Copyright: Compiled for Version 7.5.5 and later  CNT:none


M.Y.O.B. Wizards Contents

Choose one of the following selections to learn more about it:

  New Data File Wizard

  Easy Setup Wizard


Easy Setup Wizard Contents

Choose one of the following selections to learn more about it:

  Customise

  Accounts

  Sales

  Purchases


Easy Setup Wizard main window

Once you've created a new data file, you need to set up the data file so it contains information specific to your business. If you want, you can do all your setup tasks manually, or you can use the Easy Setup Wizard to walk you through the setup process. Since the Easy Setup Wizard provides you with all the major setup tasks you need to perform, we recommend that you use the wizard to ensure your system is fully set up.

The Easy Setup Wizard can be used at any time, and as many times as you want with the same data file. You can also stop the setup process at any time and return to the wizard when it's most convenient for you.

To begin setting up a particular section of the wizard, click the button that's associated with the section you want to set up. The wizard will walk you through the section in a step-by-step manner, similar to the process you went through to create a new data file in the New Data File Wizard.

  To prepare to use the Easy Setup Wizard


To prepare to use the Easy Setup Wizard

Before you start using the Easy Setup Wizard, it's a good idea to know the following information about your company, because you'll need to enter it while you use the wizard. (If you have an accountant who tracks the details of your company's business, he or she will know the answers to these questions.)

What are the accounts that make up your business's chart of accounts?

What are the balances of your accounts in your chart of accounts, as of the first day of your conversion month?

Who are your customers, suppliers, employees and personal contacts that you'd like to track using M.Y.O.B.? (You'll probably be best served if you make up a list of these people and companies before you start the setup process.)

What are the current balances of your customers and suppliers? (In other words, how much do your customers owe you, and how much do you owe your suppliers, as of the first day of your conversion month?)

What are the typical credit terms that you assign to your customers? What are the typical credit terms assigned to your company by your suppliers?


Step 1: Customise Your System

Everyone has their own way of doing their books and working with computer programs. M.Y.O.B. provides the flexibility you want when you're doing your daily accounting tasks. You can use this portion of the Easy Setup Wizard to personalise your M.Y.O.B. experience. The choices you'll make here are commonly referred to as preferences. These preferences determine such things as how you enter information in M.Y.O.B.; how you move around in M.Y.O.B.; how-and whether-you protect your accounting records; and how you enter and maintain your sales and purchases.

You can make changes to any of your preferences at any time. If you decide later on that you'd really rather try a different preference, you can make the change in a few easy steps. You can learn more about making these changes by reading Chapter 2, "Customising your M.Y.O.B. system" in Part 3, "Your Company," of your User's Guide. (If you prefer to see on-screen information, you can choose Procedures Guide from the Help menu to display the Procedures Guide. Click the Find tab, then enter the word customising to display all the topics that are associated with customising your M.Y.O.B. system.)


Step 2: Customise The Way You Enter Data in M.Y.O.B.

You can use M.Y.O.B.'s Easy-Fill feature to quickly enter account numbers, item numbers and card names that you enter frequently. When you enter an existing account number or card name, Easy-Fill will "recognise" the entry you're making and automatically fill in the rest of the entry for you.

Easy-Fill displays the first account number or card name that matches the letters you've typed. For example, if you enter "St" on an invoice and you have a customer named Stearns, that customer's name will be suggested for you. If the invoice is for customer Stevens, though, simply keep typing. When you type "Stev," customer Stevens' name will appear.

The Easy-Fill option is marked automatically for you. If you don't want to use Easy-Fill, unmark the option. If you unmark the option, you'll have to enter the full number or name for each account number, item number and card name you enter.


Step 3: Customise The Way You Use Your Keyboard With M.Y.O.B.

When you first begin using M.Y.O.B., the program is set up so that if you press the ENTER key, you'll click the default button (the button with a dark border around it). If you'd rather press the ENTER key to move between fields in M.Y.O.B. windows, mark the box in this step. (If you mark this selection, you can still use the TAB key to move between fields, as well.)


Step 4: Choose Whether Your Transactions Are Changeable Or Unchangeable

If you wish to maintain a comprehensive history of all transactions you enter in the M.Y.O.B. system - in other words, if you want to keep a strict audit trail - be sure the box labeled "Data File Records CANNOT be Changed; Saved Entries Must be Reversed" is marked.

If this option is marked, your transactions are considered unchangeable; that is, you won't be able to make changes or remove the transactions you've recorded and saved; instead, you'll need to reverse the transaction to completely remove the effects of the transaction from your records. (A reversing transaction is one that "undoes" an earlier transaction. Both transactions remain on your records, and you have a complete record of the entries you've made.)

If this option isn't marked, your transactions are considered changeable; you can make changes directly to any transactions you've already entered and recorded (made permanent). While this is a bit faster and easier than making reversing entries, you may find it less easy to determine when or why changes were made to your earlier entries.


Step 5: Choose How You Want To Protect Your Company's Data

Choose one of the following selections to learn more about it:

  Prompt For Data Backup When Closing

  Automatically Prompt For A Session Report

  Check Data File For Errors Before The Backup Process

  Automatic Save Every __ Minutes


Prompt For Data Backup When Closing

If this selection is marked, you'll have the option of making a backup copy of your M.Y.O.B. data file whenever you choose Exit (if you're using a Windows computer), Quit (if you're using a Macintosh) or Open from the File menu. If you choose one of these commands, a dialog box will appear, asking whether you wish to make a backup.

This option is marked for you when you begin using the Easy Setup Wizard. We recommend that you leave this option marked and that you make regular backups, since using a current set of backups often is the easiest way to restore your accounting records if a serious problem arises.


Automatically Prompt For A Session Report

Session Reports show all the entries you've made since you last started M.Y.O.B. (for most people, that's the start of the business day), or the last time you saved your entries, if you've saved the entries since you started M.Y.O.B. You can use Session Reports to review your entries. They also can be helpful if a problem occurs and you need to make some of your entries again. (Note, though, that a current backup is preferable for this purpose.)

This option is marked for you when you begin using the Easy Setup Wizard. If you leave the option marked, a dialog box will appear at the time you specify, asking whether you wish to print the report. If you select the Upon Quitting option, the dialog box will appear when you choose Exit (if you're using a Windows computer), Quit (if you're using a Macintosh), Open or New from the File menu. If you select Upon Saving, the dialog box will appear whenever you save your entries.

When you choose to print a session report, the command you chose (Save, Quit, Exit, Open or New) is canceled. After the report is printed, choose your command again, then select No Report in the dialog box.


Check Data File For Errors Before The Backup Process

If you mark this option, you'll be given the option to check your M.Y.O.B. data file for errors before it's backed up. This process is called data verification, and it ensures that damaged records don't go unnoticed. Depending upon the size of your data file, this process can be rather time-consuming; you may want to check your data for errors only when you don't plan to use your computer for several minutes.

If you use this option and choose to check your data before backing it up, your entries will be saved, then verified. If your data file is OK, a message will appear to let you know this, and you can continue the backup process. If problems are found, a message will appear to alert you, and the backup process will be stopped. If you're alerted that problems have been found, we recommend that you stop using the damaged data file and restore a recent backup. Any entries you made after you created the backup will have to be made again.

Be careful when you exit M.Y.O.B.!


Be careful when you exit M.Y.O.B.!

Data files are damaged most frequently by power interruptions, by exiting M.Y.O.B. improperly and - most importantly - by shutting off your computer while saving your M.Y.O.B. entries. Use caution when exiting M.Y.O.B.


Automatic Save Every ___ Minutes

You can use M.Y.O.B.'s Auto-Save feature to automatically save changes to your data file after a certain amount of time has passed. If you want to use Auto-Save, mark the box labeled "Automatic Save Every ____ Minutes," then enter, in whole minutes, how often you want your data file to be saved. You can enter a maximum of 120 minutes in this field.

If a power failure occurs or you have a problem with your computer that makes it impossible for you to save the entries you've made in M.Y.O.B., any entries you haven't saved yet will be lost, and you'll have to enter them a second time. If you choose not to use this feature, we recommend that you save your entries periodically throughout the day, to reduce the number of entries you'll have to make a second time should a problem occur.


Step 6: Customise The Way You Use The To Do List

The To Do List is an interactive set of reminders that you can use to organise common business tasks. For example, you can use the To Do list to reorder goods you keep in stock, make recurring payments, and process recurring (standing) orders from your customers. You can set up your To Do List to let you know whenever these and other tasks need to be done.

If you mark this option, the To Do List will appear automatically each time you start M.Y.O.B. You can review the To Do List to see whether there are tasks that need attending to before you begin your business day. If you prefer to review the To Do List at other times, leave this option unmarked. You can open the To Do List at any time by clicking the To Do List button in any M.Y.O.B. Command Centre.


