A/R Options Screen

Enter the name of the contact.

Enter the fax number of the contact.

Enter the phone number of the contact.

This column lists the types of documents that can have document numbers.

Use this column to specify the maximum length of the document number (including the prefix) for each document type. The maximum length is 22 characters.

This column displays the number that Accounts Receivable will assign to the next document, batch, or posting sequence of that type.

You can change this number at any time. However, you must be sure not to assign a number and prefix that has been used before. You cannot have duplicate document numbers in Accounts Receivable.

Use this column to specify the prefix to use in the number for this document type. The maximum characters in the prefix is six. There must be a different prefix for each type of document.

You can change a prefix at any time. However, you must be sure not to assign a number and prefix that has been used before. You cannot have duplicate document numbers in Accounts Receivable.

You can have Accounts Receivable automatically keep statistics from the transactions you post to customer accounts, and display the statistics in the Customers, National Accounts, and Customer Groups screens. You can also choose to keep item and salesperson statistics, which you can display on the Items and Salespersons screens. You can also print reports of statistics.

For each of the three kinds of statistics, choose whether to report period statistics by fiscal year or calendar year, which affects the starting date for the statistics.

• Calendar year. The starting date is January 1st.
• Fiscal year. The starting date is the first day of your fiscal year.

Important! You should not change this option partway through a year, because this will cause figures to be distorted in some periods and you will have to make corrections in all records for which you keep statistics. If you need to change this option, do so only at year end.

Choose this option if you want to enable use of a blank comment type for customer comments in the Customers screen (on the Comments tab).

This option lets you revise information in batches that you generate for Accounts Receivable in other Sage 300 modules.

Note: Do not use the option if you want to ensure that external batches are posted without changes.

You can change this option at any time, using it to increase your auditing and supervisory control of external batches, and reducing the possibility of errors from accidental editing.

This option lets you revise information in batches that are imported from other programs.

Note: Do not use the option if you want to ensure that imported batches are posted without changes.

You can change this option at any time, using it to increase your auditing and supervisory control of imported batches, and reducing the possibility of errors from accidental editing.

You can have Accounts Receivable automatically keep statistics from the transactions you post to customer accounts, and display the statistics in the Customers, National Accounts, and Customer Groups screens. You can also choose to keep item and salesperson statistics, which you can display on the Items and Salespersons screens. You can also print reports of statistics.

For each of the three kinds of statistics, select this option if you want to be able to revise the statistics.

You may want to turn on the option while you are setting up your Accounts Receivable system, particularly if you are creating the system partway through an accounting year. You can then enter more complete receivables records by adding the statistics from your previous system.

Once your system is operating, you can turn off the option because the program automatically updates the statistics when you post invoice, adjustment, and receipt transactions.

You may also decide to use the option to edit customer group and national account statistics when you change a customer’s group or national account, or to edit a particular statistic because unusual circumstances have exaggerated the amount (such as a single invoice that remained unpaid for a long period in an otherwise satisfactory account).

Select the default comment type to use for customer comments. The comment types are set up on the Comment Types screen.

This comment type initially appears in the Customers screen (on the Comments tab) when you enter comments in a customer record, but you can change the comment type when you enter a comment.

Specify the default number of days to retain comments in customer records.

The number appears in the Customers screen when you enter comments in a customer record, but you can change the number of days for that customer record.

When you use the Clear History screen to clear (delete) obsolete customer comments, the screen clears only comments that reached their expiration dates on or before the clearing date you specify in Clear History.

Specify the default number of days to follow-up with customers.

The number appears in the Customers screen, but you can change the number of days for that customer record.

Choose this option if you want to make sure that copies of all invoice, receipt, and adjustment batches are printed before posting. When you use the option, you cannot post batches until you print listings for them, and you must print new listings for batches you edit.

Even if you do not use this option, you can print batch listings. You can also print posting journals that provide complete information about the contents of all posted batches.

Displays the currency used for processing. This is selected for your company on the Company Profile screen in Common Services.

