COUGAR MOUNTAIN BANK RECONCILIATION

Transcription

1 VERSION 9 COUGAR MOUNTAIN BANK RECONCILIATION An add-on to Cougar Mountain Software.

2 Cougar Mountain Bank Reconciliation by Cougar Mountain Software BR9.0 D3 8/9/2004

3 Licensing Agreement and Warranty At Cougar Mountain Software, Inc., we strive to produce high-quality software at reasonable prices. We can only do this, however, if our rights as developers are respected. Even though we provide exceptional software at low prices, we do not consent to unlicensed use of our software. The software is owned by Cougar Mountain Software or its suppliers and is protected by United State copyright laws that pertain to computer software and international treaty provisions. A license is granted for software which is owned by Cougar Mountain Software, while a sublicense is granted for software which is owned by a third party from whom Cougar Mountain Software has acquired a license to market the software. Such third party retains all ownership rights in its software. Third party software may only be used in combination with Cougar Mountain Software with which it is distributed. A licensed user may make as many copies of the diskettes/cds as needed for his/her use on a single personal computer, or in the case of a multi-user version, a single network server but may not make unlimited copies. It is strictly prohibited to give copies to another person, or to duplicate the software by any other means, including electronic transmission. The software contains trade secrets and in order to protect them you may not decompile, reverse engineer, disassemble, or otherwise reduce the software to human-perceivable form. You may not modify, adapt, translate, rent, lease, loan, resell for profit, or distribute the software or any part thereof. Cougar Mountain Software warrants the original disks/cds are free from defects in material and workmanship, assuming normal use, for a period of ninety (90) days from date of purchase. If a defect occurs during this period, you may return your faulty disk/cd to Cougar Mountain Software. Cougar Mountain Software will replace it free of charge. Except for the express warranty of the original disks/cds set forth above, Cougar Mountain Software grants no other warranties, express or implied, by statute or otherwise, regarding the disks/cds and related materials. Their fitness for any purpose, their quality, their merchantability, or otherwise, the liability of Cougar Mountain Software under the warranty set forth above shall be limited to the amount paid by the customer for the product. Cougar Mountain Software includes sample and shell company data. In no way do we claim that this data will match your company structure completely. The shell templates contain sample company account numbers and formats which should be modified to fit your specific business needs. In no event shall Cougar Mountain Software be liable for any special, consequential, or other damages for breach of warranty. The Agreement shall be governed and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Idaho. Recognized Trademarks. This manual makes reference to the following trademarks: Microsoft, Windows, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT, Windows XP, and Windows 2000 registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. Other brands or products are the trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders and should be treated as such. Copyright Cougar Mountain Software All Rights Reserved Printed in the United States of America

4 TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter 1, Using This Guide... 1 Using This Guide... 2 Document Conventions... 2 Finding Information How to Use This Guide... 3 Other Help... 4 Technical Support... 6 Online Service... 6 Chapter 2, New Features For Version Version 9.0 Feature Quick List... 8 Cougar Mountain Bank Reconciliation... 8 System-Wide Features... 9 Compatible with R&R Report Writer version Bank Reconciliation Features... 9 New Sorting Tools Added to BR Reconciliation Window Chapter 3, Using Bank Reconciliation With Cougar Mountain Software Using Bank Reconciliation With Accounting and Point of Sale Accounts Payable Accounts Receivable Payroll Modules Not Affected Chapter 4, Bank Reconciliation Options Module Preferences General Tab Print Options Tab Payee Card File Adding Payees Changing or Deleting Payees Category Codes Setting Up Recurring Activity Chapter 5, Bank Reconciliation Bank Account... 35

5 Table of Contents Bank Account Menu Adding Bank Accounts Editing Bank Accounts Deleting Bank Accounts Rebuilding Bank Account Totals Chapter 6, Bank Reconciliation Enter Activity Enter Bank Activity Entering Activity Editing Activity Deleting Activity Voiding Bank Activity Generate Activity From Recurring Generate Activity From External File Import Transaction Validation Printing the Import Error Report Correcting Errors Printing the Edit Report Printing Checks Printing Deposit Slips Posting Activity Batch Control Selecting a Batch Setting Up a Batch Clearing Activity Changing the Local Transaction Date Chapter 7, Bank Reconciliation Reconciliation Reconciling the Bank Statement Printing the Edit Report Printing the Bank Reconciliation Report Posting the Reconciliation Batch Control Clearing the Reconciliation Changing the Local Transaction Date Chapter 8, Bank Reconciliation Reports ii Cougar Mountain Software

6 Table of Contents Printing Bank Reconciliation Reports Bank Register Report Missing Check Report Payee Card Report R&R Report Writer Chapter 9, Bank Reconciliation Period End Purge Processing Glossary Index Bank Reconciliation iii

7 Table of Contents iv Cougar Mountain Software

8 C H A P T E R 1 USING THIS GUIDE Welcome to Bank Reconciliation by Cougar Mountain Software. This resource is designed to help you effectively learn and use Cougar Mountain Software. This chapter covers some conventions used in our documentation and some additional places to look for help.

9 Using This Guide Using This Guide Using This Guide We assume that you are familiar with Windows and know how to use a keyboard and a mouse. If you need help with these items, refer to the Windows documentation and help. Cougar Mountain Software is designed as an accounting tool for business use. It is designed to meet the accounting needs of a business and assumes the user has knowledge of business and accounting. If you are unfamiliar with accounting principles and terms, we recommend you consult a professional and refer to a general accounting book to become familiar with these terms. Document Conventions The following conventions are used throughout this documentation and are intended to make the material easier and clearer. Please review the following conventions that are used throughout the documentation. Bold Text Window titles, box names, and anything that appears on the screen or in a window should be bold. This is only if it is exactly as it appears on the screen and is used as a title.! Select Set Up/Select Company from the Company menu.! Click the New button.! Enter a name in the Name box. Italic/User Input Italics can be used for text that a user should enter or text that appears in a box.! Enter Hardwood in the Description box. 2 Cougar Mountain Software

10 Finding Information How to Use This Guide Finding Information How to Use This Guide The following list of chapters in the guide includes a short explanation of what material is covered in each chapter and what you can expect to find. Use this reference to help get a feel for where the information is located and how it is organized and so you can easily locate and find the information you need. The core package (Accounting) guide contains the information you will need to use each module included in the software. The add-on user s guides contain the information you will need to address if you decide to also use one of the add-on modules. Using This Guide Using This Guide This chapter contains a general introduction to this guide and some general information about the manual organization and where other Help can be found. Getting Started: A Quick Tour and Working With Companies These chapters can be found in the core product user s guides. If you are new to Cougar Mountain Software, these two chapters should be read first. Getting Started: A Quick Tour will introduce you to the overall structure of the software and walk you through a tour of some of the major elements in specific modules and throughout all the software. The purpose of the Working With Companies chapter is to introduce you to the various aspects of working with a company in the software. This chapter also goes on to cover all the required elements for creating a new company. This chapter does not explain all the available modification and customization of a company, but covers the minimum setup required as well as some advanced setup options that should be considered when a company is created. Bank Reconciliation 3

11 Using This Guide Finding Information How to Use This Guide Other Help Along with any printed information you received with your software, you can find additional help by reviewing the Readme files, reading electronic versions of Cougar Mountain Software documentation and user s guides, or accessing the software s online Help system. Readme Cougar Mountain Software provides text format files that include last minute changes and technical issues that are not covered in other documentation. Procedures for locating the Readme: 1. Configure your computer(s) according to the Cougar Mountain Installation and Conversion Guide and then install Cougar Mountain Software as instructed. 2. From the Windows desktop, click Start. 3. Point to Programs. 4. From the Programs menu, point to Cougar Mountain Software. 5. Locate the Readme files on the Cougar Mountain Software menu. User s Guides Cougar Mountain Software includes PDF (Portable Document File) versions of user s guides and other documentation that can be opened with Acrobat Reader. Procedures for installing and opening a PDF: 1. Follow the instructions in this guide to configure your computer(s) and install Cougar Mountain Software. 2. Install Acrobat Reader and manuals by selecting the Install User s Guides and Reader option in the Cougar Mountain Software Installation window. 3. From the Windows desktop, click Start and point to Programs. 4. From the Programs menu, point to Cougar Mountain Software. 5. Point to the Documentation folder, and select the user s guide you want to open. 4 Cougar Mountain Software

12 Finding Information How to Use This Guide Online Help Cougar Mountain Software has an online help system within the software. To do this... Open the online help. Open the help with the Keyboard. Do this... Click the Help menu in the software and then select Contents. You can also access the help by selecting the question mark button at the right side of the toolbar. Press the F1 key. This will open help specific to the open and active window. Using This Guide Open help for an active window. Find a topic. Most windows in the software contain a Help button. Select the button to open help specific to the active window. Use the hyperlinks to navigate through the topics that are organized based on the organization of the module menus and menu items. To search for a specific topic, open the help for the module you need help with. Select the Search button and enter text relating to the topic. Try different variations if you do not find what you want immediately. You may also need to try the search in the help for different modules. Bank Reconciliation 5

13 Using This Guide Technical Support Technical Support If you come across a problem or an error message that you can not resolve, call our Technical Support Department. Cougar Mountain Software maintains a full-time Technical Support staff specially trained to solve problems. Our Technical Support staff has the expertise to efficiently and effectively answer your questions about installation and operation of the software. You can receive technical support over the phone from Cougar Mountain Software, or you can be referred to a Cougar Mountain dealer in your area who can provide personalized local support. Cougar Mountain Software offers several annual support contract plans that allow you to get help when you need it. To purchase a support contract and/or access one of our expert technicians, call the support contract hotline at: (800) Online Service The Cougar Mountain Software Home Page provides you with new product information and basic technical tips, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Service Packs are also available on the home page, providing you with up-to-the-minute product enhancements and corrections. Best of all, there is no fee for accessing the website. If you have any questions concerning use of the website, call your Cougar Mountain Sales Representative.! Cougar Mountain Sales: (800) ! Technical Support techsupport@cougarmtn.com! Home Page: 6 Cougar Mountain Software

14 C H A P T E R 2 NEW FEATURES FOR VERSION 9.0 With Version 9.0, Cougar Mountain Software introduces powerful new features, many of which are the result of user suggestions and requests. These features are designed to expand the power and flexibility of the software and make it easier and faster to use. Refer to the rest of the chapter for an in-depth introduction to the new features that apply to the Cougar Mountain Software product(s) you have purchased.

