Sage MAS 90 & MAS 200 ERP Software News & Tips
I Didn't Know MAS 90 and MAS 200 Could Do That

Tips and tricks galore in this month's issue! Do you want to know how to:

• Make the City automatically come up in all capitals when creating new customers and vendors?
• Have your lookup screen for customers sort by Customer Name instead of by Customer Number?
• Find ways to make your Sage MAS 90 and MAS 200 run faster?
• Create custom forms?
• Adjust processed invoices?
• Use keyboard shortcuts instead of your mouse?

How do I...make the City automatically come up in all capitals when creating new customers and vendors?

Choose Library Master. Go to the Main folder and then Company Maintenance. Choose from the lookup or enter your company code. Then click on the Preferences tab. Check the option “Return City Name in All Caps” for all caps and uncheck for mixed case for the city.

Making the change will only affect the city for new vendors or customers created from that point forward. It will not affect existing city fields. The Visual Integrator module can be used to change the city field for existing customers and vendors. Contact Integrated Computer Systems Support at 425-820-6120 if you need assistance.

How do I...have my lookup screen for customers sort by Customer Name instead of by Customer Number?

Go to Customer Maintenance and choose the magnifying glass button for the lookup. Then choose the Custom button on the bottom left of the screen. Enter a name for your lookup such as Sort by Customer Name. Once you are at the filter screen, enter the information as indicated below.

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Once you complete the lookup wizard, your lookup will sort by Customer Name, as shown below.

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This will work to sort by any field that is in any lookup that you have throughout any of your Sage MAS90 and MAS 200 modules.

How do I...find ways to make my Sage MAS 90 and MAS 200 run faster?

If your MAS 90 system runs slowly, taking what seems like an eternity to bring up the screen you are selecting, pass the following information on to your network person to check out.

1. Excluding Sage MAS 90 and MAS 200 version 4.x files from your virus scan should be one of the first things to do if your MAS 90 performance is slow.

2. The files with the following file extensions should be excluded on BOTH the workstation and the file server:

.SOA	.M4T	.M4P	.M4L	.M4D	.PVC
.LIB	.RPT	.XEQ	.DD	.DDE	.DDF

There can be additional reasons your MAS 90 is running slowly so try this first and if you are still having performance issues, contact Integrated Computer Systems Support at 425-820-6120 and we can provide you with additional causes.

A Bit on the Creation of Custom Forms

You can customize graphical forms in MAS 90 and 200, as well as create graphical forms for all form printing options. All graphical forms can be printed using a Windows printer; however, you can only customize or create forms if Crystal Reports is installed on your workstation. For some modules, the applicable graphical forms check box(es) must be selected in the module's Options window.

Displayed below is the window for printing an Accounts Payable Check. Note that the STANDARD form is selected. This needs to be changed - do not use the STANDARD form or you will lose valuable user-based settings when you exit the window.

Form settings store information such as the printer last used, the Check Form Type, and everything else you see displayed in the A/P Check Printing Window displayed here except for the Print Checks Already Printed box and selections for Vendor Number and Check Entry Number – BUT NOT IF YOU USE THE STANDARD FORM! If you don’t use a custom form, and use the STANDARD form instead, you will have to select the Check Form Type and the printer every time you print checks.

Forms can be edited or created by clicking on the <Designer> button located on the upper right corner.

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You can lookup and select a different Form Code if one is defined; otherwise, you will need to create one.

To create a new Form code, simply type in a new name in the Form Code field and hit enter. The Template Selection window will pop up. Select the type of check you will be using. Most people use a Preprinted Laser form.

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The STANDARD form will be the default format, but you can edit the form’s alignment and placement of fields in addition to the content using Crystal Reports. Here is the STANDARD form definition in Crystal Reports. The notable fields are the Address Block, Check Date, and Spelled Out Check Amount. These fields can be easily moved using click and drag to align the field on your Preprinted Check form.

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For complex forms, or if you need additional assistance, please contact your Integrated Computer Systems Support representative at 425-820-6120.

Adjusting Processed Invoices

If only “oops I did it again” were limited to the lyrics of a pop song, but alas, it is a sentiment that sometimes is translated to “I posted an invoice to Accounts Receivable, but the amount was wrong.” When an inquiry is made regarding a correction, the answer is “no, you can’t unpost an invoice any more than you can unring a bell.” The admonishment to make sure the Sales Journals are reviewed before updating is akin to closing the barn door after the horse has escaped. There is an option that can help: Invoice Adjustment.