Select this option if you want to include pending (unposted) Accounts Receivable transactions during credit checks to determine whether customer balances exceed their credit limits.

Select this option if you want to include pending transactions from Order Entry (for example, orders that have not been shipped, or shipments that have not been invoiced) during credit checks to determine whether customer balances exceed their credit limits.

Select this option to include pending transactions from third-party products that you use with Sage 300 during credit checks to determine whether customer balances exceed their credit limits.

You can have Accounts Receivable automatically keep statistics from the transactions you post to customer accounts, and display the statistics in the Customers, National Accounts, and Customer Groups screens. You can also choose to keep item and salesperson statistics, which you can display on the Items and Salespersons screens. You can also print reports of statistics.

For each of the three kinds of statistics, select this option if you want to include tax amounts in the statistics. Some tax authorities such as VAT (value-added tax) require that you include taxes in statistics.

If you do not use the option, only before-tax totals are added to statistics.

You can change this option at any time. However, the change only affects new transactions. Accounts Receivable cannot adjust previously existing statistics to add or subtract tax amounts, and you cannot make meaningful comparisons of statistics created before and after the change.

Select this option to have Accounts Receivable automatically accumulate statistics in the following areas:

• Customer, National Account, and Group Statistics. This option keeps statistics for customers, national accounts, and customer groups, including the total number of invoices, receipts, adjustments, credit notes, debit notes, discounts, interest charges, returned checks, and write-offs posted for each account.
• Item Statistics. This option keeps statistics for items, including transactions posted for items, including the total amount and number of sales and returns, total cost of goods sold, gross margin, and quantity sold, and the date of the last sale of the item.
• Salesperson Statistics. This option keeps statistics for individual salespersons, including the total number of invoices, receipts, credit notes, debit notes, discounts, and write-offs posted to each salesperson number.

You can change this option at any time. However, if you turn this option off, then turn it on again, statistics from transactions posted while the option was off will not be included in the totals in the account records.

For more information, see About Keeping Statistics.

You can select the Multicurrency option for Accounts Receivable at any time. However, once you select it (and save your changes), you cannot turn it off.

The Multicurrency option does not appear on this tab unless it is selected for your company on the Company Profile screen in Common Services.

You can have Accounts Receivable automatically keep statistics from the transactions you post to customer accounts, and display the statistics in the Customers, National Accounts, and Customer Groups screens. You can also choose to keep item and salesperson statistics, which you can display on the Items and Salespersons screens. You can also print reports of statistics.

For each of the three kinds of statistics, select the type of period to use to report period statistics:

• Weekly
• Seven Days
• Bi-Weekly
• Four Weeks
• Monthly
• Bi-Monthly
• Quarterly
• Semi-Annually
• Fiscal Period

Important! You should not change the period type partway through a year, because this will cause figures to be distorted in some periods and you will have to make corrections in all records for which you keep statistics. If you need to change the period type, do so only at year end.

Select this option if you want to be able to invoice customers automatically for standard amounts that are due on a regular basis, such as monthly rent.

Then, you use the Recurring Charges setup screen to define the recurring charges you use and assign them to your customers. You use the Create Recurring Charge Batch screen to create an invoice batch for each charge when it is due.

You can change this option at any time. After you set up recurring charges, Accounts Receivable retains the information even if you turn off this option; the information is then available if you turn on this option again.

Select this option if you want to use retainage accounting. The Retainage tab of the A/R Options screen becomes available to let you specify retainage processing options.

Once you turn on this option, you can turn it off only if there are no unposted retainage batches and no outstanding retainage amounts.

Select whether retainage will be calculated on the document total before tax or after tax is included.

If you use multicurrency, specify whether to use the current exchange rate or the exchange rate used for the original document as the default for retainage documents.

Enter the percentage of the document total to withhold on invoices, credit notes, and debit notes.

This retainage (or holdback) percentage initially appears for Retainage % on the Invoicing tab of the Customers screen when you add new customers, but you can change it for particular customers.

Enter the number of days from the original document date that the customer can withhold the retained amount.

The program determines the retainage due date by adding the retention period to the original document date.

