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1990-07-06
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@Main Menu
%white, black
LOAN MASTER LOAN ACCOUNTING
ONLINE MANUAL
MAIN MENU
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ │
> │ [ Menu Operation ] │
> │ Menu Option Selection │
> │ Menu operations │
> │ Using the menus │
> │ Selecting menu options │
> │ Help Function │
> │ Menu functions │
> │ Adding and changing loans │
> │ Managing your loan data │
> │ Reports Menu │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
^
@Adding and changing loans
Adding and changing loans menu
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ │
> │ [ Add A loan Record ] │
> │ New Loan Screen │
> │ Delete a loan record. │
> │ Edit (change) a loan record. │
> │ Loan Maintenance Screen │
> │ Data Entry Screens │
> │ Data Entry Cursor Control Keys │
> │ Date Screen │
> │ Loan look up menu. │
> │ Loan look up example │
> │ Posting payments │
> │ To post a payment: │
> │ Main Menu │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
^
@Reports Menu
Reports Menu
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
> │ [ Loan Master Reports ] │
> │ Report menu functions │
> │ Print trial balance │
> │ Print past due report │
> │ Print past due notices │
> │ Print will be due notices │
> │ Individual past due notices │
> │ Print loan statement │
> │ End of year interest statements │
> │ Main Menu │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
^
@Screen displays
Screen Data Displays Menu
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ │
> │ [ Date Screen ] │
> │ Browse screens │
> │ Browse Cursor Control Keys │
> │ Display loan transactions. │
> │ Main Menu │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
^
@Managing your loan data
Managing your loan data
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ │
> │ [ Updating the loan file ] │
> │ Year end close out │
> │ Special file maintenance menu │
> │ Visual update system │
> │ Update the parameter file. │
> │ Database required error │
> │ Loan Master Files │
> │ File specifications │
> │ Path to data files │
> │ Data fields, description │
> │ Interest Basis │
> │ Payment Type │
> │ Setting up an existing loan │
> │ Main Menu │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
^
@Database required error
On your boot disk, or in the root directory of your hard disk
C:, you will find a file called CONFIG.SYS. Display the content of
this file on your screen by typing the following command:
type d:config.sys(return)
d: indicates the disk drive where the file is located, either A:
or C: usually. The colon is required. (return) means press the return
key. Do not type the letters "(return)".
If the file exists, you will see something like this:
A>type config.sys
files=10
buffers=10
device=ansi.sys
The line beginning with files= is the line in which we are
interested. The number after the = must be 15 or greater. 20 is good.
See the manual for more detailed information.
╔═══════════════╗
>║ [ Main Menu ] ║
╚═══════════════╝
@Path to data files
The Loan Processing system must know where to find it's data files.
The path to the data files is stored in a file named LMPARM.DB. This
file MUST be in the same directory as the program file LMMENU.EXE. You
will find a menu option to update this file and change the data path.
Alternatively, there are two beginning files furnished. LMPARM.HD and
LMPARM.FD. these are the hard disk and floppy disk version. The hard
disk version specifies that the data files are in the same directory
as the program. The floppy disk version specifies the data files are
on disk B: (and the program file is on disk A:)
If you are using a floppy system copy the file LMPARM.FD to your
program disk and place all the other data and index files on another
disk in drive B: The program disk will go in drive A:
╔═══════════════╗
>║ [ Main Menu ] ║
╚═══════════════╝
@Help function
Loan Master has a built in help function. Help screens are
available to instruct the operator on various functions and
operations. On screen help is not always available. When it is, it
is accessed by pressing the function key marked F1.
Help screens appear as windows. In some cases, the amount of
text required will not fit in the space available. In these cases
help screens can be scrolled to display more text by pressing the down
arrow or the PgDn keys.
To exit a help screen, press the Esc key. In some cases you will
need to press it twice.
╔═══════════════╗
>║ [ Main Menu ] ║
╚═══════════════╝
@Menu operations
Loan Master is completely menu operated. You never have to
remember any commands.
A menu is a list of tasks, or functions the program can perform.
Entering a new loan, is a menu function. Printing a trial balance is
a menu function. Since one menu cannot display all the possible
functions the system can perform, related tasks are listed together on
menus.
╔═══════════════╗
>║ [ Main Menu ] ║
╚═══════════════╝
@Using the menus
Menus consist of a list of options, or items, preceded by an
option number. The option number is listed to the left of the menu
item. To keep the screen clean and readable, menus are limited to no
more than eight options plus the ninth, return option. Option 9 is
always return.
The return option takes you back to the point in the program from
which you came to the current menu. This may be to a previous menu or
to some other function.
The return option on the main menu returns you to DOS, or to your
automatic menu system, if you have one installed on your machine.
There are two ways to select a menu option.
If you know exactly what you want to do and how to do it, simply
press the numeric key corresponding the menu option. To select option
3, press the 3 key. You may select either the 3 key on the typewriter
keyboard, or if the NumLock key is set to numbers, you may use the 3
key on the numeric key pad. DO NOT use the function key labeled F3.
If you are a new user and not yet confident in your knowledge of
the menu options and the functions they perform, you may use the
cursor keys, or to select a menu option.
Cursor key selection is done by highlighting a menu selection and
pressing the return key.
Highlighting means that one selection will be displayed in a
manner that is noticeably different from the rest of the options.
