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FINACS INSTALLATION AND GETTING STARTED

TABLE OF CONTENTS

FINACS Introduction .................................................................................... 2 FINACS Installation...................................................................................... 3

Server Installation ........................................................................................3 Client Installation..........................................................................................9 Frequently Asked Questions .........................................................................16

FINACS New School Setup.......................................................................... 18 Logging Into The Application ........................................................................18 Creating Country and State Codes ................................................................19 Creating A New School ................................................................................21 Logging Into The School ..............................................................................27 Creating Chart of Accounts...........................................................................28 Setting up Application Preferences ................................................................32 Creating Additional Funds ............................................................................33 Creating Cost Centers .................................................................................34 Transferring Data From AP...........................................................................35 Creating User IDs And Giving Access Rights ...................................................39 Changing Admin Password ...........................................................................42

(Compiled for FINACS v 2.12.002)


FINACS Introduction Thank you for choosing FINACS for your school accounting program. FINACS is designed for schools that require a complete, yet simple and easy to use accounting system. It serves private, public and international schools of all sizes and complexities. It helps you to organize accounting and bookkeeping as well as manage other important aspects of your school including Student Billing, Customer / Vendor Management, and Banking.

FINACS contains many advanced features such as defining billing services – recurrence and distribution, multiple sponsors linking to students, batch invoicing for students, dual–currency capabilities, multiple fund management and much more. FINACS can be configured to any regional language and the dual –currency system records transactions both in your local currency and the dollar currency. The system allows you to view and print almost any

transaction in both the currencies. Administrator’s Plus: FINACS is seamlessly integrated with AP schools for student information. With few easy clicks, student and related information is transferred and you are all set for using the Student Billing module for billing students. FINACS includes: Student Billing, Accounts Receivable, Accounts Payable, General Ledger,

Fixed Assets, Reports and Utilities.


FINACS Installation

Server Installation Pre-Requisites for installation of FINACS: FINACS can be installed on any machine with the following Operating Systems: Windows95, Windows 98, Windows NT, Windows 2000 and Windows XP Professional with Internet Explorer

version 4.02 or higher or with Service Pack 2 installed. Installing FINACS in your machine: Using CD: Insert the FINACS SETUP-CD into your machine’s CD Drive. It auto runs. Click [Install].

Using Downloads from Web: If you are downloading Finacs from our FTP site, unzip the contents into the hard disk, and then open the folder that contains the downloaded files.


Double Click on the Disk1 folder. The following screen is displayed. Click on the SETUP.EXE icon to start the installation.

FINACS is ready for installation. A splash screen initiating the installation is shown. A screen showing the product name and other details is displayed. Click NEXT.


The Software License Agreement is displayed. It is recommended that you read the software agreement carefully before installation. Click YES to accept the license agreement and move to the next screen.

‘User Information screen’ is displayed. Enter NAME, COMPANY NAME and FINACS supplied

SERIAL NUMBER for authentication in this screen. By default, your username, school against which the computer is registered and the serial key supplied are populated. (Serial Number is displayed on the CD provided. If you are installing from the downloaded files, the Serial Number is available in the file named “Chaavi.txt” present in the Disk1 folder.) The NEXT button is enabled only if the serial number is entered. Click NEXT.


‘Choose Destination Location’ screen is displayed. Select the destination folder for installing FINACS. The default destination path can be viewed at the end of the screen next to Browse button. If you wish to change the location, click BROWSE button and choose the appropriate

path. Click NEXT.

‘Select Components Screen’ is displayed. Select the components you wish to install. You can select either Server Components or Client Components or Both, depending on where you wish to install. For example, select Client and Server components if you are installing FINACS on a server machine and on all other client machines, select only Client Components for installation.


‘Choose Server Installation Type’ screen is displayed. Select the type of server on which FINACS is being installed. FINACS can be installed on SQL server using MSDE. Click SQL SERVER INSTALLATION, if FINACS instance of SQL server is present in the machine. Else click MSDE INSTALLATION. Click [Next].

FINACS obtains the Server Name and IP Address of the current machine where the server version is being installed. Click OK to begin installation if the Server Name is correct.

‘Database Password’ screen is displayed for SQL Server Installation. Enter the password that you have provided when installing Finacs instance of SQL server. If no instance of FINACS is found, then the installation is aborted. For more information on creating FINACS instance on SQL server, refer SQL FINACS INSTANCE INSTALLATION document.

Ignore this step for MSDE Installation. FINACS obtains the Server Name and IP Address of the current machine where the server version is being installed. Click OK to begin installation if the Server Name is correct.


