Payments - The Ultimate Way to Maximise the Payment Process

Payments Overview

SapphireOne’s Payments function is a comprehensive tool within the Accounts Mode that streamlines the payment process for businesses by allowing them to create payments for vendors or invoices with ease. This feature simplifies the management of outgoing payments while ensuring accuracy and efficiency. Here is a detailed overview of the SapphireOne Payments in Accounts Mode:

1. Accessing Payments Function: To access the Payments function, navigate to the Accounts Mode within SapphireOne. Once in Accounts Mode, you will find the Payments function, which can be used to create payments for either a list of vendors or a list of invoices.
2. Allocating Payments: When you have selected the Payments function, the first tool on the list is Allocate. Click on this tool to begin the process of selecting the transactions or invoices that you wish to pay to a specific vendor. This step ensures that the appropriate payments are assigned to the correct vendors.
3. Filter and Sort Options: SapphireOne Payments provides filter and sort options to help users quickly locate and select specific invoices or vendors. Users can filter by date range, vendor name, or invoice number, making it easier to find the relevant transactions for payment.
4. Customising Payment Details: After selecting the transactions or invoices, users can customize the payment details such as payment date, reference number, and bank account from which the payment will be made. This ensures that payments are accurately recorded and properly tracked in the system.
5. Payment Methods: SapphireOne Payments supports multiple payment methods, including electronic funds transfer (EFT), checks, and credit cards. Users can choose their preferred method of payment for each vendor, making the process more flexible and adaptable to individual business needs.
6. Emailing, Printing and Generating Electronic Files: Once the payments have been allocated and customised, users have the option to generate email or print a record of these payments in various forms such as remittance advices, payment summaries, or check templates. Additionally, SapphireOne Payments allows for the generation of electronic payment files (e.g., ABA or SEPA files) that can be uploaded to the user’s banking platform, automating the payment process and saving time.
7. Reconciliation and Reporting: SapphireOne Payments seamlessly integrates with the software’s reconciliation and reporting features, making it easy for users to monitor and track their payment transactions. This ensures a more accurate financial overview and facilitates better decision-making for businesses.

In conclusion, SapphireOne Payments in Accounts Mode is a powerful and efficient tool that streamlines the payment process, reduces errors, and increases productivity for businesses. Its ability to allocate payments, customise payment details, support multiple payment methods, and integrate with reconciliation and reporting features make it an indispensable part of SapphireOne’s comprehensive accounting software solution.

Before any Payments are made to Vendors, the default type of Payments to be made to each Vendor must be entered first. To do this navigate to a Vendor Inquiry and then proceed down to the Terms Page. The default payment type for each Vendor is EFT, and there are options for BPay and FX Bank Payments as well. When each payment type is selected SapphireOne will display the required data entry fields.

Process Payments Alert

The Process Payments alert allows the user to select which options are required at this point. If both the Create and Print checkboxes are selected, SapphireOne will process Vendor payments all the way through to the printing process.

Printing payments at a later date. The Vendor Payment procedure above may be split in two. Use the Create Payments option first, then at a later data or time, return and select the Print Payments checkbox only. SapphireOne will then proceed to process or print all payments already processed when the Create Payments option was used earlier.

The first option from the Process Payments dialog above is to Create Payments. Once the invoices allocated to a Vendor have been selected, the tick may then be selected. SapphireOne will then use the selected payment type as entered into the Vendor’s master record to process the payment. If another type of payment type is required for any Vendor, re-open the transaction and alter as required. Selecting EFT or BPay will generate an ABA file or a Commbiz CSV file for the Commonwealth Bank BPay system.

When the second option Only Print Payments is selected SapphireOne will ask for the bank account first, them display the Print dialog or transaction Report screen. Once these options have been selected, SapphireOne will display a list of Vendors for the user to select from. Once a Vendor is selected the tick may then be selected. SapphireOne will then create a payment to the Vendor using the selected payment type as entered into the Vendor’s master record. If another type of payment type is required for any Vendor, re-open the transaction and alter as required. Selecting EFT or BPay will generate an ABA file or a Commbiz CSV file for the Commonwealth Bank BPay system.

