Summary

The Setup window is used to set up how the Accounts Payable module will function. The selections in this window will affect the functionality of most of the batch processes in the Accounts Payable module.

Step by Step

1     Open the Setup window (AP> Utilities> Setup).

2     Complete the General tab.

• The Process drop-down menu is used to select how you will process accounts payable and will determine what palette options are available in the AP module. This drop-down menu will not be enabled after the module has been set up.
  • Invoices & Checks – Invoices are input and committed using the Invoices process (AP> Invoices).  After the invoices have been committed, they can be paid using the Computer Checks process (AP> Computer Checks).  This is the most common way to process accounts payable and is an accrual-based process that allows invoices to be entered and then paid at any time. Encumbrances from purchase orders are relieved when invoices are entered (AP> Invoices> Enter Invoices).
  • Vouchers & Warrants – Invoices are input; an approval list, vouchers, warrants, and a warrant register are then produced.  This process is contained on a single menu. The verbiage on the approval list, voucher and warrant register are created on the Voucher tab found on the Account Payable Setup window.  This is a cash-based process that allows invoices to be entered into the system and checks/warrants printed in the same batch.  It relieves encumbrances when the checks/warrants are printed.
  • Vouchers & Checks – Invoices are input and committed.  When the computer check process is run, a voucher approval register and vouchers are produced after the checks are processed. The verbiage on the voucher approval register and vouchers are created on the Voucher tab found on the Account Payable Setup window.  This is an accrual-based process that allows invoices to be entered and then paid at any time. It relieves encumbrances when invoices are entered.
  • Multi-Fund Vouchers – This is a two-step process.  Invoices are entered and committed.  The Computer checks process produces a voucher approval document after the checks and check register have been printed. This is an accrual-based process that allows invoices to be entered and then paid at any time. It relieves encumbrances when invoices are entered.
  • NY Vouchers – This New York-specific process will run similar to Vouchers & Checks. Vouchers will be assigned the next available number when the invoice is saved. The Computer Checks process will include voucher-related filtering and editing fields. The NY Vouchers process in AP Utilities will be enabled.
• The Mode drop-down menu is used to set up multi-bank checking.
  • Select Standard if you do not use multi-bank checking. Standard MUST be selected if you plan on using interfund transfers.
  • Select Multi-bank checking if you want to write AP checks out of multiple banks. GL accounts are associated with specific bank accounts using the Associate Reimbursements window (SS> Maintenance> Associate Reimbursements). When those GL accounts are attached to invoice line items and paid using the Computer Checks process, the checks will be cut from the bank accounts attached to the GL accounts on the invoice line items.
• The Local Tax Percentage field is used in conjunction with the Use Tax Report (AP> Reports> Use Tax Report). The tax amount entered in this field will populate in the Use Tax window when the report is generated. This field handles up to five decimal places.
• Check the Enable Project Management interface toggle to enter Project Management module task and type codes on AP invoices.
• Check the Enable Inventory Control interface toggle to enter IC module items on AP invoices.
• Check the Enable Interfund Transfers toggle to use interfund transfers instead.
  • If this toggle is checked, the Mode field above must be set to Standard.
• Check the Overwrite voucher number with check number toggle if you want to overwrite the voucher number with the check number during the checks process. This toggle will only apply if the Process you selected involves vouchers.
• Check the Auto number vendors toggle to automatically create vendor numbers. The system will begin auto numbering from the highest existing vendor number. This functionality will not work if any existing vendors have non-numeric characters in their vendor numbers.
• Check the Use PM Task Cash Account in AP toggle to enable the AP Cash Account field on the General tab of the PM Task Code Maintenance window. This field allows users to specify which cash account will be affected by the AP Computer Checks process.
  • This option is not enabled when Cirrus is set up to use Multi-Bank Checking or Interfund Transfers.
• The Payable Account field is used to enter the Accounts Payable account.
  • The payable account is the GL account that the liability resides in until the checks or warrants have been processed and committed. When invoices are created in the AP module Invoices process, the Account Payable GL account will be credited, and the GL account on the invoice line items (generally an expense account), will be debited.
  • The Accounts Payable GL account must be set up in each fund you will use to expense invoice line items. When you process invoices in the AP module (AP> Invoices), the fund of the Accounts Payable GL account will be pulled from the GL account attached to the invoice line item. For example, if the Accounts Payable GL account is set up as X-0-001 and the GL account on an invoice line item is 6-0-400, fund 6 will be pulled from the GL account on the invoice line item and GL account 6-0-001 will be credited in the transaction.
  • If you are using Vouchers and Warrants or Vouchers Only, you will not use the GL account in this field.
• The Bank Account field is used to specify a default bank account for the AP module.
  • Bank accounts are created and maintained on the Bank Account Maintenance window (SS> Maintenance> Bank Account).
• The Clearing Bank field was used in a deprecated process and is no longer functional.
• The Clearing Fund field is used to specify the first account section for Interfund Transfers if the Enable Interfund Transfers toggle is selected.
• The NIGP Code Length field is used to establish the NIGP code format.
  • NIGP codes are used when establishing Commodity Codes used to classify procured items. Commodity codes are created and maintained on the Commodity Code Maintenance window (AP> Maintenance> Commodity Code).
  • NIGP codes can be 5, 7, or 11 characters long.

