A/P Computer Check/EFT Run Procedure
Overview
The following instructions
outline steps that are performed during a 'Computer
Check/EFT Run'. The steps must be
followed in the order given. If you
receive an error message at any point or if you are not certain how to proceed,
contact Data Plus Support for assistance before proceeding.
'Batch Status – Batch Details': The 'Batch
Status' inquiry function is designed as an indication at all times to tell
you the "Batch ID", "Current Status", "Type" of check run in
progress, and “Post Date”. If at
any time you are not sure of the last step completed, you may select the “Batch
Detail” button to view the current status from this menu step.
The 'Batch ID' and 'Current
Status' are created during the 'Checks/EFT
Creation' process. If you have not
run 'Checks/EFT Creation', the 'Batch ID' is blank and "No
batch in progress" is displayed.
Before
Beginning
Before initiating the 'Computer Checks/EFT' process, verify that all 'Demand Check/EFT' and 'Void
Check' batches have been posted.
Because of potential conflicts, these functions should not be used until
the 'Computer Checks/EFT' cycle has
completed. Second, review all
non-posted batches; any unposted 'Invoice',
'TA Commission', 'Adjustment' or 'Void Invoice' batches will not be reflected in this check run.
What to Do
From the 'Accounts Payable' menu, select 'Checks/EFT' then select ‘Computer
Checks/EFT’
Step 1:
Cash Requirements
The 'Cash
Requirements' task selects and reports on vendors and invoices that are
eligible for payment, based on information that you enter in for the following
fields:
SCREEN 1 -
“Foreign Currency Code”: If Foreign
Currency is enabled; this field will be available to insert a Foreign Currency
code for a foreign currency check run.
“Properties
to Select?” If this is a Multi
Property database this field will be accessible for data entry. This field is used to select some or all
properties for this check run. The
only properties available for selection will be those that do not have a check
run in process at the time. If there
are no check runs open, either “s” for some or “a” for all can be
selected. If there are check runs in
process “s” for some will default in.
After pressing f2 the Available Property Selection will appear. Only properties that do not have a check run
in process will appear. On this screen
an asterisk is used to designate the properties to be included on the new check
run.
"TA Commission Run?" If this check run is for A/P trade payables vendors, then this
field must be set to "No". If this check run is for travel agent
commission checks, then enter "Yes".
SCREEN 2 -
"Check/EFT Date": This field indicates the
date to be printed on the check and the date that the EFT file is created
on. It also determines which discounts
are to be taken, based on a comparison of the discount date to the check date.
"Pay Invoices Due Before": This field is used to
determine which outstanding invoices are to be paid in this run. Invoices with a payment date earlier than
the date entered here are selected for payment.
"Post Month/Year": The current Calendar
Month/Year from the Parameters file is displayed in this field. If you want this check run posted to a
different financial period, change this field. (Example: You have not closed
A/P for December 2001, but you are running checks that are to be posted to
January 2002, you change this field from the default of 12/2001 to 01/2002.)
"Informational Only?” If you answer "No", this process selects
and updates invoices to pay that have a due date less than the " Pay Invoices Due Before Date". This is the usual entry for the initial
selection of invoices. See Step
2: Pay Status Edit for additional information on running this report
after the 'Pay Status Edit' step has been run.
“Cash Account by Property”: If this is a Multi Property database this field
will be accessible for data entry. This
field is “yes” or “ no” depending on if the properties selected each have a
separate cash account.
"Maximum Check Amount": This field displays the
maximum check amount from the Parameters file. A check is not created for any
vendors whose invoices total to an amount greater than what is entered
here.
“Report Detail Options”: Based on the above criteria select
“Show All Invoices” to print a
cash requirements that includes every invoice that has been posted and is
eligible for payment. Showing all
invoices will generate a cash requirements report for all open invoices that
have any due date.
Or select “Show Only Invoices Due”
to print a cash requirements only for invoices that are due for payment (and
invoices that are "on hold" or "disputed") before the
following check printing date. This
will allow the user to produce a smaller report of only the invoices that will
be paid in this check run.
“Select Invoice Sort Option”: This displays the way that invoices are
sorted on the cash requirements report.
Here are the following Options:
Sort By Invoice Number
Sort By Invoice Date
Sort By Invoice Due Date
Note: Only invoices that
show on the Cash Requirement Report will be available for Pay Status Edit.
After answering these questions, press the <F2> key to continue. If you choose
"Informational
Only?" set to "No",
you are issued a message: "This
report will select and update invoices to pay". If you choose "Informational Only?"
set to "Yes", the message
displayed is: "This report will not
update invoices to pay".
