CORRECTING ERRORS
Various methods are used to correct posting errors. The following guide will help you decide which method you should use to correct GL Post, AP Post, and PR Post errors.
Accounts Payable Errors
Invoice Posted to Wrong Vendor – Before Checks have been Printed
If you’re still in AP Post when you discover the error:
•Locate the invoice needing correction in the top grid and highlight it by clicking on it.
•Click the EDIT button. The VENDOR NAME field will be highlighted. Either type in the correct vendor code or locate the vendor on the drop down menu and click the vendor that should be on the invoice.
•Click the SAVE button. Click the COMMIT button to save the changes made to the journal.
If you have already exited AP Post:
•Run AP Post, load in the journal number containing the error, then follow the above steps.
Incorrect Invoice Amount – Before Checks have been Printed
•If you’re still in AP Post when you discover the error:
•Locate the invoice needing correction in the top grid and highlight it by clicking on it.
•Click the EDIT button. Double-click in the INVOICE AMOUNT field and enter the correct invoice amount.
•Click the DISTRIBUTION tab to correct the amount(s) for the invoice’s distribution(s). Highlight the distribution line that needs correcting then click the inside EDIT button. Enter the correct amount. Click the inside SAVE button to save the change to the distribution entry, then click the outside SAVE button to save the changes to the invoice.
•Click the COMMIT button to save the changes made to the journal.
If you have already exited AP Post:
•Run AP Post, load in the journal number containing the error, then follow the above steps.
Removing Posted Invoices
If you have already printed a check for the invoice you want to remove, first use the Void Check program to void the check.
If you’re still in AP Post when you decide to remove the invoice:
•Locate the invoice you want to remove in the top grid and highlight it by clicking on it.
•Click the DELETE IND button to delete the invoice. Click YES to remove the invoice.
If you have already exited AP Post:
•Run AP Post, load in the journal number containing the invoice you want to remove, then follow the above steps.
Invoice Posted to Wrong Vendor – Discovered After Checks have been Printed
The check will need to be voided.
•Under the Accounts Payable Menu, select VOID CHECKS.
•Enter the AP PAY journal number that includes the check number that you want to void
•Click the VIEW PAY JOURNAL button to locate payment journals if you’re unsure of the journal number.
•If you’re only voiding one check in this journal, enter the check number to void in both the beginning and ending check number fields; if you’re voiding consecutive check numbers in this journal, enter the beginning and ending check numbers you want to void.
•Click the OK button to void the check(s).
•If you’re going to reissue the check to the proper vendor, follow the steps under "Invoice Posted to Wrong Vendor Before Checks have been Printed" to make the correction.
•If you’re not going to reissue the check to the proper vendor, follow the steps under "Removing Posted Invoices" to delete the invoice.
Incorrect Invoice Amount – Discovered After Checks have been Printed
The check will need to be voided.
•Under the Accounts Payable Menu, select VOID CHECKS.
•Enter the AP PAY journal number that includes the check number that you want to void
•Click the VIEW PAY JOURNAL button to locate payment journals if you’re unsure of the journal number.
•If you’re only voiding one check in this journal, enter the check number to void in both the beginning and ending check number fields; if you’re voiding consecutive check numbers in this journal, enter the beginning and ending check numbers you want to void.
•Click the OK button to void the check(s).
•If you’re going to reissue the check for the proper amount, follow the steps under "Incorrect Invoice Amount Before Checks have been Printed" to make the correction.
•If you’re not going to reissue the check, follow the steps under "Removing Posted Invoices" to delete the invoice.
Invoice Distributed to Wrong Account(s) – Before Checks have been Printed
If you’re still in AP Post when you discover the error:
•Locate the invoice needing correction in the top grid and highlight it by clicking on it.
•Click the DISTRIBUTION tab and click the inside EDIT button to correct the account number(s) the invoice was distributed to.
•Click the inside SAVE button to save the change to the distribution entry, then click the outside SAVE button to save the changes to the invoice.
•Click the COMMIT button to save the changes made to the journal.
If you have already exited AP Post:
•Run AP Post, load in the journal number containing the error, then follow the above steps.
