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TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS! TM
GETTING STARTED
USER'S MANUAL
Version 1.0
Hooper International, Inc.
P.O. Box 50200
Colorado Springs, CO 80949
Registration Number: ___________
Copyright (C) 1986-1990 by Hooper International, Inc.
All rights reserved.
TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS!
COPYRIGHT NOTICE
TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS is not a public-domain program. It is Copyright (C)
1986-1990 by Hooper International, Inc.
No part of this manual may be reproduced or translated, in any form or by
any means, without the prior written permission of Hooper International, Inc.
Copyright (C) 1986-1990 Hooper International, Inc.
WARRANTY INFORMATION
Hooper International, Inc. licenses this software and manual "as is" without
warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied; including, but not limited
to, the particular purpose. Hooper International, Inc. does not warrant that
the TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS software will meet your requirements, or that the
operation of TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS will be uninterrupted or error free. In
no event will Hooper International, Inc. be liable for incidental, conse-
quential, indirect or other damages including any lost profits or lost savings,
arising from the use of, or inability to use, these programs; even if Hooper
International, Inc. has been advised of the possibility of such damages, or for
any claim by any other party.
Please keep in mind, we do not accept returns or give refunds on registered
copies. We will, for a period of up to 90 days from initial shipping date,
replace defective disks for a minimal shipping and handling charge of $5.00.
Defective disks must be returned prepaid and insured by sender. In this
way, we are assured of complete customer satisfaction. As you can see, we
value your business.
Information in this manual is subject to change without notice and does not
represent a commitment on the part of Hooper International, Inc.
This product could include technical inaccuracies or typographical errors.
Changes are periodically made to the information herein. These changes may
be incorporated in new additions of this publication.
Page 2
TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS!
TABLE OF CONTENTS
COPYRIGHT NOTICE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
WARRANTY INFORMATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
UPGRADE POLICY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
UPGRADE COMPATIBILITY WARNING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
PREFACE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
AUTHOR'S NOTES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
INTRODUCTION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
GENERAL INFORMATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
SECTION ONE - UP & RUNNING . . . QUICK & EASY . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
1a - Quick Install For Advanced DOS Users. . . . . . . . . . . 10
1b - Starting TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS. . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
1c - What To Do Next . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
SECTION TWO - INSTALLATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
2a - Essential Hardware. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
2b - Using the Menu System and Input Fields. . . . . . . . . . 11
2c - Installing on the Hard Disk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
2d - Installing Additional Modules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
2e - The CONFIG.SYS File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
SECTION THREE - STARTING and RUNNING. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
3a - Starting TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS. . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
3b - Selecting the Disk Drive, Path, and Data File.. . . . . . 15
3c - The "SAMPLE" File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
3d - Create or Clone Your Own Set of Books . . . . . . . . . . 17
3e - Unique Function Keys. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
3f - Editing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
3g - Drop to DOS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
3h - Module Hot Key. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
3i - Using a Mouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
SECTION FOUR - SYSTEM CONFIGURATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
4a - The Configuration Menu. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
4b - Setting the System Date . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
4c - Setting the Report Heading Name . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
4d - Setting the System Configuration. . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
4e - Create, Change, or Delete Passwords . . . . . . . . . . . 27
4f - Setting Screen Colors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
4g - Backing Up Data Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
SECTION FIVE - NETWORK VERSION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
5a - The DOS "SHARE" File. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
5b - Setting File Attributes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
5c - Re-Boot Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Page 3
TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS!
SECTION SIX - BRIEF DESCRIPTION of MODULES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
6a - The General Ledger Module . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
6b - The Accounts Receivable Module. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
6c - The Accounts Payable Module . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
6d - The Point Of Sale/Invoicing Module. . . . . . . . . . . . 37
6e - The Inventory Module. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
6f - The Payroll Module. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
6g - The Financial Utilities Module. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
6h - The Account Reconciliation Module . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
SECTION SEVEN - BASIC ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLES . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
7a - Accounting Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
7b - The Accounting Equation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
7c - The Income Statement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
7d - The Balance Sheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
7e - Double-Entry Accounting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
7f - Debits and Credits. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
7g - Income and Expenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
SECTION EIGHT - USER TECHNICAL SUPPORT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
8a - Technical Support Policy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
8b - How To Receive Help Fast. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
8c - How To Receive Detailed Help. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
8d - How to Solve Your Problem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
SECTION NINE - HINTS and SUGGESTIONS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
9a - Hints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
9b - If You Have Comments or Suggestions . . . . . . . . . . . 47
LIST OF FIGURES . . . . . . . . . NOT AVAILABLE ON DISK DOCUMENTATION FILE
Page 4
TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS!
UPGRADE POLICY
Upon receipt of your payment, and after verification of the version number and
registration number of your copy, we will send you a registered copy of the
latest version of TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS. As a registered user, you will be
notified of any future releases, which will be available for a nominal upgrade
fee.
UPGRADE COMPATIBILITY WARNING
TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS version 1.0 has a new datafile format. If you have
been using Finance Manager or Finance Manager II, your data files are not
compatible with this program.
Users of Finance Manager II version 1.3 may convert their data files by
following these steps:
1. Place the "Install & Samples" disk in drive A.
2. Change to the disk drive and directory that contains your data files,
then enter the command:
COPY A:CNV-TCB.EXE
This added the "CNV-TCB.EXE" data file conversion program from the
"Install & Samples" disk to your data file directory.
3. Enter the command:
CNV-TCB
4. At the filename prompt, enter the filename of the data files you want to
convert, then press <Enter>. The data file name you just entered will
now be converted to the format needed by TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS.
NOTE: If you have more than one set of files to convert, you will need to
perform steps 3 and 4 above for each filename you need to convert.
Users of all other versions of any other Hooper software product should
contact us for information on converting their data files.
PREFACE
Before Reading Any Further...
If you are eager to get started, you might save time by reading the guidelines
listed in this preface. Depending on your level of bookkeeping and computer
expertise, certain sections of the manuals are more essential than others.
If You Have Already Used a HOOPER Financial Product...
...and have a working knowledge of FINANCE MANAGER II from Hooper Inter-
national, Inc, you will be pleased to see all of the enhanced features in the
TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS program.
Page 5
TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS!
Before you start working, read "Section Two - Installation" of this manual,
which explains the new installation procedures. If you are using Finance
Manager or Finance Manager II, please read the "Upgrade Compatibility Warning"
in this manual, since it includes instructions on converting your data files
to a new format. If you have any questions while you are working, simply
refer to the documentation.
If You Are An Experienced User of Menu-Driven Software...
...especially those designed for the IBM PC or compatibles, you are more
familiar with terms used for configuring your system. You might, therefore,
want to take the following shortcuts:
Read Section One - "Up & Running ... Quick & Easy" of this manual.
Look at the sample accounts of the "SAMPLE" files on the "Install & Samples"
disk, while using the documentation as a guide and reference.
Set up your own set of books by using the "SAMPLE" accounts as an example or
framework. Be sure to follow the guidelines and procedures as presented in
the manuals.
If You Are An Experienced Bookkeeper...
...you will have an easier time understanding the terms used in the TAKIN'
CARE OF BUSINESS manuals. Initially, we recommend you read all of the manuals
to learn how to properly and completely utilize all of the fantastic features
available to you.
If You Have Little or No Experience With Software or Bookkeeping...
...and are unfamiliar with menu-driven software packages, and are not an expert
bookkeeper, you will find it easier to read the entire manual completely,
following all of the procedures outlined. We strongly suggest that you read
through the documentation at least once, simply to become familiar with some
of the terms you will be expected to know; then re-read the documentation,
this time using the program. Start reading at Section Two - "Installation",
since Section One - "Up & Running ... Quick & Easy" is for more experienced
users.
For All Users...
When using TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS:
Always use a backup copy of your program disks, never the original disks.
Carefully read all instructions in the manuals, for optimum understanding,
before using TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS.
This guide is intended for use by all users of TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS.
It does not assume that the user has extensive accounting expertise. It is
suggested, however, that users with no accounting or bookkeeping background
obtain a basic accounting textbook as a supplemental reference. A primer of
accounting is included in Section Seven - "Basic Accounting Principles".
Page 6
TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS!
If You Have Any Questions...
...comments, or suggestions about TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS, please write or
call our technical support staff at 719-528-8989.
AUTHOR'S NOTES
The HOOPER finance series was created as a result of our own basic need for a
simple, affordable, and workable financial-software package able to keep
track of income and expenses. Unfortunately, the price for available soft-
ware packages was prohibitive.
Consequently, it became clear that we would have to create a new and affordable
program which would eliminate the piles of notes and receipts needed each year
in order to compute income taxes. Therefore, in 1981, Finance Manager was
created. It was written for the "Atari 800", with 64K bytes of memory. This
program provided a single time frame look at the entire fiscal year, while
storing all necessary information from the inevitable notes and receipts. If
bookkeeping was to become a "piece of cake", this was surely a sweet start!
We have since developed Finance Manager II, a complete small-business
accounting package consisting of separate modules for the General Ledger,
Account Reconciliation, Financial Utilities, Accounts Receivable, Accounts
Payable and Payroll.
In 1989, we developed "Cheque-It-Out" for personal accounting. It is perfect
for the individual who wants to keep track of more than just a checking account
balance. With "Cheque-It-Out", tracking all the Income, Expense, and Liability
account balances, and reconciling all checking and credit card statements, is
easy. It even prints personal checks.
At this time, we present to you TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS, an even more complete
small/medium business accounting package. It is considerably more user-
friendly than Finance Manager II; utilizing the menu schemes found in "Cheque-
It-Out", while retaining the power and flexibility of Finance Manager II. We
have also added two new modules: Point Of Sale/Invoicing and Inventory.
TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS has evolved from users' comments, needs, ideas, and
suggestions. We sincerely thank all of our users for their continued support.
By purchasing our program and telling their friends how greatly it helps them
to ease their record-keeping burden; they have made it possible for us to offer
further enhancements and updates. There is no doubt that user support has put
us where we are today.
Page 7
TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS!
INTRODUCTION
The proper management of financial resources is the determining factor in
the survival of any business, large or small, public or private. TAKIN'
CARE OF BUSINESS is a splendid tool for you, the small/medium-sized business
owner, to easily manage your financial resources. The program is easy to use
and is designed for those with a minimum of bookkeeping and computer
experience.
TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS is a financial-management program for the IBM XT, AT,
PS/2 or compatible computer, having a hard disk, at least 640K of RAM (memory),
and DOS 2.0 or higher. It is a thorough, efficient, and simple-to-use program,
consisting of a series of modules designed to assist the beginning and advanced
user in managing all types of financial bookkeeping systems.
The modules of TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS are available either as a complete
financial package, or individually, in order to meet your particular needs.
The modules are:
General Ledger
Financial Utilities
Point Of Sale/Invoicing
Account Reconciliation
Accounts Receivable
Accounts Payable
Inventory
Payroll
TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS will become an essential part of your own business
financial-management program.
This documentation describes how to start and basically set up the TAKIN'
CARE OF BUSINESS program. Then, it separately describes the functions
available in each of the modules.
An exceptionally easy and low-cost way to manage your financial resources,
TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS provides the best and most comprehensive small/medium-
sized business financial program available. Please feel free to include any
comments about this program in a letter to us. We look forward to hearing
from you.
Page 8
TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS!
GENERAL INFORMATION
1. TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS is DesqView aware, meaning that the
program will run with DesqView.
2. TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS has a built-in screen-saver function that
will blank out the screen on the monitor, if there is no input from the
keyboard for three minutes. A "moving" sign explaining that screen
saver is in use will be displayed. This feature protects your monitor's
screen from "burn in", a situation that can occur if the monitor's
intensity is set to a high point and the screen presentation is allowed to
remain constant. To re-display the screen in which you were working,
press any key on the keyboard. The cursor will be in the same location.
3. TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS will use expanded memory (EMS), if
available, by loading its overlay file into EMS memory, provided there
is enough free EMS memory to hold the entire overlay file plus
approximately 1K. You should have no problem using EMS if you have
at least 256K of free EMS available.
The advantage of having, and using, EMS memory is that the program
will run considerably faster.
Page 9
TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS!
SECTION ONE - UP & RUNNING . . . QUICK & EASY
1a - Quick Install For Advanced DOS Users
The files on the TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS disks are compressed. Each file-
name (not extension) ends with the characters ZIP. From your floppy drive
prompt, use the following command with each disk to quickly install TAKIN'
CARE OF BUSINESS:
filenameZIP C:\TCB
where filename is the name of the self-extracting file on the program disk.
The above command will install the program files on the C drive in the TCB
directory.
NOTE: The program may be run from any directory, provided the directory is
included in your DOS "Path" statement. See your DOS manual for
information on the "Path" statement.
Be sure a CONFIG.SYS file exists in the root directory of your hard disk and
contains the following commands with at least the values shown:
FILES=20
BUFFERS=20
1b - Starting TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS
1. Change to the directory containing the TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS program
files (e.g: CD\TCB).
2. Enter the command: TCB
1c - What To Do Next
To familiarize yourself with the program, you may want to look over the
following parts of Section Three - "Starting and Running":
Section 3c - The "SAMPLE" Files... has samples of accounts, transactions,
and reports.
Section 3d - Create or Clone Your Own Set of Books... has instructions on
creating a new set of books from scratch or copying already
established account files.
Section 3e - Unique Function Keys... explains some of the special keys
used within TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS.
Section 3f - Editing... explains some of the special keys that may be used
when entering data into or modifying input fields.
Although not absolutely necessary, it is advisable to set up the System
Configuration before proceeding too far into your own books. See Section
Four - "System Configuration" for instructions.
Page 10
TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS!
SECTION TWO - INSTALLATION
Before you begin using TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS, be sure you take the time to
learn some of the basic preliminary procedures necessary to operate the
program, as well as being certain you know some of the basic overall system
features. In this section, these elements are discussed in detail.
2a - Essential Hardware
The minimum system hardware requirements and options are as follows:
REQUIRED: IBM XT, AT, PS/2 or 100% compatibles
Monochrome, Hercules, CGA, EGA, or VGA display
640K bytes memory
Hard Disk Drive
DOS version 2.0 or higher
OPTIONAL: Printer
Expanded Memory (following LIM 4.0 standards)
Mouse
NOTE: TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS will run on a computer with an 8086 or 8088
processor, however we recommend a computer with at least an 80286
processor, running at 10MHz, in order to run the program without
undue delays.
2b - Using the Menu System and Input Fields
The menu system in TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS is designed to be as user friendly
as possible. You may select a menu item by using any of these methods:
1. Direct Entry - Type the highlighted letter of the menu item.
2. Highlighting - Highlight the menu item by using the cursor arrow keys,
then press <Enter>.
3. Mouse - Move the mouse cursor over the menu item and click the left
button.
When you are ready to enter data into any input field, do so by typing the
information and then pressing the <Enter> key.
Some input fields may already have default data in them. If this is the case,
do any one of the following:
1. To accept the data in the field, press the <Enter> key.
2. To change the data in the field, just start typing. The data present
will be automatically deleted.
3. To blank out a data field, press the <SPACE BAR>; on numeric fields,
type a zero ("0").
Page 11
TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS!
2c - Installing on the Hard Disk
To install TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS on the hard disk, follow these
instructions:
1. From the DOS prompt for the hard disk (usually C:\>) create a new sub-
directory on the hard disk by entering the DOS "MD" command:
MD\TCB and press <Enter>.
2. Change to this newly-created directory by using the DOS "CD" command:
CD\TCB and press <Enter>.
3. Put the "Install & Samples" disk in drive A.
4. Change to drive A by entering the command:
A: and press <Enter>.
5. From the A:> prompt, enter the command:
INSTALL and press <Enter>.
6. Follow the instructions on the screen carefully, being sure to indicate
which modules are being installed.
Figure 2-1 shows the installation screen. Refer to it and/or your screen
while performing this procedure.
Figure 2-1 Install Screen
A. The first prompt asks on which disk drive TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS
will be installed. This will usually be drive "C"; however, if your
computer has more than one hard disk drive, you may use any one of
the designated hard disk drives on your computer.
B. The second prompt asks in which directory you want TAKIN' CARE OF
BUSINESS installed. The default directory ("\TCB") will be displayed.
To accept this directory name, press <Enter>.
To enter a different directory name, simply type the backslash
character ("\") and the directory name (following the DOS naming
conventions), pressing <Enter> when you are have finished.
If the directory does not exist on the hard disk you selected, the
INSTALL procedure will prompt you with:
"Directory Not Found. Create New Directory (Y/N):"
Enter "Y" to create the new directory and continue with the INSTALL
procedure or "N" to change the directory name you just entered.
Page 12
TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS!
C. The next prompt asks in which disk drive you will be inserting the
original TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS floppy disks. This is the disk
drive that currently contains the "Install & Samples" disk; either
drive "A" or drive "B".
D. Next, indicate which module(s) you are installing by replacing the
"N" response to the right of the listed module with a "Y". It will
be necessary to press <Enter> each time to step through to the end of
the listing.
The INSTALL procedure will then begin installing those modules you
selected, prompting you to insert the appropriate TAKIN' CARE OF
BUSINESS floppy disk when necessary.
7. After completing the INSTALL procedure, file away the original TAKIN'
CARE OF BUSINESS disks for safe keeping. You should never use the
original disks to run the program.
8. Now, re-boot the computer by using either of the following methods:
A. Hold down both the <Ctrl> and <Alt> keys and press the <Delete> key.
B. Turn off the computer, wait a few seconds for the hard disk to stop,
and then turn the computer on again.
2d - Installing Additional Modules
If you have already been using TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS and just want to install
an additional module(s), follow these instructions:
1. Follow steps 3 through 7 in section 2c above carefully, being sure to
indicate which new modules are being installed.
It will not be necessary to re-boot your computer.
2. After completing the INSTALL procedures, file away the original TAKIN'
CARE OF BUSINESS disks for safe keeping. You should never use the
original disks to run the program.
2e - The CONFIG.SYS File
Many of the programs you run will open several files at once. The DOS default
allows for only 8 FILES and 2 BUFFERS. These default settings are not large
enough and may hang up the program. A CONFIG.SYS file must be in the root
directory of the hard disk drive with the following lines in it:
FILES=20
BUFFERS=20
NOTE: The installation procedure in section 2c above, if used, already added
or modified this file for you.
If you did not use the installation procedure and you do not have a CONFIG.SYS
file, copy the CONFIG.SYS file from the "Install & Samples" disk to the root
directory of your hard disk drive.
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TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS!
If you already have a CONFIG.SYS file in the root directory, make sure it has
at least these values. The values of the files and buffers may be greater
than, but not less than, 20.
NOTE: If you are on a network and are using other memory resident programs
such as multi-tasking or menu software, you may have to increase the
"files" number.
Page 14
TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS!
SECTION THREE - STARTING and RUNNING
3a - Starting TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS
To start the program, do the following:
1. Change to the directory containing the TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS program
files by entering the command:
CD\TCB and press <Enter>.
2. Enter the command:
TCB and press <Enter>.
3. The first screen is the TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS logon notice. Press
any key to continue.
4. The next screen, Figure 3-1 below, is the TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS Main
Menu screen, containing the Main Menu. Note that, centered on the bottom
of the screen, only the default drive is shown - without a path or file-
name. Each time the program is first started, you will get this screen.
