The Order Processing module in Profits Plus ™ can by used to track A/R Collections.  By creating an item and salesperson for this purpose, the user can open an order, add the item (to record the date/notes in theMemo Area) and run reports to ‘keep track’ of past due customers.

 

With this process, anyone can check open orders for the “COLLECTION” salesperson or print the ‘Open Order Status Report by Sales Person/Department - ORDSTS’.  If the person in charge of collections is sick, on vacation, etc., anyone can take over.  Also, at any time you can look at the history for item #A/R-COLLECTIONS, to see past due history.

 

 

SETUP:

Before beginning, create an item number called: A/R COLLECTIONS (in 5/1/1).  Fields to be aware of when setting up the item:  the cost and price must be zero; the Item Type should be L(abor); it should be non-taxable/exempt; and in the Memo Area type in, for example:

Date:

Collection Notes:

 

In order for the user to add/edit collection notes in the Memo Area, a parameter in O/E must be set properly.  Go to:

• O/E Module (Task 6)
  • ​System Management Functions (Task 32)
    • ​Modify Parameter Files (Sub-task 22)
      • ​O/E - General (Selection 1)
        • ​Look for the parameter:  XFR’INI’MMO=set to B
        • Also, create a “Salesperson” called A/R COLLECTIONS.  To keep the ‘salesperson’ out of the range of legitimate salespersons, use, for example #9999.  Go to:  Order Processing (Module 6), Salesperson/Technician File (Task 20)

 

 

OBTAINING INFORMATION:

There are 3 different options for obtaining the information needed to make collection calls.  Below the 3 options are described.  Choose the one that best suites your needs.

 

Option 1:  Print the: Past Due Customer Analysis report:  found in A/R (Module 2), Aged Trial Balance (Task 9), Past Due Customer Analysis - AGECHK (Sub-task 6) Note: Please read the information on the first screen.  This reports prints with no detail, however, it does print totals for each month past due.

• To have the A/R Customer Accounting Memo notes print on this report check a parameter.  The parameter is found in 2/32/22/2 (Aging & Statement Control) Look for the parameter: PRINT’CUS’MEMO=
  • ​Y = print customer memo on past due summary aging, in compressed (small) print size.
  • U = Print customer memo on past due summary aging, in uncompressed (large) print size.
  • N = Don’t print any customer memos on the past due summary aging.

Be aware of the following prompts:

• Select All, +4, +3, +2, +1: (+1 will print only customers 1 month or more past due, +2 will print only customers 2 months or more past due, etc…)
• Please enter – starting credit limit: ALL
• Print report by: 1) customer name or, 2) customer number

 

 

Option 2:  If account detail is preferred, (individual invoices), for an account go to A/R (Module 2), Customer Inquiry (Task 27)

• Enter the customer number or use TAB key for name search. The first screen shows the customer name, address, etc…
• The account detail will be on the next screen.  Press the  F9 key to change the information in the box at the bottom of the screen.  (Read the bottom of the screen to see the options.)
  • To view the line items on an invoice or re-print an invoice, type in a Y next to the invoice.  (F2 to print the invoice or TAB for line items).

 

 

Option 3:  If a detailed printout is preferred, print an Aged Trial Balance with Detail for just one customer at a time.  Go to: Accounts Receivable (Module 2), Aged Trial Balance (Task 9), Aged Trial Balance with Optional Detail-ARTDTN (Sub-task 3) Note the information on the first screen. Be aware of the following prompts:

• Doc. cut-off date: Use today’s date. 
• Date Basis:   Use "2" for Document date
• Select ALL, +4,+3,+2,+1,0,-1,-2,-3,-4:  ALL.
• Numeric or Alphabetic Order: N or A
• Print customer addresses? Y/N
• Print account detail? Y for YES
• Print Future aging? Y, N or O
• Skip zero balance accounts? Y
• Make printer screen selections
• Please enter – starting division #: Press enter key for ALL
• Please enter – starting customer #: Type in the customer # to print only one customer, or Press enter key for ALL
• Please enter – starting salesperson #: Press enter key or ALL
  • When the report has been generated, the system prompts for the starting and ending division again. If, at this point, the left arrow key is pressed, the report will print. If the ENTER key is pressed, the system prompts for all of the questions again.  When the left arrow key is entered both reports will print. This allows you to print a second Aged Trial Balance for another customer.

  

 

MAKING the COLLECTION CALLS:

Either before or after the calls are made to the customers, enter a new sales order for each customer called.  Go to:

• Order Processing (Module 6)
  • Order Entry & Editing (Task 1)
    • Enter New/Change Existing Order (Sub-task 1)

On the new order put:

• the number of the customer you are calling or just called.
• the salesperson – A/R Collections ( #9999,  as an example)
• enter the division number (if applicable)
• on the Item Screen, type in item number:  A/R-COLLECTIONS
  • The cursor should go to the item memo screen.
  • Type in, for example, today’s date, the dollar amount past due, who you talked to or if you left a message, what the person promised in payment, if copies of invoices were faxed or emailed, etc…
  • Quantity 1
  • This should be a no charge item.
• on the Collection Screen  select: 20. No Action
• on the Shipping Screen:
  • Field #1:  “Collections” for the P/O #.
  • Field #16 Promise date: type in the date when customer should be called back.