Used Wrong Starting Check Number in AP Pay Program – Before Checks have been Printed
•Under the Accounts Payable Menu, select RENUMBER CHECKS
•Enter the AP Pay Journal Number that contains the checks you want to renumber. (This is the journal number that was displayed in the gray box on your screen after you clicked the PAY button in AP Pay.)
•Click the VIEW PAY JOURNAL button to locate payment journals if you’re unsure of the journal number.
•Enter the starting and ending check numbers you want to renumber.
•Enter the new starting check number.
•Click OK to renumber the checks.
•Print the vendor checks.
Used Wrong Starting Check Number in AP Pay Program – After Checks have been Printed
If you want to reprint the checks, you will need to void the payment journal.
There are two ways to void a payment journal. Both methods are listed below. Either method produces the same result, so Select whichever is easier for you.
NOTE: Most banks will accept checks that have pre-printed check numbers that differ from the computer printed check numbers.
Method #1:
•Under the Accounts Payable Menu, select VOID CHECKS.
•Enter the AP PAY journal number that includes the check numbers to void.
•Click the VIEW PAY JOURNAL button to locate payment journals if you’re unsure of the journal number.
•Enter the beginning and ending check numbers to void
•Click the OK button to void the check(s).
•Run AP Pay and repay the invoices with the proper starting check number.
Method #2:
•Run GL Post and load in the AP Pay Journal Number that contains the mis-numbered checks. (This is the journal number that was displayed in the gray box on your screen after you clicked the PAY button in AP Pay.)
•Verify that this journal contains the payments you want to delete. You can determine this by examining the entries in the transactions grid. You should see debit (positive) dollar amounts, all being applied against the same account number (accrued accounts payable) and one credit (negative) entry against your cash checking account for the total amount of the checks.
•If this is the correct payment journal, click the DELETE ALL button. Click OK to delete the payment information. Click the DONE button to exit GL Post.
•The above step reopens all the invoices in this payment journal so that they may be repaid.
•Run AP Pay and repay the invoices with the proper starting check number.
Caution: If you use Method #2 to void a payment journal, be absolutely certain you’re voiding the payment journal and not the post journal. If you do void the post journal by mistake, you will have to repost all the invoices that were in that journal. If you’re in doubt, please call us before deleting the journal.
Invoice Distributed to Wrong Account(s) – After Checks have been Printed
•Run GL Post
•Use the same effective date as you did when the invoice was posted.
•Make the source of entry GL (or GLJ)
•Enter the erroneous account number and post the amount as a credit (negative)
•Enter the correct account number and post the amount as a debit (positive)
•Click the COMMIT button to save the journal containing the correction.
Steps for Posting Handwritten Checks
•Run AP Post and post the invoice that the handwritten check was for.
•Click the COMMIT button to save the journal.
•Run AP Pay and click the LOAD button.
•Enter the date the check was written and the check number that was issued.
•Click the LOAD NONE option before clicking the OK button.
•Locate the handwritten check’s invoice in the Unpaid Invoice grid and double-click on it to move it to the Invoices to Pay grid (or highlight it and click the red down-arrow).
•Click the PAY button to mark the invoice "paid."
•If you need to print the check, click the REPORTS button, select the AP laser check that you use and print the check.
If there are any other errors that occur in Accounts Payable that have not been addressed here, please contact Barbara Kowalczyk and explain what’s missing so that she can update the documentation.
Payroll Errors
In addition to obvious errors (e.g., no check was printed for an employee), error messages may display problems encountered during any payroll function, from posting to calculating deductions. The most common errors and their solutions are described below.
PR Post Errors
Warning: Journal Effective Date does not fall within the employee’s current pay period. Continue anyway?
This warning message appears when (1) the payroll period has not been initialized or, (2) the wrong effective date was entered when starting this journal.
Solution for Example #1
•Click NO to clear the warning message.
•Click CANCEL then click UNLOAD and DONE to exit PR Post.
•Run Payroll Period Initialization and enter the current pay period’s start and end dates.
•Run PR Post and continue as usual.
Solution for Example #2
•Click NO to clear the warning message.
