SQL-Ledger workflow

This document is drawn from a collection of notes for  one company working with SL 2.4.x, and is incomplete and not standard in some places. This needs updated, so read with care!

the old paper filing "drawers" view

Here is how you might see file-cabinet drawers organized for this kind of bookkeeping system, for example, if we were not using computers, the system would resemble this arrangement:

Accountants pull information from these "drawers" along with bank statements and other transmittals to fill the general ledger (GL), which is organized by a chart of accounts.

customers

Use "cash" for Customer Number when completing POS transactions where customer info is not required.

for purchases, see "sales" below.

for payments from customers, see "accounts receivables" below.

for replying to customer requests-for-quotes, use "Quotations >Quotation"

for finding customer related transactions, sales orders, invoices etc, use "AR >Customers >Reports >Search".

vendors

Where vendor info is kept. Use "other" for vendors and manufacturers not listed.

to add a vendor, use "AP >Vendors > Add Vendor"

to edit a vendor, use "AP >Reports > Search"

for cash purchases, see "expenses" below.

for payments to vendor accounts, see "accounts payables" below.

for request-for-quotes to vendors, use "Quotations >RFQ"

for vendor orders:

1. If part of a sale, see "sales" section below for complete process.
2. If purchase is a follow-up to a vendor-RFQ, use "Quotations >Reports >RFQs" to find the RFQ, then, press "Quotation" button to make a Quotation from it.
3. otherwise use "Order Entry >Purchase Orders".

sales catalog

..consists of parts and services. We use these guidelines:

• Part Number (or sku)  consists of letters-lettersAndNumerals, for example: acme-abc123c.  All letters in lowercase:
  • manufacturer's abbreviation (SL:"Vendor Number").  Significant manufacturers are listed as vendors in the SL system. Otherwise "other-" is used.  The Manufacturer's abbreviation is followed by
  • a dash (-) and
  • the item's model number (no spaces or special characters).
   
• Service Numbers start with "service-".
• List Price = web price
• Sell Price = offering price (same as List Price for us)
• Description = the catalog 1 line description, usually includes model number, and specifications that identify this part different from other ones.

Search for a part to the catalog, use "Goods & Services >Reports >All Items".

Modify a part in the catalog, use "Goods & Services >Reports >Parts".

Add a part to the catalog, use "Goods & Services >Add Part".

quotations

to make a quotation to a new contact, add contact as a customer with "AR >Customers >Add Customer", then press "Quotation" button.

to copy a quotation from another's sales order, use "Order Entry >Reports > Sales Orders" to find sales-order, then press "Quotation" button.

to make a quotation to an existing customer, use "Quotations >Quotation"

to make an RFQ to an existing vendor, use "Quotations >RFQ"

to make an RFQ to a new vendor, add vendor with "AP >Vendors >Add Vendor", then press "RFQ" button.

to add a part, see part number guidelines in catalog section.

sales

for finding customer history, use "AR >Customers >Reports >Search".

To make a sale,

1. If this sale to customer is for items in stock and payment in full, you can use "POS >Sale".
2. If the sale originated as a quotation, use "Quotations >Reports >Quotations", search for and choose customer, then press "Sales Order" button.
3. If this sale is for an existing customer, use "Order Entry >Sales Order".
4. Otherwise add customer with "AR >Customers >Add Customer", then press "Sales Order" button.

to add a part, see part number guidelines in catalog section.

Then create a sales invoice by using "AR >Reports >Search" to find the open, saved order; Press the "Sales Invoice" button and edit the invoice and add payment info.

For quick, unrecorded purchase orders, we've modified the "Packing List" to look like a purchase order for a single order to a single vendor. Find the sales order with "Order Entry >Reports >Sales Orders", then change "Sales Order" options list to "Packing List" and press "Print" button.

fulfillment

Fulfilling a sales order

To make a pick-list of shippable items, use "Shipping >Ship", select Warehouse then "continue" button. Only parts in stock (shippable) from the selected warehouse are shown. Choose "Packing List" from the drop-down menu.

To make a packing-list, use "Shipping >Ship", select Warehouse then "continue" button. Only parts in stock (shippable) from the selected warehouse are shown. Choose "Packing List" from the drop-down menu.

To make a work-order, use "Order Entry >Reports >Sales Orders", choose sales order, then select "Work Order" from the drop-down "Sales Order" list and press "Print" button.

To make a purchase order from a sales order:

1. Open 2 browser windows logged in to Sql-Ledger: window1 and window2.
2. Bring up the html-print version of the sales order in window1: Use "Order Entry >Reports >Sales Orders", choose sales order, then press "print" button.
3. In window2, start a new purchase order: Use "Order Entry >Purchase Order".
4. Type information from window1 to window2 (or use the mouse and clipboard's copy and paste). Put the sales order(SO) number from window1 into the "Internal Notes" section of PO in window2.

