Posting invoices locks invoices into the system so that they cannot be changed. Invoice postings will export all sales tax payable and income information to a file that can be imported into your accounting software.

The software gives you three different accounting methods to determine how to invoices are posted. Payments are always posted as soon as you enter them.

• Post invoices when paid in full (also known as Cash Basis accounting) - Invoices will be posted as revenue when the balance due is equal to zero.
• Post invoices when paid in full and delivered date is entered (also known as Cash Basis accounting) - Invoices will be posted as revenue when the balance due is equal to zero AND the product delivery date has been completed on the invoice. Note: if you use this option, the software will remind you to enter the delivery date whenever you create a payment that closes out the invoice.
• Post invoices when they are created (Also known as Accrual accounting) - Invoices are posted and counted as revenue immediately when they are generated.
• Post invoices when they match the criteria in the following filter - Invoices are posted when they meet the criteria set up in a filter.

Spectra/myStratus Desktop now has a direct electronic link to QuickBooks Online as well as QuickBooks Desktop.

If you select Quickbooks  Direct, Spectra/Stratus Desktop will automatically export those general ledger entries into Quickbooks Desktop when you post. Make sure that you only post from the computer that has Quickbooks Desktop installed on it and that Quickbooks Desktop is open prior to beginning the posting process. 

If you select QuickBooks Online, the software has a process that will require you to Connect to QuickBooks Online, and will pass the entries automatically.

If you want the software to create a file to import into your accounting software, select the Quickbooks Indirect, Simply Accounting, or MYOB option and Spectra/myStratus Desktop will export a summary of your financial transaction to an export folder. You can then import that data into your accounting software from inside that program. Here's what you need to do to get your Spectra/myStratus sales data into your external software:

1. Create a folder for Spectra/myStratus Desktop to export your accounting data to (e.g., C:\SPExport).

2. On the Accounting page in the Company (Studio) Preferences, set the Export Path to the export folder you created.

3. In the General Ledger Account Number, enter the numbers or names for each line item exactly as they appear in your accounting software.

4. Go to Tools > Accounting Link and post your data. You'll need to both Post Invoices and Make Deposits to post completely.

5. Your financial data will now be automatically exported in the proper format to the folder you created.

6. Go to that folder and make sure your data is there. There should be a text file with either a .txt or .iif file extension.

7. In your accounting software, use the appropriate menu command to import your accounting data files.

Note: Spectra/myStratus Desktop do not export transaction-level detail to your accounting software (only the summary-level detail) UNLESS you’ve specified transaction-level detail on the Payment Methods Maintenance.

Spectra/myStratus will NOT create a new Quickbooks Indirect, Simply Accounting, or MYOB file each time you export your data. Instead, the software will add each posting to the same file. Each time you import your data into Quickbooks Desktop or Simply Accounting, remove the export file from the folder. Spectra/myStratus will then create a new export file each time. If you do not move, change, or delete this file, duplicate entries will be created when importing into your accounting software.

Once an account is created in Quickbooks Desktop or QuickBooks Online, it cannot be deleted. Be sure your account names or numbers match before importing into Quickbooks Desktop or QuickBooks Online. It would be a good idea to perform a backup in Quickbooks Desktop before attempting your first import from Spectra/myStratus. That way, if things do not go as expected, you can simply restore the backup.

By default, all sales data will post to the general ledger account number you enter in Company (Studio) Preferences. However, you may have sale items that you would like to post to a different general ledger account number. Spectra/myStratus have two different ways you can post sales.

Session Types - In Maintenance > Session > Session Types you can specify a general ledger account that you want all sales and discounts from these sessions to go to. Any non-session sales will default to the general sales account set up in Company (Studio) Preferences. See also: Session Types

Price List - In Maintenance > Price List > Price Lists you can specify a general ledger account for a specific item. Go to the item you want to have post to a different general ledger account. Enter that account number in the GL Sales Account Line. Any sales for items that do not have a GL account will default to the general sales account set up in Company (Studio) Preferences. See also: Price List Reference