DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BALANCE VALUE ON AP-AR MAINTENANCE GRID AND BALANCE ON AP-AR ENQUIRIES or REMITTANCE ADVICE-STATEMENT

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BALANCE VALUE ON AP-AR MAINTENANCE GRID AND BALANCE ON AP-AR ENQUIRIES or REMITTANCE ADVICE-STATEMENT

Article credit: Sage 

Article Outline Difference between balance value on AP – AR Maintenance grid and balance on AP – AR Enquiries or Remittance Advice-statement
Article Date Article Date 2017/06/08
Knowledge Type Solving an unknown issue
Knowledge Activity Reporting/Printing
Application Version V7.20.4.000
Application Edition Evolution Standard / Sage 100 Evolution
Evolution Premium / Sage 200 Evolution
Primary Module Accounts Receivable
Secondary Module Accounts Payable
Incident Reference Number n/a
Knowledge Source Incoming Customer Query

Description of the Issue:
This article explains how to resolve differences found between the AP/AR Maintenance grid | Balance column,

and the Balance value on the AP/AR Enquiries screen (and AP Remittance Advice/AR Statement report) as can be seen below:

Diagnosing the Issue
The issue has been diagnosed to occur continuously\\intermittently\\once off and can be replicated in the following scenarios;

  • occurs on all users/workstations/branches on a company database
  • occurs on the same company database in a different environment

Solution / Details
Firstly notice the following about the above discussed differences:

  1. This may simply be due to rounding issues that become especially apparent when allocating the AR/AP account’s debits and credits (e.g. invoices and payments) that then get displayed on the AP/AR Enquiries screen as the Balance value.
  2. Also note the same Balance amount on the AR/AP Enquiries screen should also be similar with the Amount Due value on the Customer Statement/Remittance Advice.

ALSO NOTE THE FOLLOWING:
  • On the cAllocs field on the POSTAP and POSTAR tables, the full value (including a number of decimal values) is stored for most debit and credit amounts. In the front end of Evolution you obviously notice the 2 decimal values.
  • So why does Evolution cater for a number of decimal values on the cAllocs field?This is to cater for more correct VAT/TAX inclusive values when tax is calculated (in addition to point 3 below). For example: 14.2357 X 14 % VAT = 16.228698
  • Note that Evolution allows users to setup up their own number of decimal values on Selling and Cost prices on the Inventory Defaults screen. The more decimals used here, the more important the need becomes to store the decimal values in the cAllocs field.
  • When allocations are performed the cAllocs column is populated. The final AP (AR) Enquiry balance that gets finally calculated and displayed on the Enquiries screen, is subject to the full effect of summing all debit/credit values as stored in the cAllocs column.

To explain further we’ll be specifically referring to Accounts Payable (with the same logic also applicable to Accounts Receivable differences).

  • The AP Enquires screen displays the debit and credit values as per point 3 and 4 above, but finally rounded to 2 decimals. But the AP Maintenance grid Balance value displays the total of all debits less all credit values (without considering allocations) as shown on the various AP processing screens (e.g. Supplier Invoice screen). The sum of all credits / invoice document totals (e.g. as seen on the various SINV docs) less all debits (e.g. payment transactions) is what you’ll see on the AP Maintenance screen on the Balance column.
  • When a supplier has a significant number of transactions and many with considerable amounts as well, it can therefore be expected that the AP Maintenance Balance value could grow further apart from the AP Enquiries screen balance.
  • Refer to one of two options that can be applied below to resolve this issue, by making use of a specific scenario:

Option 1: Short Method

  1. After fully un-allocating and reallocating all transactions, note the $0.28 value appearing for the transaction below on the Supplier Allocation screen.
  2. On the AP Enquiries screen notice the value of $10.95 above appearing as 10.94 below, and the $0.28 Outstanding balance.
  3. Backup the company
  4. Run the following script (filtered on the identified AP transaction above within the relevant company)
    update postap
    set credit = 10.67 where AutoIdx = 64417
  5. The 10.67 value below is the result of 10.95 – 0.28 (the amount not being able to be allocated), with the result looking like this:
  6. The whole idea of this solution strategy is to identify and amend at least one transaction in order to resolve this query, and we have therefore applied this on the transaction above.
  7. Un-allocate All / Reallocate all transactions for this AP account and now notice a zero balance.
  8. Notice however on the AP Maintenance screen the balance still should display as$0.08 as expected.
  9. Therefore simply post a AP journal transaction on the supplier account to reduce the balance by 0.08 in this case.