Step 7: Customise The Way You Use The Contact Log

The Contact Log makes it easy for you to keep track of the contacts you've had with customers, suppliers and other people you do business with. Using the Contact Log, you can keep a record of the date and time you contacted these people, an agreed-upon recontact time, if appropriate, and other notes about the contact. The Contact Log can be found in the Card File Command Centre.

In addition, you can use the Easy Setup Wizard to automatically add an entry to the Contact Log each time you create a cheque, deposit, sale or purchase transaction. These entries will be created for the individuals whose names appear on the transactions you enter. These options are marked for you when you begin using the Easy Setup Wizard; unmark any options you don't want to use.


Step 8: Customise How You Work In The Sales Command Centre

Choose one of the following selections to learn more about it:

  Print Invoices When They're Recorded

  Print Packing Slips When Invoices Are Printed

  Print Delivery Labels When Invoices Are Printed

  Warn If Customer Has An Outstanding Credit Before Applying A Payment

  Apply Customer Payments Automatically To Oldest Invoice First


Print Invoices When They're Recorded

If you want to automatically print sales invoices as soon as you record them, mark this option. You might want to use this option if, for example, you're using M.Y.O.B. in a store and your customers expect to take their invoices away with them. Whenever you record an invoice, the Print dialog box will appear and you can print the invoice.

If you don't mark this option, you can either print individual invoices when they're recorded or many invoices at once, say at the end of the day.


Print Packing Slips When Invoices Are Printed

If you want to automatically print packing slips to accompany the invoices you print, mark this option. You might want to use this option if you operate a mail-order business and all or most of your sales are shipped or delivered to customers.

If you don't mark this option, you can print packing slips using the Print Invoices selection in the Sales Command Centre.


Print Delivery Labels When Invoices Are Printed

If you want to automatically print delivery labels to accompany the invoices you print, mark this option. You might want to use this option if you operate a mail-order business and all or most of your sales are shipped or delivered to customers, or if you routinely mail invoices to customers, rather than providing them at the time of the sale.

If you don't mark this option, you can print delivery labels using the Print Invoices selection in the Sales Command Centre.


Warn If Customer Has An Outstanding Credit Before Applying A Payment

If this option is marked, you'll be notified if a customer has an existing credit balance with your business whenever you apply a payment the customer's made on a sale. (If you're a retailer and your customer has a credit balance with you, he or she may want to pay a lesser amount on the current sale.)

This option is marked for you when you begin using the Easy Setup Wizard. Unmark the option if you don't want to be notified when customers have a credit balance on account.


Apply Customer Payments Automatically To Oldest Invoice First

Mark this option if you'd like M.Y.O.B. to automatically suggest that customer payments be applied to the oldest outstanding sales first.

If you mark this selection, the amount you enter in the Amount field of the Customer Payments window will be entered in the Amount Applied field automatically for the oldest sales transaction the customer has with your business. If you don't mark this selection, you'll have to manually distribute the amounts you enter in the Amount field to whichever transactions you wish to apply them to.


Step 9: Customise How You Work In The Purchases Command Centre

Choose one of the following selections to learn more about it:

  Print Purchases When They're Placed In The Pending File

  Apply Bill Payments Automatically To Oldest Purchase First

  Warn If Supplier Owes Me Money Before Making A Bill Payment


Print Purchases When They're Placed In The Pending File

If you want to automatically print purchase orders as soon as you place them in the Pending File, mark this option. Whenever you place a purchase order in the Pending File, the Print dialog box will appear and you can print the purchase order.

If you don't mark this option, you can print the purchase orders in the Pending File by selecting Print Purchases in the Purchases Command Centre.


Apply Bill Payments Automatically To Oldest Purchase First

Mark this option if you'd like M.Y.O.B. to automatically suggest that bill payments be applied to the oldest outstanding purchases first.

If you mark this selection, the amount you enter in the Amount field of the Bill Payments window will be entered in the Amount Applied field automatically for the oldest purchase transaction you have with the supplier you've selected. If you don't mark this selection, you'll have to manually distribute the amounts you enter in the Amount field to whichever transactions you wish to apply them to.


Warn If Supplier Owes Me Money Before Making A Bill Payment

If this option is marked, you'll be notified if you have an existing credit balance with the supplier you've selected whenever you apply a bill payment to a purchase you've made from the supplier. (If you have a credit balance with the supplier, you may wish to pay a lesser amount on your account.)

This option is marked for you when you begin using the Easy Setup Wizard. Unmark the option if you don't want to be notified when customers have a credit balance on account.


Step 10: Customise The Way You Work With Reports

Report "filters" are options that enable you to limit the information that will be displayed on any particular report. Report filters make it easy to see only the information you want, and nothing more. For example, you can use report filters to print a Balance Sheet report for a particular date or to print an Address List that includes only customers who live in a particular postal code area. (You might want this information if you're targeting your marketing efforts at customers who live in a particular neighbourhood.

Mark this option if you want to see the window containing the report filters every time you print a report. If you mark this option, the window will be displayed immediately before the report is printed or displayed on your computer screen.

If you don't mark this option, you can click the Filters button in the Index To Reports window as you choose reports to print.


That's It! You're Done Customising Your System!

You've finished customising your M.Y.O.B. system. If you want to go back and review the selections you've made, or make a change, click the Back button until the selection you want is displayed; make your change, then click the Next button until this window is displayed again. If you're ready to continue setting up M.Y.O.B., click the Finish button and choose another part of M.Y.O.B. to set up. If you've finished setting up M.Y.O.B., you can click the Close button to exit the Easy Setup Wizard.


Step 1: Set Up Accounts

An account is tool used to organise a business. Accounts keep track of the financial changes - additions and subtractions - that occur in regular business activity. Since accounts are the backbone of your M.Y.O.B. financial records, ensuring your accounts work the way you want them to should be one of your highest priorities.

If you selected a starter chart of accounts when you created your company's data file in the M.Y.O.B. New Data File Wizard, you already have an extensive set of accounts that you can use to track your business activity, and you may not need to create any more accounts. Many M.Y.O.B. users find they want to make at least a few changes or additions to their accounts. You can make those changes and additions in this portion of the Easy Setup Wizard. In addition, you'll use this portion of the Easy Setup Wizard to enter the beginning balances for your accounts.

You can add accounts at any time, and you can make certain kinds of changes to your accounts even after you've begun using them. You can learn more about making these changes by reading Part 2, "Accounts," of your User's Guide. (If you prefer to see on-screen information, you can choose Procedures Guide from the Help menu to display the Procedures Guide.)


Step 2: Make Changes To Your Chart Of Accounts

This window displays the accounts in the chart of accounts that you selected using the New Data File wizard. You can use this window to add new accounts, edit existing accounts' names and numbers and delete existing accounts that you don't plan to use. You also can import accounts if you've been using another computerised accounting system.

If you haven't already reviewed your existing accounts, do so now. This is an excellent activity to do with your accountant or an M.Y.O.B. certified consultant. Since your accounts are the foundation for the rest of your accounting records, it's important that they are complete and are capable of meeting your individual company's needs.

To add a new account

To edit an account

To delete an account

To import accounts

If you want to print a list of accounts...


If you want to print a list of accounts

If you want to print a list of accounts to show your accountant, choose Index to Reports from the Reports menu. In the window that appears, click the General Ledger tab. Next locate the Chart of Accounts (Summary) report and highlight it. Then click print to print the report.


To add a new account

1. 	Click the New button.

The Edit Accounts window appears. You'll use this window to create the new account.

2. 	Indicate whether the account is a header account or a detail account.

Click the appropriate radio button to indicate whether the new account will be a header account or a detail account.

3. 	Choose the account type you want.

Every account in the M.Y.O.B. system must be assigned a type before it can be used to track your company's financial activity. In M.Y.O.B., you can choose from eight different account types, each of which serves a specific purpose. The account types used in M.Y.O.B. are: asset, liability, capital, income, cost of sales, expense, other income and other expense.

Click on the drop-down list next to Account Classification to display a list of account types used in M.Y.O.B. Highlight the account type you want.

If you're unsure about which type you should assign

4. 	Assign an account number to the account.

Enter the four-digit number used to uniquely identify this account. Any four digits except 0000 can be used in the account number. If you enter fewer than four digits, zeros will be added to the end of the number. When you enter an account number, the number will be automatically placed in the chart of accounts list in numerical order.

You can change the number of an account at any time; however, we suggest you keep the same account numbers if you've used M.Y.O.B. for some time, because a new numbering system may be confusing to remember.

Also, you may want to leave room for future accounts when you choose numbers for your accounts. We suggest that you leave five or 10 numbers between your numbers. For example, if you're a retailer and open a second store, you'll probably add new accounts for the new location. You may find it convenient to have the accounts for both stores appear together so you can easily compare sales and expenses at the two locations. If you've left plenty of room between your account numbers, it'll be easy to add the accounts for the new location.

