Checks

Overview

Note: Help content (except videos) has been updated to reflect the UI/UX changes in BQE CORE.

The Checks screen allows you to pay directly any expenses that can be tracked using a General Ledger account. BQE CORE allows you to write checks and make payments to clients, employees and vendors. Click to watch this video on managing checks in CORE.

Typically, companies use a combination of bills and direct disbursements. They enter bills in the Vendor Bills screen when they receive a physical bill from a vendor and pay these bills using the Bill Payments screen. On the other hand, they use direct disbursement and write checks to pay vendors who do not send bills (such as rent, delivery charges and petty cash) or to reimburse employees for some expenses.

Note: Checks must not be used for paying vendor bills that have already been entered into CORE. Also, it should not be used for special kind of payments like payroll, sales tax, etc. because these transactions do not directly involve a bank account. However, you can write checks for IOLTA bank accounts.

You need to post the check amount against appropriate accounts. If a check is for service and expense items, you have to specify those items. When you write checks for vendors or employees using the Items tab, CORE automatically creates time and expense entries for those services and expenses. These entries can then be billed to the clients. If you have specified the income and expense accounts in the Activity Items and Expense Items screens, CORE records the transactions against those accounts. For example, if you are paying for inventory items, you need to post the payment to income or expense accounts. CORE records all the checks you write in a bank account register.

Field Descriptions

How To

Write Checks

Edit Checks

Print Checks

Write Reimbursement Checks

Pay Credit Cards

Add Custom Fields

Add Documents

Memorize Checks

Clone Checks

Void Checks

View Journal

Handle Bounced or Returned Checks

Batch Update Checks

Show/Hide Columns in Grid

Export Checks

View Reports

Apply Filters

Mark Screen as Favorite

Field Descriptions

Field Name	Field Description
Checks > Add Check >
Bank Account	This is the bank account from which you are writing a check. In case no default account has been set in Settings > Accounting for checks, CORE pre-fills it with the account selected in the list view.
Payee	Person to whom the check is addressed or who receives the payment. Payee can be an employee, a client or a vendor.
Amount	This is a reconciliation of all the check amounts of the line items (whether service or expense items, or accounts). It is automatically calculated by CORE. CORE uses the sum total of Items to calculate this total amount for the transaction.
To be Printed Check No.	Check this option to tag the current check with 'To Be Printed' instead of a regular check number. You can assign any number to it later in the Print Checks screen. However, if you un-check it, enter the Check No.   CORE sets the Check No./Ref No. for checks that are created against the bank service charges during account reconciliation as SERV_CHG. Such checks are treated as 'Printed' so that they do not show up in the Print Checks screen.
Memo	This is the check memo. When paying one or more vendor bills by check, CORE automatically adds the bill numbers that were paid using the check in this memo. e.g., Bill Numbers: 1004, 1005, and so on.
Checks > Add Check > Items >
Item	If you have bought services and expense items from a vendor or any other person, you can enter them here against a project. When you specify items here, CORE automatically creates corresponding time and expense entries. However, it restricts you from editing fields in the time and expense entry screens for entries that are linked to a check. Note: Expenses are referred to as costs in the legal industry.
Rate	Cost rate of the service or expense item purchased from a vendor (or any other person) for whom a check payment is made.
Purchase Tax Rate	Purchase tax is paid by the company on services and expenses. If you create a vendor bill with a purchase tax/HST on it, CORE deducts that tax from its income account. You can enter a tax rate (percentage) here and CORE calculates the tax amount accordingly. This tax rate does not affect the Amount calculation in any way and is for tax reporting purposes.
Billable	Billable status of an activity or expense item. When checked, it means the item can be billed to the client associated with the project against which it is being charged.
Checks > Edit Check > General > Accounts >
Account	This is the account to which the check is posted. It can be a bank, income, expense, accounts payable or any other account. If you want to write a check to a vendor for an advance payment, select Accounts Payable from the drop-down. This payment can be used as vendor credits while paying the vendor bills. You cannot write a check by specifying an A/P and A/R account in the same transaction.