 

Option 2: Long Method

  1. On the AP account Allocation screen, sort the grid by Reference top to bottom
  2. On the bottom part of the screen, sort the grid by Debit – smallest to largest amounts
  3. Now start allocating the bottom transaction to the top, reference the corresponding transaction. Repeat this process for all transactions below until they are all fully allocated.
  4. Remember to always work in strictly smaller-to-larger debit amount order as you keep on manually allocating each transaction.
  5. Exceptions:
    When you can’t find a similar reference on the top that correspondents with the reference below, then allocate it to a transaction with a similar date at least, or with the transaction with the same credit amount and the debit amount to be allocated.
  6. When done allocating all transactions, the AP Enquiries and Remittance Advice should now balance with the AP Maintenance grid Balance value.

Disclaimer: These articles refer to possible solutions and a platform to share information. Each article describes a method that solved a query (knowledge gathered from previous sites) and how Sage Evolution should operate. These articles make reference to a specific Sage Evolution version, however the thought process can be generalised. Please note the information contained in these articles should be treated as guidelines and adapted to accommodate differences in business processes and IT environments. Articles may not be applicable to all environments. If this article did not resolve your query please contact Kiteview Technologies Support Department on:  (+27) 010 005 6678.

About Us
Kiteview Technologies (Pty) Ltd was founded in May 2010 to provide the Sage Evolution Business Management solution to the SME market. The management team of Kiteview have combined +30 years of experience in the delivery of small to mid-market Financial & Business Management solutions. This experience, combined with a sound project implementation methodology has helped in Kiteview’s growth, becoming a Platinum status partner for SAGE Pastel within just 1 year.

Contact Us

For An Obligation Free Quote

Control Has No Parent Window – Message on AP Or AR Enquiries

Control Has No Parent Window – Message on AP Or AR Enquiries

Article credit: Sage 

The following error may appear when opening the AR or AP Enquiry screen:

SOLUTION:

Delete the relevant agent registry key on the local PC where the above is a problem, as follow:
a) Completely close Evolution on the specific PC where this problem occurs on;
b) Open the PC’s Registry by going to Start | Run (or the text field just on top of the Start button),
insert the text: regedit and Enter on the keyboard;

For a Windows 8 PC, on the desktop of the PC, select the Windows key on the keyboard together with R on the keyboard to open the screen below, enter regedit below and enter on the keyboard to open the Registry Editor

c) In the Registry Editor, go to:
• For AR Enquiries screen:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Softline\Evolution\Agents\*XXX*\ TfrmAREnquiries
• For AP Enquiries screen:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Softline\Evolution\Agents\*XXX*\ TfrmAPEnquiries
d) Right click on the TfrmAREnquiries / TfrmAPEnquiries folder and then delete it
e) Repeat the same step on any other folder with a very similar name e.g. TfrmAPEnquiries002
f) Log back into the company with that same agent on the same PC and test if the query has now
been resolved.
g) If not, close Evolution again on the local PC and delete the complete agent in the local PC’s
Registry e.g. HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Softline\Evolution\Agents\*XXX*
h) Again Log back into the company with that same agent on the same PC and test if the query has
now been resolved.
*XXX* above depends on the specific relevant agent name that encounters the problem on
that specific PC.

Disclaimer: These articles refer to possible solutions and a platform to share information. Each article describes a method that solved a query (knowledge gathered from previous sites) and how Sage Evolution should operate. These articles make reference to a specific Sage Evolution version, however the thought process can be generalised. Please note the information contained in these articles should be treated as guidelines and adapted to accommodate differences in business processes and IT environments. Articles may not be applicable to all environments. If this article did not resolve your query please contact Kiteview Technologies Support Department on:  (+27) 010 005 6678.

About Us
Kiteview Technologies (Pty) Ltd was founded in May 2010 to provide the Sage Evolution Business Management solution to the SME market. The management team of Kiteview have combined +30 years of experience in the delivery of small to mid-market Financial & Business Management solutions. This experience, combined with a sound project implementation methodology has helped in Kiteview’s growth, becoming a Platinum status partner for SAGE Pastel within just 1 year.

Contact Us

For An Obligation Free Quote

5 Ways Your Accountancy Practice Can Change For The Better

5 Ways Your Accountancy Practice Can Change For The Better

Article credit: Sage 

What do you think an accountancy practice will look like in 2030? That might sound like a long time away but it will be here before you know it.

To create a reference point, you might look back at how you worked 10 years ago. By comparing things then to the way they are now, you might feel you can determine the rate of change moving forward.

Back in 2009, Barack Obama was the US president. The big news event was the ditching of Flight 1549 in New York’s Hudson River, while James Cameron’s Avatar was delighting movie goers.

See, 2009 doesn’t feel like very long ago. So, you might think that the rate of change moving forward is likely to be gentle.