•Click CANCEL then click UNLOAD.
•Click LOAD and enter the correct effective date and continue as usual.
PR Types default account not found. Will begin with default account from constant file.
This warning message appears when no default payroll type has been selected.
Solution #1
•Click OK to clear the warning message.
•Click the drop-down arrow and select the correct payroll type from the list.
•Click the unlabeled button (after the Payroll Types Maintenance program’s icon) to set the selected payroll type as the default.
Solution #2
•Click OK to clear the warning message.
•Click CANCEL then click UNLOAD and DONE to exit PR Post.
•Under the Payroll Menu, select PAYROLL CONSTANTS-PAYROLL TYPES.
•Highlight the payroll type you want to set as your default to automatically select it during posting. (NOTE: The payroll type may be overridden during posting.)
•Click the EDIT button and check mark the IS DEFAULT box and click SAVE and DONE.
•Run PR Post and continue as usual.
Warning: Employee is not Active.
This warning message appears if you attempt to post earnings to an employee whose employee maintenance record has been marked inactive.
Solution #1
•Click OK to clear the warning message.
•Verify that you have entered the correct employee number. If it’s not the correct employee number, press the "back space" key on your keyboard and reenter the employee number or click the drop-down menu arrow and select the correct employee from the list.
Solution #2
•Click OK to clear the warning message.
•Verify that you have entered the correct employee number. If it is the correct employee number, click the Payroll Maintenance icon to run Employee Maintenance. The inactive employee you are trying to post earnings to should automatically be highlighted.
•Click the EMPLOYMENT INFO tab and click the EDIT button.
•Change the Active Status to an A and click SAVE and DONE to return to PR Post.
•Continue posting as usual.
Cannot save labor transaction: Must have hours.
This error message appears if you attempt to save a transaction without entering the number of hours worked. This error will occur if (1) you forgot to enter the number of hours worked in the HOURS field or, (2) you inadvertently entered a salaried employee’s gross pay in the RATE field and click the SAVE button.
Solution for Example #1
•Click OK to clear the error message.
•Enter the number of hours worked.
•Click SAVE to save the transaction.
Solution for Example #2
•Click OK to clear the error message.
•Examine the employee number being posted to to determine if the employee is salaried.
•Enter a 0 (zero) in the RATE field and press the TAB key on your keyboard. The employee’s salary should appear in the DOLLARS field.
•Click SAVE to save the transaction.
PR Calc Errors
When errors occur during the PR Calc program, it usually means something is missing on one (or more) of the records in the employee maintenance file. Error messages and solutions will be described below. Missing payroll data will be dealt with in the section entitled "Erroneous Payroll Results." In order to make corrections, you will first need to uncalculate the payroll deductions, make the necessary changes, then recalculate the payroll deductions. This step will be required in just about every example listed below. If it’s not required, it won’t be listed in the steps under the solutions.
Calculation Journals already exist for the department parameters specified that match and/or overlap the specified pay period...This may result in duplicate calculations for the same earnings if any of the same deductions are selected for calculation. Continue anyway?
This confirmation message appears if (1) the payroll week start and end dates have not been reset before posting payroll or, (2) you’ve already calculated payroll deductions for the payroll and may have forgotten that you did.
Solution for Example #1
•Click CANCEL to halt the payroll calculation program.
•Click the UNLOAD button and then click the DONE button to exit PR Calc.
•Under the Payroll Menu, select Payroll Period Initialization and reset your payroll week start and end dates.
•Run PR Calc and continue as normal.
Solution for Example #2
•Click CANCEL to halt the payroll calculation program.
•Click the UNLOAD button and then click the DONE button to exit PR Calc.
•Under the Payroll Menu select Payroll Report by Pay Date
•Examine the list of payroll dates to see if the payroll you’re trying to calculate already has the current pay date and payroll week start and end dates displayed. If it does, then you have already calculated the payroll deductions. If it does not, see solution #1 (above).
Department: ‘x’ not setup yet for all deductions calculation, matching deductions will not have earnings posted or deductions calculated...Continue anyway?
This confirmation message appears when you have employees in a department number that has not yet been set up.