If the information displayed is correct, press <F2> to continue. If
you wish to make changes to the fields on the screen, press <ESC> (cancel) instead of <F2>.
The next screen displays the 'Report Setup'. If you want all vendors to be included,
press <R> (Run Output
Procedures). If you want only specific
vendors to be included in this run, press <S>
(View/Modify Record Selection). The
following screen
allows selection ranges by vendor number,
vendor type or vendor alpha. Enter your
selection criteria and <F2> to
save, which returns you to the 'Report
Setup' screen. Press <R> to run.
NOTE:
If a check run is already in progress, you are not allowed to run the 'Cash Requirements Report' for anything
other than "Informational Only?" set to "Yes". The
message " Check run already in progress, Informational Only must
be yes" is displayed on the bottom of your screen. This is to prevent you from accidentally
starting a second check run prior to completing the one currently open.
Step 2:
Pay Status Edit (optional)
If there are changes to be made to the
vendors/invoices selected on the 'Cash
Requirements Report', this is your next step. If the 'Cash Requirements
Report' does not require any
changes, go to Step 3: Checks/EFT Creation.
The Pay Status Edit
screen includes three sections: Information entered in the 'Cash Requirements' in the top left corner, 'Filter Options' in the top right corner, and a browse
section on the bottom that shows all the invoices
available for editing.
Information from
the 'Cash Requirements' will only show if
the 'Cash Requirements Report'
was run before running 'Pay Status Edit'.
Using the information, the system selects which invoices to show in the browse
below.
Filter
Options.
Property ID: (Multi
Property only) This field is only available is this is a
multi property database. Enter
the property ID to show only the invoices for a particular property. Search is
available for this field.
Vendor: Enter
the vendor number to show only the invoices for a particular vendor. Search is
available for this field.
Invoice To Match: Enter
up to a 16-character keyword to show only the invoices that match any part of
the keyword. Example: If a
"2" was entered into the field, the system would find any invoice
number that had a "2" in it (e.g. 28040, 79289, 11902, 48-238)
Once information is
entered into the appropriate Filter field, press the "Filter" button to show the results.
To show all the
invoices again after filtering, press the "Refresh"
button.
The Browse section allows you to either edit each individual
invoice or all invoices for a particular vendor.
Use the mouse or the arrow keys
to highlight the invoice to be edited. Press <Enter>
or double click the invoice to start
editing.
The new screen
allows you to edit the following fields.
Invoice
Description: Edit
the description that shows on the check stub for the invoice.
Separate Check?: Yes
to print this invoice on a separate check stub, Or No to
print this invoice on the original check stub.
Pay By: Enter
the new pay date of this invoice, or leave as is to be included in this check
run.
Pay Status: Choose
the Pay Status for the invoice. Options include Normal,
Hold, Take Discount, and Disputed.
Payment Flag: Choose
'Yes' to have a check created for this
invoice in this check run. Choose 'No' not have a check created for this
invoice in this check run.
If
'Pay Status’ was set to Hold or Disputed,
the 'Payment Flag' must be set to 'No'.
*Note: If
the Payment Flag
was moved from No to Yes, then the Pay Date
must be changed to a date before the Pay
Invoices Before Date setup in the Cash Requirements. If the Payment Flag was changed from Yes to No,
the Pay Date
must be changed to on or after the Pay Invoices Before Date
entered in the Cash Requirements.
FC Code: Edit
the Foreign Currency code that this invoice should be paid in.
DR Liability: This
field allows for partial payments.
Edit the amount to be paid for this invoice. If the amount is changed, a
warning appears after pay status edit is finished letting you know a partial
payment is being made.
Take Discount: Edit
the discount to be applied to the invoice. If Pay Status was set to T (Take Discount) the amount will show here as well.
Once all the
information entered is correct, press <F2>
to save and then press <F2> again
to continue. Then the next invoice can be selected for editing.
To change the Pay
Status and Payment flag for all invoices under a vendor, choose the 
button.
Vendor No: Enter
in the vendor number to be edited. Search is available.
Pay Status:
Choose
the Pay Status for all the invoices under the vendor.
Payment Flag: Choose
Yes or No for the Payment Flag for all the invoices under the
vendor.
Pay Date: If
you choose Yes to
the above question the system will default this field to the current check
date. If you choose No the system will default to the Next Check Date. You may enter any Pay Date, which
is after the current pay date.
To reset the payment flag
for all vendors on the Cash requirements list which then allows you to select
the invoices that you wish to pay.
Choose the 
Button.