The Setup has enough information to start the installation. A splash screen indicating the status of installation is displayed. The application is copied to the selected program folders and the necessary DLLs are registered. The following processes follow: A) Server Installation begins after copying the application to

the target folder. It might take few minutes depending on the target machine’s configuration. B) ‘FinacsUpdate’ folder is created and shared. This folder is used for further updates of the application. C) MSSQL server or MSDE is started after server installation. This setup attaches FINACS database and the default data to the server.

‘Setup Complete’ screen is displayed. This is the final step in installing FINACS. Click

FINISH with option YES to restart your computer. It is recommended to restart your machine after installing the application.


Client Installation

Pre-Requisites for installation of FINACS: FINACS can be installed on any machine with the following Operating Systems: Windows95, Windows 98, Windows NT, Windows 2000 and Windows XP Professional with Internet Explorer version 4.02 or higher or with Service Pack 2 installed. Installing FINACS in your machine: Using CD: Insert the FINACS SETUP-CD into your machine’s CD Drive. It auto runs. Click

[Install].

Using Downloads from Web: If you are downloading from our FTP site, unzip the contents into the hard disk, and then open the folder that contains the downloaded files.


Double Click on the Disk1 folder. The following screen is displayed. Click on the SETUP.EXE icon to start the installation.

FINACS is ready for installation. A splash screen initiating the installation is shown. A screen showing the product name and other details is displayed. Click NEXT.


The Software License Agreement is displayed. It is recommended that you read the software agreement carefully before installation. Click YES to accept the license agreement and move to the next screen.

‘User Information screen’ is displayed. Enter NAME, COMPANY NAME and FINACS supplied SERIAL NUMBER for authentication in this screen. By default, your username, school name against which the computer is registered and the serial key supplied are populated. (Serial Number is displayed on the CD provided. If you are installing from the downloaded files, the Serial Number is available in the file named “Chaavi.txt” present in the Disk1 folder.)

The NEXT button is enabled only if the serial number is entered. Click NEXT.


‘Choose Destination Location’ screen is displayed. Select the destination folder for installing FINACS. The default destination path can be viewed at the end of the screen next to Browse button. If you wish to change the location, click BROWSE button and choose the appropriate path. Click NEXT.

Select Components Screen’ is displayed. Select the components you wish to install. You can select either Server Components or Client Components or Both, depending on where you wish

to install. For example, select Client and Server components if you are installing FINACS on a server machine and on all other client machines, select only Client Components for installation.


‘Server Name’ screen is displayed. Enter the Name and IP Address of the server you wish to connect in this screen. To know the machine Name or IP Address for any machine click here. For Server or Both Server & Client Installation, you must enter the Name or IP Address of the

machine in which you are currently installing. For Client Installation, enter the Name or IP Address of the machine in which the server is residing. Click NEXT.

‘Select Program Folder’ is displayed. Setup installs icons in the selected Program Folder. All your existing folders are listed in the Existing Folders list-box. You can create a new folder or

select one of the existing folders in your list. Click NEXT.


The Setup has enough information to start the installation. A splash screen indicating the status of installation is displayed. The application is copied to the selected program folders and the necessary DLLs are registered. The following processes follow:

Server Installation begins after copying the application to the target folder. It might take few minutes depending on the target machine’s configuration. MSSQL server is started after server installation. This setup attaches FINACS database and the default data to the server.

‘Setup Complete’ screen is displayed. This is the final step in installing FINACS. Click

FINISH to launch the application file and open the README file.


FINACS is added to the Program Folders under the Start Menu. Also, shortcut to the application is created on the Desktop.


Frequently Asked Questions

1. How do I install if I am downloading from the FTP? 2. Can I download the setup from Web? 3. How do I find the machine name?

4. Can I Exit the setup in between? 5. Is it necessary to close all applications when installing? 6. What does ‘Server Not Found’ mean? 7. What does ‘Read-Only File Detected’ message mean?

8. Is it necessary to restart the machine after installing and uninstalling? 1. How do I install if I am downloading from the FTP?

Download the required files from your FTP site. Disk1, Disk2 & Disk 3 folders are downloaded. Double-click the Disk 1 and follow the remaining steps mentioned in the ‘Installing FINACS on your machine’ section.

2. Can I download the setup from Web? This version of FINACS does not offer online downloads. Our next versions provide online downloads and updates.

3. How do I find the machine Name and IP Address? There are many ways to find out the machine Name and IP Address.

Right click on ‘My Computer’ and select Properties > Computer Name tab. Machine name is displayed as Full Computer Name. You can also find the machine name and the IP Address from the Command Prompt

window. Open the Command Prompt from Start > Programs > Accessories folder. Type ‘IPCONFIG - ALL’ for displaying your system details as below. Contact your System Administrator for more details.


