This is Version 3.4. of the Clerk business system. Clerk was designed to answer the day to day business accounting needs of the small to medium sized business. My intent was to create a simple and easy to use aid for many small business needs. The evolution of this program originated from my weariness at hearing that I should get a IBM if I want access to any decent business software. Being a independent type person, I decided it should be pretty simple to write my own program. I was wrong. After
3000+ lines of code and more bug fixes then I care to mention, it has become my firm belief that it's a simple thing to make things complex but an extremely complex thing to make something simple. Hopefully, you find the finished results of my efforts simple to use...
New & Improved
To sum up the changes made in this version is to enter into a definition of user-friendliness. All modules are now accessible by mouse functions. Input is now correctable before being stored in files. Displaying General Ledger files can be accomplished in fast forward or fast reverse mode. The file cabinet can be reviewed forward or backwards. Clerk is now faster. Many minor but irritating bugs have been fixed. Most importantly, I've tried to take advantage of the unique advantages of the Amiga over the IBM to make a truly user friendly environment. Clerk also now has a auto entry feature in the payables module. Pay a bill in payables and it is now automatically posted to the General Ledger along with a record of your payment date and check number.
Set-Up
First you must rename the disk you use clerk on to Clerk. Hard drive users must assign Clerk to the directory it is used in. I have included an execute.me file with this version and you may simply execute execute.me to create the directories you need and to put the files in there proper places. If you wish to run Clerk from CLI, you must also set the stack to 10000. A minimum of 1MEG
is required to run Clerk. Because of the many I/O operations involved in this program, a Hardrive is preferable.
Operation
FILE CABINET: This is the place for tax ID numbers, social security numbers, telephone numbers,addresses and those little tidbits of information that had an unfortunate habit of ending up on the floor of my office. To use the file cabinet, use the create file option for your first record and thereafter enter records with the "ENTER" option. You will note three boxes
at the bottom of each page of records. Click the right box to turn the page forward, click the middle box to reverse and click the left box to return to the menu. You may fast forward or reverse by holding the left mouse down on the forward or reverse button. Using the various options will allow you to delete,sort, and revise records.
GENERAL LEDGER: This is where checks and deposits are entered and is the tabulation center for your receivables and payables. To activate your ledger you will first need to use the "CREATE CHART OF ACCOUNTS" function. Follow the directions and input the type of accounts you will use in your business. If you have a fairly standard business, feel free to use the generic Chart of Accounts I've included. You will next need to "CREATE FILE" by entering your first record and your opening bank balance. Thereafter simply enter your deposits and checks and Clerk will put them
in there proper place by month and category. If you pay a bill in Payables this information will be automatically posted to the General Ledger.
PAYABLES: This is where you post your bills and pay them. Use the "CREATE FILE" option for your first record and the "ENTER" function thereafter. All paid bills are automatically posted to the General Ledger as well as the dollar amounts of all open invoices.
RECEIVABLES: This is where you record and track your sales and collections. If you are in a all or mostly cash business, you would record your daily/hourly receipts without a invoice number.
If you extend credit, you would post the invoice number, and all
other information to track your accounts. Use the "CREATE FILE"
option for your first entry and "ENTER TRANSACTION" thereafter.
MISC.
In many sections you will note a little orange box. The little orange box serves many purposes. Click it to continue.
In the file cabinet the left box will return you to the menu, the middle box will turn the page backwards and the right box will turn the page forward. The file cabinet will hold a maximum of 300 records. If you have more notes and numbers to keep then 300,
then this program is probably too dinky for you anyway. This program needs a good graph.... but unfortunately the realities of earning a living have intruded on additional programming time.(sigh) Maybe version 3.5. The preferences section will allow you to enable or disable options. You may have Clerk greet you with a saying upon booting. You may have Clerk check each invoice
number you enter for duplicates and you may have Clerk require
a password to enter the system. I have entered the password "PASS" in the system and should you accidentally engage password protection, you may get back in with this password. This is shareware and your comments and contributions are vital.