 

Write Checks

To write a check, watch this video or follow these steps:

1. Open the Checks screen from the side menu > Accounting.
   
   
   
   
2. Click Add Check on the top-right.
3. On the Add Check screen, enter the required information. Check Field Descriptions above for details.
   • Bank Account: from which you are writing a check
   • Payee
   • Date
   • Check No. (only if To be Printed is not selected) or 'To Be Printed'
4. On the Items sub-tab, specify the service or expense items and projects for which the check is being written. Alternatively, you can click on the Accounts sub-tab if you want to post directly to accounts involved in the check transaction. Click Done. Check Field Descriptions above for details.
   Note: You cannot create transactions within the same accounts. So, you cannot write a check by specifying an A/P and A/R account in the same transaction.
5. The total check amount at the top displays a reconciliation of all the amounts of the line items (whether service or expense items, or accounts). Click Save & Done or Save & Add Another. 

Edit Checks

You can view, enter and edit check details in the detail view. However, if reimbursable expenses are paid via checks, then those checks cannot be edited. Also, you cannot update voided checks, checks that have been used as vendor credits, and checks that have billed entries associated with them. 

To edit a check, watch this video or follow these steps:

1. Open the Checks screen from the side menu > Accounting.
   
   
   
   
2. In the list view, click on the row that you want to edit and select View Details. You can delete all checks by selecting them in the list and clicking Actions > Delete or by clicking the row-action menu to delete individual checks.
3. On the Edit Check > General screen, enter more details or make the desired changes.
   
   
   
   
4. Click Save & Done.

Note: The Actions menu is not available for bill payments.

Print Checks

To print a check, watch this video or follow these steps:

1. Open the Checks screen from the side menu > Accounting.
   
   
   
   
2. In the list view, click More > Print Checks.
3. On the Print Checks screen, select the checks you want to print.
4. Click Print. Check Print Checks for details.

Write Reimbursement Checks

CORE allows you to write checks to employees for reimbursable expenses they have incurred.

Note: Expenses are referred to as costs in the legal industry.

To write a reimbursement check to an employee:

1. Open the Checks screen from the side menu > Accounting.
   
   
   
   
2. Click Add Check on the top-right.
3. On the Add Check screen, enter the required information. Check Field Descriptions above for details.
   • Bank Account
   • Payee
   • Date
   • Check No. (only if Print Later is not selected) or 'To Be Printed'
     
     
     
     
4. When the payee is an employee having reimbursable expenses, you are prompted to review those entries first.
5. On the Import Expense Entries dialog, select the entries that you want to link to the check and reimburse.
6. Click OK.
7. The selected expenses pre-fill the Items grid. Review the expenses. Check Field Descriptions above for details.
8. The check amount is not entered by you. CORE uses the sum total of Items to calculate this total amount for the transaction. Click Save & Done or Save & Add Another.

Pay Credit Cards

The process of making payments to your credit cards and then reconciling the credit card accounts involves various steps. You can pay your credit card bills via checks payable to your credit card company. If you want to write a check to a credit card company, there is no need for a manual entry as CORE handles it automatically. Paying the credit card bills debits and decreases your credit card account; on the other hand, it credits and decreases your bank account.

To pay your credit card bills, watch this video or follow these steps.

Add Custom Fields

Using custom fields, you can track extra characteristics and attributes of your checks. You can enter any information (up to 50 characters) about the checks. You can even customize these fields in the Custom Labels screen.

To add a custom field, watch this video or follow these steps:

1. Open the Checks screen from the side menu > Accounting.
   
   
   
   
2. In the list view, click on a row and select View Details.
3. On the Edit Checks screen, go to the Custom Fields tab.
   
   
   
   
4. Click Add Custom Field and select the type of field you want depending on the purpose, say Text Box.
5. On the Add Text Box dialog, enter the required information:
   • Name
   • Type
   • # of Characters
6. Check Show in List View if you want this field to appear under the Show/Hide Columns list and show up on the grid. Click Save.

