FAQ

Please see below for answers to FarmBooks frequently asked questions.

When starting the FarmBooks 3.0.2 application, I receive an error
message "Invalid Timestamp". When I try to open my farm database,
I then receive an error that "operation cannot be preformed on a closed
data set". These errors prevent me from opening my farm database.
What should I do to correct this error?

Please contact Sanders Software Consulting, so we can provide you with version 3.0.2.1. We discovered this after the release of 3.02 on limited number of computers. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Which check types are supported by FarmBooks?

Supported check types include the following:

Three checks per page (www.deluxeforms.com)
- Form # 080003
- Envelope # 091534

Top Check and two vouchers (www.deluxeforms.com)
- Form # 081064
- Envelope # 091534

Voucher – Check - Voucher (www.deluxeforms.com)
- Form # 081013
- Envelope # 091500/091508

How do I set my starting check number?

The starting check number is defined for each bank account along with the beginning bank account balance for the fiscal year. This can be found from the "Balance menu" and then by selecting "Bank…". Edit each bank account and set the "Next Sequence Number" for check and / or deposit. Repeat this for each bank account.

How do I set my check format?

The application currently supports three different check formats

• Three per Page*
• Top Check and Two Vouchers
• Voucher-Check-Voucher

You can set the format for each bank account by going to the "Balance menu" and then by selecting "Bank…". Edit each bank account and press the "Check Format" for the "Default" section and choose the desired format. Repeat this for each bank account.

When printing checks, you can still change the format and the beginning check number.

*There are two formats for "Three per Page" one by Current and the other by Deluxe. You must be careful when selecting the format "Three per Page" that it matches the vendor where you ordered your checks. See our Check Order page for more information.

How do I enter my check or deposit detail in the grid without using the detail popup window?

The application "Option" preference is where you can configure the "Check Book Entry" as “Novice” or "Date Entry". Novice causes the popup window to be display instead of allowing entry into the grid. Select "Data Entry" to allow entry of data directly into the grid. If you don’t know a code while entering data into the grid, you can press the Ctrl-Enter key in the field to popup the code list to allow you to browse for a specific code.

Why are the checks that I just entered not showing in the print check list?

If you are using the application as a check writer, you should have your application "Option" preference for "Check Number and Status" set to "Print" or "Print and Cleared". You will notice that the word "PRINT" is inserted for the check number. The system assigns the check number when the check is printed. If you have anything other than "PRINT" as the check number, the check will NOT be in the list of checks that are ready to be printed.

How do I eliminate ATIG codes that I don’t use from showing in my lists?

If you don’t have a "sheep operation" for example, then you can de-activate these codes from the "Setup menu" and then by selecting "ATI – ATIG Codes..". It is as simple as un-checking the zero G CODE to de-activate the entire ATI code group or you may un-check a single code to de-activate it. Now, the sheep ATIGs will not be displayed in any of the lists though out the application.

How are ATI budgets used by the program?

The defined ATI budget table lists by ATI category all of the budget values entered for Budgeting in the "Planning menu". For each selected ATI code, a yearly budget value is entered; and then the yearly value is allocated to a specific month or months. The yearly budget values are utilized in the Flow of Funds report as the basis of comparing actual income and expenses for the fiscal year with budgeted values for each ATI category. The budgeted values are also utilized to develop the Projected Cash Flow report which can be used to compare projected to actual cash flow values.

How often should I backup my database and what options should I use?

You can never have too many backups. It is always wise to protect your business from loss of information in the event of either a hardware failure or natural disaster. The application backup preference allows you to configure the location where you want your backup stored. If the location is to any location other than "C:\FarmBooks Backups\" a secondary backup will automatically be made to the local hard drive (does not protect you in the case of a hard disk failure). This was especially important when floppy diskettes were used as a backup media since they tended to be extremely unreliable. Also, if you check "Append Timestamp for Multiple Backups", it will create a new backup instead of overwriting the same file. This give you more options should one of the backup files be corrupt.

How often should I re-index my data?

