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PC - GENERAL LEDGER USER SUPPORTED SOFTWARE This program is being distributed under the `FREEWARE' concept developed by Andrew Fluegelman. The idea is that an individual or a company using a program and finding it of value will compensate the author by voluntarily sending him a nominal fee. You are encouraged to copy this program and give it to others who may have a use for it. The only restriction is that you do not change any of the code and that you do not charge anything for the programs. If you are using this program and find that it has value, your contribution of $50 would be appreciated. Upon receipt of your contribution, you will be become a registered owner of PC - GENERAL LEDGER. This will entitle you to a copy of the most recent manual, telephone support, and all updates and enhancements as they become available. We can customize this program to your existing chart of accounts numbering system (as long as you are not using alphabetic characters) for an additional $100. Gerry Fricke CHARTER SOFTWARE P.O. Box 70 Monticello, IL 61856 217-762-7143 PC - GENERAL LEDGER TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Getting Started 1 Initialization 2 Introduction 3 Summary 4 Data Entry 5 Chart of Accounts 6 Add new account 6 Delete account 7 Change account name 7 Print chart of accounts 7 Enter Transactions 8 Cash receipts 9 Check stubs 11 Journal entries 11 Write Checks 12 Transaction Register Printouts 13 Trial Balance Print-out 14 Financial Statements 15 Month or Year End Close 15 Utilities and Maintenance 16 Vendor Maintenance 17 Create a DIF file for Lotus 1-2-3 18 Page 1 GETTING STARTED PC - GENERAL LEDGER requires either two double sided floppy disks or a hard disk system. It will run under either DOS 1.1, DOS 2.0 or DOS 2.1. The programs will run on the Compaq and other IBM compatible computers. If you are using a floppy system the programs are on drive A and the data disk is put in drive B. The disk for drive B should not have DOS on it so that maximum space is available. The first thing to do is to format a disk and put your operating system on it. Then, transfer everything on the disk you received to the working disk that you created. The following files and programs are necessary to make PC - GENERAL LEDGER function properly and must be on the `A' disk or the hard drive. GLCTRL.FIL GLMENU.EXE GLCHART.EXE GLENTRY.EXE GLCHECKS.EXE GLTRIAL.EXE GLSTATE.EXE During the initialization part of the program, the proper files for the `B' drive are created automatically. Put the disk you received in a safe place in case that something happens to your working disk and you have to start over. If the disk you received has someone else's general ledger data already on it, the initialization will remove the data and reset the files properly. In order to start the program type `GLMENU' at the DOS prompt. The first thing that you will need to do is to enter the date. All dates are entered as 6 digits such as 060484. The computer will automatically format it to read 06-04-84. After you have entered the date, the main menu appears: 1 = Enter TRANSACTIONS or WRITE CHECKS 2 = CHART of Accounts or VENDOR Maintenance 3 = Print TRIAL BALANCE 4 = Print TRANSACTION Registers 5 = Print FINANCIAL Statements 6 = Month or Year End CLOSE 7 = DATE Change 8 = UTILITIES or INITIALIZATION 9 = Create a 'DIF' for LOTUS 10 = END of Session Choose option 8 from this menu. Page 2 INITIALIZATION The first thing that you will be asked to do is to type in the name that you want printed on the various reports. After that, you have to tailor the programs to your hardware system. The next menu looks like this: MONITOR SELECTION: 1 = IBM Monochrome 2 = OTHER Monochrome 3 = COMPOSITE Color 4 = RGB Color 5 = Compaq DRIVE SELECTION: 6 = 320K Floppy disks 7 = 360K Floppy disks 8 = HARD Drive 9 = INTITIALIZATION 10 = MAIN MENU You will now need to choose which monitor you are using and which drive system. After making the selections, select option 9 to finish the initialization process. This final process sets up the necessary accounts and zeros all of the files so that PC - GENERAL LEDGER will function properly. If you have a floppy disk system you will need to have a formatted disk (without a system on it) ready for drive B. The procedure is very simple and the instructions on the screen will take you through the necessary steps. You will only need to identify which account number and name will be used for the account that you make your cash deposits to and the account number and name which you write checks on. They can be either the same account or different ones. The program automatically assigns account number 3999 to Retained Earnings. You cannot change that number but are free to change the description. After the initialization is complete, you will be taken back to the Main Menu and you are ready to use PC - GENERAL LEDGER. Page 3 INTRODUCTION This program was written by a financial executive with over 25 years of experience in all areas of accounting, finance, taxes, and general management. The program has all of the controls necessary to make sure that everything is kept in balance and that a complete