Creating the Payment

The creation of a Payment is normally in two steps:

1. The creation of the Payment is the same for all types of payment methods. An allocation is made at this time for a transaction against a Vendor, and the printing of a cheque or the generation of an electronic file for payment is optional through the ‘Print Payment’ check box as seen above.
2. The second step is the Printing or creation of the payment itself, and this may be a Cheque or some type of electronic payment like an ABA file. This procedure is determined by SapphireOne, and is based on the details entered into the Vendors master file.

Printing a Cheque or Generating an Electronic File

The selection of the correct type of payment in the Vendors master file is critical as SapphireOne will automatically attempt to process the payment as entered. However, if no options have been selected in the Vendors master file, SapphireOne will assume an EFT file of some type is to be generated by default. 

If one of the electronic options has been selected, SapphireOne will generate the required type of file to be saved by the user. For the two electronic options the only change in the procedure for the processing of electronic payments is in the print dialog pop up where the selection of the ‘Payment Type’ is required. From then on SapphireOne manages the generation of the correct file type. 

Creating Payments for Vendors

Select the Payments option from the SapphireOne Accounts Payables menu. When the Process Payments dialog is displayed select the ‘Create Payments’ Checkbox and then select the ‘By Vendor’ radio button.

From the dialog screen above SapphireOne will display a ‘Vendor Inquiry’ style screen showing balances owing. 

Any Vendor with a Class of SUPER will not be displayed in any listing of Vendors. The viewing of these Vendors is restricted to users with access to Payroll/HR only. 

Highlight the Vendor you wish to pay and using the SapphireOne Tools icon select Allocate from the drop-down menu. Since Allocate is the first item on the list, selecting the Icon itself will also launch the Allocate function screen.

The Payment for Vendor screen will then be displayed as seen below. It displays the Balances Brought Forward for for all Vendors in SapphireOne. If correctly set up all that will be required is to select or allocate the transactions that are to be paid in this Vendor payment run.

In the Payment for Vendor screen above, the user should note the Allocatable and Allocating columns. This is where SapphireOne displays the amounts available for allocation. Then when selected, the Allocatable amount will be transferred to the Allocating column. To remove the allocation for the line click on the highlighted line again and the allocation will be removed by moving it back to the Allocatable column.

• Full Allocation – To make a full allocation for any invoice use your mouse to select it. The full amount available will be transferred to the Allocating column.

• Partial Procedure – Once the line has been selected use the right mouse button and click on it. The Allocation dialog pop up will be displayed as seen to the right giving the user a number of options as follows.
  • Direct Entry – In the Allocating field enter the amount to be allocated for this invoice.
• Discount Area – If a discount is to be applied to this invoice it may be entered into this area. This may be entered as a percentage of the amount or as a fixed dollar amount.
  • Take Discount – This checkbox must be selected for SapphireOne to apply the discount entered in the Discount area.

If the user returns and clicks on a discounted line, the line will immediately be un-allocated. If required the discount will have to be set up again.

The area to the lower right on the main screen totals the Allocations. It then deducts any Discounts and PAYG tax withheld to give an Estimate Value. 

As allocations are progressively made, SapphireOne automatically copies the Estimate Value into the Final Amount to be paid. Both of these must be the same before the Save button on the main toolbar will activate. 

