Glossary of Terms

abort

Deliberately terminate a job prior to its completion.

access

To store data to, or retrieve data from memory or other storage devices. To locate data, usually in a file.

accounting period

A period of time within a financial year. In most cases a financial year consists of 12 or 13 accounting periods.

accounts payable (creditors ledger)

Amounts companies owe suppliers for goods and services. Listed in the current liabilities section on the statement of financial position.

accounts receivable (debtors ledger)

Amounts customers owe a company from sales of goods or services that the company expects to collect within one year. Listed in the current assets section on the statement of financial position.

accrual accounting

The method of accounting for the income and expenses of a period as they are earned or incurred, independent of the time when cash is received or paid. Accredo Accounts Receivable and Accounts Payable Modules operate on an accruals basis. The opposite of cash accounting.

adjustment period

Financial adjustment periods are optional, only visible to the GL, and occur on the final day of the year. They allow you to separate year end adjustments (e.g. adjustments from your Accountant) from other GL processing and to easily report with or without the adjustments applied. There is no separate end of period update required for the Adjustment period.

administration expenses

The costs of directing and controlling a business, for example, stationery, rent, rates, legal fees, and office salaries.

allocate

To apportion a cost or income against one or more accounts or transactions.

alphanumeric character

The set of characters containing the letters of the alphabet (A-Z), numerals (0-9) and some other symbols. Alphanumeric codes contain a combination of these characters.

annual accounts

The end of year financial statement for a company, made up of a Statement of Financial Performance, Statement of Movements in Equity and Statement of Financial Position.

ANSI

Acronym for the American National Standards Institute. The ANSI Character Set is a set of special characters and codes adopted by the ANSI standards organisation.

API

Application program interface. A set of protocols and tools for building software applications.

application software

Programs written to do specific tasks. Examples are accounting programs such as Accredo, word processing programs, spreadsheets, and database programs.

ASCII

Acronym for American Standard Code for Information Interchange. It refers to the computer representation of a character.

assets

Anything companies own. These things might be physical assets such as buildings, trucks, inventories of products, equipment and cash. They also could be intangible assets such as goodwill, trademarks and patents. Assets are listed as a category on the statement of financial position. See also accounts receivable, current assets, fixed assets, and non-current assets.

available

Able to be clicked (referring to an icon or button) or edited (referring to a field).

backup

The process of creating extra copies of usually compressed files to protect against the loss of data or programs. The files created by this process are also referred to as a backup.

bad debts

Uncollectible accounts receivable.

balance

The difference between the debits and credits in a ledger account.

balance forward

In balance forward accounts, receipts or payments are allocated to the oldest debt. Accredo allows maintenance of balance forward accounts or open item accounts.

balance sheet

A financial statement that reports a company’s assets and the claims against them, liabilities and stockholders’ equity, at a set date noted on the statement. This is also referred to as a statement of financial position. The total value of the asset accounts minus the liability accounts will always equal the total value of the equity accounts.

bank overdraft

A current account that a banker has permitted to be overdrawn, so the customer is in debt to the bank.

bank reconciliation

A procedure or report that explains a difference between the current balance of the bank account and the balance of the statement issued by the bank. The difference is made up of un-presented withdrawals and outstanding deposits.

batch processing

A method where transactions to be processed are first collected into groups (batches), then input into Accredo, as opposed to online processing.

book value

The value of an asset, a liability or a stockholder's equity account. For a fixed asset, this is typically the cost of the asset minus accumulated depreciation. As companies continue to use fixed assets to generate revenue, book values lessen and sometimes ultimately reach zero.

budget

Financial plans showing how the business is expected to perform in the future. The size of variations from budgets are an indication of whether the business is performing to expectation.

bug

A program error.

capital

The owner's equity in a business.

cash accounting

The method of accounting for the income and expenses of a period as they are received or paid in cash. Accredo Cash Book operates on a cash basis. This is the opposite of accrual accounting.

cash book

A record of cash received and cash paid transactions, forming a ledger containing a running balance of the cash banked.

cash flow

Cash Receipts less cash payments for a given accounting period.

character

A number, letter or symbol you can type on the computer.