4. Can I Exit the setup while installing? Yes, you can exit the setup while installing though not recommended. Click [Cancel]

or [Exit Setup] to abort the installation. 5. Is it necessary to close all applications when installing? Yes, it is necessary to close all applications while installing. This ensures proper

registering of all the required files and the installation of the application. 6. What does ‘Server Not Found’ mean? You might have encountered this message while installing FINACS on client

machines. This message means that the entered server name in the ‘Server Name’ screen is not a valid server. Make sure the entered server is the machine where your FINACS server and database is residing.

7. What does ‘Read-Only File Detected’ message mean? This means that the setup has encountered the same file when trying to copy/ install. If there is an old version of the application present in your system and you

wish to replace them click [Yes]. If you do not wish to overwrite as some other application is using them, click [No] and contact your system administrator or FINACS technical support to know how this affects the FINACS setup.

8. Is it necessary to restart the machine after uninstalling? It is good practice and is recommended to restart your machine once you uninstall the application. This will delete all the necessary files and clean up the appropriate

folders.


FINACS New School Setup This section assumes that you have already read the installation document and FINACS is properly installed in your machine. This section explains the various steps involved in creating a new school. It is highly recommended that the school administrator or accounting manager perform the following listed steps in the order mentioned for the proper functioning of the application.

� Log into the application � Create country and state codes � Create a new school � Change SUPERADMIN password � Log into the school � Create chart of accounts

� Setup application preferences � Create more funds � Create cost centers � Transfer Data from AP � Create User IDs � Change ADMIN password

Logging Into The Application To start the application, double click on the FINACS icon on your desktop. Enter the username and password to gain access to the application. FINACS provides a DEMO SCHOOL with one user: Admin and password: Admin for reference. To create your school log in with username: SUPERADMIN and password: ADMIN.

Note: Make sure you change the password before logging out. Refer ‘Change SUPERADMIN password’ section for instructions on how to change passwords.


Creating Country and State Codes

FINACS provides a default set of countries and states to choose from. Their respective screens list all the country and the state codes displayed in a grid. If you do not find a country in the list, new country codes can be added at this point.

Adding New Country Codes:

� Display ‘Country Codes' screen from the File > General menu. � All the country codes are displayed in the grid.

� The screen opens in NEW mode with the focus in the CODE field, allowing you to directly create new country codes.

� Enter CODE. If the code entered is already in use and assigned to a different country, the system will prompt you to enter a new code.

� Enter NAME. You can enter up to 50 characters for the country name. � Both the CODE and NAME are mandatory fields. � Click [Save] to record the information.

� Once created, you cannot delete a Country Code. However you can make it inactive. � Click [Cancel] to abort the creation of new code. � Click [Close] to close the form. Adding New State Codes: � Display ‘State Codes' screen from the File > General menu.

� All the State codes are displayed in the grid. � The screen opens in NEW mode with the focus in the CODE field, allowing you to

directly create new state codes. � Enter CODE. If the code entered is already in use and assigned to a different state, the

system will prompt you to enter a new code.


� Enter STATE NAME. You can enter up to 50 characters for the state name. � Select the COUNTRY in which the state is located. � Click [Save] to record the information. � Once created, you cannot delete a State Code. However you can make it inactive. � Click [Cancel] to abort the creation of new code. � Click [Close] to close the form.


Creating A New School

Once logged in as SUPERADMIN, the School Setup Wizard walks you through the various steps and helps you create a new school. You should spend some time while setting up your school, as the information you record is crucial and is necessary for the proper running of the program. Also, if you wish to transfer your existing Chart of Accounts, make sure it is accurate and adheres to the FINACS provided template before starting the School Setup Wizard. Step-by-step:

Step 1: Log into the application as SUPERADMIN. A list of all SUPERADMIN activities is displayed. Click [Add/Edit Schools] for a listing of all schools present in your database.

Step 2: Click [New] to create a new school. FINACS School Setup Wizard is opened. The wizard walks you through the various steps in the procedure and creates your school in five simple steps. It also creates a chart of accounts that can be used for tracking your financial transactions or you can import your existing chart of accounts as mentioned earlier. For more detailed help about a particular step, click on the [Help] button present at the bottom left corner of the screen or press F1.


Step 3: Enter school details like name and address of your school. This information is used at the time of login and will appear on all reports and statements. You can also edit these details later.

You can also edit these details later. School Name: The school name is a required field. It can be maximum 50 characters in length. School Address: Enter street address, city, state, country and zip code in the address fields. You can select state and country from the dropdown list or enter directly if not found in the

list. Step 5: The school fiscal year is divided into 12 periods and is used to track all your finances. In this screen, enter financial year details and other school details like date format and the currency (currency is required only for international schools).


Financial Year Name: Define a name for the current financial year. This name is referred through out the application. For example you can define a descriptive name to define your accounting/ financial year like 2005 or 2005-06 for the year 2005 - 2006.

