top of the page. * * Depress RETURN to continue <CR> * * * Professional Billing Manual Page D-2 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS Transaction Code Report A simple report will be produced on the printer. ************************************************************************* * * * SUMMARY OF MONEY BY TRANSACTION CODES FOR THIS PERIOD * * * * TRANS. CODE DEBITS CREDITS UNITS * * * * MAA D 100.00 1.00 * * MAB D 200.00 2.00 * * TPA D 225.00 3.00 * * TPB D 112.50 1.50 * * FSA D 200.00 1.00 * * PAY C 112.50 1.00 * * PAR C 150.00 1.00 * * FAB D 30.00 0.50 * * * * TOTALS 867.50 262.50 * * * ************************************************************************* Since this looks O.K. and the MASTER MENU is once more on the screen, let us move to printing the statements. The choice should be Option 4 <CR>. The screen will change and you will be asked if you have made a backup copy of your data. ************************************************************************* * * * In which area would you like to work? * * * * 1 - TRANSACTION FILE SERVICES * * Enter/View/Print/Change Transactions * * * * 2 - CUSTOMER FILE SERVICES * * Setup/Change Customer Account Information * * * * 3 - ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE AND TRANSACTION CODE REPORT * * * * 4 - INVOICE/STATEMENT PRINTING - RECORD UPDATING * * * * 5 - REPORT OF MOST RECENT BILLING * * * * 6 - PRINT LABELS * * * * 7 - CONTROL FILE SERVICES * * Setup/Change Statement Information * * Setup/Change Transaction Codes * * * * 0 - TO EXIT SYSTEM * * * * Enter your choice by NUMBER (0 - 7) 4 <CR> * * * ************************************************************************* Professional Billing Manual Page D-3 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS Printing the Statements You now get a very important warning. I am sure you have heard of Murphy's Law. Well, if Murphy intends to get involved with us, here is where he will enter the game. YOU MUST MAKE A BACKUP COPY OF YOUR DATA AT THIS TIME. DON'T GET FOOLED INTO THINKING THAT NOTHING CAN GO WRONG. ************************************************************************* * * * YOU SHOULD BACK UP YOUR CUSTOMER FILE * * AND CURRENT TRANSACTION FILE BEFORE * * BEGINNING END OF PERIOD PROCESSING. * * * * HAVE YOU DONE A BACKUP (Y or N) * * * * * You now have many transactions on the Hard disk. In addition it holds the present balances, transaction codes, company information, and client information. Much too much information to lose. MAKE A BACKUP COPY OF THE DATA ON THE DRIVE before going on. In order to do this follow the directions as given on the screen. You must have a formatted disk in Drive A to receive the backed up files. After you have the backup copy safely in hand, the system will return you to the MASTER MENU. Use Option 4 <CR> and then answer Y <CR> when asked if you have made your backup copy. Don't take this step too lightly. WHEN YOU HAVE THE BACKUP IN HAND CONTINUE ON THE NEXT PAGE. Professional Billing Manual Page D-4 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS Printing the Statements OK, now that you are back to the point of trying to print the statements and have typed Y <CR> as response to the question of having made the backup copy, you get the following screen which requires a number of responses. You can now bill your clients in a regular fashion, which means that the entries made into the transaction file will create the statements. You get statements reflecting what was just produced by the ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE AND TRANSACTION REPORT. In the event that you would rather bill clients by cycles it is possible to create statements for those individuals who are to receive statements in a particular cycle provided that you have entered their transactions into the transaction file. As an example, imagine the following steps. 1. You used the TRANSACTION FILE SERVICES to automatically bill clients in both cycle 1 and cycle 2. 