On the allocation screen there are four drop-down menus:

• Look – This option enables the user to look at the currently highlighted transaction. The Transaction is viewed by default but the user is able to view both the Source and the Payment for the selected transaction.
• Selection – This option allows the user to select what transactions are to be listed in the allocation screen. By default, all transactions that are not fully allocated will be displayed. They may also be displayed by Run Number. Also any transactions that have a Hold placed on them may also be removed from the list. (Hold is placed on a Transaction using the Action drop-down menu).
• Sort – This menu allows the user to sort the transactions by several criteria. The default sort is by Internal reference number. The other options are External Reference Number, Date, Type Total and Allocation.
• Action – The action drop-down menu has a number of functions, and the user will need to highlight the transaction that the user wants to take the action on first.
  • Reload – This reloads the current allocations into the allocation screen.
  • Split – For the selected transaction, the Split action causes SapphireOne to display an alert. This may be used for a number of reasons such as a retention. The split may then be executed by direct entry of a dollar amount or as a percentage.
    • Radio Buttons – Selection of these will specify if it is to be placed in a Retention Account or to perform a simple split and not change the Account used.
  • Hold/Release – This option acts as a toggle. If the transaction has not had a hold placed on it the action will result in the transaction being placed on Hold. If the transaction is currently on hold it will release it. 

Any transaction that has a H in the flags column means that no allocations may be made for that transaction until the hold on it is released using this option.

The area below these 4 menus display amounts for the select invoice in both local and FX rates. In addition the ex tax, tax and total amounts for the selected invoiced are displayed.

Payment Details Area

All Payment Details are displayed within this area.

• Ticks Of – This displays the number of invoices currently allocated against the number of invoices available for allocation.
• Always Discount – Selecting this checkbox tells SapphireOne to override the period set for the prompt discount. SapphireOne will take the discount even if the period allowed has expired.
  • If a discount is applied SapphireOne will automatically create a Discount Record Credit Note with an External Reference number commencing with DC to mark the record as a Discount entry. A dialog screen will be presented asking for the date for the transaction.
• PAYG – When this checkbox is selected it tells SapphireOne that the Invoice is subject to PAYG Tax and this is calculated based upon the rounding rules. SapphireOne will automatically create a PAYG Tax Credit Note with an External reference number beginning with TX to mark the record as a PAYG Tax entry.
• Date & Period – SapphireOne will insert the current Date and Period and both of these may be altered if required. SapphireOne will remember this date and period if the payment is processed at a later time.
• ID & Name – The ID and Name of the Vendor will be displayed after the date & period data is displayed.
• Bank Account – By default the main bank account ID and name will be displayed here. If required the user may alter to another bank account for this transaction. When this function is next accessed SapphireOne will default to the Bank account as setup in a company inquiry.
• Memo – This area has been provided to store any memos or comments about this Vendor allocation. 
• Saving – Once the payment screens have been completed the user may select the Save button which will close the Allocating screen leaving the list of Vendors on screen ready for the next Vendor to have allocations or payments processed for them. 
• Additional Vendors – Repeat the above steps for each Vendor that you are paying. Once all Vendors have been allocated use the close button to close the list of Vendors.

In the procedure listed above if some of the selected Invoices have not been fully allocated an alert will be displayed to warn the user. The user will be given the opportunity of proceeding Yes or No. 

Creating Payments By Transaction

Alternatively the user has the option to create Vendor payments on a transaction by transaction basis. 

Select the Payments option from the Payables menu. When the Process Payments dialog is displayed, select the ‘Create Payments Checkbox’ and then select the ‘By Vendor’ radio button.

The following alert will be displayed with a list of bank accounts in the users company. Select the relevant bank account and double click on it. 

The Process Payment screen will be displayed and the user is advised to take note of the two menus on the top left and top right of the screen, Selection and Allocation. There is also a third data entry field with the heading of Allocate in the lower left hand side of the screen.

• Selection – Until an item has been selected from this menu there will be no transactions listed initially. In the following example Due For Payment Now has been selected from the Selection drop-down menu.
• Allocation – This menu assists the user by semi automating the allocation function.
• Allocate – This field is used when a partial allocation is to be entered for a selected invoice.

