"Fossies" - the Fresh Open Source Software Archive  

Source code changes of the file "manual/C/ch_Business.xml" between
gnucash-docs-4.12.tar.gz and gnucash-docs-4.13.tar.gz

About: GnuCash is a personal and small business finance application (documentation).

ch_Business.xml  (gnucash-docs-4.12)	:	ch_Business.xml  (gnucash-docs-4.13)
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</para>		</para>
</sect2>		</sect2>
<sect2 id="busnss-ar-setupterms">		<sect2 id="busnss-ar-setupterms">
<title>Billing Terms</title>		<title>Billing Terms</title>
<para>Billing Terms can be used to determine the payment due date and be a guide for determining discount		<para>Billing Terms can be used to determine the payment due date and be a guide for determining discount
for early payment of invoices (or vendor bills).		for early payment of invoices (or vendor bills).
</para>		</para>
<note>		<caution>
<para>As of &app; 2.6.7, Billing terms are only partially supported. Dat e due is calculated but discount		<para>As of &app; 2.6.7, Billing terms are only partially supported. Dat e due is calculated but discount
amount is not.		amount is not.
</para>		</para>
<para>Discount for early invoice payment is not implemented. There are 2 ways this may be done, although		<para>Discount for early invoice payment is not implemented. There are 2 ways this may be done, although
neither is recommended, and professional advice should be used to conf irm that regulations		neither is recommended, and professional advice should be used to conf irm that regulations
are being complied with:		are being complied with:
<itemizedlist>		<itemizedlist>
<listitem>		<listitem>
<para>After creating and posting a payment which pays the invoice in full, manually edit the payment		<para>After creating and posting a payment which pays the invoice in full, manually edit the payment
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</listitem>		</listitem>
<listitem>		<listitem>
<para>Alternatively, after creating and posting a payment for the discounted amount, create a credit note		<para>Alternatively, after creating and posting a payment for the discounted amount, create a credit note
for the discount using a specific negative sales income (discoun t) account for the		for the discount using a specific negative sales income (discoun t) account for the
transfer account.		transfer account.
</para>		</para>
</listitem>		</listitem>
</itemizedlist>		</itemizedlist>
</para>		</para>
</note>		</caution>
<para>You can specify the billing terms on each invoice/bill. Invoice bill ing terms will default from the		<para>You can specify the billing terms on each invoice/bill. Invoice bill ing terms will default from the
customer billing terms. Bill billing terms will default from the vendor billing terms.		customer billing terms. Bill billing terms will default from the vendor billing terms.
</para>		</para>
<para>Billing Terms are maintained using the Billing Terms Editor which is accessed via menu		<para>Billing Terms are maintained using the Billing Terms Editor which is accessed via menu
<menuchoice>		<menuchoice>
<guimenu>Business</guimenu><guimenuitem>Billing Terms Editor</guimenui tem>		<guimenu>Business</guimenu><guimenuitem>Billing Terms Editor</guimenui tem>
</menuchoice>		</menuchoice>
. The following fields should be entered:		. The following fields should be entered:
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<title>Accounts Receivable</title>		<title>Accounts Receivable</title>
<para>&app; has an integrated accounts receivable system.		<para>&app; has an integrated accounts receivable system.
</para>		</para>
<para>To use &app;&rsquo;s integrated accounts receivable system, you must f irst set up <emphasis>Accounts		<para>To use &app;&rsquo;s integrated accounts receivable system, you must f irst set up <emphasis>Accounts
Receivable</emphasis> accounts of type <emphasis>A/Receivable</emphasis> u nder		Receivable</emphasis> accounts of type <emphasis>A/Receivable</emphasis> u nder
<emphasis>Assets</emphasis> to accrue income you're owed. It is within thi s account that the		<emphasis>Assets</emphasis> to accrue income you're owed. It is within thi s account that the
integrated A/R system will place transactions, debiting it when you post b ills and crediting		integrated A/R system will place transactions, debiting it when you post b ills and crediting
it when you receive payments.		it when you receive payments.