In the Practice of Now report, where Sage surveyed more than 3,000 accountants worldwide, we found that 90% believe a cultural or evolutionary change is occurring within their profession right now. This can’t help but have a profound effect in the coming decade.

Put simply, things are changing.

The cause is a perfect storm of external influences converging on the profession of accountancy at the same time – everything from increasing client demands and legislative burdens to generational changes.

The business landscape is changing too, in response to the same factors. Millennials and Gen-Z for example, are coming increasingly to the fore as business owners. They bring with them a unique set of values.

Is your practice ready for this?

Based on the research in the report, we were able to make five predictions about how a practice is likely to look in 2030. Here they are – and how your practice can change for the better.

1. Say goodbye to manual data entry

Data will flow automatically from clients and their bank accounts into the systems of their accountants. Manually keying data will become rare. Of course, for some more progressive accountancy practices, this is already turning into a reality.

There are perhaps two factors driving it.

The first is the aforementioned millennial and Gen-Z business owners and operators, who are digitally native. Technology is their lifelong companion – and using it is second nature.

Their process of forming a business starts with technology and they’re as likely to create a Facebook page as they are to incorporate their business with the relevant authorities. As a result, they also implicitly understand that accounting is best done digitally.

Another factor driving this prediction is down to the increasing demands that legislation places on businesses, such as the digitisation of tax and payroll.

It can seem as if governments worldwide woke up one day and realised that technology was a useful way to enforce compliance and avoid tax shortfalls.

So, in several countries around the world, businesses have no choice but to use accounting software for certain aspects of their accounting. They generate the necessary data whether they like it or not.

What you can do to prepare

You need to ensure your half of the equation – the software you use in your practice – is ready to hook into the panoply of data sources that businesses will increasingly offer.

2. Build real-time relationships

The relationship between an accountant and their client will be near-instant. The accountant will have a real-time view of their client’s business and will be able to interact with that client in real-time.

The accountant will be a trusted adviser or even a constantly present companion.

Considered in hindsight, accountancy has until this point been prone to incredibly annoying delays. If a business operator wanted to see a list of aged debtors over 120 days, for example, then they might ask their accountant to create a report.

That might take a few hours to complete in a busy practice, or perhaps even a day or two.

As such, businesses lack the ability to respond to events in an agile way, while accountants lack the opportunity to be truly responsive and helpful.

With the liberated, instant flow of data between client and accountant systems due to the initial prediction above, the relationship between a business and its accountant can’t help but fundamentally change.

From an accountant’s perspective, this visibility can drive a whole host of new service offerings that will start to erode the perception that the role of an accountant is simply for tasks such as compliance or auditing.

A whole new world will be out there waiting for accountants – provided they’re ready to take advantage.

What you can do to prepare

Ensure your practice has the correct range of skills and experience to be able to build these kinds of relationships. You might look at training your existing staff, or look for these skills when recruiting.

Indeed, a finding within the Practice of Now was that 82% of accountants say they are considering recruiting from a non-traditional background. Furthermore, 43% of respondents say new accountants joining the profession should have industry experience outside of accounting.

Don’t leave preparations until too late. Start considering the necessary changes to your practice now.

About Us
Kiteview Technologies (Pty) Ltd was founded in May 2010 to provide the Sage Evolution Business Management solution to the SME market. The management team of Kiteview have combined +30 years of experience in the delivery of small to mid-market Financial & Business Management solutions. This experience, combined with a sound project implementation methodology has helped in Kiteview’s growth, becoming a Platinum status partner for SAGE Pastel within just 1 year.

Contact Us

For An Obligation Free Quote

How Retailers Can Keep Customers Informed From Purchase To Delivery

How Retailers Can Keep Customers Informed From Purchase To Delivery

Article credit: Sage 

The world of commerce is rapidly changing. More so now than ever before, the shopping experience needs to be on the terms of the customer or your business risks losing them.

We are in the ‘now economy’.

And once a customer has made their online purchase, they want to know where it is at any given moment.

Read on below to find out how you can keep your customers reassured and informed at every step of the purchase journey.

Understand the wants and needs of your ecommerce customer

When designing elements of your online retail experience, it’s important that you understand the wants and needs of your customer. After all, consumers want their purchasing to be on their terms.

With new innovation ploughing ahead at the rate it is, why shouldn’t they? One-click purchasing, mobile payments and payment wallets are just some of the developments in recent years that have further shifted retail in favour of the consumer.

Using a good payment provider can help you to keep up with these tech advancements as you do your best to keep your customers happy.

But before you worry about the evolution of despatch, delivery and customer surveys, you need to make it as easy as possible for your customers to make their purchases. And once a payment has been made, it’s important they know where their goods are – at every step of the way. You can do this with Sage Evolution.

