Posting and Paying Purchase Invoices in maestro*

Block AP03

Printable Version

Invoices issued by suppliers can be posted through two options in maestro*: the Project Purchase option, that is explained in this document, and the Invoicing (purchase order) option. Whereas the second allows to confirm the reception of an invoice linked to a maestro* catalogue order or a subcontract, the Project Purchase option is used to enter all purchases linked to a project for which there are no corresponding orders in maestro* or to save operational fees (rent or other) that affect an administrative project. This document explains the basic operational aspects of the standard project purchase cycle in maestro*, meaning entering invoices with no prior order, performing disbursements, and printing cheques.

The following diagram shows the transactional flow of a single or batch project purchase in maestro*. The upper part of the diagram illustrates that project purchases can first be charged to accounts payable. When the time comes to pay suppliers, using a cheque or bank transfer (direct payment), the user must perform the disbursements - these can be performed directly, in batch, by supplier, or by project. The lower part of the diagram shows that project purchases can also be paid immediately, meaning that no additional transaction has to be performed in the disbursement option. In this case, payment may be made by cheque, bank transfer (direct payment), or from a pre-authorized payment to the supplier. As the following diagram shows, transaction transfers are necessary to save the transactions to the general ledger accounts.

Although the operational process and implementation of an approval system will be discussed later during the training, it can be interesting to know that there are two options for approving payables/disbursements in maestro*, both available on demand. The first, Payable Invoice Approval, ensures that the approval of a designated user is required to pay an invoice. It is an option that is quite simple to use, but relatively limited, presented in the AP04 document. The second option, Workflow Management, allows companies that use maestro* to set up an invoice processing workflow that can include various steps, multiple approvers, emails, and application requirements (i.e. additional approval may be required for invoices of $5000 or more, etc.).

 

Prerequisites

 

Summary

Project Purchases

Disbursements

Payment Methods

Checklist

Project Purchases

Entering an Invoice that is not Linked to an Order in maestro* (Project Purchase)

As previously mentionned, the Project Purchase option is used to enter supplier invoices for which no prior purchase order has been created in maestro*. It is also in this option that many service bills, such as electricity, insurance, internet, phone services, etc. are entered.

 

 

maestro* > Purchasing > Purchasing > Purchasing > Project Purchase

 

 

Online Help (F1) - Project Purchase

 

The symbol that follows the name of a field means that the said field must/can be completed at this stage of the implementation process. The usefulness and more information concerning the other fields will be shared with you as training progresses, according to the module and options they affect.

The field names followed by a star (*) are mandatory.

To enter a new invoice: 

  1. In the Project Purchase window, click on the New icon.
  1. First complete the fields under the Details tab.

Field

Description

Supplier*

Supplier code linked to the purchase.

NOTES: If a miscellaneous supplier (see document AP02) has been identified in the Configuration option, and that supplier is selected, an address window is displayed on the screen. It will then be possible to enter the supplier's name and address where this purchase was made. An immediate disbursement will also automatically be generated for the indicated supplier.

Invoice No.*

Purchase invoice number.

NOTES: Immediately after entering the invoice number, maestro* checks if the number has alreadybeen entered for the supplier and displays a warning message is that is the case.

If the invoice number was already entered for the supplier, maestro* can also block or display a warning message when saving the transaction, according to the chosen value in the configuration when an invoice number already exists for a supplier (this confifuration is available in the Security Management option, under the Access Restriction tab, Purchasing section, Purchases sub-section).

Date*

Accounting date.

Invoice Date

Actual invoice date, as entered on the latter.

NOTE: In the case where the period to which the invoice belongs is closed, entering an Invoice Date ensures that the Due Date is adequately calculated (from the Invoice Date) and that the AP Aging Report is accurate. The Invoice Date will also be displayed on the cheque, if applicable.

If not date is entered in this field, maestro* will use the accounting date as invoice date.

Due Date

Due date of the invoice.

If payment terms have been configured and if one of them is associated to the supplier on that invoice, a due date will automatically be entered according to said term.

NOTES: The due date can be modified, either by changing the Due Date Calculation field in the Configuration option (Purchases section), or by changing the term entered in the supplier's file (Supplier Management option), or, if the due date must only apply to the transaction currently being created, by changing the term entered in the field to this effect, in the same window as the project purchase. Indeed, if no due date is entered, maestro* calculates it according to the Payment Terms and Invoice Date fields. If no payment term is entered, maestro* uses the invoice date as the due date.

Acceptance

An Acceptance field set to Yes allows to transfer the transaction.

NOTE: If the transaction is set to No, maestro* will keep the transaction in the non-transferred purchases and forbif the transaction transfer as long as it is not saved as Yes. This field is therefore particularly important. This parameter can be used to block the accidental transfer of an invoice, for example, if elements have to be verified or completed and if the said invoice is not yet ready to be posted.

Interco

Allows to identify whether the transaction is an intercompany one or not if the company doesn't work in multidimensional mode and wishes to follow-up on transactions that apply to intercompanies.

Purchase Order

Purchase order number that corresponds to the purchase, if applicable.

NOTE: Not to be confused with purchase orders entered in the Purchasing module.

Work Order

Work order number for reference.

NOTE: If the Work Order option is installed, it is possible to select a preexisting work order in maestro*.

Acct: A/P*

Compte de grand livre des comptes fournisseurs impacté par la transaction.

NOTE : Si les Configurations diverses des modules Comptabilité et Achats et approvisionnement ont été complétées, le compte s’affiche par défaut.

Period

Used to record the start and end dates of the work performed or of the service provided.

NOTE: This field is related to the use of the Pay-When-Paid option, which meets the need of those who need to pay supplier invoices based on a customer payment of a certain amount, for a specific project, and for a predetermined invoicing period.

Notes:

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  1. Then complete the Discount section.

Field

Description

Term

Payment term from the Payment Terms Management option, applicable by default to the invoice. It is possible to manually change this term.

NOTE: If a payment term is entered in the Supplier Management option, il is automatically entered. Maestro* will determine the due date of entered invoices according to the applicable payment term.

Amount

Discount amount applied to the invoice.

Account*

Discount general ledger account affected by the transaction.