From here, you may use and run any of the installed modules by selecting
that module from the Main Menu.
Figure 3-1 Main Menu
5. To select a menu item from any of the menu screens in TAKIN' CARE OF
BUSINESS, use any of these methods:
A. Direct Entry - Type the highlighted letter of the menu item.
B. Highlighting - Highlight the menu item by using the cursor arrow keys,
then press <Enter>.
C. Mouse - Move the mouse cursor over the menu item and click the
"Enter" button.
NOTE: At this point it is suggested, but not required, that you set up the
SYSTEM CONFIGURATION. It should be set up to customize TAKIN' CARE
OF BUSINESS to your hardware and functional purposes. See "Section
Four - System Configuration" for instructions.
Select a menu item of your choice (e.g: "G/l").
3b - Selecting the Disk Drive, Path, and Data File.
After selecting a menu item from the Main Menu, from section 3a, step 5 above,
the following screen appears (the option "G/l" is used here):
Figure 3-2 Select Datafile
NOTE: This screen will only appear if no filename has been previously selected,
or you answered "Y" to the prompt "Do you want to restart?[N]:" when
exiting the program.
Page 15
TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS!
You are now going to tell TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS where to find the data
files you wish to use or create. It is not necessary for your data files to
be in the same directory, or even on the same disk drive, as the program files.
It is important, however, that all your data files be together. To select the
disk drive, path, and filename, do the following:
1. At the "DISK DRIVE:" prompt, enter the disk drive letter that contains
(or will contain) your data files (e.g: C). The default drive letter
will always appear at this prompt.
2. At the "PATH:" prompt, enter the directory name (and sub-directories, if
applicable) that contains (or will contain) your data files (e.g: \TCB).
The default will be \TCB.
To accept this directory name, press <Enter>.
To enter a different directory name, simply type the backslash character
("\") and the directory name (following the DOS naming conventions),
pressing <Enter> when you have finished. This directory name must
already exist on the hard disk drive selected in step 1 above.
3. At the "FILENAME:" prompt, enter the filename of the data file you wish
to use. If any data files exist on the disk drive and path you just
selected, their filenames will appear in a pop-up window on the screen
(Figure 3-3 below). If you want to use a filename that already exists on
the data disk (e.g: "SAMPLE"), select that filename from the pop-up
window. To create a new file, press <Esc>, enter the new filename and
press <Enter>.
Figure 3-3 Select Filename
NOTE: See "Section Nine - Hints and Suggestions" for a way to shorten
this procedure each time you start the program with an existing
filename.
4. The next screen will be the initial menu screen for the Main Menu item
selected in section 3a, step 5 above. Figure 3-4, below, is the screen
displayed if "G/l" is selected from the Main Menu. Other initial menu
screens will look similar.
Figure 3-4 General Ledger Main Menu
3c - The "SAMPLE" File
The "SAMPLE" file, mentioned in section 3b, step 3 above, is included on the
"Install & Samples" disk. It includes typical accounts and various types of
transactions and reports. It may be helpful to familiarize yourself with this
file while you are using TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS, since most people employ
similar types of transactions and reports.
It is important you understand that these sample files are included with the
program exclusively as an instruction tool, and are to be used only to help
those learning to use TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS. PLEASE DO NOT EXPAND THEM FOR
YOUR OWN USE, since the accounts already have balances and several transactions
have already been entered.
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To use the sample files, follow steps in sections 3a and 3b above, selecting
the "SAMPLE" file at the filename prompt.
3d - Create or Clone Your Own Set of Books
This feature allows you to make an exact copy of any TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS
data file accounts that may already exist, without having to re-enter the
initial data. The accounts made with this cloning feature will include any
balances that may exist.
To create or clone your own set of books, do the following:
1. Follow the steps in sections 3a and 3b above, selecting one of the
installed modules whose data you want to clone (e.g: G/l, a/R, a/P, Bill,
Inv, or paYroll).
NOTE: The "G/L" menu item was selected for this example. Selecting a
different menu item will result in different accounts being cloned.
Only those accounts associated with the menu item selected will be
cloned. Therefore, the prompts in the following example may not
exactly match those you see on your screen.
2. At the "Filename:" prompt, press <Esc>, then enter the new filename.
3. At the "Create New File?" prompt, enter Y.
4. At the "Clone an existing Chart of Accounts" prompt, do the following:
A. Answer "N" if you want to create your own set of books
OR
B. Answer "Y" if you want TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS to automatically
create an identical Chart of Accounts and empty Transaction,
Recurring Transaction, and Reconciliation data files for the new
filename.
You will be returned to the Main Menu after making either selection.
3e - Unique Function Keys
<Esc> (Escape Key): Pressing the <Esc> key once will stop any function and
take you back to your previous menu selection. Pressing the <Esc>
key several times will step you back through the menu screens,
eventually exiting the program.
If you are in an input field and do not wish to continue the current
task, pressing the <Esc> key allows you to return to the previous
menu.
If you are already at a menu, pressing the <Esc> key allows you to
return to the previous menu. Selecting <Esc> on the Main Menu is
used to end the program, as well as to select a different filename.
If you would like to abort the printing of a report, you can do so
by pressing the <Esc> key.
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PRINTER PAUSE: When printing reports to the printer or to the disk, you may
"PAUSE" the report printing by pressing any key (except <Esc>) while
the report is still printing. This will cause the printing action to
pause until you press any key to continue. When using this feature,
please remember that some printers have print buffers, which will
continue the printing until this buffer is completely empty. It will
only stop printing at that time.
<F1> (the HELP key): There are two help systems in the program. The first
is a one-line help sentence displayed at the lower left corner of the
screen. The second is a context sensitive help system, meaning the
help screen will display help on the subject you are currently
working on. To receive help at any time, anywhere in the program,
press the <F1> key once and a pop-up window will display an
explanation of the field you are working on. Several of the help
files include cross-references at the bottom of the screen, giving
more detailed help on the subject. A cross-reference may be selected
in any of the following ways:
1. Highlight the cross reference by using the cursor arrow keys,
then press <Enter>.
2. Click the "Enter" button on a mouse when on the cross
reference.
3. If there is only one cross reference, press <Enter>.
You may leave the help message screens by pressing the <Esc> key.
HELP on HELP: Pressing the <F1> key twice will display a listing of the over-
all available help topics, allowing you to select a new area of help.
<F2> KEY: The <F2> key is used to initiate a pop-up account listing. The
default for the pop-up account listing function ("AUTO POP-UP") is
"N", preventing the account listings from popping up automatically.
If you prefer, the "AUTO POP-UP" function can be set to an automatic
mode, whereby an account listing will be displayed automatically,
each time you are at an account number input field.
To set this function to automatic mode, change the setting for "AUTO
POP-UP" to "Y" by following the steps in "4d -Setting the System
Configuration".
NOTE: Setting the "AUTO POP-UP" to "N" will allow faster data input
and program execution.
To select an account from this listing, select the desired account in
any of the following ways:
1. Highlight the account by using the cursor arrow keys, then press
<Enter>.
2. Click the "Enter" button on a mouse when on the account.
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TAKIN'CARE OF BUSINESS!
3. Type the starting number(s) or letter(s) of the account number
(e.g: typing 17 to find any account in the 170000 account number
range). This will move the highlighting bar to the starting
number of the range.
<F10> KEY: By pressing the <F10> key, when "<F10> Done" is displayed at the
bottom of the screen, you will quickly save the information displayed
on the screen by accepting all the displayed input fields. This
allows you to quickly change one or two fields on an input screen
(such as the "Configuration Settings screen) without having to press
<Enter> several times to get to the bottom of the input screen.
To use this function, do the following:
1. When you are finished entering or changing data on an input
screen that has "<F10> Done" displayed at the bottom, press
the <F10> key.
2. At the prompt: "Save Inputs:[Y]:" do the following:
A. Enter "Y" (the default) to save the new or changed data
OR
B. Enter "N" to abort the latest entries and return the cursor
to the first input field of the screen.
Note: Entering an "N" response will not change any data
already saved. If you were changing displayed data
and decided you did not want to change it, entering
"N" will leave the original data intact.
3f - Editing
This section describes the commands recognized by the data input editor. The
two editing modes (Insert and Edit) are covered first, followed by the single-
key commands, and finally the control-key commands.
The two editing modes available from the data input editor are Insert and Edit.
To change from one mode to the other, press the INSERT key. The following
describes how to tell which mode you are in and what that mode does:
INSERT: Identified by a large (fat) cursor and allows insertion of
characters at the position of the cursor.
EDIT: Identified by a small (thin) cursor and allows overtyping of the
characters in the field.
You may use the following single-key commands to quickly and easily move the
cursor around the input screens.
LEFT ARROW: Moves the cursor one character to the left within an input
field.
RIGHT ARROW: Moves the cursor one character to the right within the input
field.
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UP ARROW: Moves the cursor up.
DOWN ARROW: Moves the cursor down.
TAB: Moves the cursor to the next input field.
SHIFT-TAB: Moves the cursor to the prior input field.
HOME: Moves the cursor to the beginning of the current input field.
END: Moves the cursor to the end of the current input field.
DELETE: Removes a single character at the location of the cursor and
moves the remaining right portion of the field one space to the
left.
BACKSPACE: Removes a single character immediately to the left of the cursor
and moves the remaining right portion of the field one space to
the left.
ENTER: Accepts the current entry in the field and moves to the next
input field.
ESC: Will abandon the current screen and take you back to the prior
screen.
PLUS KEY (+) Will increment to the next value on multiple-choice fields
or SPACE BAR: (e.g: Printer Port Selection).
The following control-key editing commands may be entered by holding down the
<Ctrl> key and pressing the indicated key:
CTRL-Y Removes the contents of the current field.
or SPACE BAR:
CTRL-R: Restores the contents of the current field.
