Synergetic Financial Configuration - Debtors tab

Use the Debtors tab to configure the Debtors module, including:

  • control accounts
  • instalment details
  • statement details
  • ageing set up.

The Debtors tab consists of the following sub-tabs:


 Opening the Debtors tab

To open the Debtors tab:

  1. Select Module > System > Finance Configuration Maintenance from the main menu.
    The General tab of the Synergetic Financial Configuration window is displayed.
  2. Click the Debtors tab.
    The Debtors tab of the Synergetic Financial Configuration window is displayed.


Finance Configuration
Maintenance - Debtors tab - Page 1 key fields

Field

Description

Debtors Control Account

This account is used for all debtor charges and receipts.

Note: You should not directly post to control accounts otherwise the debtors ledger will not balance with the general ledger.

Accrual Accounting Method

Select this field if accrual accounting is used at your organisation.

Clear this field if cash accounting is used.

Debtors Unpaid Charges Account

Select a general ledger code for unpaid debtor charges to be allocated to when closing off the general ledger year.

Note: This field is only used with cash accounting.

Debtors Closed Off Date

Date that debtor charges are closed off and allocated to the unpaid general ledger code.

Note: This field is only used with cash accounting.

Unearned Instalments Control Account

If you use the instalments method of charging student fees, then the initial fee charge posts the first instalment to INCOME and the remainder posts to this account. Any further charges are deducted from unearned and added to income.

Note: If the Auto Create First Transaction for New Instalments field is selected, all instalments are posted to this account.

Default No of Debtor Instalments

Default number of instalments.

Used as a default when entering debtor charges. The Automatic Tuition program also uses this figure.

Default Instalment Day of Month

Default day of the month that instalments are charged.

Leave as 0 (zero) for no restriction.

Instalment Frequency

Select a default frequency so that Synergetic knows when to do the next instalment charge when you run Debtor Instalment Charges.

Auto Create First Transaction for New Instalments

Select to automatically apply the first instalment charge to the debtor account when you run the Debtor Instalment Charges program. See Applying instalment charges in the Debtors manual.

Print Unearned Instalments on Original Statement Only

Unearned instalment amount appears on the initial statement only if this is selected.

Otherwise it shows on every statement for a debtor being charged in instalments.

Default Bank Account

Nominate a default bank account for debtor payments.

Billing Periods Per Year

Number of billing periods that you charge your debtors.

For example, set this value to 3 if you spread tuition fees over three payments during the academic year.

Billing Weeks Per Year

Number of weeks per year in your billing periods. For example, your organisation may not have a billing period during summer holidays.

Statement Method for New Debtors

This allows you to determine what default statement method is used on new debtors as follows:

  • Statements:
  • no unique invoice numbers
  • summarised tax allocations
  • good for parent debtors
  • do not show transactions from previous statements.
  • Invoices:
  • unique reference
  • can split tax allocation lines, such as when then the debtor fee has a split or mixed supply
  • do not show items previously printed on other invoices, for example from the sales system when transferred to debtors
  • good for commercial debtors.
  • Both:
  • rarely used, but prints both an invoice and a statement.

Both statements and invoices can be classed as an Australian tax invoice.

Reference Type for New Debtors

Default Reference Type for new debtors. This formats the reference that is printed on statements and invoices. Values include:

  • Child Name
  • Child Name and Surname
  • Child Name and Surname if Different
  • Manual Reference. 


In the following example from Debtor Maintenance, the default has been set to Child Name and Surname if Different.

Note: We recommend that you use Child Name and Surname if Different.

You can change the Reference Type for individual debtors on the General tab of Debtor Maintenance. See Debtor Maintenance - General tab in the Debtors manual.

Tip: You can use the Manual Reference option for leavers. This allows you to customise the text.

Use Student Given Name in Debtor Reference

Select to include the student's given name if the Reference Type for New Debtors field uses one of the options that includes their name.

In the following example, the students' given names are printed on statements and invoices.
 

Clear the field to use the preferred name instead. In the example used, Mandy is printed on statements and invoices instead of Amanda.

BPAY Biller Code

BPAY Biller Code used at your organisation.

BPAY Check Formula

Select the type of check digit routine you are using for your BPAY transactions. This is usually either MOD10V01, V02 or V04.

BPAY Minimum Length of ID
and
Student ID

BPAY ID is always made up of the Debtor ID and possibly the linked Student ID if you are using student billing.

If the BPAY ID is shorter than the number specified in the BPAY Minimum Length of ID field, it is zero filled up to that size, and then the check digit is appended to the end of the field.

Check digit examples:

  • If the BPAY Minimum Length of ID and the Student ID are both set to 5 and the Debtor ID is 1234:
  • For family billing, the BPAY ID is 01234x, where x is the check digit.
  • For student billing, using a Student ID of 2345, the BPAY ID is 0123402345x, where x is the check digit. 

In these fields, choose the lowest number that avoids ambiguity by looking at your highest community ID. For example, if your highest community ID is 50000, then use 5 and 5. If your highest community ID is 200000, then use 6 and 6. Remember to allow room for growth.

You also need to tell the bank how long your BPAY ID is. If you have chosen 5 and 5, you can see from the example above that the BPAY ID will be either 6 or 11 digits long, including the check digit. If your highest community ID exceeds 100000, your BPAY ID is either 6, 7, 11 or 12 digits long.

Ageing Measurement

Use the ageing measurement to determine how debtor outstanding charges age. This can be either months or days. You then enter the gaps in the period fields at the bottom of the screen.

Ageing Method

Select the way you want to handle the ageing of debts. See How debts age in the Debtors manual.

Debtor Periods

Specify the cut-off for the length of time each group of debts has been outstanding. For example, you choose 30 days, 60 days, 90 days and 120+ days as your ageing periods.

Transfer Debtor Balances TO Database / Transfer Fee Code

When transferring debtor balances from one financial database (entity), define the default:

  • database to transfer debtor balances to
  • debtor fee code to use for the transactions. 

This is used when transferring debtor balances. See Transferring debtor balances in the Debtors manual.