NOTE: If the Configurations of the Accounting and Purchasing options have been completed, the account is displayed by default.

  1. Complete the Holdback section.

Field

Description

Mode

Holdback mode with or without tax.

Rate

Holdback rate applied to the invoice.

Amount

Holdback amount applied to the invoice.

Account*

Holdback general ledger account affected by the transaction.

NOTE: If the Configurations of the Accounting and Purchasing options have been completed, the account is displayed by default.

  1. Complete the Immediate Payment section.

The Immediate Payment section is of particular importanec since selecting the Yes or Direct Payment option will increase the balance of accounts payable, but this balance will immediately be debited once the project purchase is transferred - the disbursement will be created directly through the project purchase. In short, no disbursement transaction should be performed in a disbursement option in addition to the project purchase transaction in maestro*.

Field

Description

Immediate Payment

Allows to create a disbursement directly through the project purchase transaction if set to Yes or Direct Payment. If set to No, the invoice is charged to the supplier accounts and the disbursement must then be performed separately to pay the supplier (either by cheque or bank transfer).

To have the Direct Payment option be displayed in the scrolldown menu and made available in addition to the Yes and No options, le supplier's Payment Method must be set to Transfer under the Direct Payment tab of the Supplier Management option (it is necessary, for each supplier, to choose one of the two following options: Cheque or Transfer - see AP02 course content if needed).

NOTES: In the Configuration option (Projects > Intercompany > Purchases), if the Generate the disbursement automatically box is checked, the field's value will be Yes. Furthermore, if a default payment term has been entered in the Purchases section of the Configuration option in the Purchasing module or in the Supplier Management option, and the user wishes to make an immediate payment, they must delete the term displayed in the Project Purchase window to update the immediate payment. Finally, if a MISCELLANEOUS supplier is identified as such in the Configuration option (Purchasing module, Purchases tab), the payment will mandatorily be immediate, meaning the due date will be the disbursement date.

Project purchases with an immediate payment are also subjected to different approval processes (approval of outstanding invoices or workflow management) when used.

A project purchase associated to an immediate payment will generate, once transferred, two acounting entries:

  • The first, specific to the project purchase: expense = debit and auxiliary supplier account = credit.
  • The second, to the disbursement: the auxiliary supplier account = debit and the bank account = credit.

Cheque No.

Of course, if the Immediate Payment field is set to No, completion of the Cheque No. field is not required. Otherwise, if the Immediate Payment field is set to Yes or Direct Payment, complete the Cheque No. field as follows:

If the immediate payment is a pre-authorized payment and an amount is taken directly from one of the company's bank account:

  • In the Cheque No. field, enter PPA-DATE.

If the immediate payment is made by cheque:

  • Do not enter anything in the Cheque No. field. The cheque number will correspond to the previously set configurations and/or maestro* will display a message requesting the user to specify the cheque number if and when needed - SEE box Cheque Number.

If the immediate payment is made by direct deposit (bank transfer):

  • Do not enter anything in the Cheque No. field. During the transaction transfer, maestro* will generate a bank deposit confirmation and offer to prepare the bank deposit files, since for the said supplier, the Payment Mode in the Supplier Management option is set to Transfer.

In sum, the Cheque No. field must not be completed if this is a pre-authorized payment.

Bank Account

Bank account from which:

  • the cheque will be issued,
  • the transfer will be done,
  • or the bank withdrawal will be done,

if the Instant Disb. field (in the Batch Project Purchase option) or Immediate Payment field (in the Project Purchase option) is set to Yes or Direct Payment.

NOTES: If nothing is entered in this field, maestro* will use the account defined in the Configuration option (General Ledger - General, Purchases and Disbursements section). In any case, it can be either an internal or external account.

In Interco mode, the bank account used will be the one in the Configuration option (Project - Intercompany - Purchases - Bank Account) if needed. If not, the bank will be determined as usual.

Notes:

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  1. Finally, complete the Default Values section if the same PAG applies to all of the invoice's elements.

 

Note that it is possible to fill in one, two, or three field(s) to enter a one or more default value(s). Furthermore, the default values must be entered before completing the breakdown grid, orelse they will not automatically be displayed. When completing the breakdown grid, the PAG values will be entered in their respective fields and will display an error message is there are any mistakes.

Field

Description

Project

Number of the project affected by the purchase.

NOTES: The list of available projects is displayed according to the user's Security Management settings. Furthermore, when recalling a pre-existing transaction, if the same project is entered on all the breakdown lines, this project will also be considered as the default project and be displayed in this field.

Activity

Activity affected by the purchase.

NOTES: When entering a new transaction, after choosing the supplier, maestro* will display, in this field, the activity entered in the Activity field of the Supplier Management option. Furthermore, when recalling a pre-existing transaction, if the same activity is indicated on all the breakdown lines, this activity will also be considered the default activity and be displayed in this field.

Group

Group affected by the purchase.

NOTES: When entering a new transaction, after choosing the supplier, maestro* will display, in this field, the group entered in the Group field of the Supplier Management option. Furthermore, when recalling a pre-existing transaction, if the same group is indicated in all the breakdown lines, the group will also be considered the default group and be displayed in this field.

  1. Complete the Supplier Additional Info. section if needed.

This section, available in a couple maestro* options, allows to display the supplier's information. Indeed, it can be good to view some information entered in the supplier's file in maestro* so as not to mix the latter up with another or, for example, to display their payment mode. To select the information displayed in this box, for the previously selected supplier, but also for all future transactions created in this option:

  1. In the Supplier Additional Info. field, click on the icon in the upper right corner of the section.
  2. In the new window that appears, named Options, check the boxes, in the View column, to display the information entered in those fields in the Supplier Additional Info. section, as they were entered in the Supplier Management option.
  3. Click on Ok.
  1. Click on the Save icon.
  2. Complete the Breakdown section with the information on the items to be billed.

 

Reminder: The Preferences option, available through the Configuration icon in maestro* main menu toolbar, allows to select the desired Action on Focus (either Cursor at the beginning, Cursor at the end, or Highlight), and therefore adapt and/or facilitate data entry in a grid according to what is best for the user.