audit trail always exists. This manual and the programs assume that you have a working knowledge of bookeeping, know the difference between debits and credits and know how to prepare and post entries. Charter Software's PC - GENERAL LEDGER is easy to use and we have done our best to see that you can't get into trouble. However, we can't detect typing errors such as `10.00' when you mean `100.00' or `espense' when you mean `expense'. The programs do provide two important safeguards: 1. All entries must balance. You will not be able to post an entry that does not. 2. There is a complete audit trail. Amounts cannot be posted to the general ledger until the details have been printed out to the printer. The general ledger system consist of seven working segments: CHART OF ACCOUNTS This enables you to add new accounts to the general ledger and change the name of an existing account or delete an account. ENTER TRANSACTIONS This is the main part of the general ledger package. You can make entries into the cash receipts journal or the general journal. You can either print checks on the printer or post check stubs to the check register. PRINT REGISTERS This part of the program enables you to print out the entries that you have made. After printing out the entries, the trial balance and general ledger can be updated. TRIAL BALANCE This will print out the beginning balance, all monthly entries, and the ending balance for each account. Page 4 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS This enables you to print out the balance sheet and profit and loss statement with month and year to date totals. MONTH AND YEAR END CLOSE This lets you close the books at month and year end in order to start the next accounting period. UTILITIES AND INITIALIZATION Allows you to configure the programs to your particular hardware and/or initialize all of the general ledger files. DIF FILES FOR LOTUS You can create files that can be read by Lotus 1-2-3. These files can contain the account number, account name, month and year to date balance for various accounts. The files created are 'DIF' files which Lotus can convert to 'WKS' files which it can then bring into its spreadsheet. If you wish you can print checks on your printer using pre- printed customized check forms. The checks are available from Colwell Systems, Inc., 201 Kenyon Road, Champaign, IL 61820. The checks are catalog number 9045 and should be ordered without pre printed check numbers since the program prints the check number on the check form. SUMMARY - Daily entries show up on the screen as you make them. - All entries are saved on disk until you print them out and update the general ledger. - When you update the general ledger, the entries are then posted to the trial balance. - Once entries have been made to the trial balance, you can print out the trial balance and financial statements. - The month end close clears the files for the next month's entries. - You can transfer to data to a DIF file which can be read by Lotus and certain other spreadsheets. - The program maintains a 'vendor' file. This means that you can automatically print names and addresses on checks. There is nothing sacred about a 'month'. You can close your books weekly, quarterly, or annually. This manual assumes that you are using a monthly system, but the programs will work with any accounting period. Page 5 DATA ENTRY The program will accept individual entries up to 9,999,999.99 and print values up to 99,999,999.99 and supports both upper and lower case. Whenever the computer is waiting for you to type something, the cursor will be blinking at the first dot in a row of dots. The number of dots indicates the maximum number of characters allowed for your input. When typing numbers, do not have to put in the decimal point if it is a round dollar amount. For instance, if you type 10 for 10 dollars, the program will automatically format and display it as 10.00. Entering 9.5 will result in 9.50. This can save a lot of keystrokes. Do not type commas when entering numbers. The program, however, will automatically put them in. If you are entering a negative number, you can put the minus sign either before or after the number. Messages about what to enter or how to enter it are normally at the bottom of the screen. When in doubt, look for that message line. If you hear a `tone', you have probably typed something wrong and the message at the bottom of the screen will tell you what to do next. This is always an `escape route' if you make a mistake. Pressing `ENTER' or `ESC' will normally take you back to a point where you can recover and start again. Before any significant item gets entered or changed, you will get a chance to change your mind. If you are using a floppy disk system, the bottom of the screen will show the approximate amount of disk space used on your data disk based on the size of the floppy disks you indicated in the hardware configuration. If you are using the IBM monochrome monitor, some words should be highlighted. If not, adjust the two knobs on the monitor. If you are using a color monitor, some words will be in color. IMPORTANT Make sure that you back up your working disks on a regular basis. If you are using a