CTRL-HOME: Removes the contents of the field from the beginning of the
field to the cursor.
CTRL-END: Removes the contents of the field from the cursor to the end
of the field.
CTRL-PGUP: Moves the cursor to the first input field on the screen.
CTRL-PGDN: Moves the cursor to the last input field on the screen.
3g - Drop to DOS
At any time while in TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS, you may temporarily leave the
program, dropping to the DOS prompt to perform DOS commands, and then return
to the same place within the program.
To drop to DOS: Hold down the <Alt> key and press "D".
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To return to the program: Enter the command: EXIT and press <Enter>.
NOTE: DO NOT TURN OFF YOUR COMPUTER OR LOAD ANY MEMORY RESIDENT PROGRAMS
WHILE DROPPED TO DOS. Loading a memory resident program will corrupt
your open data files. Turning off your computer will lock your open
data files.
3h - Module Hot Key
This feature allows you to quickly exit one module and enter another module,
without waiting for the Main Menu to re-load into memory.
To use the hot key: Hold down the <Alt> key and select the module to be entered
using the Direct Entry method (type the highlighted letter of the Main Menu).
NOTE: You must be at the Main Menu of the module for this feature to work.
For example, if you were already in the General Ledger module and wanted to
enter the Accounts Receivable module, press the <Esc> key until you are at the
General Ledger Main Menu, then hold down the <Alt> key and press "R".
3i - Using a Mouse
You may use a mouse, instead of direct entry or highlighting with the cursor
arrow keys, for making selections from the menus, filename listings, pop-up
account listings, or prompts that require a single keystroke.
To make a selection:
1. Move the mouse cursor to the selection in the menu.
2. Press (click) the left button on the mouse.
Note: Pressing and releasing a button on a mouse is called "clicking"
the mouse.
When you are on a multiple choice field, such as "Printer Port" on the
"Configuration Settings" screen, clicking the left button of the mouse will
increment the choices in the field.
When editing input fields, move the mouse cursor to the field you wish to edit
and click the left button on the mouse. There are two basic types of "mice"
currently available, two-button and three-button. The following is an
explanation of the buttons for each type of mouse.
Two-Button The right button is for <Esc>.
Mouse: The left button is for <Enter>.
Pressing both buttons at the same time will display the context
sensitive HELP system (same as pressing the <F1> key) for the
field you are currently working on.
Three-Button The right button is for <Esc>.
Mouse: The left or middle button is for <Enter>.
Pressing both the left and right buttons at the same time will
display the context sensitive HELP system (same as pressing the
<F1> key) for the field you are currently working on.
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SECTION FOUR - SYSTEM CONFIGURATION
4a - The Configuration Menu
The Configuration Menu contains selections important to the overall set-up and
performance of TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS. It allows the creation or change of
the system date, report-heading names, the system configuration, passwords,
screen colors, and sounds. It also has a built-in utility for backing up your
data files.
NOTE: To activate your changes, you must return to the Main Menu.
To enter the Configuration Menu, select "Config" from the Main Menu. Figure
4-1 below will be displayed.
NOTE: If you get the "SELECT DATAFILE" screen instead, you did not select a
data file to configure. Refer to section 3b - Selecting the Drive,
Path, and Data File for instructions on this screen, then return to this
section to continue with the configuration.
Figure 4-1 Configuration Menu
Following are detailed explanations of each menu choice.
4b - Setting the System Date
Setting the date is necessary if you did not set the date at the time you
powered up your computer, using the DOS "Date" command. The date is set
automatically if your computer is equipped with an internal clock/calendar.
This is the date which will appear on your screen and on your printed reports.
If your computer does not set the date automatically, you should set a new
date every time you run TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS or all your data will have the
incorrect date. The system date is shown in the lower right corner of the
screen, using the default format of mm-dd-yy. To change this format, refer to
Section 4d - Setting the System Configuration: DATE MASK.
NOTE: Changing the date here will also change the date of your internal system
clock.
To set or change the System Date, do the following:
1. Select "Config" from the Main Menu (if not already done).
2. Select "System Date" from the Configuration Menu.
The following screen appears:
Figure 4-2 Change Date
3. At the "DATE:" prompt, type the desired date, following the format shown
in the lower right corner of the screen, and press <Enter>.
4. To leave the Configuration Menu, press <Esc>.
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4c - Setting the Report Heading Name
The "Report Heading Name" is a two-line name and can be used to reflect a
company name. Each line will hold up to 30 characters. The first line will
always appear centered at the top of the Main Menu Screen and both lines will
appear at the top of all reports. Creating or changing a name here will not
change your data filename.
To change the Report Heading Names, do the following:
1. Select "Config" from the Main Menu (if not already done).
2. Select "Report Heading Name" from the Configuration Menu.
The following window appears:
Figure 4-3 Change Report Heading Name
3. At the "Report Heading 1:" prompt, type the new first line report heading
(also for the top of the screen) and press <Enter>.
4. At the "Report Heading 2:" prompt, type any additional information you
would like to appear on the second line of the report title and press
<Enter>. Leaving this line blank will leave the second line of the
report title blank.
5. To leave the Configuration Menu, press <Esc>.
4d - Setting the System Configuration
For your convenience, the system configuration settings are pre-defined and do
not need to be changed to use the program. They may be changed at any time,
depending on your preference or the type of hardware you have.
To change the System Configuration, do the following:
1. Select "Config" from the Main Menu (if not already done).
2. Select "System Configuration" from the Configuration Menu.
A pop-up window, figure 4-4 below, will appear with the default
filename shown (e.g: SAMPLE).
Figure 4-4 Select Configuration File
3. Press <Enter> to accept the default filename
OR
At the "FILENAME:" prompt, enter the name of the file you want to
reconfigure and press <Enter>. You will be in this file to make any
changes you like; however, after you leave the configuration, you will be
returned to the file used when starting the program. The following
screen appears:
Figure 4-5 Configuration Settings
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A full explanation of each field is listed below.
DATE MASK - The format you select here will be the way the date is displayed
at the lower right corner of the screen, printed on the reports and date
input fields. The default is set to a mm-dd-yy format with a dash as
the separators (e.g: 03-05-90 for March 5, 1990). It can display any
combination (dd-mm-yy, yy-mm-dd, mm-yyyy, mm-dd) and can display the
month and day without the year. The separator may be a dash "-", a
period ".", or any other symbol of your choice.
mm = month
dd = day
yy = year
Type the format of your choice and press <Enter>.
TIME MASK - The format you select here will be the way the time is displayed
at the lower right corner of the screen. The default is set to a
hh:mm:sste format. This displays every digit including "am" and "pm".
hh = hours
mm = minutes
ss = seconds
t = a or p
e = m
Notice in the above example, the time format is in lower case letters,
allowing any leading zeros to be displayed (e.g: 09:04:02am). Using
upper-case letters will eliminate any leading zeros (e.g: 9: 4: 2am).
If you want the leading zero dropped from only the hours, use upper case
for the hours and lower case for the rest of the format (e.g: HH:mm:sste
for 9:04:02am). It is important that the double-letter format be used,
otherwise the time displayed will show only one digit, even for a
double-digit hour, minute, or second.
Using the "te" at the end of the time format allows the "am" or "pm" to
be displayed. If only the single letter "a" and "p" is desired, enter
only the letter "t" (the letter "e" cannot stand alone). Eliminating
the "te" will display the time in a 24-hour (military) format.
Type the format of your choice and press <Enter>.
ERROR SOUNDS ON - Entering a "Y" (Yes) will enable a tone to alert you of an
entry error or if a requested file cannot be found. Entering an "N"
(No) will inhibit the tone. This selection does not affect any other
sounds. The default is "Y".
WINDOW SOUNDS ON - Entering a "Y" (Yes) will enable a rising tone when an
exploding window opens, and a falling tone each time an exploding window
closes. Entering an "N" (No) will inhibit these tones. This selection
has no effect if Exploding Windows are set to "N" (see below). The
default is "N".
EXPLODING WINDOWS - Exploding windows start from the center of the screen
and explode outward. If this feature is not desired, answer "N" (No)
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TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS!
and the windows will pop up rather than explode. The default is "Y"
(Yes).
NOTE: Answering "N" will allow faster program execution.
AUTO POP-UP - Enter a "Y" (Yes) if you would like automatic pop-up of any
account listing each time the input field is an account number. Enter
an "N" (No) if you would like manual pop-up of the account listing,
using the <F2> key, each time the input field is an account number. The
default is "N".
PRINT ZERO BALANCE - Answer "Y" (Yes) if zero balance accounts are to be
included on reports. Answering "N" (No) will not include zero balance
accounts on reports. The default is "Y".
NOTE: The program will not print an account with a zero balance if ALL
of the following conditions apply:
1. The account beginning balance was zero.
2. No transactions occurred for that account during the
month(s) requested for the report.
3. The account ending balance is zero.
4. "Print Zero Balance:" (above) is set to "N".
PAUSE BETWEEN PAGES - Answer "Y" (Yes) if you want to feed single sheets of
paper, one at a time, to the printer; or if you want the printer to
pause between pages. Answer "N" (No) when using continuous-feed paper,
a cut-sheet feeder, or a paper tray that allows single sheets to be fed
to the printer without interruption (like those used on the HP LaserJet
series of printers). The default is "N".
NOTE: Answering "N" will allow faster printing.
NETWORK SUPPORT - If you do not have the Network version of TAKIN' CARE OF
BUSINESS, this feature is hard-coded as "N" (No) and cannot be changed.
The Network version does allow this field to be changed. If you have
the Network version but want to run the program as a single, "stand-
alone" computer, set this field to "N". This field must be set to "Y"
(Yes) to allow for file sharing on a network. See Section Five -
"Network Version" for more information.
