Accounting at Edmonds Community College
Acct 101 - Instructions for Simply Accounting
Instructor: A. R. Williams
Simply Accounting is a commercial general ledger software package designed to maintain accounting records for a small business. The program in use at EdCC’s Academic Computer Services labs includes data files for problems in McQuaig and Bille’s College Accounting textbook. These files are stored on the ACS network, under each student’s subdirectory. Students are encouraged to purchase the software sold in the EdCC bookstore. That package includes a data disk with the problem files, plus instructions for using the software.
To Successfully Operate The Program In The Computer Lab:
- Learn how to log on and use the system. Write down your password and don’t lose it! Become acquainted with the Windows 95 operating environment. Learn how to format disks, save files to a disk and to your subdirectory on the network, and to exit the program and network properly.
- Before you come to the computer lab, be prepared. Read the problem, and know what are the requirements to complete the problem. Formulate the journal entries, using the account numbers from the textbook, and bring a copy of your entries to the lab.
- Practice with Simply Accounting. The best way to learn a piece of software is to use it.
- When you select a problem,and BEFORE you start to work, ALWAYS save it (Save As command under the File menu) with a NEW NAME to a formatted 3.5" floppy diskette in the ‘A’ drive. This step will preserve the original files under the original name in case you want to start over from the beginning.
- When you are finished working, quit the problem by closing the journals, ledgers, and reports with which you were working, and then close the program from the File menu
To Work A Problem From McQuaig And Bille:
- Select a problem, and save it under a new name to your subdirectory or a floppy diskette.
- Select the Using Date by clicking on ‘OK’. Then, select the Set-Up menu and the Company Information command. On the Name line, insert a hyphen after the company name, and type your own name.
- From the Main program screen, open the general journal, either by clicking on the General Icon (it looks like a book, in the left-hand column) or by opening the File menu and selecting the ‘Open Journal’ command. The Journal Entry screen has several fields that must be completed. SOURCE refers to a source document, such as a check number or invoice. Then, use the TAB key or your mouse to move the cursor to the DATE field. Enter the date as a four-digit number, such as 12/25, and OMIT THE YEAR. Again, TAB or mouse to the COMMENT field for a brief description.
- Next, move the cursor, with the TAB or mouse to the ACCOUNT field, and enter the account number for the debit. You can view a chart of accounts by using the ENTER KEY, and select the account number from that list. The software will then move you automatically to the Debit field, so you can enter an amount. Then, use TAB or mouse to move back to the ACCOUNT field to enter the account number for the credit, and then the amount of the credit. Then, TAB or mouse, and the POST command will be highlighted. Before you post the transaction, REVIEW your transaction for accuracy and completeness. Once a transaction is posted, you CANNOT ERASE THE TRANSACTION! Any errors will have to be corrected with correcting and reversing transactions. POST each transaction individually. The journal entry screen will advance to a new screen for the next transaction.
- Once you have journalized all the transactions in the problem, close the journal (from the File Menu) and open the Report Menu to display a trial balance, general ledger or financial statements. The Simply Accounting software does not produce a Statement of Owner’s Equity. Instead, the owner’s equity accounts are reconciled within the owner’s equity section of the balance sheet. If you wish to print your reports, you can access the PRINT command from the file menu for the report.
Problem Solving
Please remember that, like anything else that is new, there will be glitches and clunks with this software. Recognize that this is a learning experience, and that you will probably encounter confusion, difficulties, and errors. To overcome those issues, familiarize yourself with procedures, be prepared for the lab, use the program’s Help screens, and try to solve your own problems. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, but when you do, try to remember what steps you took to get to your stumbling point. That information will be useful to those trying to help you. If the problem you are working is beyond repair, you can start over, if you used the "SAVE AS" command before you started.
Above all, remember that a POSITIVE ATTITUDE and a SENSE OF HUMOR are essential to learning in the computer lab. Your preparation before the lab, and temperament within the lab, will help you to overcome any situation you encounter.