<screen>Basic A/R Account Hierarchy:		</para>
		<example>
-Assets		<title>Basic A/R Account Hierarchy</title>
		<screen>-Assets
-Accounts Receivable		-Accounts Receivable
-Checking		-Checking
-Income		-Income
-Sales		-Sales
-Liabilities		-Liabilities
-Tax		-Tax
-Tax on Purchases		-Tax on Purchases
-Tax on Sales</screen>		-Tax on Sales</screen>
</para>		</example>
<important>		<important>
<para>If you deal with customers in more than one currency you will need a separate <emphasis>Accounts		<para>If you deal with customers in more than one currency you will need a separate <emphasis>Accounts
Receivable</emphasis> account for each currency:		Receivable</emphasis> account for each currency:
<screen>-Assets		<screen>-Assets
-Accounts Receivable		-Accounts Receivable
-CHF		-CHF
-EUR		-EUR
:</screen>		:</screen>
</para>		</para>
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<para><guilabel>Notes</guilabel> - records any additional comments abo ut the customer.		<para><guilabel>Notes</guilabel> - records any additional comments abo ut the customer.
</para>		</para>
</listitem>		</listitem>
<listitem>		<listitem>
<para><guilabel>Billing Information - Currency</guilabel> - specifies the billing currency for this		<para><guilabel>Billing Information - Currency</guilabel> - specifies the billing currency for this
customer. It will default to the default currency set in		customer. It will default to the default currency set in
<guilabel>Preferences</guilabel>		<guilabel>Preferences</guilabel>
</para>		</para>
<note>		<important>
<para>All invoices will be denominated in this currency and &app; wi ll require an Accounts Receivable		<para>All invoices will be denominated in this currency and &app; wi ll require an Accounts Receivable
account in this currency.		account in this currency.
</para>		</para>
</note>		</important>
</listitem>		</listitem>
<listitem>		<listitem>
<para><guilabel>Billing Information - Terms</guilabel> - specifies the default billing terms for this		<para><guilabel>Billing Information - Terms</guilabel> - specifies the default billing terms for this
customer. Billing terms must be preregistered using		customer. Billing terms must be preregistered using
<menuchoice>		<menuchoice>
<guimenu>Business</guimenu> <guimenuitem>Billing Terms Editor</gui menuitem>		<guimenu>Business</guimenu> <guimenuitem>Billing Terms Editor</gui menuitem>
</menuchoice>		</menuchoice>
.		.
</para>		</para>
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this option for you after you run the initial search.		this option for you after you run the initial search.
</para>		</para>
<para>If the customer you are searching for does not match the supplied se arch criteria, change the search		<para>If the customer you are searching for does not match the supplied se arch criteria, change the search
criteria, click the <guilabel>New Search</guilabel> radio button and the n the		criteria, click the <guilabel>New Search</guilabel> radio button and the n the
<guilabel>Find</guilabel> button. The relevant step is the <guilabel>New Search</guilabel>		<guilabel>Find</guilabel> button. The relevant step is the <guilabel>New Search</guilabel>
selection. If the customer is not in the result of the original search, and you only search		selection. If the customer is not in the result of the original search, and you only search
within this set, the customer cannot be found, regardless of new search criteria.		within this set, the customer cannot be found, regardless of new search criteria.
</para>		</para>
<note>		<tip>
<para>To return a list of all registered active customers, set the searc h criterion to <guilabel>matches		<para>To return a list of all registered active customers, set the searc h criterion to <guilabel>matches
regex</guilabel>, and place a single dot "." in the text field area. M ake sure		regex</guilabel>, and place a single dot "." in the text field area. M ake sure
<guilabel>Search only active data</guilabel> is checked, then click		<guilabel>Search only active data</guilabel> is checked, then click
<guibutton>Find</guibutton>. The regular expression "." means to match anything.		<guibutton>Find</guibutton>. The regular expression "." means to match anything.
</para>		</para>
</note>		</tip>
</sect2>		</sect2>
</sect1>		</sect1>
<sect1 id="busnss-ar-invoices1">		<sect1 id="busnss-ar-invoices1">
<title>Invoices</title>		<title>Invoices</title>
<para>An invoice is the paperwork you send to a customer to request payment for products or services		<para>An invoice is the paperwork you send to a customer to request payment for products or services
rendered. &app; can generate and track invoices.		rendered. &app; can generate and track invoices.
</para>		</para>
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opens.		opens.