15 Cougar Mountain Bank Reconciliation Version 9.0 Feature Quick List Refer to the following list to see what new features apply to the Cougar Mountain Software package(s) you have purchased. For a complete list of all the new features in all modules, be sure to check Cougar Mountain Bank Reconciliation New Features For Version 9.0 The following items apply to the Bank Reconciliation module. For more information on each new feature, see the corresponding page(s), or the online help.! Compatible with R&R Report Writer version 10.0 (page 9)! New sorting tools added to BR Reconciliation window (page 10) 8 Cougar Mountain Software

16 Compatible with R&R Report Writer version 10.0 System-Wide Features The following new features affect each of the modules in Cougar Mountain. You will see their effects throughout the system. The entire Cougar Mountain system has been enhanced by the upgrade of R&R Report Writer to Version Compatible with R&R Report Writer version 10.0 R&R Report Writer is a program developed by Liveware Publishing Inc. that works in conjunction with Cougar Mountain Software to add flexibility to create customized reports. The following is a list of the new features added with the version 10.0 as listed on their website ( New Data Dictionary Editor (DDE)! SQL and xbase Editions Combined! Expanded Extraction/Transalation/Load (ETL)! Variable Graphics! Saving of MAPI and Bursting Options! Dotted and Dashed Lines! ParameteRR driven scope values (xbase Designer only)! Report Preview Rerun! System User Defined Function (UDF) File New Features For Version 9.0 Bank Reconciliation Features A new sorting tool has been added to Bank Reconciliation, allowing you to sort your transactions and reconcile your bank statement quicker and easier than ever before. Bank Reconciliation 9

17 New Sorting Tools Added to BR Reconciliation Window New Sorting Tools Added to BR Reconciliation Window A new Sort Items By box has been added to the Reconciliation window, allowing you to sort and resort the items in the reconciliation grid. Using the new box, you can sort the items in the grid by Item Number, Date, and Type. The default for this box will be the setting you chose on the BR Bank Account window General tab. Once you set a sorting option in this new box, however, the system will keep track of your choice and retain that sort order for this reconciliation until you change it. New Features For Version 9.0 If you have changed something in the grid since the last time you sorted the items (opening the grid for the first time is considered a sort in this case), you will be prompted by this window to save the information in the grid before it is resorted. 10 Cougar Mountain Software

18 New Sorting Tools Added to BR Reconciliation Window If you select Yes, the information will be saved, and the grid will be resorted according to your selection. If you select No, your changes will not be saved, but the grid will be resorted. If you select Cancel, your changes will remain, but not be saved, nor will the data be resorted. For more information on setting up bank accounts, see page 36. For more information about reconciling bank accounts, see page 66. New Features For Version 9.0 Bank Reconciliation 11

19 New Sorting Tools Added to BR Reconciliation Window New Features For Version Cougar Mountain Software

20 C H A P T E R 3 USING BANK RECONCILIATION WITH COUGAR MOUNTAIN SOFTWARE Bank Reconciliation provides you with a powerful reconciling ability and provide a link between your accounting system and your bank. This chapter covers the impact Bank Reconciliation has on your Cougar Mountain Software when it is fully integrated. Refer to the sections that apply to the Cougar Mountain Software Accounting products you have to see how your capabilities have been expanded by purchasing and utilizing Bank Reconciliation. The remainder of this manual provides complete instructions for the setup, functionality, and use of the Bank Reconciliation module.

21 Using Bank Reconciliation With Accounting and Point of Sale Using Bank Reconciliation With Accounting and Point of Sale When you add the functionality of Bank Reconciliation to the primary Cougar Mountain package, you have additional setup and transaction options. This section will outline those additional items. Accounts Payable The ability to post your Accounts Payable checks directly to your bank accounts in Bank Reconciliation is very important. This will enable you to quickly and easily reconcile your bank statements each month. This section details the various additional options in Accounts Payable. Using Bank Reconciliation With Cougar Mountain 14 Cougar Mountain Software

22 Using Bank Reconciliation With Accounting and Point of Sale Posting Accounts Payable Checks to Bank Reconciliation Once you install Bank Reconciliation, you will be able send Accounts Payable information to Bank Reconciliation, and also select the Bank Code from which Paid Out transactions are drawn. Module Preferences With Bank Reconciliation installed, you will have additional options in Module Preferences concerning posting to Bank Reconciliation.! Integration to Bank Reconciliation - select Integration ON to post your AP transactions directly to Bank Reconciliation.! Bank Code - Use the lookup to select the Bank Code from which Paid Out transactions will be drawn. Paid Out transactions are those that are not paid to an established vendor. Bank Reconciliation 15 Using Bank Reconciliation With Cougar Mountain

23 Using Bank Reconciliation With Accounting and Point of Sale AP Codes Once you install Bank Reconciliation, specify the Bank Account that will be used when you issue checks to vendors with this AP Code. This also determines the Cash Account that will be used. BR Bank Code Using Bank Reconciliation With Cougar Mountain Use the lookup to enter the Bank Code that will be used when you write a check to a vendor with this AP Code. This box was used to specify the EFT Account when Bank Reconciliation was not installed. Once Bank Reconciliation is installed and AP is integrated to it, you specify the Bank Code, and the Bank Code determines the EFT Account (see Adding Bank Accounts on page 36 for more information). Cash Once Accounts Payable is integrated to Bank Reconciliation, the Cash box is made unavailable. This is because the Cash Account is determined by the BR Bank Code. If you need to change the Cash Account affected by payments to vendors, go to Bank Reconciliation, select the Bank Account and change the Cash Account (see Adding Bank Accounts on page 36 for more information). 16 Cougar Mountain Software

24 Using Bank Reconciliation With Accounting and Point of Sale Enter Bills The only change to the Enter Bills process once Bank Reconciliation is installed is that instead of posting to a GL Cash Account, you will post directly to a BR Bank Account for Immediate Checks. When you select a Vendor for the transaction, the BR Bank Acct box will prefill with the Bank Account attached to the AP Code of the vendor. If you want a different Bank Account to be affected, type or use the lookup to select the Bank Account to be used. Recurring Bills If you have any Recurring Bills established, the same change will apply. You will post to the BR Bank Account instead of the GL Cash Account on the Bill if the Immediate check box is checked. Electronic Fund Transfer Integrating Accounts Payable to Bank Reconciliation causes electronic transactions to post directly to a BR Bank Account instead of to a GL Cash Account (see the Adding Bank Accounts on page 36 for more information). Bank Reconciliation 17 Using Bank Reconciliation With Cougar Mountain

25 Using Bank Reconciliation With Accounting and Point of Sale Pay Bills The only change to the Pay Bills process once Bank Reconciliation is installed is that you will post directly to the BR Bank Account instead of to the GL Cash Account. Using Bank Reconciliation With Cougar Mountain When you select a Vendor for the transaction, the BR Bank Acct box will prefill with the Bank Account attached to the AP Code of the vendor. If you want a different Bank Account to be affected, type or use the lookup to select the Bank Account to use. Electronic Fund Transfer Integrating Accounts Payable to Bank Reconciliation causes electronic transactions to post directly to a BR Bank Account instead of to a GL Cash Account (see Adding Bank Accounts on page 36 for more information). Accounts Receivable The addition of Bank Reconciliation enables you to post customer payments directly to your bank account. 18 Cougar Mountain Software

26 Using Bank Reconciliation With Accounting and Point of Sale There are special considerations regarding sending Accounts Receivable information to Bank Reconciliation. If you receive your incoming monies from multiple sources (such as Point of Sale or Order Entry cash/checks as well as Accounts Receivable payments), see Should You Integrate Accounts Receivable to Bank Reconciliation? on page 20. Module Preferences If you integrate Accounts Receivable to Bank Reconciliation, your customers payments will post directly to your bank account. BR Integration Select one of the following integration options:! Integration Off...Accounts Receivable does not share information with Bank Reconciliation.! Summary...All transactions associated with Bank Reconciliation in a batch post together to Bank Reconciliation as one entry.! Detail...Each transaction associated with Bank Reconciliation posts as a separate entry. Bank Reconciliation 19 Using Bank Reconciliation With Cougar Mountain