Send a confirmation email post-purchase

There’s always an element of trust associated with purchasing goods online, as a lot of the control a customer would have at an in-store environment has been relinquished.

One of the key things you need to send to your customer once they’ve made their purchase – if you aren’t already – is a confirmation email. This is essentially standard industry practice.

Your confirmation email should contain:

  • A salutation
  • A breakdown of your customer’s order (including total cost)
  • A thank you message
  • Their order reference number.

This email will do a great deal towards dispersing any worries a customer may have about your business, especially if they are new to your online store.

Your email should also contain a customer service contact number, so if anything needs to be changed, altered or cancelled, your customer doesn’t have to spend time searching for contact details.

During busy sales periods such as Christmas and new year sales, your customers are likely to be making lots of purchases. Having confirmation emails sent to them will help them to keep track of the things they’ve bought.

And send despatch notices to your customer with Sage Evolution

An equally important part of the customer journey after the purchase stage is sending out a despatch notice.

Sadly, these emails aren’t yet considered standard practice like the confirmation email is. However, they provide you with a great opportunity to get in touch with your customer and let them know their order is being processed in a timely fashion.

An effective despatch notice should be consistent with the design of your confirmation email and contain similar information, including a salutation, brief order breakdown and the total cost.

The key difference is that this email is only sent when the order has been shipped.

Ideally, the extra information it should contain would be an estimated delivery date and a link to parcel tracking if the shipping service you’ve used offers that as a feature.

Don’t forget customer feedback surveys

The best way to understand how your customer feels about their experience is simply to ask them.

Arguably, the easiest way to ask your customers for feedback is sending them a survey. There are a handful of effective and free email survey design and distribution software tools that will do most of the hard work for you.

All you have to do is plug your questions in and send the email. It’s best to keep your surveys short and sweet – and you may consider incentivising people to fill them in too.

Closed questions are key in these surveys, as simplicity is the best tactic to ensure that customers are stay engaged and complete it.

As you’ll be asking fewer questions, it’s imperative you extract information that will be of use to you. You want to understand how easy the purchasing process was for your customer and how well optimised your site is.

Conclusion

Customers are in control of modern retail. By getting in touch with them at every given opportunity using the convenience of Sage Evolution, you can improve the chances of offering them a positive experience.

This will, in turn, likely lead them to become regular customers as they form a strong relationship with your business.

​

About Us
Kiteview Technologies (Pty) Ltd was founded in May 2010 to provide the Sage Evolution Business Management solution to the SME market. The management team of Kiteview have combined +30 years of experience in the delivery of small to mid-market Financial & Business Management solutions. This experience, combined with a sound project implementation methodology has helped in Kiteview’s growth, becoming a Platinum status partner for SAGE Pastel within just 1 year.

Contact Us

For An Obligation Free Quote

Missing Project Number On The AR Or AP Enquiry Screen

Missing Project Number On The AR Or AP Enquiry Screen

Article credit: Sage 

This article explains how to resolve a missing project number  on the AR or AP Enquiries grid even if a Project Number has been used on the default project field on the processed Sales Order / Purchase Order screen.

This is the Sales Order screen as captured with the Default Project field populated:

And this is the AR Enquiry screen where the Project number field is blank for the above posted sales order:

REASON AND SOLUTION:

On the Inventory Defaults | Entry Options screen, it could be that the Post project per Line option has been selected. Therefore, to ensure the Project number appear on the AR / AP Enquiry grid, ensure that the Post Project per Document option is rather selected.

Please note, only for new documents being processed going forward will Evolution post the Project number correctly to the AR / AP Enquiries screen.

Disclaimer: These articles refer to possible solutions and a platform to share information. Each article describes a method that solved a query (knowledge gathered from previous sites) and how Sage Evolution should operate. These articles make reference to a specific Sage Evolution version, however the thought process can be generalised. Please note the information contained in these articles should be treated as guidelines and adapted to accommodate differences in business processes and IT environments. Articles may not be applicable to all environments. If this article did not resolve your query please contact Kiteview Technologies Support Department on:  (+27) 010 005 6678.

About Us
Kiteview Technologies (Pty) Ltd was founded in May 2010 to provide the Sage Evolution Business Management solution to the SME market. The management team of Kiteview have combined +30 years of experience in the delivery of small to mid-market Financial & Business Management solutions. This experience, combined with a sound project implementation methodology has helped in Kiteview’s growth, becoming a Platinum status partner for SAGE Pastel within just 1 year.

Contact Us

For An Obligation Free Quote

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Join our mailing list to receive the latest news and updates from our team.

You have Successfully Subscribed!