[Question] Extended explanation of "Import_Export_File_Layouts_-_General_Ledger_Journal_and_Cashboo.pdf"

[alexszl]

Good Day.

I'm a developer of a trucking management software (LoadCon Manager) that captures all related day-to-day activities (Loads, sales invoicing, vehicle maintenance and supplier invoicing, employee payroll and control accounts).

I need to export this data into Pastel. I have searched this site and stumbled upon several threads and downloaded this file: Import_Export_File_Layouts_-_General_Ledger_Journal_and_Cashboo.pdf
which is exactly what I'm looking for, but I need some more information to make my situation work and for me to understand what I'm doing.

In the PDF file:
Ref 1 Period 1-13 --> what do they mean ?
Ref 3 GDC (G - General Ledger, D - Customer, C - Supplier) -->> When will I use G, D or C ?
Ref 8 Tax Type 0 No tax -->> what are the other options? I will definitely be using VAT.
Ref 10 Open Item -->> the PDF file shows an extended explanation - but I have no idea what it means.
Ref 11 Projects Code -->> How is this used ?
Ref 12 Contra Account -->> What is this ?
Ref 15 Batch ID -->> How is this used ?
Ref 18 Home Amount -->> Is this: Amount minus Discount Amount ?

Is there perhaps a document that I can view that explains the import format in more detail ?

Another question: Say I import a csv file from a particular supplier into pastel for a particular date range. When I re-import the same file again, will the information be duplicated in pastel ? - or is there some logic that will prompt for duplication - or is this where 'Ref 8 Reference' (PDF file) comes into play?

Cheers. Hope I'm not too confusing.
Please note that I have no knowledge of Pastel usage and operations. However I have a general background on accountancy principles.

Thanks in advance
Alex

[Mike C]

Hi Alex - I may not be very good at this but let me try:

1) period 1 to 13 are the months of your financial year ... usually March to March The reason why it is 13, is that it makes it easier to continue working in the 13th month (that is the first month of the next financial year) until you are ready to do a "year end" rollover. If your system has been set up for use of the 13th month, all those transactions usually get put into the first month when you roll over. If you have set up your system for 12 periods, then it is straighforward March to Feb (or however your financial year is structured)

2) S = Supplier. When you have set up suppliers and enter their invoices into your system. C = Customer when you have set up customers and Invoice them from your system. G = General Ledger ... those financial transactions which do not work via invoices. eg salaries

3) Tax type: 00 - is no VAT
01 = Standard VAT
02 = Zero Rated
03 = Exempt
04 = Bad Debts
05 = Capital Goods etc. You set these up in the "Setup / Tax area"

4) Open item means that when you create an invoice or invioices for a customer and he pays, you are able to mark off his payment against the invoice. This helps when some invoices are not paid, because it shows you exactly which ones were not paid on the customer statement.
Balance Forward - means that when the customer pays, it is marked off against any invoice and only the amount that is still owing is shown on the statement.

5) Projects code. Never used this, so can't really help you on it. I gather that it helps with reports so that you can see what a particular project may have cost or brought in.

6) You will remember from your knowledge of accountancy principles that for every debit there needs to be a credit to keep the books balanced.
The Contra Account is the one that offsets (or balances) your entry.

Not too sure what the Batch ID and the Home account is. Perhaps someone else can step in here and help ... and if I have not explained anything to well or have missed the mark ... please don't hesitate to correct me.

[alexszl]

Thanks for that Mike.

another thing I asked is how does one prevent duplicate entries from being imported. Say the user mistakenly imports the same CSV file twice or imports say January then the next month imports Jan and Feb. Within Pastel is this where the reference number comes in - i.e. if the ref no's are the same then just update the amounts (if different)...

Thanks
Alex

[alexszl]

another thing... if I have several suppliers and customers. Should I create an export csv file for each or just lump the lot together in one ?

Thanks
Alex

[Mike C]

Sorry - can't help you with that one. Perhaps someone else can jump in here and help.

[alexszl]

Mike.
Thanks for the feedback.
I guess I will have to do test runs to see what works best.
Thanks again for helping me out.
Regards
Alex