Highlighting usually results in the selected option being displayed in
reversed colors. Some computer video displays may handle this in a
different manner.
When an option is highlighted, selected, a message will appear
at the bottom of the screen. This message will give additional
information about the selected option.
To select an option, press either the or the keys. If you
press the up key, the highlight bar will jump to the next higher
option on the screen (Lower number, higher physical position). The
down key has the opposite effect.
The highlight bar will "roll around" from top to bottom or from
bottom to top. If you press Up when the bar is on the top selection,
it will "roll around" to the bottom selection and vice versa.
It is always possible to select any option with either key. It is
never necessary to change keys after you have selected the key to
press.
╔═══════════════╗
>║ [ Main Menu ] ║
╚═══════════════╝
@Data entry screens
When the program needs information from the operator, it displays
a data entry screen. Usually data entry screens occupy the entire
screen. Occasionally, as in the case of a simple yes or no answer, the
computer will open a small window on the screen and ask "Is this the
loan you want? Y/N". in this instance the remainder of the screen
will stay as is was before.
Data entry screens use prompts ( messages, questions ), to ask
for data. It uses fields to receive data. A field is a specific,
isolated, identified, delineated, area in which data is entered on the
screen, stored, in memory or on disk.
Usually prompts will appear on the screen followed by the data
field to its immediate right. This is not always the case. The prompt
may be below, above, left, or right of the data field. It is the
responsibility of the programmer to make it evident to the user which
field refers to which field.
When the prompts and fields are printed on the screen, the fields
may or may not already contain data. If the program is building a new
record, the data fields will be empty. If the operator has asked to
edit an old record, the fields will contain the old data.
If the program is asking a question to verify a command you have
already given, or implied, the response field will contain a default
answer. A default answer is the answer the computer will use unless
you tell it something different. If you ask to delete loan number 33,
the program will find it and display it on the screen. It will then
ask you, "Is this the loan you want to delete? Y/N". The response
field will contain a "N". "N" then, is the default answer. If you
simply press the <Return> key, you have answered "N". The purpose for
this manner of operation is to require the operator to think about the
answer and to take a positive step, pressing "Y" before deleting a
loan.
During data entry, you will move the cursor around the screen and
enter or change data until you have it like you want it. You will use
the cursor control keys to control the cursor.
The cursor control keys are controlled by the NumLock and the
Shift keys. The NumLock key toggles the numeric key pad back and forth
between the numeric mode and the cursor control mode.
The Shift key does the same thing but on a temporary basis. for
example: You have the numeric key pad set for cursor control. You move
the cursor to a numeric entry. Next press and hold down the shift key,
this action changes the numeric keypad to numeric entry. You now enter
your number (still holding down the shift key) and then release the
Shift key. The numeric key pad shifts back to cursor control.
╔═══════════════╗
>║ [ Main Menu ] ║
╚═══════════════╝
@DATA ENTRY CURSOR CONTROL KEYS
If you are a WordStar fan, you will find the Wordstar keys work
as expected.
^Indicates the Control key labeled Ctrl. Thus LeftArrow means hold
down the control key while pressing the LeftArrow key.
This key: Does this:
Home Move the cursor to the beginning of the current field.
Home Move the cursor to the beginning of the first field on
this screen.
End Move the cursor to the last character of the current
field.
End Move the cursor to the beginning of the last field on
this page.
UpArrow Move the cursor to the previous field.
DownArrow Move the cursor to the next field. Will not end the
current input screen by continuing to the next screen.
RightArrow Move the cursor one character to the right in the
current field.
^RightArrow Move the cursor to the beginning of the next word in
the current field.
LeftArrow Move the cursor to the left one character in the
current field.
^LeftArrow Move the cursor to the beginning of the current word. If it
is already at the beginning, move it to the
beginning of the previous word.
T Delete from the cursor to the end of the current word.
Y Delete from the cursor to the end of the current field.
PgUp PgDn Save the data on the current screen and continue to the
next screen.
Esc Continue to the next screen. Do not save the changes,
if any that were made to the current screen.
U Restore the current field to its original value. This
only works before the cursor is moved out of the field.
Once the cursor has been moved, the only way to restore
the original value is to retype it.
Backspace Delete the character to the left of the cursor.
Delete Delete the character under the cursor
Insert Toggle between insert and typeover modes.
╔═══════════════╗
>║ [ Main Menu ] ║
╚═══════════════╝
@Date Screen
This screen is the first data entry screen you will see when the
program starts. This screen is first because it is the most important
data the program will ask of you.
If you make a mistake on one of the loan input screens, you will
affect only that individual loan. If you make a mistake on this
screen, you will affect every loan in the file.
When this screen is displayed, the computer reads the date from
its internal calendar and tells you what it is:
I think the date is 04/04/89
It then reads the date the file was last updated and tells you
that date.
The last update was 04/01/89
You are asked to verify the date. If your computer's calendar is
set incorrectly or not set at all, this date will not be correct. You
can set the date to any date you want, after the date of the last
update. Normally you will set this date to the current date (the date
of the day you are doing the work). Occasionally, you will set it to a
date before the current date.
When the computer starts updating the loans in the file, It
computes interest and checks for past due status and late charges
beginning the day after the date of the last update, and continuing to
the date you set as the current date.