2. You now decide to sent statements only to clients in cycle 1 and plan to prepare statements for the cycle 2 individuals sometime in the future, maybe at the end of the week, rather than today. It is possible, at this point, to bill only one cycle of the eight possible cycles, or to bill only those who are not in any cycle. As you go along with the system you may find that this situation becomes handy to have. For now, we are going to send statements to those who we have entered using the TRANSACTION FILE SERVICES. You will recall that we did nothing with those in cycle 2 and of the eight clients we are concerned ourselves with only with five of them. We will prepare statements for all clients. The first step is to select Regular billing by entering R <CR>. ************************************************************************* * * * STATEMENT AND INVOICE PRINTING ROUTINES * * * * Do you want (R)egular billing or, * * billing by (C)ycles, * * or (Q)uit to Master Menu ? R <CR> * * * You want STATEMENTS, so you enter S <CR>. Had you wanted invoices you could make that choice. If you prefer to have nothing printed in the space normally showing the word STATEMENT or INVOICE, you can make that choice. If you simply depress RETURN at this point you will be returned to the Master Menu. * * * Print at Top:(I)nvoices, (S)tatements, or (N)othing (I, S, or N) S <CR>* * * * Do you want to show Account IDENT. (Y or N) <Y> <CR> * * * Professional Billing Manual Page D-5 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS Printing the Statements You will be shown the current date. If it is the one you want to appear on the statements, simply accept it by default. Please change it to 04/15/90 using the format MMDDYY and depress the RETURN key. You are now asked if you want to print for all clients, those with current activity or for a single client. If you indicate that you want all statements for all clients prepared, the computer will produce statements for all clients, regardless of whether or not they have current outstanding activity. Choosing the option to prepare statements for those with current activity will prepare statements for those who have transactions in the transaction file AND those with outstanding balances. Choosing a single client does just that, prepares a statement for a single client. You are asked for the identification code of that client and the machine will produce that one statement. While the statements are being printed, the computer will keep a record of the statements being prepared. This creates a file which can be accessed using Option 6 on the Master Menu. At the completion of the printing of the statements you will also be offered that option. * * * Do you want PRINTING DONE for (A)ll CUSTOMERS, or * * those with (C)urrent activity, * * or for a (S)ingle CUSTOMER. <A> <CR> * * * * Do you want to show the QUANTITY on each statement (Y or N) ? N <CR> * * * We also choose not to show the quantity on each statement. Had we decided to show the quantity, the computer would ask us what we wanted to appear as the heading for the quantity column. You could choose something like, HOURS, or possibly UNITS. We suggest that you review the statements on the screen FIRST, having the screen pause after showing each statement. In that way you can check for errors. Then, after seeing the statements on the screen, elect to have them printed out, BUT, don't have them updated. With the statements in hand, checked one last time before putting them into the envelopes, have the computer prepare them once more for review on the screen. Make the election NOT to have the screen stop after each one and to UPDATE the records. Remember, once the records are updated the information in the transaction file is lost. If you had to re-do the statements you could use the back-up of the files you made just before doing the statements. Professional Billing Manual Page D-6 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS Printing the Statements Again, we suggest the procedure: 1. Review the statements on the screen, having the screen pause after each statement is shown. 2. Compare the screen with the report produced by the ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE PREVIEW. 3. If everything looks good. Have the machine print the statements but DO NOT UPDATE the records. 4. Make a last physical examination of the printed statements. 