floppy disk system, it's extremely important that you back up both the A and B disks at the same time since they are inter-related. ERRORS If you run into a programming error (which is not likely), the screen will clear and you will get a message telling you the error number and the program line in which it occurred. Error numbers are listed in your BASIC manual with explanations. Please let us know if you run into any errors and the circumstances. Page 6 CHART OF ACCOUNTS The chart of accounts numbering system has been pre-set as shown below. You are limited to 500 different account numbers. You can allocate them between the various categories such as assets, liabilities, income, etc. however you wish. The chart of accounts maintenance menu looks like this: MAINTENANCE CHART OF ACCOUNTS: 1 = Add NEW Account 2 = DELETE Account 3 = CHANGE Account Name 4 = PRINT Chart of Accounts OTHER: 5 = VENDOR Maintenance Note: See page 17 for Vendor Maintenance. ADD NEW ACCOUNT The screen for adding new accounts is shown below: Account Number .... Description ....................... 1000-1499 Current Asset 1500-1799 Fixed Asset 1800-1999 Other Asset 2000-2499 Current Liability 2500-2999 Long Term Liability 3000-3999 Capital 4000-4999 Income 5000-5999 Cost of Sales 6000-6999 Expenses 7000-7999 Other Income/Expense After you enter a new account number, the program checks whether or not the number has already been used. If not, the type of account is highlighted at the bottom of the screen and you can then type in the name of the new account. After that, type `A' to accept or `T' to try again. When you are finished adding accounts, pressing `ENTER' takes you back to the menu. You can also add new accounts as you make entries. If you type in the number of an account that is not on file, you will get the opportunity to add the account at that time. The screen that you will see is the same as above. Page 7 DELETE ACCOUNT This option enables you get rid of an account you are no longer using. In order to safeguard the system, you can only delete an account when: - The month and year to date balances for that account are zero. and - You have closed the books for the month. and - You have not made any entries to any account in the new month. When you type in the account number the program checks the above. If all the conditions are met, the program then displays the account name and asks you confirm that you want to make the deletion. Type `D' to delete the account or `N' for no delete. CHANGE ACCOUNT NAME This option lets you change the name of the account in order to better describe it or to correct spelling errors. PRINT CHART OF ACCOUNTS You can display the current chart of accounts on the screen or print them on the printer for easy reference. The print out shows the account number, description and type of account (asset, liability, etc.) Page 8 ENTER TRANSACTIONS The procedure for entering transactions is essentially the same whether you are doing cash receipts, posting check stubs or journal entries. There are only minor differences in the screen layout and how data is entered. If you are using the program to print checks, you will provide the program with the necessary information such as date, check number, payee, etc. The program will then ask you to provide the necessary accounting information in order to automatically post the entry. Entering the accounting data is done in the same manner whether you are posting from check stubs or actually printing checks. Each accounting entry is a two step process. First you type in the `header' information such as date, description, etc. The second part is entering account numbers and amounts. If you make a mistake there is a simple procedure to correct or change an entry so that you do not have to start over. You can have up to 15 different accounts in a single entry. Near the bottom of the screen is the `Entry Balance' figure. This is updated after every amount is entered and shows how much the entry is `out of balance' at that point. Until you are familiar with the program, the key to making entries is to keep an eye on the message line at the bottom of the screen. It will prompt you as to what is expected next. The menu for the transaction program is shown below. You can choose to enter cash receipts, checks written, journal entries, or write checks. ENTER TRANSACTIONS: 1 = CASH Receipts 2 = Enter CHECK STUBS 3 = JOURNAL Entries 4 = WRITE CHECKS Page 9 CASH RECEIPTS The screen layout for cash receipts looks like this: POST CASH RECEIPTS Last Cash: Date ...... Description ................ Ref:....... Line Acct Account Title Amount ----------- Cash Balance: Entry Balance TYPE CASH RECEIPTS DATE (MMDDYY) `ENTER' FOR TODAY'S DATE `ESC' WHEN DONE The program assumes that you have already made a deposit and are entering an accounting summary of that deposit. If your cash receipts and cash disbursements are run through the same account number, your present cash balance is in the lower left hand corner of the screen. It is automatically updated every time you make an entry to that account. It is possible for this figure to be incorrect the first month you use the program. However, it is automatically reset to the general ledger balance at each month end close. For reference purposes, the last cash receipts date that you posted is in the upper right hand corner of the screen. You can type in the date or press `ENTER' and the date you entered on start up will be automatically displayed. You can type any description you want to describe the entry. You also have an eight character reference field if you need it. Pressing `ENTER' at either place will create a blank description or reference and move you to the next field. Whatever information that you type into the header will show on the registers when you print them out. After the reference field, type `A' to accept the header or `T' to try again. Once you have accepted the header, it is time to enter account numbers and amounts. The entry can be up to 15 lines. The cash account number and description is automatically put on line 1 and cursor is waiting in the amount column. (Remember, you do not have to enter the decimal point if it is a whole dollar amount). After you type in the amount, it is formatted and displayed and the `Entry Balance' amount is updated. Page 10 Then line by line, you finish the accounting distribution. First you enter either the account number or up to four letters of the account name. If you enter the account number, the program will automatically display the account description. If you type `RENT' the program will search for the first account having `RENT' in the description and display the account number and account description. If you are looking for `RENT EXPENSE' and the first account with `RENT' is `RENTAL INCOME', the program will display that one first. However, pressing `ENTER' again will find the next account with `RENT' in it. You can continue to press `ENTER' until you find the right account or reach the end of the account number file. If you type in an account number and that account is not on file, the program will ask you whether you want to add that number to the file. The following message will appear at the bottom of the screen: NUMBER NOT ON FILE. TYPE 'A' TO ADD 'T' TO TRY AGAIN If you want to add that number to the chart of accounts, type 'A' and you will see the same screen that is used to set up new accounts in the Chart of Accounts section of the program. All you need to do is type in the description of the account and you will be taken back to where you were in the entry. The new account has been set up and will be there. Once you have the proper account, the next step is to enter the amount. If it is a simple two line entry, pressing `ENTER' will automatically display the offsetting amount from line 1. Otherwise, you will have to type in the amount. As you enter amounts line by line, the `Entry Balance' amount will be updated. When that amount is zero, the entry is in balance and the following message is at the bottom of the screen: TYPE `A' TO ACCEPT (`ENTER' TO MAKE CHANGES) If you type `A' the entry is recorded on disk, the data is cleared from the screen, and you are ready for the next entry. (At that point, if you are done with cash receipts, pressing `ESC' will take you the menu.) If you need to make changes to the entry you were working on and pressed `ENTER' instead of `A', then you have the opportunity to change any of the lines in the entry or to add additional lines. This saves having to re-do the entire entry. The program will ask you for the line number to be changed. That line will be erased and you then enter a new account number and amount. You can continue in this manner until you have the changes made and the entry balances. At that point, type `A' to accept and move on to the next entry. Page 11 ENTER CHECK STUBS This section of the program enables you post from check stubs if you are not using the program to actually print checks. Transactions are posted here in the same manner as cash receipts with minor exceptions. The header is different in that it calls for a `check number' instead of a `reference'. The program will automatically put in the next check number (based on the last check number shown in the upper right hand corner of the screen) if you press `ENTER' in the Check Number field. Line 1 of the posting section is automatically displayed with the cash account number and description. Enter the amount of the check as a debit instead of a credit. The program will automatically format and display it is as negative. Again, after getting the proper account on line 2, pressing `ENTER' when you are in the amount column will automatically put in the offsetting amount for line 1. JOURNAL ENTRIES Again, the procedure is essentially the same as cash receipts or checks written with minor changes in the header. No account number or description is automatically displayed on the line 1. Page 12 WRITE CHECKS Using this option enables you to print checks on the computer instead of writing them by hand and then making an entry for the check stubs. You can mix check stub entries and actual check printing without causing any problems. The program provides for the opportunity of using a vendor file for names and addresses of people you write checks to on a regular basis. You can have up to 100 vendor names and addresses on file at any one