 

Reminder: It is possible to reduce the number of displayed columns in the grid by making a right click on the grid and selecting the Configuration option. The user can then check the fields they wish to be displayed.

Column

Description

Description

Description of the purchases detail.

NOTE: This description is displayed in the List of Project Transactions and Supplier Inquiry options when drilling in an invoice.

Company

Company to which the expenses are charged.

NOTE: Available in multidimensional mode only. By default, maestro* displays the same company as the one that is selected and displayed in the bottom left corner of the screen, but it is possible to change it. The company entered in the grid will be the one assigned whereas the company displayed in the bottom left corner of the screen will be the one receiving the account payable.

Project-#

Determines, for each breakdown line, to which project the expense belongs.

Activity

Determines, for each breakdown line, to which activity the expense belongs.

Group

Determines, for each breakdown line, to which group the expense belongs.

Quantity

Quantity of the purchased product or item.

NOTE: This field is not mandatory.

Unit Price

Unit price of the purchased product or item.

NOTE: This field only becomes mandatory when a value is entered in the Quantity field.

Discount %

Discount percentage applied to the invoice.

Discount Amount

Discount amount applied to the invoice.

NOTE: The total discount amounts are also displayed in the Summary (at the top of the window).

Amount

Expense amount.

NOTE: It is possible, through the Configuration icon, of the Project Purchase, to indicate if the recalculation mode must be based on the Unit Price or the Amount.

Tax 1

First tax code applicable to the expense.

Tax Amount 1

Tax amount 1 on the expense, if a tax code was defined in the Tax 1 field.

NOTE: It is possible to modify the tax amounts by pressing on the CTRL+F7 keys or by changing the amount in the cell directly.

Tax 2

Second tax code applicable to the expense.

Tax Amount 2

Tax amount 2 on the expense, if a tax code was defined in the Tax 2 field.

NOTE: It is possible to modify the tax amounts by pressing on the CTRL+F7 keys or by changing the amount in the cell directly.

Currency

The selected company's currency.

NOTE: Only available if the multicurrency functionality is installed.

Transaction Status

Indicates whether the purchase has been invoiced or not.

NOTES: Depending on the Do not allow modifications on invoiced transactions configuration in the Configuration option of Invoice Preparation (W/O) or Cost Plus Invoicing, the user can prevent changes from being made to a purchase if it has been invoiced or is being invoiced. Furthermore, this column is not displayed visible by default. To display it, make a right-click in the breakdown grid and select the Configuration option.

  1. Validate the invoice's total amounts and click on the Save icon.

 

Project purchase modules can be created and saved in maestro* to accelerate the processing of recurring invoices. The functionality named Recurring Transactions is explained in the AP04 course.

Furthermore, company's that use the Document Management option can easily integrate the invoice in maestro* and link it to a transaction - that is what we call Paperless Office, or the integration of digital invoices. This content is also covered in the AP04 course.

In sum, four functionalities / methods allow to do this or, even better, accelerate the processing of project purchases:

  • Classic integration of the invoice in the Document Management option and its link to the transaction.
  • Creation of a transaction from a scanned document.
  • Creation of a pending transaction through Outlook (Paperless Office).
  • Correspondence between a transaction and an invoice, already saved in maestro*.

Notes:

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Entering Invoices in Batch (Batch Project Purchase)

The Batch Project Purchase option is similar to the Project Purchase option, as it only allows the entry of invoices that have not been ordered beforehand. It however offers the chance to accelerate the data entry process as multiple invoices, from one or more suppliers, can be entered one after the other, in the same breakdown grid. This is particularly useful to enter all the invoices on a statement of account. Furthermore, the option also makes it possible to import multiple project puchases from an Excel file.

Once the invoices have been entered, line by line, and the work in the Batch Project Purchase window has been saved, maestro* creates a non-transferred transaction for each invoice (a.k.a. each line). These transactions will be available to be transferred using one of the previously presented methods since, once saved, the entries can be viewed in the Project Purchase option, even if they were initially created in the Batch Project Purchase option.

 

 

maestro* > Purchasing > Purchasing > Purchases > Batch Project Purchase

 

 

Online Help (F1) - Batch Project Purchase

 

To enter invoices in batch in option the option:

  1. In the Detail section of the Batch Project Purchase option, select, if applicable, the initial supplier of the entered invoices or the supplier linked to the invoice by default. Once a supplier has been selected in the field to this effect, the total invoice amount to be paid, the holdbacks to be paid, and the advances made to this supplier are displayed in the upper right corner of the window, for informational purposes. It is also possible to not select any suppliers if the latter is not common to all invoices to be entered.
  2. Validate the applied Holdback Mode1, that can be with or without tax2.
  3. Select Yes, No, or Direct Payment in the Instant Disb. field (view the Direct Payment section of the project purchase for more information).
  4. If the fields in the Accounts section are not filled in, select the general ledger accounts of accounts payable (AP), holdbacks, and discounts. If the Configurations in the Accounting and Purchasing modules are completed, or if accounts have been specified in the supplier's file, these will be displayed by default.

  1. The enter the invoices, line by line, in the breakdown grid.

The columns in the grid correspond to the columns and some fields in the Project Purchase option. Except if the supplier is the same for all invoices and has already been selected in the Detail section, do not forget to complete the Supplier Code column.

 

Reminder: It is possible to decrease the number of columns displayed in the grid by making a right-click in the grid and selecting the Configuration option. The user can then check the fields they wish to make available.

 

If the same invoice number is found on more than one line, it is possible to group all the information to make a single transaction, otherwise maestro* will create a project purchase per line. To do so, click on the Configuration icon in the Batch Project Purchase window, check the Group Same Invoices parameter box, and click on Ok.

  1. Click on the Apply icon to transform and save the invoices as non-transferred transactions.
  2. Click on the Quit icon to close the option.

Notes:

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Transferring a Project Purchase

A saved project purchase in maestro* is not necessarily recorded. To do so, it is mandatory to transfer the said project purchase. In fact, that is the case for all transactions created in the software. Once transferred, and therefore recorded, it becomes impossible to modify the transaction and, by doing so, the financial statement. In the case of mistakes, the transaction must be reversed then reentered correctly.