</para>		</para>
</sect2>		</sect2>
<sect2 id="busnss-ar-invoiceedit2">		<sect2 id="busnss-ar-invoiceedit2">
<title>Edit</title>		<title>Edit</title>
<para>From the Edit Invoice window you can enter an itemized list of goods and services you sold on this		<para>From the Edit Invoice window you can enter an itemized list of goods and services you sold on this
invoice in a manner similar to how the account register works. For credi t notes you enter an		invoice in a manner similar to how the account register works. For credi t notes you enter an
itemized list of goods and services you refunded instead.		itemized list of goods and services you refunded instead.
<note>		<tip>
<para>Saved column layout works a bit differently in invoices from the account registers: Layouts are not		<para>Saved column layout works a bit differently in invoices from the account registers: Layouts are not
saved for each invoice; instead a layout can be saved as a default f or invoices to		saved for each invoice; instead a layout can be saved as a default f or invoices to
override the calculated widths using the <guimenu>View</guimenu>&gt; <guimenuitem>Use as		override the calculated widths using the <guimenu>View</guimenu>&gt; <guimenuitem>Use as
Default Layout for Customer Documents</guimenuitem> and the calculat ed widths restored		Default Layout for Customer Documents</guimenuitem> and the calculat ed widths restored
as the default with <guimenu>View</guimenu>&gt;<guimenuitem>Reset De fault Layout for		as the default with <guimenu>View</guimenu>&gt;<guimenuitem>Reset De fault Layout for
Customer Documents</guimenuitem>.		Customer Documents</guimenuitem>.
</para>		</para>
</note>		</tip>
</para>		</para>
<para>There are 15 columns in the <guilabel>Invoice Entries</guilabel> are a:		<para>There are 15 columns in the <guilabel>Invoice Entries</guilabel> are a:
</para>		</para>
<itemizedlist>		<itemizedlist>
<listitem>		<listitem>
<para><guilabel>Date</guilabel> - The date this item was sold.		<para><guilabel>Date</guilabel> - The date this item was sold.
</para>		</para>
</listitem>		</listitem>
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<title>Find</title>		<title>Find</title>
<para>To find an existing invoice, use the		<para>To find an existing invoice, use the
<menuchoice>		<menuchoice>
<guimenu>Business</guimenu> <guisubmenu>Customer</guisubmenu><guimenui tem>Find		<guimenu>Business</guimenu> <guisubmenu>Customer</guisubmenu><guimenui tem>Find
Invoice</guimenuitem>		Invoice</guimenuitem>
</menuchoice>		</menuchoice>
menu item. From the results of the search, you can select an invoice to edit or view.		menu item. From the results of the search, you can select an invoice to edit or view.
</para>		</para>
<note>		<important>
<para>Before you can edit a posted invoice, you will need to <guilabel>U npost</guilabel> it.		<para>Before you can edit a posted invoice, you will need to <guilabel>U npost</guilabel> it.
</para>		</para>
</note>		</important>
<para>One of the design goals in &app;&rsquo;s Account Receivable system w as to allow different processes		<para>One of the design goals in &app;&rsquo;s Account Receivable system w as to allow different processes
to get to the same state, so you can reach an invoice from different dir ections based on the		to get to the same state, so you can reach an invoice from different dir ections based on the
way you think about the problem:		way you think about the problem:
</para>		</para>
<itemizedlist>		<itemizedlist>
<listitem>		<listitem>
<para>You can search for the customer first, then list their invoices.		<para>You can search for the customer first, then list their invoices.
</para>		</para>
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<para>Partial payments are possible too. Select the invoice to pay. &app; will automatically suggest that		<para>Partial payments are possible too. Select the invoice to pay. &app; will automatically suggest that
invoice's remaining balance as payment amount. Simply adjust that amount to what you want to		invoice's remaining balance as payment amount. Simply adjust that amount to what you want to
pay.		pay.
</para>		</para>
</sect2>		</sect2>
<sect2 id="busnss-ar-baddebt">		<sect2 id="busnss-ar-baddebt">
<title>Writing Off a Bad Debt</title>		<title>Writing Off a Bad Debt</title>
<note>		<important>
<para>Please check with your accountant to ensure the following is accep table in your region.		<para>Please check with your accountant to ensure the following is accep table in your region.