Financial Year Start Date: Enter the start date for your financial year. Enter January 1st if your financial year start date match with the calendar date. Start Date serves as a default setting for date range in listing and some reports. Also, you will not be able to record any transactions before this date for the current year. End Date: The financial year end date is displayed based on the entered start date. Enter the

start date and tab out to populate the end date. Date Format: Select the date format you wish to use. By default it is MM/DD/YYYY. The selected format will appear on all your transactions, statements and reports. Currency Sign and Name: For US schools, ignore this part. The currency will be $ (US

Dollar) by default for US Schools. Enter your currency sign and name. For international schools, enter your local currency sign and name. You can later enter the exchange rate against US Dollar and perform transactions in both Local and US Dollar currency. Click [Next]. Step 6: Enter School Year Details here. FINACS needs School Year information while billing the students and during AP integration.

School Year Start Date: Enter start date for your school year. This date is taken as default during the batch entry program and while billing individual students. You can also edit the

date for individual transactions later in the application. Also, you will not be able to enter any transactions before this date. End Date: The school year end date is displayed based on the entered start date. Enter the start date and tab out to populate the end date. School Year Name: Select a school year name for the current year. You can select the

appropriate year from the drop down or enter directly if wish to follow a different format. This name is referred through out the application.


AP Integration: Select the AP integration preferences. If you are not using AP, ignore this part. AP In Use: Check this if you wish to refer or use AP Billing Plus module while using FINACS.

Once selected, all the other AP preferences are enabled. By default, this is checked, for importing startup data from Billing Plus. Use Student Information from AP: Once 'AP In Use' is checked, 'Use Student Information From AP' option is always checked as FINACS needs Student and Staff data to be imported from Billing Plus initially.

Use FINACS for Invoices, Payments and Credits: Choose this option, if you wish to use FINACS for creating invoices, payments and credits against students and for all accounting purposes. If you want to import all the existing invoices from Billing Plus and work in FINACS select the checkbox under this option. Note that once this option is saved, it cannot be changed.

Use AP's Billing Plus for invoices, payments and credits: Choose this option, if you wish to use AP's Billing Plus Module for creating invoices and use FINACS for importing and accounting purpose. Also, if you want to collect payments against the invoices created in Billing Plus, select the checkbox under this option. Selecting this checkbox will allow you to collect payments in FINACS but will not allow you to edit the invoices. Click [Next]. Step 7: FINACS needs a chart of accounts for your school to track your business activity.

Chart of Accounts is a systematically arranged list of accounts that is used to classify the types of income your organization has. You can create the chart of accounts in any of the following methods:

Use FINACS' Predefined Chart of Accounts: FINACS provides a predefined list of accounts that is widely used in school accounting. You can view the list by clicking the [View Template] button. This button is visible only if you have selected the first option. Click [Next].


Import Chart of Accounts From Excel: Select this if you are using a different accounting package and wish to transfer the existing list of accounts. FINACS provides 4 excel templates for exporting your list of accounts. You can copy the list in any one of the formats and export it. To import the file: 1. Select Import Chart of Accounts From Excel option. 2. Enter the

location of the file or click […] to locate the file. Click [Next]. Create Own Chart of Accounts: Select this option if you wish to create your own list of accounts once the school is created. Click [Next]. Step 8: Funds are established to control the financial operations of an organization. FINACS works on the basis of funds and in order for any transaction to happen at least one fund

should be defined. More funds can be created once the school is created.

Fund Code: Enter a three-digit code. Fund Name: Enter a name for the fund. This name is displayed through out the application and in all statements and transactions. Click [Next]. Step 9: FINACS now has enough information to create a new school. The screen lists a

summary of all your selections.

Click the [Back] button to move to any of the previous screens to edit information. Click [Finish] to create a new school with the entered information. A new school is created with ADMIN user. You can login as user: ADMIN and password: Admin and create more users. It is recommended to change your password once you start using the

application. Refer to ‘Change Admin Password’ section for instructions on changing passwords.



Logging Into The School

After creating a new school, it is important that you complete the remaining steps mentioned. Select the username and enter your password to gain access to the selected school. FINACS creates a user: ADMIN with password: ADMIN initially when a new school is created.

Note: FINACS checks for students to be transferred and pops up the ‘Transfer Students’ screen. If your Chart of Accounts and Application Preferences screen needs no revision you

can transfer students now. If you need further changes to the above, ignore this step now and follow the remaining steps in the document. If you chose to create the chart of accounts later you will not be allowed to transfer students. You have to have a chart of accounts to do so.


Creating Chart of Accounts If you have already created Chart of Accounts using the ‘School Setup Wizard’ and no modifications are required, ignore this step. Else if you have chosen to import or create your accounts later, please do so now. You can use FINACS predefined list of accounts or import your existing chart of accounts or create new accounts from the Chart of Accounts screen. For information on the Chart of Accounts, press F1 on the screen.

