Getting started
First use
The software is menu driven, so will open with a blank screen and you must open data entry forms from the menu near the top of the screen. The menu and data entry forms are explained in the other articles in this Getting started category.
The software is first installed to include one empty company database and will open with this company database automatically when the program starts.
This company database will have the two-character ID code 00 and will be named YOUR COMPANY NAME HERE.
You will see the company code – i.e. 00 – and the company name – i.e. YOUR COMPANY NAME HERE – in the title bar at the top of the screen.
Being a blank database, the first thing you must do is to tell the program the fundamental accountant and business parameters. This is explained in the View menu article.
Having entered these parameters, the other menus will be activated and certain of them will be pre-populated, shown or hidden based on the parameter selections made. Then the user can step through the Data menu items as explained in the Data menu article, entering the figures, text and choosing options particular to this company.
Having entered the data, then move on to preview and process the accounts in the Accounts menu – see the Accounts menu article.
To create a database for a different company, select New Company from the File menu and follow the same process for the new company details and preferences.
Please read the further explanations in the other articles in this Getting started category.
As we introduce more features and functionally to the software, we will add to the explanations in these support pages.
File menu
This menu controls creation of and access to your different companies’ accounts. Each company’s accounts is identified by a two-character code.
Change Company opens a form which will allow you to move between the accounts of existing companies.
New Company opens a form which will allow you to create a new database for the accounts of a company that is not yet in the system. This is not to be confused with creating new accounts for an existing company, which is explained in the Accounts menu.
Copy Company opens a form which will allow you to copy the database for the current company to a new or an existing company database. The contents of an existing company database will be overwritten, so please take care. This creates an exact copy of the current company database in the system and is not to be confused with Backup, which creates a zipped file containing the current company database for you to save elsewhere for business continuity etc.
Erase Company will erase the current company database – proceed with caution.
Data Cleardown will delete accounts data but leave Accountants and Business parameters unchanged.
Reorganise Databases will run routines to tidy up the current company database – e.g. purge deleted and temporary records, re-index tables etc.
Backup & Restore allows you to create and restore backups of some or all of the existing companies’ databases. For each selected company database, a zipped file will be created which you can then save to removable media for business continuity etc.
Exit will close the application.
Edit menu
This includes standard text editing tools – Copy, Cut, Paste etc. – and are the same as the familiar keyboard and mouse editing tools.
Use these to help edit text and numbers you enter.
View menu
This menu is where you set the key parameters for the Accountants’ details and the Business type for a company.
Accountant Parameters: Enter the name, type of firm and address in this form. Consider these as a system template as the details entered here will automatically pre-populate the accountants’ details for any new company database you create. Changes made here will not affect existing companies. So, once a company database is created, the accountants’ details specific to that company are viewed and can be edited in the Accountants Details item in the Data menu.
Business Parameters: Enter the business name, type (e.g. sole trader, company) and the source of the trial balance (e.g. manual entry). The business name entered here for a new company database will automatically pre-populate the company name used in the accounts. The latter is found in the Business Details item in the Data menu. Once a company database is created these can be edited independently, which you may find useful if you wish to identify the business by a client name or ID in the Business Parameters while retaining the official name for the accounts in Business Details.
Once business type has been activated for a new company by leaving this form, it cannot be changed for that company without a data cleardown.
Status menu
This will open a form to summarise the status of the database – e.g. number of companies, number of produced accounts for the companies etc.
This feature is not yet activated.
Data menu
This menu is the engine of the database and is where you enter all the data which will make up the company’s accounts.
Business Details: Enter the business name, address etc.
Document and Disclosure: Choose options that will determine the overall contents of the final accounts.
Accountants Details: This is pre-populated with the details from the Accountants’ parameters form, but you can change the details specifically for the current company database.
Directors: For companies only, enter the directors’ and company secretary details.
Other Information: Enter the optional other information, such as Bankers details etc.
Directors’ Report: For companies only, choose and edit the sections of the Directors’ report of a company. Mandatory sections and headings will be included automatically.
Accountants’ Report: Choose the type of accountants report to be included with the accounts. The form and content of each report is not editable as they are mandatory and/or standard.
Trail Balance: Enter the figures from the extended trial balance of the company. The form has a number of tabs, each of which contains familiar sections of the profit & loss account and balance sheet.
Other Financial Data: Enter relevant financial data that is not included in the trial balance – e.g. geographical turnover.
Accounting Policies: Standard accounting policies will be included according to the FRSSE. Text is pre-populated, but you can edit to your own requirements.
Notes: Mandatory notes and notes required according to the data entered to the trial balance. The form includes a tab for each note to the accounts that can potentially be included. A tab will be inactive if that note is not required. Active tabs will display a preview of the note and include entry fields and text boxes to further specify the disclosure in the note.
Accounts menu
This menu will control what you do with the current company’s accounts.
Preview: To preview the accounts to screen or print to paper or PDF before they are finalised for production. You may preview the accounts any number of times. Preview the full or abbreviated accounts (abbreviated accounts for small companies only).
New Year: To create next year’s accounts for an existing company database. This is not to be confused with the creation of a new database for the accounts of a company that is not yet in the system, which is explained in the File menu. New accounts can be created only after existing accounts have been finalised.
Status: This will display a status of the current company’s database. This feature is not yet activated.
History: To open and view historical finalised accounts for the current company. The menu will list the historical accounts for this company – most recent first. Select the year you require from the list. The title bar display will update to identify the chosen year.
Prepare: To finalise the accounts of the current company. Draft watermarks will be removed from previewed and printed documents and an iXBRL file produced for online submission. On licences which limit the number of accounts to be produced, only now will this company’s accounts be registered as utilising one of the limited number.
Help menu
To access further help and activation menus.
Online Support: To go to the support and knowledge base pages on our web site where you will find detailed help and documentation as well as practical examples and FAQs.
Activation: To enter licence details and register your installation of our software.
About: To display details specific to this installation of our software – e.g. release version and date, licence details etc.