24. Computerised Accounting

The content of this particular qualification includes the following:

• 24.01. Introduction to computer accounting: COMPUTER HARDWARE, Standalone system, Network & Intranet, Printers, Data storage & back-up, COMPUTER SOFTWARE, Windows operating systems, Types of software, INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER ACCOUNTING PACKAGES, A growth area, Links with traditional bookkeeping, Comparison with other computer programs, FEATURES OF COMPUTER ACCOUNTING, Facilities, Management reports, Advantages of a computer accounting program, Computer accounting & ledgers, Computerised ledgers - an integrated system, INPUT INTO A COMPUTER ACCOUNTING PACKAGE, Manual input, Importing data, Authorisation & checking, OUTPUT FROM A COMPUTER ACCOUNTING PACKAGE, Printouts, Emailed data, Exporting data direct to other programs.
• 24.02. Looking after the computer data: COMPUTER CARE, USING PASSWORDS, System passwords - logging on, Software passwords - accessing a program, LOGGING ON & DEALING WITH DATES, The different dates, Logging on & using dates, Financial year, SAVING & BACK-UP, Backing-up files, Back-up media, Back-up in Sage, Back-up policy, Restoring data from a back-up, SOFTWARE PROBLEMS, Corrupted, deleted or overwritten data files, Virus protection, Precaution against viruses.
• 24.03. Setting up the company in Sage: WHERE ARE YOU STARTING FROM?, WHY SAGE & WHICH SAGE, Screen illustrations, HELP, Wizards, User guide, On-screen Help, TRANSFERRING DATA INTO SAGE.
• 24.04. Setting up records for Customers & Suppliers: CASH & CREDIT SALES, Cash & credit - the difference, Buying & selling for cash & on credit, SETTING UP CUSTOMER ACCOUNTS, Accounting records for customers, Accounting records for suppliers, Credit limits, Credit terms, Day-to-day customer/supplier information, Setting up the accounts in Sage, SETTING UP THE COMPUTER FILES, Customer & supplier reference codes, Customer & supplier record defaults, AMENDING RECORDS, Amending records in Sage, Closing' a customer or supplier account.
• 24.05. Setting up the Nominal Ledger: NOMINAL ACCOUNTS, Nominal accounts, Bank accounts, The default Nominal accounts, CHART OF ACCOUNTS, Reports from Nominal, A summary of categories, CHANGING NOMINAL ACCOUNT NAMES, Adding new nominal accounts.
• 24.06. Selling to customers on credit: BACKGROUND TO FINANCIAL DOCUMENTS, INVOICE, CREDIT NOTE, Notes on the credit note, INVOICES, CREDIT NOTES & SAGE, The bookkeeping background, Methods of recording invoices & credit notes, Batch entry, Notes on the date entry columns, Computer printed invoices.
• 24.07. Buying from suppliers on credit: INVOICES & CREDIT NOTES, Invoice, Credit note, THE BOOKKEEPING BACKGROUND, PURCHASES & EXPENSES & CAPITAL ITEMS.
• 24.08. Customer & supplier payments: THE BANK ACCOUNTS IN COMPUTER ACCOUNTING, Types of bank account, RECORDING PAYMENTS FROM CUSTOMERS, How do payments arrive?, Customer payments & the accounting system, The practicalities, Processing the payments received, DEALING WITH CREDIT NOTES, The solution, DEALING WITH UNDERPAYMENTS & OVERPAYMENTS, The solution - underpayment, The solution - overpayment, RECORDING PAYMENTS TO SUPPLIERS, What documents are involved?, Supplier payments & the accounting system, Processing the payments, Printing remittance advices & cheques.
• 24.09. Cash receipts & payments: THE BANK ACCOUNTS, CASH RECEIPTS, Inputting bank receipts, A note on VAT, Other cash receipts, CASH PAYMENTS, Inputting cash payments, A note on VAT, Checking the input data, RECEIPTS & PAYMENTS & THE ACCOUNTING SYSTEM.
• 24.10. Bank account, petty cash & recurring entries: THE BANK ACCOUNTS IN COMPUTER ACCOUNTING, When is a bank account not a bank account?, Transfers between accounts, OPENING UP A PETTY CASH ACCOUNT, What is a petty cash payment?, Petty cash & the accounting system, Payments into petty cash, Payments out of petty cash, CARD ACCOUNTS, Use of company credit cards, Company credit card payments in the accounts, Credit/debit receipt accounts, USING A CASH RECEIPTS ACCOUNT, RECURRING PAYMENTS & RECEIPTS, Setting up recurring entries in Sage.
• 24.11. Reports & routines: THE IMPORTANCE OF INFORMATION, Information for mangement, Information for finance & administrative staff, BANK RECONCILIATION ON THE COMPUTER, The reasons for bank reconciliation, Timing differences, Bank reconciliation in Sage, OTHER MONTH-END ROUTINES, Checking that all transactions have been input, Recurring entries, SCREENSHOTS.
• 24.12. Corrections & adjustments: THE CORRECTION FUNCTION, JOURNAL ENTRIES, Journals & double entry, Example, The solution, ADJUSTMENTS TO THE ACCOUNTS, Write offs, Adjusting for returned cheques, Checking corrections & adjustments.

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