time. When you choose the 'Write Checks' option you will be asked whether you want to use the vendor file or not. If you choose not to, you will have to type in the name and address of every check you write. If you choose the vendor file option, you have two advantages. The name and address can be pulled from the vendor file by typing a few letters of the name. For instance, if you have ABC Contracting Corporation in the file, you can bring up their name and address by typing 'ABC'. If you also have a company called ABC Sanitation Service Co., all you have to do is type 'N' and the program will find the next match to 'ABC'. If the name you type is not on file, you will be given the opportunity to add it to the file automatically for use the next time. You also have the option of just typing in the name and address and not adding it to the file. The program puts a picture of a blank check on the screen and all you have to do is `fill in the blanks'. By pressing `ENTER' at the date, the `system' date will be entered. Pressing `ENTER' at the check number will automatically insert the next check number. If you are using the same account number for receipts and disbursements, your present bank balance is shown on the left above the check outline. (See page 9 for more details) After entering the payee, amount, and address, you can put a message on the check stub by typing something on the `For' line. After completing the check form and typing `A' to accept, the screen will change so that you can enter the various accounts and amounts in order to complete the entry. This segment is the same whether you are entering check stubs or actually entering checks to be printed. The program saves all of the checks to be printed so you can print them all at once. You can print a test check to make sure that the check forms are lined up properly prior to printing the actual checks. Page 13 TRANSACTION REGISTER PRINTOUTS As you make each entry during the course of the month it is added to one of the three registers (cash, check or journal entry). You can print out any of one of these registers at any time in order to check out your work or to make copies for your files. After a print-out is finished, the following message is at the top of the screen: TYPE `U' TO UPDATE TRIAL BALANCE AND GENERAL LEDGER AND CLOSE THIS REGISTER (`ENTER' TO EXIT). If you press `U' all of the entries for that register will posted to the trial balance and the general ledger. At the bottom of the print-out a message will print indicating that the posting has taken place. The register will then be erased from the disk. You have to decide whether to close the register and update the general ledger at the end of any register print-out. CONSIDERATIONS 1. Financial Statements - The trial balance, profit and loss statement, and balance sheet will only be updated when the register is closed out. 2. Printed Reports - Closing a register several times during the month will mean having your check register, for instance, on several pieces of paper rather than on one print-out. Closing the register only at month end makes the print-out a `complete' one. 3. Disk Usage - Closing a register frees up disk space. If your disk usage exceeds 90%, you should probably close one or more registers to be on the safe side. A month end close also frees up space. You can stop any print-out at any time by pressing `ESC'. This will not affect any of the data in the computer or on the disk. Page 14 TRIAL BALANCE PRINT-OUT You have three options on the trial balance: 1. Print out a complete trial balance 2. Display or print an individual account. 3. Print out a 'Short Form' trial balance. Note: As indicated before, any entries on a register that is not closed out will not be included on the trial balance. If any registers are open, you will receive a message to that effect before the complete trial balance is printed. You will be given an opportunity to close the registers if you wish to do so. The complete trial balance prints the number of the account, its name, the balance at the beginning of the month, all entries posted to that account during the month, and the ending balance. For profit and loss accounts, the year to date ending balance is shown also. The print-out can be stopped at any time by pressing `ESC'. (If you are using a print spooler, the printing may not stop until the spooler is empty) The final line on the complete print-out shows a `proof' amount. It should show `zero'. However, the BASIC language that was used in writing this program will not always do its math properly. Any errors that occur are normally less than a penny. The point to remember is that if the trial balance and/or financial statements are off by a penny or two, it was not caused by your entries. It is the fault of the programming language and you should not be concerned about it. You can also look at individual accounts. In this instance, you will be given the choice of displaying the account on the screen or printing it on the printer. You can also print out a short form trial balance. This lists the account name, account number, month to date balance, and year to date balance. No detailed entries are shown. Page 15 