5. 	Name the account.

Give the account a descriptive name, one that you'll easily recognise in the future. You can use up to 30 characters for the name.

6. 	Click OK.

You'll enter the opening balances for all your accounts in a later step. You can skip the remaining fields in this window. Click OK when you're satisfied with the entries you've made.


Asset accounts

Asset accounts track things a business owns, such as the money in a chequing account, computers and office buildings. Money owed to a business is also considered an asset.

Current assets can be converted into cash (including cash itself) within a relatively short period of time (usually less than a year).

Fixed assets usually take more than a year to convert into cash. An office building can be considered a fixed asset.

Asset accounts are assigned the prefix 1 in M.Y.O.B., and normally have a debit balance.


Liability accounts

Liability accounts track things a business owes, such as a working capital loan. Money owed by a business for purchases is also considered a liability.

Current liabilities are due within a relatively short period of time (usually less than a year).

Long-term liabilities usually aren't due for more than a year.

Liability accounts are assigned the prefix 2 in M.Y.O.B., and normally have a credit balance.


Capital accounts

Capital accounts track a company's net worth. A company's capital, also known as "owners' capital" or "capital," is calculated by subtracting its liabilities from its assets. Some common capital accounts are current year earnings, retained earnings and shareholders' capital.

Capital accounts are assigned the prefix 3 in M.Y.O.B., and normally have a credit balance.


Income accounts

Income accounts, also known as "revenue accounts," track the increase in capital from the sale of items or services.

Income accounts are assigned the prefix 4 in M.Y.O.B., and normally have a credit balance.


Cost of Sales accounts

Cost of sales accounts track the amount paid to sell an item or service. The amounts tracked by cost of sales accounts are sometimes referred to as "cost of goods sold" amounts.

Cost of sales amounts are subtracted from income amounts to determine gross profit.

Cost of sales accounts are assigned the prefix 5 in M.Y.O.B., and normally have a debit balance.


Expense accounts

Expense accounts track the cost incurred when a business attempts to create income.

Expense accounts are assigned the prefix 6 in M.Y.O.B., and normally have a debit balance.


Other Income accounts

Other income accounts track the income that isn't directly related to a company's operations, such as interest income.

Other income accounts are assigned the prefix 8 in M.Y.O.B., and normally have a credit balance.


Other Expense accounts

Other expense accounts track the expenses that aren't directly related to a company's operations, such as loan interest and fines.

Other expense accounts are assigned the prefix 9 in M.Y.O.B., and normally have a debit balance.


If you're unsure about which type you should assign

If you're unsure about which type you should assign to a new account, you should probably consult your accountant, or to an M.Y.O.B. Certified Consultant. See Part 4, "M.Y.O.B. Products and Services," of your Getting Started manual to learn how to locate a Certified Consultant in your area.

If you just need to refresh your memory about account types, we suggest you visit the Accounting Essentials area of M.Y.O.B.'s online Learning Centre. To enter the Learning Centre, be sure your M.Y.O.B. CD is inserted in your CD-ROM drive, then choose Learning Centre from the Help menu at the top of your computer screen.


To edit an account

1. 	Highlight the account and click the Edit button.

Click on the account you want to change to highlight it. Then click Edit; the Edit Accounts window will open. You'll use this window to edit the account.

2. 	Make the changes you wish to make.

You can change the account number, account name, and if allowed, the account level of an existing account. (The level of  the eight Level 1 accounts - asset, liability, income, expense, capital, cost of sales, other income and other expense -can't be changed. In addition, header accounts you create must be either Level 2 or Level 3.) When you change an account's number, the account list is reordered (in account number order). If a header is separated from its sub-accounts, the sub-accounts are moved up one level.

3. 	Click OK.

Click OK when you're satisfied with the entries you've made.


To delete an account

Click on the account you want to delete to highlight it. Then click the Delete button; the account will be removed from your chart of accounts.

(When you're just starting to use M.Y.O.B., accounts can be easily deleted. Once you begin recording transactions, you'll find that there are some restrictions that affect when - and if - accounts can be deleted. This is to protect the integrity of your accounting records. You can learn more about these restrictions by reading Chapter 3, "Removing Accounts," in Part 2, "Accounts," of your M.Y.O.B. User's Guide.)


To import accounts

If you've been using a spreadsheet program or another accounting program to keep track of your accounts, you may want to use the same account numbers, names and so on in M.Y.O.B. You can use the  instructions below to import your existing accounts into your M.Y.O.B. data file.

If you want some help with the importing process

1.	Export the data you want from the software program you've used to create the data.

Export the data you want, using the program where the information currently is located. Consult the manuals or online help for that program if you're unsure about how to export the data. For example, if you've used a spreadsheet program to track your data in the past, you should use that spreadsheet program to export the information you want to use in M.Y.O.B.

The data you export must be stored in a file, known as an import file, that uses either the tab-delimited or comma-separated file format.

2.	Make a backup of your M.Y.O.B. data file.

Although problems don't often occur when you import data, you'll be making changes to your data file that will be difficult to undo. As a precaution, we strongly recommend that you make a backup of your data file before you begin importing information into it. See page 26-11 in your M.Y.O.B. User's Guide to learn how to back up your data file.

3.	Return to the Easy Setup Wizard and click Import to begin importing the data.

Return to the Accounts portion of the Easy Setup Wizard, and click the Import button in the Make Changes To Your Chart Of Accounts window.

4.	Select the file format you used when you created the import file.

In the Import File Format field, select the file format of the import file you created in step 1.

5.	Indicate whether the first record in the file is a header record or a data record.

In the First Record Is field, select whether the first record in the import file is a header record or a data record.

6.	Indicate how you want duplicate records to be handled.

In the Duplicate Records field, select whether to reject duplicate records or update existing records.

In M.Y.O.B., you can't have accounts with identical numbers. If you attempt to import an account with a duplicate number, M.Y.O.B. will either reject the number or add the record's unique information to your data file, depending upon your selection here. If you've selected an M.Y.O.B. starter chart of accounts, you may want to select Update Existing Record, since you'll want the information from your previous account to appear in M.Y.O.B. If you choose the Reject Them selection and you have accounts with the same account numbers, the information about your previous accounts won't be brought into M.Y.O.B.

For example, say account 1-1000 already exists in your data file and you select Update Existing Record here. When you import information about your previous account 1-1000, the information about the starter account 1-1000 in your data file will be changed to reflect the information that's in the import file.

If you choose to reject duplicate records, the information that's rejected will be placed in the Import Log report, which is created at the time you import.

7.	Locate the import file.

After you've made your selections in the Import File window, click Continue. A dialog box appears, allowing you to locate your import file. Locate the file and click OK (Windows) or Open (Macintosh).

8.	Match the fields in the import file with those in your M.Y.O.B. data file.

The Import Data window appears. In this window, you'll match the information in the import file with its corresponding fields in M.Y.O.B. To do this, highlight the name of a field in your import file from the Import Fields column.

Then click the M.Y.O.B. field in the M.Y.O.B. Fields column that you want to match the import field with. When you click the M.Y.O.B. Fields column, the import field you selected will appear in the Matching Import Field column.

If you want to remove an import field's name from the Matching Import Field column, simply click the import field's name.

Note:  The Account Number field must be imported. M.Y.O.B. fields whose names have asterisks (*) next to them must have matching import file fields assigned to them. When you import accounts, the account number is the only field that must be imported.

If all the fields in the import file match the fields in the M.Y.O.B. Fields column, you can match all the fields at one time by clicking the Match All button at the bottom of the window.

9.	Click Import to begin importing the data.

When you're done matching fields, click the Import button to begin the importing process.

During the importing process, the Import Log report is created. This report, titled MYOBLOG.TXT, lists information about any problems that occurred during the importing process, as well as information about rejected duplicate records. This report is created as a file, and is located in the same place on your computer as your data file.

Each time you import, the Import Log report is created, using the same name. If an Import Log report already exists when you create another one, the existing report will be removed.


If you want some help with the importing process

Importing data is a somewhat advanced activity in M.Y.O.B. If you don't feel comfortable completing the following procedure, you can contact an M.Y.O.B. certified consultant for assistance. See Part 4, "M.Y.O.B. Products and Services," of your Getting Started manual to learn how to locate a Certified Consultant in your area.


Step 3: Set Up Your Linked Accounts (For VAT)

Every transaction you enter into the M.Y.O.B. system must be assigned to one or more specific accounts. To reduce your data entry time and the possibility of mistaken assignments, M.Y.O.B. was designed to automatically assign your transactions to the proper accounts at the time you record the transactions. These accounts are called linked accounts. When you created your data file, M.Y.O.B. selected accounts from your starter chart of accounts that are most commonly used for specific kinds of transactions.

