ARS - User Quick Reference

November 23, 2004

This document explains the processes by which a user performs certain tasks related to invoice activity in the ARS (Accounts Receivable System).

How to Create an Invoice

INV (University Invoice) provides the facility for viewing and creating external invoices.

Step by Step Process

• Input INV in the Command field; tab to the Action field and type A (add). Press Enter.
• Type the vendor number if known or press PF1 (help) in the Customer field. A customer can have several names and addresses.
  • If the name is not correct, then press PF1 (help) in the Vendor Name No: field. The pop up window displays all of the names associated with this vendor. Select the correct name from the list.
  • If the address is not correct, then press PF1 (help) in the Vendor Addr No: field. The pop up window displays all of the addresses associated with this vendor. Select the address name from the list.
  • Once the correct name and address are displayed in the Vendor Details box, select that vendor for your invoice.
  • PF6 may be used to propose a new address, too. Select the customer and press PF6 to propose a new address. Note: Only one or two address lines per vendor are allowed on an invoice because of the limited amount of space to print the address information.
  • If your customer is not in the vendor file, press PF6 to propose your vendor. Note: Only one or two address lines per vendor are allowed on an invoice because of the limited amount of space to print the address information.
• Tab to the Tax Code field and enter the appropriate tax exempt code or leave blank in order to calculate sales tax on the invoice. Special note about sales tax: the system automatically calculates the sales tax amount based upon the tax information you enter on the invoice. All sales tax revenue is posted to a sales tax cost center; therefore, you won't use the sales tax amount when distributing your revenue to your cost center(s).
• Tab to the Contact BU field. The system defaults with your BU, but it can be changed if needed.
• Tab to the Tax ID field and leave blank unless you entered a tax code of RS (purchase for resell) or EP (customer tax exempt). Then enter the customer's tax payer id. These codes exempt the invoice from the sales tax calculation.
• Tab to the Attention field and enter the person's name that you want to print on the invoice or leave blank if there isn't a contact person. Note: Please don't type ATTN: or Attention: in this field because the system automatically prints "Attention:" before the name (if entered; otherwise, it's blank).
• Tab to the Name field and either leave your name or change it, if needed. This name is printed on the invoice as the contact person.
• Tab to the Phone field and enter your phone number. If you enter the last four digits of your phone number, the system formats it; otherwise, you have to enter the area code and the number. This phone number is printed on the invoice as the contact phone number.
• Tab to the Account field and enter the appropriate revenue or expenditure account code.
• Tab to the CCC field and enter the appropriate cost center. If you need to distribute the revenue to more than one cost center, then press PF12 to add additional cost centers, categories, projects, account codes, and amounts. You cannot enter a negative distribution. Remember that you can't distribute the sales tax amount to your cost center(s). (It is automatically posted to the sales tax cost center.) Note: If you enter more than one cost center, press PF10 to save your revenue distribution. If you receive the following warning message: "WARNING: Dist. of $$$.$$ does not match Item + S&H of 0.00" (where $$$.$$ is the sum of the amounts you entered), please ignore it and press PF10 to save. Note: You can't mix sponsored cost centers with non-sponsored cost centers.
• If you have only one cost center, tab to the Category field and enter the appropriate revenue or expenditure category.
• If you have only one cost center, tab to the Pr field and enter the appropriate project, if applicable.
• If you have only one cost center, tab to the Amount field and enter the amount of the invoice.
• Tab to the S&H field and leave blank, unless you have additional shipping and handling to add to the invoice. This will print as a separate line on the invoice.
• The Tax field displays the amount calculated for sales tax. This will print as a separate line on the invoice.
• Tab to the Desc field. You have several different options for entering an invoice description. The maximum number of description lines (or items) that you can enter per invoice is 10. You can mix them up in a number of ways. Note: The system warns you if you don't use mix case. Please remember that this text is printed on the invoice. Note: If you need to enter more than one line of text, your cursor automatically tabs to the Item Tax Code field when you reach the end of the first line. Same for the Unit of Measure field, the Quantity and Price fields on the second, third, and fourth lines.
• Tab to the Item Tax Code field and leave blank or enter the appropriate code if this line of the invoice is tax exempt. Press PF1 (help) for available options.
• Tab to the Unit of Measure field. Enter appropriate code or leave blank. A code is required if you enter a quantity. Press PF1 (help) for available options.
• Tab to the Quantity field. Enter appropriate quantity or leave blank. A quantity is required if you enter a unit of measure.
• Tab to the Price field and enter the price of your item.
• If you need to enter a second item, press PF8 and enter your description for your second item along with any applicable item tax code, unit of measure, quantity, and price. Please repeat this step until you have entered all your item descriptions. Note: If you need to insert an item, press PF13 (Shift key + PF1 key).
• Pressing PF4 brings up a window where you can enter some optional information.
• Sold To field allows you to enter optional customer information when the recipient of the goods or services is different from the billing name and address.
• Handling Code field allows you to change the initial printing and/or distribution of the original invoice. The default is M (print one copy and mail centrally). Press PF1 (help) for available options.
• Related Invoice field is used when you need to reference a cancelled invoice.
• Comment field is used to enter additional information about the invoice. Note: This information does not print on the invoice. The system also warns you if you don't use mixed case.
• Press PF10 to save any information entered.
• Note: If you don't change any of the optional information, your invoice will be mailed from the Treasurer's Office.
• Pressing PF9 allows you to enter text that prints on the back of the invoice. Note: Please use the function keys to assist with formatting this text. Press PF10 to save your text.
• Press Enter to validate and PF10 to save the invoice. The invoice number is displayed in your message line (usually at the top of your screen). The invoice number has a prefix of UA.

