Writing checks for Accounts Payable

Processing payments is really quite simple.  To begin, select the Write Checks option from the Payment menu.

Payment cycle

The system will  ask for the payment cycle.  Enter in the one you wish to  process.  This will be identical to one of the payment cycles you established when setting up your original vendor accounts.

Closing date

The system also prompts for a closing date.  This is the last  transaction date which you wish to include in the processing.  This  may be later than the actual closing date of the vendor, without  causing any difficulty.

Processing

Once the cycle and date are entered, the system will then select the first account for the specified  billing cycle, place the vendors identification information at the  top of the screen, and display a list of items to be paid, with the amounts in the left column.

You can modify any of the applied amounts by right clicking on the highlighted record in the browse list, and modifying the amount shown in the popup window. The total of  all items to be paid will be displayed in the box at the bottom of  the screen.

When all amounts to be applied are correct, select the Save key.  The computer will then process all of the items, and write a check in a special  file.  It will then display the next account transactions for review.

Continue this process  until all accounts have been paid.

Printing checks

When the processing is complete, the system will  ask if checks are to be written.  First, it  must know which account is to be used.  Then it will ask if checks  are to be developed, and printed, by the system.  If not, the system  will assume that all bills are being paid by manual checks, and it  will display a list of vendors and ask for the check numbers  assigned.  Otherwise, it will automatically assign the checks, and proceed to print them.

When paying multiple  invoices, for example, the system will attempt to list on the stub all invoices  paid, to the limit of the space available.  

Final processing

Once the checks have been completed, the system will process all of  the payments, posting them to the transaction register, and to the  General Ledger.  This is the final step because everything else must  be correct prior to performing the accounting.

Checks should be processed in batches.

Reminder:  Payment cycles should  correspond to a period when the vendor expects to receive funds.