The first step in setting up master files for The Application is to provide The Application with some basic information about your business. This is done using the Configuration File Maintenance form (Figure 14) under File Maintenance Configuration File.

You will probably find that most or all of the information required on this form has already been entered by the Data Entrée technician who installed your system. Generally, this basic information will have been entered before you begin working on the system, but to the extent it has not, you will be required to enter data into the following textboxes:

• Company Code – You need to enter here a short code to identify your company. A simple, numeric code like “01” can suffice.
• Address – Enter your company’s name on the first line, and then the address of your company in the remaining fields.
• Remit-To – Enter your company’s name and remit-to address.
• Phone Number
• Fax Number
• Federal ID #

Below these textboxes you see a large box with three tabs. By clicking on one of the tabs with your mouse, you can select that tab and the data entry fields contained within it.

The first tab, titled Company Logo, contains a field to enter the location of the graphic file which contains your company’s logo or whatever graphic was chosen to appear on form headers.

The second tab, titled Accounting Information, has fifteen textboxes requiring input of ten default G/L codes, two system codes, and three closing dates. The default G/L codes tell The Application which General Ledger accounts to use when posting data from certain input forms. For example, when you enter the default G/L code for Accounts Receivable, The Application knows to debit this account when posting amounts from the Print & Post Invoices form. Likewise, when you enter a default G/L code for Accounts Payable, The Application knows to credit this account when posting amounts from the Process Purchase Order form. Using your company’s Chart of Accounts, enter all ten G/L codes.

The Default Sales Tax Code and Customer Deposit Bank Code fields require you to enter system codes which you will create later in this section. You can leave them blank for now.

The three System Closing Dates tell The Application how far back in time current data entry can be dated. For example, when you enter January 1, 2004 in the Accounts Receivable closing date field, orders can no longer be posted with dates prior to February 1, 2004. If you enter January 31, 2004 in the Accounts Payable closing date field, purchase orders can no longer be posted with dates prior to February 1, 2004. And, finally, if you enter January 31, 2004 in the General Ledger closing date field, journal entries can no longer be posted with dates prior to February 1, 2004. As you move forward in time, you will use these fields to close prior accounting periods by advancing the closing date according to whatever accounting schedule you implement.

The third tab, titled Comments/Miscellaneous, allows you to set the beginning numbers for the order, invoice, PO and check number sequences. You can use these fields to provide continuity between The Application and the accounting system from which you are migrating. There are also drop-down text fields for you to select the Invoice Form # and Check Form # you will be using. At the bottom of this tab are two fields to enter comments that will appear on invoices and order guides.

The three remaining options, the F7 Key - Show Sales Cost, the Buying Group drop-down selection field, and the O/E Low Margin field will be explained later.

Once you have entered all the required data, you must click on the Save button at the top right to save the data to the database. If you have not entered all the required data, The Application will stop you and display a dialog box indicating which fields remain to be completed. Once you have saved the information, you can click on the Close button and move on to setting up the complete General Ledger in The Application database.

The Application Desktop

TOC

Setting Up the General Ledger