Note: You can display a maximum of three custom fields on the list view per screen.

You can also check the detailed video on managing custom fields in CORE.

Add Documents

To add a document to a check:

1. Open the Checks screen from the side menu > Accounting.
   
   
   
   

2. In the list view, select a check on the grid and click  to select View Details.

3. On the Edit Check screen, go to the Documents tab and click Add.
   
   
   
   

4. On the Add Documents dialog, select the relevant tab, depending on the type of attachment.

   • Computer: To attach files stored on your computer, enter its Description and drag your file or click to browse to that location.
   • Hyperlink: To attach an external link, enter its Description and then insert the hyperlink.
   • Dropbox: To link files stored in your Dropbox account, enter its Description and then browse for it.
   • Google Drive: To link files stored in your Google Drive account, enter its Description and then browse for it.
   • OneDrive: To link files stored in your Microsoft OneDrive account, enter its Description and then browse for it.
   • Box: To link files stored in your Box account, enter its Description and then browse for it.
   • Resource Library: To link company resources, select the resource from the library. This is available in CORE CRM only.

5. Click Add.

CORE pre-fills some of the information about the attached documents in the grid. You can send the documents to your clients, employees or other contacts for getting their digital or electronic signatures (eSignature via DocuSign) using the eSign option from the row-action menu. CORE automatically adds the signed documents to the Documents folder of the entity (record) as separate attachments. It displays the status of the document, whether it has been delivered via DocuSign, viewed by the recipients, declined or completed by the recipients, etc. This column does not show up if you are not connected via the DocuSign integration. You can also check the detailed video on managing documents in CORE.

Memorize Checks

CORE gives you the flexibility of memorizing checks with user-defined frequency and schedule. It is useful for those who write checks to pay recurring bills with the same amount and vendor, say rent, utilities, auto lease payments, etc. You can write a check once and then have CORE memorize it for the future. However, you cannot memorize void checks or checks linked to vendor bill payments.

To memorize a check, watch this video or follow these steps:

1. Open the Checks screen from the side menu > Accounting.
   
   
   
   
2. Select a check on the grid that you want to memorize and click to select Memorize. You can also memorize a check from its detail view (Edit Check > Actions > Memorize).
3. On the Create Recurring Check screen, enter the required information.
   
   
   
   
4. Click Save & Done. Check Recurring Checks for details.

Clone Checks

You can copy existing checks to create new ones. This saves time and effort in creating new checks from scratch as most of the information is already filled in. You can later edit these cloned checks to make any changes, as required. However, you cannot clone void checks and bill payment checks. 

To clone a check, watch this video or follow these steps:

1. Open the Checks screen from the side menu > Accounting.
   
   
   
   
2. Select a check on the grid that you want to copy and click to select Clone.
3. On the Add Check screen, you can see the information pre-filled for the new check.
   
   
   
   
4. Enter any missing information or make changes, as needed.
5. Click Save & Done.

Void Checks

When voiding a check in CORE, any time or expense entries created with it are deleted (billed entries are never deleted). Voiding is a better option than deleting because it keeps a record of the check in the database. When you void checks, CORE automatically debits the cash account and credits the A/P account using the void date as the transaction date of the void transaction. You cannot edit the general journal entries of the voided transactions. However, all those journal entries are automatically deleted when you delete or unvoid the voided checks. You cannot void checks that have been used as vendor credits.

Note: CORE allows voiding transactions related to checks in the closed periods and automatically creates general journal entries to handle its accounting.

To void a check, watch this video or follow these steps:

1. Open the Checks screen from the side menu > Accounting.
   
   
   
   
2. Select a check on the grid that you want to void and click to select Void.
3. Else, select multiple check on the grid and click Actions > Void.
4. Confirm this action and click Submit.
5. Next, enter a Date for the void check. Click Done.

The check disappears from the grid.

View Journal

You can understand the accounting behind a transaction by looking at its journal entries. In CORE, you can open the Journal report to view the transaction details, including the accounts being credited or debited.