 

 

When subsequent calls are made to the customer, either the original item can be accessed and the ‘new’ notes added to the bottom of the existing notes or a ‘new’ item (AR COLLECTIONS) can be added with the ‘new’ notes added in the memo field.

 

Note:  the orders remain “Open” until the customer in no longer past due.

When the check is received from the customer and the customer is not past due any longer:

• Type the check information into the line item memo notes, date check is received, amount of check, check #, etc…
• On the COLLECTION/ACTION screen of the order, “invoice” the order, thereby closing it.

 

Note:  To reprint an invoice, go to Order Processing (Module 6), Miscellaneous History (Task16), Reprint Non-Summary Invoices from History Files (Sub-task 8) or Reprint Summary Invoice from History Files (Sub-task 2) or from the A/R Customer Inquiry (2/27), use the F2 key to print a copy of the invoice.

 

 

FINDING COLLECTION ORDERS IN ORDER ENTRY:

At any point anyone can take a look at the collection open orders.  Go to:

• Order Processing (Module 6)
  • ​Order Entry & Editing (Task 1)
    • ​Enter New/Change Existing Order (Sub-task 1)
      • ​Press the SPACEBAR on your keyboard at the order # prompt.
      • Press the ENTER key for ALL at the “Department #:” prompt.
      • Type in the “Salesperson number:” A/R Collections ( #9999,  as an example)
        • ​All the open orders for salesperson #9999 will be listed on the screen. 

 

 

 

 

TRACKING COLLECTION CALLS:

A status report can be printed to keep track of calls that have been made, calls that need follow-up, what was ‘said’, etc.  A report of ‘open orders’ that includes the ‘notes’ is found in:  Order Processing (Module 6), Open Order Status Reports (Task 9), Open Order Status Report by Sales Person/Department-ORDSTS (Sub-task 3).  A promise date range may be typed in on this report to see only those collection orders needed to be called back. Be aware of the following prompts:

o       List by Salesperson or by Department?  S (for Salesperson)

o       List by Order date, Promise date or Ship date? P (for Promise date)

o       Do you want line item detail? Y

o       Do you want the item memo notes? Y

o       Do you want order memo notes? N

o       Start each Salesperson on a new page? N

o       Please enter – Starting/Ending salesperson #: 9999 (as per example described above)                   

o       Please enter – Starting order #: ALL

o       Please enter – Starting order date: ALL

o       Please enter – Starting ship date: ALL

o       Please enter – Starting promise date/Ending promise Date: type in the date range needed for return collection calls

o       Please enter – starting status#: ALL

o       Please enter – starting department #: ALL

o       Please enter warehouse #: ALL

o       Please enter order sale type #: ALL

 

This report may be used to check A/R Customer Inquiry (Task 27) for payments, and to make collection calls.  Each time a customer is called, the order in Order Entry is updated with notes (Type the check information into the line item memo notes, date check is received, amount of check, check #, etc…) and a new promise date entered on the shipping screen.

 

Once the order is closed and invoiced, because the customer is no longer past due, the invoice is posted to Item History (Task 18 in the Order Processing module).  The entire ‘history’ of a customer can be seen for item # A/R-COLLECTIONS.   Two places to see the information are:

• Order Processing (Module 6), Special Item History (Task 15), Customer/Item #/Date (Sub-task 1) or
• Order Processing (Module 6), History Inquiry (Task 26), Customer/Item # (Option 7)

 

 

SCENARIO:

 

It is the 10^th of the month, and a Past Due Customer Analysis AGECHK is printed for “+1” (meaning one month past due and older).  Take this report and print an Aged Trial Balance with Optional Detail for just the customers where detail is needed. 

 

You start making the collection calls.  As the calls are made, you are opening orders in Order Entry, one order for each customer, using salesperson #9999 & item A/R COLLECTIONS.  The call details are typed into the line item memo notes and the promise date is typed on the shipping screen. 

 

As you receive responses or call backs from any of the customers you contacted, either by phone or e-mail, you update their order with item memo notes & change the promise date. 

 

It is now the 13^th of the month.  You print an Open Order Status Report by Sales Person/Department-ORDSTS for the promise date range of the 10^th through the 13^th for salesperson #9999. 

 

      These would probably be the customer’s you left messages for, but they haven’t gotten back to you yet. 

 

      You check A/R Customer Account Inquiry (Task 27) for payments made.  If any payments were made, then update the order item memo notes & if the customer is now current, invoice the order to close it.

 

      Any customers who haven’t paid or replied to you, then you can call or email again and update the order, item memo notes & promise date.

 

It is now the 15^th of the month.  You print another Open Order Status Report by Sales Person/Department-ORDSTS for the promise date range of the 10^th through the 15^th for salesperson #9999.  The process is continually updated & repeated. 

 

By printing a new Open Order Status Report by Sales Person/Department-ORDSTS every couple of days, you are keeping on top of your past dues and you are getting everything within the promise date range.  Each month if you start your collections calls on the 10^th of the month, you will print a new Past Due Customer Analysis-AGECHK for ‘+1’, to see if any additional customers have fallen past due.  Or maybe each month on the 10^th and the 20^th  print a Past Due Customer Analysis AGECHK for +1. 

 

With this process, anyone can check open orders for salesperson #9999 or print an Open Order Status Report by Sales Person/Department-ORDSTS.  If the person in charge of collections is sick, anyone can take over.  Also, you can at any time look at past history for item #A/R-COLLECTIONS to see past due history.