The invoice is a TARGET transaction that routes to the Treasurer's Office and the Controller's Office, if you used a expenditure code, for final approval. Note: If a vendor or address was proposed on the invoice, then the invoice cannot be finally approved until the vendor has been created by the vendor maintenance person in Business Affairs.

Approved invoices are printed in a nightly batch process.

University invoices are single page invoices with information on both sides of the page. Printing the invoices at Computing Services allows us to use perforated paper and logos on the invoice. Credit card information is on the back of the invoice if the vendor prefers to use that method of payment.

How to Copy an Invoice

• Display the invoice you want to copy on INV.
• Change the action to C and press enter. The invoice information is copied and displayed so you can change the information as appropriate.
• PF10 to sublmit the invoice for approval.

How to Find UA Invoices

There are several list functions available in ARS to find invoices.

LIBS - List Invoices for a BU, Status, UA/RA by Date

LIDC - List Invoice Debits and Credits

LIVS - List Invoices for a Vendor, Status by Date

LTIN - List Transactions by Invoice Number

Using LIBS to Find Invoices for a BU

LIBS (List Invoices for a BU, Status, UA/RA by Date) displays invoices for a type by BU and status on or before a date.

While the cursor is in the ID field in the banner, type in UA (for U of A invoices). Tab to the Date field and enter the date for which you want the list to begin. For example, today's date lists all invoices on or before today's date. Tab to the BU field and enter the budgetary unit of the invoices you want to view. Tab to the Status field and enter the appropriate invoice status.

All invoices for the BU and status are displayed on or before the entered date. Selecting an invoice and pressing PF2 suspends you to the invoice (INV). When viewing the invoice, pressing PF4 displays additional information such as item total, sales tax information, credits applied, invoice status and date set, who requested invoice and date approved, and date closed, cancelled, or written off and by whom. If any optional information was entered, press PF4 again to display the optional information on the invoice such as sold to, handling code, related invoice number, and comments.

You can email the invoice to yourself by selecting the invoice and pressing PF12 (email). You can then forward the invoice to the vendor, if needed.

Using LIDC to View Invoice Activity

LIDC (List Invoice Debits and Credits) displays the debits and credits for an invoice.

While the cursor is in the ID field in the banner, type in UA and the last digits of the number. If you don't know the invoice number, you need to find it on LIBS.