chart of accounts

A list of accounts in a general ledger, showing all non-financial details of the accounts.

client

A computer that shares the resources of another (server) computer.

client/server network

A type of network where one station is designated the Server, and all others act as terminals or clients.

closing stock

The inventory on hand at the end of an accounting period.

corruption

Information in the computer or data on the disk changed from what it should be, for example, by a power surge, or by bad media handling.

cost of sales

The cost of inventory sold during a period. Equals opening stock plus purchase and cost of goods manufactured minus closing stock.

crash

When a computer program stops functioning properly and stops. Users can often restart the program by first restarting the computer.

credit note (credit)

A document issued by the seller to the buyer noting the amount repayable to the buyer for goods returned or overcharged.

creditor

A person to whom money is owed.

current account

An account that transactions between two parties are recorded in, for example, a customer's cheque account with a bank.

current assets

Assets a company can convert to cash within one year. Examples are accounts receivable and inventories of products to sell. These are listed in the assets category on the statement of financial position. See also accounts receivable, assets, fixed assets.

current liabilities

Obligations a company has to others, such as creditors, suppliers and tax authorities, payable within one year. Listed in the liabilities category on the statement of financial position. See also accounts payable, debt, income taxes.

cursor

A small flashing bar showing the current position in a user interface, where the next typed character will be displayed. It can also indicate that the computer is requesting input from the operator.

debtor

A Company or person who owes money to the business.

default

A value pre-selected by the computer before the operator enters information. Default values can often be changed by over-typing or selecting another option.

deposit

A credit transaction; a transaction appearing in the credit/deposit field of the bank statement.

depreciation

An allowance for wear or age made to the value of a fixed asset, allocating its cost over its estimated useful life. It is listed in the assets category on the statement of financial position. See also book value.

directory

The directory acts as a table of contents for a disk. For each file saved on a disk, the directory stores the name, address, size, date and time of creation.

document definition file

A template used for creating standard documents such as invoices, cheques or statements. A set of standard document definition files are provided with Accredo, or you can create new ones using an Accredo document or label designer.

double entry book keeping

A method of recording transactions in terms of a balance of debits and credits. This is based on the equation that liabilities plus owner equity equals assets.

drawings

Cash withdrawn or payments made on behalf of the proprietor or partner in a business. Drawings are not an expense but a direct deduction from the owner's equity.

edit

To change, add or delete data.

error message

A message that indicates a mistake.

expenses

Costs such as salaries, rent, office supplies, advertising and taxes. These are listed in the operating expenses category on the statement of earnings.

export

To take the data from one application and move it to another application, or to a file that another application can read.

field

A unit of information, for example, a name, a date, or an account balance.

file

A collection of records, for example, in Accredo the collection of all customer records forms the customer file.

file name

The name of a file used to identify and reference it on the disk.

fixed assets

Anything companies use for more than one year to manufacture, display, store and transport products. These are also called "Property, plant and equipment". These are listed after current assets in the assets category on the statement of financial position.

formatting

Preparing a digital storage media for a computer to be able to read to or write from it.

function keys

Specially marked keys on the keyboard usually prefixed with the letter F, such as F1.

general ledger

The summary account where records of other accounts are shown to create reports that give a complete picture of the business' finances.

gross margin

The difference between an item's cost and its selling price. The percentage margin is the relationship between the gross margin and the item's selling price. Gross margin and percentage margin are indications of profitable products.

gross profit

The difference between a company’s total sales and its cost of sales. This is listed as a category on the statement of earnings. It is also called gross income.

hard copy

A printed copy of a document on paper, as opposed to being read on a screen.

hardware

All the computer equipment that can be seen and touched, for example, the computer, monitor, disk drive, and printer.

income

Revenue generated by supply of goods and services by the business.

increment

In coding, to increase the value of a variable, usually by one.

input

Data supplied to a computer.

integrated

When an accounting package is said to be integrated, data generated in one area that is needed in another area is posted to the other area. This eliminates needless re-keying of the same data to different areas. Accredo is an integrated package, for example, data entered in IN is posted to AR, IC, and finally to the GL.

inventories

All goods and materials available for sale (in the case of wholesalers, retailers and distributors) or raw materials and supplies, work in process and finished goods (in the case of manufacturers). These are listed in the current assets section on the statement of financial position.