Importing Chart of Accounts:

� Display ‘Chart of Accounts’ screen from the General Ledger menu >Setup Accounts > Chart of Accounts.

� Click [Import Accounts]. This button is enabled only if your existing Chart of Accounts does not have any transactions and they are not linked to any contacts or items.

� You can import a new set of accounts in any one of the following methods: � Using FINACS' Predefined Chart of Accounts: FINACS provides a predefined list of

accounts that is widely used in school accounting. You can view the list by clicking the [View Template] button. Click [Ok] to create a new set of accounts.


� Importing Chart of Accounts From Excel: Select this if you are using a different

accounting package and wish to transfer the existing list of accounts. FINACS provides

4 excel templates for exporting your list of accounts. You can copy the list in any one of the formats and export it. To import the file:

o Select Import Chart of Accounts From Excel option. o Enter the location of the file or click […] to locate the file. o Click [Ok] to create a new set of accounts. o Note: Importing chart of accounts overrides the existing list of accounts; it is

necessary that these accounts should not have any transactions present against them. Also, importing is not possible if the accounts are linked to any one of the following: family/sponsors, customers, vendors, items, billing services, assets or payroll entities.


Creating New Groups:

� Display ‘Chart of Accounts’ screen from the General Ledger > Setup Accounts menu.

� Click [Expand All] to view all the groups, subgroups and accounts in the tree view. � Select the parent group under which you wish to create a new sub group. The selected

parent group should not have any accounts under it. Accounts from the last level in the tree view.

� The selected ACCOUNT GROUP details like Group Code, Name, Parent Group, Posting Type & Balance are displayed on the right side of the screen.

� Click [Create New Account Group] to create a new group. Or, right click on the parent group under which new group is being created and select [Create New Account Group] from the popup menu.

� The next available GROUP CODE in the selected parent group is populated by default.

� Enter GROUP NAME. � You can edit the CODE & GROUP NAME. However the PARENT GROUP and POSTING

TYPE are not editable. They are populated based on the parent group definition. � A posting type is required for each Account Group. This field indicates the posting type

against which the accounts present under the group or the corresponding account transactions are posted. Posting can only be of types ASSET, LIABILITY, INCOME, and EXPENSE.

� Click [Save] to record the group. � FINACS allows any number of groups to be created. However, not more than three

group levels are allowed.

Note: If the [Create New Account Group] is not visible, make sure the selected parent group doesn’t have any accounts present under it. Accounts form the last level in the tree view, indicating that sub groups cannot be created under groups.

Creating New Accounts:

� Display ‘Chart of Accounts’ screen from the General Ledger > Setup Accounts menu. � Click [Expand All] to view all the groups, subgroups and accounts in the tree view. � Select the group under which you wish to create a new account.


� If the selected group has sub groups under it, accounts cannot be created under the same. Note that accounts form the last level in the chart of accounts tree view.

� The selected ACCOUNT GROUP details like Group Code, Name, Parent Group, Posting Type & Balance are displayed on the right side of the screen.

� Click [Create New Account] to create a new account. Or, right click on the parent group under which new account is being created and select [Create New Account] from the popup menu.

� Enter name in the ACCOUNT NAME field. � The selected group is displayed in the ACCOUNT GROUP field and the next available

ACCOUNT CODE in the selected group is populated in the CODE field. However you can edit these values.

� Select the control type from the ACCOUNT TYPE drop-down list. � FINACS needs a control TYPE to distinguish the type of account. Based on the control

type, accounts in the respective screens are populated. For example in the Setup Vendor screen, all 'Accounts Payable' type accounts are populated, in Setup Customer screen, all ‘Accounts Receivable’ type accounts are populated.

• Various control types present are: CASH (Cash Accounts), BANK (Bank or

Check Accounts), CC (Credit Card Accounts), REV (Income Accounts), PUR (Expense Accounts), AR (Accounts Receivable or Customer Accounts), AP (Accounts Payable or Vendor Accounts), INV (Inventory Accounts), FA (Fixed Asset Accounts), OTH (Other Accounts), IFB (Fund Balance Account), CLOSE (Reserves and Surplus Account).

• One IFB account and one CLOSE account are mandatory. Also, only one account of each of these types should be present in your chart of accounts so

that the system can automatically post the fund balance and the reserves and surplus when generating balance sheet.

� Click [Save] to record the account. � FINACS allows any number of accounts to be created. However, only 999 accounts can

be accommodated in a single group.

Note: Importing chart of accounts overrides the existing list of accounts; it is necessary that these accounts should not have any transactions present against them. Also, importing is not

possible if the accounts are linked to any one of the following: family/sponsors, customers, vendors, items, billing services, assets or payroll entities.