If you set the current date before or equal to the date of the
last update, nothing will happen. The computer will read the file and
look at all the loans, but since the days between the date of last
update and the current date are 0 or less, it will skip them all.
╔═══════════════╗
║ [ Main Menu ] ║
╚═══════════════╝
@Loan look up menu.
The loan look up menu displays a screen that looks like this:
Loan Processing
Locate individual loan
1) Locate loan by borrower name.
2) Locate loan by loan number.
3) Locate loan by customer number.
9) Return.
If you select option 1), locate by name. You will be asked to
enter the borrowers name. The search method used is very broad. If the
name or characters you enter appear ANYWHERE in the name field, the
loan will be displayed. Upper and lower case are ignored.
╔═══════════════╗
>║ [ Main Menu ] ║
╚═══════════════╝
@Loan look up example
If you enter the characters "Smith", (With out the quotes),
the search will find all of the following loans:
Smith, Jack
SMITH, JACK
Smithfield, Susan
James R. Goldsmith
The search begins at the beginning of the file and continues
through the file one loan at a time. As each match is found, the loan
will be displayed on the screen and you will be asked if this is the
loan you want. You may respond either Y or N. No other response will
be accepted.
If you respond "N", the search will continue to display the next
matching record until you respond "Y" or until there are no more loans
to check.
When you respond "Y", this is the loan you want, the program will
continue with the requested operation, using the loan you just
selected. If you told it to delete a loan it will delete it, if you
told it to send it a past due notice, it will print the notice for
this loan, etc.
╔═══════════════╗
>║ [ Main Menu ] ║
╚═══════════════╝
@New Loan Screen
This screen us used only to set up a new loan. It cannot be used
to set up an existing loan. Much of the data needed to keep the
status of a loan is computed and changes frequently. This data is not
entered when the loan is new but is computed later by the computer.
This computed data is not displayed on this screen.
╔═══════════════╗
>║ [ Main Menu ] ║
╚═══════════════╝
@Loan Maintenance Screen
This screen displays all the information stored for each
individual loan, including the data computed by the computer during
the update process.
To change data on this screen, move the cursor to the field you
need to change by pressing the up or down arrow key. The down arrow
key moves the cursor down the left column to the bottom and then up to
the top of the right column and continues on down to the bottom of the
left column.
When the cursor is in the field you need to change, you can enter
new data, or change the old data. See the section on cursor control
and editing key functions for more detail.
╔═══════════════╗
>║ [ Main Menu ] ║
╚═══════════════╝
@Browse screens
The browse screen options allow you to browse through the data
files. Each data record is displayed on one line across the screen.
Several records are displayed on each screen with the fields appearing
in columns.
The browse screens use the real field names from the data files.
These names are somewhat more cryptic than the data input screen
prompts but they are readable. They are listed in the section on the
data files. See Data File Specifications for details of the field
names.
The record contains many more fields than can be displayed on the
screen on a single line. As you use the cursor keys to move your view
to the right, the columns on the left side of the screen scroll off
the screen to the left while the formerly invisible columns to the
right of the screen scroll onto the screen from the left.
╔═══════════════╗
>║ [ Main Menu ] ║
╚═══════════════╝
@Browse Cursor Control Keys
This key Does this:
Up Move the cursor up one line, (record, loan,
transaction)
Down Move the cursor down one line, (record, loan,
transaction)
Right Move the cursor one column (field) to the right. If the
cursor is in a field and the editing mode is on, move
the cursor one character to the right.
Left Move the cursor one column (field) to the left. If the
cursor is in a field and the editing mode is on, move
the cursor one character to the left.
<Return> Turn on the editing mode (feature) and edit the data in
the currently selected field. If the edit mode is
already on, quit editing the current field, keep the
edited field and continue on the next field to the
right.
CtrlRight Scroll the entire data base one column to the left.
(Moves the cursor to the right)
CtrlLeft Scroll the entire data base one column to the right.
(Moves the cursor to the left)
PgDn Move down one page (further into the data base)
PgUp Move up one page (back towards the top of the
database).
PgUp Move to the top, first record in the data base.
PgDn Move to the bottom, last record of the data base.
End Move to the right most column on the screen.
Home Move to the left most column on the screen.
End Move to the last field to the right of the current
record and scroll the screen so that field is in the
right most column of the screen.
Home Move to the first field of the current record and place
the first field of each record in the left most column
on the screen.
Esc Exit the browse function and return to the menu.
╔═══════════════╗
>║ [ Main Menu ] ║
╚═══════════════╝
@Menu functions
@Setting up an existing loan
To place an existing loan on the computer, you must first
accumulate all the data needed by this screen and then enter it. it is
recommended you use a data entry form to first assemble and organize
the necessary data and then enter the data from the form.
See the section on data fields for details of exactly what each
field means and how it is used.
╔═══════════════╗
>║ [ Main Menu ] ║
╚═══════════════╝
@Add A loan Record
This function is used to add a new loan to the data base. It
displays the new loan data entry screen and prompts the operator to
enter the data necessary for the program to begin processing the new
loan.
To enter an existing loan, the operator must first set it up as a
new loan using the add a new loan function. When this has been done,
the data requested on the existing loan data entry form must be looked
up or calculated. The existing loan data entry form is then used in
conjunction with the loan maintenance (Edit a loan record.) screen to
enter the data necessary to inform the program about the loan's
present status.