27 Using Bank Reconciliation With Accounting and Point of Sale Default Bank Account If you select Summary or Detail as your integration setting to Bank Reconciliation, then use the Default Bank Account box to specify the default bank account to affect when posting customer payments. Should You Integrate Accounts Receivable to Bank Reconciliation? In most cases we recommend integrating all modules of Cougar Mountain Software to get the most benefit. This is the one situation where not integrating may be beneficial. Here s how to know: Does the money that will be going into the bank account come from more than one source? If Accounts Receivable is integrated to Bank Reconciliation, then the only posting to Bank Reconciliation for a deposit will be that of Accounts Receivable deposits. Order Entry and Point of Sale do not have integration options to Bank Reconciliation, so payments made through those modules post only to the General Ledger and not to Bank Reconciliation. If the money you will be depositing into the bank account comes from more than one module, we recommend that you turn off your integration from Accounts Receivable to Bank Reconciliation and post all payment transactions in Order Entry, Point of Sale and Accounts Receivable to the same GL Account. The other step that is necessary is to use that same GL Account as the Opposing Account for the BR Bank Account that will be used to make the deposit. Using Bank Reconciliation With Cougar Mountain "Example ABC Company receives customer payments through Point of Sale, Order Entry and Accounts Receivable. If integration from Accounts Receivable is turned on, then the deposit shown in the Bank Reconciliation module will reflect only the payments that came through Accounts Receivable. This will not match the bank statement, since the bank statement will include the entire deposit, including payments made through Order Entry, Point of Sale and Accounts Receivable. To address this issue, ABC Company takes the following steps: First, they set the integration from Accounts Receivable to Bank Reconciliation to Integration OFF. 20 Cougar Mountain Software

28 Using Bank Reconciliation With Accounting and Point of Sale Next, when setting up Transaction Codes for payment transactions in Accounts Receivable, they set up or select a GL Account that will act as a holding account until the money is deposited in the bank. Third, when they set up Module Preferences in Order Entry, they specify the same holding account that they used for the AR Payment Transaction Codes as the GL Cash Account to which OE payments will be posted. Last, when they set up Register Codes in Point of Sale, they specify this same holding account as the GL Cash Account to which POS payments will be posted. These steps will cause the payments from Order Entry, Point of Sale and Accounts Receivable to post to the same GL Account. In Bank Reconciliation, the GL Account that was used for the AR Payment Transactions, Order Entry GL Cash Account and Point of Sale GL Cash Acct. is entered in the Opposing Deposit Account box of the Bank Account to which they will be depositing the funds. When the deposit is taken to the bank, they enter a Deposit transaction in Bank Reconciliation for the combined total of the deposit. This will deduct the amount of the deposit from the Opposing Deposit Account (the account to which Order Entry, Point of Sale and Accounts Receivable post) and add it to the GL Account in the Bank Savings/Checking/Investment Acct box (the title of this box will depend on the selection from the Account Type box in the BR Bank Account window). The example described above only occurs if the money for the bank account comes through more than the Accounts Receivable module. If the money that will be deposited into the bank account comes only through Accounts Receivable, then we recommend integrating Accounts Receivable to Bank Reconciliation. Bank Reconciliation 21 Using Bank Reconciliation With Cougar Mountain

29 Using Bank Reconciliation With Accounting and Point of Sale Enter Payments/Adjustments When entering payments and payment corrections while integrated to Bank Reconciliation, you can specify the Bank Account to affect by the transaction. Payments and Payment Corrections Using Bank Reconciliation With Cougar Mountain For Payments (both regular and Unapplied) and Payment Corrections, use the BR Bank Account box to specify the bank account to which you want to post. The default for this box will be the Default Bank Account specified in Bank Reconciliation Module Preferences, but you can specify a different one or even leave it blank if necessary. If you leave this box blank, the transaction will not post to the bank account, but will post to the GL Account associated with the Transaction Code used in the transaction. Electronic Fund Transfer Integrating Accounts Receivable to Bank Reconciliation posts Electronic Fund Transfer directly to the bank account specified on the transactions. 22 Cougar Mountain Software

30 Using Bank Reconciliation With Accounting and Point of Sale Payroll The ability to post your Payroll checks directly to your bank accounts in Bank Reconciliation is very important. This will enable you to quickly and easily reconcile your bank statements each month. This section details the various additional options in Payroll. Posting Payroll Checks to Bank Reconciliation Once you install Bank Reconciliation, you will be able to send Payroll information to Bank Reconciliation and also select the Bank Account from which Payroll checks are drawn. Module Preferences Once Bank Reconciliation is installed, you will have several new options in Module Preferences.! Integration to Bank Reconciliation - select one of the Integrated options to post Payroll transactions directly to Bank Reconciliation: Integrated: Summary Direct Deposit - non-electronic Payroll transactions will post individually to Bank Reconciliation, but Direct Deposit transactions within one batch will post as a single entry. If your bank posts the Direct Deposit amount as a single entry, this will help you reconcile your bank statement. Integrated: Detailed Direct Deposit - all Payroll transactions post individually to Bank Reconciliation. Bank Reconciliation 23 Using Bank Reconciliation With Cougar Mountain

31 Using Bank Reconciliation With Accounting and Point of Sale! BR Bank Code - Type or use the lookup to specify the Bank Account to which Payroll transactions will post.! GL Cash Acct - Once you turn on the integration from Payroll to Bank Reconciliation, this box will no longer be accessible from this window. This is because the GL Cash Account is determined by the BR Bank Code selected. If you need to specify a different cash account, go to Bank Reconciliation, select the Bank Account, and change it there (see Adding Bank Accounts on page 36 for more information). Payroll Adjustments Once you install Bank Reconciliation and integrate Payroll to Bank Reconciliation, then any time you need to reverse or void a Payroll check, you can have the system automatically void that check in Bank Reconciliation. Using Bank Reconciliation With Cougar Mountain When you select Adjustment as the Transaction Type with Bank Reconciliation installed and Payroll integrated to Bank Reconciliation, the Void Check in BR check box appears. Select the check box if you want the check to be voided in Bank Reconciliation and Payroll. 24 Cougar Mountain Software

32 Using Bank Reconciliation With Accounting and Point of Sale Modules Not Affected The following modules will have no visible or functional change as a result of installing and integrating Bank Reconciliation. General Ledger Installing and integrating Bank Reconciliation to General Ledger does not change the way General Ledger functions. By integrating Bank Reconciliation to General Ledger, your changes in Bank Reconciliation will automatically be reflected in General Ledger when you post. Inventory There are no special considerations for Inventory when Bank Reconciliation is installed. Order Entry/Invoicing Order Entry does not offer an integration option to Bank Reconciliation. However, if you receive your incoming monies from multiple sources (i.e. Order Entry/Point of Sale cash and/or checks as well as Accounts Receivable payments), see ( Should You Integrate Accounts Receivable to Bank Reconciliation? on page 20). Data Exchange There are no special considerations for Data Exchange when Bank Reconciliation is installed. Using Bank Reconciliation With e-commerce There are no special considerations for e-commerce when Bank Reconciliation is installed. Using Bank Reconciliation With Job Cost There are no special considerations for Job Cost when Bank Reconciliation is installed. Bank Reconciliation 25 Using Bank Reconciliation With Cougar Mountain

33 Using Bank Reconciliation With Accounting and Point of Sale Using Bank Reconciliation with Multi-Location Inventory There are no special considerations for Multi-Location Inventory when Bank Reconciliation is installed. Using Bank Reconciliation With Purchase Order There are no special considerations for Purchase Order when Bank Reconciliation is installed. Using Bank Reconciliation With Cougar Mountain 26 Cougar Mountain Software

34 C H A P T E R 4 BANK RECONCILIATION OPTIONS Bank Reconciliation is designed to be flexible enough to meet your specific business needs. This chapter describes the options available to tailor the system to your company.

35 Bank Reconciliation Options Module Preferences Module Preferences The Module Preferences window allows you to define basic operational settings that apply to the entire Bank Reconciliation module. General Tab Use the General tab to specify general settings for Bank Reconciliation, including integration to General Ledger. General Ledger Integration Bank Reconciliation can run either as a stand alone or fully integrated module. Select one of the following General Ledger integration options:! Integration OFF: Bank Reconciliation does not share information with General Ledger.! Integrated-Detail: Transactions post individually to General Ledger. In General Ledger all elements post separately. 28 Cougar Mountain Software

36 Module Preferences! Integrated-Condensed: Income Statement accounts receive detailed posting. Balance Sheet accounts receive summary posting.! Integrated-Summary: All transactions associated with the General Ledger post as one General Ledger transaction.! Report Only-Detail: Bank Reconciliation and General Ledger do not share information. Upon posting a report is generated that includes detail information as it would have posted to General Ledger.! Report Only-Summary: Bank Reconciliation and General Ledger do not share information. Upon posting, a report is generated that includes summary information as it would have posted to General Ledger. Bank Reconciliation Options The status bar next to the GL Integration selection lets you know if GL is installed. If General Ledger is not installed, you will not able to integrate to GL. To install General Ledger, go to the Main Menu, and select Install Modules from the Company menu. Select General Ledger and click Install. Also, you will not be able to post from Bank Reconciliation to GL until the Balance Forward Entries Completed check box in GL Module Preferences has been selected. Multi Batch Mode Select the Multi Batch Mode check box to process transactions in batches, or to have the ability to reconcile different bank accounts at the same time. Batch processing is explained in Transaction Batches of the Point of Sale and Accounting user s guides. If you choose to use batch processing, you must define batches in the Set Up Batch window (see Setting Up a Batch on page 61). Last Posting # This field indicates the last Bank Reconciliation batch posted to General Ledger. Last Batch # This field indicates the last batch number created in Bank Reconciliation using multi-batch mode. Bank Reconciliation 29