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS The balance sheet or profit and loss statement can be printed out at any time. It will not include entries on any register that has not been closed out. You will have the choice of having accounts with zero balances printed or not. Again, you can stop the print-out at any time by pressing `ESC'. MONTH OR YEAR END CLOSE When all transactions for the month have been posted and all registers closed out, and you have made all print-outs that you want, you are ready to close the ledger for the month. You will not be able to close out if any one of the three registers is still open. The month end close returns all of the monthly profit and loss balances to zero, updates all of the year to date totals and erases the trial balance detail from the disk. The year end close is the same except that it also zeros out the profit and loss year to date amounts and automatically updates retained earnings with the annual profit. Page 16 UTILITIES AND MAINTENANCE You can change the name on your reports at any time by selecting option 8 from the main menu. After the system is operating you can also change from a floppy drive system to a hard drive system if you add a hard drive at a later date. Make sure that you copy all of the files from both disks to your hard disk before you change your hardware configuration in the maintenance section of the program. You can also change from a hard disk to a floppy system. However, first make sure that you have completed a month end close. Copy the files `GLDATA.FIL' and GLVEND.FILE from the hard disk to a `B' disk. The files to be transfered to an `A' disk (with DOS already on it) are as follows: GLMENU.EXE GLCHART.EXE GLENTRY.EXE GLTRIAL.EXE GLCHECKS.EXE GLSTATE.EXE GLCTRL.FIL AUTOEXEC.BAT (if appropriate) After you have transferred the files, make sure that you start from the new disk in the `A' drive and not from the hard drive and then move directly to the maintenance option and make the appropriate disk change. Page 17 VENDOR MAINTENANCE The program provides a simple and easy way to maintain up to 100 names and addresses of people you write checks to on a regular basis. Choose option 2 from the Main Menu. This will take you to the Chart of Accounts and Vendor Maintenance menu. Choose option 5 from that menu and you will see the following: 1 = Add NEW Vendor 2 = CHANGE Vendor Data 3 = DELETE Vendor 4 = Print Vendor LISTING No vendor numbers are needed or used. All selections are done by typing a few letters of the company name. If there are several vendors having similar letter combinations, simply typing a 'N' for next will find the next match. For instance, typing 'CO' will find the following names: COLORADO MAGAZINE ABC COMPANY INTERCONTINENTAL MOTORS If you are adding a new name you will have to type in the name, street address, and city, state, and zip. Three lines are provided. The screen to add new names looks like this: Vendor Name: ..................... Vendor Address: ..................... Vendor City & State: ..................... After filling in the blanks, you will be given an opportunity to make any corrections. The name is then added to the file. The screens to Change Data and Delete Vendors are identical. You locate the one you want by typing a few letters of the name and then either make changes or delete the name from the file. Deleting names makes space for additional names, up to 100 total at any one time. You can also add names to the file while you are writing checks. See page 12. Option 4 will give you an alphabetical listing (either on the screen or printer) of all vendors on file. Page 18 TRANSFERRING DATA TO LOTUS 1-2-3 Several spreadsheets, including Lotus 1-2-3 have the ability to read 'DIF' files and bring that data into their work area. DIF stands for Data Interchange Format. You can create DIF files by choosing item 9 from the main menu. You can transfer all or some of the following information: Account Number Account Name Month Balance Year to Date Balance The information when read by the spreadsheet will be in column form. For instance, you could transfer the account number and year to date balance for all accounts to two side by side columns in the spreadsheet. The program will ask you to identify the information you want to transfer. You can select any or all of the above four items and in any columnar order. You can also select which accounts you want to transfer: FILE NAME CREATED All accounts PCGENALL.DIF Balance Sheet only PCGENBAL.DIF Income Statement only PCGENINC.DIF The files created by the program will be on the 'A' disk for floppy system or in the current directory of a hard disk. You will then need to use the COPY command to transfer them to your spreadsheet work disk. Consult your spreadsheet manual on how to convert a DIF file to one that your spreadsheet can read. Note: As of this time, this part of the program has only been tested on Lotus 1-2-3. When using their Translate program use Columnwise vs. Rowwise when that option is presented. Trying the program with other spreadsheets cannot do any harm to the data in PC - GENERAL LEDGER. If you are successful in transferring data to other spreadsheets, please let us know.