This retention period initially appears for Retention Period on the Invoicing tab of the Customers screen when you add new customers, but you can change it for particular customers. You can also change the retention period on invoices.

Enter the number of days before the retainage due date that you can generate retainage documents using the Create Retainage Batch screen.

Example: If you enter 5, you can generate the retainage invoice five days before the retainage is due.

Select the option for reporting tax amounts. The program posts tax amounts to a tax liability account and updates the tax tracking reports.

The timing of the tax liability on retainage documents depends on the tax authority. Some tax authorities require that you report tax on retainage when you post a retainage document; others let you report tax when you post an original document to which retainage applies.

The options are:

• At Time of Original Document More...

  If you select this option, the program calculates and reports tax on retainage when you post an original document that includes retainage.

  You can then use the Base Retainage Amount on field to specify whether to base retainage on amounts before tax or after tax.

• As Per Tax Authority More...

  If you select this option, the program calculates tax when you post an original document, but reports the tax as required by each tax authority. The tax reporting requirements for each tax authority are specified for Report Tax on Retainage Document on the Tax Authorities screen in Tax Services.

  • If the tax authority has At Time of Original Document or No Reporting for tax on retainage, the tax amount is calculated and the tax tracking reports are updated immediately when you post original documents.
  • If the tax authority has At Time of Retainage Document, the tax amount is calculated when you post the original document, but it is not reported until you post the retainage document.

  Note: When you specify As Per Tax Authority, retainage amounts are based on amounts before tax for all tax authorities and customers.

Select this option to use a separate numbering system to identify retainage documents.

When you select the option, the retainage document numbering table becomes available, letting you specify the next number, length, and prefix to assign to retainage invoices, credit notes, and debit notes.

If you do not select the option, the program will assign the next invoice, credit note, or debit note number specified on the document numbering table on the Numbering tab.

Select the aging category for unapplied credit notes and debit notes:

• Current aging period
• Aging period that corresponds to their document dates

This selection affects where the unapplied credit notes and debit notes are listed on customer statements, other reports, and inquiries. Also, if you age unapplied credit notes and debit notes in the current aging period, you cannot select them when you are writing off overdue transactions.

Note: This selection has no effect on credit notes and debit notes applied to specific document numbers. Applied amounts for these transactions are always included in the same aging periods as the documents to which they apply.

Select the aging category for receipts, unapplied cash (payments), and unapplied prepayments:

• Current aging period
• Aging period that corresponds to their document dates

In this table, set up four aging periods for Accounts Receivable. The program uses these aging periods to group outstanding transactions or balances for charging interest as well as generating inquiries and reports (such as the Aged Trial Balance report and customer statements).

If you change the number of days in the To column, the program updates the number in the From column in the next row.

In the Dunning Messages column, specify the default messages to print on customer statements or in dunning letters for each aging period. On each statement, the oldest outstanding balance in the customer’s account determines the aging period and the associated dunning message.

Note: You can enter additional messages (using the Dunning Messages screen) and select from those messages when using the Statements/Letters/Labels screen.

Select this option to enable printing of statements for customers with no balance outstanding. In the Statements/Letters/Labels screen, you can choose whether to include zero-balance accounts in the printing run. You can provide your customers with statements showing their current account status, even if the amount they owe is zero.

Do not choose this option if you print statements only for customers who have a balance owing or a credit balance. This choice will always filter out zero-balance accounts from the statements.

Select this option to allow adjustments or write-offs of small amounts while entering receipt batches (rather than having to enter adjustment transactions separately in the A/R Adjustment Entry screen).

The adjustments become part of the receipt batches to which you added them. If you want to edit an adjustment you added to a receipt batch, you edit it in the A/R Receipt Entry screen, rather than in the A/R Adjustment Entry screen.

Example: You might use this option when the amount of a check you receive to pay an invoice differs slightly from the invoice total. You can quickly write off the difference when you enter the receipt.

You can change this option at any time.

Select this option if you want to be able to edit or delete receipt batches after printing deposit slips for them. If you do not use the option, you cannot save any changes or corrections to receipt batches after you have printed their deposit slips.