Setting up Application Preferences

Preferences are set to customize FINACS and to give you more flexibility when using the application. Preferences can save time while making transactions and also aligns FINACS with your practices. The ‘Preferences And Defaults’ tab lists various application level preferences that can be used to set account defaults and system defaults. The ‘Prefix And Number Format’ tab allows you to define prefixes and transaction number formats.

Fund and Cost Center: Select a default fund and cost center to populate in all the transactions screens. FINACS works on the basis of funds and in order for any transaction to take place at least one fund should be defined and selected. Cost centers are optional. The selected fund and cost center are populated in all transaction screens. The defaults can be overridden and changed at the time

of making the actual transactions from their respective screens. Default Account Preferences: Select the default accounts from the respective drop-down lists. These selected accounts are auto populated while making transactions in the relevant screens. The defaults can be overridden and changed at the time of making the actual transactions. For more help on application setup preferences, press F1 on the screen.

Note: Application level preferences are common across the system and will affect all the users working on the application.


Creating Additional Funds Funds are established to control the financial operations of an organization. Fund in accounting terms can be taken as an entity with a self-balancing set of accounts recording cash and other financial resources along with related liabilities and equities or balances. FINACS works on the basis of funds and in order for any transaction to process at least one fund must be defined. A default fund is provided when a new school is created. If you wish to add new funds, you can do so here. You can also edit and make inactive any fund from this

screen. Adding New Funds: � Display ‘Funds’ screen from the General Ledger menu >setup accounts > funds.

� All the funds are displayed in the grid. � The screen opens in NEW mode with the focus in the FUND CODE field, allowing you to

directly create new funds. � Enter FUND CODE. If the code entered is already in use and assigned to a different fund,

the system will prompt you to enter a new code. � Enter NAME. You can enter up to 50 characters for the fund name. � Both the CODE and NAME are mandatory fields. � Click [Save] to record the information. � Once created, you cannot delete a Fund. However you can make it inactive. � Click [Cancel] to abort the creation of new fund. � Click [Close] to close the form.

� For more information about creating cost centers, press F1 on the screen.


Creating Cost Centers

Cost centers are like departments or sections, which incur some expenditure. FINACS allows you to set up various cost centers and link transactions to them. You can later view reports or filter transactions based on your cost centers. For example: you can create a cost center named Primary School and assign all your primary school transactions to it. This helps you to track your primary school expenses and related expenditure. Any number of cost centers can be created. Cost centers are optional and you can still make transactions without linking them to any cost centers.

Adding New Cost Centers: � Display ‘Cost Centers’ screen from the General Ledger menu >Setup Accounts > Cost

Centers.

� All the cost centers are displayed in the grid. � The screen opens in NEW mode with the focus in the COST CENTER CODE field, allowing

you to directly create new cost centers.

� Enter COST CENTER CODE. If the code entered is already in use and assigned to a different cost center, the system will prompt you to enter a new code.

� Enter NAME. You can enter up to 50 characters for the cost center name. � Both the CODE and NAME are mandatory fields. � Click [Save] to record the information. � Once created, you cannot delete a Cost Center. However you can make it inactive. � Click [Cancel] to abort the creation of new cost center.

� Click [Close] to close the form. � For more information about creating cost centers, press F1 on the screen.


Transferring Data From AP FINACS allows you to transfer all the required student and staff information from Administrator’s Plus and displays it in the ‘Student Information’ and ‘Staff Information’ fields. Using the ‘Map Administrator’s Plus Fields’ screen, you can select all the necessary fields required for Finacs and transfer them accordingly. Finacs creates a definition file with the requested fields and stores it in a centralized location where AP can access it. Once AP sends the students/staff data files, they are transferred using the ‘Transfer Students/Staff’ screen.

Note: Make sure your Chart of Accounts is accurate before transferring data from AP. This is because importing and overwriting of existing chart of accounts is not possible once family/sponsors are linked to them.

To Map Fields:

� Display the ‘Map Administrator’s Plus Fields’ screen from the Utilities > Transfer Data from Administrator’s Plus menu.

� Select the folder where you wish to store the definition file. This needs to be in a centralized location where AP can access. Based on the requested fields, the data files from AP are also placed here.

� The DEFINITION FILE VERSION displays the current version number of the definition file.

o Every time a change is made in the file (new fields can be requested or existing fields can be edited), a new version number is created.

o Data is transferred only if the fields requested in the definition file and the fields present in the data files match. If they do not match, the files are not

transferred and an error log is created. o NEW is displayed if you are creating the definition file for the first time.

� All the student fields are displayed in the MAP STUDENT FIELDS tab and the staff fields are displayed in the MAP STAFF FIELDS tab.