╔═══════════════╗
>║ [ Main Menu ] ║
╚═══════════════╝
@Edit (change) a loan record.
This screen displays all the data in the file for each individual
loan. You can use this screen to just view the data on the screen, or
you can change the data to correct errors.
See the section on data entry screens for instructions on
entering and changing data.
To view a loan on this screen you must identify it either by name
or number. See the section on the loan look up menu.
╔═══════════════╗
>║ [ Main Menu ] ║
╚═══════════════╝
@Delete a loan record.
This option us used to delete a loan from the file. You cannot
delete a loan until it has been paid off.
You must first use the loan look up screen to identify the loan
you want to delete. If it is found, you will be asked to identify it.
"Is this the loan you want to delete? Y/N". If you answer "Y", the
program will check to be sure the loan is paid off. If it is, it will
be deleted. You cannot recover it. It is GONE.
If the loan is not paid off, it will not be deleted.
To delete a loan that is not paid off, it is necessary to post a
fictitious interest and principal payment for the amount due.
╔═══════════════╗
>║ [ Main Menu ] ║
╚═══════════════╝
@Posting payments
When the posting option is selected, you will first be asked to
identify the loan which is to be posted by customer and loan number.
Enter these two numbers and press the return key. The loan requested,
if found, will be displayed on the posting screen. That screen looks
like this:
This screen does not display all information about the loan. It
does however display the information needed to identify the loan and
the information needed to post a payment.
Before posting payments turn to the section on cursor control and
editing keys for instructions on how to navigate the posting screen
and to enter and change (edit) or reenter data.
╔═══════════════╗
>║ [ Main Menu ] ║
╚═══════════════╝
@To post a payment:
1) Verify the customer number, loan number and customer name on the
screen to be sure you are posting the correct loan.
2) Observe the date of the last update. It should be today's date if
the posting date is today. If not today's date, it should be the
same as the posting date for the transaction. If these dates do
not agree, the interest accrual will not be accurate as of the
posting date.
If your policy is to charge all interest accrued as of the
posting date, it is vital that the two dates agree.
In the event the payment was due only a few days ago and you
intend to charge only the interest due, not yet paid, the date of
update should be equal to or later than the maturity date of the
payment.
3) The top half of the box displays the following information:
Date of last update
Total interest accrued to date
Interest due not yet paid
Principal due not yet paid
Late charges due, not yet paid
This information is just that, information. This is data you will
need to know to determine how to divide the payment amount
between interest and principal.
4) The bottom half of the screen is the information you must enter
to post the payment.
5) Re read step 2) above. Next enter the posting date of the
transaction.
6) Enter the amount of the payment to apply to interest, if any. It
is not required to collect the interest. If you do not, it will
simply carry forward. It will not be added to the interest paid
or paid YTD however.
7) Enter the amount to apply to the principal. If any. Again as for
the interest amount, it is not required that you make a principal
payment. If desired, or if need be, the entire amount may be
applied to interest.
It IS POSSIBLE to overpay the interest. If you do, the interest
accrued field will show a negative number.
8) Enter the amount of late charge collected, if any.
9) Press return or PgDn to exit the payment screen.
10) You will be returned to the look up screen and asked to enter a
new customer and loan number. You may continue to post additional
loans until all payments are posted. You are not required to post
them in any specific order.
11) To QUIT posting, enter customer number 0 and loan number 0
followed by pressing the return key.
╔═══════════════╗
>║ [ Main Menu ] ║
╚═══════════════╝
@Display loan transactions. (on screen)
This function displays all transactions stored in the transaction
file for the requested loan. The display looks somewhat like an
amortization schedule or perhaps a ledger card.
When you have selected a loan, the program reads the transaction
file and sorts it into order by transaction date and loan numbers so
that it can display only the transactions for the loan you requested
and so that they will be displayed in date order.
When the screen is full, approximately twelve transactions, the
display will stop and wait for you to view the screen. To continue to
the next transactions, press the return key.
╔═══════════════╗
>║ [ Main Menu ] ║
╚═══════════════╝
@Update the parameter file.
Updating the parameter file is done with a data entry screen, It
works just like the other data entry screens. See the Data entry
section for details of data entry.
The parameter file data entry screen looks like this:
╔══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║ Company name : ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ ║
║ Address : ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ ║
║ Address : ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ ║
║ Address : ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ ║
║ ║
║ Days past due notices : ▒▒▒ ║
║ Days will be due notice : ▒▒▒ ║
║ ║
║ Visual update : ▒▒ ║
║ ║
║ Last master file update : ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ ║
║ ║
╚══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝
The parameter file is a data file that stores informati n about
how the user wants the system to work. The information stored in this
file includes:
Name of user 30 characters
Line 1 of address 24 characters
Line 2 of address 24 characters
Line 3 of address 24 characters
The name is used as part of the header on the
printed reports. When an address is needed,
as on past due notices, this is the address
used.
It is good collection strategy to place your
phone number in the last line of the address.
Past due limit 2 digits
This is number of days past the due date that
a loan will be marked to produce a past due
notice.
If this field is set to 10 (days), the loan
will receive a past due notice when it
becomes ten days past due.
Will be due limit 2 digits
This field holds the number of days prior to
the payment date at which the loan should
receive a will be due notice.