37 Bank Reconciliation Options Module Preferences Print Options Tab The Print Options tab allows you to set up default printer options for the different types of reports you will be printing from each module. You have the option of setting default printers, output type, number of copies, and formats for business and posting reports. To define default printers and options, do the following: 1. Select the Print Options tab. 2. For each Report Type in the first column, select which default output type to use in the Output Type drop-down list. The options are Printer, Screen, and File. 3. If you selected Printer as the output type, enter the number of copies to print by default in the # of Copies column. 4. Select the format to use, either Laser or Dot Matrix, in the Format box. 30 Cougar Mountain Software

38 Payee Card File 5. If you selected Printer as the output type, select the printer to which to send the report in the Printer/File Name column or select default to print to the default printer set up in your operating system. If you selected File as the output type, enter the file path for the created file here. If the file name you enter already exists, the new report will be appended to the existing information. The new report will not overwrite the existing file. 6. If you want the ability to edit the printer information at the time you print the report, double-click in the Edit check box. If you leave the check box blank, you will not be given the opportunity to edit your printer settings at the time you print the report. Bank Reconciliation Options Payee Card File Use the Payee Card File to enter and maintain payee information. Payees entered here can be accessed using the lookup feature when entering activity, and appear as a sort option on several Bank Reconciliation reports. Adding Payees To add a payee to the payee card file: 1. Select Payee Card File from the Options menu. Bank Reconciliation 31

39 Bank Reconciliation Options Payee Card File 2. Select a Payee Type, either Company or Individual. 3. If Company is selected, enter the company name. If Individual is selected, enter the individual s name. Enter the last name first, followed by the first name and then the middle initial. 4. Enter a Payee name. The payee name appears as a lookup when entering activity, and functions as a sort option on several Bank Reconciliation reports. 5. Enter the necessary address and contact information. 6. Select Save to save the payee, or Cancel to exit without saving. Payee Notes If you would like to record specific notes for a payee, enter them on the Payee Notes tab. Payee notes are available when entering activity. Select the Time Stamp button to record exactly when a note is added. Use the Text Search and Next Search buttons to search for specific words or dates in the notepad. Once notes are recorded for a particular payee, an asterisk appears on the title of the tab to alert you of their presence. Add From AP/PR The Add From AP/PR button allows you to copy employee and vendor address information from the Accounts Payable and Payroll modules. To copy employee or vendor information: 1. Click Add From AP/PR in the Payee Card File window. The BR Add From AP/PR window appears. 2. Select the Source Module, either Payroll or Accounts Payable. 3. If Payroll is selected, enter the range of Employee Numbers that you wish to copy. If Accounts Payable is selected, enter the Vendor Numbers. 4. Select OK to add the payee(s), or Cancel to exit without adding. #Note Adding from AP/PR only involves address information. In no way will Bank Reconciliation post to a vendor or employee master record in Accounts Payable or Payroll. 32 Cougar Mountain Software

40 Category Codes Changing or Deleting Payees Category Codes To change or delete a Payee: 1. Select Payee Card File from the Options menu. 2. Enter the name of the Company or Individual that you want to change, or use the Lookup tool to display a list of available payees. 3. Select Edit and make any necessary changes. To delete the payee, select Edit then Del. 4. Select Save to save the changes, or Cancel to exit without saving. Bank Reconciliation Options Category Codes provide the means to identify specific bank activities by userdefined categories or departments. Use category codes to track expenses by department, categorize bank charges, classify miscellaneous fees, etc. To set up category codes: 1. Select Category Code from the Options menu. 2. Enter a Category Code of up to six characters. 3. Enter a description to identify the code. 4. Click Save to save the category code, or Cancel to exit without saving. #Note To print a Category Code Report, click Print. Bank Reconciliation 33

41 Bank Reconciliation Options Setting Up Recurring Activity Setting Up Recurring Activity The Set Up Recurring Activity option allows you to enter and save bank activity that occurs on a frequent basis, such as service charges, automatic withdrawals, and deposits. By setting up recurring activity, you can save time and reduce data entry errors. The Set Up Recurring Activity window is identical to the Enter Activity window, with the addition of a Frequency code. To set up recurring activity: 1. Select Set Up Recurring Activity from the Options menu. 2. Enter your recurring activity exactly as you would regularly activity (see Entering Activity on page 46). 3. Enter a Frequency code. The Frequency code is used to group together activity that will be generated on a repetitive schedule, such as monthly or weekly. 4. Select Save to save the recurring activity or Cancel to exit without saving. To automatically process this recurring activity in the future, see Generate Activity From Recurring on page Cougar Mountain Software

42 C H A P T E R 5 BANK RECONCILIATION BANK ACCOUNT Setting up Bank Reconciliation is a simple process of establishing your various bank accounts. Bank Account master records maintain basic account information such as bank name, account number, contact name, etc., and control account activity, such as posting to General Ledger.

43 Bank Account Menu Bank Account Menu The items that pertain to your bank accounts are on the Bank Account menu. These include Account Maintenance and Rebuild Bank Account Totals. Adding Bank Accounts Bank Account master records track bank account activity and provide direct access to account financial information. Set up a separate bank account master record for each account used to write checks or post deposits. Bank Reconciliation Bank Account To enter a bank account master record: 1. Select Bank Account > Account Maintenance. 2. Enter a three-character Bank Account code using any combination of letters and numbers. Bank Account codes are used for identification purposes when entering bank activity, and appear as a sort option on several Bank Reconciliation reports. 3. Enter a Description that easily identifies this account. 36 Cougar Mountain Software

44 Bank Account Menu 4. Enter the Account Number assigned by the bank. 5. Enter the Current Balance of the account being added. Once the record is saved, the current balance is automatically updated by the system and cannot be edited. If you enter an incorrect amount, change the current balance by selecting Rebuild Bank Account Totals from the Bank Account menu (see Rebuilding Bank Account Totals on page 43). 6. Select the Account Type from the drop-down list. The following account types are available:! Checking! Savings! Investment! Credit Card 7. Enter additional information for each account using the tabs and command buttons described on the following pages. When you have completed all of the steps, select Save to save the record, or Cancel to exit without saving. You are now ready to enter the next account. Accounts Tab Use the Accounts tab to direct posting to General Ledger accounts. To complete the Accounts tab: 1. Select the Bank Checking, Savings, Investment, or Credit Card Account from the chart of accounts for this account. If you do not have a Cash in Bank asset account set up specifically for this bank account, select the Add button in the lookup window to add the new account on-the-fly. 2. Select the opposing deposit account from the lookup window. This is the account that receives the credit entry when money is deposited in the bank account. You can override this account number to any other account number at the time the transaction is entered. 3. Select the bank charges account from the lookup window. This is the default expense account number that is debited whenever a bank charge is processed. You can override this account number to any other account number at the time the transaction is entered. Bank Reconciliation Bank Account Bank Reconciliation 37

45 Bank Account Menu 4. Select the adjustment account from the lookup window. This is the default expense or income account that receives the opposing entry for miscellaneous additions or deductions. You can override this account number to any other account number at the time the transaction is entered. Address Tab Select the Address tab to enter contact information on the financial institution that holds this particular account. Bank Reconciliation Bank Account 1. Enter the name of the institution that holds the account in the Bank Name box. 2. Enter the bank s mailing address in the Address 1 and Address 2 boxes. 3. Complete the rest of the boxes in the window for your reference. 38 Cougar Mountain Software

46 Bank Account Menu Financial Tab Select the Financial tab to view financial information for this bank account, such as account balances, outstanding item totals, last check information, and last deposit information. The information in this window is updated each time a transaction posts to Bank Reconciliation. General Tab Use the General tab to establish reconciliation defaults, select a check printing format, and set up EFT account codes. Bank Reconciliation Bank Account Bank Reconciliation 39

47 Bank Account Menu Bank Reconciliation Bank Account 1. Select the Balancing Method from the drop-down list. This box determines which of two ways the computer balance is reconciled with the bank statement balance. Your choices are:! Book to Statement: This method starts with the balance shown on the company records, and by adding or subtracting the uncleared items, works to the statement balance. The difference is printed on the reconciliation report if the figures do not agree.! Statement to Book: This method starts with the statement amount, and by adding or subtracting the uncleared items, works to the book balance. The difference is printed on the reconciliation report if the figures do not agree. 2. Select how you want items to appear during reconciliation from the Sort Items By drop-down list. The following options are available:! Item Number: Open items are sorted by item number.! Date: Open items are sorted by transaction date.! Type: Open items are sorted by transaction type (i.e. deposits, bank charges, etc.). The choice you make here will determine the default used when sorting the items in the reconciliation window. When you reconcile the bank account, you can use the Sort Items By drop-down list in the reconciliation window to change the sort criteria for the items. The options in the reconciliation window are the same as the options in this window. See Reconciling the Bank Statement on page 66 for more information on this sort option. 3. Select the Enter Amounts During Reconciliation check box if you want to manually enter the amount during reconciliation for each entry that clears. 4. Select the Default All Items to Clear for Reconciliation check box to automatically populate the Clrd? column of the Reconcile Bank Statement window each time the grid is refreshed. 5. If you are using electronic funds transfer (EFT), enter the default EFT Account Codes to be used for Payables and Receivables. 40 Cougar Mountain Software