inventory value

Inventory can be valued based on the Average Cost, Latest Cost or Standard Cost of each item in stock.

invoice

A document sent by a seller to a buyer showing details of goods traded.

journal entry

Record of a transaction with details as to which accounts are to be Debited and Credited.

ledger

A systematic collection of individual accounts, see general ledger and subsidiary ledger in this Glossary.

ledger date

The last day of an accounting period. This date is printed on Financial Reports for the period.

liabilities

A company’s debts to a lender, a supplier of goods and services, a tax authority, a landlord and others. This is listed as a category on the statement of financial position.

local area network (LAN)

A communications system connecting computers and peripherals together to form an integrated system able to share resources and information. A LAN usually spans a limited area such as an office block.

lock

A network facility that allows records and files to be protected during use from corruption or changes by other users.

locked down

Referring to a button or icon to indicate that the related function (for example, Memos & Alarms or Filter & Sort) is in use.

log on

To start a session on a computer terminal by using a command and usually a password, for example you can log on to Accredo.

long term liability

Liability due for payment more than twelve months away.

macro

A set of commands that are executed by a single command or keystroke, see Scripting.

maintaining files

Keeping files up to date. Generally this includes adding, editing and deleting records.

margin and markup calculation

The calculations for Margin and Markup and how they relate.

Profit = Sell - Cost

Margin = Profit / Sell * 100

Markup = Profit / Cost * 100

Markup = Margin / (100 - Margin) * 100

Sell = Cost + (Cost * Markup) / 100

Sell = Cost / ((100 - Margin) / 100)

matrix

A layout of data in rows and columns, where each item can be identified by its row and column numbers.

media

Material that computer data is recorded on, for example, disks, tapes or CDs.

memory

The part of a computer that stores data and programs. The memory in a computer consists of random access memory (RAM) and read-only memory (ROM).

menu

A list of available options shown on a screen to guide a user around a program.

modal window

A modal window is a window subordinate to the main open window, that creates a mode where the main window cannot be used. The modal window must be closed before the user can return to the main window.

month to date (MTD)

The period from the date of the last month end update to the present processing date, within the Current Period. MTD and PTD (period to date) are used interchangeably in Accredo as Accredo is usually used on a monthly basis.

multi-tasking

The apparent capacity of a computer to perform more than one task at a time.

multi-user

Multi-user software means that more than one user can access files at the same time. Accredo is made multi-user through very careful design considerations, that lock minimal parts of Accredo that are critical to one user's needs to prevent another user conflicting with those needs, but allow access to all other functions. Accredo software is fully multi-user.

net profit

A company’s total revenue less total expenses, showing what a company earned (or if lost, called net loss) for a set period, usually one year. Listed often literally as the "bottom line" on the statement of earnings. Also called net earnings and net income.

network

A network consists of a number of computers linked together to allow sharing of resources such as printers and disks. Within a network there will be one or more file servers that contain files accessible by other computers on the network.

numeric character

A number.

numeric keypad

A set of numbered keys grouped together usually on the right of the keyboard.

ODBC

Open Database Connectivity. A software protocol that allows exchange of data between different databases. The Data Interchange module must be installed to use this in Accredo.

OEM

Acronym for Original Equipment Manufacturer. The OEM Character Set is the character set of the original IBM PC, or MS DOS.

OLEDB

Object Linking and Embedding Database. An API that allows accessing data from different sources in a uniform manner. The Data Interchange module must be installed to use this in Accredo.

online processing

A method of data processing where data is processed at the time of entry, as opposed to batch processing.

opening entries

The journal entries necessary to record the initial assets, liabilities and owner's equity on the formation of an accounting entity.

operator

A function shown by a symbol, to apply to data. In Accredo, operators are used in Filter & Sorts to define the way search criteria must be met. Examples of operators include:

= (equal to)

> (greater than)

* (containing)

overwrite

To write data over the top of existing data, thereby replacing the original data.

owner's equity

The money owed by a business to the owner. Calculated by subtracting the book value of the liabilities form the book value of the assets. Also called net assets, net worth or shareholders' equity. There are two main areas:

password

A security code for accessing a computer system.

