Re: Modification requests

[o1bigtenor <..hidden..>]

Greetings

Still working through system learning so more questions.

On Tue, Jan 10, 2017 at 8:04 AM, Erik Huelsmann <..hidden..> wrote:
> Hi Dee,
>
> On Mon, Jan 9, 2017 at 8:10 PM, o1bigtenor <..hidden..> wrote:
>>
OK so using the update button generates another line for the list.

No mention of that in the manual either. Was wondering why you would need both
an 'update' and a 'save' button - - - clearer now. Not sure how
intuitive it is to use
the label update.

>> >>  These items can be 1. 0% tax, 2.
>> >> 5% GST, 0% PST, 3. 0% GST, 8% PST and 4. 5%  GST, 8% PST. The last is
>> >> definitely the most common but the others do show up.

It would seem that there is only one option for taxes on the 'Add AP
Transaction' form.
It is only possible to use the tax form or to not use the tax form.

As it is not uncommon for items here in Canada to be any of the four
options listed
above it is really not clear how I could do these changes on an item by item
basis.

Any suggestions an how to handle sales taxes when they have variations
available?

There are 2 description fields on the form. The second one would seem
to be for the
individual items. Not clear what the first one is for. Perhaps a
different heading
would make things clearer.

When I finished a trial invoice I used the update button so have found that.
Then I tried the 'save' button - - - which I would expect to save the
invoice. It
doesn't. Then tried the post button - -- - that seems to "save" the
invoice. Went
looking in the manual and it does say that.

Whilst on the topic of the manual.

Its a gorgeous looking document but its way out of date and some areas have
incredibly detailed coverage (Permissions for one) there are no examples of
any of the screens with instructions and/or possibilities for use.
There is some
information (use 'post' to effect a transaction) but there is no
information on other
aspects (what role does the 'save' button have on the 'Add AP
Transaction' form).

Is this (updating and maintaining the manual) where lsmb could use some help?


>> >>
>> >> 2. There are items where there is a business use of a personal
>> >> expense. For example gas for my car. The rule (formula that I use) is
>> >> 80% item personal, 20% item business and the tax(s) get divided in the
>> >> same way. Is there a some way to create a plug-in that could  be
>> >> called for specific items (say one account #) where such a division of
>> >> costs is then automatically created.
>> >>
>> >> I would enter item as date, gasoline purchased, amount, taxes and the
>> >> plug-in would then change that so there would be 4 accounts debited
>> >> rather than just the overt 2.
>
>
> How does this work in Ledger-cli? Does it allow formulas to split this, or
> did you build your own scripts around it to make this kind of split?

In Ledger-cli I am doing everything manually. I have no issues with that as
I can handle the formulas very quickly and easily (its all memorized). Not
everyone is comfortable with that kind of work flow. The major agriculture
lender in Canada markets a book keeping program (aka accounting program)
and they do have this available. Bookkeepers (read employees) expect
things like this here. As I am looking forward and seeing the need for some-
else to take care of at least data entry (what I think most bookkeepers do)
this is something that I need. AIUI this is something that is used by (or
should be) home office users, small businesses and farmers in at least
the USA and Canada (not really a small market when you look at those
numbers).
>
>>
>> >> (This kind of thing with different formulas gets used for a number of
>> >> different things. Think a home office and its attendant costs or share
>> >> of total costs (electricity, water, waste, heat, interest and
>> >> communications come to mind) for something very common.)
>> > This is not something I've needed to do myself.
>>
>> I would guess then that you are paying more taxes than you need to.
>>
>> This is a great way of moving household expenses into business
>> expenses legally.
>
>
> No doubt that is the case in your jurisdiction, but it's absolutely
> forbidden in mine (Netherlands), unless very strict conditions apply. Maybe
> in David's too.