To transfer on or more project purchase(s):

  • Click on The Transaction Transfer icon, displayed in the toolbar of maestro*'s main menu (view the Transaction Transfer section in the MAES02 course to recall this icon's specificities).

 

The transfer of transactions through maestro*'s main menu offers three unique characteristics.

  • First, this functionality allows to transfer multiple transactions at the same time. Some users decide to accumulate transactions and transfer them at the end of the day only. Sometimes, invoices must be approved before being transferred and the transactions accumulate.
  • Secondly, the Transaction Transfer icon allows to not only transfer project purchase transactions, but also all kinds of transanctions pending transfer, whatever their nature.
  • Finally, the transaction transfer from the maestro* main menu gives the advantage to first be able to perform a transaction transfer simulation and therefore view the financial statements before they are even really created. The implementation context itself justifies the use of this transfer method in the first months of using maestro*. It is essential to verify the accuracy of the charged generale ledger accounts and a lot easier to make corrections before the transfer.

or

Indeed, the Project Purchase option allows to transfer individual purchases using the icon displayed in the window. The transactions initially entered in the Batch Project Purchase option can also be transferred using this icon.

 

Remember that in any case, the Acceptance field of the project purchase must be set to Yes to be able to transfer the transaction.

 

maestro* > Purchasing > Purchasing > Purchases > Project Purchase

 

 

Note that a transfer functionality is available in multuple maestro* options. However, it only allows to transfer transactions linked to its option. Thus, only project purchase transactions can be transferred using the Transfer icon in the Project Purchase option. To transfer disbursements and/or project purchases at the same time, it is necessary to use the Transfer Transactions icon in the toolbar of the maestro* main menu.

To transfer a project purchase transaction in the Project Purchase option:

  1. In the Project Purchase window, display the non-transferred transaction(s) by clicking, if applicable, on the Display Only Non-transferred Entries icon.
  2. Select the transaction to transfer and make sure that, in the invoice detail, the Acceptance field is set to Yes.
  3. Click on the Transfer icon.
  1. Answer Yes to the confirmation message, if that is the case.

Maestro* automatically opens the viewer and displays the transaction's transfer report. The latter can be printed, savec, and/or simply closed.

Notes:

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Generating a Project Transactions List

Multiple maestro* users appreciate the List of Project Transactions option, which allows to generate a report on transferred, non-transferred, and both project purchase transactions, by user and for specific dates. This report can be used, in part, to verify entries made before proceeding with the actual transfer of transactions - all non-transferred project purchase transaction can still be modified in the Project Purchase option.

 

maestro* > Purchasing > Purchasing > Purchasing > List of Project Transactions

 

 

Online Help (F1) - List of Project Transactions

 

To generate a list of project transactions in maestro*:

  1. In the List of Project Transactions window, check the Project Purchase box.

  1. Select the start and end dates in one of the date range fields.
  2. Select the display order of transactions on the report using the scroll down menu of the Printing Order field.
  3. In the Transaction Status field, select one of the options to determine the the project purchase transaction status to be displayed.

The Combined option means the transferred and non-transferred transactions are taken into account.

  1. Select one, many, or all users at the source of transactions.
  2. Finally, click on the Accept icon to generate that report that can, if needed, be printed, even saved.
  3. Click on Quit to close the windows.

Notes:

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Reversing a Project Purchase Transaction

When a project purchase is transferred, recorded, or a mistake is observed, it is necessary to respect the accounting principle of data inalterability - the original entry must be conserved and a new entry, reversal, has to be performed. The latter will credit the previously debited account, and vice-versa. The result of both operations will be 0.

Maestro* facilitates reversal transactions, in this case applied to project purchases, by using an icon dedicated to reversing data.

 

maestro* > Purchasing > Purchasing > Purchasing > Project Purchase

To reverse a project purchase transaction:

  1. In the Project Purchase window, click on the Display Only Transferred Entries icon.
  2. In the Summary of Transferred Transactions section, select the transaction to reverse.
  3. Click on the Reverse this Entry icon.

  1. Click on Yes in response to the maestro* message, which asks whether you wish to create a transaction that reverses the selected one.
  2. The window's data will be refreshed. These will now be displayed in the Summary of Non-Transferred Transactions section and the reversal transaction is the first one selected (the amount is entered as negative).
  3. Enter a meaningful Invoice No..
  4. Click on the Save icon.
  5. Then transfer the created reversal transaction according to the desired method.
  6. Finally, if applicable, perform the project purchase as it should have been done and proceed with the process.

 

The Reverse this Entry icon can be applied to a non-transferred transaction. In this last case, maestro* reverses the displayed amounts in the breakdown grid but does not offer to crteate a new transaction.

Notes:

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Disbursements

Except for immediate payments that are done directly in the project purchase by either issuing a cheque or making a preauthorized payment, mestro* allows to make disbursements afterwards, and to pay either by cheque, preauthorized payment, or bank transfer (also called direct payment in maestro*).

 

It is the Payment Mode, either Cheque or Transfer, selected for the supplier in the Supplier Management option (in the Direct Payment tab) that determines whether maestro* offers to print a cheque or a payment confirmation (in addition to allowing to select the payment during the preparation of the direct payment file) when making a disbursement in maestro*. It will therefore be necessary to modify the Payment Method of a supplier if the latter alternates between payment mode or if it changes. Please note that in the supplier configurations, the Cheque option is the one that needs to be selected to make cheque disbursements and for preauthorized payments, whereas the Transfer option is limited to disbursements by direct payment.

Regardless of the supplier's preferred method of payment for disbursements (by Cheque or Transfer), the available options in maestro* to perform the said disbursements are the same. This means that supplier disbursements can be generated in the Batch Disbursement, Selected Disbursements, Project Disbursements, and Enter a Direct Disbursement options, whether these are paid by cheque or not. Only two or three additional and mandatory steps will be added to the payments that must be made by bank transfer (or direct payment):

 

Performing a Disbursement in maestro*

Unless a immediate payment has been performed during the project purchase entry, meaning that the said purchase is already paid and has not been posted to the supplier account, there are four maestro* options dedicated to making disbursements: 

  • Batch Disbursement - an option which allows to select the invoices to be paid, according to multiple criteria.
  • Selected Disbursements - this option is dedicated to making disbursements by supplier.
  • Project Disbursements - an option that allows, in part, to display the holdback invoices of a project and group payments to be made to one or multiple supplier(s), for one or multiple project(s).
  • Enter a Direct Disbursement - an option whose use should be limited, even reserved to transactions that do not affect the balance sheet account.