5. If the statements are correct, have the machine prepare them one last time asking that they be reviewed on the screen. Don't bother to have the screen stop after each statement. At this point, UPDATE THE RECORDS. * * * Review on SCREEN (Y or N) <N> Y <CR> * * * * Do you want to have the screen stop after * * showing each client (Y or N) <Y> <CR> * * * * Want to UPDATE all accounts at this time (Y or N) <N> <CR> * * * ************************************************************************* Let's stop for a moment. You have indicated that you want to prepare the STATEMENTS which means that each item produced will show the word STATEMENT at the top. You select to have 4/15/90 appear as the billing date on statements for ALL CUSTOMERS. You are going to view each client, one-by-one, on the screen. After viewing all the clients you will re-run the procedure, indicating that you want a print-out but not to update. Finally, when you have all the statements, you will re-run the procedure, having the statements reviewed on the screen without stopping after each one, and at the same time, updating the records. After you have seen the statements continue on to the next page. Professional Billing Manual Page D-7 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS Printing the Statements The second time through the procedure is shown below. *************************************************************************** * * * STATEMENT AND INVOICE PRINTING ROUTINES * * * * Do you want (R)egular billing or, * * billing by (C)ycles, * * or (Q)uit to Master Menu ? R <CR> * * * * * * Print at Top:(I)nvoices, (S)tatements, or (N)othing (I, S, or N) S <CR>* * * * Do you want to show Account IDENT. (Y or N) <Y> <CR> * * * * * * Do you want PRINTING DONE for (A)ll CUSTOMERS, or * * those with (C)urrent activity, * * or for a (S)ingle CUSTOMER. <A> <CR> * * * * Do you want to show the QUANTITY on each statement (Y or N) ? N <CR> * * * * * * Review on SCREEN (Y or N) <N> <CR> * * * * Want to UPDATE all accounts at this time (Y or N) <N> <CR> * * * *************************************************************************** Now you must make more choices. First, do you want to show statement numbers. The machine remembers the last number used and shows what the first number should be. You can over-ride this and start with any number you want or, decide not to have any number show. We will allow the number to be the suggested number, that is number 1. * * * The first statement number will be 1 * * * * Do you want it to be shown (Y or N) <Y>? <CR> * * * * If you want to change it, ENTER the NEW number now. * * If you want to QUIT, enter 0. Otherwise depress RETURN <CR> * * * Professional Billing Manual Page D-8 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS Printing the Statements The screen clears and there is still another choice to be made. The choices appear to be self-evident. Many printed forms available from supply houses are only 7 inches long. You might choose to buy these to use with the system. You can even have them pre-printed with your company name. This system will only print the company name if you entered it into the system. If, when setting up the system, you insert blanks for the name, address and phone numbers the machine will leave blanks on the statement form. In this way you can use the pre-printed forms if you like. For this time make the choice Option 2 <CR> to print the statements on ordinary blank white paper. One final question will want to know if you want the form alignment checked. This puts a blank heading on the paper in the printer so that you can set up the paper correctly. You don't need to go through that at this time so you will respond with, N <CR>. ************************************************************************* * * * FORM USE : 1 - 8 1/2 inches wide by 7 inches long * * 2 - 8 1/2 inches wide by 11 inches long * * 3 - One Sheet at a time * * 4 - 3" by 5" Continuous cards * * * * Enter your CHOICE by NUMBER <1> 2 <CR> * * * * * * Set your printer to the top of the paper. * * Depress RETURN to continue <CR> * * * * Do you want FORM ALIGNMENT checked (Y or N) <Y> N <CR> * * * BINGO. THE STATEMENTS PRINT ON THE PRINTER. One quick point. Option 4 will only be of use if you restrict the amount of information that will appear on the 3" x 5" card. You can have a maximum of five lines on each card. You can use credit transaction codes only if they are limited to one line. Any other transaction code must be limited to a maximum of two lines. This allows you to show two debits and once credit per client per card. You may find this of limited use but a number of individuals running morning newspaper delivery routes have found it the best way to bill their clients. You might want to try it out for the CRUNCHY CANDY STAND since they meet these conditions. Ask to have the machine print a statement for a single client