How to Allocate Vendors

• Selection Menu – First make a selection from the Selection drop-down menu to display the required transactions for the allocation process by selecting the records required as follows.
  • Due for Payment Now – This option will display a list of transactions that are due as of today’s date.
  • Due for Payment by Date – When the user selects this option SapphireOne will display an alert asking the user to Please Enter Date. As this heading is underlined there is a convenient pick calendar allowing the user to quickly select the date required. A list of invoices due by the date as entered will be displayed.
• Discount Due Now Only – When this option is selected SapphireOne will display a list of invoices where the discount is due now before the period for a discount being allowed expires. 
• Discount Due by Date Only – This option will list those transactions where the discount period expires by a user entered date. As in option two above SapphireOne will display the same pop up asking for the user to enter a date. As before the heading is underlined and the SapphireOne calendar is available for the selection of the date required. 
• Detailed Query – This option displays the Query Editor enabling the user to search and find the transactions required.

• General details of each invoice are displayed on an invoice by invoice basis. These include ID, Days till due, Type, Internal and External reference numbers, Transaction Total, Allocated previously and Allocating now. 

• Allocations Menu – This menu allows the user to automatically allocate the payment. Once you make a selection from this menu an alert will be displayed asking for the amount to be allocated. Once the amount is entered and is selected, SapphireOne will automatically allocate the entire amount as selected from the Allocation menu.

Always check the list of invoices first when Bottom Up or Top Down is selected as SapphireOne will allocate exactly as instructed to the list of invoices currently on screen.

• Bottom Up & Top Down – When this option is selected SapphireOne will commence allocating as instructed from the top or the bottom, ignoring the sorting of the invoicesuntil the allocation amount entered has been fully allocated.
• Oldest – When this option is selected SapphireOne will commence allocating to the oldest invoices first then moving forward by date until the allocation amount entered has been fully allocated.
• Newest – When this option is selected SapphireOne will commence allocating to the newest transactions first then moving backwards by date until the allocation amount entered has been fully allocated.
• All – When this option is selected SapphireOne will fully allocate all invoices in the list on screen. The user has no option for any partial allocations, all invoices are allocated and a total for them displayed.

For any of the items above, if the invoice is currently un-allocated when the user selects it, SapphireOne allocates it. Click on an allocated invoice and SapphireOne un-allocates it. Holding down the shift key and then clicking on a line further down will mark or un-mark all transactions in between. 

Partial Allocations (Invoices)

• Partial Allocations – If you do not want to fully allocate an invoice, select and highlight the invoice. It can be either Allocated or un-allocated.
  • Allocation Amount – Then go to the Allocated data entry field. SapphireOne will have zero or the full amount entered.
  • Enter Amount – Enter in the amount to be allocated and tab away. SapphireOne will immediately write this amount into the allocation amount column.
  • Processing – The button should be selected immediately because if the transaction is inadvertently selected, again the allocation as entered may be removed. 
• Look Inv – Selecting this button will allow you to look at the Invoice that created the highlighted transaction. 
• Reset – Selecting this button will reset the screen back the way it was when you first started it. 
• Look Vendor – Selecting this button displays an alert that has some basic information about the Vendor in the currently highlighted/selected Invoice. 
• Print – Selecting this button will tell SapphireOne to print the currently highlighted/selected invoice. This print report is hard wired into SapphireOne and may not be altered by the user. 
• Quick Report – For convenient access to a quick report a button has now been installed in this payment function. 
• Cancel – Selecting this button will cancel the processing of all payments.
• Process – Selecting this button will process all the marked transactions.
  • Print Payments – If the Print payments option was not selected from the Process Payments alert, SapphireOne will close after the Process button has been selected. If it was selected the printing of the proceed payments will commence immediately and is documented below.
  • Deferred Printing of Payments – The Print Payments item may then be selected at a later date. The Create Payments option is not selected, instead only select the Print Payments option which is documented below.
• Bank Account – In this area running Opening and Closing balances are displayed for the Bank Account that the payments are being drawn on. 