In this window, review the selections M.Y.O.B. has made for your transactions' VAT amounts generated by Chequebook Transactions. Also review the account that has been selected for historical balancing. You can use the account for historical balancing to track the difference between the opening balances you'll enter for your asset accounts and the opening balances you'll enter for your liability and capital accounts. In traditional accounting terms, assets should always equal liabilities and capital; M.Y.O.B. doesn't allow unbalanced transactions (transactions whose debit and credit amounts aren't equal) to be recorded, but this account allows you to continue to use M.Y.O.B. if your beginning balances aren't balanced.

This account will be updated automatically when you enter your beginning balance amounts. Ideally, this account should have a balance of zero when you've finished entering all your beginning balances. If it doesn't, we suggest that you review your accounts' balances to see whether an error has been made.

If you're not satisfied with the selections M.Y.O.B. has made for you, click the arrow button next to the first account you want to change. The Select from List window appears, displaying all your accounts. Highlight the account you want to use, and click the Use Account button. The account you selected will replace the one M.Y.O.B. originally chose for you. Repeat this step for each of the accounts you want to change.

If none of the accounts displayed in the Select from List window seem right, you can create a new account by clicking the New button in that window. The Edit Accounts window will appear. (If you added or changed accounts in the last step, you've used the Edit Accounts window already. Simply repeat your earlier steps to create the new account.)

When you're satisfied with all of your linked accounts, click the Next button to continue with the Easy Setup Wizard.


Step 4: Enter Your Accounts' Opening Balances

Unless you're just starting a new business, most of your accounts probably already have balances - you've made sales, paid bills, perhaps bought stock and conducted a variety of other business activities that affect accounts' balances. For example, if you've deposited money in your business's chequing account, that account has a balance. In this step, you'll enter those balances.

You're not required to enter account balances before you start using M.Y.O.B., but your financial records may not be completely accurate if you don't.

The amounts you enter here should be for the first day of your conversion month (that is, the month you begin using M.Y.O.B.) If the current month is your conversion month, and you've made some transactions already this month (sales or purchases, for example), don't include those transactions in your accounts' opening balances. Instead, enter these amounts as transactions, to ensure that you have a complete record of your business activities for the month.

If your conversion month is the first month of your financial year, all you need to enter is the balances of your balance sheet accounts (asset, liability and capital accounts). If your conversion month isn't the beginning of your financial year, you should enter the balances of all your accounts.

Enter your balances as positive numbers. (Don't, for example, enter asset amounts as positive numbers and liability amounts as negative numbers.) M.Y.O.B. knows whether each account should have a debit or credit balance. Enter a negative amount only if an account has a negative balance.

If you or your accountant has a trial balance report for the month prior to your conversion month, the ending balance for each account for that month will be its opening balance in M.Y.O.B. If you don't have a trial balance report, you can use the amounts on a current balance sheet for you asset, liability and capital accounts' opening balances; you can use the amounts on a year-to-date profit and loss statement for your income, cost of sales and expense accounts' opening balances.

If your conversion month is the first month of your financial year, the opening balance of all your income and expense accounts, as well as your Current-year Earnings account, should be zero. Additionally, the previous year's yearnings should already be included in the balance of your Retained Earnings account.

M.Y.O.B. includes an capital account for your current-year earnings. The opening balance for this account is calculated automatically. Although this account doesn't appear in the Account Opening Balances window, don't worry - it does exist. Since M.Y.O.B. will track these amounts automatically, you don't need to create a current-year earnings account and enter a balance for it.


That's It! You're Done Setting Up Your Account Information!

You've finished setting up your account information. If you want to go back and review the entries you've made, or make a change, click the Back button until the selection you want is displayed; make your change, then click the Next button until this window is displayed again. If you're ready to continue setting up M.Y.O.B., click the Finish button and choose another part of M.Y.O.B. to set up. If you've finished setting up M.Y.O.B., you can click the Close button to exit the Easy Setup Wizard.


Step 1: Set Up Sales

Most businesses rely upon sales of goods or services to generate revenue for them. In this portion of the Easy Setup Wizard, you can set up information about your customers and other sales-related information.

Before you begin using this portion of the Easy Setup Wizard, you may find it helpful to gather together a list of your customers, along with their addresses, phone numbers and so on. We also recommend that you gather together a list of all the sales you've made to customers that haven't been fully paid off yet.

You'll enter this information about your customers in this part of the setup process. In addition, you'll indicate the credit terms you generally extend to your customers. (M.Y.O.B. will use these credit terms for all your customers when you first enter information about them, but you can change the terms for any of your customers at any time.) You'll also choose the type of invoice (item, service, professional or miscellaneous) that you plan to use most often, and you'll verify that the linked accounts M.Y.O.B. has chosen for your sales transactions are indeed the accounts you want to use for these transactions.

You can add information about new customers at any time, and you can make changes to most of your sales information at any time, as well. You can learn more about making these changes by reading Part 1, "Cards," of your User's Guide. For information about linked accounts, see part 2, "Accounts." For information about sales in general, see part 4, "Sales." (If you prefer to see on-screen information, you can choose Procedures Guide from the Help menu to display the Procedures Guide.)


Step 2: Choose Your Typical Invoice Format

In M.Y.O.B., you can record four types of sales transactions - service, item, professional and miscellaneous. These transactions are recorded as invoices, and M.Y.O.B. provides a separate invoice format for each type of sales transaction. In this step, you'll choose the invoice format you expect to use most often. The format you choose will be displayed whenever you enter a sales transaction, but you can choose another format if you like.

Click the radio button next to the format you think you'll use most often.

You'll enter all sales transactions using the Sales window, regardless of the invoice format you choose.


Step 3: Choose Your Typical Customer Credit Terms

The credit terms you assign to your customers - and your suppliers assign to you - are the guidelines you've set for the number of days you'll allow between delivery and payment, discounts for early payment and penalties for late payment. In this step, you'll indicate the credit terms - if any - that you extend to your customers. The terms you enter here will appear when you create records for your customers later on in the Easy Setup Wizard; you can change them for individual customers if you like.

When you begin entering sales, discounts based on the terms will be calculated automatically. (You can change the terms and discount amounts at the time you enter them as part of a sale, if you need to.)

  To set up credit terms


To set up credit terms

1.	Indicate when customer payments are due.

Begin by indicating when customers' payments are due to your company. Choose from the following options.

C.O.D.

Prepaid

In A Given Number Of Days

On A Day Of The Month

No. Of Days After EOM

Day Of Month After EOM

2.	Set up your standard discount for early payment, if you offer one.

If you offer your customers a discount for making an early payment on their account, use the Discount Days field to enter the number of days the discount is available. (This is the number of days after the transaction date during which the discount applies.) For example, if the transaction date is April 20 and the number of discount days is 10, a discount would apply if the balance was paid on or before April 30.

If you selected On a Day of the Month or Day of Month after EOM in the Payment is Due field, select the day of the month for which the discount applies.

If you select a day in the month that comes before the transaction date, the discount will apply until that day in the next month. For example, if the transaction date is April 20 and the discount date is 19, a discount would apply if the balance was paid on or before May 19.

3.	Indicate when customer payments are due.

Use the Balance Due Days field to enter the number of days after the transaction date that the balance of the transaction is due. For example, if the transaction date is April 20 and the number of balance due days is 10, the balance must be paid on or before April 30.

If you selected On a Day of the Month or Day of Month after EOM in the Payment is Due field, select the day of the month the transaction is due.

If you select a day in the month that comes before the transaction date, the balance won't be due until that day in the next month. For example, if the transaction date is April 20 and the balance due date is 19, the balance must be paid on or before May 19.

4.	Specify the percentage discount you offer for early payment, if any.

Use the % Discount for Early Payment field to enter the discount percentage you offer to your customers if they pay a transaction balance on or before the transaction's discount due date.

5.	Specify the percentage you charge for late payments, if any.

Use the % Monthly Charge for Late Payment field to enter the percentage of the transaction you'll charge your customers if individual transactions' balances aren't paid by the transactions' balance due date.

6.	Choose the default VAT code for your customers.

From the VAT Status list, select the tax code that you wish to use as the default tax code for your customers when you're entering line items on invoices.

The tax code that you choose here will be automatically inserted in line items on service invoices, professional invoices and miscellaneous sales. When you enter an item invoice, however, the tax code that you assigned to each item in the transaction will be automatically used. (Tax codes are assigned to items in the Item Information window.) If, however, you haven't assigned a tax code to an item that you use on an item invoice, the tax code you enter here will be automatically used for the line item.

7.	Specify the credit limit you set  most often for your customers.

If you extend credit to your customers, enter the credit limit you use most often. As with your other choices here, this amount can be changed for individual customers at any time.

