Multiple expense accounts for 1 vendor

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Alden, MI UMC
Posts: 5
Joined: Wed Dec 23, 2020 5:41 pm

Multiple expense accounts for 1 vendor

Post by Alden, MI UMC »

Hi, I'm new to Power Church this year and am still in the process of setting everything up. My church pays the electric and gas bill for the church and for the parsonage and those bills come at the same time. We do keep separate expense tabs on the parsonage and the church so I'm trying to figure out how to write 1 check to the energy company that can be split on my end to both the church utility expense and the parsonage utility expense. Is there a way to do this?

I had tried to set each of the account numbers up under vendors, but they can't have the same code which implies to me that they will not join the checks together either. The amounts are different every month so I could do a repeating transaction and just change the amount every month, but was hoping there was an easier way.

Anyone have any tips for me? Thanks!

NeilZ
Posts: 10209
Joined: Wed Oct 08, 2003 1:20 am
Location: Dexter NM
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Re: Multiple expense accounts for 1 vendor

Post by NeilZ »

Alden, MI UMC wrote:
Fri Jan 08, 2021 6:57 pm
Hi, I'm new to Power Church this year and am still in the process of setting everything up. My church pays the electric and gas bill for the church and for the parsonage and those bills come at the same time. We do keep separate expense tabs on the parsonage and the church so I'm trying to figure out how to write 1 check to the energy company that can be split on my end to both the church utility expense and the parsonage utility expense. Is there a way to do this?

I had tried to set each of the account numbers up under vendors, but they can't have the same code which implies to me that they will not join the checks together either. The amounts are different every month so I could do a repeating transaction and just change the amount every month, but was hoping there was an easier way.

Anyone have any tips for me? Thanks!
Since you want to combine the expenses into one check, the easiest way is to leave the expense account blank on the vendor record, and also the account number. In this manner you select which expense account you're drawing the funds from when you enter the bill.
Neil Zampella

Using PC+ since 1999.

Alden, MI UMC
Posts: 5
Joined: Wed Dec 23, 2020 5:41 pm

Re: Multiple expense accounts for 1 vendor

Post by Alden, MI UMC »

Would I then have to enter each of the account numbers manually each time so they show on the check? I have 2 vendors that I do this with monthly and work on a volunteer basis so I'm trying to set things up to be quick and easy. I may still try to convince the board to move to online payments instead of a check, then each would clear individually anyway and I can have them in the vendor list with the account numbers. A lot of them are pretty sketchy about online stuff though so we'll see.

Sorry if I'm asking basic questions, I haven't made it through the 500 page manual and can't seem to find a quick answer that way. Getting the new program set up is eating all my free time right now

NeilZ
Posts: 10209
Joined: Wed Oct 08, 2003 1:20 am
Location: Dexter NM
Contact:

Re: Multiple expense accounts for 1 vendor

Post by NeilZ »

Alden, MI UMC wrote:
Sat Jan 09, 2021 10:43 am
Would I then have to enter each of the account numbers manually each time so they show on the check? I have 2 vendors that I do this with monthly and work on a volunteer basis so I'm trying to set things up to be quick and easy.
In actuality, its a quick lookup on the Enter Invoice form. With the cursor in the Account number block, press F2, and the list of Accounts from the COA will display, simply scroll down to the correct account. 10 seconds or less :) I do that regularly as we order bible studies for different groups, and the expense accounts are different, so I have the one vendor, but switch the expense account as needed.
I may still try to convince the board to move to online payments instead of a check, then each would clear individually anyway and I can have them in the vendor list with the account numbers. A lot of them are pretty sketchy about online stuff though so we'll see.
You would still need to enter those as manual checks, but you can enter both expense lines on the same manual check. In fact you can do that now, without entering the account number to print on the check. it would look like this in the account list:

01-1110-000 - Checking - CR 210.00
01-5210-000 - Manse El - DB 100.00
01-5220-000 - Church El - DB 110.00

you'd just print one check.
Sorry if I'm asking basic questions, I haven't made it through the 500 page manual and can't seem to find a quick answer that way. Getting the new program set up is eating all my free time right now
No problem, that's what the forum's here for.
Neil Zampella

Using PC+ since 1999.