Printing Payments

The final option for the Payments menu is to Print Payments.

If this checkbox is not ticked and the payment function closed, SapphireOne will not display the Bank Account pop up as seen below. This is particularly important as the generation of an ABA file will then have to be done by selecting the print payments only as seen above.

SapphireOne will now display a list of Bank Accounts to draw the cheques on or to create your electronic payments for the current payments run. This allows the user to print the cheques or create the ABA files in groups according to bank accounts. 

This Vendors Inquiry dialog will be displayed and the user must make a selection from each of the three menu items.

Print Destination. This will be to either to the Printer or by Email. It must be one or the other as each will have to be performed in separate Print runs.

Report Types Include

Cheque	This will print continuous cheques only.
Remittance	This prints the remittance advice slip only.
Remittance & Cheque	This prints the remittance and cheque or together on the same form. For EFT types of transactions SapphireOne will print the remittance and also generate the electronic file.

• ABA & ComBizFile – .It should be noted that for these two electronic files the print option above must be selected
• Report Method – Selection of the Report Method determines if the report (cheques) are to be in printed format onto varying types of paper and reports, however if ABA file for EFT or CommBizfile for BPay is selected the procedure alters significantly, as documented below.
• Reprint – Selecting this button will tell SapphireOne to reprint the current selection again.
• Redo Last – Selecting this button will list the cheques from the last run and request that they be printed again. Selection of the cheques from this list will reprint these records, leaving the other records completed. 

Print Destination (Email)

• Email option – Selecting the Email option will cause the print options to alter to Singe Email or Batch Email.
  • You may also email the remittances, provided that the Vendors have the email addresses entered in the More Details Page of a Vendor Inquiry. It is in the Internet area down the bottom of the page. The email details must also be entered into Utilities > Controls > Remote Access settings and SapphireOne Controls, both of which are in the same menu.
• Commence Email – Once the Print Destination option of email option has been selected for either Single Email or Batch Email select the button.
• Payment Selection – The Payment Selection screen will be displayed listing all items available for emailing.
  • Selection – This selection menu is at the drop-down menu and it will allow you to control which records appear in the screen.
  • Menu Options – Due For Payment Now, Due for Payment by Date, Find Batch Number or a Detailed Query. This item tells SapphireOne to display the Detailed Query editor enabling you to search though and find the transactions that you require.
  • General details of each transaction are displayed on a transaction by transaction basis. These include ID, Batch, Date In, Period, Internal and External reference numbers, Sequence number, Payment amount, Print and Lock.
• Holding down the shift key and then clicking on a line further down will mark all transactions in between. Un-marking will have to be done one at a time or use the Un-mark All button. 

EFT ABA ComBiz Files

The generation of these types of electronic files in SapphireOne are all similar. Other types of electronic file types will be added as required. For these electronic types of files a number of conditions must be met. 

For ABA b y default, SapphireOne produces a Self-Balancing Transaction. Check with your bank and see if this is required.If your bank does not require a self-balancing transaction, navigate to Utilities > Controls > Master defaults > Vendors Page. Then select the ‘Don’t Include Self Balance’ on the ABA files check box. 

Each and every Vendor must have one of the electronic types of payments, selected on the Terms Page of a Vendor Inquiry. It is located in the middle of the window. The Vendors Bank account details located on the same page must also be entered correctly. The Payment Defaults A/C must be correctly entered including a BSB and Account Numbers in the BSB and A/C data entry fields. 

Before creating any electronic file you must first select the Create Payments option as documented previously starting with Create Payments page. This will automatically create the VP, Vendor Payments, allocate them and then automatically post them. 

OR 

Create the VI, Vendor Invoice then create the VP, Vendor Payment and allocate it to the Vendor Invoice or Invoices. You must then Post the transactions. Important! 