All the activity for the invoice is displayed. The status and outstanding balance are also displayed. The debit lines represent the receivable entries by invoice line number. The credit lines represent the payment activity. Pressing PF4 on an invoice line displays the item description, item tax code, unit of measure, quantity, price, and item amount. Pressing PF4 on a receipt line displays the receipt method and id, date and time created, effective date, person who entered receipt, the account number, cost center, category, project, and amount of each receivable and the amount credited to each receivable.

Selecting a debit line and pressing PF2 suspends you to the invoice (INV). When viewing the invoice, pressing PF4 displays additional information such as item total, sales tax information, credits applied, invoice status and date set, who requested invoice and date approved, and date closed, cancelled, or written off and by whom. If any optional information was entered, press PF4 again to display the optional information on the invoice such as sold to, handling code, related invoice number, and comments.

Selecting a credit line and pressing PF2 suspends you to the receipt function (RCPT).

Using LIVS to Find Invoices for a Vendor

LIVS (List Invoices for a Vendor, Status by Date) displays invoices for a Vendor and status on or before a date.

While the cursor is in the Vendor (Customer) field in the banner, type in the vendor number or press PF1 (help). Tab to the Date field and enter the date for which you want the list to begin. For example, today's date lists all invoices on or before today's date. Tab to the Status field and enter the appropriate invoice status.

All invoices for the vendor and status are displayed on or before the entered date. Selecting an invoice and pressing PF2 suspends you to the invoice and pressing PF4 displays additional information such as item total, sales tax information, credits applied, invoice status and date set, who requested invoice and date approved, and date closed, cancelled, or written off and by whom. If any optional information was entered, press PF4 again to display the optional information on the invoice such as sold to, handling code, related invoice number, and comments.

You can email the invoice to yourself by selecting the invoice and pressing PF12 (email). You can then forward the invoice to the vendor, if needed.

Using LTIN to Find an Invoice

LTIN (List Transactions by Invoice Number) displays all invoices starting with an entered id. This function lists the invoice TARGET transactions.

While the cursor is in the ID field in the banner, type in UA. LTIN displays all invoice transactions with UA id. If you enter UA and the last digits of an invoice number, LTIN displays all invoice TARGET transactions starting with the invoice number you entered.

The invoice number, requested date and time, the requestor, the contact BU, the transaction status, and customer are displayed. Selecting an invoice and pressing PF2 suspends you to the invoice transaction. When viewing the invoice, pressing PF4 displays additional information such as item total, sales tax information, credits applied, invoice status and date set, who requested invoice and date approved, and date closed, cancelled, or written off and by whom. If any optional information was entered, press PF4 again to display the optional information on the invoice such as sold to, handling code, related invoice number, and comments.

Quick Tips

• Enter UA plus the last digits of the invoice number to quickly find your invoice. For example, entering UA12 systematically converts to UA10000012.
• To email an invooice to yourself us LIBS or LIVS, select the invoice you want and press PF12.
• To find the outstanding balance on an invoice use LIDC.
• To find invoices for a vendor use LIVS.
• If you need to insert an item description on INV, press PF13 (Shift key + PF1 key) on the item that you want the new item to precede.
• If you need to withdraw your transaction, display your transactions on INV and change the action to W (withdraw) and press PF10 to withdraw the transaction. Note: only the requestor can withdraw his/her transactions.
• If you need to copy an invoice that you withdrew, go to LTRS (List Transactions for Requestor, Status, and command) with your user id as the requestor and a status of W. Select the transaction and press PF2 (suspend). While viewing the transaction on INV, change your action to C (copy) and change the appropriate information.
• You can find transactions for a requestor and status by using LTRS (List Transactions for a Requestor, Status, and command).
• Shipping and handling charges need to be included in your cost center distribution amounts.
• The system automatically calculates sales tax unless you enter a tax exempt code. You can exempt the whole invoice from sales tax by using the Tax Code field or you can exempt individual items from sales tax by using the Item Tax Code field.
• All calculated sales tax is posted to a sales tax cost center so you won't use the sales tax amount when distributing your revenue to your cost center(s).

Please contact Chrissy Woodward at 575-6264 in the Treasurer's Office with any questions.

Complete User Documentation can be found at: http://www.uark.edu/basis/docs.html.