You must set up some essential information for each client before you can enter transactions for that client.
Depending on the client's abilities, you can grant them permissions to maintain most of this setup information on an ongoing basis.
The setup process involves different functional areas, available from different menus in the interface.
Note: For information related to the setup process for non-profit organizations, review the Non-Profit Organization Setup Process topic.
If the client is new and has not yet been set up in the system, use the Launcher on the right side of the interface to open the Administration module, then select Setup from the Client menu to create the client in the system. You can also select the applications to enable for the client - including Accounting Power - in the Application Signup panel of the Administration module's Client Setup screen, and then open Accounting Power and sign the client up for the Client Accounting Services (CAS) module or other accounting functions.
1. Sign an existing client up for accounting functions.
Select Client Management from the Client Center menu, click the Sign Up Client button, and select a client to sign up from the drop-down list.
The Company Setup screen for the client appears.
You can select the Entity Type to specify the kind of organization and enter basic company information, including contact names and email addresses, business information, and accounting period information on the Setup tab, and use the Preferences tab to upload a logo or digital signature, set check preferences, and enable departmental accounting for the client.
If you enable departmental accounting, the Departments tab appears to allow you to establish departments for the client and set up a code, name, and short name for each department. You can then select the applicable departments when entering transactions in all areas of the system.
Non-Profit Organizations: When you select Non-Profit in the Entity Type field on the Setup tab, the system sets up the Funds tab, in place of the Departments tab, and creates three funds - Unrestricted Net Assets, Temporarily Restricted Net Assets, and Permanently Restricted Net Assets. These are connected by default to capital accounts (Retained Earnings Class) of the same names on the Chart of Accounts.
2. Create a Chart of Accounts for the client.
Select Accounts from the Company menu to open the Accounts screen.
You can use one of the following methods to create the Chart of Accounts for the client:
§ Copy a standard chart: The Accounts page supplies 30 standard charts for different industries and professions, including a Chart of Accounts for non-profit organizations. You can modify any standard chart to suit a particular client.
§ Copy from another client: You can use this option to ensure that your clients share a uniform Chart of Accounts. You can copy any chart and modify it to suit a particular client.
§ Import a chart: You can import an Excel file with your client's Chart of Accounts from QuickBooks or Peachtree, or create one directly in Excel and import it.
§ Create a unique chart: You can set up the client's Chart of Accounts directly. This method requires the most effort, but provides the greatest flexibility in terms of account numbering and account format.
Each account must be defined with a Type (such as Asset, Liability, Capital, Revenue, or Expense) and a Class (Current Asset, Fixed Asset, etc.).
A limited number of accounts must also be assigned to a category, a special qualifier that defines how the account is used within the system (for example, as an automatic offset account for balancing transactions).
You can select the Beginning Balances tab on the Accounts screen to enter the initial balances for the first year.
3. Set up banks and credit cards for the client.
Select Banks/Credit Cards from the Company menu to open the Bank and Credit Card screen from which you can set up bank and credit card accounts for the client, and invite the client to register with external providers to enable the following features:
§ Bank Feeds: Easily and automatically downloads banking and transaction information from thousands of bank and credit card providers to provide up-to-date information to relevant screens within the accounting module.
§ Merchant Account: Enables clients to receive credit card payments from their customers.
§ Digital Checks: Enables you to create digital check images to email to recipients for electronic deposit or printing, providing a simple way to pay bills electronically.
4. Enable the Client Accounting Services (CAS) module, if appropriate, and set up access permissions for the client.
To allow the client or client staff members to access the interface, you must ensure that the client has a system login, and enable the Client Accounting Services add-on for the client in the Client Management screen, then select Permissions from the Company menu to specify the features and functions the client can access.
The permissions you grant depend on the client's needs and abilities.
5. Set up customer, product or service, vendor, and employee (for payroll) information to simplify and streamline transaction entry and invoice and bill creation, and to reduce input errors.
You can enter vendor, customer, employee, and product and service information on the appropriate screens or import this information from an Excel spreadsheet.
§ Select Vendors from the Expenses menu, and use the tabs on the Vendors screen to enter vendor information.
§ Select Customer Center or Products/Services from the Sales menu to open the Customer Center or Set Up Products screens to enter information about your customers or your products or services.
§ Select Payroll from the Company menu to open the Payroll screen, and use the Employee Setup tab to enter information for employees for payroll purposes.
Select Preferences from the Sales menu to open the Sales Preferences screen and set options for this client.
Preferences for the Sales module govern the accounts used for customer sales transactions, sales tax, freight, discounts, and finance charges, as well as information related to customer credit memos and invoices.
These settings are essential for clients who use the Accounts Receivable module.
7. Set up financials for your client.
Select Preferences from the Financials menu to open the Financial Preferences screen and set up global preferences for the client's financial statements.
While clients can print their own financial statements, only accountants can set up the financials. Setup includes identifying the accounts or account groupings to appear on the statements, formatting the statements, providing headers and footers, and creating the accompanying documents.
8. Invite the client to enable additional services.
Open the Client Notifications screen from the Client Center menu, select the target client from the list, and click Email to email invitations to:
§ Upload a digital signature to use on system-produced checks.
§ Enable the Mobile Upload feature to facilitate client participation in your bill payment service.
§ Set up Bank Feeds, to automatically download up-to-date transaction information from banks and credit card providers.
§ Register for a Merchant Account to enable the client to receive online credit card payments from their customers.
You can also use the Email feature to notify clients to approve pending bills or send clients the Performance Analysis Report, or to create and send custom emails to individual or multiple clients.