AccountMate 7.2 for LAN Release Notes

April 27, 2009

Installation File Contents

The AccountMate 7.2 for LAN CD contains the following components:

Bug Fixes

Refer to the AccountMate 7.2 for LAN Maintenance Release Summary under the Maintenance and Technical Support section of the AccountMate Business Partner Home Page.

Important Changes

Set Posting Period Restrictions by Module

 

Checkboxes are placed next to the module codes in the column header of the Posting Period Restrictions function. Marking the checkbox restricts users from recording transactions in the module that will post to any period of the selected fiscal year. This feature simplifies the set up of posting period restrictions at year-end.

 

Save an Incomplete or Out-of-balance Bank Reconciliation

 

Authorized users can save but not finalize incomplete or out-of-balance bank reconciliation. To guide the user, the system will display a message stating the amount required to complete the reconciliation. This makes bank reconciliation easier to perform in AccountMate.

 

Specify Void Date when Voiding BR Transactions

In this version, authorized users can specify the date that will be assigned to voided BR transactions (i.e. deposits/other receipts, checks/other disbursements, or bank transfers). The system uses the current system date as the default void date which the user can overwrite. This added flexibility makes it easier to correctly void BR transactions without having to reset the AccountMate system date beforehand.

 

Enhanced Import AR Invoice Function

 

We have enhanced the Import Invoice function in the AR module by adding the Revenue Code field to the Invoice Line Item Fields section. When this field is included in the data import, the system will verify that a valid revenue code is assigned to the stock and/or non-stock line items included in the import source file. This feature helps ensure the accuracy of imported customer invoices.

 

Ability to Select ACH Service Class Code

 

A new Service Class Code field has been added to the Mandatory Fields tab of the Electronic Payment (ACH) Setup window. The selected service class code will be used to populate positions 02 to 04 of the ACH file’s Batch Header Record (record 5) and Batch Control Total (record 8). This gives users even more flexibility to comply with their banks’ ACH file requirements.

 

Install the Payroll Module at Any Time

 

Authorized users are given the choice to install the Payroll module the first time the AccountMate Administrator program is launched. Those who opt to install it at a later time can do so by using the Install Payroll Module function in the AccountMate Administrator program. This provides flexibility to install the Payroll module (and Microsoft SQL Server) at the user’s convenience.

 

Option to Automatically Update Employee Tier on Anniversary Date

 

Authorized users can set their payroll system to Automatically Update Employee Tier on Anniversary Date by marking the corresponding checkbox in Paid Leave Code Maintenance. They have two options for performing the update:

·          Update in Current Pay Period – under this setting the system will update the employee tier during the pay period that includes the employee’s anniversary date.

·          Update in Next Pay Period – under this setting the system will update the employee tier in the pay period after the one that includes the employee’s anniversary date.

 

Set Years and/or Months for Each Tier

 

Years and Months fields are added to the grid in Paid Leave Code Maintenance for authorized users to specify how much time must pass before employees qualify to be automatically updated to the next tier. The Years and Months field values are added to the employees’ hire date to determine the anniversary date when each one would qualify for the next tier.

 

Ability to Adjust Each Employee’s Anniversary Date

 

An Adj(Days) field has been added to the Paid Leave tab in Employee Maintenance. Use this field to adjust the standard time that must elapse for a specific employee to be automatically updated to the next tier. This is a handy feature to use in cases where the standard years and months setting do not apply to specific employees such as newly hired executives who are not subject to a probationary employment period; or employees who may go on extended leave without pay but are allowed to move up to the next tier as if they worked the full year.

 

Option to Spread Out Deductions Equally Throughout the Tax Year

 

An Annualize checkbox has been added to the Deduction Maintenance function. This option is only available when the Percentage deduction type is selected. Use this feature to apply the deduction equally throughout the tax year instead of waiting for the employee’s YTD Gross Wages to reach a minimum level before the deduction is made. This feature provides flexibility to adapt the system to each company’s requirements.

 

New W-2 Category to Capture Retirement Deductions that must be Reported in Box 14 of the W-2 Form

 

A new Retirement option has been added to the W-2 Category list. Use this option to track retirement deductions that must be reported in Box 14 of the Form W-2.

The system is enhanced to automatically display Retirement deductions in the Box 14 section of the W-2 Information Update screen. It also automatically prints Retirement deductions in Box 14 of the W-2 Form.

 

Option to Add New Reason Codes during Cancel SO Open Order

 

Users may need to add new Reason Codes for the open sales orders that they are about to cancel. In earlier versions, they have to wait until they get to the Cancel SO Open Order grid or access another function that has a Miscellaneous Code drill down field to create these new Reason Codes. To facilitate the mass cancellation of open sales orders that users want to track, we have enhanced version 7.2 to allow the creation of new Reason Codes as users are setting the Cancel SO Open Order filter criteria. Simply click the Cancel Reason field caption to display the Miscellaneous Maintenance window where users can set up new Lost SO/SQ Reason Codes. With this enhancement, users can quickly create a new Reason Code and designate it as the default Cancel Reason for the open sales orders they want to cancel.