48 Bank Account Menu 6. Select the Check Format for this bank account from the drop-down list. The options available are:! 0 - Laser SCS! 1 - Dot SC! Create-A-Check #Note Create-A-Check is a complete check printing solution that interfaces seamlessly with Cougar Mountain. Create-A-Check allows you to print complete checks, on blank security paper, in one simple step. For additional information, contact Create-A-Check at (800) Select the Suppress AP Checks check box to prevent the printing of Accounts Payable checks for vendors assigned this bank account code. This option is useful if you regularly make payments by credit card or electronically. Bank Notes Tab Select the Bank Notes tab to enter notes about this bank account. Use the Time Stamp button to record exactly when you added the note. The Text Search and Next Search buttons allow you to search for specific words or dates. Bank Register Bank Reconciliation Bank Account Select the Bank Register button to view detail line information for each individual entry posted to this bank account. Specify the activity that you wish to include in the register by selecting the appropriate type, status, and source Bank Reconciliation 41

49 Bank Account Menu module check boxes. Select whether you wish to sort the detail information by item number, date, or type. Bank Reconciliation Bank Account Click Print to print a Bank Register Report. Editing Bank Accounts Any bank account information, except the bank account code itself, can be edited. To edit bank account information: 1. Select Bank Account > Account Maintenance. 2. Enter the bank account that you wish to change. 3. Select the Edit button, and make any necessary changes. 4. Select Save to save the changes, or Cancel to exit without saving. 42 Cougar Mountain Software

50 Bank Account Menu Deleting Bank Accounts $Warning To delete a bank account: 1. Select Bank Account > Account Maintenance. 2. Enter the bank account that you wish to delete. 3. Select the Edit button. The button changes to read Del. 4. Select the Del button. The message Are you sure you want to delete this Bank Account? appears. The message will also warn you if there are checks in the Check Register for this account. 5. Select Yes to delete the account, or No to cancel without deleting. Rebuilding Bank Account Totals The Rebuild Bank Account Totals option rebuilds the last statement amount and running balance for a specified bank account with the calculated amount from outstanding open items. Use this option if you entered the wrong forwarding balance when setting up a bank account, or whenever data file corruption errors occur. Backup your data files before rebuilding bank account totals. Bank Reconciliation Bank Account To rebuild bank account totals: 1. Select Bank Account > Rebuild Bank Account Totals. Bank Reconciliation 43

51 Bank Account Menu 2. Enter the bank account that you wish to rebuild. 3. The Last Statement Amount box defaults to the amount calculated from outstanding open items. Make changes if necessary. 4. Select OK to rebuild the account, or Cancel to exit without rebuilding. Bank Reconciliation Bank Account 44 Cougar Mountain Software

52 C H A P T E R 6 BANK RECONCILIATION ENTER ACTIVITY The Enter Activity menu provides the capability to enter, edit, and post bank activity. You can also print checks from this menu, and import transactions from an external data file.

53 Enter Bank Activity Enter Bank Activity Use the Enter Bank Activity window to enter and track activity that affects your bank accounts. Entering Activity To enter bank activity: 1. Select Enter Bank Activity from the Enter Activity menu. 2. If you are using batch processing, create a new batch or select an existing one. Bank Reconciliation Enter Activity 3. Select the bank account affected by this activity. If you are processing a bank transfer, this is the bank account from which you want to transfer funds. 46 Cougar Mountain Software

54 Enter Bank Activity #Note To enter a new bank account on-the-fly, select the Add button in the Bank Account Lookup window. 4. Select the Activity Type from the drop-down list. The following activity types are available:! Check! Deposit! Deduction! Addition! Bank Charge! Transfer The Transfer option is available only if you have two or more bank accounts set up. When you select Transfer, the Transfer To box appears. Enter the bank account to which you wish to transfer funds in this box. 5. Select a Category for tracking purposes. To set up category codes, see Category Codes on page If this is a recurring transaction, select the Recurring check box and enter a Frequency code. The Frequency Code is used to generate activity on a repetitive schedule (i.e. monthly, quarterly, or yearly). For information on generating recurring activity, see Generate Activity From Recurring on page Select the activity date from the drop-down calendar. The date determines which fiscal period is affected by the activity. 8. Enter the Check, Deposit, Deduction, Addition, Bank Charge, or Transfer #. The title of this box varies depending on the activity type selected. 9. Enter the Payee for this activity if you are entering a check type transaction. Use the lookup tool to select an existing payee from the payee card file, or enter a new payee. 10. Enter a Description to identify the activity. 11. Enter any necessary address information if you are entering check activity. Bank Reconciliation 47 Bank Reconciliation Enter Activity

55 Enter Bank Activity 12. In the detail grid, enter the Inv/Doc Number of the invoice or document that this detail line is taken from. This box does not appear if you are entering Transfer type activity. #Note Click Clear Grid at any time to erase all line entries in the detail grid. 13. Enter a description to identify this detail line in the Memo box. 14. Enter the GL Expense or GL Account affected by this activity. The title of this box varies depending on the activity type selected. 15. Enter the amount of the activity in dollars and cents. Omit the dollar sign and separating commas, but include the decimal point. 16. If the activity is a deposit, and is cash, place a check mark in the Cash field by clicking with the mouse button or pressing the space bar. By specifying which deposits are cash, you enable the system to differentiate cash from checks on deposit slips (see Printing Deposit Slips on page 59). 17. Click Save to enter the activity, or Cancel to exit without saving. Activity Notes Bank Reconciliation Enter Activity Select the Activity Notes tab to enter or review notes about this activity. Use the Time Stamp button to record exactly when you added the note. The Text Search and Next Search buttons allow you to search for specific words or dates. Bank Notes Select the Bank Notes tab to enter or review notes about this bank account. Use the Time Stamp button to record exactly when you added the note. The Text Search and Next Search buttons allow you to search for specific words or dates. Print Edit Click Print Edit to print the edit report directly from the Enter Bank Activity window. For information on printing the edit report, see Printing the Edit Report on page Cougar Mountain Software

56 Enter Bank Activity Print Checks Click Print Checks to print checks immediately from the Enter Bank Activity window. For information on printing Bank Reconciliation checks, see Printing Checks on page 57. Bank Register Click Bank Register to view detail line information for each individual entry posted to this bank account. Specify the activity that you wish to include in the register by selecting the appropriate type, status, and source module check boxes. Editing Activity To edit bank activity prior to posting: 1. Select Enter Bank Activity from the Enter Activity menu. 2. If you are using batch processing, select an existing batch. 3. Select the activity that you wish to edit using the Find button. 4. Select Edit, and make any necessary changes. 5. Select Save to save the changes, or Cancel to exit without saving. Deleting Activity To delete bank activity prior to posting: 1. Select Enter Bank Activity from the Enter Activity menu. 2. If you are using batch processing, select an existing batch. 3. Select the activity that you wish to delete using the Find button. 4. Select Edit. The Edit button changes to read Del. 5. Select Del. A message appears asking if you are sure you want to delete this activity. 6. Select Yes to delete the activity. Bank Reconciliation 49 Bank Reconciliation Enter Activity

57 Voiding Bank Activity Voiding Bank Activity The Void Bank Activity option voids posted items that have not previously been cleared. A voided item appears on reports until purged. The activity reverses the original General Ledger posting only if the original activity was posted through Bank Reconciliation. #Note If a check was posted from Accounts Payable or Payroll originally, voiding in BR will not void it in the original module from which it was posted. You must go to its source to void it there. To void bank activity: 1. Select Void Bank Activity from the Enter Activity menu. 2. If you are using batch processing, select an existing batch. Bank Reconciliation Enter Activity 3. Enter the bank account of the activity you wish to void. 50 Cougar Mountain Software

58 Generate Activity From Recurring 4. Select the Activity Type that you want to void. The following activity types are available:! All! Check! Deduction! Bank Charge! Deposit! Addition 5. Select the item to void from the lookup window. The lookup window lists all outstanding items for the type of activity selected. 6. Select the date to void from the drop-down calendar. This date determines which period of the fiscal calendar is affected by the activity. 7. Enter a description for the voided activity. 8. Select the Activity Notes tab to enter notes for this particular bank activity. Use the Time Stamp button to record exactly when you added the note. The Text Search and Next Search buttons allow you to search for specific words or dates. 9. Select the Bank Notes tab to enter or review notes concerning this bank account. 10. Click Bank Register to view the register for this bank account. 11. Select Save to void the bank activity, or Cancel to exit without voiding. Generate Activity From Recurring Use the Generate Activity From Recurring option to generate activity that occurs on a repetitive basis. To create recurring activity, see Setting Up Bank Reconciliation 51 Bank Reconciliation Enter Activity

