The Reference/Cheque number is probably the most important field in Cashbook.
It is used for numerous functions which include sorting, searching, reporting and reconciling.
Therefore, it is important to get this numbering correct.
The field is twelve characters long and is right justified. This allows cheque numbers to go well over a billion. Because this number is also used as a deposit number or journal entry number the sort sequence is also important. Cheque numbers entered will be incremented by Cashbook automatically when starting a new entry.
The following standards are used by many users of previous versions of Cashbook:
Cheque numbers are entered without any leading zeros.
Deposit numbers are always prefixed with a DP (or equivalent alpha letters) and are from eight to twelve characters long.
This length depends on how long your cheque number will be.
Because you will want to either separate the deposits when printing, or see them at the end of a report, you will want them to appear after the cheques.
A good example is either DP010110 or DP01012010.
Deposit numbers are entered into the Batch List.
Single Reference batch numbers are always prefixed with a SR (or equivalent alpha letters) and are from eight to twelve characters long.
Single Reference batch numbers are entered into the Batch List.
Journal Entries, Adjustments, and Bank transfers can also be prefixed. The same format as a deposit can be used except you would make the prefix TR or JE, etc.
Receipt numbers are not as important as cheque and deposit numbers because multiple receipts make up one deposit.
You will not use receipt numbers to perform a reconciliation with, as the deposit number entered in the Batch List is used.
Duplicate Reference numbers can be posted into Cashbook if this option has been selected in the Bank profile.
If duplicates are not allowed, when entering the reference or cheque number in a batch, it is verified against posted entries in the current Cashbook bank. If this number is a duplicate an error message will display.
The only time the reference field is left blank is when printing on-line cheques or receipts.
Cashbook will then generate these numbers automatically, retrieving the next cheque or receipt number from the locations of each bank.
If duplicate reference numbers have not been allowed in your bank options and duplicate reference numbers are entered in the same or different batch, only the first reference number is posted and the duplicate number(s) are added to an error batch.
The reference/cheque number and description are printed with the detail line on the Batch Listings and Posting Journals for the Batch, and on the G/L Transaction Listing.