ABA Creation Procedure

When the Transaction Reports dialog screen is setup as below this will cause SapphireOne to commence preparation for the creation of an ABA file. 

A list of posted Vendor Payments currently in SapphireOne to EFT declared Vendors will be displayed, allowing the selection of transactions to be included in this ABA file.

• Selecting Invoices – Click in the Print columns as required which will also lock the record preventing the ABA file being created again for this transaction.
• Mark All – Selecting this button will mark all records on screen.
• Unmark All – Selecting this button will Unmark All records on screen.
• Look – When this button is selected it enables the user to look at the currently highlighted transaction.
• Quick Report – Selecting this button will cause SapphireOne to display the quick report design pop up. Using this user can print a quick report for double checking the ABA file instead of printing the cheque report function that has 1 transaction a page.
• Continue – Once you have made your selections a posting alert will be displayed.

This Posting alert posts the transactions. Select to proceed to the ABA file creation pop up. Cheque numbers will not be incremented.

This next alert is where the ABA information is collected and now displayed by SapphireOne for checking. The information displayed here is from the details entered into a company inquiry in the second More Details Page. Please check the details here carefully especially if it is the first ABA file that you are creating. 

Note that the BSB number contains no hyphens 032037 and no spaces. 

There are a number of buttons across the bottom of this alert that are documented below.

• Printing – When this button is selected the user has the choice of printing remittances using to a default Plain Paper report or two Custom Reports.
• Print Remittance – When this button is selected SapphireOne will tell your Mac or Windows operating system to display the print dialog enabling a paper copy of the remittance to be printed.
  • Reprint – To reprint any remittances, go back to Accounts > Payables > Payments and select print payments option again. Select the correct bank account which will then display the Transactions Report dialog. From this dialog screen select the button.
• Email Remittance – When this button is selected SapphireOne will access the clients email in your operating platform and email the remittance to them. Emailing must be setup in three locations in your data file beforehand as follows.
  • Utilities – There are several locations where the emailing function is set up in Utilities mode.
  • Vendor Details – Each Vendor must have the email addresses entered in the second page of a Vendor Inquiry, The More Details Page in the Internet area down the bottom.
• Cancel – Selecting this button will cancel the current procedure.
• Create ABA File – Finally to actually create the ABA text file, select the button.
  • ABA File name – You are then asked for a name for this ABA file, and remember to select a location for it otherwise you may have difficulty finding it. For Macs SapphireOne will not enter an extension but it is still only a simple text file.
  • Checking ABA Details – As when you select Print Payments for cheques SapphireOne will ask if the ABA file printed correctly. Now is the time to inspect the ABA file generated and ensure that it is appears to be in the correct format. 

• ABA Checking – Once SapphireOne has determined that you have printed cheques/remittances or created an ABA file you will be asked if the cheques/remittance or the ABA was created correctly. 
• ABA Locking Transactions – If you answer yes, the transactions in these will be locked and it will be removed from any new lists for generating an ABA file.
• Delayed Emailing – You have created the ABA file and selected ‘Yes’ as seen above to lock the transactions, and you now decide to email additional remittances.
  • Locking Transactions Again – That same pop up above will be displayed. If you have already locked the transactions by selecting ‘Yes’, this time select ‘No’. The effect of answering ‘Yes’ is to lock the transactions and remove them from the list. Since you have already done this there is no need to do it again.

ABA Text file Contents

The user may view the text file with any text viewer on any platform and then send it to the bank for processing.  However, the exact format and layout of it is very precise as defined by the banks, so it may be read by their computers. In other words, look but do not tamper with it unless you know exactly what you are doing!

• Grouping Payments – During the processing of the payment SapphireOne will display an alert asking if you want to group this payment on the Bank Reconciliation list of transactions. If grouped there will be a single transaction in the list in the bank rec which may be expanded to display all of the payments in the grouped transaction.
  • Additional Grouping – SapphireOne will also check to see if there are any other transactions that can be grouped with other transactions already in SapphireOne. If it detects some an additional alert will be displayed asking for permission to group these as well.
• Grouping Batch Number – If the grouping is accepted SapphireOne will display an alert asking for the batch number. An automatically generated number will be entered and it may be altered if required. 