If this field is set to 7, a loan with a
payment due on the 20th, will receive a will
be due notice on the 10th.
Do not set this limit very high. If a notice
is received more than about 7 to 10 days
early, it will be forgotten before the due
date.
Visual update flag True or False.
Many of the functions which read and update
the files, have visual indicators which can
be displayed on the screen. These indicators
give the status of and track the progress of
the update. These visual updates do slow down
the update process, and may be turned off.
Setting this flag to True, "T" means the
visual screens will be displayed. If the flag
is set to False, "F" they will not be
displayed.
Date last file update.
This is the date of the most recent file
update to the master file. ON this date, all
loans were processed. The interest and late
charges were calculated, due and past due
dates were set. The file is ready to print
past due or will be due notices for this
date.
This date is read from the system clock
calendar. It is important that the clock be
set correctly each time the program is run.
╔═══════════════╗
>║ [ Main Menu ] ║
╚═══════════════╝
@Year end close out
This function is run each year after the December 31st update and
after the year end interest statements have been printed.
The purpose of this function is to reset the year to date totals
to zero. Interest paid year to date and late charges paid year to
date are reset to zero.
This function can be run at any time if desired. If it is NOT run
at year end, there is no automated way to recover the year end status
of each loan except to return to the year end backup file. You did
keep a backup didn't you?
╔═══════════════╗
>║ [ Main Menu ] ║
╚═══════════════╝
@Report menu functions
Most printed reports are selected from this menu. Year end
reports like interest paid reports for borrowers are located on the
additional file maintenance menu.
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>║ [ Main Menu ] ║
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@Print trial balance
The trial balance report list all loans. Totals are accumulated
for important dollar amounts like current balance, interest accrued
etc.
This report is used for balancing the loan portfolio with the
general ledger, for quick look ups, when the computer is off, etc. Do
not depend on this report for hard copy backup.
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>║ [ Main Menu ] ║
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@Print past due report
The past due report lists all loans that are past due. This
report is used for collections efforts and auditing. It lists all
dollar amounts and dates related to the past due status of the loan.
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>║ [ Main Menu ] ║
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@Print past due notices
This function is not a single report but a series of reports
(notices) for each past due loan. The notice lists the borrower, and
the status of the loan along with a message informing the borrower the
loan is past due and requesting payment.
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>║ [ Main Menu ] ║
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@Print will be due notices
Will be due notices, sometimes called payment billings are
notices to the borrower before the due date of each payment. They
remind each borrower a payment will be due soon. Do not mail these
notices so early that the borrower will have time to forget. The
borrower should receive this notice not more than four or five days
before the payment is due.
In the case of annual or quarterly payments, an earlier notice
would be appropriate, perhaps 30 days early.
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>║ [ Main Menu ] ║
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@Individual past due notices
Individualized past due notices are printed one loan at a time
for loans selected by the operator. Rather than a canned notice, the
operator selects the text, or message of the notice. The program
supplies the status information.
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>║ [ Main Menu ] ║
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@Print loan statement
This function prints a statement listing the transactions for a
loan selected by the operator.
The program reads the transaction file, selects the transactions
for the selected loan and sorts them into date order. They are then
printed in a statement format.
This report prints a computed balance. This balance is computed
from the transactions found in the file. THIS BALANCE WILL NOT BE
CORRECT unless the file contains all transactions, including the
original setup. When a loan is set up on the system, the original
amount is placed in the transaction file as a principal advance,
(negative payment amount). If the loan is not set up properly, the
principal payment transactions will simply start subtracting from
zero.
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>║ [ Main Menu ] ║
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@Special file maintenance menu
This menu lists file maintenance options that are done on a less
frequent basis than most of the other maintenance options.
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>║ [ Main Menu ] ║
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@End of year interest statements
At the end of each year, before performing the year end closeout.
The program will, if requested, print statements for each borrower
listing the amount of interest paid during the preceding year.
The Statement lists other status information such as past due
status, late charge status, etc.
This is not a single report, but a series of statements, one for
each loan in the file. If a customer has three loans, he will
receive three statements.
>[Main Menu]
@Data fields, description
Customer no.
Required. The customer number is a unique number assigned to
each individual borrower. If a borrower has more than one loan,
this number is used to group the borrower's loans together.
If you like, this number can be used to group loans of different
borrowers.
Loan number.
Required. The loan number is a number assigned to uniquely
identify each individual loan. This is different from the
customer number. A customer can have several loan numbers but
only one customer number.
Loan numbers should be unique. No two loans should have the same
number. The program will work if they do, but locating accounts
by loan number will be slightly more difficult.
If you have two loans with the same number and request a display
of one of them, you will see them both, (or all if more than
two) they will be displayed sequentially in the order they are
in the file. You will have to step through them one at a time
until you find the one you want.
Customer name.
Optional. The program does not care about this field but you
will find the reports hard to read if you leave it out. The
customer name is printed on each report to make each item easier
to identify.
Maker1 etc
The makers are the people who signed the note and guarantee to
pay it. All these fields are optional.
The maker may be or may not be the same as the customer name. The
customer name may be Industrial Cleaning Service and the maker
may be Sue Smith the owner.
Comments (two lines)
These lines are optional and may contain any data you wish.
