KeyOps:
the newsletter
for key operators
of DDMS systems
Welcome! The Key Ops newsletter is designed to help key operators get the most out of their DDMS systems. The newsletter features timely articles to keep you up to speed on new software releases, frequently asked questions, training opportunities, technical tips and how-to articles.
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2010
The Year-End KeyOps has three sets of period-ending instructions, or RoadMaps (Calendar 12, Tax Month 12, and Fiscal Y).
Depending on when you close your books and what month it is, you only need to follow the instructions that apply to you. To make it easier to follow the right set of instructions, we extracted three handy digital (Adobe Reader PDF) editions that are tailored to each year-end roadmap.
The best way to determine which edition to use — and to have access to the PDF files — is to answer a few questions online (www.DDMS.com/support/pubs/roadmap/).
Our 23nd annual KeyOps, Year-End 2011 Edition is available for download (www.DDMS.com/support/pubs/keyops.htm).
This year, we have made several noteworthy updates:
- Two New Video Tutorials for Year-End! See www.ddms.com/support/tutorial/tutorial.htm
- Before you start year-end procedures: "Using Proc Files" shows you step by step how to: manually inactivate a proc file, temporarily suspend a proc file, and reactivate a proc file. Even if you have a month-end proc designed to run MK-Y on a certain date, your scheduler may not be set to run it when you have completed newly required year-end steps. Running MK steps twice causes significant trouble. It's yet another reason to suspend proc files until you resume business after year end.
- After you complete Year-End and General Ledger procedures, "Year-End Spot Check" shows the screens to check so that you can be sure your year-end figures are properly zeroed out and journals are properly updated.
- Saturday Support Is Back On Saturday, Dec. 31. See Page 4.
- Updated Steps. To reduce issues with looking up history:
- We have inserted a journal compression step in year-end procedures after renaming journals.
- We have also revised the journal parameter instructions to make sure you leave line 1 as the default filename (JOUR-AP or JNL-AR) before you add 2011-AP and JNL-11-AR to the list in reverse chronological order.
- Don't forget your Sales Order Delta Sync before Backup, during Month-End steps and a Full Import of EBS SQL data at the start of Year-End steps.
- Don't forget to run Data Dictionary during general ledger steps.
- For each contract laborers' vendor record, you must specify their Tax ID and check 1099 Required.
- Like last year, "Last Chance" Reports are marked with a star (*) in the margin. More updated steps are highlighted in a golden box.
- Periodic System Maintenance and General Ledger Advice. We're reviving training on annual steps to maintain your system and files, and on closing general ledger and making corrective postings. Of course, we still offer free training on O/PUS quarter-end and year-end. Register Now at www.ddms.com/training/free.
As always you will find the Year-End KeyOps provides timely answers and checklists on navigating your Roadmap of period-end procedures, printing tax forms, and archiving this year’s data, along with updated filenames, years, and news.
A few notes from recent years are worth a reminder:
Going Green with Paperless Notes: The Year-End KeyOps newsletter is again published only online in Adobe Reader PDF format, as part of ongoing initiatives to go green and paperless. To markup your PDF files the paperless way, the latest free Adobe Reader desktop software (link to Adobe download) lets you use Comment tools to highlight and cross out text (links to Adobe help) and add "sticky notes" (links to Adobe help) and checkmarks using a Sign-Here stamp (links to Adobe help). (Comment tools do not appear in browsers, but are in the desktop Reader software once you save the PDF & open it on your machine.)
www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html
http://help.adobe.com/en_US/Reader/8.0/help.html
New SQL Report for A/R Trial Balance: Have you ever wanted to re-create an A/R trial balance from a prior year? Previously this was not possible after closing general ledger. But in DDMS 8.19 or higher, SQL A/R Trial Balance reports let you specify an aging date and 30, 45, 60, or 90 days past due, for all unpaid invoices at the end of a period. We'll publish more details soon. (Meanwhile, you can find general instructions in Setting Up & Using SQL Reports for DDMS.)
Executive Dashboard: Rest assured, the Executive Dashboard (in DDMS 8.19 and higher) does not change your year-end procedures. It provides a graphical, SQL-based, realtime, privileged overview of your company’s cash flow, with totals based on data previously presented in the text-based (PD) President’s Screens. For detailed instructions on using this new tool, see Executive Dashboard (pdf).
Close G/L Period At Your Convenience: Did you know? If you're running DDMS 8.13 or higher, you don't have to wait to close General Ledger while you make all postings. If you find postings later that need to be added or corrected, you can reopen prior year periods as needed for batch postings, and re-close those periods afterward. For detailed instructions, see General Ledger (pdf).
ECi DDMS Professional Services for Period End: As your business partner, ECi is committed to expanding our services portfolio to meet the growing needs of your business and the market. DDMS Professional Services, staffed with the most knowledgeable and passionate resources in the industry, offers assistance in completing O/PUS loading services and other period-ending process help, expanded report writing offers, PlanetPress variable data printing, reduced rates for graphical implementation training and other one-on-one training at reduced rates. See www.ecisolutions.com/DoItForMe.
Note: UNIX and ASP dealers will receive separate instructions via email.
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See also Year End Key Ops December 2011 Standard Edition.
See also Period End FAQs.
See also KeyOps Archives back to 1998.