</para>		</para>
</note>		</important>
<para>The usual way to do this is to process a payment for the invoice to a <emphasis>BadDebt</emphasis>		<para>The usual way to do this is to process a payment for the invoice to a <emphasis>BadDebt</emphasis>
account. Such an account would be an expense account. However, in &app;, you can't process a		account. Such an account would be an expense account. However, in &app;, you can't process a
payment for an invoice directly to an expense account, so it takes two s teps:		payment for an invoice directly to an expense account, so it takes two s teps:
</para>		</para>
<itemizedlist>		<orderedlist>
<listitem>		<listitem>
<para>Pay the invoice to an asset or liability account, such as your c hecking account.		<para>Pay the invoice to an asset or liability account, such as your c hecking account.
</para>		</para>
</listitem>		</listitem>
<listitem>		<listitem>
<para>Change the asset or liability account, in the <emphasis> non</em phasis> Accounts Receivable split of		<para>Change the asset or liability account, in the <emphasis> non</em phasis> Accounts Receivable split of
the payment transaction, to the BadDebt expense account.		the payment transaction, to the BadDebt expense account.
</para>		</para>
</listitem>		</listitem>
</itemizedlist>		</orderedlist>
<para>Specifically		<para>Specifically
</para>		</para>
<itemizedlist>		<itemizedlist>
<listitem>		<listitem>
<para>Remove all transactions from the A/R account related to the invo ice, except for the invoice's		<para>Remove all transactions from the A/R account related to the invo ice, except for the invoice's
transaction itself. This includes any payment transactions, and tran sactions between		transaction itself. This includes any payment transactions, and tran sactions between
your BadDebt and A/R account.		your BadDebt and A/R account.
</para>		</para>
<para>In case the payment has associated lot link transactions		<para>In case the payment has associated <emphasis>lot link</emphasis>
<link linkend="busnss-ar-baddeb-lot">(1)</link>, remove those as wel		transactions<link linkend="busnss-ar-baddeb-lot"><superscript>a</sup
l.		erscript></link>,
		remove those as well.
</para>		</para>
<para>If all is well, your <guilabel>Process Payment</guilabel> window for this customer should list the		<para>If all is well, your <guilabel>Process Payment</guilabel> window for this customer should list the
invoice the customer won't pay, and no prepayments.		invoice the customer won't pay, and no prepayments.
</para>		</para>
</listitem>		</listitem>
<listitem>		<listitem>
<para>Pay your invoice to an arbitrary asset or liability account. It can be your checking account. We		<para>Pay your invoice to an arbitrary asset or liability account. It can be your checking account. We
will fix that in the next step.		will fix that in the next step.
</para>		</para>
</listitem>		</listitem>
<listitem>		<listitem>
<para>Open the account register for your A/R account. For this invoice there should now be one payment		<para>Open the account register for your A/R account. For this invoice there should now be one payment
transaction. If you are using &app; 2.6.0 - 2.6.4 there will also be one lot link		transaction. If you are using &app; 2.6.0 - 2.6.4 there will also be one lot link
transaction <link linkend="busnss-ar-baddeb-lot">(1)</link>.		transaction<link linkend="busnss-ar-baddeb-lot"><superscript>a</supe rscript></link>.
</para>		</para>
</listitem>		</listitem>
<listitem>		<listitem>
<para>Select the payment transaction and change the transfer account t o your <emphasis>BadDebt</emphasis>		<para>Select the payment transaction and change the transfer account t o your <emphasis>BadDebt</emphasis>
account. Make sure to leave the transaction (eg by clicking on anoth er transaction) to		account. Make sure to leave the transaction (eg by clicking on anoth er transaction) to
save the changes.		save the changes.
</para>		</para>
</listitem>		</listitem>
</itemizedlist>		</itemizedlist>
<para>If all is well, your <guilabel>Process Payment</guilabel> window sho uld still be clean: no		<para>If all is well, your <guilabel>Process Payment</guilabel> window sho uld still be clean: no
pre-payments, and the bad debt invoice gone.		pre-payments, and the bad debt invoice gone.