Original amount
Required. This is the face amount of the note. this is the
amount the computer will start with to compute the scheduled
balance which us used to determine if the loan is keeping pace,
falling behind, or gaining on the original agreed payment
schedule.
Current Balance
Required. Computed. This is the amount remaining unpaid. Each
time a principal payment is paid, this amount is reduced by the
principal amount paid. This amount should always be less than or
equal to the scheduled balance. In real life however, payments
are made late, payments are made early, some months have more or
less than 30 days, etc. It will not be uncommon to find the
current balance slightly above the scheduled balance.
This balance should not exceed the scheduled balance by more that
about five or six days interest accrual. If it exceeds the
scheduled balance by more than fifteen days, and especially if
the difference is growing from payment to payment, some
collections efforts should be considered.
Regular payment
Required. Entered. This is the amount of the regularly scheduled
payment. If there is a balloon payment, see the next field.
Balloon payment
Required. Entered. This is the total amount including interest
of the balloon payment. If there is no balloon payment, this
field should contain zero, $0.00.
No. Regular payments
Required. Entered. This is the number of regular payments. If
all payments are the same amount, this is simply the total number
of payments. If the final payment is a balloon, the number of
regular payments will be one less than the total number of
payments.
No. Balloon payment
Required. This is the payment number of the balloon payment. The
program always assumes there is only one balloon payment. If the
loan is payable in 35 installments of $200.00 and one final
installment of 6,250.00 the number of the balloon payment is 36.
No payments per year
Required. This is self descriptive. If their payments are
monthly, this is 12. if the payments are quarterly, this is 4.
Etc. NOTE, only commonly used schedules are supported, 52, 13,
12, 6, 4, 2, and 1.
Rate, original
Required. This is the original interest rate on the loan. If the
rate is fixed, this rate will be used throughout the life of the
loan.
This is the rate that will be charged on the first days of the
loan.
If the loan is a variable rate loan, this field IS NOT CHANGED.
If the rate is variable, change the Rate, current field.
Rate, current.
Required. This is the rate used to do the actual interest
computation during the update. When the loan is new, this rate
will be the same as the rate, original. If the rate is changed
after the loan begins to accrue interest, this is the rate to
change.
Interest basis
Required. This is the basis by which the interest is computed.
The update always computes interest every calendar day during the
life of the loan, one day at a time.
Each day the interest formula is computed for every loan. This is
the formula:
(Current balance) x (rate, current)
Daily accrual = ------------------------------------------
(Basis)
The basis can be either 360 or 365. Most banks use 360. This
practice increases your interest income by 1.3889%.
WARNING:
IF YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING, USING THE 360 DAY BASIS
CAN CAUSE YOU TO RUN AFOUL OF REGULATION Z AND OF SOME STATE
USURY LAWS.
WE RECOMMEND YOU ALWAYS USE THE 365 DAY BASIS.
Date of note
Required. This is the date of the note. The date on the
document. It is usually, but not always, the date the document
was signed. It is the date at which interest will begin to
accrue.
If you need the interest to begin accruing at some other date,
you will have to lie to the computer about the date of the note.
Date of first payment
Required. This is the date the first payment, payment number
one, is due. This will usually be one month after the date of the
note. All future payment dates will be calculated from this date.
Date next due
Required. Computed. This is the next scheduled maturity date.
This date is updated every time a payment matures whether or not
the payment is made. This date will always be a future date.
Even when the loan is past due and the payments are not being
made, this date continues to increment to reflect the fact that a
payment is coming due even though we know it will most likely not
be made.
Date (of) payment due
Required. Computed. This is the most recent date for which a
payment was due but not yet made.
This is the date that keeps up with the past due pr prepaid
status of the loan. If this date is in the future, the loan is
current or prepaid. If this date is in the past, the loan is
past due.
Today is June 20. A payment was due on April 15, May 15, and June
15. The April payment was made on time. The May and June payments
have not yet been made. The date due (date of payment due) is May
15. We say "The loan is due for may 15th." It is 36 days past
due. (May 15th to June 20.) The date next due however is July 15.
Another payment is due on that date whether or not the prior
payments have been made.
Today is September 5. A payment was due June, July, August, and
September first. They were all made on time. The loan is "due for
Oct. 1". The date payment due is 10-01-xx. the date next due is
also 10-01-xx.
Date last payment
Required. Computed. This is the date on which the last payment
was credited. This may or may not be the same as the actual
posting date because the operator can tell the posting routine
what date to credit the payment.
Date last transaction
Required. Computed. This is the date of the last transaction,
any transaction. If the last transaction was a payment, these two
dates will be the same. If the last transaction was for example a
late charge assessment, the dates will not be the same.
Date last update
Required. Computed. This is the date of the last update. It is
the date the operator entered as the date of the last update. It
may or may not be the same as the actual calendar date the update
was done.
It is however the latest date through interest has been
calculated and for which past due status has been checked.
It is most important to update the file before posting payments
or printing past due notices or past due reports.
Date maturity
Required. This is the maturity date of the loan. On this date,
the final payment of all remaining interest and principal is due.
If the loan is a balloon note, this date is the same as the
balloon payment date.
Interest accrued
Required. computed. This is the amount of interest which has
accrued on the loan and which has not yet been paid. This amount
may or may not be due.
