Using a Wizard

Your system administrator may provide one or more wizards to help you create new accounts. A wizard may be one of the available options or the only option.

If a wizard is your only option, when you click New the wizard opens. Complete the required fields on each page, and then click Next to progress to the end of the wizard. When you click Finish at the end of the wizard, the record is available in the appropriate list view and collection. See Viewing Accounts for more information.

Note: If a wizard is your only option, and you want to use an existing account record to create a new account record, a wizard will not open. A blank account record opens and you can complete the fields manually. See Copying a Record and Creating or Editing an Account Manually for more information.

Creating or Editing an Account Manually

Use the account General page to begin manually creating an account record. Once you save the record, you can edit it at any time.

Note: Your company may allow you to create an account using a wizard only, so the option to create an account manually may not be available. See Using a Wizard for more information.

To create or edit an account manually

1. Click the Finance tab.
2. Click the Accounts link on the left tab bar.
3. Select one of the following options:
   • To create an account, click New.
   • To edit an account, click the Edit Record icon  to the left of an account.
4. From the General page, the following fields in the Account Information section are required:
   • Name—Enter a name for the account.
   • Account Period Begins—Click the Calendar icon to select the start date.
   • Account Period Ends—Click the Calendar icon to select the end date.
     
     Transactions can post to the account only between the Account Period start and end dates.
   • Allocation Limit—Enter the maximum amount of money that can be allocated (deposited or transferred) to the account. If you do not want an account to have an allocation limit, set the Allocation Limit to zero ($0.00).
5. (optional) To enter information in fields that have been created for your company:
   • Click the Categories link in the left pane.
     The Categories page opens. Select the category to add (enable).
   • Click the General link in the left pane.
     A section displays below Notes. Enter the appropriate information in the corresponding fields.
6. For additional field descriptions, see Account General Page Field Descriptions.
7. For information about adding categories and details, see Adding or Removing Categories from an Account.
8. For information about setting posting criteria, see Setting Transaction Posting Criteria.
9. For information about adding child accounts, see Viewing or Creating Child Accounts.
10. Select a save option.
    After saving an account, click Activate to add funds to the account.

Account General Page Field Descriptions

Some field descriptions that follow may not display based on system settings and your assigned rights. Field descriptions are listed in alphabetical order and may display in a different order in the application.

Account Information Section Field Descriptions

Account Summary Section Field Descriptions

Account Add Funds Screen Field Descriptions

Account Subtract Funds Screen Field Descriptions

Account Notes Section Field Description

Account Access Information Section Field Descriptions

Creating a Shadow Invoice Account

A shadow invoice is an invoice that tracks all fees but does not reflect what you actually pay. In order to post shadow invoices to an account, another account must already exist with the same category and posting criteria as the shadow invoice. Most of the time, this account already exists and you do not need to create one.

To find out if a shadow invoice account already exists for this fiscal period, run a custom search from the Accounts page. Under the Filter Criteria, select Account Category as the Field, Is as the Operator, and Shadow Invoice as the Value. Include Account Period Begins and Account Period Ends as the Results Display fields to determine the fiscal periods of any existing records.

If there is no shadow invoice account for the appropriate fiscal period, you can create the account manually using the Accounts pages.

To create a shadow invoice account manually

1. From the Finance tab, click Accounts.
2. Click the New button to create an account record.
3. From the General page, enter or select the following values:
   • Name: Shadow Invoice
   • Account Type: Budget
   • Account Period Begins/Ends: [your fiscal period start date] and [your fiscal period end date]
   • Overdraft Type: Allow negative account
   • Allow Posting: checkbox selected
4. From the Posting Criteria page, scroll down to the Invoice field and select Shadow Invoice as the primary category.
5. Save the account.
6. From the open account click the Activate button at the top of the page.
7. From the Posting Criteria page, click Edit, scroll down to the Invoices field, and enter or select the following values:
   • Post Invoice Tasks to this Account: checkbox selected
   • Post Invoice Tasks of Type: (ANY)
   • Invoice Task Percent: 100%
   • Post Invoice Expenses to this Account: checkbox selected
   • Post Invoice Expenses of Type: (ANY)
   • Invoice Expense Percent: 100%
8. Save the account.

