How do I create a New Company in SFM?
To create a new company within your current installation of SFM, from the Current Year menu select the Utilities sub-menu. From the Utilities sub-menu select Company Maintenance and press the Insert key on your keyboard.
This will open up the first part of the screen from where you need to enter details related to the new company. The following are the steps you need to follow to create this new company
1.1 Requesting the Activation Key
Before you start this process, you need to submit the company name to accounts@shireburn.com so that you can receive the activation key of the new company. It is important at this stage that you need to submit the company name in the desired format, if all in blocks letters or proper case. It is important that you include all the formatting required including full stops, brackets, etc. Once you submit this to accounts@shireburn.com you will receive the activation key for the company.
1.2 Creating the New Company
When in the company maintenance screen and after pressing the Insert Key (using the keyboard) the system will ask for the company name.
1.2.1 Company Name
Enter the company as submitted to Shireburn Software Ltd. As previously stated in this document, it is important that the company name be exactly as the name submitted to Shireburn as otherwise the activation key would fail.
1.2.2 Activation Key
Enter the activation key as received from Shireburn Software Ltd. and click on the Validate button. Should the activation key fail, please check the name of the company with the one submitted and make sure that it includes the right format including the proper case, dots, etc.
If the activation still fails, please contact Shireburn or submit an e-mail with details about the problem to the person concerned and make sure you include a cc to support@shireburn.com.
If successful, the system will enable the second part of screen to allow the user enter the other details about the company.
1.3 Field Definitions
The following are the fields required to create the new company
1.3.1 Start of Financial Year
This is the date from where to start the financial year of the new company. You will not be able to post accounting entries with a transaction before this date. Should the financial year is from 1st January to 31st December but the company is incorporated half way through the year, you may opt to create the financial year from 1st July to 30 June of the following year. In this case, please make sure that you run an end of year before 1st January of the following year. Through this process, the system will align with the required financial year period.
1.3.2 End of Financial Year
This is the end date of the financial year. The financial year has to cover a full calendar year and the system will not let you create it otherwise. Please make sure that you enter the right financial year dates, as you will not in a position to change these dates.
1.3.3 Base Currency
You need to identify the base currency of the company. The system will provide access to the currency database on the current company and you can create any base currency from the list. Should the required currency is not within the list, you need to exit from this screen and create the necessary currency code in the currency file (Support Currencies). You may opt to create this new company from another existing company that has the required currency code.
1.3.4 Number of Accounting Periods
If your accounting periods are monthly, enter the value 12. If the accounting periods are of weeks duration, 4, 4, 5 weeks enter the value of 13. Do not leave the number of weeks blank.
1.3.5 Automatic Number of Documents
If you want the system to generate invoice numbers, credit notes number, etc, automatically you need to check the associated check-boxes. The system also allows the user to start these numbers from a desired offset (defaulted to 0). Note that in automatic mode, the system will add one to the current number and therefore if you want to start from 1,000 you need to enter 999.
1.3.6 Copy Chart of Accounts
The system provides the option to copy a chart of accounts from another company. If you tick the ‘Copy Chart of Accounts from another company’ check-box, you will select from which company you want to copy the account list. When you confirm the system will create the new company that will be available from the company list as soon as you open up SFM.
At the end, you need to click on the ‘Create Company’ button to initiate the creation process.
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