Every update computes the interest due since the date of the last
update and adds it to this amount. This happens every day. When
an interest payment is posted, this amount is reduced by the
amount of the interest payment.
Interest due, unpaid
Required. Computed. This is the amount of interest due and
unpaid. Every payment date, the entire amount of interest in the
accrued interest field is moved into this field. Note that it is
moved, not added.
The program assumes that at each payment date, all interest is
due. Contact Bottom Line, f you need an exception to this rule.
Each time an interest payment is posted, the payment amount is
subtracted from this field.
Interest paid (life)
Required. Computed. This is the total of all interest payments
on this loan since it started. This amount is kept for reference
only.
Interest paid (YTD)
Required. Computed. This is the total interest paid on this loan
since the end of last year. Note that this is PAID, not ACCRUED.
This amount is reset to zero at year end.
Late Charges due, unpaid
Required. Computed When a loan is new, this field is zero. Each
time a late charge is assessed, it is added to this field. When
late charge payments are posted, they are subtracted from this
field.
Late charge paid
Required. Computed. This is the total of all late charges paid
since the loan was new. Each time a new late charge payment is
posted, the amount is added to the field.
Late charge paid YTD
Required. Computed. This is the same as the previous thanks
field except it is reset to zero at year end.
Principal due
Required. Computed. This is the amount of principal required to
bring the current balance in line with the originally scheduled
repayment plan. This is more or less meaningless if it is
negative. A negative number indicates the loan is prepaid.
If this amount is positive, a payment has matured and not yet
been paid.
>[Main Menu]
@Visual update system
In many cases, computers are somewhat confusing and frustrating.
Computers usually do things in the dark. We can't see what is going on
and we can't understand the results.
Loan Master has a visual update system that, if selected,
displays information about the update procedures continuously on the
screen. These screens range from a very simple record counter telling
which record is being updated to the very complex and busy data file
update screen that displays the contents of each field before and
after the update, and optionally stops for you to inspect the record
in its before and after state.
To use this system you must turn it on. Turning on the simple
screens is done through updating the parameter file. Set the visual
update field to "T", (true).
The data file update is turned on or off when the update is
started. This function slows the update function considerably. For
this reason, it can be turned off even when the other visual functions
are on.
This allows you to have visual status updates during printing the
reports but not during the data file update.
To get acquainted with the system, turn it on when you start the
update procedure, request the pause after each loan function. When
the update starts, the loan status will be displayed on the screen in
the before columns. The interest and status information is updated
and then the new status is displayed in the after columns. The screen
will display the "Press any key to continue..." message at the bottom
of the screen. You can now inspect the loan status before and after
the update calculations. When you are ready, press the return key and
the next loan will be processed.
For normal operations, you will probably want to turn this
option "on" in the parameter file and turn it "off" for the update.
If you like, you can turn the update display "on" and the "pause" off.
This will result in displaying the loan status on the screen as each
loan is updated but the screen will not pause for inspection before
updating the next loan.
>[Main Menu]
@Updating the loan file
A loan earns interest every day, one day at a time. It earns
interest whether you turn on the computer or not. If you must keep up
with very many loans, a payment may come due on any day of the month.
Loan Master loan accounting software expects to keep up with an
un limited number of loans. It must compute interest on every loan
every day and it must check every loan every day to see if a payment
is due or if it has reached final maturity. This is exactly how the
loan file is updated. Every loan is updated every day, one day at a
time.
We know that you are not going to come to the office and run the
computer EVERY DAY to update your loan file. Thus, the computer must
be able to keep up with the days you miss and "catch up".
This is how it works. In the parameter file, the program stores
the date of last file update. When the program starts, the first
thing it does is read the system clock and the parameter file and
display the date. "I think today is 03-31-89", and the date of last
update. The program MUST know today's date. If your system clock is
not correct, you must enter the correct date when this screen is
displayed.
As soon as the program knows the correct date, it compares it to
the date of last file update. It then knows how many days you have
skipped. If today's date is 03-20-89 and the data of last file update
is 03-17-89, you have skipped the 18th and the 19th, two days. It
needs to update for three days however to update through the 20th.
In this case, if you order a file update, the program will read
the entire file, one loan at a time, and add one days interest and
check maturities for the 18th. As soon as this process is finished,
it will immediately be repeated for the 19th, and then again for the
20th. When the process is finished, the entire file will be updated
current for 03-20-89.
>[Main Menu]
@Posting payments.
The last update was the 17th and you received a payment on the
18th. If you post the payment before the update. Credit will be given
as of the 17th. You will lose interest for the 18th and 19th on the
amount of the principal reduction. If the payment amount is $100.00
and $80.00 is interest, you will lose three days interest on 20.00.
About two cents.
On the other hand, if you post the payment after the update, the
customer will loose credit for the 19th and the 20th, about one and
one third cents.
Lying to the computer
If you process a large number of loans, or if the amounts are
large enough to make the above numbers significant, you can get it
exactly right by lying to the computer. This is how you do it.
When you order a master file update, you are told the date of
last master file update and asked for the date of this update. In the
above example, today is really the 20th but you can tell the program
to update for the 18th and it will update only one day. You can then
post the payments received on the 18th and then update again, telling
the program to update for the 19th. etc.