Tip: To select the Ready To Post option for a batch after printing its deposit slip, post the batch through the Receipt Batch List screen.

This option lets you maintain supervisory control over existing deposit slips, turning on the option to allow authorized changes to the batches, then turning it off again to prevent changes that have not been approved.

Note: If you use Payment Processing to process credit card transactions and you do not select this option, you must process payment for credit card transactions before printing a deposit slip. (If you print a deposit slip before processing the payment, the Charge and Quick Charge buttons on the A/R Receipt Entry screen are not available and you cannot process the payment.)

You can change this option at any time.

Select this option to allow changes or deletions in invoice batches after you have printed invoices, credit notes, and debit notes for them.

Do not select this option if you always want posted invoices to match printed invoices. You can still make changes to the documents that you have not printed and you can add new documents to the batch.

This option does not apply to batch header information. You can change the batch date or description at any time until you post the batch.

Select this option if you want to be able to edit or delete receipt batches after printing receipt confirmations for them.

If you do not select the option, you cannot save any changes or corrections to receipt batches after you have printed confirmations for receipts contained in the batch.

Note: If you use Payment Processing to process credit card transactions and you do not select this option, you must process payment for credit card transactions before printing a receipt confirmation. (If you print a receipt confirmation before processing the payment, the Charge button on the A/R Receipt Entry screen is not available and you cannot process the payment.)

You can change this option at any time.

Select this option if you normally print deposit slips when you enter receipt batches, and want to use Accounts Receivable to print the slips.

You can then use the deposit slips to verify batch contents to the receipts or documents from which you entered the receipts, and as source documents for filling out the deposit slips you take to the bank.

If you have deposit slip screens that are acceptable to your bank and that you can use in your printer, you may also be able to use Accounts Receivable to print on the deposit slips you take to the bank.

Choosing the option does not force you to print deposit slips.

Tip: To ensure that you do print deposit slips before you post batches, select the Force Printing of Deposit Slips option. When you choose this option, you cannot post receipt batches until you have printed their deposit slips.

You can change this option at any time.

Use this option if you want to use Accounts Receivable to print invoices, credit notes, and debit notes using laser-printed or preprinted forms.

This option does not force you to print the documents. You choose whether to print them when you enter them in the Invoice Entry screen.

If you do not select the option, you cannot print invoices from Accounts Receivable.

Displays the description of the bank code selected for Default Bank Code.

Select this option to use automatic tax calculation as the default tax calculation method for invoices.

You can change the tax calculation method for individual invoices in Invoice Entry.

If you report taxes in a currency different from your customers' currencies or your functional currency, invoices must show the tax amount in the tax reporting currency, along with the exchange rate used for the conversion.

Select this option if you want to use automatic tax calculation as the default method for calculating tax reporting amounts on invoices. You can change the calculation method for particular invoices in Invoice Entry.

Select whether to display an error, a warning, or no message when you attempt to issue a refund check that uses the same number as an existing check for the same bank.

Select this option if you want to create a new deposit slip whenever you add a new receipt batch.

Do not select the option if you plan to consolidate receipt batches on one deposit slip (for example, if several clerks enter receipt batches to which you will assign a single deposit slip each day).

Select the code for the bank account that you use most often to deposit receipts. When entering receipts, you only have to enter a bank code if you are using a bank that is different from the default bank.

You can change this option at any time. You must select a default bank code before you can create receipt batches on the A/R Receipt Entry screen.

Select this option if you want to use 1 as the default tax class for details on new summary invoices.

If you do not select this option, Accounts Receivable uses the customer tax class (from the Invoice Entry screen Taxes tab) as the default for new summary details.

Regardless of your selection for this option, on item invoices, Accounts Receivable uses the tax class set for the item

This field displays the type of invoice batch selected to appear as the default in Invoice Entry: Summary or Item.

Specify the order to list documents when applying receipts and credit notes in the A/R Receipt Entry screen. (You can change the list order when you use the A/R Receipt Entry screen, if necessary.)