3     Complete the Checks tab.

• The Check Type drop-down menu is used to select the check stub format.
  • Standard check stubs will create two separate check stubs. Each check stub can display up to 17 line items on the check stub.
    • A line item is a unique invoice being paid on the receipt.
  • Long check stubs will create one check stub but the single check stub can display up to 30 line items.
    • If you select long check stub a Long Check Stub tab will be added to the Checks step of the AP Computer Checks process. The Long Check Stub tab allows you to enter a check stub or void message.
    • Long checks can contain up to 30 check detail line items.
  • Configurable check stubs create a customizable check and check stub based on the standard check format.
    • Configurable checks can be customized using the Report Layout Maintenance window (SS> Maintenance> Report Layout).
    • The Configurable format will display up to 25 detail line items on the check stub. The number of stub lines displayed is determined by the Stub Lines field below.
  • Configurable long check stubs create a customizable check and check stub based on the long check stub format.
    • The same configuration options apply to this check type as those outlined above.
    • The Configurable Long Stub format will display up to 50 detail line items on the check stub. The number of stub lines displayed is determined by the Stub Lines field below.
  • Select Configurable Z-Fold if you would like to use a customizable check and check stub that is formatted specifically for VersaSeal Z-Fold checks that do not require an envelope.
    • The same configuration options apply to this check type as those outlined above.
• The Check Signature field is used to select an image file that contains a check signature. Only one electronic signature file can be attached at a time.
  • Click the Select File button to browse to the signature image file or drag-and-drop the file into the area to the right of the button.
    • The image file must be in .bmp, .png, .jpeg, or .jpg format.
  • Once the image file has been uploaded, the preview area below will display the signature preview.
• The Long Stub Void Message field is used to enter the number of days associated with your void process. This message will display on all Accounts Payable module checks that are generated in long check stub format.
• The Check Line Description drop-down menu is used to select the line item description that will display on the check stub.
  • Select Last line item description if you would like the invoice line item description to display on the check stub line items.
  • Select Line item reference if you would the reference number attached to the invoice to display on the check stub line item.
• Use the Check Offset field to adjust the top margin on printed checks. Increase the value in the field to print the checks lower on the page.
• The Stub Lines field is used to select the number of stub lines you would like to display on your configurable check.
  • This field will only be active if Configurable or Configurable Long Stub is selected from the Check Type field above.
  • Configurable check types are limited to 25 stub lines while Configurable Long Stub check types are limited to 50 stub lines.
• Check the Use Interfund Transfers for Manual checks toggle if you want to enable interfund transfers in the Manual Checks process. The selection in this field will affect the journal entry generated in the Manual Checks process (AP> Manual Checks> GL Distribution).
  • If you do not check this toggle, the journal entry created by the process will debit the GL expense account on the invoice line item, and credit the cash account attached to the bank account the manual check is being drawn from. A fund is not attached to the GL account on the bank account record (SS> Maintenance> Bank Account> Cash Account field), so the fund will be pulled from the GL account on the invoice line item.

• If you check the Use Interfund Transfers for manual checks toggle, the journal entry will be the same as above, but a debit and credit to the cash account attached to the bank account will be added. The fund used in these two line items will be pulled from the Clearing Fund field on the AP module Setup window.

