This program is one of the most non-intuitive, difficult programs to use in all of MAS90. It should not be so painful/confusing to transfer funds from one bank account to another or record a simple journal entry that affects a bank account. This program needs to be re-designed so it is user-friendly and so you don't have to have the manual/help system out every time you try to use it.
by: Jeff L. | over a year ago | Financial Management
Comments
What do you suggest? After initial setup, it has always seemed to be very straightforward to me.
Make a bank transfer be as simple as picking the from and to bank codes and amount. There is so much stuff going on in that format button that makes you wonder just wnat you're going to get when you print or update the journal. Having a cash account show up in there that is different from the one in the bank code is really confusing. Since we've ALWAYS enforced that when you use a bank code, you use the cash account assigned to the bank code, wouldn't it be so much easier if you didn't have to worry about the GL account not being the one that actually matches the bank code? Other transactions force you to input document or reference numbers when there isn't one that fits, or isn't one thats even important or relevant to the customer.
Its almost like they just tried to do too many things in one program. As a certified trainer and someone who's been doing implementations for over 11 years, this is the one program out of the core accounting modules I get the most complaints about and have to do the most retraining on. I think they should focus more on ease of use to creat quick transactions rather than having a single program that will do 15 different types of transactions. And I know you can't make everyone happy. Someone will always find problems with how you build a program. I just see this one consistently being a problem. I've never once had a customer learn this program and say "Wow, this is a cool program" or "this program is well designed" or "this program is easy to use". Its stuff like "who came up with this?" or "the guy who wrote this, his punishment for creating such a bad program should be that he has to sit and use the program for several hours a day every day". And my favorite..."is there somehwere else in the software I can enter these transactions?? This program sucks!".
I'm not saying this program doesn't do a lot of neat things. I'm saying its very non-intuitive in how it accomplishes them, and it creates enough confusion that people feel really uncomfortable using it. Quite honestly, it should be easier, and perhaps it should be two or three programs instead of one. If Sage were to do usability studies on this, they'd know what I mean. Clients will gladly tell you what they think.
Product Update 3 for version 4.4 allows direct posting of Bank Rec adjustments, checks, and deposits to the G/L, which should preclude the use of the Transaction Journal.
Not really since with Update 3 you can only enter one GL account per Bank Rec adjustment. If you need to post an adjustment to more than one GL account you still have to use the Transaction Journal. Hopefully, they will allow posting to multiple GL accounts in Update 4???
We get a number of calls from clients regarding both GL Transaction Journal Entry and Reversing/Voiding an AP check where they have misunderstood the published instructions and failed to get the desired results. Program changes and/or Documentation improvement would be very helpful.
I can't agree more with Jeff L. I stopped using that program from day 1 because it was the most confusing to use. For all my transfers of funds, i just posted in bank rec and then did GL entries. How difficult is it to add a simple bank transfer program into back rec that has 3 fields, transfer from:, transfer to: & amount
Strongly agree with Jeff L. He's spot on, they tried to do too much in one screen. I'm also a trainer and nobody has ever figured out how to do this on their own, and when I show them how they still don't use it, it's just too complicated. It is also not clear on the format screen which account is getting the debit and which is getting the credit. Yes, after a power user has studied it he can eventually figure it out, but the average user is simply overwhelmed. Now that BR can post to GL, the solution is simple and obvious: create a bank transfer function in BR and make the interface simple, intuitive and obvious: "$XXX from bank A to bank B"
It would also be nice if the sheet showing what you are posting displayed the same way as other postings - with a debit column and a credit column and the account numbers column. Much easier to make sure you have created it correctly if you can see it in that layout.