Setting up and using Branches
The system features an analysis of income and expense transactions to a Branch. The notion of a branch can refer to either geographically different elements of a business such as outlets in a number of towns; or alternatively parts of the business on the same site; a Hotel and Pub business may have branches such as, Accommodation, Restaurant and Pub. Branch specific details may be used on sales invoices.
A profit and loss report can be prepared for each of the branches as well as the total business. Branches do not appear in the chart of accounts; the system just remembers to which branch a particular transaction has been analysed.
Setting up Branches
An organisation that wishes to use the branch analysis feature needs to switch it on by ticking the 'Branch/Activity Tracking" box in the Optional Features tab of the Profile. This ensures that no dropdown boxes are offered to those businesses not requiring branch analysis. The Organisation Profile is accessed via the Control menu.
Control - Organisation Profile - Optional Features tab
The branch details then need to be entered. From the Control menu choose Branches and Activities.
Control - Branches and Activities - Add Branch
A Branch Maintenance Screen is presented. Options exists to allow the branch name and address to be used on sales invoices that have been analysed to the branch when the sales invoice is created. Tick "Use Branch Name as Business Name on Sales Docs" box for the name to be used and "Use Branch Contact Details on Sales Docs" for the address. Note it will be necessary to select this option on all branch set up screens if you wish to apply this to all branches. If this option is not selected then the trading name and address in the Business Profile is taken.
Enter the name of the branch (or business area). The Branch Code field may be used to hold a user-defined alpha-numeric code for the sales item. If you enter a '+' the system will automatically insert the system record id for the Branch. This record id is guaranteed to be unique in the system - but may not be a consecutive sequence. This field is useful for entering codes that cross-reference codes in other systems and may be required if the invoice upload process is used.
Enter the branch address and other details as required.
SUBMIT to save the information.
Using Branches
Income and expense transactions are analysed to a branch at the point of input. You are not however obliged to use the analysis. A profit and loss report by branch is available, however if a transaction has not been analysed to a branch it cannot appear in the profit and loss statement for that branch.
The Branches drop-down in any screen will initially display "Not Applicable" leaving this will mean that the particular transaction will not be analysed to any branch. It will be still recorded in the normal way and will appear in the full business reports. It will not appear in any branch report. Select the relevant branch to which the transaction is to be analysed.
Complete the transaction in the usual way.
Depreciation charge for an asset or assets can also be allocated to a branch. This is done by editing the asset details and selecting a branch. Likewise operating lease costs can be allocated to branches by selecting a branch in the operating lease setup screen.
Branch Reporting
A branch profit and loss report is available in the same way as a normal profit and loss report, simply select a branch from the drop-down.
Reports - Profit and Loss Report - Select a branch
If it is necessary to locate those transactions that have not been analysed to a branch but need to be; use the Find Transaction function and tick Branch Not Assigned
Accounts - Find Transaction
On each transaction listed, use the Action Menu to select OPEN and edit as required