Let’s take a scenario where you forgot to charge Sales Tax, and you don’t discover the error until the invoice is paid in excess of the invoice’s face amount. In this case, you could make an Invoice Adjustment that would:

1. Debit Accounts Receivable and credit Sales Tax Payable.
2. Increase the invoice amount in Accounts Receivable, including the AR Aged Invoice Report, Cash Receipts entry, and the Customer Maintenance Invoices tab.

How to enter an Adjustment to a processed A/R Invoice:

1. Select Accounts Receivable Main menu > Invoice Data Entry.
2. In the Invoice Data Entry window, enter the Invoice Number and Customer No. fields that are associated with an existing invoice.
3. The "Invoice already exists. Would you like to adjust?" message dialog box appears. Click Yes.
4. The Original Totals dialog box appears displaying the original invoice information. Click OK. The Invoice Data Entry window appears.
5. To remove an invoice, click the Lines tab, and in the Amount field, adjust the invoice amount to 0. The invoice will be subsequently removed during the next period-end processing.
6. Any other adjustments should be made as follows in the Amount field:
   • To reduce the amount of the invoice, enter the change as a negative (-) number.
   • To increase the amount, enter the change as a positive number.
     

Debit memos are normally issued to an account for billing errors, freight not billed, or miscellaneous charges. Credit memos are normally issued if an invoice is posted to an incorrect date, or sold to the wrong customer.

How to enter a Debit Memo or Credit Memo:

1. When entering an AR Invoice, enter DM in the invoice field and a Debit Memo will be created. You can also enter the old invoice number, followed by a space, then enter DM for a Debit Memo.
2. In the Header tab, there is a field to select which invoice to apply the Debit Memo against.
3. On the Line tab, enter or look up a Misc Item code (create one if an acceptable one does not exist).
4. Enter the amount as a positive number, and select the GL Account to credit. Accounts Receivable will be debited, and the Debit Memo will increase the amount of the invoice.
5. For Credit Memos, follow the same process, but substitute a CM for the DM. Accounts Receivable will be credited.
   

What if you are selling Inventory Items through Sales Order ?
You can also make adjustments to an invoice after it is updated by entering a credit or debit memo using S/O Invoice Data Entry. Debit memos are normally issued to an account for billing errors, freight not billed, or miscellaneous charges. Credit memos are normally used to credit an account for returned goods. Credit memos can also be created if an invoice is posted to an incorrect date, an order is sold to the wrong customer, the wrong items are included in an order, or a duplicate invoice is created.

To issue a credit or debit memo to adjust an invoice after it is updated:

1. Select Sales Order Main menu > Invoice Data Entry. The S/O Invoice Data Entry window appears.
2. In the Invoice No. field, enter the debit or credit memo number.
3. In the Invoice Type field, select Debit Memo or Credit Memo, as appropriate.
4. To apply the debit or credit memo to a specific invoice, in the Apply to Inv # field, select the invoice number to apply the debit or credit memo to. Debit and credit memos can be applied to a specific invoice or can be used to credit a customer’s entire balance.
   Note: This step does not apply to balance-forward customers.
5. Enter each item quantity and dollar amount as a positive number. The system reverses the amount signs automatically, depending on the selection in the Invoice Type field, before applying the amount to the appropriate account.
6. When you have completed your entries, print the debit or credit memo by clicking Print or by selecting Sales Order Main menu > S/O Invoice Printing.
   Note: The invoice can be printed only if the Print Invoice check box is selected on the Header tab.
7. Click Accept. Print and update the Daily Sales Journal and Daily Transaction Register. The debit or credit amounts are displayed on the customer's statement, with the original invoice if open.

Keyboard Shortcuts

For those of you who find it easier and faster in Sage MAS 90 and MAS 200 to use your keyboard as much as possible instead of reaching for your mouse, this list is for you!

For additional assistance or information about any of the preceding topics, please contact your Integrated Computer Systems Support representative at 425-820-6120.

 

From shortcuts to speed to adjustments you never knew you could make - tips and tricks to make your work easier every day.