Note: If you change your preferences from budgeting by fiscal period to budgeting without a fiscal period, a shadow invoice might post to two accounts rather than one. In this case, manually deactivate the original shadow invoice account (the one that budgets by fiscal period).

Assigning Parent Accounts

On the General page, you can assign a parent account to an existing account. For more information, see Parent and Child Accounts.

To assign a parent account to an existing account

1. Search for an account that will be the child account and open it.
2. On the General page, Parent Account field, click the Search Accounts icon. Search and select a parent account.
3. Select a save option.

Viewing or Creating Child Accounts

On an account's Child Accounts page, you can view its existing child accounts or create a new account and set it as a child account of the original account. For more information, see Parent and Child Accounts.

To view or create a child account

1. Search for an account that will be the parent account and open it.
2. Click Child Accounts in the left pane.
3. Select one of the following options:
   • To view existing child accounts either browse the table or click an account name link to open the child account record.
   • To create a child account, click New Child Account.
     A new Account record is displayed with the original account's name displayed in the Parent Account field.
4. Enter account information as described in Creating or Editing an Account.
5. Select a save option.

The newly created account is displayed as a child account on the Child Accounts screen of the originally selected account. The original account is set as the parent account for the newly created child account.

Activation for Budget Requests

If you are using the Budget Request feature in Collaborati Spend Management, you must pay special attention to the sequence of activating accounts. The specific event that generates an automatic budget request is the activation of child accounts within a matter. For this reason, you must insure that all other conditions for budget requests have been met before you activate a child account.

The full set of conditions required for automatic generation of budget requests is described in the CSM Administration Guide.

Account Transfer Funds Screens Field Descriptions

Some field descriptions that follow may not display based on system settings and your assigned rights. Field descriptions are listed in alphabetical order and may display in a different order in the application.

Account - Transfer Funds To Screen Field Descriptions

Account - Transfer Funds From Screen Field Descriptions

Tips

• If you allow tasks and/or expenses to post to an account, you can also specify additional posting criteria by the associated project and/or task contact or expense contact.
• If you allow invoice tasks and/or invoice expenses to post to an account, you also can specify additional posting criteria by the associated project and by vendor contact. For invoice line items, you can also restrict posting by line item task type (category), line item expense type (category), and by timekeeper.
• If you allow posting by more than one transaction type (for example, if you select Post Tasks to this Account and also select Post Expenses to this Account), then any posting criteria you specify under the Project section or This Involved section will apply to all allowed transactions. For example, if you specify posting criteria to transactions associated with a specific project, then only tasks associated with that project or expenses associated with the same project will be able to post.

To set transaction posting criteria for tasks

1. Search for an account and open it.
2. Click Edit on the toolbar or click the Edit link in the section that you want to update.
3. Click Posting Criteria in the left pane.
4. To allow Tasks to post to this account, in the Task section, select the Post Tasks to this Account check-box.
   This allows all tasks to post to the current account.
5. Specify how tasks can post to the account in one or more of the following ways:
   • By a task category—In the Task section, select a category from the Post Tasks of Type drop-down list.
   • By a percent amount of the task—Type a numeric percent value in the Task Percent field. For example, if you enter 10 and the task total is $70, then 10% of $70 (or $7) will post to the account.
   • By a task contact—In the Involved section, for the Post Account to this Involved drop-down list, select One. Click the Search Contacts icon next to the This Involved field to search and select a contact.
   • By an associated project—In the Project section, for the Post Project to this Account drop-down list, select One. Click the Search Projects icon next to the This Project field to search and select a project.
   • By an associated project category—In the Project section, for the Post Project to this Account drop-down list, select By Type. In the Post Projects of Type field, select the custom record type (for example, Project). Also select the project category to restrict transactions to.
6. Select a save option.
   Any posting criteria selected under the Project or Involved sections would also apply to posting expenses or invoice line items.

