The prior sections have covered the basics of
operating CAPITAL GL Controller. Adding, edit and deleting chart of
account codes, adding and editing batch journals, posting to the GL
master file, and printing a trial balance report. For further
information on the capabilities of this program consult the
Reference section.
Examine the following check-list which is a
suggested setup guide for running the general ledger program.
Except for point 1, you need not carry out these tasks in strict
sequence, but the suggested sequence is nonetheless highly
recommended.
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1. Establish the type of chart of accounts you
wish to use. This may be one of the sample charts provided, or you
may wish to modify a sample chart, or transfer part of an existing
chart from CAPITAL Office, or enter a new chart from scratch. If
you are not qualified to decide the best approach consult with your
accountant. Remember that you can always add more chart of account
codes in the future. Later on you can also remove chart codes that
you have never used. In other words, the structure of the chart
need not be absolutely final, but the overall structure should be
in place.
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2. Once you have established the chart of
accounts, edit or delete any existing chart codes and enter your
new chart codes if required. Refer to section:
Entering account codes for
information on entering chart codes. Learn about and use the
General Ledger Tools utility if your chart of accounts is
complex and contains many similar groupings of accounts. It can
save you a great deal of time.
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3. Go to general ledger set-up and select
general operation. Enter your company details, and enter the
account code for your retained earnings account and
main/miscellaneous suspense account. If you do not have account
codes for these accounts you should go back and create them.
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4. Make a back-up. Keep this for future
reference. Ensure that you have plenty of disks or tapes for
further back-ups.
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5. Enter your opening balances for the year.
Establish whether you will be entering balances starting from
period 1 (recommended) or if you will be entering balances from the
prior period only. Consider the implications of either approach as
described in "entering opening balances".
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6. Post your opening balances.
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7. Print a trial balance.
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8. If you need to, enter any correcting
balances.
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9. Repeat step 8 until your opening balances are
correct.
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10. File the trial balance for future
reference.
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11. Make a back-up. Keep this for future
reference.
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12. Optionally enter your last year balances if
you wish to print this year/last year comparative reports. See:
Last
Years Balances for information on how to enter prior year
balances.
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13. Optionally enter your budgets if you wish to
print reports that compare actuals to budgets. See:
Budgets for
information on how to enter budgets.
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14. Make a back-up.
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15. If you intend to connect CAPITAL Office to
CAPITAL GL Controller and operate them as an integrated system, be
sure to read
Connecting to CAPITAL Office.
Carry out the check-list tasks mentioned in this section.
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16. You may have to redefine or adjust your
financial formula group codes if you have made changes to the chart
of accounts. See:
Financial
Formulas for information on this topic.
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17. You may have to create new reports using the
Quick Report Writer and/or the Report Writer/Editor if you have
modified any of the supplied charts of accounts. Consult either:
The Quick Report Writer or
see: the
Report
Writer/Editor for more information on this topic.
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18. Carefully check your financial statements.
Make sure the columns add up correctly and that the internal
calculations on your reports are correct. This is a critical point.
Do not assume CAPITAL GL Controller's reports are correct if you
are not using the sample reports or if you have made changes to the
chart of accounts.
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19. If the financial reports are not correct,
edit/correct them. Repeat step 18.
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20. Optionally set-up the security system if you
require security.
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21. Select
Clean Maintenance from the
maintenance menu and then select account integrity. There
should be no errors reported. If there are errors reported,
re-print and re-check the trial balance once the "repair" is
complete. Depending on the nature of the problem you may need to
re-check your reports.
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22. Do a back-up. The set-up of your system is
complete.
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