As is the case for project purchases, disbursements have to be transferred to be posted, and for the user to be able to print the cheques or make the bank transfer.

In Batch

The method that allows to perform batch disbursements is used a lot since it allows to process all the payments to be made, to one or multiple suplpier(s), in a single operation. It is the user who determines the selection criteria of disbursements to be processed.

 

maestro* > Purchasing > Purchasing > Payment > Batch Disbursement

 

 

Online Help (F1) - Batch Disbursement

 

To perform a batch disbursement:

  1. In the Parameter Selection window, select one, multiple, or all suppliers.

 

Maestro* can only create a single batch disbursement at a time. Therefore, if a batch is already in progress, the Parameter Selection window will not be displayed. It will be necessary to delete the batch in progress, using the icon to this effect, before being able to select new parameters.

  1. Select the Disbursement Date.
  2. Select, in the Range of Due Dates fields, the start and/or end date of the affected disbursements, according to the invoices that are attached to them.

or

Select and start or end date in the Range of Invoice Dates fields to perform the disbursements of invoices for which the actual date is in that range.

  1. If so desired, enter the minimum balance of the invoices to process.
  2. If so desired, enter the maximum balance of the invoices to process.
  3. If applicable, enter the maximum of the disbursements.
  4. Check the Accept Negative Cheques box to eventually allow, if applicable, to issue a negative cheque (credit).
  5. Check the Accept Credits Befire Due Date box to take into account supplier credits if applicable.
  6. Select a bank account.
  7. If applicable and if previously set, select the Supplier Type for which disbursements must be issued.
  8. Finally, if maestro* is used in multidimensional mode, enter the company prefix for which you wish to pay invoices.

If no prefix is entered, maestro* will only process the invoices of the current company. It is also possible to enter a mask4.

  1. Once all the criteria specified, click on the Accept icon.

Once the data process is done, maestro* displays a window named Batch Disbursement by Supplier.

The upper section, Summary of Non-Transferred Transactions, displays the total disbursements, by supplier, resulting in the previously selected parameters. As for the bottom section, it displays the detail of the highlighted non-transferred transaction in the upper section, as well as all invoices to be paid, for the selected supplier, whether they fit or not the selected criteria in the previous window. Also, using the Payment column, the user can decide to add to the disbursement other invoices to be paid or, on the other hand, exclude some that were selected at the start.

 

Note that it is possible to modify the payment amount of the invoices listed in the Detail grid, for a supplier. That can be the case, for example, when we wish to perform the partial payment of an invoice. It is also possible to delete a disbursement from the Summary of Non-Transferred Transactions by deleting the supplier in the grid.

Note that some buttons to the right of the grid allows to automatically enter the payment of the invoice/invoice(s). These buttons are also available for the payment grids in the Selected Disbursements and Project Disbursements options.

Button

Description

Table

Allows to enter an automatic payment according to the balance to be paid of the invoice, without taking into account the discount. The process will be performed for each invoice in the table.

Grid-Disc.

Allows to enter an automatic payment according to the balance to be paid of the invoice, taking into account the discount entered in the Discount Rate field. The process will be performed for each invoice in the table. The discounts will not be applied to the holdback amounts.

Grid-Tot. Disc.

Allows to enter an automatic payment according to the balance to be paid of the invoice, taking into account the discount entered in the Discount Rate field. The process will be performed for each invoice in the table. The discounts will be applied to the holdback amounts, thus applied to the invoice total.

Invoice

Allows to enter an automatic payment according to the balance to be paid of the invoice, without taking into account the discount. The process will only be performed for the selected invoices in the table.

NOTE: This is the option most commonly used.

Invoice-Disc

Allows to enter an automatic payment accourding to the balance to be paid of the invoice, taking into account the discount entered in the Discount Rate field. The process will only be performed for the invoice selected in the table. Discounts are not applied to the holdback amounts.

Inv.-Tot. Disc.

Allows to enter an automatic payment according to the balance to be paid of the invoice, taking into account the discount entered in the Discount Rate field. The process will only be performed for the invoice selected in the table. Discounts will be applied to the holdback amounts, thus to the total invoice amount.

  1. Click on the Save icon.

From this step forward, the disbursements for each supplier make up non-transferred transactions.

It is possible to view the disbursement list to verify their accuracy before proceeding with the transfer (see section Generating a Disbursement List of this document) or simply transfer them, using the Transaction Transfer icon in the maestro* main menu, or the Transfer icon in the Batch Disbursement window.

When the transfer is performed using the Transfer icon in the Batch Disbursement by Supplier window, maestro* asks to confirm the transaction transfer, as well as print the status of the disbursements if those are too big to be displayed on a paystub.

 

It will become impossible to print the disbursements' status once this step is over. Now is the time to take it or leave it! 

Furthermore, all disbursement batches left with an untransferred status will prevent the production of a second disbursement batch for the affected suppliers. The first batch will have to be either transferred or deleted (if the latter, the new batch will have to include the initial disbursements and the new ones to perform).

Notes:

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

By Supplier

 

maestro* > Purchasing > Purchasing > Payment > Selected Disbursements

 

 

Online Help (F1) - Selected Disbursements

To perform a selected disbursement:

  1. In the Selected Disbursements window, click on the New icon.
  2. Select the supplier in the field to this effect.

The Display the Next Supplier With a Balance (Shift + F4) and Display the Previous Supplier With a Balance (Shift + F5) icons can be used to make the search easier.

Furthermore, if liens and/or expired certifications are linked to this supplier, maestro* will display a warning message or will make it impossible to proceed with the task, according to the set configurations in the General Settings.

  1. Select a project if the disbursement must be made for the project.
  2. Click on the Confirm Supplier Selection icon.

The balance to be paid, the holdback, the advances, and the accounts linked to the selected supplier are displayed.