To set transaction posting criteria for expenses

1. Search for an account and open it.
2. Click Edit on the toolbar or click the Edit link in the section that you want to update.
3. Click Posting Criteria in the left pane.
4. To allow expenses to post to this account, in the Expense section, select the Post Expenses to this Account check-box.
   This allows all expenses to post to the current account.
5. Specify how expenses can post to the account in one or more of the following ways:
   • By an expense category—Select a category in the Post Expenses of Category drop- down list.
   • By a percent amount of an expense—Type a numeric percent value in the Expense Percent field. For example, if you enter 10 and the expense total is $70, then 10% of $70 (or $7) will post to the account.
   • By an expense contact—In the Involved section, for the Post Account to this Involved drop-down list, select One. Click the Search Contacts icon next to the This Involved field to search and select a contact.
   • By an associated project—In the Project section, for the Post Project to this Account drop-down list, select One. Click the Search Contacts icon next to the This Project field to search and select a project.
   • By an associated project category—In the Project section, for the Post Project to this Account drop-down list, select Type. In the Post Projects of Type field, select the custom record type (for example, Project). Also select the project category to restrict transactions to.
6. Select a save option.
   Any posting criteria selected under the Project or Involved sections would also apply to posting tasks or invoice line items.

To set transaction posting criteria for invoice line items

1. Search for an account and open it.
2. Click Edit on the toolbar or click the Edit link in the section that you want to update.
3. Click Posting Criteria in the left pane.
4. To specify the types of invoices that can post to the account, in the Invoice section, select one or more checkboxes in the Post Invoice Type fields. The options that you select are the only type(s) of invoices that will post to this account. Options are Standard, Accrual, Shadow, or Credit Note. See Account Invoice Section Field Descriptions for more information.
   
   Important: If you do not select an option in the Post Invoice Type area, nothing will post to this account, regardless of the other options that you select on this page.
   
   There are special considerations for posting Shadow Invoices:
   • An account that allows Shadow Invoices to post cannot have a parent account, or child account, that does not allow Shadow Invoices to post. In other words, the treatment of Shadow Invoices must be consistent throughout a parent-child hierarchy.
   • An account that has not had any invoices posted to it is eligible to have Shadow Invoices posted to it. However, once an invoice that is not a Shadow Invoice has been posted to that account, Shadow Invoices can no longer be posted to it. Conversely, if a Shadow Invoice is the first invoice posted to an account, thereafter no other invoice type will be allowed to post to that account.
5. To allow invoice task/fee line items to post to this account, in the Invoice section, select the Post Invoice Tasks to this Account check-box.
   This allows all invoice task/fee line items to post to the current account.
6. Specify how invoice task/fee line items can post to the account in one or more of the following ways:
   • By a task category—Select a category in the Post Invoice Task of Type drop-down list.
   • By a percent amount of an invoice task line item—Type a numeric percent value in the Invoice Task Percent field. For example, if you enter 10 and the task total is $70, then 10% of $70 ($7) will post to the account.
   • By an associated project—In the Project section, for the Posting Project to this Account drop-down list, select One. Click the Search Projects icon next to the This Project field to search and select a project.
   • By an invoice vendor—In the Vendor section, for the Post Account to this Vendor drop- down list, select One. Click the Search Contacts icon next to the This Vendor field to search and select a contact.
   • By an invoice line item timekeeper—In the Involved section, for the Post Account to this Involved drop-down list, select One. Click the Search Contacts icon next to the This Involved field to search and select a contact.
7. To allow Invoice expense line items to post to this account, in the Invoice section, select the Post Invoice Expenses to this Account check-box.
   This allows all expense line items to post to the current account.
8. Specify how invoice expense line items can post to the account in one or more of the following ways:
   • By an expense category—Select a category in the Post Invoice Expense of Category drop-down list.
   • By a percent amount of an invoice expense line item—Type a numeric percent value in the Invoice Expense Percent field. For example, if you enter 10 and the expense total is $70, then 10% of $70 (or $7) will post to the account.
   • By an associated project—In the Project section, for the Posting Project to this Account drop-down list, select One. Click the Search Projects icon next to the This Project field to search and select a project.
   • By an invoice vendor—In the Vendor section, for the Post Account to this Vendor drop- down list, select One. Click the Search Contacts icon next to the This Vendor field to search and select a contact.
   • By an invoice line item timekeeper—In the Involved section, Post Account to this Involved drop-down list, select One. Click the Search Contacts icon next to the This Involved field to search and select a contact.
9. Select a save option.
   Any posting criteria selected under the Project or Involved sections would also apply to posting tasks or expenses.

