Scribe's new accounting system Accounts 2010 is being released in the summer of 2010. These accounts are designed to be relevant for councils or similar public service organisations working to a budget, rather than accounts related to a commercial business existing primarily for trade and profit. They meet the requirements of the Audit Regulations for local councils and include production of the 'lighter touch' Annual Statement introduced in 2002 in addition to providing for all the 1996 Regulations.

Accounts 2010 is based on a Receipts and Payments system, and includes a year end conversion to an Income and Expenditure account and Balance Sheet for those Councils which require them, or choose to work that way. The Annual Return is provided, whichever form of accounts you prefer. This package is suitable for all Councils with up to a 1 million pound turnover.

Using the Application:

The application is based on Microsoft SQL Server (Express edition) and can be used on any PC. You can connect to it from any PC in the Council and do not need any special network editions. If you support more than one Council you can set up multiple databases and keep accounts quite separate. The application functions cover all system administration requirements such as backups, users, passwords, and setting varied access levels if needed.

Each new financial year is set up automatically for you, utilising the cost centres, codes, bank details and budgets which you used the previous year but allowing full control if you need to amend anything.

Navigation is simple using ribbon toolbars in the same way as Word.

• set your own cost centres and analysis cost codes
• set a budget for each service
• optionally profile each code budget over the year- either monthly, quarterly or manually.
• print sales invoices and purchase orders, which can be itemised at greater detail than you will maintain permanently in the accounts.
• maintain a cash balance and multiple bank balances with user defined bank details
• distinguish between cash and cheque transactions, internet banking, and internal bank account transfers
• record movement of money in or out of bank, and handle petty cash
• record all receipts and payments transactions
• set up regular charges records and then create transactions when they occur
• produce draft list of cheques for approval and print remittance advice notes for suppliers
• compare actual business against estimates for any code or cost centre
• make transfers between codes and allocation of central costs or precept
• enter journal corrections with full audit trail
• calculate and produce VAT returns
• amend VAT rates as required
• reconcile cheques with individual bank statements
• reconcile all banks against the accounts
• record and review business with individual suppliers or customers
• report on your profiled budget to make realistic comparisons for time of year
• produce detailed listings for example for audit or to support VAT claims
• choose from a wide range of summary reports to help your financial management
• enter reserves, adjustments and liabilities and produce end-of-year reports, statements and balance sheet to correspond to regulationsand guidance
• lock down the accounts after audit approval but allow for restatement where needed

in short you have immediate access to up-to-date financial information at any time, be supported in regular accounting processes such as VAT claims or bank reconciliation, and can produce all the reports you will need routinely and for the end of year.