The Account Inquiry form (ALT-A) is an inquiry-only version of the "accounts" database. It's safer to give access to inquiry-only areas to the general user than the database areas because changes can be more easily monitored and controlled. Since the inquiry matches the database exactly, there is no need to repeat what has been documented elsewhere. Please, refer to the Accounts database documentation (below) for more detailed descriptions.

Account Inquiry Form

This area is used for adding, modifying, and deleting customer (or system) accounts. To add a new account, begin by entering a new account Id in the Account field then proceed through the form. To modify or delete an existing account, enter or select the account code from the same field. The function key area (bottom of the window) will briefly display a message reporting whether you are "creating a new entry" or "modifying an existing item." The Account Maintenance dialog window can be accessed by navigating to Point of Sale > Database > Account.

It's important to point out that the Account Inquiry form provides exactly the same information as the Account Maintenance form (given the same user security). In cases where a user needs access to this information without being allowed to change account information, consider providing them access to the inquiry instead.

Users with security permission have access to menu marker () context menus. This form offers those users a "delete account" option. Accounts can only be deleted in certain cases. To delete an account, there can be no activity. This includes any non-zero balances as well as any outstanding finance charges and unapplied credits. In addition, the account cannot be associated with any of the following documents: invoices (except "canceled" transaction), customer orders, open credits, receivables posting, and receivables adjustments. In the event that an account cannot be deleted for any of these reasons, you can change the status of the account to "closed." Closing an account does not remove any balances or activity.

Customer accounts can be merged or renamed using the Account Merge (Rename) utility found on the Utilities menu in Receivables. Please read the documentation regarding this utility before merging or renaming any accounts.

Form Fields

In the main form (upper area above the folder section), basic information about the customer is displayed and can be edited. Most of this information is self-explanatory such as name, address, state, etc.; however, a few may not be. Here are some explanations for some of the fields:

Account

This is an identifier that is used for the customer that may contain letters, numbers, and certain symbols. In most transactions, customer name is used for selection; however, there are a few areas where account code is the primary selection method. Typically, these areas have to do with customer billing. Alternate menu choices are available whenever account selection is required, so it's not ever the user's only choice, and in many areas both name and account code can be used. A partial customer name can be used as a alternative to account number for selection in the Maintenance form, but you must click on the down arrow button to view matches; otherwise, it assumes you are adding a new customer. The account is used for selection on some reports and the format can be used by your company to indicate certain attributes (such as branch, account type, etc.) as needed.

"New" Button

A "New" button is provided next to the Account drop down control when a new account prefix has been defined for the current branch location. Prefixes may be defined from the Receivables tab of the Parameters form (accessed from the Maintenance area's Database menu). For more information about prefixes, please see the Receivables Parameters documentation.

 

Address Fields

Formatting of address fields are determined by parameters as well as your computer's region and language settings. The address appears differently based upon whether your company is located in the United States, Canada, or the United Kingdom. The same address control is used in a wide range of transactions and forms; however, each area may use the address differently. Branches, customers, contacts, jobs, and vendors all have associated address data.

Name

This is the name associated with the address and is typically the first (top) line when an address is printed or displayed. This part of the address can be up to 50-characters in length.

In some cases, the "Name" address field performs additional functions that might not be obvious. For example, when adding a new customer, the name becomes the default for the "sort name" field and also the name of the "primary contact" for the account. The sort name can then be modified so that it is different from the address "name;" however, changes to either the "name" or the name associated with contact zero automatically update to keep both fields the same.

Company

This is the company name associated with the address (if any). If supplied, the company prints/displays below the "name" and above the address lines (1 & 2). This part of the address can be up to 30-characters in length.

Address Line 1

This is the first of two (2) lines provided for the address. Both are optional. Usually, when an address is displayed or printed on a document, an address line is only shown when it has been assigned a text value. This is done to avoid unnecessary blank spacing between address lines. This part of the address can be up to 30-characters in length.