and give the correct identification, CANDY. At the completion of the printing of the statements the screen will display the totals and after you depress the RETURN key the screen will clear and the following appears. The next page shows your first bill. Mr. Goodwrench will be glad to receive the statement and probably will pay very quickly. Professional Billing Manual Page D-9 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS Sample Statement ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ A. AND B. ACCOUNTING CO. STATEMENT 63 SUDBURY LANE 1 WESTBURY, NEW YORK 11590 (516) 333-9248 04/15/90 TO: ACCOUNT NO. 101 ACE HARDWARE CO. WE VALUE YOUR BUSINESS AND MR. GOODWRENCH STAND READY TO HELP WHENEVER 1 FIRST STREET WE CAN. DON'T HESITATE TO CALL SMALL TOWN, N.Y. 11220 US WHEN TROUBLE APPEARS. QUALITY - ACCURACY - PRIDE: WE HOLD THESE VALUES VERY HIGHLY. DATE DESCRIPTION CHARGE CREDIT BALANCE BALANCE FROM LAST BILLING 0.00 0401 MONTHLY ACCOUNTING SERVICES 100.00 100.00 0401 INCOME TAX PREPARATION FEDERAL AND STATE FORMS 200.00 300.00 0405 PARTIAL PAYMENT RECEIVED. THANK YOU. 150.00 150.00 Total Amount Due 150.00 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ After the last statement prints and the totals reviewed on the screen you are offered the chance to produce a report showing the most recently prepared statements. This same choice is on the Master Menu as Option 5. *************************************************************************** * * * You can now get a summary listing or print out of the statements * * that have just been prepared. * * * * Do you want this report (Y or N) Y <CR> * * * * This is the program for viewing or printing a summary report * * of the most recently prepared bills. * * * * Today's date is 04/01/90 Is this O.K. to use (Y or N) <Y> ? 041590<CR> * * * * PLEASE WAIT WHILE THE FILES ARE CHECKED * * * * Do you want a HARDCOPY (Y or N) <Y> <CR> * * * Professional Billing Manual Page D-10 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS Recent Billing Report You should now get the following report showing up on your printer. *************************************************************************** * MOST RECENTLY BILLED ACCOUNTS * * Today's date : 04/15/90 These bills prepared on : 04/15/90 * * * * ACCOUNT NAME OLD BAL CHARGES CREDITS NEW BAL * * * * ACE HARDWARE CO. 0.00 300.00 150.00 150.00 * * BIG TIME SHOE COMPANY 0.00 100.00 0.00 100.00 * * CRUNCHY CANDY STAND 0.00 130.00 0.00 130.00 * * MADE-TO-ORDER PARTS 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 * * W. & T. COAT COMPANY 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 * * D. D. DOING, INC. 0.00 225.00 0.00 225.00 * * EVER-NEAR PLUMBING CO. 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 * * MRS. FRANCINE FARMER 0.00 112.50 112.50 0.00 * * * * TOTALS 0.00 867.50 262.50 605.00 * * * *************************************************************************** Depressing the RETURN key one more time bring us back to the Master Menu. Now use Option 4. Indicate you have done a backup and go though the STATEMENT AND INVOICE PRINTING ROUTINE again one last time. Now you can safely update the records since all the statements in hand and are correct. *************************************************************************** * * * STATEMENT AND INVOICE PRINTING ROUTINES * * * * Do you want (R)egular billing or, * * billing by (C)ycles, * * or (Q)uit to Master Menu ? R <CR> * * * * * * Print at Top:(I)nvoices, (S)tatements, or (N)othing (I, S, or N) S <CR>* * * * Do you want to show Account IDENT. (Y or N) <Y> <CR> * * * * * * Do you want PRINTING DONE for (A)ll CUSTOMERS, or * * those with (C)urrent activity, * * or for a (S)ingle CUSTOMER. <A> <CR> * * * * Do you want to show the QUANTITY on each statement (Y or N) ? N <CR> * * * * * * Review on SCREEN (Y or N) <N> Y <CR> * * * * Do you want to have the screen stop after * * showing each client (Y or N) <Y> N <CR> * * * * Want to UPDATE all accounts at this time (Y or N) <N> Y <CR> * Professional Billing Manual Page D-11 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS Updating The Records You must verify that you want to update the records. * * * Are you SURE that's what you want to do (Y or N) <N> Y <CR> * * * * You must now enter the code word to UPDATE the records. DOG <CR> * * * * * The statements should virtually 'FLY' by on the screen as each is shown and the permanent file updated. You