Changing Accpac Key Fields

Once assigned, key fields like customer code, vendor code and item number cannot be changed in the standard software. Yet sometimes you may find it necessary to change one, some or all of them. Let's take a look at why you may want to change these key fields and the utilities you can use to do it for you.

Do any of these scenarios sound familiar?

When you created your customer codes years ago, you used their phone number because, "Who ever changes their phone number, right?" Or, you used a meaningless incremental number for your customer codes and now you always have to take the extra steps to search by name - slowing up your data entry.

You assigned your item numbers based on the manufacturer's code and now the manufacturer has changed their numbering. Or, the item coding structure you created years ago doesn't handle your increased product lines.

Someone accidentally created two different codes for the same vendor, and for the past year you find that half of the invoices were posted using each one, making your YTD totals misleading.

Because of what a key field does and how it works, you can't just change it like a description or address field. However, the good news is that there are utilities available that allow you to change these codes and, if appropriate, even merge records together!

But wait! Why is this so difficult that you need a separate utility?

When dealing with computer files, a key field is the unique value that is assigned to each record that ensures that a particular key is only created once and which allows the information associated with that key to be found.

For example, once you assign a customer code to someone, you cannot assign that code again to anyone else. And, it is that code that you use in your system when you want to create an invoice or receive a payment associated with that customer.

So, if you looked inside your Accounts Receivable files, you would see the customer code referenced in most of them. And, if you consider additional modules like Order Entry and Sales Analysis, you would see the customer code referenced in many of those files as well.

Because of this complexity, and the need to change all of the references to the codes simultaneously, the Change utility installs right inside of your Sage Accpac System Manager and provides an interface similar to what you are already familiar with.

The utility will allow you to perform the following actions:

Change - Change the specified code for all records throughout the system.

Combine - Combine multiple codes to one specified code for all records throughout the system.

Copy - Copy the record information from a specified code to a new record.

The Change utilities are available for the following key fields:

General Ledger Account Code

Accounts Receivable Customer Number

Accounts Payable Vendor Number

Inventory Control Item Number

Project Management Contract Number

If you would like to discuss how changes to your coding system may benefit you, or to see the changer utilities in action, please contact Laura Bennett at 856-262-8502 or info@psebusiness.com.

 

PSE Business Solutions Inc., PO Box 322, Williamstown, NJ 08094  Phone:856-262-8502 Fax:856-262-8597                

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