To view the journal of a check, watch this video or follow these steps:

1. Open the Checks screen from the side menu > Accounting.
   
   
   
   
2. Select a check on the grid and click to select View Journal. The journal opens in the viewer.
3. Preview the journal and then choose to export or print it.

Handle Bounced or Returned Checks

When clients make payments on the invoices via checks, at times, they might have insufficient funds in their bank account. So, you have a bounced or returned check to record in CORE. You must have deposited the payment prior to recording the bounced check.

You can handle a bounced-check payment or insufficient funds from the Payments screen (side menu > Billing > Transactions). Watch this video or check Payments for details.

Batch Update Checks

Making batch changes to the checks is a non-reversible process. Batch update also allows you to reset the values to none if the field is not required.

To change any check information, watch this video or follow these steps:

1. Open the Checks screen from the side menu > Accounting.
   
   
   
   
2. Select the checks on the grid and click Actions > Delete to delete them. Otherwise, click Batch Update to make changes to them.
3. On the Batch Update screen, select the relevant fields and enter new values for them.
4. Check the disclaimer at the bottom and click Update.

You can also check the detailed video on batch updating records in CORE.

Show/Hide Columns in Grid

You can configure the fields or columns that appear on the grid in the list view. You can hide or show columns and sort the order of columns according to your requirements.

To do so, watch this video or follow these steps:

1. Open the Checks screen from the side menu > Accounting.
   
   
   
   
2. In the list view, click More > Show/Hide Columns on the action bar.
3. Select or un-select the column names in the drop-down list, say Payee.
4. Next, click the column you want to sort the data by, say Bank Account.
5. Click once for ascending order (A-Z) and twice for descending order (Z-A).

Note: You can resize the column widths on the grid and then reset them, if needed (More > Reset Column Widths).

You can also check the detailed video on navigation and customizing grids in CORE.

Export Checks

In CORE, you can export checks to the Comma Separated Values file format. CORE exports data from all available columns and not just the columns visible in the grid.

To export the checks to a .CSV file, watch this video or follow these steps:

1. Open the Checks screen from the side menu > Accounting.
   
   
   
   
2. In the list view, click More > Export as CSV.
3. A .csv export file is created and saved on your system at the default download location, say your desktop. Click to open the spreadsheet.

You can also check the detailed video on exporting data in CORE.

View Reports

To view a report:

1. Open the Checks screen from the side menu > Accounting.
   
   
   
   
2. In the list view, click More > View Reports.
3. Select a report from the Report List dialog. It opens in the viewer.
4. Preview the report and then choose to export or print it.

You can also check the detailed video on running and managing reports in CORE.

Apply Filters

To view selective data on the grid, watch this video or follow these steps:

1. Open the Checks screen from the side menu > Accounting.
   
   
   
   
2. In the list view, click on the right.
3. On the Filters panel, select a filter from the drop-down and specify individual records or range.
4. Click Add Filters to specify more filters.
5. When you have finished, click Apply Filter. You can see selective data now.
6. Next, to save the applied filters as your favorite, click Save Filters.
   
   
   
7. It opens the Save Filter dialog, where you can select a name for your filter combination and then click Save. You can also update your existing saved filters by clicking the Update Saved Filters link.
8. In the list view, you can remove the individual filters by clicking  on each. To use your favorite filter or disable applied filters temporarily or remove all filters, click next to the Filters icon and select Disable Filters or Clear All, respectively. 

You can also check the detailed video on applying filters in CORE.

Mark Screen as Favorite

You can mark or flag the most-often used and important screens in CORE as your favorites up to a maximum of ten. These favorite screens then display separately on the side menu under the Favorites list. You can manage all your favorite screens in CORE from User Settings.

To mark this screen as your favorite, watch this video or follow these steps:

1. Open the Checks screen from the side menu > Accounting.
   
   
   
   
2. In the list view, click on the top-right.
3. You can access this screen from the side menu under Favorites.

You can also check the detailed video on marking screens as favorite in CORE.