Check

Use the Check data entry form to issue checks, record Electronic Funds Transfers (EFTs), or to enter handwritten checks. As with receipts and journal entries, you can access checks from a number of different places in the system, based on the type of check you are creating.

The following workflow applies to all checks, except for Vendor checks and Recurring checks. These categories will continue to function the same as those without Check Approval Required.

  • Create a check:

    • For a bank that has the Bank Option: Check Approval Required (link to Bank Setup help above) enabled, the step to "Click the Post or Post & Print icon" will instead enable the check creator to see a "Save and Close" icon to the check without posting.

  • Pending Checks:

    • The check will appear in the Bank Center Register view as "Pending."

    • Pending checks will not appear in statements.

    • Pending checks cannot be Copied or Voided. However, they can be Deleted.

    • Pending checks do not appear in Bank Reconciliation.

  • Approve a check:

    • A user with Check Approval security will open the check from the Bank Center Register view and will have a Post icon to post the check after reviewing it.

  1. In the Bank Center,  open the bank account where the checks are to be issued.
  2. In the Actions menu, click (New)Check. The Bank Center Check form opens.

See Section Descriptions later in this topic for more details about voucher sections.

You can access the Check form from many places throughout AMS360. Where you are when you access a check form controls what voucher sections display and what choices you have about where the check posts in the general ledger.

Depending on which center you are working in when you decide a check should be created, you may be able to generate the appropriate check without opening the Bank Center.

Check Types and Locations

Following are examples of types of checks and the system location where they are commonly created based on the payee:

The check is for:

  • Check payable to the Customer for a refund of an accounts receivable credit transaction, such as an invoice credit balance due to an overpayment, an audit or an endorsement credit.
  • Refund of a customer payment recorded as an On Account receipt.

To access the Check form:

Customer Center:

  1. Open the customer in the Customer Center.
  2. Select Actions > New > Check from the sidebar. The Customer CenterCheck form appears with the Insured Accounts Receivable section expanded and the customer name and address defaulted into the form.
  3. In the Insured Accounts Receivable section, type the desired invoice amount(s) into the Amounts grid column. Enter a Description for each voucher amount.
  4. Click the Post or Post & Print icon (if check stock is available in the printer).

Customer Register Option:

  1. Open the Customer Register and click the right-pointing arrow to the left of the policy containing the item you want to create a check for.
  2. Select Actions > New > Checkfrom the sidebar. The Customer Center Check form appears with the check Amount, and the Payee Name & Address in the General Information section, and the Amount and Description fields in the Insured Accounts Receivable section pre-filled.
  3. Review and edit the defaults if necessary, including the Memo field if you wish to note any additional information.Example:Workers Comp Final Audit
  4. Click the Post or Post and Print icon.

The check is for:

  • Payment of funds to a company for a Direct Bill Deposit transaction. An alternate workflow is available to create a check to the company immediately after posting the Direct Bill Deposit receipt. See Receipts for more information.

To access the Check form:

  1. Open the Customer Register for the desired customer.
  2. Expand the desired Direct Bill Deposit row containing the deposit you want to pay to the company.
  3. Select Actions > New > Checkfrom the sidebar for the item you want to pay. The Direct Bill Deposit Check form appears with the check Amount, and Payee Name & Address in the General Information section, and the customer's direct bill deposit Amount and Description in the Direct Bill Deposit section prefilled.
  4. Review and edit the defaults if necessary.
  5. Click the Post or Post and Print icon.

The check is for:

  • Payment of funds to a company for Direct Bill Deposit amounts for multiple customers.

To access the Check form:

  1. Open the company in the Company Center.
  2. Select Actions > New > Check from the sidebar. The Company Center Check form appears.
  3. Expand the Direct Bill Deposit section of the check form. All customers having a direct bill deposit balance for the selected company, display in the grid listing the current balance for each customer.
  4. Click Pay All to copy the Balance column to the Amount column and to enter the default description in each row.

    Or, use the type-in-grid functionality to enter the Amounts and Description you want to pay.
    If you accidentally enter an amount and description for a customer you do not wish to pay, change the Amount to 0.00. Zero amount rows do not post to the general ledger. Or, click Clear All and begin entering the amounts and descriptions again.
  5. Click the Post or Post and Print icon.

