In our last couple of entries, we have discussed the flexibility that is delivered with the way the financial management tools are initially set up in Microsoft Dynamics SL, from setting up the General Ledger to the setup of the various Maintenance screens for the General Ledger, such as the Chart of Accounts, Subaccount, and Ledger Maintenance screens. Today we’ll look at what it’s like to actually use these tools.
Transactions are entered into Microsoft Dynamics SL in batches. After a batch is entered into the system, you release it. This means that the batch is done, and you don’t want anyone to edit it. Releasing a batch tells the system that it is ready to be posted to the General Ledger. When a batch is posted, account balances are updated for reporting.
On your General Ledger screen, under “Input,” you can open up the Journal Transaction screen with one click. This screen will show what module you are in, a batch number, journal type, type of entry (allocating, nonrecurring, consolidation, etc.), period, and much more. Below the header are the actual transactions, with fields for the company, account, and subaccount. If you select a line and hit F4, you’ll see all the information on that transaction on one screen. You can enter a reference number, or select to have a reference number automatically generated. There is also an optional description field.
When a batch is done and ready, under “Handling” in the header, you select “Release Now” and click the Finish button. If your transaction type is “recurring,” you select a cycle length and number of cycles (such as once a period or once a quarter), and it will be posted on a recurring basis.