Choose the order in which you want documents (transactions) to appear when you use the Filter By method to apply cash, checks, or other receipts or credit notes to customer accounts in the A/R Receipt Entry screen. (You can change the list order when you use the A/R Receipt Entry screen, if necessary.)

You can choose to list open documents by Document Number, Purchase Order Number, Due Date, Order Number, Document Date, or Current Balance, or Original Document Number. For more information, see About Specifying Document Order in Receipt Entry.

Tip: If you use retainage accounting in Accounts Receivable, listing documents by their original document number will make it easier to apply retainage payments when you receive these amounts from customers.

You can change this option at any time.

Select the payment method that you use most often when entering receipt or refund transactions. You only have to change the payment method when it is different from the most common type.

The payment methods, such as Cash, Check, or Credit Card, are set up in Accounts Receivable in the Payment Codes screen.

You can change this option at any time.

Select the type of date (Document Date, Batch Date, or Session Date) that you use most often as the posting date on the A/R Invoice Entry screen. You can change the posting date for particular transactions when you enter or edit them.

The posting date is the date that a document is posted to General Ledger, and it may be different from the document date. This distinction is particularly useful if you post a document to a different year or period from the document date.

Example: Accounts Receivable uses posting dates, rather than document dates, to select open documents for revaluation, so that exchange adjustments are posted to the correct fiscal year and period.

Note: If you consolidate G/L transactions, the posting date for consolidated entries is the last date of the fiscal period.

Select the type of date (Document Date, Batch Date, or Session Date) that you use most often as the posting date on A/R receipt entry screens. You can change the posting date for particular transactions when you enter or edit them.

The posting date is the date that a document is posted to General Ledger, and it may be different from the document date. This distinction is particularly useful if you post a document to a different year or period from the document date.

Example: Accounts Receivable uses posting dates, rather than document dates, to select open documents for revaluation, so that exchange adjustments are posted to the correct fiscal year and period.

Note: If you consolidate G/L transactions, the posting date for consolidated entries is the last date of the fiscal period.

Choose the type of transaction (Receipt, Prepayment, Unapplied Cash, Apply Document, or Miscellaneous Receipt) that you use most often as the transaction type in the A/R Receipt Entry screens. When entering transactions, you only have to change the transaction type when it is different from this default type.

Choose this option to make sure that you print deposit slips for receipt batches before posting them.

This option applies only to receipt batches that include deposit slips and does not affect receipt batches that are used only to apply previously posted documents to other documents.

You can change this option at any time.

Select the types of transactions from open (unposted) batches to be included when Accounts Receivable calculates pending amounts for Receipt Entry. You can include unposted receipts, unposted receipts and adjustments, or all transactions—or you can choose to include none of them.

Displays the description of the payment method selected for Default Payment Code. The payment codes and their descriptions are set up in Accounts Receivable in the Payment Codes screen.

Specify the code for the bank account to which you post receipts for online payments received through Payments Acceptance. (This field works like the Default Bank Code field, but for online payments.)

We recommend that you use the Payments Acceptance Bank Account as a "clearing" account. After an online payment service provider has deposited funds in your bank account, transfer the related receipts (using Bank Transfers) to your real bank account, and then perform bank reconciliation. For a detailed example of the steps in this process, see Sage Knowledgebase article 106222.

You must specify a bank code in this field before you can download receipts for online payments. You can change this bank code at any time.

If you use a price list for invoice entry, select this option to display the extended item cost (number of units x cost per unit) when you are adding item details in the Invoice Entry screen.

You cannot change costs in the Invoice Entry screen and you cannot print the costs on invoices.

Select the order to print batches of refund checks:

• Transaction Entry Number
• Customer Number
• Payee Name
• Payee Country
• Payee ZIP/Postal Code

Select this option to automatically display any comments associated with an item when you enter item details on an invoice, credit note, or debit note.

If you do not select this option, item comments are not displayed during transaction entry. However, you can type a comment of up to 250 characters for each detail line you add to a document. You can also choose to include the comments on the printed documents.