 

Various Report Enhancements

 

We have enhanced various functions to facilitate printing of certain reports:

 

New PR Check Layout

 

A Short Stub/Short Stub/Check option has been added to the supported check layouts for printing employee checks. This is especially useful for companies that use mail inserter machines to facilitate the process of sending out their check payments.

 

User-defined W-2 Groups Facilitate Printing of W-2 Forms by Employee Group

 

A W-2 Group checkbox has been added to the W-4 Info tab of the Employee Maintenance function. The field caption drills down to Miscellaneous Maintenance where authorized users can set up their own W-2 group codes. With this feature, authorized users can run the Print W-2 Form function sorted by W-2 Group.

 

Option to Print the Shipment On-Time Analysis Report for Past Due Shipments Only

 

A Past Due Shipments Only checkbox has been added to the Shipment On-Time Analysis Report. With this feature, the report can be used to identify which orders were shipped past the customer’s request date. This helps users more effectively monitor their shipments and identify trends in their shipment cycle that could indicate possible problem areas.

 

Additional Sorting and Filter Options for the AR Print Invoice Function

We have enhanced the Print Invoice function in the AR module by adding the ability to sort the output by Salesperson # and/or filter the report for a range of salesperson numbers. This makes the report easier and more flexible to use.

 

1099 Payment Report Enhanced to Show Check # and Date

The 1099 Payment Report now shows the check # and check date. The report interface also has added options to filter the data for a range of check numbers, non-check numbers, and check dates. This makes the report easier and more flexible to use.

 

Enhanced the AP Cancelled Check Report to Show Cancel Date

We have added a “Cnl Date” (i.e. cancel date) column to the AP Cancelled Check Report. This new field shows the date when each check cleared the bank. The report interface also has an added option to filter the data based on the checks’ cancel dates. This enhancement is intended to provide more comprehensive information about cleared AP checks.

Hardware/Software Requirements

Before installing a demo or live copy of AccountMate 7 for LAN, verify that the file server and workstations meet the hardware and software requirements for installing and running AccountMate. Note: Actual requirements may vary based on the operating system and database used in each installation. Provisions must also be made for any additional applications and files installed with AccountMate.

 

Recommended Hardware Configurations

 

File Server

Workstation

Processor

Pentium 4

Pentium 4

Memory

1 GB

512 MB

Hard Drive

20 GB Free Space

2 GB Free Space

File Server Requirements:

The file server should meet the following minimum requirements: 

CPU:

Pentium III

Memory:

512 MB

Hard Drive:

5.0 GB Free Space 

Operating System:

Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition (SP1) or

 

Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition (SP1) or

 

Windows 2000 Server (SP4) or

 

Windows 2000 Advanced Server (SP4) or

 

Windows Small Business Server 2003 (SP1)

Database*:

Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Standard Edition (SP1) or

 

Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Enterprise Edition (SP1) or

 

Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Workgroup Edition (SP1) or

 

Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express Edition (SP1)** or

 

Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Standard Edition (SP4) or

 

Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Enterprise Edition (SP4)

 

* SQL Server holds Payroll data only and is required only when you install the Payroll module.

**For Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express Edition users only: Before you install SQL Server 2005 Express Edition, you must install the .NET Framework 2.0. To download .NET Framework 2.0 and view information on other system requirements for SQL Server 2005 Express Edition, visit http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/express/sql/download/.

 

Workstation Requirements:

Each workstation that will be connected to the file server must meet the following minimum requirements:

CPU:

Pentium III

Memory:

256 MB

Hard Drive:

1.0 GB Free Space

Operating System:

Windows XP Professional (SP2)*** or

Windows 2000 Professional (SP4) or

 

Windows Vista

 

***For XP SP2 users only: If you have enabled Windows Firewall, contact your IT administrator for the proper configuration to enable incoming network connections.

 

Note: Please consult your AccountMate Solution Provider or System Administrator to confirm the optimal configuration to suit your specific needs.

 

 

Additional Software Requirements for Modification (Optional)

Installation Guide

Pre-installation Checklist

 

Use the following checklist as a guide when installing a live copy of AccountMate 7 for LAN:

1.       Verify compliance with the System Requirements.

2.       Skip this step if you have not purchased the Payroll module. Install Microsoft SQL Server if you have not previously done so. Be sure to select the Mixed Mode setting in order to support both SQL and NT Authentication; then, follow Microsoft’s guidelines to complete the installation. After installing Microsoft SQL Server, be sure to reboot the file server to start the SQL Server Service.

3.       Verify that you have administrative rights to the computer where you are installing a live copy of AccountMate 7 for LAN; otherwise, the Microsoft and Crystal Reports run-time libraries in the Windows folder will not be properly registered.