Address Line 2

This is the second of two (2) lines provided for the address. Both are optional. Usually, when an address is displayed or printed on a document, the address line is only shown when it has been assigned a text value. This is done to avoid unnecessary blank spacing between address lines. This part of the address can be up to 30-characters in length.

City

This text area is reserved for the "city" (city, town, village, etc.) part of the address. This part of the address can be up to 30-characters in length.

State or Province (Code)

This portion of the mailing address varies based on your software region setting located under the Parameters database (United States vs. Canada) or your computer's globalization setting. When shown, it is a postal abbreviation used for the state, province, or territory where the address is located. When using a zip code database, entry of a zip code ("postal code" in Canada) can result in this field automatically completing. Listings of state and province codes also include territories. This part of the address can be up to 2-characters in length. In some cases, the printed address will only show the state/province if the "city" part of the address is also present.

Upon request, support can enable a parameter that would include country codes in addition to the state or province code.

States, provinces, and country codes are grouped together. If your company is located in Canada, province codes are listed first in the drop down followed by states and then countries (if enabled). In the United States, state codes are listed first followed by Canadian provinces and then country codes (if enabled). If your company is located in the United Kingdom (UK), this field is not shown nor is it typically printed. There is no "UK" parameter setting. If you are located in the United Kingdom, the software uses the region and language settings of your computer as well as the database region (in certain cases).

Postal Code (aka. ZIP Code or Postcode)

In certain cases, postal (ZIP) code changes can trigger other changes such as setting the sales tax location. This part of the address can be up to 10-characters in length. In North America, the zip code is numeric and is listed to the right of the city and state/province. In the United Kingdom, the postcode is printed as a separate line (the last or bottom line of the address).

Delivery Point

The USPS (United States Postal Service) assigns delivery points in addition to the zip + 4 codes as a way of designating multiple delivery points at the same address (4 offices in the same building -- or -- 2 apartments in the same house, for example). Delivery points are not typically printed (except for Canadian users in certain cases) but are included when POSTNET bar-coded mailing labels are printed. Usually, this is a single digit added to the end of the ZIP code, ZIP+4 code, or a combination of both codes when printing a barcode. Typically, a check digit is also added after the delivery point (if included). This part of the address can be up to 4-characters in length.

For Canadian users, the delivery point field has an alternate use (see below):

Settings for Canada

If your company is located in Canada (and assigned to the Canada regional parameter), the delivery point can be used to add a country notation to addresses on documents. If the delivery point is US, USA, or CAN, these is printed with most document addresses. Again, this is only done for Canadian systems (as determined by the "Canada" system parameter).

Sort Name

The sort name field is used by reports and is the default for selection by customer name in other areas. Sort name is automatically defaulted to match the "name" field but can be modified. This providing some control over how the customer's name appears in selection lists (first name, last name or last name then first, for example). This should be done consistently and match with your company's preferences for reporting and customer selection.

Tax ID

This area is reserved for entry of the customer's federal tax identifier. In most cases, tax/business identification numbers are required in limited circumstances, so it may not always be necessary for your company to maintain a record of it. For some customers and situations, it may be required, however. If your company needs to retain this information for filing forms with a government agency, obtain this information from the customer, and use this field to keep their ID in the account database. You can also consider attaching a scanned copy of any tax related documents associated with the customer to the account (such as an exempt certificate).

Because this information is considered sensitive, all but the last 4-characters are now masked with asterisks (******1234, for example) during maintenance on an existing account and inquiry except when the current user is a system administrator.

Class

Class is a organizational tool for customer's accounts which is entirely optional. Class codes can be up to three (3) alpha-numeric characters or blank if no class is assigned. Customer classes may be used as a selection method on some reports and also for statements. Use the Class Maintenance form icon to add or modify class codes and descriptions.