Solution
•Click CANCEL to halt the payroll calculation program.
•Click the UNLOAD button and then click the DONE button to exit PR Calc.
•Under the Payroll Menu select Payroll Constants/Department Types.
•Set up the department number that the PR Calc program indicated is missing.
•Click the DONE button to exit Department Types Maintenance.
•Run PR Calc and continue as usual.
No matching FICA/Medicare account number for Fund ‘xxx’ set up for employer’s matching FICA/Medicare expense. FICA/Medicare matching amount will not be calculated...Continue anyway?
The wording on this confirmation message may vary, but the "meat" of the message will remain the same. This confirmation message appears when no Employer’s Fica/Medicare expense account has been set to the fund(s) mentioned in the message.
Solution
•Click CANCEL to halt the payroll calculation program.
•Click the UNLOAD button and then click the DONE button to exit PR Calc.
•Under the General Ledger Menu select Account Maintenance.
•Open your account tree and locate the fund number indicated in the PR Calc confirmation message. Click APPLY and then click CLOSE to return to the Account Maintenance screen.
•Click the EDIT button, then click the FUND ACCOUNTS tab.
•Examine the Employer Match account number field. If it is empty, click the drop-down arrow and select the FICA/Medicare expense account (employer’s portion) for this fund.
•Click the APPLY button and then click the CANCEL button.
•Click the SAVE button and then click the DONE button.
•Run PR Calc as usual.
Specified check date: xx/xx/xxxx, is lower than specified pay period ending date
xx/xx/xxxx...Continue anyway?
This confirmation message appears whenever you enter a payroll check date that’s earlier than the date on which your payroll period ends.
Solution
•If the date is correct, you don’t need to do anything except click the OK button.
•If the date is wrong, click the CANCEL button to halt the payroll calculation program.
•Click the UNLOAD button, then click the LOAD button.
•Enter the correct check date and continue as usual.
Erroneous Payroll Results
If you see a 0 (zero) for the Number of Deductions Calculated (on the gray confirmation window) after the payroll calculation program has completed, several reasons for this may apply:
1.The employees may not have earned enough money to have deductions calculated;
1.The payroll week start and end dates don’t include any wages; or
2.The employees’ deductions may not be "active."
Any one of the aforementioned conditions may cause this result. Each cause and its solution is described below.
The employees may not have earned enough money to have deductions calculated
•Under the Payroll Menu, select Employee Maintenance.
•First, click the Employment Info tab.
•Check the annual number of pays the employees have.
•If the employee is paid a small salary and the annual number of pays is 12 or less, then, it is quite likely the salary times the number of pays is less than the federal and/or state withholding tables. Thus, no state or federal tax will be calculated.
•Next, click the Deductions tab.
•Check to see if the employees have the FICA and/or Medicare deduction codes. If they don’t, then it’s probably okay that no taxes were calculated – as long as the annual number of pays times the gross pay is $2,650 or less (for single employees) or $8,000 or less (for married employees). (Don’t forget about number of exemptions when you’re determining the annualized gross pay.)
Solution
•To "force" taxes to be calculated and withheld, increase the annual number of pays for the employee.
The payroll week start and end dates don’t include any wages
Verify that the correct date(s) was used when posting the payroll. Did you get the warning message that states the Journal Effective Date is outside the payroll period dates? If so, did you use the prescribed solution for fixing the problem?
Solution #1
•Under the Payroll Menu, select Uncalculate Payroll Deductions.
•Select the payroll calculation journal to remove the calculations.
•Click OK to all the questions the program asks.
•Run the Payroll Information program and set the payroll week start and end dates.
•Run PR Calc as usual.
Solution #2
If you didn’t use the prescribed solution for fixing the problem, you will need to redate the Payroll Journal for the pay period.
•Under the Utilities Menu, select Repair Tables.
•In the center column, click the button next to "Change Effective Dates on a Journal."
•Enter PR for the Source of Entry
•Enter the Payroll Post Journal Number that you want to change the date for.
•Enter a 1 for the Starting Line Number and 999 for the Ending Line Number.
•Enter the date as it currently exists on the journal.