  1. In the Detail section, modify the payment Date if needed.
  2. If the payment must be made by cheque, leeave the Cheque No. field empty. In the case of a direct payment, enter a reference number.
  3. If the supplier to which the payment must be made differs from the one that was first selected, select it here, in the Supplier Paid field.

Indeed, it is possible to select a different supplier than the one that issued the invoice. The cheque is then labeled with the selected supplier's name, but the invoice of the accounts payable remains saved under the name of the original supplier. This functionality is useful for liens where the payment is made directly to a subcontractor and where the remaining balance stays in the supplier account.

  1. Complete the Advance field if the transaction includes or consists of a deposit. Taxes are not entered in maestro* during a deposit - they are only entered during the invoice entry.
  2. Complete the Interest and Discount fields if needed.

 

Reminded: For a payment created in the Early Payment Discount Codes to be applied by default, the Advance option of the Discount section must be selected in the Configurations icon of the Selected Disbursements5 window and the payment discount must be selected to be applied by default in maestro*'s General Settings or in the Supplier Management option.

  1. If the payment is made by cheque and that the name of a person has to be added to the supplier, enter it in the Joint Cheq. field.
  2. To enter a comment that will be displayed on the cheque stub of the maestro*'s standard form, complete the Comment field.
  3. Modify/complete the accounts in the Accounts section if those have not been set by default or if they have to be changed.
  4. To the right of the grid, check the Holdback box if a payment has to be done on the holdbacks and/or use the buttons that allow the automatic entry of payment(s).
  5. Click on the Save icon.

The disbursement is added to the Summary of Non-Transferred Transactions section.

It is possible to view a list of disbursements before proceeding with the tranfer (see the Generating a Disbursement List section of this document) or simply transfer them, using the Transaction Transfer icon in the maestro* main menu, or by using the Transfer icon in the Selected Disbursements window.

When the transfer is performed using the Transfer icon in the Selected Disbursements window, maestro* asks to confirm the transaction transfer, as well as print the disbursement status if it is too big to be displayed on the cheque stub.

 

It will become impossible to print the disbursements' status once this step is over. Now is the time to take it or leave it! 

Notes:

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

By Project

Finally, disbursements can be performed using the Project Disbursements option. This option has the advantage of allowing the processing of payments to be made to one or multiple suppliers for a same project, in a single operation. Contrary to the Batch Disbursement option, the holdback invoices are displayed. Furthermore, the Project Disbursements option allows to group payments by:

  • supplier only (one payment per supplier on many projects), or
  • by supplier/project (one disbursement per supplier and one project).
 

maestro* > Purchasing > Purchasing > Payment > Project Disbursements

 

 

Online Help (F1) - Project Disbursements

 

To perform a project disbursement:

  1. In the Parameter Selection window, select one, multiple, or all suppliers.

  1. Select the Disbursement Date.
  2. Select, in the Range of Due Dates fields, a start and/or end date to filter the disbursements to perform, according to the due dates of the invoices that are linked to them.

or

Select a start and/or end date in the Range of Invoice Dates to perform the disbursements of the invoices for which the actual date is included in this range.

  1. If so desired, enter the minimum balance of the invoices to process.
  2. If so desired enter the maximum balance of the invoies to process.
  3. If applicable, enter the maximum amount of disbursements to perform.
  4. Check the Accept Negative Cheques box to eventually allow, if applicable, to issue a negative cheque (credit).
  5. Check the Accept Credits Before Due Date to take into account credits if applicable.
  6. Select on, multiple, or all projects.
  7. Select a bank account if disbursements have to be performed from a different bank account than the one indicated in the Configurations or in the Supplier Management option.
  8. Check the Include Inv. With Holdback Balance box to display holdback invoices.
  9. Check the Pay Holdback Automatically box to automatically apply the payment of holdbacks for invoices with a holdback balance.
  10. Click on the Accept icon.

  1. Select the desired grouping display if more than one project is selected.
  2. Click on the + signs to open the hierarchy of all invoices included in the disbursements.
  3. Modify the payment amounts if desired.

  1. Click on the Apply icon.

The Project Disbursements appears and the disbursements are listed in the Summary of Non-Transferred Transactions section.

As for the supplier disbursements, the invoices linked to the disbursements of a supplier are displayed in the Detail section when the said supplier is selected in the Summary of Non-Transferred Transactions.

It is possible to view a list of disbursements before proceeding with the tranfer (see the Generating a Disbursement List section of this document) or simply transfer them, using the Transaction Transfer icon in the maestro* main menu, or by using the Transfer icon in the Project Disbursements window.

When the transfer is performed using the Transfer icon in the Project Disbursements window, maestro* asks to confirm the transfer of the transaction, as well as print the status of the disbursements if those are too big to be displayed on a cheque stub.

 

It will become impossible to print the disbursements' status once this step is over. Now is the time to take it or leave it! 

Furthermore, all disbursement batches left with the non-transferred status will prevent the production of a second disbursement batch. The first batch will have to be transfered or deleted (if the latter, the new batch will have to include the initial disbursements and the new ones).

Notes:

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Direct

The option that allows to make direct disbursements in maestro* must generally be limited to transactions that concern the balance sheet accounts only. Why? Because transactions resulting from this option are not linked to projects. If income and/or expense general ledger accounts are affected, the financial statements, generated by project, will be distorted.

Though the Enter a Direct Disbursement option has been specifically created to perform miscellaneous supplier payments, tax rebates, and rebates from the Commission de la construction du Québec (CCQ), multiple companies choose another option to perform those tasks to avoid users making project transactions by mistake in the option. Thus, a supplier named Revenu Québec could also be created to perform GST and QST remittance through a project purchase then a supplier disbursement, for example6.

 

maestro* > Purchasing > Purchasing > Payment > Enter a Direct Disbursement

 

 

Online Help (F1) - Enter a Direct Disbursement

 

To perform a direct disbursement: 

  1. In the Enter a Direct Disbursement window, select a Supplier Code (or check the Individul Supplier7 box if a paymnet must be done for a miscellaneous supplier).