DECIMAL CHARACTER - This feature was developed for those countries using a
comma instead of a period for the decimal character. Enter the
character you would like to have appear ("," "." or "N" for no decimal
character). The decimal character appears on all reports and when
entering amount data. The default is the "." (period).
PRINTER PORT - This is a multiple-choice field incremented by pressing the
<SPACE BAR> or the <+> key on the keyboard, or the left button on a
mouse. When you have selected the port code that corresponds with the
printer connection, press the <Enter> key. The default is LPT1. Avail-
able choices are:
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TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS!
Parallel Port Serial Port
LPT1 COM1
LPT2 COM2
PRN COM3
LST COM4
LINES PER PAGE - This refers to the number of lines the printer can print on
a single sheet of paper. An 8½" x 11" page usually has 66 lines,
printing at six lines per inch (LPI). To figure the total lines per
page, multiply the length of the paper (in inches) by the number of
lines per inch the printer is set to print (usually six). The result is
the figure you enter here (usually 66). This allows the program to know
the physical length of the paper in the printer. The actual lines
printed on a page are determined by the top and bottom margin settings.
It is very important that the printer settings you have set into your
printer (via DIP switches or default settings) match the settings you
enter here. If the printer settings are not the same as the settings
here, you will experience difficulty with page alignment. The default
is 66.
NOTE: The HP LaserJet series of printers should have a page length of 60
for standard 8½" x 11" paper.
TOP MARGIN - Enter here the number of lines from the top of the page you
want left blank, before the printer starts printing. The default is 1.
BOTTOM MARGIN - Enter here the number of lines from the bottom of the page
you want left blank, after the printer stops printing. The default is 2.
WIDE CARRIAGE - A wide carriage printer allows the use of 14" wide paper.
Answering "Y" (Yes) will, in effect, move the right margin from the
standard 8½" setting to a 14" setting. This will allow use of the
entire width of the paper when printing trended reports. This setting
does not change the font size. Answering "N" (No) will keep all
printing within the 8½" width. The default is "N".
INIT STRING - (Optional Field) - (Usually left blank) This allows a special
set-up string to be sent to the printer when running TAKIN' CARE OF
BUSINESS. It may be used to change the printer font, move the left
margin, etc. All inputs are numbers from 0 to 255. Refer to your
printer manual for the proper ASCII codes to use. The default is blank.
FORMS INIT STRING - (Optional Field) - (Usually left blank) The input for
these fields are the escape sequences that change the printer modes,
when using pre-printed forms. It is usually used to turn off special
modes established in the INIT STRING above. All inputs are numbered
from 0 to 255. Refer to your printer manual for the proper ASCII codes
to use. The default is blank.
NORMAL - These fields tell the printer to print in a 10- character-per-inch
mode. If you have an Epson or compatible printer, enter "18" in the
first field. The default is blank.
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COMPRESSED - These fields tell the printer to print in a 17-character-per-
inch mode. If you have an Epson or compatible printer, enter "15" in
the first field. The default is blank.
EXIT STRING - (Optional Field) - (Usually left blank) This field is used to
reset the printer after printing is complete. If the "INIT STRING"
field was not used, then this field should also be left blank. The
default is blank.
When you have completed all changes, save the new configuration by doing the
following:
1. Press <F10>.
2. At the "Inputs correct:[Y]:" prompt answer "Y".
3. Leave the Configuration Menu by selecting "Leave Configuration" or by
pressing <Esc>.
NOTE: To activate the changes, you must first return to the Main Menu.
Four sample configuration files are on the "Install and Samples" disk. Any of
these files can be copied to your data directory and renamed to "????.CNF",
where the "????" is the name of your data file. Use of these files is not
necessary unless you are having printer problems. Select whichever file
matches your printer's brand name. The default settings in the program are
designed to work generically with many printers. These configuration
filenames are:
EPSON.CNF HP-LASER.CNF HP2LASER.CNF PROWRITE.CNF
NOTE: The HP-LASER.CNF file is used with the HP LaserJet printer and the
HP2LASER.CNF file is used with the HP LaserJet Series II or III printers.
4e - Create, Change, or Delete Passwords
Passwords are used to protect confidential data from use by any unauthorized
users. Each password is created by the user, can contain up to 8 characters,
appears on the screen only at the time it is created (not when entered later),
cannot be bypassed, and may be changed at any time by any user that knows the
current password. TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS allows you two levels of password
protection for each of the following modules: General Ledger, Accounts
Receivable, Accounts Payable, Point Of Sale/Invoicing, Payroll, Financial
Utilities, and Account Reconciliation.
Each of these modules can have protection from:
1. "Access to Module" (the first level). This level allows full use of all
the functions of the module except the viewing/printing of reports.
2. "Access to Reports" (the second level). This level allows full use of all
the functions of the module.
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NOTE: It is not necessary for the authorized user to enter BOTH the first and
second level passwords in order to print reports from a password-
protected module. Correctly entering just the second level password
("Access to Reports") will allow the user access to all the functions of
the module.
WARNING
SHOULD YOU FORGET ANY OF THE PASSWORDS THAT YOU CREATED, YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE
TO ENTER THAT AREA OR CHANGE THE PASSWORD.
It will be necessary for you to send a copy of your data files, along with an
explanation as to which password(s) are to be removed, to Hooper International,
Inc. Our address may be found at the bottom of the title page of this manual.
To create, change, or delete one or more passwords, do the following:
1. Select "Config" from the Main Menu (if not already done).
2. Select "Passwords Menu" from the Configuration Menu.
The following screen appears:
Figure 4-6 Passwords Menu
3. From the "Passwords Menu", select the module whose password is to be
created, changed, or deleted, by doing the following:
a. Type the highlighted letter of the module.
b. Highlight the module by using the cursor arrow keys, then press
<Enter>.
c. Click the "Enter" button on a mouse when on the module.
NOTE: Only installed modules with data files (shown in brighter video)
will allow password protection.
The "G/L Passwords" choice was selected for the following explanation.
Figure 4-7 G/L Passwords
4. Select "Access to Module" to create, change, or delete the password
allowing access to the module without access to reports
OR
Select "Access to Reports" to create, change, or delete the password
allowing access to the module and access to reports.
The following screen appears:
Figure 4-8 Change Password
5. At the "Old Password:" prompt, do either:
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TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS!
A. To create a password for the first time, there is no old password, so
leave this field blank and press <Enter>.
OR
B. To change or delete an existing password, enter the old (existing)
password here and press <Enter>.
NOTE: Your password will appear on the screen only once, when creating
the new password. Other than this first entry, your password will
NEVER appear on the screen. It is STRONGLY recommended that you
choose a password that is easy to remember.
It is very important that the password spelling be correct. As each
character of the password is typed, a dot will appear on the
screen. Failure to spell the old password correctly will result in
the prompt: INVALID ENTRY.
When changing or deleting a password: if the password you entered is
correct, the cursor will move to the "New Password" field, displaying the
password you just entered. If the password you entered is incorrect, you
will not be allowed to continue this procedure.
6. "New Password:" - Enter the new password here, then press <Enter>. Be
sure the spelling is correct. Figure 4-8 is adding the new password
"TEST" to allow access to the G/L module.
NOTE: If you want to create a password for both levels of the same
module, you will need to do this procedure twice - once for each
password.
7. When you are finished creating, changing, or deleting your password(s),
press <Esc> twice to return to the Configuration Menu.
4f - Setting Screen Colors
If you have a color monitor/display adapter, TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS will
automatically display all screens in color (provided the default settings were
not changed). If you have a VGA monochrome monitor/display adapter, TAKIN'
CARE OF BUSINESS will display all screens in up to 16 shades of gray (provided
the default settings were not changed).
To change the colors, do the following:
1. Select "Config" from the Main Menu (if not already done).
2. Select "Screen Colors" from the Configuration Menu.
3. At the "Filename:" prompt, enter the filename of the file you wish to
change and press <Enter>. The default is the currently loaded filename
(e.g: SAMPLE).
The following menu appears:
Figure 4-9 Colors Configuration Menu
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TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS!
There are eighteen color selections available from this menu, allowing up
to 3,000 different color choices. The following is a brief explanation
of each:
Main Screen Color: sets colors for the main background screen, which
is always shown.
Reports Screen Color: sets colors for the Reports and Graphics screens.
Error Window Colors: sets colors of the window that appears when an
entry error has been made or a file cannot be found.
Input Window Colors: sets colors of all input field windows.
Select-Acct Window Colors: sets colors of the pop-up account listings
and filename windows.
Main Menu Colors: sets colors of the Main Menu screen.
G/L Menu Colors: sets colors of the G/L module menu.
Config Menu Colors: sets colors of the Configuration module menu.
Fin Utilities Menu Colors: sets colors of the Financial Utilities
module menu.
A/R Menu Colors: sets colors of the Accounts Receivable module menu.
Point Of Sale Menu Colors: sets colors of the Point Of Sale/Invoicing
module menu.
A/P Menu Colors: sets colors of the Accounts Payable module menu.
Payroll Menu Colors: sets colors of the Payroll module menu.
Inventory Menu Color: sets colors of the Inventory module menu.
Acct Rec Menu Colors: sets colors of the Account Reconciliation module
menu.
Help Screen Colors: sets colors of the Help screen.
Reset to defaults - Color: resets all colors to the program's default
colors.
Reset to defaults - B&W: resets the color configuration for a mono-
chrome monitor.
4. Select which color configuration you want to change (e.g: Main Menu
Colors). The following menu appears:
Figure 4-10 Main Menu Colors
5. Select the part of the Main Menu Colors you want to change (e.g: Window
Body Colors). The following screen appears:
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Figure 4-11 Setting Window Body Colors
NOTE: Due to printing constraints, the colors mentioned here are not
visible in this manual. Please follow these instructions while
viewing the screens on a color monitor.