•Enter the date as it should exist on the journal.
•Click the Count How Many Would Change button. Make sure the number of lines to be changed looks reasonable.
•Click the Make Change button.
•Click the "X" in the upper right hand corner to close this utility.
•Click the CLOSE button to exit the Repair Tables program and click the OK button.
•Exit completely out of the software and then go back into it. Log in.
•Under the Payroll Menu, select Uncalculate Payroll Deductions.
•Click the folder button and select the payroll calculation journal to remove the calculations.
•Click OK to all the questions the program asks.
•Run PR Calc as usual.
The employees’ deductions may not be "active"
•Under the Payroll Menu, select Employee Maintenance.
•Click the Deductions tab.
•Examine the deduction list for each employee. Make certain there is a capital "A" next to each deduction code in the list. If there are lower case "a"s or lower or upper case "I"s in the list, highlight the deduction code in the list and click the EDIT button. Change the Status to be a capital "A."
A Pay Check Wasn’t Issued for an Employee
After you’ve printed your Payroll Gross and Net report, examine it thoroughly. Make sure that each employee who’s earned money in the pay period has a check number next to their Net Pay amount. If you see that someone should be getting a pay check but that no check number is showing for them, you will need to determine the reason why. Three reasons exist for this to happen:
1.The employee didn’t have any deductions calculated and you’ve verified that this is okay using one of the methods above;
2.The employee is receiving non-taxable income (expenses only) and no deductions would have been calculated, regardless of the number of annual pays; or,
3.The Voucher Only box is check marked on the employee’s record.
1. The employee didn’t have any deductions calculated and you’ve verified that this is okay using one of the methods above
You will need to enter a null deduction code for the employee.
•If you don’t have a null deduction code set up:
oUnder the Payroll Menu, select Payroll Constants/Deduction Types;
oClick the NEW button and set up the deduction as follows:
oGive the deduction a code, description and short name 1. This can be anything you want.
oGive the deduction a Calc Type of 29 and a Calc Order of 99.
oClick the SAVE and DONE buttons.
•Under the Payroll Menu, select Employee Maintenance.
oLocate the employee without the check number and click the Deductions tab.
oClick the NEW button and give the employee the null deduction code you set up.
oRemember to make the deduction "Active" by entering a capital "A" in the Status field.
oClick the SAVE and DONE buttons.
•Under the Payroll Menu, select Uncalculate Payroll Deductions.
oSelect the payroll calculation journal to remove the calculations.
oClick OK to all the questions the program asks.
•Run PR Calc as usual.
2. The employee is receiving non-taxable income (expenses only) and no deductions would have been calculated, regardless of the number of annual pays
•Use the above method to fix this problem.
3. The Voucher Only box is check marked on the employee’s record
•Under the Payroll Menu, select Employee Maintenance.
oLocate the employee without the check number and click the Employment Info tab.
oClick the EDIT button and remove the check mark from the Voucher Only box.
oClick the SAVE and DONE buttons.
•Under the Payroll Menu, select Uncalculate Payroll Deductions.
oSelect the payroll calculation journal to remove the calculations.
oClick OK to all the questions the program asks.
•Run PR Calc as usual.
Most other errors can be solved by reading through the sections entitled "Payroll Cycle Procedure Notes" and "Payroll Calculation Procedure Notes."
If there are any other errors that occur in Payroll that have not been addressed here, please contact Barbara Kowalczyk and explain what’s missing so that she can update the documentation.
General Ledger Errors
Error messages in the General Ledger programs are rare. Usually, the only messages you’ll see relate to missing account numbers, wrong sources of entry, or out of balance warnings.
Missing Account Numbers
While not really an error, when you attempt to post to a non-existent account number, you’ll be shown an overlay where you may set up the new account number. If, during this process, you encounter a message alerting you that the previous account levels are missing, click YES to set up the missing levels.
The only information you’ll need to enter is the Account Description and the Account Type. "Type" refers to assets (A), liabilities (L), equity (E), fund balance (F), revenue (R) and expense (E).
