GEMINI MARKETING LIMITED Micro-Computer Software & Systems Specialists SINCLAIR SPECTRUM (c) 1982 Gemini Marketing Ltd. COMMERCIAL ACCOUNTS PROGRAM by Peter Meherne USER GUIDE SPECTRUM COMMERCIAL ACCOUNTS 1. INTRODUCTION The Gemini Commercial Accounts program for the Sinclair Spectrum will run with any memory size available, as there is a built-in mechanism within the program for automatically assigning the numbers of transactions that may be held according to the free memory. Having said that, the 16K machine can only hold 8 transactions at any one time (due largely to memory taken up by the high-resolution memory map, which reduces the memory available to about 9K before loading the program). It is therefore strongly recommended that a memory upgrade is fitted to the 16K Spectrum - allowing up to 428 transactions for 32K, 828 transactions for 48K, up to a maximum of 999 transactions for any size memory. The program features a wide range of ledger facilities. and its main purpose is to allow the user to keep a tight reign on the cash flow aspect of his business. VAT routines are included for listing or printing VAT input/output summaries. The program and data are all stored together - on loading the program it will automatically run with the data current when the file was last saved using option W from the main menu (see section 4.12 of this manual). 2. COPYRIGHT. This program is not copy-protected in any way. Indeed it is impossible to do so by the very nature of the way program and data are stored. Please remember that you are infringing copyright if you hire out, sell or transfer this program through any method to a third party. 3. OPERATING PROCEDURE. Having switched on your Spectrum, ensuring that all plugs are properly connected and type LOAD "" or LOAD "Commacc", and press PLAY on the cassette recorder. The program should load in about 20 seconds or so, depending on the amount of data held on the file. The program supplied has a demonstration file of 5 transactions. 4. THE MAIN MENU. After loading, the program will run, clearing the screen and displaying a table of options for you to choose from. Also displayed is the number of transactions on file and the number remaining free. To select a particular option, press the key shown at the left, alongside the required function. 4.1 Option A - Add Transactions. The transaction menu now displayed allows the entry of seven different transaction types - they are as follows: 1) Credit Sales. Use this transaction for goods supplied to customers who do not pay immediately. 2) Payments for Credit Sales. This is for entering receipts from customers who have been allocated an account in (1). When an account is settled the original credit sale transaction is converted to a type 3 (cash sale). If a transaction of type 2 is entered and the account name and invoice numbers do not tie up with any existing transactions, an error message will be screened, and the transaction will be ignored by the program. 3) Cash Sales. For non-account customers etc. 4) Credit Purchases. For entering purchases from suppliers with whom you operate on credit. 5) Cheque Payments for Credit Purchases. Enter payments by cheque to credit suppliers who have been allocated an account in (4). On settlement, the original transaction is converted to a type 6 (cheque payments - other). If the account name and order numbers do not tie up, an error message will be screened, and the transaction is ignored. 6) Cheque Payments - Other. Self-explanatory - remember to include any bank standing order payments or other regular non-cheque debits to the account. 7) Bank Deposits. Enter all credits to the bank account in this category. Upon selection of any of the above, you will be asked for the date (4 numbers eg. 0406 for the 4th June), the account name (up to 8 characters), the amount (this can be entered in any sterling decimal format; eg. 5.20, 5.2, 4, 4. etc. - up to a maximum of £66,000 - note that no pound sign is necessary). If you enter an amount more than £66,000 the cursor will return to the point on the screen for re-entry of the figure. You will also be asked for the invoice number, the order number, the VAT rate (in percent) and the cheque number where appropriate. The invoice/order/cheque numbers may be up to 6 of any characters. 4.2 Option B - Bank Summary. This option allows you to view all the bank transactions for the file with the final balance of the account, either in black if in credit or in red if overdrawn. 4.3 Option D - Delete a Transaction. This option may be used to completely remove a transaction from the file. If you enter an invalid transaction number you will be returned straight to the main menu with no action taken, otherwise you are asked to confirm to delete (press Y or N for yes/no) - after deleting, all transactions with a number greater than the deleted transaction are "shuffled" down one place and their numbers will therefore change. 4.4 Option E - Exit Program. On pressing E for this option, you are asked to confirm (Y/N) - if you still exit by mistake, type COTO 500 followed by the ENTER key to return to the main menu with all the transaction information intact. 4.5 Option F - Financial Summary. This lists the totals for sales, receipts, purchases and payments for all transactions on the file. 4.6 Option J - List Journal. This screens all the transactions on the file - the information displayed for each transaction is as follows: i) Transaction number. ii) Transaction type (T) - refer to Section 4.1 of the manual for details of the transaction types (1-7). iii) Account name (A/C) - only the first five characters are displayed. iv) Order/Invoice number (Or/Inv). 4.7 Option N - New File. After selecting this option, press Y or N to the prompt "Are you sure?". If you press Y, all transactions are deleted, so that a fresh file may be started. After starting a new file, the only options that may be selected from the main menu are Add Transactions or Exit Program. 4.8 Option P - Accounts Payable. This screens all type 4 transactions (credit purchases). 4.9 Option R - Accounts Receivable. This screens all type 1 transactions (credit sales). 4.10 Option S - Account Search. Enter the account name that you wish to look for - note that the full name need not be entered - just sufficient characters to Identify it. If you therefore entered G for the account name, all transactions for Gemini, Grant, Granny, etc, will be listed. 4.11 Option V - VAT Summary. After selecting this option, press either I or O for input/output summaries. 4.12 Option W - Write File. This saves the complete program with all current transaction data onto tape. While saving the file, it is a good idea to remove just the EAR plug from the Spectrum - this improves the reliability. Next time when you wish to update or add to the file, proceed as for Section 3, with the newly saved file in the cassette recorder for loading. 5. PRINTED SUMMARIES. If you have the ZX printer, you may obtain a copy of the listings for options J (List Journal) and V (VAT Summary) on the printer. Press the red symbol shift key and P key simultaneously from the main menu, and a flashing "P" will appear in the top right of the screen. Now proceed as before - selecting J or V will give you a printed listing. To cancel this function press symbol shift and P again from the main menu. 6. PAGING. When an option is selected which entails the screening of information row by row (options B, J, P, R, S and V), if there are more transactions to be listed than can be fitted onto the screen in one go, they will be listed a "page" at a time, with the message "ANY KEY TO CONTINUE" displayed at the bottom of the screen. When the final page is displayed, the message "ANY KEY FOR MAIN MENU" is displayed - pressing any key will return you straight to the menu again.