probably can't read them as they go by but it is simply a repeat of the work done previously. The permanent file is now updated. The transaction file is now set back to empty waiting to receive transactions during the next transaction period. At the completion of the printing of the statements you will be returned to the beginning of the statement and invoice printing routines. The question as to what you want to print will appear. Since you are finished printing, simply enter Q for quit and depress the RETURN to move back to the MASTER MENU. *************************************************************************** * * * STATEMENT AND INVOICE PRINTING ROUTINES * * * * Do you want (R)egular billing or, * * billing by (C)ycles, * * or (Q)uit to Master Menu ? Q <CR> * The MASTER MENU will appear. Professional Billing Manual Page D-12 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS Viewing Customer Data ************************************************************************* * * * In which area would you like to work? * * * * 1 - TRANSACTION FILE SERVICES * * Enter/View/Print/Change Transactions * * * * 2 - CUSTOMER FILE SERVICES * * Setup/Change Customer Account Information * * * * 3 - ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE AND TRANSACTION CODE REPORT * * * * 4 - INVOICE/STATEMENT PRINTING - RECORD UPDATING * * * * 5 - REPORT OF MOST RECENT BILLING * * * * 6 - PRINT LABELS * * * * 7 - CONTROL FILE SERVICES * * Setup/Change Statement Information * * Setup/Change Transaction Codes * * * * 0 - TO EXIT SYSTEM * * * * Enter your choice by NUMBER (0 - 7) * * * ************************************************************************* Before we end we should return to the CUSTOMER FILE SERVICES menu and use Option 8 to sort the files based on the sort key. The other choices on the CUSTOMER ACCOUNT MAINTENANCE MENU should be tried at this time. List the accounts using Option 5 and see how the data has changed to reflect each client's balance due, the date of the last debit and the date of the last credit. You will also see the new order in which the clients are listed. That is about all there is except for the end of the year information. Option 7 allows you to print out an end-of-the-year report showing how much each client has been billed during the year and the outstanding balances if any. You can then set back the amount billed for the year to 0 and begin a new year. You will also be able to print out the billings by transaction codes and will have the option to set these back to zero also. These end-of-the-year reports should give you a good picture of your billings. Of course, you can view the end-of-the-year reports at any time. Just be sure that you don't set the values back to 0 before the end of the year. You can also use Option 2 MODIFY AN EXISTING ACCOUNT on the CUSTOMER ACCOUNT MAINTENANCE MENU to review the present condition of any client. Professional Billing Manual Page D-13 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS We hope you enjoy using your system. If you have any questions, please contact: MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS 6446 Kim Shelly Court Mechanicsville, Virginia 23111 (804) 746-4352 P.S.: If you like this system we have another one which your clients might like. It is a complete Accounts Receivable package which is designed for a small business. It produces all the necessary reports they need. Contact us if interested. Professional Billing Manual Page D-14 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS Summary of Menus MASTER MENU ************************************************************************* * * * In which area would you like to work? * * * * 1 - TRANSACTION FILE SERVICES * * Enter/View/Print/Change Transactions * * * * 2 - CUSTOMER FILE SERVICES * * Setup/Change Customer Account Information * * * * 3 - ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE AND TRANSACTION CODE REPORT * * * * 4 - INVOICE/STATEMENT PRINTING - RECORD UPDATING * * * * 5 - REPORT OF MOST RECENT BILLING * * * * 6 - PRINT LABELS * * * * 7 - CONTROL FILE SERVICES * * Setup/Change Statement Information * * Setup/Change Transaction Codes * * * * 0 - TO EXIT SYSTEM * * * * Enter your choice by NUMBER (0 - 7) * * * ************************************************************************* 1 - To enter transactions during the billing period, both debits and credits. To printout or view the transactions made during the billing period. To change or delete a transaction. Produces the sub-menu shown on page M-2. 