Alden, MI UMC
Posts: 5
Joined: Wed Dec 23, 2020 5:41 pm

Re: Multiple expense accounts for 1 vendor

Post by Alden, MI UMC »

NeilZ wrote:
Sat Jan 09, 2021 1:11 pm
Alden, MI UMC wrote:
Sat Jan 09, 2021 10:43 am
Would I then have to enter each of the account numbers manually each time so they show on the check? I have 2 vendors that I do this with monthly and work on a volunteer basis so I'm trying to set things up to be quick and easy.
In actuality, its a quick lookup on the Enter Invoice form. With the cursor in the Account number block, press F2, and the list of Accounts from the COA will display, simply scroll down to the correct account. 10 seconds or less :) I do that regularly as we order bible studies for different groups, and the expense accounts are different, so I have the one vendor, but switch the expense account as needed.
I meant the account number for the vendor, they do have separate 12 digit account numbers and if I'm leaving that blank in the vendor, I'd have to look that up and add it to the line item each time so the vendor knows how to apply the payments I sent them. I may still try and get them to set up online payments so we don't have to buy so many checks/stamps/envelopes, but I'm working with people who have done things the same way for the last 20 years. They agreed to let me pick whatever software I wanted to use since I really didn't like what we were using and annual/monthly subscriptions are no fun and I'm basically the only one that has to use it.

NeilZ
Posts: 10209
Joined: Wed Oct 08, 2003 1:20 am
Location: Dexter NM
Contact:

Re: Multiple expense accounts for 1 vendor

Post by NeilZ »

Alden, MI UMC wrote: I meant the account number for the vendor, they do have separate 12 digit account numbers and if I'm leaving that blank in the vendor, I'd have to look that up and add it to the line item each time so the vendor knows how to apply the payments I sent them. I may still try and get them to set up online payments so we don't have to buy so many checks/stamps/envelopes, but I'm working with people who have done things the same way for the last 20 years. They agreed to let me pick whatever software I wanted to use since I really didn't like what we were using and annual/monthly subscriptions are no fun and I'm basically the only one that has to use it.
AH .. gotcha. You should be able to include BOTH account numbers in the Vendor's Account entry block as it has at least 50 spaces and it will all print on the memo line. That, and the payment slips that are usually included with the bill should handle that.
Neil Zampella

Using PC+ since 1999.

Alden, MI UMC
Posts: 5
Joined: Wed Dec 23, 2020 5:41 pm

Re: Multiple expense accounts for 1 vendor

Post by Alden, MI UMC »

NeilZ wrote:
Sat Jan 09, 2021 9:41 pm
Alden, MI UMC wrote: I meant the account number for the vendor, they do have separate 12 digit account numbers and if I'm leaving that blank in the vendor, I'd have to look that up and add it to the line item each time so the vendor knows how to apply the payments I sent them. I may still try and get them to set up online payments so we don't have to buy so many checks/stamps/envelopes, but I'm working with people who have done things the same way for the last 20 years. They agreed to let me pick whatever software I wanted to use since I really didn't like what we were using and annual/monthly subscriptions are no fun and I'm basically the only one that has to use it.
AH .. gotcha. You should be able to include BOTH account numbers in the Vendor's Account entry block as it has at least 50 spaces and it will all print on the memo line. That, and the payment slips that are usually included with the bill should handle that.
Oh ok, that will work, I didn't think to try and have them both in the same line--and you're right there are payment slips, but they usually notate to include account on check. My other solution might be to add them as a recurring transaction, and just edit the amount before I release it each month. I'll have to try each way and see what I like better. I think I'm catching on to how things work pretty well so far.


Thank you for your help, I've been exploring around the forums a little bit, seems like you know what's what around here.

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