8.	Click the Next button to continue setting up your company.

When you're satisfied with your entries here, click the Next button to continue with the Easy Setup Wizard.


Step 4: Set Up Your Linked Accounts For Sales

Every transaction you enter into the M.Y.O.B. system must be assigned to one or more specific accounts. To reduce your data entry time and the possibility of mistaken assignments, M.Y.O.B. was designed to automatically assign your transactions to the proper accounts at the time you record the transactions. These accounts are called linked accounts. When you created your data file, M.Y.O.B. selected accounts from your starter chart of accounts that are most commonly used for specific kinds of transactions.

In this window, review the selections M.Y.O.B. has made for your sales transaction amounts.

If you're not satisfied with the selections M.Y.O.B. has made for you, click the arrow button next to the first account you want to change. The Select from List window appears, displaying all your accounts. Highlight the account you want to use, and click the Use Account button. The account you selected will replace the one M.Y.O.B. originally chose for you. Repeat this step for each of the accounts you want to change.

If none of the accounts displayed in the Select from List window seem right, you can create a new account by clicking the New button in that window. The Edit Accounts window will appear. (If you added or changed accounts in the Accounts portion of the Easy Setup Wizard, you've used the Edit Accounts window already. Simply repeat your earlier steps to create the new account.)

When you're satisfied with all of your linked accounts, click the Next button to continue with the Easy Setup Wizard.


Step 5: Create Your Customer Cards

In this step, you'll enter information about each of your customers. M.Y.O.B. requires that you create a record for each of your customers, but you can choose to keep as little or as much information as you like for these customers.

If you've kept customer information in a spreadsheet, another accounting program or some other software program, you can import that information into M.Y.O.B. Otherwise, you can enter the information directly.

To enter new customer information in M.Y.O.B.

To edit a customer's information

To delete a customer's information

To import customer information


To enter new customer information in M.Y.O.B.

Use these instructions to enter information for your customers if you haven't been tracking this information in another software program and don't plan to import your customer information. Repeat these steps for each of your customers.

1.	Click the New button.

Click the New button to display the Card File window in the Easy Setup Wizard.

2.	Indicate whether this customer is a company or an individual.

Click the appropriate radio button to indicate whether this customer is an individual person or a company.

3.	Enter the customer's name.

If the customer is an individual, enter both a first name and a last name for the person.

4.	Enter contact information for the customer.

Enter contact information for the customer, including the customer's address, a shipping address (if different from the customer's main address), phone and fax numbers.

5.	Enter identifiers for the customer, if you like.

If you want to assign identifiers to the customer, use the Identifiers field to do so. You can enter up to 10 identifiers for each customer.

6.	Enter a name or title to use in personalised letters.

Enter a name or title you wish to use in the greeting of a personalised letter for the person or company whose card you're viewing. For example, if you want to greet a customer named Kara Watanabe as "Kara," enter Kara in this field. The personalised letters you create for Kara Watanabe will begin with "Dear Kara."

7.	Enter a contact person's name.

If you're entering information about a business and there's a particular person you work with there, enter that person's name in the Contact Name field. Enter any additional notes about the customer in the Notes field.

8.	Indicate whether you want to keep sales history for this customer.

Mark the Track Sales History selection if you want to keep monthly sales totals, known as history, for the person or company whose card you're viewing.

Totals are stored for the previous financial year and the current financial year. Use the Analyse Sales window  to review the collected totals in detail.

Sales history uses considerable disk space

8.	Set the customer as an EC customer if necessary

If this supplier is from an EC member select this checkbox. The customer will then be reported on the EC Sales list

9	Modify the credit terms, if necessary, and enter a VAT ID number.

If the credit terms you've extended to this customer are different from those you set up earlier using the Easy Setup Wizard, click the Terms button. The Credit Terms window will appear, and you can make any changes that are needed. In addition, you can enter a VAT identification number for the customer; this can be especially useful if you do business with customers and suppliers from the EC or other countries, since the VAT rates will be different than the VAT rate for "home" companies.

When you create item invoices using the Sales window, the VAT code you've assigned to the customer will be used for any items that don't have a VAT code assigned to them already. You can change the VAT codes and VAT amounts that are calculated for you on each invoice. In addition, the customer's VAT code will be used to calculate tax on service and professional invoices.

When you've finished making changes in the Credit Terms window, click OK.

10.	Click OK.

When you're satisfied with your entries for this customer, click OK.


Sales history uses considerable disk space

Sales history figures use considerable disk space. If you don't need to track sales history for a customer, be sure this selection isn't marked.


To edit a customer's information

1.	Highlight the customer's name and click the Edit button.

Click on the name of the customer whose information you want to change to highlight it. Then click Edit; the Card File window will open. You'll use this window to edit the information.

2.	Make the changes you wish to make.

You can change any of the information you've already entered for this customer.

3.	Click OK.

Click OK when you're satisfied with the entries you've made.


To delete a customer's information

Click on the name of the customer whose information you want to delete to highlight it. Then click the Delete button; the customer's information will be removed from your data file.


To import customer information

If you've been using a spreadsheet program or another accounting program to keep track of your sales, you may want to use this information in M.Y.O.B. You can use the  instructions below to import your existing customer information into your M.Y.O.B. data file.

If you want some help with the importing process

1.	Export the data you want from the software program you've used to create the data.

Export the data you want using the program where the information currently is located. Consult the manuals or online help for that program if you're unsure about how to export the data. For example, if you've used a spreadsheet program to track your data in the past, you should use that spreadsheet program to export the information you want to use in M.Y.O.B.

The data you export must be stored in a file, known as an import file, that uses either the tab-delimited or comma-separated file format.

2.	Make a backup of your M.Y.O.B. data file.

Although problems don't often occur when you import data, you'll be making changes to your data file that will be difficult to undo. As a precaution, we strongly recommend that you make a backup of your data file before you begin importing information into it. See page 26-11 in your M.Y.O.B. User's Guide to learn how to back up your data file.

3.	Return to the Easy Setup Wizard and click Import to begin importing the data.

Return to the Sales portion of the Easy Setup Wizard, and click the Import button in the Create Your Customer Cards window.

4.	Select the file format you used when you created the import file.

In the Import File Format field, select the file format of the import file you created in step 1.

5.	Indicate whether the first record in the file is a header record or a data record.

In the First Record Is field, select whether the first record in the import file is a header record or a data record.

6.	Indicate how you want duplicate records to be handled.

In the Duplicate Records field, select whether to reject duplicate records, update existing records or add new records if you have customers with the same name.

If you attempt to import a record for a customer whose name is the same as another customer, M.Y.O.B. will reject the record, update the information for the existing record in your data file, or create a separate record for the second customer, depending upon your selection here.

(In most cases, you'll want to choose the Add Them option, since it's possible to have two or more customers with the name "John Jones" or "Acme Supply." )

7.	Locate the import file.

After you've made your selections in the Import File window, click Continue. A dialog box appears, allowing you to locate your import file. Locate the file and click OK (Windows) or Open (Macintosh).

8.	Match the fields in the import file with those in your M.Y.O.B. data file.

The Import Data window appears. In this window, you'll match the information in the import file with its corresponding fields in M.Y.O.B. To do this, highlight the name of a field in your import file from the Import Fields column.

Then click the M.Y.O.B. field in the M.Y.O.B. Fields column that you want to match the import field with. When you click the M.Y.O.B. Fields column, the import field you selected will appear in the Matching Import Field column.

If you want to remove an import field's name from the Matching Import Field column, simply click the import field's name.

Note:  The Co./Last Name field must be imported. M.Y.O.B. fields whose names have asterisks (*) next to them must have matching import file fields assigned to them. When you import customer information, the company name or individual's last name is the only field that must be imported.

If all the fields in the import file match the fields in the M.Y.O.B. Fields column, you can match all the fields at one time by clicking the Match All button at the bottom of the window.

9.	Click Import to begin importing the data.

When you're done matching fields, click the Import button to begin the importing process.

During the importing process, the Import Log report is created. This report, titled MYOBLOG.TXT, lists information about any problems that occurred during the importing process, as well as information about rejected duplicate records. This report is created as a file, and is located in the same place on your computer as your data file.

Each time you import, the Import Log report is created, using the same name. If an Import Log report already exists when you create another one, the existing report will be removed.


Step 6: Enter Your Historical Sales

Now that you've entered information about your customers, it's time to enter information about any outstanding transactions they may have with your business. These are sales you've made to them that haven't been paid in full, as of the first day of your conversion month; in M.Y.O.B., they're referred to as historical sales.

Use the following procedure to enter each of your customers' historical sales:

1.	Click the New button.

Click the New button to display the Historical Sale window.

2.	Enter the customer's name.

If you can't recall the name, click the arrow button next to the customer name to display a list of all the customers who have records in your M.Y.O.B. system.