59 Generate Activity From Recurring Recurring Activity on page 34, or select the Recurring check box in the Enter Bank Activity window. To generate recurring activity: 1. Select Generate Activity From > Recurring from the Enter Activity menu. 2. If you are using batch processing, select the batch into which you wish to generate. Bank Reconciliation Enter Activity 3. Enter the date to use for posting the activity. 4. Enter the starting and ending bank account for which you want to generate recurring activity. 5. Enter the starting and ending document number of the activity you want to generate. 6. Select the starting and ending Frequency Code from the drop-down lists. Frequency codes are used to group transactions that you want to generate together. For more information about Frequency codes, see Setting Up Recurring Activity on page Select OK to generate or Cancel to exit without generating. 52 Cougar Mountain Software

60 Generate Activity From External File Generate Activity From External File Use the Generate Activity From External File option to import transactions from an external file. See Appendix A of your Accounting or Point of Sale user s guide for the requirements of the external file. #Note Bank Reconciliation imports cannot be cash transactions. To import an external file: 1. Select Generate Activity From > External File from the Enter Activity menu. 2. Create a new batch into which to import transactions (generate). #Note Transactions can only be imported into an empty batch. If you are in single batch mode, you must post or clear any unposted transactions that are currently in the batch before you can import. 3. Select one of the following file types to indicate the type of file you want to import:! Column Position File (Fixed Length): Each field in the file to be imported starts in a specific column and contains a fixed number of characters.! Tab Delimited File: The fields in the file to be imported are separated by tabs. Bank Reconciliation 53 Bank Reconciliation Enter Activity

61 Generate Activity From External File! Semi-Colon Delimited File: The fields in the file to be imported are separated by semi-colons. 4. Select Begin Import to start importing the transactions, or Cancel to exit without importing. Import Transaction Validation When transactions are imported, each piece of information is checked to make sure it is in an acceptable format, that required fields contain a value, etc. The same validation is done as if you were entering a transaction on the Enter Bank Activity window. See Appendix A of your Accounting or Point of Sale user s guide for a list of the requirements for the Bank Reconciliation module. Printing the Import Error Report If errors were detected during the import process, an error report is generated, and a message appears. To print the error report, do the following. 1. When the error report message appears, click OK. Bank Reconciliation Enter Activity 2. Depending on the defaults you set for print options in Module Preferences, the Print Options window may appear. 3. If the Print Options window appears, select the report destination: Printer, Screen, or File. If you select Printer or Screen, specify Laser or Dot Matrix. If you select File, type the output file name. The default is REPORT.TXT. If you regularly save to a file, the new file will append to the end of the existing file, so you will not lose previously saved information. 4. Enter the number of copies to print. By default, one copy will print, unless you entered a different number in Module Preferences, or unless you selected File or Screen as the report output destination. 5. Select OK to print the report or Cancel to exit without printing. 54 Cougar Mountain Software

62 Printing the Edit Report Correcting Errors While it may be possible to correct some of the errors on the error report in the Cougar Mountain batch file, we recommend clearing the batch, correcting the errors in the external file, and then importing again. #Note Certain information, such as dates, will be required at posting, but will not be required at the time of import. Be sure to print an Edit Report and review it carefully prior to posting. If errors are detected at posting, an error report will be generated. Use this to correct your entries. Using the following instructions, correct any errors prior to posting the batch. Correcting Errors in the External File 1. Edit the transactions in the external file, as necessary. 2. Clear the transactions you previously imported by selecting Clear Activity from the Enter Activity Menu. 3. Import the file again. See Generate Activity From External File on page 53. Correcting Errors in the Imported Batch 1. Select Enter Activity from the Bank Reconciliation Master Menu. 2. Select Enter Bank Activity. 3. Use the Find button to locate and select the transaction(s) you want to change. 4. Click Edit to change the transaction, and update it as needed. Printing the Edit Report When you finish entering activity, print an Edit Report. This report allows you to check the accuracy of your data entry prior to posting. Errors are easily Bank Reconciliation 55 Bank Reconciliation Enter Activity

63 Printing the Edit Report corrected if caught before activity is posted. Once posted, however, the only way to correct an error is to post a correcting or reversing entry. Do the following to print the edit report: 1. Select Print Edit Report from the Enter Activity menu, or Print Edit from the Enter Activity, Void Activity, and Set Up Recurring Activity windows. 2. If you are using batch processing, select an existing batch. 3. Select the report type, Detailed or Summary. 4. Select whether you wish to sort by bank account or transaction. 5. To print the report for a single bank account, enter the code of that bank account in both the Starting and Ending Bank Account boxes. To print for a range of bank accounts, enter the first and last account code of the range. To print for all bank accounts, press TAB without making an entry. Bank Reconciliation Enter Activity 6. Enter the starting and ending transaction number(s) to include in the report, or leave the defaults to print for all transactions in the batch. 7. Depending on the defaults you set for print options in Module Preferences, the Print Options window may appear. 8. If the Print Options window appears, select the report destination: Printer, Screen, or File. If you select Printer or Screen, specify Laser or Dot Matrix. If you select File, type the output file name. The default is REPORT.TXT. If you regularly save to a file, the new file will append to the end of the existing file, so you will not lose previously saved information. 56 Cougar Mountain Software

64 Printing Checks 9. Enter the number of copies to print. By default, one copy will print, unless you entered a different number in Module Preferences, or unless you selected File or Screen as the report output destination. 10. Select OK to print the report or Cancel to exit without printing. Printing Checks Print checks after printing the edit report and making any necessary modifications, but prior to posting. To print checks: 1. Select Print Checks from the Enter Activity menu, or select Print Checks in the Enter Bank Activity window. 2. If you are using batch processing, select an existing batch. 3. To print checks for a single bank account, enter that bank account code in both the Starting and Ending Bank Account boxes. To print for a range of bank accounts, enter the first and last bank account codes of the range you wish to print. To print for all bank accounts, press TAB without making an entry. 4. Enter the starting and ending transaction number for which you wish to print checks, or leave the defaults to print all check transactions. Bank Reconciliation 57 Bank Reconciliation Enter Activity

65 Printing Checks 5. Select the Sort By Payee Name check box to sort the checks by payee name for easier distribution. If this check box is not selected, the checks will print in the same order in which they exist in the transaction file. 6. Select the check type to print:! Not Printed...Print all checks in the batch that have not already been printed.! Already Printed...Print all checks in the batch that have already been printed. This is useful if a problem occurred during the previous printing session.! All...Print all checks in the batch. 7. Select the Assign Check Number check box if you would like the system to automatically assign the check number as part of the printing process. If you assigned the check numbers at the time you created the transactions, leave the check box unchecked. 8. Click Print Test to print a sample check. 9. Select OK. A prompt appears notifying you to load your checks for printing. 10. Enter the first check number if you are using prenumbered checks. 11. Select OK to print, or Cancel to exit without printing. Bank Reconciliation Enter Activity 58 Cougar Mountain Software

66 Printing Deposit Slips Printing Deposit Slips When you have entered deposit transactions, you can print deposit slips from within the Bank Reconciliation module. To print deposit slips, follow these steps: 1. Select Print Deposit Slips from the Enter Activity menu. 2. Select the starting and ending transactions to be included on the deposit slip(s). 3. Select the starting and ending bank accounts for which to print deposit slip(s). 4. There will be one deposit slip for each deposit transaction, even if there are multiple deposit transactions for a selected bank account. All cash items in a deposit will be totaled, and all non-cash items will be listed separately and added to the cash deposit total. Posting Activity Once you have printed and checked the Edit Report, made any corrections, and printed checks and other necessary reports, you are ready to post the batch. Your printer must be connected, on-line, and ready to print before you can post. To post activity: 1. Select Post Activity from the Enter Activity menu. Bank Reconciliation 59 Bank Reconciliation Enter Activity

67 Batch Control 2. If you are using batch processing, select the batch that you wish to post. 3. Select OK to proceed with posting or Cancel to exit without posting. The posting process first validates all of the entered information to ensure it meets the criteria of posting. The information is written to the file, and then the Posting/Audit Reports are printed. Examine these reports carefully before continuing. As Bank Reconciliation goes through the posting validation, it sometimes finds problems that must be resolved before the activity can be posted. When this occurs, a Posting Error Report is generated that tells you exactly what is wrong. The report references the activity number and the problem. Batch Control Bank Reconciliation Enter Activity If you elected to use batch processing when setting up your module preferences (see Multi Batch Mode on page 29) you are required to define and select a batch before processing activity. Add a new batch using the Batch Setup window. Selecting a Batch After you have defined one or more batches, you can select the one you want to work with. Do the following: 1. Select Batch Control from the Enter Activity menu. 2. Choose Select Batch from the submenu. 3. To add a new batch, click New. 60 Cougar Mountain Software

68 Clearing Activity 4. To select an existing batch, click the arrow to display a drop-down list of available batches. 5. Select the batch you want from the drop-down list. 6. Select OK to activate the chosen batch. Setting Up a Batch To define a new batch, do the following: 1. Select Batch Control from the Enter Activity menu. 2. Select Set Up Batch from the submenu. The BR Batch Setup window appears. 3. Enter an Identity that helps you recognize this batch. 4. Select Save to create the batch or Cancel to exit without saving. Clearing Activity If for some reason you decide that you do not want to post activity, you can clear the activity batch file. Always print an Edit Report and verify that you want to delete all activity on the report before you clear the file. To clear the batch file and erase all unposted activity: 1. Select Clear Activity from the Enter Activity menu. 2. If you are using batch processing, select the batch you wish to clear. Bank Reconciliation 61 Bank Reconciliation Enter Activity

