Overview

The transfer of customer and invoice information from Job Manager to the accounting system proceeds through an intermediate text file (formatted so that it can be read by the target accounting system). First, Job Manager exports the information for the customer(s)/invoice(s) selected by the end user to a formatted text file. Second, a user imports the file into the accounting system, using the importing mechanism supported by that system.

While both customers and invoices are exported through the Accounting Export window, there are significant differences between the export of customer and invoice information.

A customer will usually be exported each time the customer's information changes. Since customer information can change at any time, any customer in the Job Manager system is always available for export in the Accounting Export window.

An invoice will normally be transferred to the accounting system only once, usually after it has been printed and sent to the customer. Invoice information can only be transferred to the accounting system in the form of a valid accounting transaction. For a Job Manager invoice to be considered a valid accounting transaction, the invoiced amount must be assigned to a set of general ledger (GL) accounts in the Invoice Distribution window so that the following conditions are satisfied:

1. The credits and debits balance, and
2. The invoiced amount has been fully distributed.

After the invoiced amount has been satisfactorily distributed, the Invoice Distribution window allows Job Manager to designate the invoice as "approved" for export. The invoice can then be exported to a formatted text file using the Accounting Export window. Only invoices designated as "approved" may be transferred to the accounting system.

Once invoice information has been successfully imported into the accounting system, users should "post" the invoice using Job Manager' Post Invoices window so that the information may no longer be altered within the Job Manager system.

In summary, Job Manager invoices move through the following workflow: invoiced, approved, exported, and posted. The diagram below details each step of the workflow.

As an additional benefit, Job Manager provides the option of automating invoice distribution by utilizing invoice distribution policies. Invoice distribution policies allow Job Manager users to automatically associate invoiced amounts with general ledger accounts.

For each invoice part (line item, tax, freight, invoice total, etc.), the invoice distribution policy:

1. Determines the distribution category to which the invoice part belongs (the set of available categories is determined by the particular invoice distribution policy).
2. Assigns the amount associated with the invoice part to that distribution category.
3. Determines the GL account to which the distribution category is mapped, using the category-account mappings configured by the Administrator.
4. Assigns the amount associated with the distribution category to that account, thereby assigning the amount originally associated with the invoice part to the correct GL account.

For specific instructions for integrating Job Manager with your accounting system, please refer to the chapters of this guide that summarize the setup procedures for particular accounting systems. Chapter 5 discusses setup procedures for integration of Job Manager with QuickBooks Pro 2001; chapter 6 describes the setup procedures for integration with MYOB Accounting Plus Version 10; chapter 7 details the setup procedures for integration with Peachtree Complete Accounting 2003.