Hi guys
When I pasted my post there was no spaces again so everything was impossible to read. Therefore I enclosed word document, pdf document in case people can view those files in one format only. Pictures are also enclosed
-- Edited by rafapak on Saturday 15th of April 2017 01:11:45 AM
When I took the exam I asked for the scenario to be printed out for me which they did and I was able to work from that, there was also a folder saved on to the desktop that I loaded all the reports and screenshots that they asked for into, there was no printing of reports needed and at the end of the exam I just uploaded the whole folder.
This was over 3 years ago so things may well have changed since then but may be worth giving your exam test centre a ring to find out if you are allowed to have a printed version of the scenario.
Good luck with the exam
__________________
Doug
These are only my opinions of how I see things and therefore should not be taken as advice
Sorry but I am probably not the right person to ask for advice on Sage as it is over two years since I used it and have no access to it on my computer, but as far as I know the payment terms would be what discounts are being offered if the Invoice was paid within a certain period of time (for example 2% discount if paid within 30 days).
__________________
Doug
These are only my opinions of how I see things and therefore should not be taken as advice
Hi Rafal 1) I did a long response earlier, but it seems to have disappeared!!!!!
Totally agree with Doug - a phone call to the exam centre to find out if they can provide printed copies of the questions is an absolute must. Ive heard of students having to split screen though - ridiculous when some of the exam centres are using such old bits of kit and have tiny screens!!
Have you worked out the split screen? Not sure if you are on windows and which windows - 7, 8 or 10? Whicever - best way is to look up 'how to split screen using windows x' Practice it loads.
You can shrink sage by using the usual buttons (highlighted)
Also then use your mouse to hovver on the right hand edge of the screen until you get the double arrows
and then move the edge to the left.
Sure there might be quicker and easier ways but thats how I do it.
2) Save the reports as you go, if you can, but whatevere you do save at least 15 minutes to upload what you need, or longer if possible in case of problems. You should get 15 minutes at the start for prep 9you mgiht be able to print off your questions??), but in that time you should be allowed to set up a folder on the desktop. The exam centre usually tell you what you need to do. But learn how to create a blank folder, then re-name it so it shows what you need (something like your name, AAT number and date or some such). Then learn how to save the documents you create as pdfs. Some need to be saved as excel and word, whilst others need changing - read the question carefully. If in doubt save as excel and pdf or word and pdf - more is better than none! You will need to be able to save a backup to this folder - practice doing that (use save as, so you can pickup the desktop and the folder)
3) You could use a screen print for this BUT the examiner is generally actually looking for proper reports - think of what a client would need - its usually a proper report. For the Activity one showing also customer name/account code, try 'customers' --> Report--> Customer activity (detailed). Name and account code show top right, credit limit is shown near the bottom if I recall correctly, but not the terms.. Payment terms just means the days allowed that you would have inputted earlier (eg 7 days or 30 days) and as Doug says - any discounts etc - so for that a screen print is probably the best one and would need to be for each customer although they generally will ask for say one customer instead of all of them.
Note - you copied a page from the book showing supplier name, account code and payment terms for a balance at a specific date - this is not necessaily an activity report but could be a creditor (or debtor for customers) list. Care to include any broguht forward figures, ensure you use the (to and from) date and tick the box to 'exclude later payments'. Play around with as many reports as you can and see if they provide the information you need
If they also want information as to when the payment is due you will need to do another report - a debtor report (detailed). Look at what the question is asking for very carefully.
Hope that helps
-- Edited by Cheshire on Saturday 15th of April 2017 06:02:26 PM
Hi Rafal
Its really hard to read now there are four attachments, and Im thinking now thats perhaps why I lost what I typed up yesterday, but I will start with your Q1 first - Im not sure what nominal codes you set up in task 3 - do you mean the ones to allocate the TB that is above the comment in the book? Doesnt actually mean you cannot create any more BUT before you start creating them you need to look at what sage already has to offer. EG stationery is already in the system as standard - look in the nominal range 75xx. Travel is also there somewhere. Might be under motor and travel or near subsistence (in the 7xxx range). If you click on the name bar of your nominal accounts it will sort it into alphabetical order so it makes looking a bit easier.click on the number bar across the top to sort in numerical. Type the first letter or number and it will take you down to that section.
Re number one - I think it depends on what it is asking for payment terms. If it just states 'payment terms' then do the screen print I mentioned earlier. If its asking you for amount outstanding then the activity screen shows it, or you might need a debtor report. Payment due is shown in a debtor report. It doesnt matter how many days a customer will wait to pay - it is what has been agreed with the customer - so if its 30 days, you should have typed this in your customer details (credit control) box when you set them up.
HTH
__________________
Joanne
Winner of Bookkeeper of the Year 2015, 2016 & 2017
Thoughts are my own/not to be regarded as official advice,which should be sought from a suitably qualified Accountant.
You should check out answers with reference to the legal position
Just looking at that sage report you included - if you look at the first customer the had an opening balance (ie invoice/s o/s) for £1821.70 and you can see that this was paid off by a bacs payment so the o/s total box is nil - which is correct. But for the second customer the opening balance AND the invoice you raised in mid January remains o/s - so the report shows the individual items of activity, amounts o/s, customer name, customer account code, a credit limit if you entered one - it just doesnt show WHEN the items are due for payment - the examiners will not be expecting one report covering everything, but make sure you give them a report (or two) covering the items covered in each questions
__________________
Joanne
Winner of Bookkeeper of the Year 2015, 2016 & 2017
Thoughts are my own/not to be regarded as official advice,which should be sought from a suitably qualified Accountant.