The re-index function should only be used if you receive a database error or are instructed by technical support. This function in the application is overly used with no real benefit.

What is the difference between the inventory operating dollars per unit and the market dollars per unit? Where are these values used?

Inventory allows you to track your assets by recording a beginning and ending value. You may enter these values on an operating (actual cost) basis or by a market (what if scenario) basis. The system will automatically create the ending values if your application preference for "Automatically Create Ending Inventory" is checked. The ending values can be edited thought the year as you obtain more accurate information. The operating or marketing values are printed on the balance sheet depending on which report you select.

What are some of the differences between the Register and Detail Register tab views?

The "register tab" shows only transactions for a single fiscal year and bank account whereas the "detail register tab" can be used to show transactions across all fiscal years and all bank accounts. Filters can be applied to each grid to find specific data.

How can I print a group of reports without having to print each one separately?

Batch printing of reports is probably one of the most under utilized features of the application. It does allow you to print a group of reports directly to a printer or to PDF format for later viewing. To enable this feature, go to the "Report Menu" and select "Reports…" and then press the "Options" button. Also, from this setup window, you can configure how you want the application to automatically adjust report dates for new fiscal periods or prompt once for dates during batch printing.

How do I email a report to someone?

Use the batch print option (see "How can I print a group of reports without having to print each one separately?") to output your report to PDF format (see item 5), then go to the "View Exports" from the "Report Menu". Find the report that you want to email and right click and select "Send To" and "Mail Recipient". To use this feature, you must have an MAPI configured application like Microsoft® Outlook Express, Microsoft® Outlook, etc. instead of using web mail. The report file name the application creates is prefixed with your farm name for easy identification by the recipient.

How do I export a report to Microsoft® Excel and other formats?

Open the report in the Preview window, and press "the envelope with the red arrow pointing down" and follow the prompts. The reports were designed for printability and so they may not export without requiring some manual reformatting. If we hear enough users wanting this feature, we may develop an export format that would export cleaner in a future release.

What are the "tax planning values" used for?

The "tax planning values" are estimated financial values setup for the current fiscal year to be used in providing preliminary Schedule F and Net Taxable Income Statements. The Annual Depreciation of Equipment value is also used in the Income Statement report as the basis for computing Net Farm Income. These estimated financial and tax planning values can be revised for the current fiscal year as more accurate financial and tax information becomes available.

I’m getting an error 7008 when I open the report module and another window in the application. How do I resolve this error?

The error message looks something like this:

AdsQueryEmpYear: Error 7200: AQE Error: State =HY000; Native Error=7008; [Extended Systems][Advantage SQL][ASA] Error 7008: The specified table, memo file or index file, or index file was unable to be opened. Table name: ext_Mast.

Does the farm name end with a period? Even it doesn’t the underlying relative path stored in the registration table may contain a trailing period. To correct this problem try the following steps:

• Go to the Personal Information window from the Setup menu and write down your registration information from the product tab
• Close the Farm from the File menu
• Select Change Registration Number from the File menu. Select the farm and enter registration information and press the finish button.

This will adjust the relative path information stored in the registration file. Now, open the farm and try to open the report module again. If you still obtain the error, please contact support.

How is the employees FICA exempt status used within the payroll reports and the FarmBooks application? Can this value be changed during the calendar year?

It is very important to carefully consider your payroll setup data and deductions before the first payroll check is written. This will ensure that the proper amounts are withheld for the calendar year and that the reports will be accurate. The FICA exempt status is recorded on each payroll transaction at the time that the paycheck is written. Changing the employee FICA exempt status during the year will impact the Form 943 report and the Payroll Summary by FICA Status – All Employees among other reports. Hence, if you change the employee FICA exempt status during the year, it will be necessary to edit each paycheck (must bring up the data in the detail window and update it) and then record it to have the new FICA status reflected on each paycheck so that the these reports will be accurate.

The FICA status is not displayed with the payroll grid so it can be a tedious task to correct your data. It is not recommended to change this value during the calendar year unless absolutely necessary. Up front payroll planning will result in accurate withholdings that do not require a lot of adjustments later.