� The MAP STUDENT FIELDS screen lists all the student fields from the ‘Student Information’ screen in the AVAILABLE FIELDS list box. If you have not defined any field names, the default names are displayed. To change or rename the field names:

o Click on the field for which you wish to change the name. A focus indicating the selected field is displayed.


o Right-click on the focus and select [Change Field Name] option from the pop up menu.

o The selected label becomes editable. Enter the new label name and {Tab} out to record the changes.

� Similarly the MAP STAFF FIELDS screen lists all the default or customized staff fields from the ‘Staff Information’ screen in the AVAILABLE FIELDS list box.

� Select a field and click [>] to add the item to the SELECTED FIELDS list box. To add all the fields click [>|]. To remove a field from the SELECTED FIELDS list box, select the required field and click back arrow.

� To identify students over multiple transfers, Finacs requires mandatory fields (student and family/sponsor fields) to be present with every transfer. These fields are always

displayed in SELECTED FIELDS list box and cannot be removed. � In the same manner select the necessary fields for staff data in the MAP STAFF FIELDS

tab. � Click [CREATE DEFINITION FILE] to create a definition file with the selected student

and staff fields. � A definition file with the displayed version number is saved in the selected location.

� Click [Close] to close the screen.

To Transfer Students/Staff Data: � Display the ‘Transfer Students/Staff’ screen from the Utilities > Transfer Data from

Administrator’s Plus menu. � Select the folder where AP’s transferred data is present. This is usually the folder

where the definition file (requested fields) is present. � Finacs displays the version number for the definition file present in the selected folder.

� Select the SCHOOL YEAR IN FINACS. All the school years created in FINACS are displayed in the list.

o FINACS requires its school year to be linked to the data that is being transferred from AP, for proper integration of both applications.

o It recommended using the same school year in both applications for more data consistency. For example: to transfer 2004-05 data from AP, select 2004-05 from FINACS years. If not present, it is recommended to create one and then

transfer the students. � Select an accounts receivable account from the STUDENT A/R ACCOUNT lookup […]. � The selected A/R account is linked by default to all the students (Family/Sponsors)

while transferring. o Family or Sponsors are like customers who are billed or invoiced for services

offered to their kids. To invoice a student, Finacs bills against their respective guardian/sponsor.

o The linked A/R control account is the account to which all family/sponsor receivables are posted.


o Select an accounts receivable account from the STAFF A/R ACCOUNT lookup […].

� The selected A/R account is linked by default to all the staff being transferred. o The linked A/R control account is the account to which all staff receivables are

posted. � Click [Transfer Data] to start transferring of Administrator’s Plus Student/Staff

information. � The time for the transfer of data is based on the number of students and staff present

in the school and the requested data. It is recommended not to open other screens or do transactions while the transfer is in progress.

� The transferred data can be viewed in ‘Student Information’, ‘Staff Information’ and

’Family/Sponsor Information’ screens. � Click [Clear] to clear the textboxes or [Close] to close the screen. � For more help on transferring billing codes, press F1 on the screen. � Note: Schools can have many sub schools and perform multiple transfers into a single

school in Finacs. In this case, various funds can be created and each sub school is linked to a single fund. Refer ‘Sub Schools’ under File > General menu for more

information.

To Transfer Billing Codes:

� Display the ‘Transfer Billing Codes’ screen from the Utilities > Transfer Data from Administrator’s Plus menu.

� Select the drive in which RS4 folder is present. Click on the lookup button […] to select the drive.

� Select the school from the AP SCHOOL NAME drop-down list. All the schools present in the selected RS4 are displayed in the list.

� Select the year from the AP SCHOOL YEAR drop-down list. All the years present in the selected school are displayed in the list.

� Select the SCHOOL YEAR IN FINACS. All the school years created in FINACS are displayed in the list.

o FINACS requires its school year to be linked to the AP school year for proper

integration of both applications. o It recommended using the same school year in both applications for more data

consistency. For example: to transfer 2004-05 data from AP, select 2004-05 from FINACS years. If not present, it is recommended to create one and then transfer the students.

� Click [Transfer].


� All the billing codes (summary/billing/debit/credit/payment) present in AP are displayed in the grid in their respective tabs.

� Select FUND, COST CENTER and LEDGER ACCOUNT for Billing, Debit, Credit and Payment codes.

� FINACS assigns the default FUND for all the codes. To assign a different fund to all the codes, select the appropriate fund from ‘Application Setup’ under Utilities menu.

� Select cost center for the billing codes. Click on the cell for a drop-down list of all available cost centers. Cost centers are optional.

� Select Account for each billing code to track the transactions against the particular service. Click on the cell for the Account Lookup button […]. Click on the icon to bring up the item lookup. Select the appropriate account from the list of accounts and click

[Accept]. � Click [Save Data] to save the data to FINACS. � The transferred data can be viewed in ‘Billing Services’ screen under Student Billing >

Billing Setup menu. � Click [Clear] to clear the data or [Close] to close the screen.