</para>		</para>
		<!-- Todo: As soon as yelp understads <footnotelink> convert this into a <
<note id="busnss-ar-baddeb-lot">		footnote> and the links above in <footnotelink>s. -->
<para>(1): &app; versions 2.6.0 to 2.6.4 created lot link transactions w		<caution id="busnss-ar-baddeb-lot">
hich show in the A/R account		<para><superscript>a</superscript> &app; version
register. This came with its own set of subtle issues. It is recommend		<variablelist>
ed to upgrade to the		<varlistentry>
latest (or at least 2.6.6) version, which fixes a lot of small problem		<term>2.6.0 to 2.6.4</term>
s. Version 2.6.5 had		<listitem>
a flaw in the logic cleaning up the lot links. Once upgraded, please r		<para>created lot link transactions which show in the A/R accoun
un		t register. This came
		with its own set of subtle issues.
		</para>
		</listitem>
		</varlistentry>
		<varlistentry>
		<term>2.6.5</term>
		<listitem>
		<para>had a flaw in the logic cleaning up the lot links.
		</para>
		</listitem>
		</varlistentry>
		</variablelist>
		</para>
		<para>
		It is recommended to upgrade to the latest (or at least 2.6.6) version
		, which fixes a lot
		of small problems. Once upgraded, please run
		<!-- ToDo: Replace the <menuchoice> after the entities are fixed by:
		&mc.ac.chk-rep.all; —or at least &mc.ac.chk-rep.acct;
		on your A/R and A/P accounts— -->
<menuchoice>		<menuchoice>
<guimenu> Actions</guimenu><guimenuitem>Check &amp; Repair</guimenui tem>		<guimenu> Actions</guimenu><guimenuitem>Check &amp; Repair</guimenui tem>
</menuchoice>		</menuchoice>
on your A/R and A/P accounts to clean up most of the lot link legacy. Don't forget to make		to clean up most of the lot link legacy. Don't forget to make
a backup first just in case.		a backup first just in case.
</para>		</para>
<para>Lots are used internally for relating payments to invoices. Lots t		<variablelist>
hemselves are invisible in the		<title>Distinction between <emphasis>Lot</emphasis> and <emphasis>Lot
account registers. To see them you need to open the lot viewer, which		link</emphasis></title>
can be found in		<varlistentry>
<menuchoice>		<term>Lots</term>
<guimenu>Actions</guimenu><guimenuitem>View lots </guimenuitem>		<listitem>
</menuchoice>		<para>are used internally for relating payments to invoices. Lots
while in any A/R or A/P account register. Select a lot to see the <emp		themselves are invisible in the
hasis>Splits in		account registers. To see them you need to open the lot viewer,
lot</emphasis>.		which can be found in &mc.ac.vw-lots;
</para>		while in any A/R or A/P account register. Select a lot to see th
		e <emphasis>Splits in
<para><emphasis>Lot links</emphasis> are <emphasis>transactions</emphasi		lot</emphasis>.
s> which you can see in your A/R		</para>
and A/P accounts. They are unusual in the sense that all their splits		</listitem>
are in one account		</varlistentry>
(A/R or A/P). Each split in a lot link transaction is <emphasis>linked		<varlistentry>
</emphasis> (hence		<term>Lot links</term>
the name) to an invoice or payment transaction by means of a lot.		<listitem>
</para>		<para>are <emphasis>transactions</emphasis> which you can see in y
</note>		our A/R
		and A/P accounts. They are unusual in the sense that all their s
		plits are in one account
		(A/R or A/P). Each split in a lot link transaction is <emphasis>
		linked</emphasis> (hence
		the name) to an invoice or payment transaction by means of a lot
		.
		</para>
		</listitem>
		</varlistentry>
		</variablelist>
		</caution>
<para>See <ulink url="&url-wiki-bus-feat;" /> for more information.		<para>See <ulink url="&url-wiki-bus-feat;" /> for more information.
</para>		</para>
</sect2>		</sect2>
</sect1>		</sect1>
<sect1 id="busnss-ar-invoicechange">		<sect1 id="busnss-ar-invoicechange">
<title>Changing the Invoice Appearance</title>		<title>Changing the Invoice Appearance</title>
<para>The default Invoice style, as shown in <xref		<para>The default Invoice style, as shown in <xref
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