How would i enter cash sales without customer records in sage instant 2015? - The Book-keepers Forum (UK)

Tc_123 · Newbie

Hi, I am completely new to all of this accounting stuff and bought sage instant accounts 2015 in the hope that it will be easier to work with (which im sure it will once i fully understand it) so you will have to try and bear with me

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What i am trying to do is enter records from when customers have paid me in cash this last week. As i have just set up as a sole trader i am obviously having different customers on a daily basis who only need my services when their PC breaks down, so it is unnecesay for me to keep there records saved under the customers section as a customer account until i start getting more 'regular' customers. I want some sort of advice/confirmation of what i am doing is right or wrong or if there is a better way i should be doing it.

I am currently clicking on bank on the left hand pane, then i click on petty cash 1230 account and then click on 'bank receipt' at the top, i then enter my takings in cash which i have received from customers and then save. Then when i go to the bank to deposit my cash received into my physical account, i go back on to sage and then transfer from petty cash to current account, this then is recorded?

Thank you very much in advance.

Bookkeeperguides · Newbie

Hm, I think the way I've done it in the past is just debit the cash deposit and include any customer information in the comments section. This is just a temporary measure though. Why not just set up a new customer account for each customer?

Shamus · Forum Moderator & Expert

Hi TC,

using sage and making things easier are seldom heard in the same sentence by those not accustomed to that software.

expanding upon Daves reply above

Each of the jobs that you have done will require you to raise an invoice for the work. As you are paid, even immediately in cash that is taken against the raised invoice.

This is a non software specific response but one way to handle this would be to set up a generic customer called something like "Cash Sales" for small one off jobs and to raise invoices and receive payments against that.

Of course, the downside to that is that you are losing important customer relationship information for follow up sales / marketing (sending a Christmas card to all customers even the one off's which may become regular customers or an unpaid salesforce with good client relationship management).

And thats where my answer links back to Daves suggestion that regardless of the size of customer if they are identifieable them really it is in the best interestes of your business to take those few moments to set up a customer account for each of them. Even the perceived one off's.

HTH,

Shaun.