Note: To assign the same Account Name to the entire list in the grid: Select the required account for one billing code and click on the column header. This assigns the selected account for all the codes in the current grid.


Creating User IDs And Giving Access Rights

FINACS requires a username and a password to gain access to the application. The Administrator has access to the entire system and can create users and define their access rights. It is suggested that you create a separate user ID to each person who uses FINACS and assign access privileges. Also, FINACS follows the concept of groups, where different groups can be defined and users can be created under those groups. It allows you to define rights for a user group and all the

users under it get assigned to the same set of rights. One User Group: ADMIN and User: ADMIN with access to all the screens and having administrative privileges is created when the school is created. To add new user:

� Display ‘Users’ screen from the File menu.

� Click [New] to add a new user. � Enter LOGIN NAME. If the name entered is already in use and assigned to a different

user, the system will prompt you to enter a new login name. � Enter other user information in USER NAME and DESIGNATION fields. � Select the group to which the user belongs from the USER GROUP drop down list. � The user gets assigned with the same set of rights as the defined for the group. � If the user is an administrator and wish to give full access, then select the

ADMINISTRATIVE PRIVILEGES checkbox. This gives the user full access to the whole application bypassing the group rights.

� Select the LOCK USER checkbox to lock the user. This restricts him access to the whole application. This is like making a user inactive.

� Click [Save] to record the information. To create an user group:

� Display ‘User Groups’ screen from the File menu. � The screen opens in NEW mode, with the focus in the GROUP CODE, allowing you to

directly add new groups. � Enter GROUP CODE. If the code entered in already in use, the system will prompt you

to enter a new code.


� Enter the name of the group in USER GROUP field. It is recommended to make the name descriptive so that the name can indicate the rights given to the group. For example, group name like SB_GROUP can be defined to create users with access rights only to Student Billing module.

� All the users present and not assigned to any group are displayed in the ALL USERS list box.

� Select the user and click [>] to add them to the group. � Click [Save] to record the new group.

To define rights to a group:

� Display ‘User Access Rights’ from the File menu.

� Select the USER GROUP for which rights have to be defined. All the groups present in your school are displayed in the group drop down list.

� The screen displays all the MODULES present in FINACS. Each module lists two sub nodes: TRANSACTIONS and REPORTS.

o The TRANSACTIONS sub node displays all the screens and the REPORTS sub node displays all the related reports present in the selected module.


o Click on the ‘+’ sign to expand the nodes and to view the rights. Click the ‘-’ sign to collapse the nodes.

� To view or assign access rights for a single module, select the required MODULE from the drop-down list. Only the selected module is displayed in the grid. Select ALL to

display all the modules. � By default for a new group, NO ACCESS rights are given. All the checkboxes (for each

screen and report) under the NO ACCESS column are selected, indicating that no access rights are defined for the selected group

� Select the corresponding checkboxes against each screen or report to give access rights.

� Full access or limited access like ADD, EDIT, VIEW, VOID and PRINT rights can be

given for each screen or report. For example users with ADD rights can only add new transactions and cannot view, edit or void other transactions.

� The disabled (gray color) cells present against few screens or reports indicate that the particular rights are not applicable.

� For EDIT, VOID and PRINT rights, the VIEW rights are also assigned by default. � You can assign rights to all the screens present under the TRANSACTIONS node, by

clicking on the header checkbox (blue color cell). For example to given ADD rights to all the screens present in the Student Billing module, select the TRANSACTIONS header checkbox under the ADD rights column.

� Click [EXPAND ALL] or [COLLAPSE ALL] to expand or collapse all the nodes present in the grid.

� All the users present in the selected group will obtain these rights. Based on the defined rights, the user is allowed access (i.e. based on these rights the [New] and

[Save] buttons in the screens are enabled.) � Click [Save] to record the changes.

Note: FINACS allows you to define rights for a user group and all the users under it get assigned to the same set of rights. Any number of groups can be created as per your needs. Refer to ‘User Groups’ and ‘Users’ sections on more help or press F1 on their respective screens.


Changing Admin Password

It is recommended to change your password once you start using the application. To change password: � Display the ‘Change Your Password’ screen from the File menu.

� Enter current password in the OLD PASSWORD field.

� Enter new password in the NEW PASSWORD field. � Enter the new password in the RE-ENTER PASSWORD field for confirmation. � Click [Save] to record the change. � Your old password is no longer valid and is updated with the new password. � Next time you login to the application, FINACS requires the new password.

Documents

FINACS INSTALLATION AND GETTING STARTED...FINACS – Getting Started Page 5 of 42 The Software License Agreement is displayed. It is recommended that you read the software agreement