Accounts Receivable
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7. ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE
Accounts Receivable are the income of the business, the money owed us by our customers for goods and services they have received from us. The AR section lets you enter and edit information about Clients Client Branches Shipments (to customers) Invoices (Payments from Customers) Depending on your level of permission, you may not be able to access the AR section nor may you be able to do more than view (read) some sections or reports. This description is for the person with full access.
SCREENS SHOTS SHOWN MAY BE FROM VARIOUS DRAFTS; WHAT YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN MAY DIFFER. DIFFERENT BROWSERS MAY HAVE DIFFERENT SHAPED BUTTONS OR SCREEN LAYOUTS.
ACCESSING A/R
Figure 7-2: The Accounts Receivable start screen. Icons may not all be visible to all users.
Figure 7-3 You can also access the AR areas through the pop-out side menu, shown below. The side menu can be set to pop-out or to remain on screen at all times. This is set in the pERP Preferences [link needed].
COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVING THIS DOCUMENTATION ARE INVITED.
The instructions and images given in the A/R documentation assume that you have full access permissions.
CUSTOMERS AND BRANCHES
pERP is set up to handle dealers with multiple stores. Oakville Group for example is a customer, and the individual stores in Mississauga, Oakland, etc. are the Branches. It is expected that invoicing will go to the head office, and shipping to a main warehouse, but other arrangements are possible. A single store is considered to be a customer with one branch. Some important information is stored at the branch level, so if you don't see something in a customer record that you think belongs, be sure to check the branch records as well. An example are the shipping and billing addresses, which have to be at the branch level to provide for shipping/billing to the individual branch.
Figure 7-4 The Clients icon from the AR home screen.
The Clients section opens with a client list similar to that below. Your screen may be different and may show more customers, depending on the settings on the search bar and in your preferences.
Figure 7-5 The Client list may not look exactly as above.
NOTE: We are using the words Client and Customer interchangeably. If you have entered this section and want to get out - a. Click the back button on your browser OR b. Select another icon from the top menu OR c. Click on a link in the side menu OR d. Click the Cancel button in the bottom left corner (see Fig. 6-5) From this screen, you can perform a number of tasks related to Clients, depending on your level of access.
1. Search
(available to all staff with read privileges) The search bar controls the records shown on the screen. From left to right, the controls and their function are: << - Jump to the first screen of records < - Go to the preceeding screen [ ] - Search box. Enter letters or numbers and click the Search button. [ 5 ] - Select the number of records per screen (default is set in preferences) > - Go to the next screen >> - Jump to the last screen
Figure 7-6 The Client List search bar now has an alphabet filter that pulls out only items in the list beginning with the selected letter. To turn off an alphabet selection, click the ALL button at the far right of the alphabet list. For more information, see Getting Started in pERP.
2. Sort
The records can be sorted by Client Code or by Client Name by clicking on the header under the search box. If sorted ascending (numbers followed by ABC), a little down-pointing triangle (v) will show by the header; if the sort is descending (ZYX...followed by numbers), a little up-pointing triangle will show beside the header. Just click again to re-sort.
3. Edit
(limited permission) Existing client records can be edited if you have this level of access. You can change, add, or remove information. To edit a Client, click on the edit icon at right (if you do not have access, you will not see this icon) Details are given later in this chapter.
4. Add (limited permission)
New Client records can be added. If you do not have access, the "New Client" button should not show. Details follow.
5. Delete (limited permission)
Existing Clients can be deleted, but permission is normally restricted to administrators, and even they should perform this function with great care. To delete a Client, click the Delete icon at right. If you do not see this icon, it means you do not have permission to delete Clients. If you click the delete icon, a dialog box should appear asking you to confirm the delete.
WARNING GOES HERE: DON'T DELETE. MAKE INACTIVE.
ADDING A CLIENT
Getting Started
Before you proceed, be sure that your web browser is set to allow popups. If you do not know how to do this, please consult your local support team (and take a course in basic Internet use).
To add a new customer to the list, click the New Client button in the bottom left corner.
Figure 7-7 New Client and Cancel buttons
This will open the New Client screen shown below:
Figure 7-8 The New Client screen waiting for you to enter a client name
The system will generate a client number according to the settings in the Administration section for AR.
The actual, full (Doing Business As) name of the customer should be entered in the Name field, as this information may be used for reports, cutting cheques, addressing envelopes etc.
IMPORTANT: If your administrator has set the section for manual client numbering,
you will have to enter one. Attempting to save the record with an empty code field will generate
an error saying "Field must not be empty!!!"
Simply enter a correct code and click SAVE again.
IMPORTANT: After you have entered the name (and code if necessary), click the
SAVE button. Your screen will open to a set of tabs where you will enter additional
information about this customer.