Corporation

The Corporation field provides a way to link individual accounts that may be related in some way. The intention behind this feature is that a customer may be a corporation operating a number of separate accounts with your company. For example, a corporation may be a construction company that builds housing. Each account representing a separate building project (location) along with jobs representing the individual lots at that specific development. These accounts may be linked together by assigning them to a corporation.

The Corporation Maintenance form is found in Point of Sale > Database > Account.

Corporations are not accounts and are for classification, inquiry, and selection (look-up) purposes only. Corporations are not used with statements, posting, or A/R processing. A separate inquiry (Corporation Inquiry) and report (Corporation Status) is provided which summarizes the balances of accounts linked with a corporation. Corporations may be added, modified, and deleted from the Account Maintenance form. An address may be also be associated with the corporation; however, this is optional (only a code and name are required).

The menu marker may be used to delete an existing corporation code. When adding a new code for an unassigned account, the name and address information will default to match the currently selected account.

Price Level

This selection field is used to assign customers to one of seven (7) potential inventory price levels. Level 0 is always labeled as store retail. Other level descriptions can be modified by a system administrator. Level pricing can be set up differently for each item. When a customer is assigned to a price level, it determines which of the seven (7) possible levels of pricing the software will use for pricing each individual item sold to the account. Level prices on items might be a set price, discount off of list, or markup based on cost.

Alternate Name

This field allows entry of an alternate name for the account. In some cases, a company might be a subsidiary of a larger corporation, for example. In this example, the account's billing and sales may use one name, but tax forms might go to the owner company. Alternate name could be used to store information such as a subsidiary's owner.

Alternate Tax ID

Similar to the previous field, this applies to companies who may be owned by another entity. The owner company may have a different tax id number from the subsidiary.

Continue Mode

This option is used when adding or modifying customer accounts in a sequence. If checked, continue mode maintains the current tab selection after choosing either the Process (F12) or Next (F1) functions. For example, if you are modifying the "override" code on a series of accounts, this would prevent having to re-click the "Codes" tab after each account is processed (or when you choose Next).

Folders

There are seven (7) static folders in the accounts inquiry (or database) form. Use these links to navigate to the documentation for the specific tab:

Receivables (ALT-R)

The settings on this tab determine whether the account is used with self-managed receivables, and if so, it determines how the customer is billed and managed.

Codes (ALT-C)

This tab offers additional settings related to general account operation primarily with regard to Point of Sale.

Contacts (ALT-O)

This tab allows you to add, modify, and remove contacts associated with the account.

Attachments (ALT-A)

Attachments allows you to manage the account's attachments (windows files, map links, web addresses, and application documents).

Purchase Agents (ALT-P)

This tab allows you to add, modify, and remove purchase agents associated with the account. Purchase agents are the individuals allows to use the account for purchases. Names may optionally be linked with an image. If purchase agents are added, selection is required at Point of Sale.

Balances (ALT-B)

This read-only tab lists a summary of the customer's receivables and sales activity.

ProLink (ALT-L)

This tab is used for activation of the Spruce ProLink app for the account.

Loyalty

The Loyalty tab lists the rewards programs that the account is eligible for and the status of their eligibility.

Functions

There are several standard functions available in this form as well as a few that apply only to maintenance type areas. Standard functions include Next (F1), Cancel (F9), Exit (F10), and Process (F12). There are also 2 additional functions: Template (F5) and Save/Modify (F6) explained below.

Template (F5)

The Template (F5) function is used when adding a new customer account and you want to use the settings of another account. The template function will use most of the selected account's settings with some exceptions (contacts are not copied, for example). Warning: the Template (F5) function should be used at the very beginning of account entry. Any previous entries made will be lost and overwritten with the template account's information.

Save/Modify (F6)

This function is used when adding or modifying contacts for the account and are only enabled while the "Contacts" tab is the current tab. The function will be labeled "save" when adding a new contact and "modify" when making changes to a previously saved contact. Warning: The Process (F12) function does not "save" contact information. You must choose either Save (F6) or Modify (F6) before processing (Process (F12)) for your changes or additions to Contacts to be retained!