2 - To enter data on new customers. To change data about customers. List customer's names and addresses with associated transaction codes. List customer's names and outstanding balances. Search the file by customer name. Do end-of-year reports. Produces a sub-menu shown on page M-3. 3 - Produces an Accounts Receivable report as a preview before printing out customer statements. Produces a summary of billings by transaction codes. 4 - Prints statements. Updates the permanent records. 5 - Produces a report showing a listing of the most recently prepared bills. 6 - Produces labels for all customers or only those with balances. Professional Billing Manual Page M-1 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS Summary of Menus 7 - To enter or change your company information. To enter or change descriptive lines on statements. To enter or change Transaction codes. Produces sub-menu shown on page M-4. TRANSACTION SERVICES MENU ************************************************************************* * * * TRANSACTION SERVICES MENU * * You may now : * * * * 1 - START A NEW TRANSACTION FILE * * * * 2 - AUTOMATIC TRANSACTION ENTRY * * * * 3 - ADD INDIVIDUAL TRANSACTIONS TO THE FILE * * * * 4 - MODIFY A TRANSACTION ENTRY * * * * 5 - DELETE A TRANSACTION ENTRY * * * * 6 - LIST TRANSACTION FILE * * * * 7 - LIST TRANSACTION CODES * * * * 8 - RETURN TO SYSTEM MENU * * * * Enter your CHOICE by NUMBER ( 1- 8) * * * ************************************************************************* 1- Starts a new file for the transaction period. Used ONLY during the set- up of the system. Function is automatically performed thereafter by the computer. 2- Produces transactions for those customers with associated transaction codes. Generally for those with constant billing. 3- Allows individual transactions for any customer, both debits and credits. 4- To change a transaction entry. 5- To delete a transaction entry. 6- To print or view all transactions. 7- To print or view the transaction codes. Professional Billing Manual Page M-2 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS Summary of Menus CUSTOMER ACCOUNT MAINTENANCE MENU ************************************************************************* * * * CUSTOMER ACCOUNT MAINTENANCE MENU * * * * You may now: * * * * 1 - ADD NEW ACCOUNTS TO FILE * * * * 2 - MODIFY AN EXISTING ACCOUNT * * * * 3 - LIST ACCOUNT NAMES AND ADDRESSES * * * * 4 - SEARCH FILE BY ACCOUNT NAME * * * * 5 - LIST ACCOUNTS, BALANCES AND TOTAL OUTSTANDING * * * * 6 - RE-INITIALIZE CUSTOMER FILE * * * * 7 - END OF YEAR REPORTS * * * * 8 - SORT FILE USING SORT KEY * * * * 9 - RETURN TO MASTER MENU * * * * Enter your CHOICE by NUMBER ( 1- 9) * * * * * ************************************************************************* 1- Enter information on customers. Enter associated Transaction code. 2- Change any information about a customer. 3- View or print the customers by name and address and associated transaction codes. 4- Find a customer by name. 5- View or print the customers by name, address and outstanding balance. 6- Remove all information from Master File. NEVER used after setting up your system. Use only while trying out the system with dummy data. 7- View or print the customers by name along with yearly billing to date and any outstanding balance. Gives all totals. View or print the transaction codes showing how much was billed. Also can set back values for the beginning of a new year. 8- Allows you to sort the client list. Key is made up of two letters and one number. ME4 is sorted before ME5. We suggest you use the two letters of the company name and a 5 for the first with those two letters. Others with the same two letters can have higher or lower numbers. Professional Billing Manual Page M-3 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS Summary of Menus CONTROL FILE MAINTENANCE MENU ************************************************************************* * * * CONTROL FILE MAINTENANCE MENU * * * * You may now: * * * * 1 - INITIALIZE MASTER FILE * * * * 2 - CHANGE STATEMENT HEADER INFORMATION * * * * 3 - SET UP OR ADD NEW TRANSACTION CODES * * * * 4 - CHANGE A TRANSACTION CODE * * * * 5 - LIST THE TRANSACTION CODES * * * * 6 - RETURN TO MASTER MENU * * * * * * Enter your CHOICE by NUMBER ( 1- 6) _ * * * ************************************************************************* 1- Use ONLY on initial set up of system. USE OF THIS FUNCTION REMOVES ALL INFORMATION FROM THE MASTER FILE. ALL YOUR RECORDS WILL BE LOST. 2- Allows you to change the descriptive information on the statements. 