IMPORTANT: If for some reason you do not want to enter this client, click the
CANCEL button. This will erase your entry without saving it and return you to the
client list.
IMPORTANT: If you enter a code that has already been used (which is possible with
manual entry or if you over-ride a system-generated number), the record cannot be
saved and you will receive an error saying "'Duplicate Client Number". Enter a new
number and save again.
Once everything has been correctly saved, you will see the screen shown in Fig. 7-9
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Figure 7-9 Entering information about the newly entered customer. Note the green bar which tells you the record has been saved, and the blue bar which suggests what to do next (you should maybe listen!) The screens for entering a new client and editing an existing client look similar; for a new client, your are "editing" all blank fields.
Linking Address Information
You will not be able to fill in any of the address information on the Details tab because it simply "echoes" the entry in the Address Book. So first, you'll need to establish a link between the client record and an address record
Figure 7-10 The links tab, ready to enter an address for this client.
There are several ways you can do this.
Automatic Address Create-and-Link
When you created the client, pERP should automatically assumes that there is no current address for the client, creates a new blank card for the client in the Address Book and sets a link to it. Click the Links tab and look. If there's a link at the bottom of the page under "Established Links", you're in luck. Here's how to proceed.
- Click the link
- A blank address card will appear. Click "Edit" in the bottom left corner.
- Complete the required information on the card.
- Be sure the card is set to "Group Staff" NOT "Personal"
- Click Save to save the card.
- Click the links tab on the address card.
- Click the link beside Accounts Receivable
You will now be back at your client and can continue by creating accounts and branches.
Manual Address Create-and-Link
If pERP has not automatically created a link, click New Contact on the Links tab. This is by far the easiest way to do the job if you KNOW ABSOLUTELY FOR CERTAIN that you don't already have the address in your Address Book (CHECK NOW! DID YOU CHECK? GO CHECK!) However, it requires you to have your browser properly set.
NOTE: Your browser preferences must be set to allow popup windows for pERP.
Figure 7-11 The browser has not allowed the New Contact window to open. Change
your browser preferences to permit popups for the pERP site you are working in.
If you click NEW CONTACT and an address card opens, carry on. If it doesn't, go to Another Method on the middle of the next page.
NOTE: AFTER ONLY A FEW WEEKS OF TESTING, WE NOTICED MANY DUPLICATE ADDRESSES. THIS WASTES TIME AND MUDDIES THE DATA. PLEASE USE "ANOTHER METHOD" LISTED BELOW.
Figure 7-12 The Address Book card has popped up in a new window.
Note that the Organization field has automatically been filled in for you, and if you can still see the client record behind the pop-up, you will see that a link has been set under the "Existing Links" header.
However, the address card is still empty, so don't click SAVE on the popup just yet. Fill in the card with whatever information you have. The address card is pretty well self-evident, and no instructions are given for this task. Don't do anything on the Links tab, though.
When you have finished entering address and contact information, click SAVE.
NOTE: The tab marked "Private" is misleading, as everyone in pERP can read it. The General tab is for corporate information and the Private tab is for personal info about your contact - his home address, notes on his family, etc. You can use the Details tab for additional notes about this company or contact.
ANOTHER METHOD:
Okay, so the popup didn't work and in the meantime, what do you do?
Save your client record, then select Address Book from the main menu at the top ofyour screen. Choose Add and fill in the record. Save your address record. At this point, the address card will automatically close and you should be returned to your new client. (If not, open AR again to return to the client list, choose this client, and click the links tab. You're back where you started.)
Next, type part of the client name in the Search field and click the [>] button. This will bring up any addresses containing that name, including the one you just entered
above. Select the correct one and then click the Link button. Click SAVE (to save the link) and click SAVE again (to echo the address information to the Details tab) The screens for entering a new client and editing an existing client look the same. For a new client, your are "editing" all blank data.
Since most of the procedure for editing and adding client information are similar, the remaining steps are discussed together in the next section.
EDIT A Client
If you have edit permission, you can edit a customer from the Client List by clicking on either the customer code at the left [may not be implemented], or the Edit icon at the right of the line.
You may also be able to delete a custmer from the list using the Delete Icon.
If you do not see the Edit or Delete icons and need to be able to do these functions as part of your job, speak to your manager to have your permissions reset.
Figure 7-13 The Client list, showing Edit and Delete icons at the right side. If you do not see these icons it means you cannot do these functions. Note that the new Adelphi work number appears in the list.
Details Tab
Figure 7-14 The Detail Tab after the address link has been established and the record has been saved. The order of the address fields has been changed since this screenshot was taken and your screen will look a little different.
If you did not do it before linking to the address book, be sure to set the fields in the bottom of this tab.