>[Main Menu]
@Loan Master Reports
The loan processing system produces these reports:
Trial Balance Report
Data File Dump
Past Due Loans Report
Past Due Report Standard
Past Due Report Custom
Will Be Due Notice (Billing Statement)
Loan Transaction Statement
Year End Interest Statement
Past Due and Will Be Due
The numbers on the past due report do not agree with the numbers
on the will be due notice, Why?
The past due notice gives the status of the loan as of a date on
the past. The date of the payment missed.
The will be due notice gives the anticipated amounts due at a
date in the future, the date the payment will be due.
Will Be Due Notices
The Will Be Due notice lists this information.
Date of notice
Date payment will be due
Interest due
Principal due
Late charge due
Date of notice
The date of notice is the date the loan was last
updated. This date is used in case a payment has been made since
that date but which has not yet been posted to the account.
Date payment will be due
This is the date the next payment will mature. The next
regularly scheduled payment will be due on this date.
Interest due
This is the anticipated amount of interest due on the date
of the next regularly scheduled payment date. This amount
includes all interest accrued through the date of the notice plus
the interest that will accrue from the date the notice is printed
to the date the payment is due.
NOTE that this is ALL interest accrued and not paid as of
the date of the next payment.
Principal due
This is the anticipated principal that will be due on the next
regularly scheduled payment date. This amount is calculated by taking
the principal due amount and adding the anticipated principal
component of the total payment amount as of the date of the next
payment.
EXAMPLE
The payment is due in 4 days. The interest accrued as of today is
$233.00, four days interest is 36.00. The interest that "Will be due"
in four days is $233.00 + 36.00 or $269.00.
The principal due today is $14.00. The payment due in four days
is $300.00.
The principal due in four days will be:
Payment due $300.00
Interest due 269.00
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Principal component 31.00
of this payment
Principal due now
from prior payments 14.00
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Total principal due 45.00
NOTE:
Total principal due 45.00
Total interest due 269.00
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Total amount due 314.00
Total amount billed 314.00
Scheduled payment 300.00
The will be due notice has billed the customer for the amount
needed to bring the note current, not just the amount of the regularly
scheduled payment.
Past due notices
The past due notice is easer to understand then the will be due
notice. The past due notice lists this information:
Interest Due
Principal Due
late charge due
Each of these amounts comes directly from the master file with
no calculations or assumptions or projections.
The interest due is the amount of interest which has matured but
has not been paid. It is not the total interest accrued. See the date
definitions for an explanation of the difference.
The principal due is the amount of principal which has matured
but which has not been paid.
The late charge due is the total of all late charges which have
been assessed but which have not yet been paid.
@Loan Master Files
The Loan Master Loan processing system stores a considerable
amount of data on the disk drive. Data is stored in these files:
1) LMLOAN.DBF The loan data base file.
2) LMTRAN.DBF The transaction database.
3) LMTRAN.NTX The transaction index file.
4) LMPARAM.DBF The parameter file.
5) HELP.DBF The help system.
6) HELP.DBT The help screens text.
7) HELP.NTX The help system index.
@File specifications
Field definitions for LMLOAN.DBF
Field name Data type Size Dp
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CUST_NO Numeric 8 0
LOAN_NO Numeric 8 0
CUST_NAME Character 24
MAKER1 Character 24
MAKER2 Character 24
MAKER3 Character 24
MAKER4 Character 24
COMMENT1 Character 24
COMMENT2 Character 24
ORG_AMT Numeric 12 2
CUR_BAL Numeric 12 2
SCH_BAL Numeric 12 2
PMT_AMT_RG Numeric 12 2
PMT_AMT_FN Numeric 12 2
RATE_ORG Numeric 7 4
RATE_CUR Numeric 7 4
BASIS Numeric 3 0
N0_PMTS Numeric 3 0
FINAL_PMT Numeric 3 0
DATE_NOTE Date 8
DATE_FIRST Date 8
DATE_NEXT Date 8
DATE_DUE Date 8
DATE_LAST Date 8
DATE_TRAN Date 8
DATE_UPD Date 8
DATE_MTY Date 8
PMTS_MTD Numeric 3 0
PMTS_PAID Numeric 6 2
PMT_FREQ Numeric 2 0
INT_ACCRD Numeric 12 4
INT_DUE Numeric 12 2
PRIN_DUE Numeric 12 2
LC_DUE Numeric 12 2
LC_PAID Numeric 12 2
LC_YTD Numeric 12 2
INT_PAID Numeric 12 2
INT_YTD Numeric 12 2
Field definitions for LMPARM.DBF
Field name Data type Size Dp
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NAME Character 30
ADDRESS1 Character 24
ADDRESS2 Character 24
ADDRESS3 Character 24
PDLIMIT Numeric 2 0
WBLIMIT Numeric 2 0
VISUAL Logical 1
LSTFILEUPD Date 8
PSWDMASTER Character 12
Field definitions for LMTRAN.DBF
Field name Data type Size Dp
═══════════════════════════════════════════════
CUST_NO Numeric 8 0
LOAN_NO Numeric 8 0
TRAN_DATE Date 8
TRAN_CODE Numeric 4 0
TRAN_RATE Numeric 7 4
DAYS_ACCR Numeric 4 0
INT_ACCD Numeric 12 4
INT_PAID Numeric 12 2
PRIN_PAID Numeric 12 2
LC_PAID Numeric 12 2