The Following
warning message will appear.
To change the pay
flag on the invoices in the browse screen, choose the 
button.
If the invoice pay flag = No and you wish to change it to Yes select this button. This will change the pay flag
to Yes and change the pay date
to the current check date. If the invoice pay flag =
Yes and you wish to change it
to no, highlight the invoice and choose this button. This will change the pay flag
to No and the pay date to the
next check date.
With each invoice
that you choose for payment a Cash Total will
appear on the bottom right hand corner of the screen.
Once all
changes are done in 'Pay Status Edit', press <Esc> to go back to the
Computer Check/EFT Run Screen. Then you
can go to the step 3 ‘Checks/EFT Creation’.
Note: The ‘Return To Pay Status Edit’
button can only be used if Checks/EFT are not printed or generated, or if
checks are voided or deleted before posting the batch.
Step 3:
Checks/EFT Creation
If you have a Vendor to whom you are paying multiple invoices, you may
receive the following message after selecting the Checks/EFT Creation button.
Select ‘NO’ if you would like the system to list the invoices on multiple
check stubs. Please be aware that the system will VOID the checks whose check stubs
were used, and will print the total for all invoices on the final check.
Select ‘YES’ if you would like to set all checks for these vendors to print on a Remittance Detail report, instead of multiple check stubs. If you select ‘Yes,’ the following screen will appear where you can enter the Stub Message you would like to appear on the check stub.
Press F2 to continue.
For those users who do not
require multiple checks stubs for a vendor, you will initially be met with the
following screen.
Cash Account: Displays the cash account or TA cash account set up in the Parameters file and can be changed.
Payment Type: Enter
‘C’ for Checks, which will print physical checks. Or ‘E’ for Electronic Fund Transfer, which will create the file
that is to be transferred instead of printing a physical check.
Note:
Before running an EFT check run you must set up the vendor EFT Information in
File Maintenance > Vendors page 2 of 2.
Press <F2> twice to continue and the following message
will appear for you to verify the next starting check number (ONLY if you have
enabled the Automatic Check Numbering, otherwise you will continue to the next
screen to enter the check number in manually). Enter ‘Yes’ if the number is
correct.
If the number
displayed is not correct, select ‘No’ and the following screen will appear
where you may enter in the correct check/eft number.
The information on this screen displays
previous entries made in the 'Cash
Requirements' step for the following fields: Check Date/EFT (this field can be
changed), "Pay Invoices Due Before", "Post Month/Year"
and "Maximum
Check/EFT Amount". The
additional fields displayed are:
Starting Check/EFT No: Enter
the first check number from the check stock that will be used for this check
run. Or enter the first EFT number to be used.
Create Checks As Held: Do you want the system to
print checks and store them as “Held”?
Then as checks are mailed out you will need to mark them as “Released”.
"Description": A brief description of 'Checks Creation' or ‘EFT File Creation’ is displayed in
this field. You may change this
description if you wish.
"Batch ID":
If you have the Parameters file set to automatically assign 'Batch IDs', then this field is
automatically assigned with the next sequential number. If not, enter the 'Batch ID' you want associated with these checks.
“Check/EFT
Date”: This date will print on the check or will be included in
the EFT file.
After entering all of the above information,
press <F2>. The system redisplays the information for
your verification. If there are no
changes, press <F2> again. You then get the 'Report Options' screen.
If you selected specific vendors on the 'Cash Requirement Report', you
must do the same selection here.
If not, press <R> to 'Run Output Procedure'.
Although you are given a 'Report Options' screen, a 'Checks/EFT Creation' report only
prints if there are any problems encountered.
If you receive a printed report, do not proceed. Call Data Plus Support and have the report
available. Remember that a report does NOT print if this procedure is
successful.
NOTE: 'Checks/EFT Creation' should not be run again in
this process until this batch has finished posting. If you try to run 'Checks/EFT
Creation' and this step has already been run the following message will
appear "Cancel - Computer Checks are already in progress.
Press
<Space Bar> to continue." This brings you back to the menu. Go into 'Batch
Status – More Info' to determine where the system is in the Check/EFT
process. The "Batch ID", "Current
Status" and "Type"
of check run are displayed. If you are
not sure why you are at this point in the check run, call Data Plus Support
before proceeding any further.
Step 4:
Edit List
After selecting this item
from the menu, the 'Current Batch
Status' is displayed. This status
must read "Checks/EFT Created" in order for the report to be
generated. The 'Edit List' prints
all vendors and their invoices that have been selected for this check run. It is easier to correct problems before
printing checks, than later in the process.