3.	Enter the invoice number associated with the sale.

If there's an invoice number or other document number associated with the sale, enter that number in the Sales # field. Otherwise accept the suggested entry that appears in this field.

4.	Enter the date and a description of the sale.

Enter the date of the sale, along with a descriptive comment that will help you identify the sale in the future.

5.	Enter the amount still owed to you.

In the Amount Due field, enter the amount still owed to you.

6.	Record the historical sale.

Click the Record button. The historical sale will become a part of your company's permanent records.

Repeat this procedure for every sales transaction that hasn't been paid in full yet.


That's It! You're Done Setting Up Your Sales Information!

You've finished setting up your customer information. If you want to go back and review the entries you've made, or make a change, click the Back button until the selection you want is displayed; make your change, then click the Next button until this window is displayed again. If you're ready to continue setting up M.Y.O.B., click the Finish button and choose another part of M.Y.O.B. to set up. If you've finished setting up M.Y.O.B., you can click the Close button to exit the Easy Setup Wizard.


Step 1: Set Up Purchases

Whatever type of business you operate, you probably have to buy goods or services from other companies. In this portion of the Easy Setup Wizard, you can set up information about your suppliers and other purchases-related information. You'll find the steps in this portion of the Easy Setup Wizard very similar to those you completed for your customers and sales information.

Before you begin using this portion of the Easy Setup Wizard, you may find it helpful to gather together a list of your suppliers, along with their addresses, phone numbers and so on. We also recommend that you gather together a list of all the purchases you've made that haven't been fully paid off yet.

You'll enter this information about your suppliers in this part of the setup process. In addition, you'll indicate the credit terms your suppliers generally extend to your company. (M.Y.O.B. will use these credit terms for all your suppliers when you first enter information about them, but you can change the terms for any of your suppliers at any time.) You'll also choose the type of invoice (item, service, professional or miscellaneous) that you plan to use most often, and you'll verify that the linked accounts M.Y.O.B. has chosen for your purchases are indeed the accounts you want to use for these transactions.

You can add information about new suppliers at any time, and you can make changes to most of your purchases information at any time, as well. You can learn more about making these changes by reading Part 1, "Cards," of your User's Guide. For information about linked accounts, see part 2, "Accounts." For information about purchases in general, see part 7, "Purchases." (If you prefer to see on-screen information, you can choose Procedures Guide from the Help menu to display the Procedures Guide.)


Step 2: Choose Your Purchase Order Format

In M.Y.O.B., you can record four types of purchase transactions - service, item, professional and miscellaneous. These transactions are recorded as invoices, and M.Y.O.B. provides a separate invoice format for each type of purchase. In this step, you'll choose the invoice format you expect to use most often. The format you choose will be displayed whenever you enter a purchase, but you can choose another format if you like.

Click the radio button next to the format you think you'll use most often.

You'll enter all purchases using the Purchases window, regardless of the invoice format you choose.


Step 3: Choose Your Typical Supplier Credit Terms

The credit terms your suppliers assign to you are the guidelines the suppliers have set for the number of days you'll be allowed between delivery and payment, discounts for early payment and penalties for late payment. In this step, you'll indicate the credit terms - if any - that have been extended to your company. The terms you enter here will appear when you create records for your suppliers later on in the Easy Setup Wizard; you can change them for individual suppliers if you like.

When you begin entering purchases, discounts based on the terms will be calculated automatically. (You can change the terms and discount amounts at the time you enter them as part of a purchase, if you need to.)

  To set up credit terms


To set up credit terms

1.	Indicate when payments are due to your suppliers.

Begin by indicating when payments are due to your suppliers. Choose from the following options.

C.O.D.

Prepaid

In A Given Number Of Days

On A Day Of The Month

No. Of Days After EOM

Day Of Month After EOM

2.	Set up your standard discount for early payment, if your suppliers offer one.

If your suppliers offer a discount for making an early payment on your account, use the Discount Days field to enter the number of days the discount is available. (This is the number of days after the transaction date during which the discount applies.) For example, if the transaction date is April 20 and the number of discount days is 10, a discount would apply if the balance was paid on or before April 30.

If you selected On a Day of the Month or Day of Month after EOM in the Payment is Due field, select the day of the month for which the discount applies.

If you select a day in the month that comes before the transaction date, the discount will apply until that day in the next month. For example, if the transaction date is April 20 and the discount date is 19, a discount would apply if the balance was paid on or before May 19.

3.	Indicate when payments are due to your suppliers.

Use the Balance Due Days field to enter the number of days after the transaction date that the balance of a transaction is due. For example, if the transaction date is April 20 and the number of balance due days is 10, the balance must be paid on or before April 30.

If you selected On a Day of the Month or Day of Month after EOM in the Payment is Due field, select the day of the month the transaction is due.

If you select a day in the month that comes before the transaction date, the balance won't be due until that day in the next month. For example, if the transaction date is April 20 and the balance due date is 19, the balance must be paid on or before May 19.

4.	Specify the percentage discount you receive for early payment, if any.

Use the % Discount for Early Payment field to enter the discount percentage your suppliers offer to your company if you pay a transaction balance on or before the transaction's discount due date.

5.	Specify the percentage you're charged for late payments, if any.

Use the % Monthly Charge for Late Payment field to enter the percentage of the transaction your suppliers will charge your company if individual transactions' balances aren't paid by the transactions' balance due date.

6.	Choose the default VAT code for your suppliers.

From the VAT Status list, select the VAT code that you wish to use as the default VAT code for your suppliers when you're entering line items on purchase orders.

The VAT code that you choose here will be automatically inserted in line items on service purchase orders, professional purchase orders and miscellaneous purchases. When you enter an item purchase order, however, the VAT code that you assigned to each item in the transaction will be automatically used. (VAT codes are assigned to items in the Item Information window.) If, however, you haven't assigned a VAT code to an item that you use on an item purchase order, the VAT code you enter here will be automatically used for the line item.

7.	Specify the credit limit your suppliers set most often for you.

If credit has been extended to your company, enter the credit limit your suppliers use most often. As with your other choices here, this amount can be changed for individual suppliers at any time.

8.	Click the Next button to continue setting up your company.

When you're satisfied with your entries here, click the Next button to continue with the Easy Setup Wizard.


Step 4: Set Up Your Linked Accounts For Purchases

Every transaction you enter into the M.Y.O.B. system must be assigned to one or more specific accounts. To reduce your data entry time and the possibility of mistaken assignments, M.Y.O.B. was designed to automatically assign your transactions to the proper accounts at the time you record the transactions. These accounts are called linked accounts. When you created your data file, M.Y.O.B. selected accounts from your starter chart of accounts that are most commonly used for specific kinds of transactions.

In this window, review the selections M.Y.O.B. has made for your purchases.

If you're not satisfied with the selections M.Y.O.B. has made for you, click the arrow button next to the first account you want to change. The Select from List window appears, displaying all your accounts. Highlight the account you want to use, and click the Use Account button. The account you selected will replace the one M.Y.O.B. originally chose for you. Repeat this step for each of the accounts you want to change.

If none of the accounts displayed in the Select from List window seem right, you can create a new account by clicking the New button in that window. The Edit Accounts window will appear. (If you added or changed accounts in the Accounts portion of the Easy Setup Wizard, you've used the Edit Accounts window already. Simply repeat your earlier steps to create the new account.)

When you're satisfied with all of your linked accounts, click the Next button to continue with the Easy Setup Wizard.


Step 5: Create Your Supplier Cards

In this step, you'll enter information about each of your suppliers. M.Y.O.B. requires that you create a record for each of your suppliers, but you can choose to keep as little or as much information as you like for these suppliers.

If you've kept supplier information in a spreadsheet, another accounting program or some other software program, you can import that information into M.Y.O.B. Otherwise, you can enter the information directly.

  To enter new supplier information in M.Y.O.B.

  To edit a supplier's information

  To delete a supplier's information

  To import supplier information


To enter new supplier information in M.Y.O.B.

Use these instructions to enter information for your suppliers if you haven't been tracking this information in another software program and don't plan to import your supplier information. Repeat these steps for each of your suppliers.

1.	Click the New button.

Click the New button to display the Card File window in the Easy Setup Wizard.

2.	Indicate whether this supplier is a company or an individual.

Click the appropriate radio button to indicate whether this customer is an individual person or a company.

3.	Enter the supplier's name.

If the supplier is an individual, enter both a first name and a last name for the person.

4.	Enter contact information for the supplier.

Enter contact information for the supplier, including the supplier's address, a second address (if you use an address that's different from the supplier's main address), phone and fax numbers.

5.	Enter identifiers for the supplier, if you like.

If you want to assign identifiers to the supplier, use the Identifiers field to do so. You can enter up to 10 identifiers for each supplier.

