Receipting Customer Payments

This section allows you to record customer payments, apply them against invoices, and create credits and adjustments. It can also be a quick way to locate and view invoices.

To reach this section, click on the Receive Payments button on the Getting Around Smart window, or select Accounts \Customers \Apply Payments/Credits from the Main Menu.

Setup

Before using this window for the first time be sure to set up at least one Division and one Bank Account.

Receipting a payment

Locate invoice details

If the payment is for multiple invoices, enter the Customer's account number next to the Customer button. To find the Customer in the list of Customers, press the F6 key or click on the Customer button. You can also select a customer by double clicking on one of the left columns of an invoice for that customer in the lower list.

If the payment is for a single invoice, enter the invoice number in the Invoice Number field. If the invoice doesn't immediately appear, try checking the Show Paid box to see if the invoice has been paid previously.

Record details of the payment

Right click in the list area in the Credits and Payments box, and select Add. Alternatively, left click in this area and then press the Insert key, or click the Enter Payment button.

Depending on the payment Method chosen, different details are recorded. If payment is by cheque, enter the name of the cheque account in the Details: field. (The details entered here will be used to produce your bank deposit form.) Entries in the Comments field are for internal use only and do not appear on the bank deposit form.

Enter the total amount of the payment in the Payment field.

Select the Division which is receiving the payment (this will default to the Division selected in the previous window).

Select the Bank Account which the payment is to be banked into

Press OK to save the payment details, or Cancel to abandon entry.

If you wish to, you may now close the Receive Payments window and return to allocate the payment later, or enter another payment.

If you selected a single invoice before entering payment details, the payment amount will default to the amount of the invoice. If you don't change the amount of the payment it will be applied automatically when you press OK, making the next step unnecessary.

Allocate the payment

Select the payment to allocate by highlighting it in the list of payments and pressing the space bar (or holding down the Ctrl key and clicking on it). A green tick will appear alongside the selected payment. Only one payment can be allocated at a time. Note that the Unallocated field at the bottom of the window now displays the amount of the selected payment.

In the list of invoices, double click in the Outstanding column for an invoice you wish to pay. The amount outstanding on the invoice or the unallocated portion of the payment (whichever is smaller) will appear in the This Payment column. To adjust this amount, double click on it to enter Edit mode.

Note that the amount in the Unallocated field at the bottom of the window has reduced (or become zero).

When you have finished allocating the payment, press the F9 key (or click on the Record Payment button) to record it.

You can use the AutoAllocate button to speed up allocation. It allocates payment to the oldest invoice first and continues until the payment is fully distributed. Please be aware that invoices for customers other than the one providing the payment may be displayed in the list (and receive payment!) at this time.

If you have messed up allocation and want to start again, press the Close button to exit the window. You will be asked whether you want to save the current allocation.

Credits

You create a credit and then allocate it in the same way as you allocate a payment, or credit a highlighted invoice.

To Create a Credit, press the Enter Credit button. In the middle of the window that appears, right click and select Add to access the Job Details window. Simply enter the details in the same way you would a normal Charge or Service.
- Enter amounts as positive values.
- A contractor payment can also be added, and will appear as a debit on the next Contractor Charge Listing.
- Once entry is complete, you can allocate the credit in exactly the same way as you allocate a payment (above). Credits have the abbreviation CR in the list of payments and credits.

To Credit an Invoice, highlight the invoice to credit and press the Credit Highlighted Invoice button. If there are multiple jobs or charges on the highlighted invoice, you will be given the option to credit some or all of them. The Invoice Details window is then displayed.
- To adjust the amount to be credited against a specific job, double click on the job in the Invoice Details window and change the pricing as you would for any charge or service.
- Amounts entered as contractor payments will appear as debits on the next Contractor Charge Listing.
- When you exit the Invoice Details window, you will be given the option to apply the credit immediately. If you choose to do this, you can apply the credit at a later date, possibly to a different invoice.

Adjustments

If system configuration allows it, negative 'payments' may be entered in order to reverse or adjust entries. Simply follow the same steps as required to apply a payment, except that the amounts are negative.

If you are reversing a previously paid invoice, you will need to check the Show Paid box so that the invoice appears in the list.

Printing Bank Deposit Sheets

Once you have completed your data entry for the day you can press F7 Banking to print deposit forms and audit reports.

Choose Unprinted to print items which have not been previously printed. Deposit sheets are separated by payment type, so that credit card deposits are separated from cheque deposits.
Choose Entered in date range to print items which may or may not have been printed previously. Items which are included on this report but have not previously been printed continue to be considered 'unprinted' until you select to print 'Unprinted' items.
Choose Printed in date range to reprint items printed previously.
Check Audit Report to list all payment types together in Customer account number order.

GST Report from received payments

The banking report can calculate and display GST on the amounts banked (this is an alternative to the GST report). From the 'Receive Payments' window, press F7: Banking, and check the 'Audit Report' box. Check 'Show allocated invoices' to see a breakdown by invoice.

Important: If a payment has not been fully allocated against invoices, GST is calculated on the unallocated amount at the standard rate (as set in \Maintenance \System). If you should subsequently allocate the remaining amount to a GST-free invoice, this calculation is incorrect. If you expect to allocate the amount against a GST-free invoice, (e.g. an invoice issued prior to 1 July 2000) you should adjust the total accordingly.