The eight horizontal color bars in the "Body" window represent the
BACKGROUND colors. The 16 colored diamonds in each color bar represent
the TEXT colors that will appear over the background color. The small,
white rectangle is the cursor. If you move the cursor, you will see a
square box that indicates the current setting. The brighter colored
diamonds on the right half of the window represent brighter, or more
intensified, text colors than the diamonds on the left half of the window.
To change the colors of your selection, do the following:
A. Move the cursor up or down to the color bar of your choice for
BACKGROUND color.
B. Move the cursor left or right until it covers the diamond of your
color choice for TEXT color. Notice the cursor changes to the
text color, indicating how the text color choice will look over
the background color.
C. Press <Enter> to set the selection.
6. When you have completed all changes, save the new configuration by doing
the following:
A. Press <F10>.
B. At the "Inputs correct:[Y]:" prompt answer "Y".
C. Leave the Configuration Menu by selecting "Leave Configuration" or
by pressing <Esc>.
NOTE: To activate your changes, you must first return to the Main Menu.
4g - Backing Up Data Files
Making daily copies of your LIVE data files is highly recommended for your own
protection. Should there ever be a power outage or fluctuation, or a hard
disk crash; having a useable copy of your data files on a floppy disk is your
only protection from data loss (your only loss would be the current day's data
already entered). We strongly encourage you to make a copy of your data files
at the end of each day, using this back-up function. We also recommend that
you have more than one back up disk so you can rotate the disks (one for each
day of the week). These back-up disks should be blank, formatted disks
labeled "BACKUP DISK FOR", followed by the filename of your data files. The
back-up program will back up only the data files of the file you are currently
in.
TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS employs an intelligent back up program scheme, whereby
the back up program will copy to the floppy disk the largest data file (of the
data files to be backed up) first. Then it checks the remaining space on the
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TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS!
floppy disk and copies the next largest data file, only if that data file will
fit on the floppy. If the second data file is too large, it skips to the
third-largest data file and tries to copy it. The program continues to do
this until all the data files have been copied to the floppy disk or the
floppy disk becomes full. Those data files that are successfully copied to
the floppy disk are marked by the back-up program, so it can keep track of
which data files still need to be copied. Should the floppy disk become full,
the back-up program advises you to remove the floppy disk and insert another
one.
NOTE: The only limitation in the back-up program is if the first data file is
larger than the available space on the floppy disk being used for the
back up. If this is the case, the back-up program will "loop", telling
you "insufficient space on the disk" each time a back-up attempt is
made. Press <Esc> to end this function.
To overcome this limitation, we recommend you try these steps in the
order listed. Run the back-up procedure after each step:
1. Be sure you are using a totally-blank floppy disk.
2. Use larger capacity floppy disks, if possible. If you are using a
360K floppy disk, use a 1.2Meg instead. If you are using a 750K
floppy, use a 1.44Meg instead.
3. Use either the DOS "Backup" command or use a third party file
archive program to reduce the size of the data file.
To make a back-up copy of your data files, do the following:
1. Select "Backup Datafiles" from the Configuration Menu. The following
screen appears:
Figure 4-12 Datafile Back Up
2. At the "BACKUP DISK DRIVE:" prompt, enter the disk drive letter of the
drive where the floppy disk will be inserted. The program defaults to
drive A.
3. Follow the screen prompt by inserting a BLANK, FORMATTED disk in the
drive you selected in step 2.
4. Press any key to start the back-up procedure.
As mentioned above, if the floppy disk is not large enough to hold all the
data files, the back-up program will advise you to insert another disk in the
drive. BE SURE IT IS A BLANK, FORMATTED DISK.
To leave the Configuration Menu, do the following:
1. Back out of the layered configuration menus by pressing <Esc> or by
selecting the highlighted letter in the "Leave..." selection.
2. At the "Save inputs:[Y]:" prompt, answer "Y" by pressing <Enter>. The
default is "Y".
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SECTION FIVE - NETWORK VERSION
The Network Version of TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS allows a group of computers to
use the program files from a single master computer, called a server. In
order to do this, all computers on the network must be configured properly and
some of the TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS program files must be protected. Follow
the instructions below to ensure error-free performance from TAKIN' CARE OF
BUSINESS.
5a - The DOS "SHARE" File
The DOS "SHARE.EXE" file, found in DOS version 3.0 and later, provides for
file sharing on a network. Add this file to the CONFIG.SYS file of the
network server. Failure to do so will result in file-in-use conflicts and can
lead to damaged or corrupted program and data files.
5b - Setting File Attributes
You need to set the file attributes of the TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS program
files to "read-only"; allowing multiple users to have access to a file, yet
maintaining that file's integrity. Your network software may provide a
utility or specific command to set file attributes, or you may use the DOS
"ATTRIB" command to do this procedure.
From DOS, set the file attributes to "read-only" access for all of the TAKIN'
CARE OF BUSINESS program files (located within the TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS
shared directory) ending with the following extensions:
.EXE
.COM
.OVR
.CHN
5c - Re-Boot Warning
It is imperative that all users on the network be aware that if they re-boot
their computer for any reason, while actively using the TAKIN' CARE OF
BUSINESS program, they will not be able to re-start the program from their
computer. Instead, the following error message will be displayed:
Data file in use - try again later
To correct this, follow these steps:
1. Have all current users of TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS exit out of the program
in the proper way.
2. From the DOS prompt, call up a directory listing of the files in the
directory containing the TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS program files. Verify
that [filename].USE exists. Delete this file. You can now re-start the
program.
WARNING: DO NOT DO THIS PROCEDURE WHILE ANY USERS ARE RUNNING TAKIN' CARE OF
BUSINESS.
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TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS!
SECTION SIX - BRIEF DESCRIPTION of MODULES
6a - The General Ledger Module
The TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS General Ledger module is a menu-driven, double-
entry bookkeeping system which is suitable for small/medium business use.
Although it is easy to use, you must have at least a basic understanding of
double-entry (debits and credits) bookkeeping.
The General Ledger module keeps track of assets, liabilities, net worth,
capital, income and expenses. It also assists the user in spotting financial
trends. The program records transactions, categorizes them into various
accounts, and generates a complete range of financial reports and graphs.
In addition to being a powerful management tool for the small/medium business;
this module assists you, the business person, in the tasks necessary to keep
track of your financial standing. It performs day-to-day functions such as
monitoring the balances of bank accounts, credit cards, loans, etc. Further-
more, this module tracks how closely you are adhering to a budget. It can
document all of your assets, thus providing a backup record for insurance
purposes. The General Ledger module also provides a record of earnings and
expenses, in order to assist you in preparing your income tax paperwork.
The outstanding bookkeeping features in the General Ledger module include
the following:
Account Maintenance
Stores up to 1999 accounts
Maintains detailed lists of all you own and owe
Allows six-digit account numbers
Tracks departmental income and expenses
Keeps multiple sets of books
Provides three subtotal levels
Tracks monthly budget for income and expense
Transaction Recording
On-the-fly check writing
Sorts by date or order of input
Recurring (monthly, semi-monthly, biweekly, and weekly)
Allows easy correction or deletion
Allows input from non-current day, month, or year
Permits multiple debits and credits
Provides seven-digit check number field
Unlimited number per year (dependent on disk space)
Financial Report Availability
Allows reports by month, quarter, or year
Provides summary or trended reports
Provides full range of financial reports
Gives percent of income on Income Statement
Fiscal Year Tasks
Performs all closing entries automatically
Allows variable fiscal year or accounting period
Sets beginning balances automatically for new accounting
period
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TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS!
Graphics capability
Creates Pie, Bar, or Line Graphs of account balances.
6b - The Accounts Receivable Module
The TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS Accounts Receivable module provides a simple way
to keep track of all your customer receivables. It allows you to set up and
bill customers, using balance-forward accounting, by printing statements which
show all outstanding activity.
Some of the outstanding features of the Accounts Receivable module include
the following:
Allows up to 2000 customers
Calculates finance charges and sales tax
Unlimited number of transactions per year
Provides printing of:
Customer address labels
Statements for window envelopes
Custom message on monthly statements
Balance-forward accounting
Memo transactions accepted
Post-dated transactions allowed
Miscellaneous debits and credits
Prior period adjustments allowed
Prior period information on-line
Complete reports include:
Customer Invoices
Multiple G/L distributions
Recurring transactions
Non-posted Transaction Journal
Customer Accounts List
G/L Distribution Report
Accounts Receivable Journal
Receivable Aging Report
Schedule of Receivables
Balance Forward Statements
When using balance-forward accounting, only the transactions for the statement
period you select are shown. Outstanding balances from a prior period are
shown only as a single Beginning Balance amount. You may, at any time, print
a statement for a prior period and see all detail for that period.
All reports can be printed or displayed on the screen at any time, and any
number of times, for fast on-line account information.
Posting does not have to be completed in order to see account balances. It
must be completed in order to update your General Ledger. Since the posting
system is "smart", you may post any number of times in one month, without any
errors.
The Accounts Receivable module is fully integrated into your General Ledger
module, and all G/L accounts are easily updated by pressing one key.
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TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS!
In short, the Accounts Receivable module is one of the easiest-to-use, error-
free ways to help you track all customer receivable accounts. And like other
TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS modules, you needn't be an accountant in order to use
Accounts Receivable.
6c - The Accounts Payable Module
The TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS Accounts Payable module provides a great way to
keep track of all of your vendor payables. The module is an essential element
in managing your cash flow. Vendor information and balances are always avail-
able through on-line features. This easy-to-use module will greatly enhance
your ability to track and pay vendors on time. Multiple distribution and full
integration into your General Ledger will save you hours of time, effort and
money.