To set transaction posting criteria for non-US tax accounts

1. Search for an account and open it.
2. Click Edit from the toolbar or click the Edit link for the section to update.
3. Click Posting Criteria from the left pane.
4. Click the Post Non-US Tax to this Account to allow non-US Tax categories to post to the account.
5. In the Post Non-US Tax of Type field, select the non-US Tax categories that are allowed to post to this account. Once you select a category, the category and all of its child categories are allowed for this account.
6. In the Non-US Tax Percent field, enter the percentage of the tax amount that will post to the account.
7. Select a save option.

To post matter-level taxes to accounts

Note: If an invoice uploaded from Collaborati has matter-level taxes, you must use these steps to post the invoice to an account.

1. Search for an account and open it.
2. Click Edit on the toolbar.
3. Click Posting Criteria on the left pane.
4. Depending on whether you need to post fee or expense taxes, place a checkmark in the Post total matter fee tax to this account or the Post total matter expense tax to this account check-boxes.
5. Select a save option.

To allow accounts to be associated with budget requests

1. Search for an account and open it.
2. Click Edit on the toolbar.
3. Click Posting Criteria on the left pane.
4. From Posting Project to this Account, select One.
5. From This Project, select the matter or project you want to associate with this account.
6. From This Vendor, select the vendor you want to associate with this account. The vendor you select must be an involved party of the project you select in the previous step.
   When you create the budget request, you must specify the same project and vendor for the budget request that you specified for the account. See Creating a Budget Request for more information.
7. Specify whether you want to post invoice tasks or expenses to this account by placing a check-mark in one or both of the following check-boxes:
   • Post Invoice Tasks to this Account
   • Post Invoice Expenses to this Account
8. Save the account.

Note: The account must be current for you to associate a budget request with the account. You must also activate the account after you create the budget request. See Activating or Deactivating Accounts for more information.

Account Posting Criteria Page Field Descriptions

Some field descriptions that follow may or may not display based on system settings and your assigned rights. The following tables provide field descriptions for the Posting Criteria page. The field descriptions are in the order that they appear on the screen. The field descriptions for the Projects, Involved, and Vendor sections are at the bottom of the topic because they are used as secondary filters to the posting criteria for expenses, tasks, and invoice line items (expense and fee).

Account Task Section Field Descriptions

Account Expense Section Field Descriptions

Account Project Section Field Descriptions

Account Involved Section Field Descriptions

Account Vendor Section Field Descriptions

Account Invoice Section Field Descriptions

Account Taxes Section Field Descriptions

Refining Non-US Tax Posting

Beginning in TeamConnect 4.0.9, users are able to refine account posting criteria to ensure Detail-Level Non-US taxes are posting optimally and as intended. The radio buttons in the image below demonstrate the options available for ensuring what type of Non-US taxes are applied to invoices on this account.

Note: Bold items in the table above will be most useful to users with Financial Management. The All Categories option is best suited for users without Financial Management that utilize Detail- Level Non-US taxes on line items.

Modifying Account Transactions

You cannot delete or modify account transactions from the Transactions page. If you need to change invoice, task, and expense transactions, you have to void each transaction, edit the respective record, and post the record again.

To change fund additions, subtractions, and transfers you must post reverse transactions. For example, if you added $150,000 to an account and then decide that only $75,000 should have been added, you can make the correction by subtracting $75,000 from the account.

To view transactions history for an account

1. Search for an account and open it.
2. Click Transactions from the left pane. For more information about fields, see the following table.

Account Transactions Page Field Descriptions