If mistakes are found on the
edit list and a new a new check run needs to be started from pay status edit
then “Return to Pay Status Edit” can be used to re-start the entire
check run from the beginning. This will
reset the batch status to “no batch in progress”, and a new check run
can be created that will have the same invoices selected for payment and the
same total cash required.
If mistakes are found on the
edit list and the checks need to be renumbered or voided then refer to the tech
note “AP Computer Check Recovery Procedures”.
Step 5:
Print Checks
This step creates the print file for your checks or creates a transferable EFT file. Your system's configuration determines the exact steps needed to print the actual checks or create the EFT file.
For Users Printing on Check Stock or Blank Laser
Check Users:
After selecting ‘Print Checks/EFT’
press ‘Space Bar to Continue’.
To print physical checks, at the report
option screen select ‘Print to Printer’. Then press ‘Run’.
For EFT Users:
To create the Electronic File Transfer, after selecting ‘Print Checks/EFT’ press ‘Space Bar to Continue’. You will see the following screen:
Verify that the above information is correct and
press <F2>. You
will then get a message “Processing
Ready to Begin”. Answer Yes to continue, and select ‘Run’ at the Remittance Detail
report option screen. This will
automatically print the remittance details for the EFT run. Remittance Details must be printed for EFT.
If there are any problems
with the checks after they have been printed, do not proceed. Refer to the "Computer Checks/EFT Recovery"
procedure or call Data Plus Support.
Step 6:
Approve Checks/EFT
If the checks printed correctly, you may now
proceed with the approval of the batch.
The "Batch ID" and
the current status of the batch are displayed.
The status must read "Checks/EFT Printed".
Leave the displayed value of "Checks
OK" set to "Yes" and
press r <F2> to continue. Once the checks have been approved, you are
returned to the 'Computer Checks' menu.
Although you are given a 'Report Options' screen a report only prints if there are errors
encountered. If you do
receive a report, print it out and do not proceed. Call Data Plus Support and have the report available. Remember:
a report will not print if
this is successful.
Step 7:
Register
The 'Check Register' is now ready to be run. If the status displayed is "Checks Approved", you may
continue with the 'Checks Register'. Be sure to verify the information on the 'Check Register'. If there are no errors, proceed to the next
step. Otherwise, refer to the "Computer Checks Recovery"
documentation.
Step 8:
Remittance Detail (optional)
This function prints a remittance detail for any
vendors whose checks did not print with check stub detail. You will be required to print the Remittance
Detail for those vendors prior to the “Post checks/EFT’ option. You also
have the option to print the Remittance Detail for ALL checks.
Select Option
Choose the option for the vendors for whom you wish
to print a remittance detail.
1. Print remittance detail for vendors whose checks printed
without check stub detail.
2. Print remittance detail for ALL checks.
Sample Remittance Detail
If all steps have been followed sequentially,
the displayed status reads "Check Register Printed"
acknowledge this by pressing the <Space
Bar>. At the 'Report Setup Screen', press <R> (Run). The detail report is sent to the printer and
you are returned to the 'Computer
Checks/EFT' menu. Since this is an
optional step, the 'Batch Status' is
not updated by running this task.
Step 9:
Post Checks
Once the check register has been printed, the
batch is ready to be posted. If you
take this step before the register is printed, the system displays the
message: "Cancel – Checks/EFT not
ready to post". Print the 'Check Register' and then retry this
step. This step finishes the 'Computer Check/EFT Run', produces the 'Check Journal' and, when completed,
resets the batch status to "No batch in progress".
Batch Status (Optional)
At any point during the
check run you can verify that status of the computer check batch by looking at
the 'Batch Status – Detail' at the
bottom of the computer screen. The 'Batch Status – Detail' button provides
basic information for this batch. If you have a multi-property database use the
“Display Properties Included in Check Run” button to view the properties
selected for this batch. You have the
ability to delete your batch by pressing F6 at this screen, however, you will
only be able to delete a batch if the checks have not yet been printed.
The “Select” button is only available for Multi-property databases if
the user’s login allows access to more than one property. This button is used when first opening the
check run screen to select an open check run batch.
Summary:
The computer check run logically steps
through the selection and generating of computer checks/EFT. The 'Batch
Status' displays the process steps as they occur.
Remember:
only one 'Computer Check' run
can be in progress at any one time for any one property.
There are recovery options that can be taken
at various points prior to 'Post Checks';
refer to "Computer Check/EFT
Recovery" documentation. If
you receive error or warning messages that you do not understand, write down
the messages and call Data Plus Support.