Following are some of the outstanding features of the Accounts Payable
module:
Unlimited transactions per year
Manual checks allowed
Selection of payments by discount, due date or vendor
Easy correction/deletion of transactions
Computer generated checks
Input of miscellaneous debits and credits
Allows up to 2,000 vendors
Prior period adjustments allowed
Pre- or post-date transactions
Full integration with your G/L
Use of window envelopes for checks
Use of continuous-form or laser-form checks
Complete reports include:
Accounts Payable Journal
Open Invoices
Vendor Accounts List
Payable Aging
Recurring Transactions
Payments Journal
Cash Requirements
Schedule of Payables
Sorted Vendor labels
Vendor Account History
Non-posted Transactions
G/L Distribution Report
This module will automate the payment of all invoices. You will never miss
another discount or due date, thus saving your company money. All checks
can be printed by computer, thus saving hours of check-writing time as well.
Manual check writing is also supported.
All reports (except checks) can be printed or displayed on the screen for fast
on-line account information. All reports can be printed or displayed any
number of times and at any time.
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TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS!
Posting to the General Ledger does not have to be completed in order to see
account balances or write checks. It must be completed, however, in order
to update your General Ledger accounts. Since the posting system is "smart",
you may post any number of times in one month, without any double posting
errors.
The Accounts Payable module is fully integrated into your General Ledger
module, and all G/L accounts are easily updated by pressing one key.
This is one of the easiest and error-free ways to track vendor balances and
pay invoices on time. Like the other TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS modules, you
needn't be an accountant to use Accounts Payable.
6d - The Point Of Sale/Invoicing Module
TO BE RELEASED - OCTOBER 1990
6e - The Inventory Module
TO BE RELEASED - SEPTEMBER 1990
6f - The Payroll Module
Managing your payroll is now simple! TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS' payroll module
gives you comprehensive, accurate payroll-related information on as many as
1,000 employees.
This easy-to-learn, easy-to-use module provides a very efficient way for you
to record important employee information, such as hire dates, earnings,
deductions, vacations, sick leave, overtime, holidays, extra income and
deductions.
It also automatically calculates employee deductions and employer liabilities,
prints payroll checks and W-2 forms, supports both hourly and salaried
employees (paid either weekly, biweekly, semi-monthly, or monthly) and is
fully-integrated into the General Ledger module.
Features include:
Multiple state tax tables
401K plan
Automatic federal and most state tax deductions
User modifiable tax tables
Tip calculations
Manual check writing
Easy correction/deletion of transactions
Two overtime categories
Printing of continuous form or laser form checks
Tracking of monthly employer tax liabilities
Ability to manually override all calculations
Can generate a complete range of reports including:
W-2 Statements
Vacation and Sick Report
Check Register
General Ledger Distribution
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TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS!
Payroll Journal
Payroll Register
Non-Posted Transactions
Employee Listings
Paid Payroll Recap
Quarterly Tax Summary
Employee address labels
As with all TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS modules, you need not be an accountant in
order to use Payroll.
6g - The Financial Utilities Module
The Financial Utilities module allows you to make common financial
calculations with minimal effort and time. The functions included in this
module are as follows:
LOAN ANALYSIS: Payments, original loan amounts, interest rates,
terms, and amortization schedules.
DEPRECIATION: Straight line, straight percent, declining balance,
sum-of-the-years-digits, ACRS, MACRS, and
alternate MACRS methods.
INVESTMENTS: Present and future value of annuities, internal rate
of return, net present value, bond price, and bond
yield to maturity.
Examples of some basic Financial Utilities functions are:
A monthly loan payment can be quickly calculated using any interest rate, over
any time period. It is a wonderfully useful tool when thinking about
purchasing a car, a boat, or a house with borrowed money; and wanting to know
what the cost per month would be. You are able to quickly compare different
monthly payments for loans of different interest rates, loan amounts, and
payment terms. All options are available to you at a glance.
The Loan-Amortization Schedule will show you what your loan payments will be,
as described above. It will take that payment figure and calculate how much
of your payment is going to principle, how much is going to interest, and what
the remaining balance on the loan is. You will be able to see the balance on
a loan after each month's payment or during the life of regular mortgages.
The Depreciation Schedule creates a report of what the yearly depreciation of
an asset is. It takes into account the purchase price of the product, its
salvage value, and the useful life of the asset. With this easy-to-use
function, the calculated depreciation expense can easily be entered into your
asset and expense accounts; without any unnecessary educated guesses as to
what the amount of depreciation for that year should be.
The Present Value calculation will take a monthly payment for an annuity, and
calculate the present value (its worth today) of that amount. One usage is if
you bought a car and took out a four-year loan at 12% interest. The payment
is $263.34 per month, but you can't remember what the loan amount was. The
answer: $10,000.
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The Future Value calculation will take a monthly payment amount and calculate
the future value of that amount. An example might be your IRA retirement fund
- you want to know how much you will have to retire on. For example: If you
put $166.67 per month (a total of $2,000 per year) into an IRA account, which
earned 10% interest per year, after 30 years (360 months) you would have
$178,381.53.
There is no doubt that you will have great fun discovering how much money you
saved, or spent, by using these easy-to-follow Financial Utilities calcu-
lations. Furthermore, you will now have the pleasure of knowing the financial
effect of decision making, before you make the decisions; and perhaps more
importantly, before you speak to your banker.
6h - The Account Reconciliation Module
The Account Reconciliation module has been created to help you by automating
the balancing of your checkbook. It can also help you to monitor and balance
your credit card statements.
This module will keep track of all transactions for a particular account or
group of accounts. It will show which transactions have "cleared", or are
included in the balance on your bank statement, and which transactions remain
outstanding. This helpful feature provides a perfect method for balancing
your checking account statements, as well as any loan or charge-card
statements which you may have.
With this effective and time-saving module, you will be able to balance
statements easily and efficiently, without spending the usual time-consuming
hours trying to figure out where you are out of balance. Moreover, if your
checking account happens to be out of balance, the Account Reconciliation will
tell you the exact amount you are off. This reconciliation process is simple,
since all data required for reconciliation is entered when you are entering
ordinary, everyday transactions; making any additional data inputs unnecessary.
You will also see which transactions (deposits, payments, credits, etc.) your
financial institution does not have in its statement-of-account balance, but
you have entered in yours. Consequently, you may balance and verify your
accounts, quickly and simply, each time you receive a financial statement.
The Account Reconciliation module also provides the option to print a listing
of outstanding transactions on a particular account. Comparing this listing
to your statement(s) will help you to discover any discrepancies.
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TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS!
SECTION SEVEN - BASIC ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLES
In this section, we would like to give you a basic overview of basic
accounting principles. Most of the examples in this section refer to various
kinds business transactions.
7a - Accounting Elements
To have complete accounting records, all transactions and events that affect
the basic accounting elements must be recorded. The basic accounting elements
are ASSETS, LIABILITIES, and CAPITAL or EQUITY. These elements are defined
below:
ASSETS: Items of value that are owned by the business or by the individual.
Examples are money, accounts receivable, merchandise, furniture,
machinery, real estate, and land.
LIABILITIES: The debts of a person or business. Examples are accounts
payable, taxes payable, bank loans, and notes to creditors.
CAPITAL/EQUITY: The amount by which assets exceed liabilities. The word
"equity", in this sense, means "interest in". The terms proprietorship,
net worth, and capital are all synonymous with owner's equity. If no
liabilities exist, the owner's equity is equal to the total amount of
assets.
7b - The Accounting Equation
The relationship between the three basic accounting elements can be expressed
in the following equation:
ASSETS = LIABILITIES + CAPITAL/EQUITY
In order to increase equity in the business, the owner must either increase
the assets without increasing the liabilities or decrease the liabilities
without decreasing the assets. In order to increase the assets and equity
without investing more money, the business must operate at a profit (profit
and loss is described later).
Following are examples of the affect of transactions on the accounting
equation:
1. An increase in an asset, offset by an increase in an equity. For
example: opening a bank account with a deposit of $5,000. As a result
of this transaction, the assets are increased. Since no liabilities are
involved, the equity also increases by the same amount.
ASSETS = LIABILITIES + CAPITAL/EQUITY
$5,000 $0 $5,000
cash owner's equity
2. An increase in an asset offset by an increase in a liability. For
example: The purchase of office equipment for $4,000 on 30-day credit.
This results in an increase in an asset and an increase in an accounts-
payable liability.
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ASSETS = LIABILITIES + CAPITAL/EQUITY
$4,000 $4,000 $0
office Accounts Payable
equipment
3. An increase in one asset offset by a decrease in another asset. For
example: The purchase of office supplies for $100 cash. In this case,
the office supplies asset account increases by $100 while the cash-asset
account decreases by $100, causing the accounting equation to remain
unchanged.
ASSETS = LIABILITIES + CAPITAL/EQUITY
$100 supplies
< 100> cash
______
$ 0 $0 $0
4. An increase in an asset offset by an increase in an equity resulting
from revenue. For example: the receipt of $500 cash from a client for
services. This increases the cash balance and the equity, since
liabilities are not affected.
ASSETS = LIABILITIES + CAPITAL/EQUITY
$500 $0 $500
cash owner's equity
5. A decrease in an asset offset by a decrease in equity resulting from an
expense. For example: paying $400 cash for rent. This decreases the
cash balance and the equity, since liabilities are not affected.
ASSETS = LIABILITIES + CAPITAL/EQUITY
<$400> $0 <$400>
cash owner's equity
7c - The Income Statement
This statement, also called a Profit and Loss Statement or an Operating
Statement, shows the net income (or loss) for a specified period of time. The
income statement is the total income less the total expenses. A simple
statement is shown below:
Income from services . . . . . . $500
Rent expense . . . . . . . . . < 400>
_____
Net Income . . . . . . . . . . $100
7d - The Balance Sheet
The balance sheet is sometimes called a Statement of Financial Condition or a
Statement of Financial Position. It shows assets, liabilities, and equity at
a specific date. The balance sheet shows the ending balance for all the
asset, liability, and equity accounts. The balance sheet for the five
equations of Section 7b would appear as follows:
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TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS!