• Check the Long check stub include fund line toggle if you would like the fund number and description of the GL expense account associated with the check to display in the memo field on the check. A list of fund numbers will display if there is more than one fund being expensed on the check.
  • Long check stub toggles will only be enabled if Long Check Stub is selected in the Check Type field above.
• Check the Long check stub prints GL accounts toggle to include the GL accounts associated with any AP Invoice line items included on the check.
• Check the Check stub prints DBA information toggle if you would like the doing business as name on the vendor record (AP> Maintenance> Vendor> General tab> DBA field) to display on the check. This will add the doing business as vendor name to the check just below the vendor name (Last Name field on the General tab of the Vendor Maintenance window).
• Check the Export positive pay file toggle if you would like to use the positive pay feature. Positive pay is a bank service where organizations send their bank a list of checks they have generated. As checks are drawn on their account, the bank verifies that the checks drawn on the account match the checks on the list. Changes to the selection in this toggle will not take effect until you log out and then log back into the application since it involves menu options that display on the palette.
  • When this toggle is checked, an Export option will be added to the Computer Checks process. The Export step is used to generate the positive pay file, and must be completed before a Computer Checks batch can be committed.
  • If you do not check this toggle, the Export step will not display on the Computer Checks palette and you will not be able to generate a positive pay file.
  • If you change the selection in this toggle, if will not take effect until you log out and log back into the application. If there are other users that process AP module Computer Checks batches, you should have them log out and log back in after you change the selection in this toggle (if you do not, they will get an error message during the Export step, or the Export step will not display on their Computer Checks palette).
• Check the Use Blank Check Stock toggle if you would like MICR numbers to print on AP checks.
  • This will add a Check Numbers tab to the print checks step of the Computer Checks process in the Accounts Payable module.
  • The bank name will only print on a check if the Use Bank Check Stock toggle is checked.
• Check the Allow zero balance checks toggle if zero balance checks can be generated in the Computer Checks process. This allows you to select two off-setting invoices in the Select Invoices step (AP> Computer Checks> Select Invoices) that create a zero dollar check.
  • If you do not check this toggle, you cannot select a group of invoices that creates a zero dollar check for an AP module vendor. You will receive a validation error in the window.
• Check the Do not print check numbers toggle if the check numbers should not be printed on the checks (this only applies when the Use Blank Check Stock toggle is checked). For example, if your check stock already includes check numbers, you would check this toggle.
  • If you do not check this toggle, check numbers will print on the checks when the Use Blank Check Stock toggle is checked. If the Use Blank Check toggle is not checked, check numbers will not print on checks.
• Check the Print Date/Amount Headers toggle if your pre-printed check stock does not include field labels. When the checks are printed the field labels will be added.
• Check the Create uncleared BR for CH toggle to automatically send all ACH checks to the BR module as uncleared.
• Check the Require all Manual Checks to have a check number toggle to enable validation to prevent manual checks from being saved without a specified check number.
• Check the Long check stub prints check number as barcode toggle to include a barcode representing the check number on the printed check. The barcode will print directly below the printed check number on the check stub.
  • This toggle will only be enabled when Long Check Stub is selected in the Check Type field.