  1. Complete the coordinates of the said supplier if it is a miscellaneous supplier.
  2. Modify the date if needed.
  3. Enter the Invoice No. if applicable.
  4. If the payment has to be done by cheque, leave the Cheque No. field empty. If it is a direct payment, enter the reference number.
  5. Modify the preferred language of the miscellaneous supplier, if needed.
  6. Complete the breakdown grid by entering the account number(s) to charge, as well as the amount(s). The total amounts of the grid will automatically be displayed to the right of the Purchase field.
  7. Enter the discount amount if applicable.
  8. If applicable, change the bank account (the one displayed corresponds to the bank account identified in the Configuration option).
  9. Modify the currency if the latter is not canadian.
  10. Select the nature of the disbursement from the choices available in the scroll-down menu of the Type of Direct Disbursement field, 1 - Standard, 2 - Sales Tax Remittance, and CCQ Remittance.
  11. To enter a comment to be displayed on the cheque stub of the maestro* standard form, complete the Comments field.
  12. If the payment is made by cheque and if the name of a person must be added to the supplier, enter it in the Joint Cheq. field.
  13. Click on the Save icon.

The disbursement is added to the Summary of Non-Transferred Transactions section. It is now possible to transfer the transaction in the Enter a Direct Disbursement option directly by clicking on the Transfer icon, or view in advance the accounting entry that will be generated in the List of Disbursements option. Finally, the disbursement can also be transferred using the Transaction Transfer icon in the maestro* main menu.

Notes:

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Generating a Disbursement List

As is the case for project transactions, it is possible to generate a list of performed disbursements, whether they have been transferred or not, whatever the option in which they were created.

 

maestro* > Purchasing > Purchasing > Payment > List of Disbursements

 

 

Online Help (F1) - List of Disbursements

 

To generate a disbursement list in maestro*:

  1. In the List of Disbursements window, select the start and end dates of the date range.

  1. Select the transaction display order on the report using the scroll-down menu of the Printing Order field.

The transactions can be displayed according to the order in which they were entered in the software (entry order) or according to the accounting date, the entry date in maestro*, the supplier, or the cheque number.

  1. In the Transaction Status field, select one of the options to determine which disbursement status' to display.

Those can be transferred transactions, non-transferred transactions, or even the Combined option, which means that both non-transferred and transferred transactions will be displayed.

  1. Select the Transaction Type to display, Individual, Project Disbursement, or All.
  2. Select one, multiple, or all users at the origin of the transactions.
  3. Finally, click on the Accept icon to generate the report that could be, if needed, printed, even saved.

 

It is possible to add on the report one, or more, or the three following dates coming from the invoice: Accounting Date, Due Date, Real Date. These columns are available by clicking on the Configuration icon (Column tab), available when viewing the report. An adjustment of the previous and following columns might be required to display the information.
  1. Click on Quit to close the windows.

Notes:

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Reversing a Disbursement

It is likely that at some point, a disbursement transferred in maestro* will have to be reversed. It will obviously be possible to do so and bring the invoice back to the supplier account in the auxiliary of accounts payable, as long as the payment has not been cashed in or that the period in which the disbursement has been performed is still open. The Cancel a Disbursement option allows to cancel all disbursement that matches these conditions and that has been created in the Selected Disbursements, Batch Disbursement, and Project Disbursements option. As for direct disbursements, they must be canceled in the Cancel an Individual Disbursement option. However, the principle remains the same: the payment must not have cashed in and the period in which the disbursement has been created must still be open.

 

It can be necessary to review accesses in the Security Management option to limit the number of users authorized to reverse disbursements.

 

In Batch, by Supplier, by Project

 

maestro* > Purchasing > Purchasing > Payment > Cancel a Disbursement

 

 

Online Help (F1) - Cancel a Disbursement

 

To cancel a disbursement:

  1. In the Cancel a Disbursement window, select a disbursement in the list or enter the disbursement's Transaction No.
  2. The actual date of the disbursement, the supplier code and name, the cheque number, and its amount, are displayed.

  1. Enter the Cancellation Date of the disbursement.
  2. Click on the Cancel this Disbursement by Reversing It icon.

 

It is very important to not click on the Delete icon of the disbursement. This icon will not create the wanted reversal entry.

  1. Click on Yes when maestro* asks to confirm the disbursement cancellation.
  2. Click on Yes when maestro* asks if you wish to transfer this transaction.
  3. The maestro* viewer opens and displays an reversal accounting entry, as well as the detail of the transaction.
  4. Click on the Quit icon twice to quit the viewer and option.

 

Contrary to the project purchases and disbursements, the transaction linked to a disbursement reversal is immediately transferred.

Notes:

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Direct

Reversing a direct disbursement is quite similar to reversing any other disbursements, except that it must be done in the Cancel an Individual Disbursement option.

 

maestro* > Purchasing > Purchasing > Payment > Cancel an Individual Disbursement

 

 

Online Help (F1) - Cancel an Individual Disbursement

 

To cancel a direct disbursement:

  1. In the Cancel an Individual Disbursement window, select a disbursement in the list or enter the disbursement's Transaction No.
  2. The disbursement's actual date, the cheque number if applicablem and the payment amount is displayed.
  3. Enter the disbursement's Cancellation Date.
  4. Click on the Cancel This Disbursement by Reversing It icon.

 

It is very important to not click on the Delete icon of the disbursement. This icon will not create the wanted reversal entry. Furthermore, it will become impossible to retrace the initial entry.

  1. Click on Yes when maestro* asks to confirm the disbursement cancellation.
  2. Click on Yes when maestro* asks if you want to transfer this transaction.
  3. The maestro* viewer opens and displays the reversal accounting entry, as well as the transaction detail.
  4. Click on the Quit icon twice to close the viewer and the option.

 

Contrary to the project purchases and disbursements, the transaction linked to a disbursement reversal is immediately transferred.

Also note that it is impossible to cancel a disbursement transaction if it has been conciliated in maestro*'s bank reconciliation.

Notes:

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Payment Methods

Once the project purchase and disbursement transactions are performed and transferred in maestro* (even posted), only the payment to the supplier remains. There are three payment methods that can be used with/in maestro*: preauthorized payments, by cheque, or by direct payments.

