The default setting for the Function screen is Add. To make an Inquiry or Delete an item, click on that option and then hit Continue. That will prompt a lookup screen as follows:

Each of the column headers is sortable if you click on it. You can scroll through the list of items, or use the Customer, Item Type, and/or Item Number fields to narrow the search. Once an Item is located in the screen, highlight and Right Click to Edit or Delete or Double-Click to Edit. The system will prompt an Add/Update Customer Account box as follows: 

There is limited functionality in this screen, other than to Change Branch, or modify Lien/Dispute, and Retainage. 

To add an Open Item, click on the Add option in the Function screen and click Continue. The system will prompt a main Add/Update Customer Account screen as follows:

At the Branch (1) field, use the drop-down arrow to select another Branch if applicable. The Item Date (2) field will default to the current date, but you can alter if applicable. The Posting Period field is display only. At the Customer (3) field, ether type the Customer ID or click the button to prompt the Customer Selection box, just like the one explained above in Customer Maintenance to make a selection. At the Item Type (4) field, there are five options available from the drop-down box. Select the one that corresponds to the Item you are entering in the system. See below for explanation of Item Types:

Invoice (the system will debit or increase A/R for the amount of the invoice)

Credit Memo (the system will credit or decrease A/R for the amount of the credit memo)

Service Charge (the system will debit or increase A/R for the amount of the service charge)

The Item Number (5) field is used to record a number or alphanumeric description for the item you are adding. The Beg. Balance and Cur. Balance (6) fields are generally the same amount. Make sure the Current Balance reflects the current amount of the item you are adding. When you are adding Invoices or Service Charges, the amount must be a positive number. When you are adding Credit Memos, the amount must be a negative number. The Terms (7) fields are used only if you are adding an Invoice. If you offer terms to your customer that apply to the Invoice you are adding, enter the discount percentage and the number of days the customer has to take the discount. If terms are pre-programmed in the Customer Maintenance module, that information will automatically default here. If no terms apply, you can skip these fields.

The Last Activity (8) field will default to the date entered in the Item Date field. If there has been activity on this item since the original date, you can record that date in this field; otherwise, leave the default date. The Total Merchandise (9) field is used to calculate Cash Discount amounts. If no discounts apply, enter through this field. If discounts do apply, enter the total merchandise amount of the item that should be used for calculating the discount amount. The Credits This Month field is generally not used. However, it can be used to record any payments that have already been applied to an item during the month you are adding it, or for beginning balances for reference purposes.

As mentioned above, the Cash Discount (10) field is used only if you are adding an Invoice. If you are giving terms on the Invoice you are adding, the system will figure the discount amount based on the percentage entered in the Terms field and the value entered in the Total Merchandise field. That amount will then prompt in the Post Customer Payments module when you go to post a payment for this Invoice. If no discount applies, skip this field. The Lien Date (11) field is also only used if you are adding an Invoice. If applicable, enter the earliest date on which you can file a lien against the customer if the Invoice is not paid. The Lien Date will display in the Customer Status Inquiry module, and you can also print an Aging Report by Lien Date. If you do not file liens, skip this field. The Retainage (12) field is used to record an amount that is being retained on an Invoice, if applicable. There is an A/R Aging Report (Retainage) to keep track of these invoices, and this amount can be edited as needed in the Inquiry/Delete option when you first enter this module.

And finally, the Reference (13) field can be used to type in a reference memo that applies to the item you are adding. This field reads over into the Customer Status Inquiry module. For your Beginning A/R Balances, you may want to make a note in this field to indicate that the item is a part of your Beginning Balances. If no reference memo applies, you can skip this field.

G/L Account Fields:

As explained in the beginning of this section, when you add an Open Item in this module, the system automatically sends the value of it to the General Ledger for your Accounts Receivable asset account. In the G/L Account (14) fields, you will post the opposing entry(ies). There are multiple fields in the event you need to distribute a value to more than one General Ledger Account. Start by using the G/L Acct button in the first field to prompt a G/L Account Selection screen. You can also type the number if you know it. The D/C (Debit/Credit) column will default to either “D” or “C” depending on the Item Type you are adding (see explanation for Item Type above). If applicable, you can override the default if more than one entry is being made, but ultimately your debits must equal your credits in order to save. In the Amount column, the system will default to the value that was entered in the Current Balance field, unless a value was entered in the Total Merchandise field. You can override this amount if you need to distribute to more than one G/L account, or hit enter to accept. You cannot enter a negative number in this column—use the “D” or “C” entry in the previous column to distribute correctly. The total of the postings must equal the value entered in the Current Balance field before you can exit this screen. Click the Save button when complete.

At the end of the accounting day, if you have added or deleted items in this module you will need to print an Open Items Adjustment Register—located in the Accounts Receivable Reports Menu 1 of 2—to double-check your entries and to complete the system’s internal procedures.