4     Complete the Invoices tab. 

• The Duplicate Invoice Validation section is used to set the criteria that will determine which invoices are duplicates.
  • The Validation Behavior drop-down menu is then used to determine how the application should respond when one of the selected duplicate invoices is encountered.
    • Select Warn and a warning message will display if a duplicate invoice is being entered. Users will have the option to click through the warning message and create the invoice.
    • Select Stop and an error message will display if a duplicate invoice is being entered. Users will be required to remove the duplicate invoice before proceeding.
  • The Current Batch and Other Batch sections are used to set the criteria that will be used to determine which invoices are duplicates.
  • Check the toggles of the criteria you would like to use to define which invoices are duplicates. The Vendor Number and Invoice Number toggles are required and cannot be unselected.
• The Open Purchase Order Validation section is used to set up how the system will warn users of open purchase orders.
  • Check the Warn Users of Open POs toggle to warn users if any open purchase order lines are attached to the vendor added to an invoice.
    • When this toggle is checked, the vendor and the fiscal year will be set as the match criteria when looking for open PO lines.
    • Use the Match Criteria drop-down menu to select additional criteria for the validation warning.
      • Vendor and Fiscal Year must be selected for this validation.
    • This validation is a warning only and will not prevent users from completing the invoice.
• The Validate Invoice Line Item Has Invoice Number drop-down menu is used to set up optional validation on invoice numbers.
  • By default, this will be set to No validation. Users will be able to create new invoice lines or import invoice lines without specifying invoice numbers.
  • If Warn is selected, users will receive a warning validation message when attempting to save a new or imported invoice line that does not include an invoice number. From this message, users can elect to update the invoices listed or continue without specifying an invoice number on the lines in question.
  • If Stop is selected, users will receive a validation message displaying the invoice lines that do not include invoice numbers. Users will not be able to proceed until the invoice lines in question are updated.
• Check the Overwrite line item descriptions with project identifiers toggle to replace the description of the invoice entry with the task code description selected for the line. This toggle is only enabled if project management is enabled in accounts payable.
• Check the Overwrite blank descriptions with reference on commit toggle to populate blank Description fields on new invoice line items with the value in the Reference field.
• Check the Overwrite blank invoices with home dept from PO toggle if the home department on the attached purchase order should overwrite the existing home departments on invoice line items that do not have a specified invoice number.
• Check the Force Receiving toggle if a purchase order line item should be received in the Purchase Orders module Receiving process (PO> Receiving) before it can be invoiced in the Accounts Payable module (AP> Invoices).
  • If you check this toggle, you should also check the Receive orders through Purchase Orders toggle on the Purchase Order module Setup window (PO> Utilities> Setup) to enable the Receiving process.
  • If the Receive orders through Purchase Orders toggle is checked but the Force Receiving toggle is not checked, you will have the option of receiving purchase orders in the PO module, but you will be able to invoice purchase order line items that have not be received.
• Check the Require Home Department on Invoices toggle in order to require users to specify a Home Department when creating an invoice.
  • If this toggle is checked, users will see an error message when attempting to save an invoice without a home department.

5     Complete the Vouchers tab.

• Enter you specific legal verbiage to print on the individual vouchers and on the blanket voucher.
• The individual vouchers list invoices for only one vendor, while blanket vouchers list all the invoices and vendors on one page.
• Use the Extra space for blanket voucher heading field to align the heading on the blanket voucher. Use the fields below to add the text for the voucher elements.
• The Voucher Signature field is used to select an image file that contains a voucher signature. Only one electronic signature file can be attached at a time.
  • Click the Select File button to browse to the signature image file or drag-and-drop the file into the area to the right of the button.
    • The image file must be in .bmp, .png, .jpeg, or .jpg format.
  • Once the image file has been uploaded, the preview area below will display the signature preview.
• Check the Prefix voucher numbers with current fiscal year toggle to include the last two digits of the fiscal year as a prefix for automatically generated voucher numbers.
  • When this toggle is checked:
    • The first voucher of fiscal year 2025 = 250000001
    • The 156th voucher of fiscal year 2025 = 250000156
  • If a voucher number already exists, that number will be skipped and the next subsequent number will be assigned to the next voucher.
  • This toggle will only be displayed for agencies using the NY Vouchers AP process.