To find parts on hand, use "Goods & Services >Reports >Parts", choose "On Hand", then "continue" button.

stock room

add item to inventory:

1. Making a vendor-invoice automatically adds the part(s) to inventory. Make a vendor-invoice and note any incomplete orders from a purchase-order (PO).
2. Or, if the part is associated with a PO, find the PO using "Order Entry >Reports >Purchase Orders", and add the quantity recieved in the "Rec'd" column for each item.
3. Otherwise, use "Shipping >Receive", choose warehouse, then press "continue" button

To find current inventory use "Good and Services >Reports >Parts", select "On Hand", then press "continue" button.

customer invoices

Customer invoices are used to bill customers and record their payments (receipts).

To find or edit a customer invoice, use "AR >Reports >Outstanding"

To create a customer invoice from a sales order, find sales order with "Order Entry >Reports Sales Orders". After choosing sales order, press "Sales Invoice" button.

To create a customer invoice for an existing customer, find customer with "AR >Reports >Search". After choosing customer, press "Sales Invoice" button.

vendor invoices

Vendor invoices are used by vendors to bill us.

To record a vendor invoice related to a purchase order, find the purchase order using "Order Entry >Reports >Purchase Orders". After choosing the PO, press "Vendor Invoice" button.

To record a vendor invoice with line item detail, use "AP >Vendor Invoice"

To record a vendor invoice without detail, use "AP >Add Transaction"

bank statements

see income for deposits; and see expenses for checks and other withdrawls.

income

post income using "Cash >Receipt". Use "cash" for customers not listed and where they do not need to be identified.

For entering deposit history from bank statements, Use statement's "from" description for "Customer" entry (such as Merchant Service, American Express, Discover etc), even if its an account adjustment or nonincome deposit. If no "from" description is available, use Deposit (cash), Bank's name, Wire Credit,  or appropriate description. If unsure, contact accounting. Put "statement" in form's "Source" field. If it's for interest paid, put "interest paid" in "Memo" field.

To see a list of all available customers and customer types, check the "All" checkbox, then click update, then fill in the customer textbox. We use "cash customer" for unidentified cash paying customers.

expenses

post expenses using "Cash >Payment". Use "other" for vendors not listed, and note actual vendor name in form's Memo. If its a bank fee or charge, use bank's name, for example (US Bank, Wells Fargo, Merhant Service, Discover, EZIC, Providian etc). For checks, put check number in "Memo" field along with anything else there.

To see a list of all available vendors, check the "All" checkbox, then click update, then fill in the vendor textbox.

accounts receivable (AR)

Where customers owe us money.

add customer-invoices without detail and without associating with a sales-order, use "AR >Add Transaction".

add customer-invoices use:

1. If this is related to a sales-order (SO), you can make a sales-invoice by searching for the order "Order Entry >Reports >Sales Orders", choose a SO, then press "Sales Invoice" button.
2. otherwise use "AR >Sales Invoice".

make customer-statements, use "AR >Reports >AR Aging"

accounts payable (AP)

Where we owe money to others.

add vendor-invoices without detail (parts or service breakdown) use "AP >Add Transaction"

add vendor-invoices that track cost of parts:

1. If this is related to a purchase-order (PO), you can use "Order Entry >Returns >Purchase Orders", choose a PO, then press "Vendor Invoice" button.
2. otherwise use "AP >Vendor Invoice".

interface notes

This system expects you to:

press "update" (or refresh) button after entering customer or vendor name, and after each part or service item.

press "save" button to save the information in the current form. Pressing this button usually starts a new blank form, so make this your last action when inputing form data.

browser keyboard shortcuts

TAB ........ select next item in formshift-TAB .. select previous item in form

The next item can be a button, text edit box etc. Buttons can be selected and then "pressed" by pressing the  "enter" or "return" key.

Search wildcard characters

%    same as grep's '*', ie any number of unspecified letters or numerals_    (underscore) same as grep's '?', ie any one character

accounting procedures

account transfers use "Cash >Transfer".

reconciling accounts use "Cash >Reconciliation".

modifying general leger use "General Ledger >Add Transaction"

delete a transaction use "General Ledger >Reports", search for transaction, press "continue", then select transaction id, and press "delete" button.

to check status of open purchase orders without vendor-invoices, use "AP >Vendors >Reports >Search"

to check status of open sales orders without vendor-invoices, use "AR >Customers >Reports >Search"

for customer transaction history summaries and detail, use "AR >Customers >Reports >History".

for vendor transaction history summaries and detail, use "AP >Customers >Reports >History".

for items sold, but not yet purchased, use "Goods & Services >Reports >Parts", select "Active" and "Sales Orders".

for inquiries, use "Goods & Services >Reports >Parts", select "Active" and "Quotes".

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