peer to peer

A type of network where any workstation can be both a server and a client at the same time, without a client-server infrastructure.

period to date (PTD)

Period from the last end of Period to the present processing date in the current Period. PTD and MTD (month to date) are used interchangeably in Accredo as it is assumed Accredo is usually used on a monthly basis.

piracy

Illegally copying a computer program.

posting

The process of transferring information to a transaction in a ledger. For example, posting an Invoice in Accredo creates a transaction in the Accounts Receivable ledger.

profit and loss

The statement of income, expenses, gains and losses, showing the results of the business' operations in a period.

prompt

A request from a software application for information to be supplied by the user.

read

The action of retrieving stored data.

receipt

Written acknowledgement of having received an amount of money or goods.

reconciliation

Comparing two sets of figures from different sources. For example, in Accredo a bank reconciliation compares records of bank transactions against a bank statement to ensure both records are in agreement.

record

A group of one or more related fields. For example, the fields representing a customer's name, address, account balances, and other fields are grouped into a record called the Customer record.

remittance advice

A document sent with a payment to a creditor, showing what the payment is for.

residual value

The amount a company expects to be able to sell (trade-in or scrap) a fixed asset for at the end of its useful life. Also known as salvage value.

restore

The process of reverting to information saved previously in a backup.

retained earnings

The total amount of a company’s net earnings since its inception, minus any payments made to stockholders. Retained earnings is part of the stockholders’ equity, and represents the portion of a company’s assets that are financed from profitable operations rather than from selling stock to investors or borrowing from external sources. This is listed on the statement of financial position.

scrolling

The process of moving a window or image on screen that takes up more than its allocated space.

search

To question a document, file, database or disk to find a specific record or piece of information.

server

A computer that contains files and resources that can be accessed by other computers. A dedicated server can only be used to share files and resources, whereas a non-dedicated server can also be used as a computer in its own right.

SMTP

Simple Mail Transfer Protocol. An Internet standard for email transmission, providing a fast way of sending emails.

spreadsheet

A program that manipulates tables of data over a number of rows or columns.

statement

A written summary of transactions during a period. For example, A debtor's statement usually summarises one month's transactions and shows the balance due for payment.

stock

Another term for inventory.

stock on hand

The stock held for resale. Also referred to as inventory on hand.

subassembly

Collection of products used together as a unit, to be then used as a component in another product.

subsidiary ledger

A ledger containing the individual accounts for a set of assets or liabilities, for example, the debtors ledger and creditors ledger. The total for the subsidiary ledger is represented in a control account in the GL, for example, the sundry debtors and sundry creditors accounts.

toggle

To switch from one state to another. For example, a checkbox allows you to toggle from selected to clear.

trading account

The part of an income statement showing the gross profit arising from trading (sales less cost of goods sold).

trial balance

A listing of the accounts in the GL and the totals of their respective debit and credit balances.

unavailable

Not able to be clicked (referring to an icon or button) or edited (referring to a field), and is often shown in grey. This can be because:

unicode

A computing industry standard for consistent representation of text.

unreconciled

An unreconciled transaction is one that is entered into the cash book but has not yet appeared on the bank statement.

update

To modify existing information in a file or program with more current information.

upgrade

To modify existing resources or programs to an enhanced version.

user

A person who operates application software.

user defined

Fields that the user can set to suit the needs of the business. For example, the Accredo invoice headings and a number of Accredo reports are user defined.

UTC

UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) is the 24-hour global time standard commonly used to determine local times around the world. Every time zone is defined by its difference from UTC, known as its UTC timezone offset.

variance

The difference, for example, between the actual and budgeted expenses or income.

verify

To confirm accuracy, for example, the process of checking a backup to ensure it is readable.

wide area network (WAN)

A communications system connecting an assortment of computers and peripherals together to form an integrated system, able to share resources and information. A WAN can cover an unlimited area, including offices in different parts of a country, or in more than one country.

withdrawal

A debit transaction that appears in the Debit/Withdrawal field of the bank statement.

write

The process of storing information in memory devices such as RAM or disks.

year to date (YTD)

The period from the date of the last year-end update to the present processing date within the current year.