3- To enter transaction codes. 4- To change a transaction code. 5- To view or print the transaction codes. Professional Billing Manual Page M-4 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS INDEX TOPIC Section-Page Accounts Receivable Report D-1 Adding New Clients B-6 Adding Transaction Codes B-1 Adding Transactions to file C-4 Alignment of Statements D-9 Assigning Client Numbers B-6 Associated Transaction Codes I-2, R-5, B-2, B-3, C-4 Attention Line in Address B-2 Automatic Billing I-2, I-3, R-5, C-3 Automatically Creating Transactions C-3 Automatic Transactions R-5, C-3 Backing Up Client Data R-3, D-4 Backing Up Disks R-3 Back Up R-6 Balance Due Report B-13 Batch File, BILLING I-1 Billing Cycles I-2, R-5, D-5 Billing Explanations I-2, A-6, A-8 Billing, On-The-Fly I-2 Billing Report I-4 Bold Print R-6 Carriage Return R-1 Center Of Statement Comment A-5 Changing Code Word S-4 Changing Transaction Codes A-8, B-1 Changing Unit Amount During Entry C-7 Changing Quantity During Entry C-6 Changing Statement Comments B-1 Changing Transactions C-11 Changing Unit Amount During Entry C-6 Checking Statement Alignment D-9 Client Data Backup R-3, D-4 Client Files, Updating D-11 Client Identification Codes B-6 Client Identification Numbers B-6 Clients, Adding to file B-6 Code Word S-4, A-3 Comment Lines A-4, A-5 Control-C, CTRL-C S-2 Control File Maintenance Menu A-2, A-7, M-4 <CR> R-1, R-6, A-1 Current Activity Customers D-6 Customer Account File Listing B-12 Customer Account Maintenance Menu B-5, M-3 Customer Identification Codes R-5 Professional Billing Manual INDEX-1 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS INDEX TOPIC Section-Page Daily Transaction File C-5, C-10 Dates S-3 Default R-2, R-6 Deleting a Transaction C-11 Disk R-7 Diskcopy S-2 Diskette R-7 Dollar Sign R-2 DOS Disk S-2 Drive R-7 Duplicating Disks I-3 End Of Year Reports D-13 Enter Key R-1, A-1 Entering Client Information B-2, B-6 Entering Code Word S-4 Entering Company Information A-4 Entering Credits C-11 Entering Dates S-3, C-1 Entering Individual Transactions C-5 Entering Statement Comments A-5 Entering Transaction Codes A-9 Error Messages R-7 Explanations, Billing I-3, A-6, A-8 Floppy Disk R-2 Formatting Disks R-3, R-7 Handling Diskettes I-1, R-3 Hardcopy R-2, R-7, A-13 Hard Disk R-2 Identification Codes, Customer R-5 Initializing the Master File A-2, A-3, B-1 Initializing the Customer File B-5 Initializing the Transaction File C-2 Keyboards R-1 Labels I-2, R-4 Limits to Entry Length A-4 Listing Clients B-11, B-13 Listing Transaction Codes A-12, Listing Transaction File C-11 Location of Data S-3 Location of Programs S-3 Master Disk S-2 Master Menu A-1, B-2, C-1, D-1, M-1 Menus R-2, M-1 MMDDYY S-3 Modifying Existing Transactions C-11 Professional Billing Manual INDEX-2 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS INDEX TOPIC Section-Page <N> R-6, A-1 On-The-Fly Code Creation I-2, C-8 Original Disks R-4, S-2 Outstanding Balance Report B-13 Past Due Report B-13 Preparing Input Data I-3 Pre-Printed Forms R-6 Primary Client Name B-6 Printing Statements/Invoices D-5 Printing Transaction Codes A-12 Prompt R-7 Quantity Heading D-6 Question Mark R-1 RAM R-2 Random Access Memory R-2 Recent Billing Report D-11 RETURN key R-1, A-2 Reviewing On Screen D-7 Sample Statement A-4, D-10 Secondary Client Name B-2, B-6 Skipping Clients C-5 Sorting Codes I-3, B-2, B-3 Sorting the Clients D-13 Starting a Transaction File C-2 Statement Comments A-4 Statement Heading A-4 Statement Forms I-2, R-6, D-9 Statement Numbers D-8 Statement Printing D-5 Statement Printing Options D-5, D-6, D-7, D-8 Statement Sizes I-2, R-6, D-9 Sub-Directory, BILLING I-1 Sub-Menu R-2 Transaction Code Report D-2 Transaction Codes I-4, R-5, R-7, A-6 Transaction Codes, Associated R-5, B-3, B-7, B-10, C-3 Transaction Codes, Changing B-1 Transaction Code, Creation I-2 Transaction Codes, Listing A-13 Transaction Codes, Printing A-13 Transaction Entry and Report Routine C-1 Transaction File, Adding to C-5 Transaction File, Daily work C-2, C-5, C-10 Transaction File, Listing C-2, C-11 Professional Billing Manual INDEX-3 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS INDEX TOPIC