Conditions are strict here too but it is a great tool.

snip
>> > However there are likely multiple ways of doing this.
>> > The first one that comes to my mind is to use "Assembly's"
>> > These are essentially a single representation of multiple items.
>>
>> As it is a single item that is costed to a number of different accounts
>> I'm
>> not sure how that would work. Looking at the form right now and see how
>> it would work well in the combining of things but this is the taking of 1
>> item
>> and breaking it into a defined number of accounts. Scratching my head
>> but not seeing how it would fit.
>
>
> Doing this would require a new module: cost accounting. Cost accounting is
> where the costs incurred by a company are being charged to different cost
> carriers like accounts, departments, etc. Cost accounting usually involves
> allocation of cost (the formulas you refer to) of a single item to several
> underlying items. LedgerSMB currently doesn't have it. Implementing it would
> definitely be an interesting (but non-trivial) challenge.
>
>>
>> > Another option would be to apply an AR/AP or GL transaction to move the
>> > relevant portion of the credit/debit to a different account.
>>
>> That makes for even more transactions and you would have to do the
>> modifications manually. Two things I'm not trying to do.
>>
>> > It's possible that Scheduled Transactions may be helpful here.
>> Are you meaning 'Recurring Transactions'?
>
>
> Maybe. There's also "Template Transactions" where the most part of the
> transaction is pre-filled. You can use it to quickly set up a new
> transaction.
>
>>
>> Looking at a 'General Ledger Transaction' it might be possible to use some
>> kind of 'Save Template' kind of thing.
>
>
> Yup. That's what I'm referring to.

Looked at it again - - - there is no way to take an amount (money) and then to
split it between accounts so I don't think this will work.
>
>>
>> In the poking and prodding I'm doing on lsmb I'm finding that it is not
>> possible to know what fields need to have values and which should be
>> filled
>> out by the system (consecutive numbering of whatevers) or should be linked
>> to
>> some other part of the system. No much mention of any of this in the
>> manual
>> either.
>
>
> Ok. Document (manual) are you looking at? Or more importantly: which fields
> would you like to know about?

Limited to what I have looked at.
'Add Vendor Invoice'
Invoice number - - - is that their number or mine?
Order number - - - same?
First 'description' field - - -  what is it for?
'%' field - - - is that for discounting - - - or?
Trying to enter a number in the 'Number' field results in a error code
of "The value
entered is not valid."
Removed info in 'Number' field and entered rest of info.
Hit 'update' button for second line.
Moved to screen to choose whether its a part or a service.
Chose one.
'Add Part' screen appears.
This screen has a lot of available information.

Keep finding more questions.

in 'Add Part'

I'm not seeing anything for generic kind of items (items that could be
provided by a large number of vendors).

What about if items are available in different weights?
Here sometimes when something moves from one kind of quantity to a
larger one the tax amounts change (yes that's confusing but welcome to
the tax system!) there isn't any way of dealing with that.


Is there any way to ease filling out this information?

I'm thinking drop down boxes on some of the items (vendor, account number,
vendor reference number for starters). Perhaps entering the 'Vendor reference
number populating other parts related to that and having the same for the
'Customer' field?

What is challenging is that there is no guide to this work flow.
Is it better to add parts (service or assembly) first and then do the
'Vendor Invoice'? Is there a 'good' way to do this setup?

There is a mountain of things to do in setting up the books
for a company. Anything to make things faster and easier is going to be
very attractive here.

>
>> I am also using lots of electronic transactions. Not sure I want to link
>> things
>> from banks (really don't trust them much) directly into lsmb. Is there any
>> way
>> to expedite entering electronic transactions. (Thinking paying a
>> utility bill, or the automatic insurance or . . .    .)
>
>
> You can upload your bank transactions into LedgerSMB for the purpose of bank
> reconciliation. There's currently no way to upload bank transactions which
> are then converted to full AP transactions with payment. It's a
> functionality I'd *love* to have, but haven't found the time to implement.
>

Maybe even just a place to save electronic files (pages saved) would be a
start.

Hoping that there is not too much in this one email. Looking forward to your
response(s).

TIA

Dee

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