Pre-Authorized Payments

As previously mentionned, preauthorized payments in a company bank account are posted to the project purchase transaction. The Immediate Payment section must be completed and the PPA-XXXX inscription must feature in the Cheque No. field of the option. In this case, no additional action is required in maestro*, other than the verification during the bank reconciliation.

 

Multiple invoices, for which the disbursements are preauthorized payments, are recurring ones, that come back every month or at a predetermined predetermined frequency. The CAP04 document explains how to process and facilitate recurring transactions in maestro*.

 

Paying with a Cheque

The Print Cheques option allows, as its name indicates, to print cheques (and direct payment confirmations). The printing of a cheque from this option is the last step of the project purchase process when the payment is done using a cheque. The Print Cheques option does not generate an accounting entry - accounting entries are created during the transfer of project purchases and disbursements in maestro*. It only modifies the status of the invoice associated to the cheque payment by giving it the code 9, Invoice Fully Paid.

 

maestro* > Purchasing > Purchasing > Payment > Print Cheques

 

 

Online Help (F1) - Print Cheques

 

 

Note that more than one Print Cheques option exists in maestro*, since this functionality is required in other modules, such as Payroll. However, the cheques for suppliers have to printed from the Print Cheques option in the Purchasing module.

 

 

Cheque Formats and Forms

It goes without saying that the maestro* cheque forms will have to be adjusted with the help of your implementation specialist and tested beforehand. The printing formats of the cheques can be identified in the Bank Accounts option and associated to a specific bank account after being created and defined in the Cheque Format Configuration option.

Cheque Number

Rule of thumb: if a user fills in the Cheque No. field in a disbursement option, this tells maestro* that it will be paid by preauthorized payment or by manually completing a cheque. The user must not, in those lat two cases, go through the Print Cheques option. Otherwise, the cheque numbers must be configured in maestro* or specified when printing the cheques.

The cheque numbers are configured in maestro* using counters. Indeed, the starting number of the cheque series must be entered in the Counter field of the following options: 

If maestro* is used in standard mode (a single company):

Bank Accounts (maestro* > Accounting > Maintenance > Accounting > Bank Accounts).

If maestro* is used in multidimensional mode:

Counter Management (maestro* > Accounting > Maintenance > Accounting > Counter Management).

The Counter Management option allows to associate a company prefix to the counter, and therefore define multiple counters. However, if maestro* is used in multidimensional mode and each company has their bank account, the counters can also be defined in the Bank Accounts option, even if in multidimensional mode.

*** IMPORTANT ***

In both cases, if the cheque numbers are already entered or physically printed, the -1 entry in the Counter fields will tell maestro* that the cheque number is not generated by the system. Every time a cheque will be about to be printed, maestro* will ask the user to enter the cheque number in a field to this effect, that will displayed on the screen.

 

Printing Cheques

To print a cheque:

  1. In the Parameter Selection window, select the bank account linked to the cheque(s) to be printed.

  1. Do not modify the date.

The latter has its usefulness when printing the confirmation of direct payments but in the case of a cheuqe, the date entered will be the one entered in the disbursement.

  1. Select the Print Cheques option in the Action field.
  2. Click on the Accept icon.
  3. Check the box of every cheque to be printed. An icon also allows to automatically select all the cheques.
  4. Click on the Select icon.

Maestro* opens the report viewer that displays the cheques to be printed. The following window will then open.

It is necessary to wait for the actual printing of the cheque(s) before confirming anything. If the user clicks on Yes, maestro* adds the cheque amount(s) to the bank reconciliation if the report viewer is closed. The user will no longer be able to reprint the cheque(s).

 

What do I do if my cheque printing order was sent to the wrong printer?

Simply answer No to the question Did printing of the cheques complete successfully? It will then be possible to reprint the disbursement, and this time direct the order to the right printer.

What do I do if there is a paper jam in the printer?

The user must click on No to the question Did printing of the cheques complete successfully? Afterwards, it is necessary to reverse the disbursement then redo it to assign a new cheque number and for the cheque number sequence to continue.

Notes:

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Making a Direct Payment

Finally, maestro* offers companies the necessary functionalities to pay their suppliers by bank transfers. For more information on this payment method, view the course document CAP04.

Checklist

Legend

Type

Description

C

Configurations to be completed

A

Approval or meeting with management

T

Tests and trial runs

 

Block AP03

No.

Type

Task

Employee

Due Date

Done

1

T

Enter the project purchase:

  • of a supplier of goods,
  • of a service supplier,
  • of a miscellaneous supplier.

 

 

ü

2

T

Enter a project purchase:

  • for a closed period,
  • to temporarily prevent its transfer.

 

 

 

3

T

Enter a project purchase and immediately pay:

  • by cheque,
  • by preauthorized payment,
  • by direct payment (transfer).

 

 

 

4

T

Simulate the transfer of a project purchase.

 

 

 

5

T

Transfer a project purchase transaction:

  • in the option.
  • using the Transaction Transfer icon in the maestro* main menu.

 

 

 

6

T

Enter a batch project purchase.

 

 

 

7

T

Reverse a project purchase.

 

 

 

8

T

Perform an direct disbursement and pay:

  • by cheque,
  • by direct payment.

 

 

 

9

T

Perform a batch disbursement.

 

 

 

10

T

Perform a selected disbursement.

 

 

 

11

T

Perform a project disbursement.

 

 

 

12

T

Transfer a disbursement:

  • in the option,
  • using the Transaction Transfer icon in the maestro* main menu.

 

 

 

13

T

Generate a disbursement list.

 

 

 

14

T

Reverse a disbursement (in batch, by supplier, or by project).

 

 

 

15

T

Reverse a direct disbursement.

 

 

 

16

C +T

Print cheques (functionality + printing format + set up the cheque numbers).

 

 

 

17

 

 

 

 

 

18

 

 

 

 

 

19

 

 

 

 

 

20

 

 

 

 

 

21

 

 

 

 

 

22

 

 

 

 

 

23

 

 

 

 

 

24

 

 

 

 

 

25

 

 

 

 

 

 

December 06, 2023 version