You should check out answers with reference to the legal position
Hi Rafal
Its really hard to read now there are four attachments, and Im thinking now thats perhaps why I lost what I typed up yesterday, but I will start with your Q1 first - Im not sure what nominal codes you set up in task 3 - do you mean the ones to allocate the TB that is above the comment in the book? Doesnt actually mean you cannot create any more BUT before you start creating them you need to look at what sage already has to offer. EG stationery is already in the system as standard - look in the nominal range 75xx. Travel is also there somewhere. Might be under motor and travel or near subsistence (in the 7xxx range). If you click on the name bar of your nominal accounts it will sort it into alphabetical order so it makes looking a bit easier.click on the number bar across the top to sort in numerical. Type the first letter or number and it will take you down to that section.
Re number one - I think it depends on what it is asking for payment terms. If it just states 'payment terms' then do the screen print I mentioned earlier. If its asking you for amount outstanding then the activity screen shows it, or you might need a debtor report. Payment due is shown in a debtor report. It doesnt matter how many days a customer will wait to pay - it is what has been agreed with the customer - so if its 30 days, you should have typed this in your customer details (credit control) box when you set them up.
HTH
thanks for reply Joanne. What confuses me is that when you rename nominal codes before you start scenario they say that only the ones they give you at the beggining of scenario will be used later. Unfortunately , in my exercise, they didn't give me stationary account earlier but it must be used later. The same with Travelling account.
-- Edited by rafapak on Sunday 16th of April 2017 11:44:26 PM
Unfotunately the book is wrong. Quite honestly I am fed up with the number of misprints in books by these organisations who take thousands from students and don't seem to care about getting their training material right. Only thing I can suggest is that, in a real world scenario if it doesn't sound right, then it must be wrong, so apply that to your learning process as well. Which you have. But just look beyond what the book says into the software eg have a good look at what the nominal codes are. If you can't find what you need, just create it. In real life, if you think a business might want to monitor a specific cost, then you would create a new code.
__________________
Joanne
Winner of Bookkeeper of the Year 2015, 2016 & 2017
Thoughts are my own/not to be regarded as official advice,which should be sought from a suitably qualified Accountant.
You should check out answers with reference to the legal position
The easiest way to split screens (assuming only two windows open) is to right click on task bar and click show windows side by side (Windows 10) although I think earlier versions say vertically)
__________________
John
Any advice given is for general guidance and professional advice should be sought applicable to your circumstances.
thanks guys for replies
I was told by my teacher that during exam I will have to split my computer screen. On the other hand I contacted few people and they said that on request they were given paper version of scenario during exam. If according to aat rules student is allowed to be given paper version of scenario it means that my teacher doesn't do her job properly. I tried to contact aat and asked them if I can have paper version on request but they never replied. I think I will write message to them again.
So far I used kaplan books during my aat studies. I wasn't happy about their computerised accounting book cause screenshots in a book are almost invisible. I bought bpp book and I think it is ten times better. There are probably errors but I like bpp book much more. From now on I am going to buy bpp books .
The easiest way to split screens (assuming only two windows open) is to right click on task bar and click show windows side by side (Windows 10) although I think earlier versions say vertically)
Oh of course - doh! Yes its ok under Win 7 and you can have them stacked as well. Im so used to double screening everything these days.
__________________
Joanne
Winner of Bookkeeper of the Year 2015, 2016 & 2017
Thoughts are my own/not to be regarded as official advice,which should be sought from a suitably qualified Accountant.
You should check out answers with reference to the legal position
thanks guys for replies I was told by my teacher that during exam I will have to split my computer screen. On the other hand I contacted few people and they said that on request they were given paper version of scenario during exam. If according to aat rules student is allowed to be given paper version of scenario it means that my teacher doesn't do her job properly. I tried to contact aat and asked them if I can have paper version on request but they never replied. I think I will write message to them again. So far I used kaplan books during my aat studies. I wasn't happy about their computerised accounting book cause screenshots in a book are almost invisible. I bought bpp book and I think it is ten times better. There are probably errors but I like bpp book much more. From now on I am going to buy bpp books .
AAT are hopeless at responding to emails!!!! I am not sure though that they cover that in their rules - might be worth trying to phone them to find out and if you get the answer you want ask them to confirm it in an email to you.
Where are you sitting the exam? At the college or an external exam centre? If its external it is them you need to talk to. If its the college then ask why they will not supply the paper based questions and go above your tutors head if needs be.
__________________
Joanne
Winner of Bookkeeper of the Year 2015, 2016 & 2017
Thoughts are my own/not to be regarded as official advice,which should be sought from a suitably qualified Accountant.
You should check out answers with reference to the legal position
thanks guys for replies I was told by my teacher that during exam I will have to split my computer screen. On the other hand I contacted few people and they said that on request they were given paper version of scenario during exam. If according to aat rules student is allowed to be given paper version of scenario it means that my teacher doesn't do her job properly. I tried to contact aat and asked them if I can have paper version on request but they never replied. I think I will write message to them again. So far I used kaplan books during my aat studies. I wasn't happy about their computerised accounting book cause screenshots in a book are almost invisible. I bought bpp book and I think it is ten times better. There are probably errors but I like bpp book much more. From now on I am going to buy bpp books .
AAT are hopeless at responding to emails!!!! I am not sure though that they cover that in their rules - might be worth trying to phone them to find out and if you get the answer you want ask them to confirm it in an email to you.
Where are you sitting the exam? At the college or an external exam centre? If its external it is them you need to talk to. If its the college then ask why they will not supply the paper based questions and go above your tutors head if needs be.
I received reply from aat on facebook. It is enclosed. It is suspicious that students are allowed to have hard copy of scenario during exam but teacher insists that you don't have access to printed version.
Probably it requires some effort from teachers to obtain paper scenario for students so they prefer to tell students that they are not allowed to have paper version scenario during exam.
