Can't block or delete GL Account (not control, no transactions, no balance)

[michellepace]

Hi there,

Software: Sage 50c Pastel (aka Pastel v.19)

I need to block the below GL sub-account "2000/005 Electricity". When I try to block it I get the error "This general ledger account has a sub account that is used in an open batch and therefore cannot be blocked" But I don't have any open batches. And, I'm trying to block a SUB-ACCOUNT 2000/005... so I'm not sure why the error tells me I'm trying to block a GL Account which has a Sub-Account ?

Question: Does anyone know what I need to do in order to be able to block this GL Sub-Account? 2000/005




Thanks in advance,
Michelle


UPDATE: Ok... I think I have the answer after reading the help file:

However, even a supervisor cannot block an account if it is a control account, or a main account whose sub account is a control account, or if you are using the account in an open batch when you attempt to block it.

The SUB-ACCOUNT I'm trying to block is a control account. I *think*.

[michellepace]

Can't block GL Account (*not* a Control Account)

Hi there,

Software: Sage 50c Pastel (aka Pastel v.19)

Here I'm trying to block a GL Account I don't want to use anymore. I don't have any open batches (I checked via View > Open Batches) and this GL Account isn't a control account. Does anyone have any ideas as to why I still cannot block this GL Account? I don't even have a balance for it.



Thanks once again in advance,
Michelle

[michellepace]

Can't block or delete GL Account (not control, no transactions, no balance)

Hi there... sorry I know this is the 3rd time I'm posting about this. I've kept it into three different threads because it seems to be 3 different scenarios.

I'm at my wits end trying to work out the logic of not being able to DELETE or at least BLOCK this particular GL account.
- there is not a balance
- there are not any transactions (View > Detailed Ledger > Transactions .. nothing there for this account)
- this is not a control account

Why then can't I delete or block it? Is there some logic I'm missing perhaps?



Thanks again,
Michelle

[Neville Bailey]

Hi Michelle,

There are a couple of possibilities that could be causing this.

There is possibly that there is some old document history in the system that has reference to that sub-account, which is preventing you from deleting the account. Pastel maintains all document history in perpetuity, unless you choose to purge old document history from time to time. You can purge old document history by going to Change...Delete History/Clear Files...Delete/Consolidate Transactions...3+ Years Ago.

Another possibility is that there may be some stray open batch files in your company folder that should have disappeared after updating them, but have not. After confirming that there are no open batches under View...Open Batches, open your company folder and look for any files with the name accbtn*.0** and then delete them.

If neither of the above yields a positive result, let me know and we can set up a quick TeamViewer session so that I can have a more detailed look.

[Kevin Smith]

You also need to check if there are recurring batches which may reference these accounts.

[michellepace]

Hi Neville, thank you for your reply.

There is possibly that there is some old document history in the system that has reference to that sub-account, which is preventing you from deleting the account. Pastel maintains all document history in perpetuity unless you choose to purge old document history from time to time. You can purge old document history by going to Change...Delete History/Clear Files...Delete/Consolidate Transactions...3+ Years Ago.

I've did this a month ago. It really shrunk the size of my newly created backups!

Another possibility is that there may be some stray open batch files in your company folder that should have disappeared after updating them, but have not. After confirming that there are no open batches under View...Open Batches, open your company folder and look for any files with the name accbtn*.0** and then delete them.

I was holding out hope for this one but unfortunately the only files I can see that come close to the name you described is ACCBTR1.001 and ACCBTR27.001. I've attached a screenshot just in case I'm missing something.

If neither of the above yields a positive result, let me know and we can set up a quick TeamViewer session so that I can have a more detailed look.

Thanks Neville, that's very kind of you indeed. I'll chat with the ladies at work next week and see when we can have all our batches cleared out again and get in touch via private message to arrange. Thank you very much!

[Neville Bailey]

I was holding out hope for this one but unfortunately the only files I can see that come close to the name you described is ACCBTR1.001 and ACCBTR27.001. I've attached a screenshot just in case I'm missing something.

Those files refer to recurring batches. You have one recurring batch using Entry Type 1 and another using Entry Type 27 - have a look at each of those recurring batches to see if there is any reference to the sub-accounts that you want to delete.

Thanks Neville, that's very kind of you indeed. I'll chat with the ladies at work next week and see when we can have all our batches cleared out again and get in touch via private message to arrange. Thank you very much!

Whenever you are ready...

[michellepace]

Hi Kevin and Neville, sorry but I actually don't know what a recurring batch is or where to find it. I can only guess that perhaps one of our cashbook mappings is mapping to the old GL account 3850/011 which I want to block and/or delete.

Those files refer to recurring batches. You have one recurring batch using Entry Type 1 and another using Entry Type 27 - have a look at each of those recurring batches to see if there is any reference to the sub-accounts that you want to delete.

Neville I'm pulling at straws here... do you mean that it has something to do with my Nedbank and Investec cashbooks since they are entity type 1 and 27? I've checked their cashbook mappings but see nothing mapping to 3850/011 (the GL account I want to block/delete). I'm not familiar with re-occurring batches, where else can I have a look?



In a desperate attempt... Neville I "deleted" the files ACCBTR1.001 and ACCBTR27.001 as shown in the screenshot below. I then tried to block the accounts I wanted to, and I could. What was surprising is that the last modified date of these files is 2015. My Pastel company only needs to go back 2 years.



So Neville and Kevin my question is now this:
If I only need two years history, and both ACCBTR1.001 and ACCBTR27.001 were last modified in 2015... can I simply and safely delete those files and thus my problem of not being able to delete old GL Accounts is solved! ?


Or I might be completely off track again

[Kevin Smith]

Yes - they can be deleted safely. If the recurring batch was being used, you would have updated entries to those GL accounts, and then you wouldn't have been able to delete the accounts. If you deleted a recurring batch in use by another user, it would have to be recaptured. Those transactions aren't committed to the database until the batch is updated.

[Neville Bailey]

Hi Michelle,

It is possible that the two recurring batches were set up some time ago, and have not been used. The fact that you don't know what they are seems to confirm that. Perhaps someone else worked on your set of accounts before you and used recurring batches?

Recurring batches are "template" batch structures that you can use to populate regular batches on a recurring basis, normally monthly. In the case of the cashbook batches, they can be found by clicking on the "Batch Type" field at the top of the journal, and then selecting "Recurring batch entry". If you have removed those two files, nothing will show.

[michellepace]

Hi Kevin & Neville, thank you both for your replies. You know... if it was a reoccuring batch used by someone which I don't know of. I can hardly think what we buy in a reoccuring manner where the price has not changed since 2015! Sure the price would have had to have been udpated. However, if I look at both files ACCBTR1.001 and ACCBTR27.001 neither of these files have been updated since 2015. It's confirmed then, I'll delete 'em

Thank you!
(I've got another question on how to go about learning Pastel in depth but I'll post that in another thread)

Thank you both once again.

[michellepace]

Hi Neville and Kevin, just a short note to say thanks again. I deleted both ACCBTR1.001 and ACCBTR27.001 (both of which were last modified in 2015). I can now block all the GL accounts I previously could not. Hooray and thank you

As for recurring batches - nobody in the office has heard of that functionality. I'm going to do a bit of reading up in the help file. We have a lot of monthly invoices which a repetitive. I'm hoping recurring batches might help us. I'll post in another thread on recurring batches soon I'm sure. Thanks again.

Michelle