69 Changing the Local Transaction Date 3. Select the Remove Batch check box if you want to remove the activity and the batch. (You will only see this check box is you are using Multi- Batch processing.) If you want to only remove the activity, but leave the batch accessible, leave the check box unchecked. 4. Select OK to clear the activity, or Cancel to exit without clearing. Changing the Local Transaction Date Changing the local transaction date allows you to set a new default system date for activity processing. This date only affects Bank Reconciliation transactions; it is not a global system change. To change the date, do the following: 1. Select Change Local Transaction Date from the Enter Activity menu. Bank Reconciliation Enter Activity 2. Enter a new date in the Transaction Date box. 3. Select OK to change the date in Bank Reconciliation, or Cancel to exit without changing the date. If Bank Reconciliation is integrated to General Ledger, you can set the date forward or backward from your system date to any date within the fiscal calendar. This is useful if, for instance, you missed some transactions a week ago. Simply change the transaction date, and enter as many transactions as you wish for that date. If Bank Reconciliation is not integrated to General Ledger, you can set the date to any date you wish. This is useful for tasks like entering transaction history. 62 Cougar Mountain Software

70 Changing the Local Transaction Date #Note This change does not affect other modules or workstations. Once you leave the Bank Reconciliation module and then return, the default transaction date for this workstation will revert back to what it was prior to the change usually the system date. Bank Reconciliation 63 Bank Reconciliation Enter Activity

71 Changing the Local Transaction Date Bank Reconciliation Enter Activity 64 Cougar Mountain Software

72 C H A P T E R 7 BANK RECONCILIATION RECONCILIATION Use the Reconciliation menu to clear outstanding items and reconcile your bank accounts.

73 Bank Reconciliation Reconciliation Reconciling the Bank Statement Reconciling the Bank Statement To clear outstanding items appearing on your bank statement: 1. Select Reconciliation > Reconcile Bank Statement from the Bank Reconciliation menu bar. 2. If you are using batch processing, select an existing batch or create a new one. 3. Select the bank account that you wish to reconcile. 4. Select the ending statement date from the drop-down calendar. 5. Enter the closing statement amount. The closing statement amount is the bank account balance at the time the statement is issued. 6. Select a cutoff date from the drop-down calendar to exclude items outside the statement period. These items appear on the statement as a single net line item. 7. Select the activity type (i.e. checks, deposits, deductions) that you wish to view. To view all activity types, select All. 66 Cougar Mountain Software

74 Reconciling the Bank Statement 8. Enter the starting item number and ending item number of the range of items you want to view. To clear a single item, enter the same number in both boxes. 9. Select Refresh Grid. All outstanding items of the specified activity type appear in the grid. By default, the items in the grid will appear in order according to the setting you chose on the BR Bank Account window General tab for the selected bank account (see General Tab on page 39). If you want to sort the items differently, select the field by which they should be sorted from the Sort Items By drop-down list box at the bottom of the window. If you have cleared or uncleared any items in the grid, you will be prompted to save the information. Bank Reconciliation Reconciliation If you save the information after resorting, the items for this reconciliation will remain sorted this way until it is posted or cleared, or until you change the sort. When you begin a new Reconciliation, the sort order will again default to the sort order you chose on the BR Bank Account window General tab. 10. Select the Clrd? box to check items that you wish to clear. To clear all items, select Clear All. If you want to view more items at once, select the Zoom button. The statement summary information will be temporarily hidden so you can view more detail lines. In Zoom mode, you can continue to clear and unclear items, and change the sort order. When you are ready to view the statement summary information again, select the Unzoom button (same button as Zoom). Bank Reconciliation 67

75 Bank Reconciliation Reconciliation Reconciling the Bank Statement #Note Select the Default All Items to Clear for Reconciliation check box on the Bank Account window (see "General Tab" on page 39) to automatically select the Clrd? box each time the grid is refreshed. 11. If the Enter Amounts During Reconciliation check box has been selected on the General tab of the bank account you re reconciling, the Amount column will be colored red. You will need to enter the amount of each transaction in order to clear it, and when the amount you enter equals the amount in the checkbook file, that field in the Amount column will no longer be red. 12. Select Save to clear the checked outstanding items, or Cancel to exit without clearing. #Note Click Bank Register at any time to view the register for the selected bank account. Auditing Tips Each time you finish your bank statement reconciliation and have balanced your checkbook, go to General Ledger and look at the balance of the Cash in Bank account that is associated with the BR Bank Account Code. Verify that the Cash in Bank balance in General Ledger and the Bank Account balance in Bank Reconciliation agree. If not, we recommend that you identify what is causing the discrepancy. Usually, disagreement between the two bank balances occurs when something is posted to the Cash in Bank account from somewhere other than Bank Reconciliation. Print an Audit Trail Report for the Cash in Bank account and look for items that were posted from somewhere other than Bank Reconciliation. This process usually pinpoints the incorrect entry. 68 Cougar Mountain Software

76 Printing the Edit Report Printing the Edit Report When you finish entering reconciliation transactions, print the Reconciliation Edit Report. This report allows you to check the accuracy of your data entry before posting. Do the following to print the edit report: 1. Select Reconciliation > Print Edit Report from the Bank Reconciliation menu bar. 2. If you are using batch processing, select the batch for which you want to print the edit report. Bank Reconciliation Reconciliation 3. Enter the starting and ending item numbers to include in the report, or leave the defaults to include all reconciliation transactions. 4. Depending on the defaults you set for print options in Module Preferences, the Print Options window may appear. 5. If the Print Options window appears, select the report destination: Printer, Screen, or File. If you select Printer or Screen, specify Laser or Dot Matrix. If you select File, type the output file name. The default is REPORT.TXT. If you regularly save to a file, the new file will append to the end of the existing file, so you will not lose previously saved information. 6. Enter the number of copies to print. By default, one copy will print, unless you entered a different number in Module Preferences, or unless you selected File or Screen as the report output destination. 7. Select OK to print the report or Cancel to exit without printing. Bank Reconciliation 69

77 Bank Reconciliation Reconciliation Printing the Bank Reconciliation Report Printing the Bank Reconciliation Report The Bank Reconciliation Report shows the reconciliation of the bank statement and your company records. Depending on the balancing method you selected when setting up your bank account (see General Tab on page 39), the program starts with either the statement balance or the book balance. The Bank Reconciliation Report performs the following functions:! Lists outstanding transactions and adjusts the balance accordingly.! Shows the change that occurred in the balance when the outstanding items were taken into consideration.! Compares the new calculated balance and the actual statement or book balance. If the two numbers do not agree, a message at the bottom of the report tells you that your book and bank statement are out of balance, and the amount by which they are out of balance. If the bank statement and book are out of balance, you must locate and correct the problem before you can post the reconciled transactions. To print the Bank Reconciliation Report: 1. Select Print Bank Reconciliation from the Reconciliation menu. 2. If you are using batch processing, select the batch for which you want to print the Reconciliation Report. 3. Depending on the defaults you set for print options in Module Preferences, the Print Options window may appear. 4. If the Print Options window appears, select the report destination: Printer, Screen, or File. If you select Printer or Screen, specify Laser or Dot Matrix. If you select File, type the output file name. The default is REPORT.TXT. If you regularly save to a file, the new file will append to the end of the existing file, so you will not lose previously saved information. 5. Enter the number of copies to print. By default, one copy will print, unless you entered a different number in Module Preferences, or unless you selected File or Screen as the report output destination. 6. Select OK to print the report or Cancel to exit without printing. 70 Cougar Mountain Software

78 Posting the Reconciliation #Note Remember that when you clear checks, deposits, and other items in Bank Reconciliation, they were previously posted to Bank Reconciliation from another module or from Bank Reconciliation itself. The clearing transactions you make in bank reconciliation are merely making bookkeeping entries to tell the Bank Reconciliation system which items have cleared the bank. The reconciliation report is your proof that the bank and book amounts are actually in balance. Posting the Reconciliation Bank Reconciliation Reconciliation Once you have printed and checked the edit report, made any corrections, and printed the bank reconciliation report, you are ready to post the clearing transactions. Your printer must be connected, on-line, and ready to print before you can post. To post reconciliation transactions: 1. Select Reconciliation > Post Reconciliation from the Bank Reconciliation menu bar. 2. If you are using batch processing, select the batch that you wish to post. 3. Select OK to proceed with posting or Cancel to exit without posting. The posting process first validates all of the entered information to ensure it meets the criteria of posting. The information is written to the file, and then a Posting/Audit Report is printed. Examine the report carefully before continuing. As Bank Reconciliation goes through the posting validation, it sometimes finds problems that must be resolved before the activity can be posted. When this occurs, a Posting Error Report is generated that tells you exactly what is wrong. The report references the activity number and the problem. Bank Reconciliation 71

79 Bank Reconciliation Reconciliation Batch Control Batch Control If you elected to use batch processing when setting up your module preferences (see Multi Batch Mode on page 29) you are required to define and select a batch before processing activity. Add a new batch using the Batch Setup window. Clearing the Reconciliation If you do not want to post the transactions you have entered, delete them all by clearing the reconciliation file. Always print a reconciliation edit report and verify that you want to delete all activity on the report before you clear the file. To clear the reconciliation file: 1. Select Reconciliation > Clear Reconciliation from the Bank Reconciliation menu bar. 2. If you are using batch processing, select the batch you wish to clear. 3. Select OK to clear the file, or Cancel to exit without clearing. 4. If you are using batch processing, and you want to remove the batch, select the Remove Batch check box. (You will only see the check box if you are using batch processing.) If you want to clear the reconciliation, but leave the batch, leave the check box unchecked. 72 Cougar Mountain Software

80 Changing the Local Transaction Date Changing the Local Transaction Date Changing the local transaction date allows you to set a new default system date for activity and reconciliation processing, for this session, for this workstation. This date only affects Bank Reconciliation transactions; it is not a global system change. To change the date do the following: 1. Select Reconciliation > Change Local Transaction Date from the Bank Reconciliation menu bar. Bank Reconciliation Reconciliation 2. Enter a new date in the Transaction Date box. 3. Select OK to change the date, or Cancel to exit without changing the date. #Note This change does not affect other modules or workstations. Once you leave the Bank Reconciliation module and then return, the default transaction date for this workstation will revert back to what it was prior to the change usually the system date. Bank Reconciliation 73

81 Bank Reconciliation Reconciliation Changing the Local Transaction Date 74 Cougar Mountain Software

82 C H A P T E R 8 BANK RECONCILIATION REPORTS Reports available in Bank Reconciliation track the status of various checks, deposits, payees, and much more. This chapter describes the steps required to set up and print Bank Reconciliation reports.