6.	Enter a name or title to use in personalised greetings.

Enter a name or title you wish to use in the greeting of a personalised letter for the person or company whose card you're viewing. For example, if you want to greet a supplier named Kara Watanabe as "Kara," enter Kara in this field. The personalised letters you create for Kara Watanabe will begin with "Dear Kara."

7.	Enter a contact person's name.

If you're entering information about a business and there's a particular person you work with there, enter that person's name in the Contact Name field. Enter any additional notes about the supplier in the Notes field.

9.	Set the supplier as an EC supplier if necessary

If this supplier is from an EC member select this checkbox.

10.	Modify the credit terms, if necessary, and enter a VAT ID number.

If the credit terms this supplier has extended to you are different from those you set up earlier using the Easy Setup Wizard, click the Terms button. The Credit Terms window will appear, and you can make any changes that are needed. In addition, you can enter a VAT identification number for the supplier; this can be especially useful if you do business with suppliers from the EC or other countries, since the VAT rates will be different than the VAT rate for "home" companies.

When you create item purchase orders using the Purchases window, the VAT code you've assigned to the supplier will be used for any items that don't have a VAT code assigned to them already. In addition, the supplier's VAT code will be used to calculate tax on service and professional purchase orders.. When you've finished making changes in the Credit Terms window, click OK

 11.	Click OK.

When you're satisfied with your entries for this supplier, click OK.


To edit a supplier's information

1.	Highlight the supplier's name and click the Edit button.

Click on the name of the supplier whose information you want to change to highlight it. Then click Edit; the Card File window will open. You'll use this window to edit the information.

2.	Make the changes you wish to make.

You can change any of the information you've already entered for this supplier.

3.	Click OK.

Click OK when you're satisfied with the entries you've made.


To delete a supplier's information

Click on the name of the supplier whose information you want to delete to highlight it. Then click the Delete button; the supplier's information will be removed from your data file.


To import supplier information

If you've been using a spreadsheet program or another accounting program to keep track of your suppliers, you may want to use this information in M.Y.O.B. You can use the  instructions below to import your existing supplier information into your M.Y.O.B. data file.

If you want some help with the importing process

1.	Export the data you want from the software program you've used to create the data.

Export the data you want, using the program where the information currently is located. Consult the manuals or online help for that program if you're unsure about how to export the data. For example, if you've used a spreadsheet program to track your data in the past, you should use that spreadsheet program to export the information you want to use in M.Y.O.B.

The data you export must be stored in a file, known as an import file, that uses either the tab-delimited or comma-separated file format. These formats are described below:

2.	Make a backup of your M.Y.O.B. data file.

Although problems don't often occur when you import data, you'll be making changes to your data file that will be difficult to undo. As a precaution, we strongly recommend that you make a backup of your data file before you begin importing information into it. See your M.Y.O.B. User's Guide to learn how to back up your data file.

3.	Return to the Easy Setup Wizard and click Import to begin importing the data.

Return to the Purchases portion of the Easy Setup Wizard, and click the Import button in the Create Your Supplier Cards window.

4.	Select the file format you used when you created the import file.

In the Import File Format field, select the file format of the import file you created in step 1.

5.	Indicate whether the first record in the file is a header record or a data record.

In the First Record Is field, select whether the first record in the import file is a header record or a data record.

6.	Indicate how you want duplicate records to be handled.

In the Duplicate Records field, select whether to reject duplicate records, update existing records or add new records if you have suppliers with the same name.

If you attempt to import a record for a supplier whose name is the same as another supplier, M.Y.O.B. will reject the record, update the information for the existing record in your data file, or create a separate record for the second supplier, depending upon your selection here.

(In most cases, you'll want to choose the Add Them option, since it's possible to have two or more suppliers with the name "John Jones" or "Acme Supply." )

7.	Locate the import file.

After you've made your selections in the Import File window, click Continue. A dialog box appears, allowing you to locate your import file. Locate the file and click OK (Windows) or Open (Macintosh).

8.	Match the fields in the import file with those in your M.Y.O.B. data file.

The Import Data window appears. In this window, you'll match the information in the import file with its corresponding fields in M.Y.O.B. To do this, highlight the name of a field in your import file from the Import Fields column.

Then click the M.Y.O.B. field in the M.Y.O.B. Fields column that you want to match the import field with. When you click the M.Y.O.B. Fields column, the import field you selected will appear in the Matching Import Field column.

If you want to remove an import field's name from the Matching Import Field column, simply click the import field's name.

Note:  The Co./Last Name field must be imported. M.Y.O.B. fields whose names have asterisks (*) next to them must have matching import file fields assigned to them. When you import supplier information, the company name or individual's last name is the only field that must be imported.

If all the fields in the import file match the fields in the M.Y.O.B. Fields column, you can match all the fields at one time by clicking the Match All button at the bottom of the window.

9.	Click Import to begin importing the data.

When you're done matching fields, click the Import button to begin the importing process.

During the importing process, the Import Log report is created. This report, titled MYOBLOG.TXT, lists information about any problems that occurred during the importing process, as well as information about rejected duplicate records. This report is created as a file, and is located in the same place on your computer as your data file.

Each time you import, the Import Log report is created, using the same name. If an Import Log report already exists when you create another one, the existing report will be removed.


Step 6: Enter Your Historical Purchases

Now that you've entered information about your suppliers, it's time to enter information about any outstanding transactions you may have with them. These are purchases you've made from them that haven't been paid in full, as of the first day of your conversion month; in M.Y.O.B., they're referred to as historical purchases.

Use the following procedure to enter each of your historical purchases:

1.	Click the New button.

Click the New button to display the Historical Purchase window.

2.	Enter the supplier's name.

If you can't recall the name, click the arrow button next to the supplier name to display a list of all the suppliers who have records in your M.Y.O.B. system.

3.	Enter the invoice number associated with this purchase.

If there's an invoice number or other document number associated with the purchase, enter that number in the Purchase No. field. Otherwise accept the suggested entry that appears in this field.

4.	Enter the date and a description of the sale.

Enter the date of the purchase, along with a descriptive comment that will help you identify the purchase in the future.

5.	Enter the amount you still owe.

In the Amount Due field, enter the amount you still owe.

6.	Record the historical purchase.

Click the Record button. The historical purchase will become a part of your company's permanent records.

Repeat this procedure for every purchase that hasn't been paid in full yet.


That's It! You're Done Setting Up Your Purchase Information!

You've finished setting up your supplier information. If you want to go back and review the entries you've made, or make a change, click the Back button until the selection you want is displayed; make your change, then click the Next button until this window is displayed again. If you're ready to continue setting up M.Y.O.B., click the Finish button and choose another part of M.Y.O.B. to set up. If you've finished setting up M.Y.O.B., you can click the Close button to exit the Easy Setup Wizard.


Header Accounts

Header accounts are used as titles of groups of accounts.

Header accounts are used only for grouping accounts of a similar purpose. Typically, header accounts have detail accounts under them; that is, detail accounts are assigned to specific header accounts. In the list in the left-hand side of the Accounts List window, header accounts appear in bold type, and their detail accounts appear below them in plain type at the next level.

Transaction amounts can't be assigned (posted) to header accounts - only to detail accounts.

Header accounts aren't required in M.Y.O.B., except for the eight Level 1 accounts (asset, liability, income, expense, capital, cost of sales, other income and other expense). Header accounts you create must be either Level 2 or Level 3.


Detail Accounts

Detail accounts are the M.Y.O.B. accounts that have transactions assigned to them.

Each detail account is assigned to the header account that appears directly above it in the list in the left-hand side of the Accounts List window. Detail accounts appear in plain type, and header accounts appear in bold type.

Transaction amounts can be assigned (posted) to detail accounts; that is, when you enter a transaction in M.Y.O.B., you can enter the number of a detail account. The amount of the transaction will then be included in the balance of the detail account.

Detail accounts can be Level 2, Level 3 or Level 4.


Tab-delimited File Format

Tab-delimited files contain fields that are separated by tab characters. For example, if a tab character appears between "Basil" and "300 Roundhill Drive" in a file of customer information, the file counts "Basil" and "300 Roundhill Drive" as two separate fields in a record.

Tab-delimited files are often used by popular spreadsheet and worksheet programs.


Comma-separated File Format

Comma-separated files contain records that are separated by commas. For example, if a comma appears between " Basil " and "300 Roundhill Drive" in a file of customer information, the file counts " Basil " and "300 Roundhill Drive" as two separate fields in a record.

Comma-separated files are often used by popular database programs.


Item Invoices

Item invoices are used to record the sale of items and services for which you selected I Sell This Item in the Item Information window. When you save an item invoice, your in-house quantities of the items for which you also selected I Stock This Item in the Item Information window (also known as stocked items) listed on the invoice change accordingly. You can print item invoices and send them to your customers, if you wish.