6     Complete the Validation tab.

• The Validation tab is used to set up optional validation rules in the AP module. These rules can provide an additional level of control over how invoices are created in the system.
• Click the Create Validation button to create a new validation rule. This will create a new line item in the data grid and enable the Create Validation section to the right.
  • Once a validation rule has been created, select the rule and click DELETE to delete the selected rule.
• The Entity field is used to specify which Springbrook entity the rule will apply to.
  • Select Role if the rule should apply to all Springbrook users that occupy a specific role in the application. Roles are created and maintained on the Role Maintenance window (SS> Security> Role).
  • Select User if the rule should apply only to a specific Springbrook user. Users are created and maintained on the User Maintenance window (SS> Security> User).
  • Select User Group if the rule should apply to all Springbrook users that populate a specific user group in the application. User Groups are created and maintained on the User Group Maintenance window (SS> Security> User Group).
    • If your organization already uses user groups, Springbrook recommends setting up a new set of user groups for validation rules. This will prevent duplicate validation warnings that can occur when users are already members of multiple user groups and those existing user groups are used when setting up validation rules.
    • This is a required field.
• The Code field is used specify the specific Springbrook entity that the rule will be applied to.
  • The selection window launched when clicking the Code field search button will be determined by which entity was selected above.
  • This is a required field.
• The Department field is used to apply the validation rule to a specific department.
  • In order to use a department in a validation rule, the specified department will also need to be set up as the home department on the AP invoice (AP> Invoices> Invoices> Edit Invoices> Home Department field). If the specified department is not set up as the home department on the invoice, that invoice will be skipped when the system validates the invoices.
• The Account Group field is used to apply the validation rule to a specific account group.
  • Once an account group is set up, it can be used to control budget exceptions during the invoicing process. When the validation rule is evaluated, the system will look at the aggregate budget for the specified account group rather than just the budget of the individual account.
  • Account groups are created and maintained on the Account Group Maintenance window (GL> Maintenance> Account Groups).
• The Comparison and Amount fields is used to specify how the validation rule will compare the invoice amount to the budget or PO encumbrance amount.
  • Select Flat use a flat comparison amount. For example, if Flat was selected and 100.00 was entered into the Amount field below, the validation rule will be activated if the invoice amount is $100.00 over the budget or PO encumbrance amount.
  • Select Percentage to use a percentage comparison amount. For example, if Percentage was selected and 10.0000 was entered into the Amount field below, the validation rule will be activated if the invoice amount is 10.000% over the budget or PO encumbrance amount.
  • The Amount field should be left at zero if you want the validation rule to be activated when the exact budget or PO encumbrance amount is reached.
• The Validation field is used to set the validation rule to either display a warning message, which allows the user to ignore the validation and continue processing the invoice, or to display an error message, which will require that the user update the invoice in order to continue.
• The Original field is used to specify what the invoice amount will be compared to when processing the validation rule.
  • Select GL Budget Amount to compare the invoice amount to the GL account budget.
    • If the GL account IS NOT set up as budgetable (GL> Maintenance> Chart of Accounts> General tab> Account is budgetable toggle), no validation will be performed. If the account IS set as budgetable, but the budget is set as zero, the validation error will always occur.
  • Select PM Task Budgets to compare the invoice amount to the PM Task budget amount.
  • Select PO Variance to compare the invoice amount to the PO line encumbered amount (GL> Maintenance> Chart of Accounts> Balance tab> Encumbered field).
• The Transaction Data Sources section is used specify which, if any, uncommitted transactions should be considered when the system is calculating validation rules. These data sources can either increase or decrease the value specified by the selection in the Original field above.
  • Check Committed PO Encumbrance to include committed purchase order or change order amounts. This will typically be used if the Original field is set to PO Variance.
  • Check Committed PO Requisitions (Pre-encumbrance) to include requisition amounts that have been processed in a committed requisition approval batch but not yet turned into a purchase order.
  • Check Uncommitted AP Activity to include any uncommitted AP activity.
  • Check Uncommitted Budget Adjustments to include uncommitted GL budget amounts. Uncommitted PM budget adjustments will not be considered.
  • Check Uncommitted GL History to include uncommitted journal entry amounts.
  • Check Uncommitted PO Encumbrance to include uncommitted purchase order or change order amounts.
• Click SAVE to save the new validation rule.

7     Complete the Recurring Cycle Names tab.

• The Recurring Cycle Names tab is used to add cycle names to the numeric recurring cycles. Adding more descriptive Cycle Names can alleviate confusion when selected a cycle for a recurring invoice.
• Use the Cycle Description column to add a cycle name for each cycle.
  • The Cycle Description can be up to 20 alphanumeric characters.
  • The new Cycle Description will be displayed in the Cycle drop-down menu on the AP> Invoices> Recurring Invoice screen.
    • If a cycle does not include a cycle description, only the cycle number will be displayed.
    • If a cycle includes a cycle description that exactly matches the cycle number, only the cycle number will be displayed.
    • If a cycle includes a cycle description that does not match the cycle number, both will be displayed as <cycle number> - <cycle description>.
• Click the Save button to the complete the AP Setup process.

8     Track any changes made to the AP Setup window.

• Click the Audit Trail button to open the Audit Trail window.
• Use the search criteria section to sort the displayed audit trail.
• The data grid below will provide details about any changes made to the setup window including the date of the change, type of change made, user that made the change, and data table that was edited.