83 Printing Bank Reconciliation Reports Printing Bank Reconciliation Reports As with the other modules, Bank Reconciliation Module Preferences allows you to define default settings for posting and other reports. In addition, all Bank Reconciliation reports use the same Print Options window, which allows you to select where to print the report, what type of printer to use, printer options, and how many copies you want to print. To print Bank Reconciliation reports: 1. Select the report you want to print from the Reports menu. Bank Reconciliation Reports 2. Complete the report setup window and select OK. 3. Depending on the defaults you set for print options in Module Preferences, the Print Options window may appear. 4. If the Print Options window appears, select the report destination: Printer, Screen, or File. If you select Printer or Screen, specify Laser or Dot Matrix. If you select File, type the output file name. The default is REPORT.TXT. If you regularly save to a file, the new file will append to the end of the existing file, so you will not lose previously saved information. 5. Enter the number of copies to print. By default, one copy will print, unless you entered a different number in Module Preferences, or unless you selected File or Screen as the report output destination. 6. Select OK to print the report or Cancel to exit without printing. Bank Register Report The Bank Register Report lists all activity recorded in Bank Reconciliation, including checks, deposits, additions, deductions, and bank charges. Print the report using a variety of sort options and report types. 76 Cougar Mountain Software

84 Bank Register Report To print the Bank Register Report: 1. Select Bank Register from the Reports menu. 2. Select the sorting sequence from the Sort By drop-down list. The sorting sequence determines the order in which the selected items appear on the report. 3. Select the Report Type from the drop-down list. The report type determines the amount of information for each transaction that is included in the report. The following report types are available:! Single Line: Prints a single line report that includes document number, date, payee/description, activity type, status, source module, and amount.! Detailed: Prints a report that lists all available detail information for each individual transaction.! Condensed: Prints a report that includes all items from the single line report, plus memo, description and category.! Summary: Prints a report that lists the bank totals for each specified activity type. Bank Reconciliation Reports Bank Reconciliation 77

85 Bank Register Report Bank Reconciliation Reports 4. In the Print Notes section, select the Item check box to print any existing item notes for each item number included in the report. Select the Bank check box to print any existing bank notes for each bank account included in the report. 5. Select the activity types (i.e. checks, deductions, deposits) that you wish to include in the report by selecting the appropriate check boxes. Select All to print for all activity types. 6. Select the status (i.e. outstanding, cleared, voided) of the activity that you wish to include in the report by selecting the appropriate check boxes. 7. Select the source modules (i.e. Bank Reconciliation, Accounts Payable, Payroll) of the activity that you wish to include in the report by selecting the appropriate check boxes. 8. Enter the starting and ending bank accounts, item dates, item numbers, and payees for the range of items that you wish to include in the report. 9. Select OK. 10. Depending on the defaults you set for print options in Module Preferences, the Print Options window may appear. 11. If the Print Options window appears, select the report destination: Printer, Screen, or File. If you select Printer or Screen, specify Laser or Dot Matrix. If you select File, type the output file name. The default is REPORT.TXT. If you regularly save to a file, the new file will append to the end of the existing file, so you will not lose previously saved information. 12. Enter the number of copies to print. By default, one copy will print, unless you entered a different number in Module Preferences, or unless you selected File or Screen as the report output destination. 13. Select OK to print the report or Cancel to exit without printing. 14. See Printing Bank Reconciliation Reports on page 76 for further information on printing the report. Bank account activity continues to appear on the Bank Register Report until the Bank Reconciliation files are purged, and then only cleared and voided items are deleted from the system and removed from the report. 78 Cougar Mountain Software

86 Missing Check Report Missing Check Report The Missing Check Report identifies any breaks in check number sequence posted to the checkbook file. To print the Missing Check Report: 1. Select Missing Check from the Reports menu. 2. Enter starting and ending bank accounts, check dates and check numbers to include in the report. 3. Select the Print Missing Checks Only check box to include only missing check numbers in the report. 4. Select OK. 5. Depending on the defaults you set for print options in Module Preferences, the Print Options window may appear. 6. If the Print Options window appears, select the report destination: Printer, Screen, or File. If you select Printer or Screen, specify Laser or Dot Matrix. If you select File, type the output file name. The default is REPORT.TXT. If you regularly save to a file, the new file will append to the end of the existing file, so you will not lose previously saved information. 7. Enter the number of copies to print. By default, one copy will print, unless you entered a different number in Module Preferences, or unless you selected File or Screen as the report output destination. 8. Select OK to print the report or Cancel to exit without printing. Bank Reconciliation Reports Bank Reconciliation 79

87 Payee Card Report 9. See Printing Bank Reconciliation Reports on page 76 for further information on printing the report. Payee Card Report The Payee Card Report provides a quick list of payees entered in the payee card file. Use this report any time you need a general list of payee names and addresses. Bank Reconciliation Reports To print the Payee Card Report: 1. Select Payee Card from the Reports menu. 2. Select the report type from the drop-down list, either Detailed or Summary. 3. Select the payee type from the drop-down list, either Company, Individual, or All. Select All to include both payee types. 4. Select the Source Modules (i.e. Bank Reconciliation, Accounts Payable, Payroll) of the payees that you wish to include in the report by selecting the appropriate check boxes. Although all payee records are actually created in the Bank Reconciliation module, they can be imported from Accounts Payable or Payroll by selecting the Add from AP/PR button in the Payee Card File window. 80 Cougar Mountain Software

88 R&R Report Writer 5. Specify the range of payees that you wish to include in the report. To print the report for a single payee, enter the same payee in both the starting and ending Payee boxes. To print for all payees, accept the defaults of Start and End. 6. Select OK. R&R Report Writer 7. Depending on the defaults you set for print options in Module Preferences, the Print Options window may appear. 8. If the Print Options window appears, select the report destination: Printer, Screen, or File. If you select Printer or Screen, specify Laser or Dot Matrix. If you select File, type the output file name. The default is REPORT.TXT. If you regularly save to a file, the new file will append to the end of the existing file, so you will not lose previously saved information. 9. Enter the number of copies to print. By default, one copy will print, unless you entered a different number in Module Preferences, or unless you selected File or Screen as the report output destination. 10. Select OK to print the report or Cancel to exit without printing. 11. See Printing Bank Reconciliation Reports on page 76 for further information on printing the report. R&R Report Writer is a product for writing and designing customized reports for your Cougar Mountain data. This data access and reporting tool enables you to produce custom reports to select, analyze, summarize, and present data from your files. After you have developed a custom report, you can display it on screen or print it with any combination of fonts and print styles that your printer supports. Bank Reconciliation Reports If you have R&R Report Writer installed, select this option from the Reports menu to open the application. R&R Report Writer is fully integrated with Cougar Mountain as a read-only application. For details on how to use R&R Report Writer, refer to the documentation that came with R&R Report Writer. Bank Reconciliation 81

89 R&R Report Writer Bank Reconciliation Reports 82 Cougar Mountain Software

90 C H A P T E R 9 BANK RECONCILIATION PERIOD END The purpose of Period End processing is to purge activity detail that is no longer needed from the hard drive, thereby speeding up processing and making more hard drive space available for other uses.

91 Purge Processing Purge Processing There is no formal End-of-Period Processing in Bank Reconciliation as there is in most of the other modules. Instead, the Purge Processing option removes cleared and voided items from the checkbook file. Running this option purges all cleared and voided items that have an activity date older than and including the purge date specified. The decision to purge cleared items is entirely up to you. The most common reasons to perform purge processing are to free up hard drive space and speed up processing. Always make a permanent backup of your data files and print a Bank Register Report before purging cleared items. When you are finished backing up the data files and printing the Bank Register, you are ready to purge. To purge cleared items: 1. Select Purge Processing from the Period End menu. Bank Reconciliation Period End 2. Select the Bank Account from which you wish to purge cleared items from the drop-down list. 3. Select the date through which you wish to purge cleared items from the Purge Entries Prior To drop-down calendar. All cleared items that have an activity date older than and including the date specified are purged. 4. Select OK to begin purge processing, or Cancel to exit without purging. 84 Cougar Mountain Software