Section-Page Transaction File, Initializing C-2 Transaction Period R-7 Transaction Services Menu C-2, M-2 Transactions, Adding to file C-5 Transactions, Changing C-11 Transactions, Automatically Creating C-4 Transactions, Automatic Entry R-5, C-3 Transactions, Entering Individual C-5 Turning off the Computer R-7 Turning on the Computer R-7 Updating Client Files D-11 User Diskette I-1 Upper Case S-1 Write-Protect Tab I-1 <Y> R-2, R-6, A-1 Professional Billing Manual INDEX-4 MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS - PROFESSIONAL BILLING SYSTEM ADDENDUM If you find that there are changes in any of the menus they should be easy enough to understand. MODERN MICROCOMPUTERS is constantly updating the programs on the advice of the users. If you have comments or suggestions for improving the programs, please do not hesitate to contact us with your ideas. You can reach us at (804) 746-4352. If no one is available, simply leave your message. You can talk as long as you like in explaining your ideas since the answering machine is set to disconnect only when you hang up. RECOVERY OF BACKED UP FILES To make the recovery you must end the program. While in the BILLING sub- directory at the C:> prompt, simply type RECOVER <CR>. The backed-up information will be transferred from the floppy in Drive 'A' to the Hard Disk which is Drive C. After the recovery is finished the system will move to the first menu and you can then check to be sure all information is the way you want it. Since the original manual was produced there are been some additions made to the programs. We are continually trying to improve the product. Most suggestions come from our users. If you have any suggestions for new features, please do not hesitate to contact us with your ideas. You will note that there are some slight changes in some of the MENU presentations. Don't be overly concerned. Most of the changes are self- evident. BILLING BY SELECTED CYCLES You can now bill and update records by selected cycles. Not only can you add transactions to the temporary transaction file by cycles, you can now produce invoices and/or statements for selected cycles without disturbing the other data in the transaction file. As an example, suppose you had automatically added cycles 1, 2, 3, and 4 to the transaction file along with some manual entries. When it comes time to send out statements you have a choice of billing everyone, all those with current activity or a single client. In addition, you can bill only those in a specific cycle or only those that are not in any cycle. It would therefore be possible to send statements to those in cycle 2 for example, without sending statements to the others in the transaction file. You can also update the permanent file for those individuals in a specific cycle without updating the permanent file with others still in the transaction file. If you have questions, DON'T HESITATE TO CALL. (804) 746-4352. Professional Billing Manual ADDENDUM PAGE 1 REMEMBER, WE HAVE OTHER SOFTWARE. MODSTAT3 - Fifty statistical programs including one that allows you to determine the correct test to use in research or business investigations. $20.00 + $2.00 postage. MODFIN90 - Twenty assorted financial money manipulation programs including mortgage amortization, loan calculations and the ability to produce both W-2's and 1099's. It will produce the 1990 forms for both W-2's and 1099's. $20.00 + $2.00 postage and handling. MODMAIL3 - A mailing list generator that allows you to quickly and easily produce mailing lists from telephone books. The program remembers the zip codes of towns which are entered and automatically adds them the next time the town is entered. Allows sorting by area code, zip code or ID code (individuals can be placed in any of 1,000 ID code groups). Both labels and continuous run Post Cards can be produced along with the text to appear on the reverse side of the Post Cards. All or parts of the list can be printed and reports can be produced. $20.00 + $2.00 postage and handling. CLIENT WRITE-UP - A complete client write-up package with post- fact payroll. A package designed expressly for the write-up accountant. Does all necessary monthly, quarterly and year-end reports including 1099's and W-2's. $145.00 + $2.00 postage and handling. SUPER MENU - A hard-disk menu system which is easy to use. Easy to configure to your computer hard drive. $20.00 + $2.00 postage and handling.