The check is for:

  • Check payable to the Broker for a refund of an accounts receivable credit transaction, such as an invoice credit balance due to an overpayment, an audit or an endorsement credit.
  • Any other checks issued to a broker for miscellaneous reasons, such as reimbursement of shared expenses, etc.

To access the Check form:

  1. Open the broker in the Broker Center.
  2. Select Actions > New > Check from the sidebar. The Broker Center Check form appears.
  3. Expand the Broker Accounts Receivable section.
  4. Type in the Amount and Description for the invoices you want to pay, or add the amount on account.
  5. Click the Post or Post and Print icon.

Pay Commission Statement (Gross Brokersonly):

  • Pay Commission Statements for gross brokers are prepared and processed just like Employee Commission Statements. Checks associated with these statements are created as part of the Pay Statement process.

The check is for:

  • Premium payments to companies on agency bill invoices/statements.

To access the Check form:

Pay Account Current:

  1. Build an Account Current Statement to equal the desired amount of payment to the company.
  2. Click Create a Check for the amount of the statement option in the Pay Statement section of the Pay Account Current Statement form.

Checks can also be generated for Account Current statements from the Financial Center. See Building Batch Statements in the Financial Centers.

If an Account Current Statement exists with the status of Ready to Pay, you can initiate a check to pay and close the statement.

The check is for:

  • Checks issued to insurance/brokerage companies to refund commission over-payments, or return commissions.

To access the Check form:

  1. Open the company in the Company Center.
  2. Select Actions > New > Check from the sidebar. The Company Center Check form appears.
  3. Do one of the following:
  • Open the Direct Bill Commission Receivables section if you create Direct Bill Statements for this company.
  • Open the Direct Bill Commission Income section if you post commissions directly to the commission income account without entering or reconciling direct bill items for this company.

For other types of payments to companies, such as reimbursement for co-op advertising, open the Other GL Accounts section and select the appropriate expense account.

The check is for:

To access the Check form:

  1. Open the finance company in the Company Center.
  2. Select Actions > New > Check from the sidebar. The Company Center Check form opens with the finance company name and address defaulted.
  3. Open the Finance Accounts Receivable section and enter the Amount and Description of the invoices you are paying, into the type-in-grid, or apply the payment on account.
  4. Click the Post or Post and Print icon.

The check is for:

  • Payments to employees for salary, expense reimbursements or draws against future commission.

To access the Check form:

  1. Open the employee in the Employee Center.
  2. Select Actions > New > Check from the sidebar. The Employee Center Check form appears.
  3. Apply the check using the appropriate sections available. See the Section Descriptions section in this topic for more details.
  4. Click the Post or Post and Print icon.

The check is for:

  • Payments to vendors entered in Vendor Setup for agency operating expenses.

To access the Check form:

  1. Open the vendor in the Vendor Center.
  2. Select Actions > New > Check from the sidebar. The Vendor Center Check form opens with the vendor's name and address defaulted.
  3. Apply the voucher amounts to the appropriate GL expense accounts, in the Other GL Accounts section.
  4. Click the Post or Post and Print icon.

One or more of the following voucher sections are available when entering/posting a check. The voucher sections control the general ledger posting of the non-bank account portion of the check.

General Information

Account Current

Insured/Broker/Finance Accounts Receivable

Employee Draw

Other GL Accounts

To Post, or Cancel a check, click any of the following icon:

  • Post and New: Posts the current check and then displays a blank Bank Center Check form to facilitate entering another check. Use this option when entering a group of checks, such as for bill paying. This feature is only available from the Bank Center.
  • Post: Posts to the general ledger. See Reports - Checks for check printing instructions.
  • Post and Print: Executes the Post action, plus immediately prints the check. Make sure the proper check stock is loaded in the printer.
  • Cancel: Cancels the check action, and returns you to your point of origin.

Multiple users of AMS360 can access the Check form and post checks while other users are simultaneously printing checks. If you are currently locked out of printing checks for a specific bank, you'll receive a system message with a Retry option. You can continue to Retry printing until the lock is clear. Otherwise, you can cancel out of the form and try again later.

What's Next?

Rather than entering the same data every month for the same checks, see Workflow: Copy a Check and Recurring Checks for alternative solutions.