Wrong Source of Entry
When you run the GL Post program, the source of entry automatically defaults to the first alphabetical sequenced source of entry. This means that the first source of entry, alphabetically speaking, is usually AP (Accounts Payable).
If you attempt to post an accounts payable entry through GL Post, you will see an information message stating:
Cannot add transaction. GL Post does not support the creation of transactions for the AP source of entry.
You will also see a similar information message if you attempt to post payroll, inventory, equipment, balance forward, closing entry, accounts receivable, or fixed asset entries through GL Post. These sources of entry are posted to by their respective programs.
Out of Balance Messages
GL Post is the only posting program that requires you to make double-sided (debit and credit) entries. You will not be able to exit the GL Post program unless you:
1.Make the appropriate entries to balance your journal; or
2.Click the UNLOAD button without trying to commit your entries (e.g., throw your entries away).
If you find that you have posted numerous entries in one of your journals but have come to an impasse because you’re unsure of the account number needing the balancing entry:
Click the UPDATE FUND TOTALS button to see what fund number(s) is out of balance. This step may prompt your memory and save you from having to use the next set of steps. But if it doesn’t:
oPost a balancing entry to a "holding" account number. This can be any account number you Select.
oCommit your entries, click DONE and determine the correct account number you need to post your balancing entry to.
oRun GL Post again, load the same journal number with the same effective date and source of entry.
oLocate the erroneous entry, click EDIT and change the account number to what it should be.
oClick the COMMIT button again to save the change you just made.
Unusual Error Messages
Before attempting the solutions listed for the error messages described below, please call Cogitate so that we may make sure the error you’re receiving is of one of the types listed.
Locked in Another Post Session or User has Pending Journal Messages
On occasion you may run into error messages about being locked in other post sessions or having pending journals open. If this happens, read the message carefully to determine what posting program you’re currently locked in. If you’re unsure what program it is, look at the main screen’s status bar. After your Road Commission’s name, you’ll see the User information. Next to the User Name, you’ll see what program it is.
Solution
• Click the OK button to clear the error message and exit the post program you’re trying to run.
• Under the Utilities Menu, select Repair Tables.
• In the first column, click the button next to "Repair control Tables" and click OK to repair the control tables now.
• Watch the status area at the bottom of the screen. When you see "Completed Repairing Control Tables" appear, click the CLOSE button to exit the program.
• Click the OK button, then exit the software completely.
• Run Highway Management, log back in and run the post program that was indicated in the error message.
• You’ll be asked if you want to load the journal that’s currently open. Click OK to load the open journal. If you’re through with the journal, click the COMMIT button; otherwise, keep adding entries as needed.
Unable to Commit Transactions Error Messages
This error message can occur for a number of reasons but usually only happens in the GL Post program (also see "Locked in Another Post Session or User has Pending Journal Messages" above). If it happens in a program other than GL Post, please call us instead of using the solution. Unfortunately, there is no way to save the transactions on this type of message if it occurs in GL Post. The transactions will need to be posted again.
Solution
• Make sure that no one is using the HMS software before you continue.
• Under the Utilities Menu, select Repair Tables.
• In the right-hand column, select Empty Table.
• Enter GLLCNTRL and click OK.
• After the "table cleared" message appears, select Empty Table again, enter GLPCNTRL and click OK.
• After the "table cleared" message appears, click the CANCEL button, then click the CLOSE and OK buttons to exit the Repair Tables utility.
• Exit the software completely.
• Run Highway Management, log back in and run GL Post. Repost the transactions.
Temporary Transaction Table Not Properly Cleared Error Messages
This error message typically occurs during the AP Pay program. If it occurs in a different program, please call us instead of using the solution that follows.
Solution
• Make sure that no one is using the HMS software before you continue.
• Under the Utilities Menu, select Repair Tables.
• In the right-hand column, select Empty Table.
• Enter APPAY and click OK.
• After the "table cleared" message appears, click the CANCEL button.
• Next, click Repair Control Tables in the left-hand column and click OK to rebuild the control tables now. When this process has finished, you’ll see "Completed repairing control tables.
• Click the CLOSE and OK buttons to exit the Repair Tables utility.
• Restart Highway Management, log back in and run AP Pay.