Printing Demand Checks

 

The Demand/Hand Check task is for entry of checks that need to be printed immediately (Demand Checks), and/or for the entry of checks manually written (Hand Checks). Invoices being paid on Demand/Hand Checks can be previously posted, or entered directly as part of this task (first time invoices). Debit and Credit Memos can also be applied to invoices that get paid thru the Demand/Hand Checks function.

 

There is a difference in how the system handles Demand Checks and how it handles Hand Checks.

 

Demand Check          Checks that are to be printed before posting. Once a Demand Check has been printed, there are system-imposed restrictions on what can be edited. A Demand Check is specified by setting the Print? field to Yes.

 

Please Note: There is a maximum of 5 checks allowed per Demand Check batch per bank account.

 

Hand Check               Checks that are not to be printed by the system. There are no special system-imposed restrictions on what can be edited. A Hand Check is specified by setting the Print? field to No.

 

Please Note: There is no limitation on the number of hand checks within a batch.

 

 

Creating a Batch of Demand/Hand Checks The Demand/Hand Checks function can be found under Checks/EFT from the main Accounts Payable menu. The above screen will be visible.

 

Select Data Entry, and then press F5 to insert a new batch. Upon pressing F5, the following screen will appear:

 

 

Below are descriptions for each of the above fields.

 Batch ID

Each batch of Demand/Hand Checks must have a unique Batch ID. If the parameter option is set to assign Batch ID’s, the system assigns a numeric Batch ID that may be changed. If the parameter option is not set, a unique five-character alphanumeric code must be assigned to identify the batch. This field is required.

Cash Account

When creating a batch of demand/hand checks, the cash account will default from the parameter file. If checks need to be created and posted using a different cash account, Ctrl-L may be used to search on the cash account field for a valid cash account.  If an account is coded as ‘Inactive’, the system will not allow it to be used.

NOTE:  Only one cash account can be used per batch.  If  there are payments to be made from other cash accounts, separate batches must be created for each cash account.

Post Month/Year

The system will default to the current calendar month and year from the Parameter’s file. It may be changed. If changed, the system displays a warning message that you are not posting to the current Accounts Payable accounting period. All checks entered in this batch post to the month and year entered. A valid month and year are required.

Description (optional)

A description for this batch of checks may be entered. This description prints on the Edit List and Journal, then is discarded during the posting process. It does not print on any checks. It is purely informational for the user.

 

Once the above information has been entered, press F2 to continue to the Demand/Hand Checks Entry screen.

 

If the parameter setting for Automatic check numbering is ‘yes,’ the following message is displayed. Choose Yes and the system will automatically assign the check number which defaults in from the bank check file.  Choose No and the Check Number field will be accessible where a check number can be manually entered.

 

 

The screen below will need to be filled in with the Vendor No, Property ID (multi-property databases only), Check Number (if Automatic Check Numbering is not used), Check Amount, Date, and Description.  Once those fields have been entered, press F2.

 

               

 

 

                    

 

Once the Demand/Hand check information has been entered, press F2 to continue.  The following screen will appear from which an invoice may be selected. 

 

If the invoice to be paid is listed, click on it to highlight it.  The invoice total will appear at the bottom in the TOTAL field.   If this is the invoice to be paid, but only a partial payment is to be made, double click on the invoice line.  The following screen will appear:

                                       

 

The DR Liability amount can be changed.  This is what will cause a ‘partial payment’.  A warning will come up when this is done:

                                                   

 

When ‘yes’ is selected on this message, the Check Amount on the browse screen will change to reflect the partial payment.  Click Continue to proceed.

                      

 

 

          If the invoice total balances to the Check Amount entered on the first page of the transaction, the system will automatically advance to transaction number two.  If the invoice total does not balance to the Check Amount (or if the invoice to be paid was not listed on the browse), when Continue is pressed, the following screen will appear:

 

  

 

 

 

Enter the invoice number.   The following message will appear to confirm that this invoice is not already entered in the system: 

                                                             

Click ‘OK’.  The rest of the invoice fields will open so the invoice information can be completed.  Press F2. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Notice the Check Amount fields below. The Check Amount and the Current amount must have a remaining balance of 0.00 in order to Post successfully.

 

 

Once the Check Amount and Current amount entered (meaning Invoices that have been selected to be paid) are equal, the system will automatically bring you to a new Demand/Hand check to enter.  Up to five checks can be entered in a single Demand/Hand Check batch.  When all checks have been entered, press ESC.   If this was a Hand Check batch (checks already generated, but needed to be entered), press ESC out to the Main Checks/EFT screen and proceed to the Edit list.  If the checks need to be printed, continue to the next step of this instruction.

 

Printing a Demand Check

Press the Esc key back to the Batch to Print screen.

 

 

Enter the batch number or press Ctrl-L to list all open demand/hand check batches. Highlight the one to be printed, and hit enter.  Once the batch number is entered, press F2, and a print options screen will appear.

 

Select Print to Printer then choose Run.  This will send the check-printing job to the default printer.  

Examine the printed check and then print an edit list.  View the edit list to identify any errors before posting the check to the general ledger.   If there are no errors on the edit list and the check(s) printed correctly, the batch is now ready to post.  If the check did not print correctly or if there are errors on the edit list, the following recovery steps should be followed to correct the error.

 

Editing a Demand Check

 

Under Checks/EFT > Demand/Hand Checks > Data Entry – enter the batch number of the check to be edited.  Ctrl-L in the batch number field will bring up a list of batches to choose from. Select the batch from the list by highlighting the batch number and press enter.   Press F2 until you reach the Demand/Hand Checks screen.   Press the Page Down key to get to the transaction in question, or enter the trx# from the edit list, and the following menu will appear.   

 

 

1. – Editing a printed check is restricted.  Only the check’s description can be changed.  Also the invoice’s post month/year and invoice distributions may be changed before posting.  Editing the descriptions does not require a new check to be printed.  

 

 

 

Print an edit list and review the changes that have been made.  If there are no errors, the check may be posted.

2. – Reprint – Allows the check to be reprinted.  The following screen will appear after selecting #2.

 

 

Select “Yes” to continue.  Then press the Esc key until you reach the batch to print screen.

Enter the batch number of this check and continue with the normal check printing steps. 

 

3. – Void_Reprint -  will void the original check number, and then assign a new check number for the check to be reprinted.  The following screen will appear if the system is set to Automatic check numbering = ‘yes’.

 

                      

Selecting ‘Yes’ on this screen issues the new check to the check number specified. 

 

 

Selecting ‘No’ opens an option to enter a check number to be used:

                         

 

 

Once the new check number has been determined, press Esc back to the batch to print screen.

Follow the normal check printing steps.  This will re-print the check with a new check number.  Once this transaction is posted it will record the original check number as voided. 

 

5 – End Edit -will exit terminate the edit function without having to choose any of the steps. 

 

If more than one check was effected, the recovery step needed (Reprint, Void & Reprint) will need to be done for each transaction.  

 

When the limit of 5 checks has been reached in a batch of Demand/Hand checks,  a message will appear stating that the limit has been reached. The system switches to update mode.  To continue entering checks in a New Batch,  press F9 and the system will generate a new batch.

 

Any questions, please contact Data Plus Support – 978-897-3700 x3 – support@dphs.com.