ASSETS
Cash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $5,000
Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,000
Supplies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
______
Total Assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . $9,100
LIABILITIES
Accounts Payable . . . . . . . . . . . . $4,000
CAPITAL/EQUITY
Owner's Equity . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,100
______
Total Liabilities & Equity . . . . . . . . $9,100
Notice that the accounting equation holds true:
ASSETS = LIABILITIES + CAPITAL/EQUITY
7e - Double-Entry Accounting
The meanings of the terms asset, liability and capital/equity are explained
above. Examples have been given to show how each transaction causes a
change in one or more of the three basic accounting elements. Note that in
each of the transactions above, there was a dual effect (two accounts were
changed). This will always be true. A change (increase or decrease) in any
asset, liability or capital/equity is always accompanied by an offsetting
change. The fact that each transaction has two elements is the basis for
double-entry accounting. This does not mean that a transaction is recorded
twice; it means that each of the two elements of each transaction are recorded.
This method is very orderly, simple, and very flexible. There is no
transaction which cannot be recorded in a double-entry transaction.
A business or individual has many assets. Each one of these assets is kept
track of in a separate account (e.g: cash, furniture, real estate). A
separate account would be kept for each asset, liability and equity. Thus,
many accounts make up the total assets; many accounts also make up the total
liabilities.
To help you to understand double-entry accounting, we will introduce you
to a way of describing an account. This is called a "T" account. The T
account has three major parts: the title and account number, the debit side,
and the credit side. A sample of the T account form is shown below.
Account Title
─────────────┬─────────────
Debit Side │ Credit Side
7f - Debits and Credits
To debit an account means to record an amount on the left, or debit side, of
the account. To credit an account means to record an amount on the right,
or credit side, of the account. Sometimes the word CHARGE is used as a
substitute for debit. Another easy rule is:
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TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS!
A CREDIT IS WHERE MONEY IS COMING FROM AND A DEBIT IS WHERE MONEY IS GOING TO.
Increases in assets are recorded on the left side of the accounts; increases
in liabilities are recorded on the right side of the accounts. Decreases in
assets are recorded on the right side of the accounts; decreases in
liabilities and equity are recorded on the left side of the accounts.
These relationships are shown below:
1. ASSETS = LIABILITIES + EQUITY
2. DEBITS = CREDITS
All Asset Accounts All Liability Accounts
───────────┬─────────── ───────────┬───────────
Debit to │ Credit to Debit to │ Credit to
Record │ Record Record │ Record
Increases │ Decreases Decreases │ Increases
(+) (-) (-) (+)
All Equity Accounts
───────────┬───────────
Debit to │ Credit to
Record │ Record
Decreases │ Increases
(-) (+)
To illustrate double-entry accounting, transaction 1 above would be as
follows:
Cash Capital/Equity
────────┬───────── ────────┬─────────
Debit │ Credit Debit │ Credit
$5,000 │ │ $5,000
7g - Income and Expenses
The term "income" refers to an increase in the equity account. Likewise, the
term "expense" refers to a decrease in the equity. Thus, there are two new
ways in which the equity account can change. All transactions involving
income or expense always cause a change in the equity account.
These changes could be recorded by debiting the equity account for expenses
and crediting that same equity account for income. However, if you were
to record income and expense in this manner, the capital/equity account
would have a mixture of increases due to income and the investment of
assets in the business; while the debit side would have a mix of decreases due
to expenses and withdrawal of assets from the business. This would make it
difficult to analyze the profitability or to determine the net income. Thus,
all income and expense transactions are recorded in separately classified
income and expense accounts. Only the net income (or net profit) is then
reflected in the capital/equity account.
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The income and expense accounts also have debits and credits. Shown below
are the relationship of these accounts.
All Expense Accounts All Income Accounts
───────────┬─────────── ───────────┬───────────
Debit to │ Credit to Debit to │ Credit to
Record │ Record Record │ Record
Increases │ Decreases Decreases │ Increases
(+) (-) (-) (+)
The use of these accounts is illustrated in the following examples:
1. An increase in an asset, offset by an increase in income. For example,
you receive $500 cash for services rendered. This would appear as
follows:
Cash Income
────────┬───────── ────────┬─────────
Debit │ Credit Debit │ Credit
$500 │ │ $500
2. A decrease in an asset, offset by an increase in expense. For example,
you pay $400 for office rent. This would be recorded as follows:
Cash Rent Expenses
────────┬───────── ────────┬─────────
Debit │ Credit Debit │ Credit
│ $400 $400 │
This brief description of accounting principles and double-entry accounting
is not intended to teach you everything about accounting. You should refer
to a basic accounting or bookkeeping text, if you would like more details.
The intention of this section is to familiarize our users with double-entry
accounting and to help users get started with TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS.
For further transaction examples, look at the "SAMPLE" file on the demo
disk. By printing the General Journal Report in the sample accounts, you
will be able to see some sample transactions to apply to your set of books.
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SECTION EIGHT - USER TECHNICAL SUPPORT
8a - Technical Support Policy
REGISTERED USERS of the most current version of any Hooper International, Inc.
software product are entitled to free, unlimited technical support.
REGISTERED USERS of non-current versions of any Hooper International, Inc.
software product will receive free, unlimited technical support for either a
period of one year from date of purchase of the non-current version, or a
period of six months from the release date for the current version, whichever
is greater.
The term "unlimited", as used in the above paragraphs, means the registered
user or authorized agent of the registered user may call or write to Hooper
International, Inc. as many times as necessary to receive assistance with
problems or answers to technical or software related questions.
8b - How To Receive Help Fast
The fastest way to receive help with your technical question or problem is to
call us.
TECHNICAL SUPPORT PHONE NUMBER: (719) 528-8989
When calling for technical support, please have your registration number handy
to give to the person answering your call. This will speed up the processing
of your call to our technical support staff.
It will be helpful if you know the version of your program, and are in front
of your computer with the program up and running, when you place your call.
8c - How To Receive Detailed Help
To receive detailed, in-depth technical support, please write to us. Be sure
to carefully detail the problem and all symptoms, providing printed examples
when possible. Our technical support staff will respond as soon as possible.
Our address is:
Hooper International, Inc.
P.O. Box 50200
Colorado Springs, CO 80949
8d - How to Solve Your Problem
Before writing or calling, we encourage you to read over the documentation
one more time, looking for an answer to your question or a solution to your
problem.
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SECTION NINE - HINTS and SUGGESTIONS
9a - Hints
Here are some hints from other users that may come in handy:
1. Automatic File Selection at Start-Up:
To eliminate the need to enter the disk drive and the filename each time
TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS is started, modify the RUN.BAT file by adding a
command line parameter to the "TCB" command. For example, if you want to
use the "SAMPLE" filename each time you start TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS,
change (edit) the RUN.BAT file command "TCB" to:
TCB SAMPLE
Refer to your DOS manual on how to edit files using EDLIN. When you
start TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS, it will use the selected filename without
again asking you.
2. Saving RAM Memory:
If you would like to save some of the RAM memory used by the program, you
may directly enter any of the installed modules by simply typing the
filename of the module and the filename of the data file (refer to the
manual for the particular module for the filename). For example, to
directly enter the General Ledger module using the "SAMPLE" data files,
type the command GL SAMPLE at the DOS prompt. This will by-pass the
TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS Main Menu, saving you approximately 11.5K of RAM
memory.
3. Printing Screen Displays:
Use the <Shift-Prt Sc> keys to make a hard copy of the screen display.
Users of HP laser printers should first load the HPPS.COM file, before
starting TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS, to get legible screen prints.
4. End-Of-Period Posting to Retained Earnings:
When running an End-Of-Period Posting, closing entries will be posted
to the last (or highest numbered) Retained Earnings account.
5. Check and Invoice Numbers:
Check and invoice numbers may be incremented by pressing the <+> key and
then the <Enter> key. If you would like to keep the check number the
same as the prior number, press the <=> key and then the <Enter> key.
6. Organizing Account Listings:
Alphabetizing of any account listings, except the Chart of Accounts in
the General Ledger, may be accomplished by using any alphanumeric account
numbering scheme that easily corresponds to the account name. The
account numbers do not only have to be numbers. For example, if you have
a vendor whose name is Acme, you may use the characters "ACME" as the
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vendor account number. If you have more than one Acme vendor, you may
use numbers following the name (ACME-1 and ACME-2). Any combination of
six characters may be used for the account numbers.
For information on organizing the Chart of Accounts in the General
Ledger, refer to the General Ledger manual.
7. Changing the DOS prompt:
If you would like the DOS prompt on your screen changed so it will
indicate the current disk drive and directory (and sub-directories), use
the Dos command "PROMPT". Be sure you are at the DOS prompt on the
screen and not in any program. Enter the following command from the DOS
prompt:
PROMPT $P$G and press <Enter>.
For example: If you are in the TCB directory of disk drive C, the
prompt displayed will be C:\TCB>
If you would like this feature every time you turn on your computer, add
this command to the CONFIG.SYS file in the root directory of your hard
disk drive. Refer to your DOS manual for adding the "PROMPT" command to
your CONFIG.SYS file.
9b - If You Have Comments or Suggestions
Our express goal is to provide you with the highest quality, most user-
friendly programs at the lowest possible price. If you have any comments or
suggestions regarding TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS, please let us know. We
appreciate all feedback. We will try to implement those suggestions that are
most advantageous to other users in future versions of TAKIN' CARE OF
BUSINESS.
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