CommBiz File for BPay 

To generate this file a number of conditions must be met. 

The Vendor must have the BPay Vendor check box selected on the Terms Page of a Vendor Inquiry. It is located in the middle of the window. The Vendors Bank account details in the same page, the Payment Defaults A/C must also be correctly entered including a BSB without the hyphen between the two groups of three numbers. 

Before creating a CommBiz file you must first select the Create Payments option from the Process Payments screen. When processed this will automatically create the VP, Vendor Payments, allocating them and then ask the user to post them as part of the procedure. 

OR 

Create the VI, Vendor Invoice then create the VP, Vendor Payment and allocate it to the Vendor Invoice or Invoices. You must then proceed to post the transactions which is very important! 

CommBiz File Creation Procedure

Print Payments Setup – When you select the Print Payments checkbox select Report Method, CommBiz file for BPay. SapphireOne should set the Report Type as Remittance as seen to the right. Next select the button. This will cause SapphireOne to commence preparation for the creation of a CommBiz file for BPay.

A list of posted Vendor Payments currently in SapphireOne to EFT declared Vendors will be displayed, allowing the selection of invoices to be included in this ABA file.

• Selection – Click in the Print columns as required which will also select and lock the record preventing the ABA file being created again for this transaction.
• Posting Alert – Once you have made your selections the alert below will be displayed.

This alert is used for the posting of all transactions. Select the button to continue to the CommBiz File creation pop up. Cheque numbers will not be incremented! 

This next alert is where the ABA information is collected and now displayed by SapphireOne for checking.

The information displayed here is from the details entered into a company inquiry in to the second page, More Details. Please check the details here carefully especially if it is the first CommBiz file that you are creating.

Note that CBA is entered for the Bank Abbreviation and that the BSB number contains no hyphens 032037 and no spaces.

You have a choice of printing remittances using a standard Plain Paper or two Custom Reports. 

To create the CommBiz CSV file, select the button.

You will then be asked for a name for this CommBiz file. Remember to select a location for it otherwise you may have difficulty finding it. SapphireOne will use the extension of CSV and it is best viewed using a spreadsheet application. 

As when you select Print Payments for cheques SapphireOne will ask if the CommBiz file printed correctly. Now is the time to inspect the CommBiz file generated and ensure that it is in the correct format as seen below. 

• Once SapphireOne has determined that you have printed cheques/remittances or created a CommBiz file you will be asked if the CommBiz file was created correctly. 
• If you answer yes, the transactions in these will be permanently locked and it will be removed from any new lists for generating A CommBiz file. (Please see the note below for emailing these remittances out as this pop up seen above will be redisplayed). 
• However for example, you have created the CommBiz file and selected Yes as seen above to lock the transactions. You now decide to email additional remittances. That same pop up will reappear. If you have already locked the transactions by selecting Yes, this time select NO. The effect of answering Yes is to lock the transactions and remove them from the list. Since you have already done this there is no need to do it again. 

You may view the text file with any spreadsheet application on any platform and then send it to the bank for processing. However, the exact format and layout of it is very precise as defined by the banks, so it may be automatically read by their computers. In other words, look but do not tamper with it unless you know exactly what you are doing.

SapphireOne will check to see if there are any other transactions that can be grouped with other transactions already in SapphireOne. It will then ask if you want to group this EFT payment. If yes is the answer, it will ask for a batch number for the grouping. 

To reprint any remittances, go back to  Accounts > Payables > Cheques > Print Cheques. On the right-hand side of the pop up select the button.

You may also email the remittances, provided that the Vendors have the email addresses entered in the second Page of a Vendor Inquiry, the More Details Page, in the Internet area down the bottom. 