Service Invoices

Service invoices are used to record the sale of items and services that you didn't enter information about in the Item Information window. This type of invoice allows you to track sales transactions that don't affect your stock quantities. You can print service invoices and send them to your customers, if you wish.


Professional Invoices

Professional invoices are also used to record the sale of items and services that you didn't enter information about in the Item Information window, and include the specific date each item was sold. You can print professional invoices and send them to your customers, if you wish.


Miscellaneous Invoices
Miscellaneous Sales

Miscellaneous sales are used to record the sale of items and services that you didn't enter information about in the Item Information window, and that don't require a printed invoice.


Header Records

Header records are usually used as titles in import files; for example, some header records in an import file of customers might be titled "Customer Name," "Address" and "Telephone Number." If you indicate that your import file's first record is a header record, that record won't be imported into M.Y.O.B.


Data Records

Data records are actual information that you want to include in your M.Y.O.B. data file. If you indicate that your import file's first record is a data record, that record will be imported into M.Y.O.B.


Item Purchase Orders

Item purchase orders are used to record the purchase of items for which you selected I Buy This Item in the Item Information window. When you save an item purchase order, your in-house quantities of the items for which you also selected I Stock This Item in the Item Information window (also known as stocked items) listed on the purchase order will change accordingly. You can print item purchase orders and send them to your suppliers, if you wish.


Service Purchase Orders

Service purchase orders are used to record the purchase of items and services that you didn't enter information about in the Item Information window. This type of purchase order allows you to track purchasing transactions that don't affect your stock quantities. You can print service purchase orders and send them to your suppliers, if you wish.


Professional Purchase Orders

Professional purchase orders are also used to record the purchase of items and services that you didn't enter information about in the Item Information window, and include the specific date each item was purchased. You can print professional purchase orders and send them to your suppliers, if you wish.


Miscellaneous Purchase Orders
Miscellaneous Purchases

Miscellaneous purchases are used to record the purchase of items and services that you didn't enter information about in the Item Information window, and that don't require a printed purchase order.


C.O.D.

The balance of the transaction is due at the time the items are delivered.


Prepaid

The balance of the transaction is due at the time the transaction occurs. (In other words, no credit is extended to your customers.)


In A Given Number Of Days

The payment due date and early payment discount date are based on a number of days since the transaction date.


On A Day Of The Month

The payment due date and early payment discount date are based on the month in which the transaction was recorded and the selections you make in the Discount Date and Balance Due Date fields. For example, if the transaction was recorded in April, the discount date is 10th (the first of the month) and the balance due date is EOM, a discount would apply if the balance was paid by April 10 and the entire balance would be due April 30.


No. Of Days After EOM

The payment due date and early payment discount date are based on a number of days after the end of the month.


Day Of Month After EOM

The payment due date and early payment discount date are based on the month after which the transaction was recorded and the selections you make in the Discount Date and Balance Due Date fields. For example, if the transaction was recorded in April, the discount date is 1st (the first of the following month) and the balance due date is EOM, a discount would apply if the balance was paid by May 1 and the entire balance would be due May 31.


Identifiers

Identifiers are one-letter labels you can assign to cards in M.Y.O.B. to help you organise your cards into groups that are more specific than just Employee, Customer, Supplier or Personal. When you create reports or view information about cards throughout the M.Y.O.B. system, you can limit the information you view to that of a specific group of cards by indicating the identifiers you've assigned to the cards in that group. For example, you could use the letter W to identify your wholesale customers and R to identify your retail customers. Then you could print reports that show information for only one group of customers or the other, or for both groups together.

(If you want to enter descriptions for your identifiers, click the arrow that appears next to the Identifiers window. The Identifiers window will appear, and you can make your entries. Click OK when you've finished making entries in the Identifiers window.)


Prepaid

The balance of the transaction is due at the time the transaction occurs. (In other words, no credit has been extended to your company.)


Step 1: Welcome!

When you make entries in M.Y.O.B., that information is stored within one physical file in your computer, called a "data file." (Think of your filing cabinet, if you have one - M.Y.O.B.'s data file is a lot like a computerised filing cabinet, with all sorts of information about your business stored in it.) This file allows you to work with your company's financial information without expending a lot of time and effort on your computer's file storage system.

The tool you're using right now is called a "wizard." In M.Y.O.B., wizards are series of interactive windows containing options that help you reach a particular goal. When you're finished making entries and selections in this wizard, the New Data File Wizard will create a new data file for your company.


Step 2: Enter Your Company's Name and Address

Your company's name and address will appear in many places throughout the M.Y.O.B. system. Your company's name will appear at the top left corner of all M.Y.O.B. command centres, and, if you wish, you can also print your company name on your M.Y.O.B. reports. The address you enter here can be printed on your M.Y.O.B. invoices and purchase orders, as well.


Step 3: Enter Your Company's Tax Identification Numbers

For tax purposes, your business has probably been assigned identification numbers by government authorities. These are the numbers you should enter here. These numbers will appear on various M.Y.O.B. documents you print.


Step 4: Enter Your Company's Financial Year

For some companies, the financial year and the calendar year are the same. That is, their business year begins on January 1st and ends on December 31st. Other companies choose to begin their financial year at some other time; for example, businesses whose sales are cyclical often choose to start the financial year during a slower time of the sales cycle, so the year-end closing process doesn't interfere with their sales efforts at a busier time of the year.

When your financial year is different from the calendar year, it usually takes the name of the calendar year in which it ends. For example, if your financial year is from April 1st, 1998, to March 30th, 1999, that year usually is referred to as "financial year 1999."

Note: If you plan to begin using M.Y.O.B. during your next financial year, rather than the current one, enter the name of the next financial year here.


Step 5: Enter Your M.Y.O.B. Conversion Month

To start your M.Y.O.B. experience on the right foot, use this step to choose the month in which you plan to begin tracking your company's finances using M.Y.O.B. Since it's best to begin using a new accounting system at the start of a month, you might want to consider selecting next month as your conversion month. The choice, however, is up to you; the only thing to remember is that you can choose only a month in the financial year you entered in the previous step.


Step 6: Enter the Number of Accounting Periods in Your Company's Financial Year

Most companies need only 12 accounting periods - one period for each month - to track their finances during the financial year.

Some companies, however, make a significant number of year-end adjustments. If they use only a 12-period financial year, those adjustments will usually be assigned to the 12th period. When that happens, the final month's accounting records probably won't accurately reflect what actually happened during that month.

To remedy this situation, you can choose to use 13 accounting periods in your M.Y.O.B. financial year. The 13th period isn't an actual period of time; it's merely a "placeholder" period that contains your year-end adjustments. When it's time to make adjustments at the end of the year, you can assign the adjustments to the 13th period so your final month's accounting records remain accurate.


Step 7: Review Your Entries

When the New Data File Wizard creates your data file a few steps from now, it will use the information in this window as the foundation of the data file. Once the data file is created, you won't be able to change this information. Please review these entries carefully to ensure you've made the entries you want.


Step 8: Choose a Chart of Accounts For Your Company

An "account" is a tool used to organise a business. Accounts keep track of the financial additions and subtractions that occur in regular business activity. A "chart of accounts" is merely a list of all the accounts that are used to track a business.

Generally speaking, most businesses require a specific chart of accounts. In this step of the New Data File Wizard, you can select a chart for your company from over 100 typical charts of accounts. If you don't find your exact business type in the list, try to find a similar business type. You'll be able to tailor the chart to your exact business's needs at a later time.

If none of the business types in the list seem acceptable for your company, choose the chart called "Build Your Own." When you make this choice, M.Y.O.B. will provide you with only a few required accounts; you'll need to add all the other accounts you need to track your business at a later time. Because this option requires additional work, we suggest that you choose the "Build Your Own" chart only as a last resort.


Step 9: Name Your M.Y.O.B. Data File

The name and location of your data file are very important. Each time you start M.Y.O.B., you'll need to know the name and location of your data file so you can open it and enter information in it.

When you click the Next button in this step, a dialog box (a special type of window) will appear. In the dialog box, you'll notice that the New Data File Wizard has already suggested a name and location for your data file. If you have little experience with computers, or even if you're knowledgeable about computers, we recommend that you accept these suggested names by clicking the OK button in the dialog box. By doing so, you'll ensure that finding your data file will be much easier when you need it.

Note for those who plan to keep books for more than one company: If you're keeping accounting information for more than one company, you can't use the suggested name more than once. Enter a different name for your additional companies' data files. If you use the suggested name a second time, all the information for the first company you set up will be lost.


Step 10: That's It! You're Done!

Your new data file has been created by the New Data File Wizard. Congratulations!

At this point, the new data file doesn't contain much information about your company. Your next task is to set up the data file so it contains all your company's existing business information. To help you with this important task, M.Y.O.B. provides another wizard, the Easy Setup Wizard, which can be started by clicking the Setup Wizard button.