This is where you enter new payments and receipts into your accounts. You will normally use this dialog in conjunction with a Bank or Charge Account.
If you select this function when an existing item in the account is highlighted, you will see the details of that item as the default values for each input field. You may find this useful as a short cut to entering frequently repeated items.
Check the center of the dialog. If you see the words LAST YEAR ITEM, you know that you are about to add an item to last year's accounts instead of this year.
This can happen when you are displaying last year's data, when you are highlighting a last year item during account reconciliation, or when highlighting the first line of the display of an account reconciliation.
It is perfectly OK to enter data directly into last year's accounts, just be careful that you don't do it by mistake!
Remember also that this may change the value of the Opening Balances from Last Year brought forward into this year.
When you finish entering new items you will see the new items you have entered are now added to the end of the display of items accumulated in the account.
Input
Debit/Credit.
At the top-left of the dialog you can select whether this item appears as a debit or a credit in the account.
If you are entering items into a Bank account, the alternatives highlighted will be "RECEIPTS"/"PAYMENTS".
If you are entering items into a Charge account, the alternatives highlighted will be "PAID"/"CHARGED".
If you are entering data into any other type of account, the alternatives highlighted will reflect the meaning of Debit/Credit for that type of account.
If you are entering an item in a Bank or Charge account you can specify a fixed rate of exchange for the transaction. This is useful if you are transferring funds from a Bank account in one currency to a Bank account in another currency.
The Single Item Forex option needs to be set in Account Item Options
If you want this item to be re-entered automatically by the system on the same date of each subsequent month, click the "S/o" button above the description field.
The Show Receipts option needs to be set in Account Item Options
Currency.
The list of currencies for your selection are the ones that you have set up using the Foreign Currency Rates facility currency. The default currency displayed will normally be correct.
If you do not find the currency you want, you should first add it to your list of Foreign Currency Rates.
Date.
The default date is the current system date. You cannot change the year. The system updates this automatically according to the month and the year end date that you have pre-defined.
In both fields, in addition to entering numeric data, you can use the up and down arrows to increment or decrement the value of the field.
You can also click in either field to display a drop down calendar for date selection.
Ref.
This is a two character alphanumeric field. In addition to entering numeric data, you can use the up and down arrows to increment or decrement the value of the field. The default value is zero.
So long as the field contains a numeric value, this value increases by one as you add each new item.
If you are entering details of cheques you have paid, enter the last two digits of the first cheque that you enter - the system will automatically step this number as you enter the details of each subsequent cheque.
If the field is given non numeric value, no change is made to the field as each new item is added.
Description.
This is a normal alphanumeric field where you can enter any appropriate description for this item. The default value is a blank field.
Every description you enter is saved by the EasyFill function to help speed up subsequent data entry. If the EasyFill option is on, the description -and amount and Goes To field - will be typed ahead as you key the first few characters.
You will find it helps later understanding of this item if you describe "Who" and "What" the item relates to.
Amount
If you click in this field, you can use the drop down calculator to enter the amount.
Have Receipt
If you check this box, an ® character is appended to the description when the item is displayed.
Each item "Comes from" one account and "Goes to" another account.
You have specified in the Debit/Credit field, above, whether this item is a payment or a receipt. You now need to specify the second half of the transaction by telling the system in which account you want this item accumulated.
You can select any of the accounts in the either by number or description. As you start typing, the system scans the Account Names List to find the account name or number.
If you are operating at the professional level, you will be able to select the appropriate VAT rate for the item being entered.
You may want to split an amount entered between two or more accounts.