4.       Exit all Windows programs before starting the installation.

Quick Install Guide

1.       Insert the AccountMate CD into your CD-ROM drive to automatically start the installation. If the installer program does not start automatically, double-click Setup.exe in the AccountMate CD to display the AccountMate Setup window.

2.       Click Next to display the License Agreement window. Read and accept the License Agreement; then, click Next to proceed.

3.       View the AccountMate 7 for LAN ReadMe in the Information window; then, click Next to proceed.

4.       In the Choose Destination Location window, perform either one of these steps:

4.1.

 

Accept the default destination folder; or

4.2.

 

Select a different destination folder by clicking the Browse button to open a Choose Folder window; then, select the folder where you want to install the AccountMate program.

5.       Click Next to proceed to the Setup Type window. Choose from the following installation types:

5.1.

 

Workstation - installs run-time files in your local workstation. This type is required for workstation installations to run AccountMate 7 for LAN from a mapped folder to the file server.

5.2.

 

Server - installs the AccountMate application and Administrator program files, the run-time (system) files, your product key (leave blank for Demo copy) and other available application components. This type is required for file server installations.

6.       If you chose the Server setup type, the installer will display the Product Key window; otherwise, proceed to step 10.

7.       In the Product Key window, enter the 25-character AccountMate Product Key that was supplied to you upon purchase of the software. If the product key you enter is invalid, the software will not be installed. If you have problems with your Product Key, contact your AccountMate Solution Provider or AccountMate Customer Service.

8.       Click Next to proceed to the Select Components window.

9.       In the Select Components window, choose from among the following components to install:

9.1.

 

Program Files - includes all AccountMate executable files and the AccountMate Administrator program. The AccountMate executable files allow you to run the main AccountMate program and all its functions and reports while the Administrator Program is needed to activate the AccountMate modules, install license file, create companies in AccountMate, and manage group and user access rights among other functions.

9.2.

 

Run-time Files - installs the run-time libraries necessary to run AccountMate functions and reports.

9.3.

 

Source Code - includes all source code modules purchased. The installer will list the modules for which you purchased source code; mark the checkbox beside each module listed to install the source code files into the specified destination folder. Access to this option and the selection of modules shown will depend on the AccountMate Product Key you entered.


NOTE: The Source Code option will be unavailable if you did not enter a valid Product Key or if the Product Key you entered excluded source code.

10.   Click Next to proceed to the Select Program Folder window. Accept the default or define your own program folder name.

11.   Click Next to start the installation. When the installation is complete, click Finish to exit the AccountMate Setup.

12.   To create the system and sample company databases, you must first launch the AccountMate Administrator program either from your desktop or from the AccountMate program folder.

13.   AccountMate will display a message asking if you want to install the Payroll module. Click Yes to install Payroll; otherwise, click No.

CAUTION: Once the Payroll module is successfully installed, you can no longer reverse the process. If you chose not to install the Payroll module the first time you ran the AccountMate Administrator program, you can still install the Payroll module later.

 

§       If you chose not to install the Payroll module at this time:

 

a.

 

You will see a message informing you that you can install the Payroll module at a later time by running the Administrator program and selecting the Setup menu's Install Payroll Module option. Click OK to close the message; AccountMate will then proceed to install the sample company database.

 

b.

 

When prompted for the supervisor password, enter the default password “go.”

 

§       If you chose to install the Payroll module, perform these steps:

 

a.

 

When prompted for the supervisor password, enter the default password “go.”

 

b.

 

Specify the name of the SQL server instance to which AccountMate will connect.

 

c.

 

Specify the SQL Server data directory where you want to store the AccountMate payroll databases. Accept the default or select a different SQL Data Directory.

 

d.

 

If the SQL server is installed in another computer, specify in the Mapped as Directory field the drive letter and the shared network folder to which you mapped the physical location on the computer where the AccountMate payroll databases will be stored. If you are physically running AccountMate at the same computer where the SQL server data directory is located, the Mapped as Directory should be the same as the SQL Data Directory.

 

e.

 

Click the Install button; when you see a message asking you to confirm whether you are ready to proceed with the installation, click Yes to start the creation of the system and sample company databases.

 

f.

 

When shown a message stating that the installation of the system and sample company databases is complete, click OK.


NOTE: If you chose to install the Payroll module, the installer will create the AccountMate payroll databases in the computer that holds the SQL server. The AccountMate application folder as well as the system, sample and company databases will reside in your file server.

14.   In the AccountMate Administrator program, perform the following:

14.1.

 

Verify or enter the AccountMate Product Key and activate the modules you want to use.

14.2.

 

Install the License File, input the Maintenance Key and, if applicable, the PR Tax Subscription Key.

14.3.

 

Create the live company database(s).

14.4.

 

Define password policy.

14.5.

 

Set up groups and users, and assign access rights.

15.   Launch the AccountMate application and log in with the user name and password that you set up using the AccountMate Administrator program.

 

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