The email details must also be entered into Utilities > Controls > Remote Access Settings and System Controls both of which are in the same menu. 

When the Email option is selected, from the Print Destination drop-down menu the options change to either selecting Single Email or Batch Email. Note that this does not email the cheque itself, but allows the sending of an email containing the Remittance to the Vendor. 

Selection of Transactions 

The Selection drop-down menu will allow you to control which records appear in the screen. 

The last item on the Selection list Detailed Query displays the Query Editor enabling you to search and find the transactions that you require using SapphireOne’s Detailed Query function. 

As in the previous section on Payments we have again searched for Vendor Link contains WHI and the result is as seen below. 

General details of each transaction are displayed on a transaction by transaction basis. 

These include ID, Batch, Date In, Period, Internal and External reference numbers, Sequence number, Payment amount, Print and Lock. 

Holding down the shift key and then clicking on a line further down will mark all transactions in between. Un-marking will have to be done one at a time or use the Unmark all button. 

CommBiz File Creation – Step by Step Procedure

1. Payments – From the Payables menu select the Payments item.
   • Payments Processing – From this screen select the Print payments option and select the button.
   • Bank Accounts – From this screen select the appropriate bank account and select the button.
2. Transaction Reports – From this screen select Report Type as Remittance and the Report Method, CommBiz file for BPay.
3. Printing – Then select the button. This will cause SapphireOne to commence preparation for the creation of a CommBiz file for BPay.
   • A list of posted Vendor Payments currently in SapphireOne to EFT declared Vendors will be displayed, allowing the selection of transactions to be included in this ABA file. 
   • Invoice Selection – Click in the Print columns as required which will also select and lock the invoice preventing the ABA file being created again for this transaction. 
4. Processing – Once you have made your selections select the button.
   • Posting Alert – A Posting alert will be displayed which should be checked before proceeding. This same alert is used for the posting of all transactions. If all is OK select the button to proceed to the CommBiz File creation pop up. Cheque numbers will not be incremented.
5. ABA Company Info – This screen is where the ABA information is collected and now displayed by SapphireOne for checking. The information displayed here is from the details entered into a company inquiry in the second page, the More Details Page.
   • Please check the details here carefully especially if it is the first CommBiz file that you are creating.
   • Note that the BSB number contains no hyphens 032037 and no spaces.
   • You have a choice of printing remittances using a standard Plain Paper or two Custom Reports. 
6. Creating ABA File – Finally to actually create the CommBiz CSV file, select the button.
   • You will then be asked for a name for this CommBiz file, and remember to select a location for it otherwise you may have difficulty finding it. SapphireOne will use the extension of CSV and it is best viewed using a spreadsheet application. 

The same as when you select Print Payments for cheques SapphireOne will ask if the CommBiz file printed correctly. Now is the time to inspect the CommBiz file generated and ensure that it is in the correct format as seen below.

Re-Printing or Delayed Emailing

To reprint any remittances go to Accounts > Payables > Payments. Select the Print Payments checkbox then select the Bank account. On the right-hand side of the Transactions Reports dialog select the select.

• Processed Invoices –Once SapphireOne has determined that you have printed cheques/remittances or created an EFT/CommBiz file, you will be asked if the Printing or file generation process was performed correctly.
  • If you answer yes, the transactions in these will be permanently locked and they will be removed from any new lists for generating the above.
• Re-Printing or Emailing – Now when you decide to email additional remittances or you have forgotten to email the originals that same alert will reappear so this time select NO. The effect of answering Yes is to lock the transactions and remove them from the initial list. Since you have already done this there is no need to do it again. 

You may also email the remittances, provided that the Vendors have the email addresses entered in the second Page of a Vendor Inquiry, The More Details Page, in the Internet area down the bottom. 

The email details must also be entered into Utilities > Controls > Remote Access Settings and SapphireOne Controls both of which are in the same menu.

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