Currency - if the drop-down does not contain the correct currency for this client, please contact your manager to have the currency list amended.
Client Since corresponds to the Account Start Date in some other systems. NOTE: THE FOLLOWING THREE FIELDS DETERMINE THE PRICING STRUCTURE(S) FOR THIS CLIENT. CAREFUL ATTENTION MUST BE PAID TO THESE SETTINGS.
Status should be set to Active for a new client. Restricted means that the client requires special handling (may have to process orders directly through a CSR, for example) while Disabled means a former client, gone bankrupt, not allowed to order until bills are paid. You can only generate New Sales Orders for clients whose Status is Active
Sales Area - the sales areas are geographic territories in which, although you can configure them in other ways. pERP assumes central purchasing. So In the
event of multiple branches in different sales areas, you can still only set one sales area for a client.
The areas are set in Admin under Sales Orders. If you cannot access the Admin section, consult your manager.
Sales Type - this allows for different AR scenarios such as CD Dealer GST, CD Dealer HST, US Dealer Reg, US Dealer E etc. Or it could be used for differential pricing structures. Like the sales areas, these are set in Admin under Sales Orders. If a client may be allowed to purchase under more than one price structure, set this field to All.
Accounts Tab
Figure 7-15 The Accounts Tab has been selected.
The Accounts Tab shows what accounts your client has, perhaps a Sales account and a Parts account. Since Adelphi is a new client, it has been set up with a Sales Account so they can buy widgets from us. The Account # is for the computer and we don't have to pay attention to it.
We'll need to finish setting the account up so we know what prices to charge them. Click the Edit icon for the sales account to bring up the screen shown in Fig. 6-14.
Figure 7-16 Editing the client Sales account.
Account Name - this has been automatically set to a Sales account. If Adelphi had some other type of account and no sales account (say, a Service account) you could tnter it here, but for now leave it as is.
Terms - Set the Terms for this account. This is only a sample list; the Sales Terms are set in Admin under AR. If you have Admin priviledges you can edit (add, change, delete) sales terms.
Credit Limit - If there is a limit for this customer, enter it here. At present, there is nothing done with this, it is for information only, but future versions of pERP will check and warn you as the customer approaches his credit limit.
Allowed Price Lists -You can check off as many price lists as are applicable to theclient. If the right price lists are not shown in this field, click Cancel to go back to the Edit Client screen and check the bottom three fields on the Details tab, as these fields determine the Allowable Price Lists.
Cancel - Click this button to cancel and undo your work on this screen. This will not change any work you have done before.
Save - When you have set these fields to your satisfaction, save the record. This will take you to the screen shown in Fig. 6-15.
Want to leave this Account and see another account for the same client? If you haven't changed anything, try the back arrow in your browser. Otherwise, Cancel will take you back to the Edit Client screen (assuming that you have Edit access) and you can click the Accounts tab.
Figure 7-17 The next step in setting up the Sales Account.
The customer's sales account must now be referenced to our system. For each pric list shown (in the example above, the MSRP is a "dummy" list so we can ignore it), set these:
Flat Discount - If the client or dealer gets a flat discount per product, enter it here. Suppose that Adelphi gets $25 off each widget for the first year in a deal wangled by their purchasing manager for stocking our widgets.
Rate Discount - Alternatively, Adelphi proves to be a high-volume dealer, and so we give them a 5% discount on every widget they buy from us. You would enter the number value only, without the sign. Enter 5 or 5.0 for 5%, 5.7 for 5.7%, and so on.
Account - Which general ledger account does the discount to Adelphi go into?
Narrative - What should normally go into the narrative line for a post to the above account? (It can be edited for individual posts) <TRUE??
Save - as always, saves the screen and any changes
Cancel - Close the screen without saving. Any changes made will be lost. Returns to previous screen.
SETTING UP A NEW CLIENT ACCOUNT
Clicking the New Account button gives Fig. 6-16.
Figure 7-18 A new client account
Account Name - This is a text field and you can enter up to 18 characters (you can enter more, but only the first 18 will show in the field).
Terms - set the terms for this account. The default is the terms for this customer set [where?] but each account can have different terms
Credit Limit - Enter a credit limit for this account. (See above)
Allowed Price Lists - as explained earlier
Save - Once you have saved the new Account, you will be able to add discounts and set a GL account, as previously described.
Cancel - Undo any changes made
WORKING WITH CLIENT BRANCHES
Figure 7-19 Access the Client Branches using this icon from the A/R main screen
Figure 7-20 The Client Branch List search bar now has an alphabet filter that pulls out only items in the list beginning with the selected letter. To turn off an alphabet selection, click the ALL button at the far right of the alphabet list. For more information, see Getting Started.
