Table of Contents
1. Introduction
Clear Books Cashbook is a stripped-down version of Clear Books, providing simple online cashbook software for clients with very basic requirements.
If you’re an accountant or bookkeeper and not yet partnered with us, please take out a trial on the Partner Plan and find out about all of the benefits Clear Books Cashbook can offer you and your clients. Alternatively, call 08448 160 603 to find out more.
2. Settings
1.1 Organisation
On the Settings > Organisation > Contact Details menu, you can add in all the relevant contact details of the company.
You can set up your tax details if you are VAT registered on the Settings > Organisation > Tax menu.
If you click on the Manage VAT schemes link you can adjust your VAT scheme as appropriate. This will determine how the VAT return is compiled.
1.2 Configure system
There are 3 options on the Settings > Configure system > Toggle features menu. Clear Books emails allows you to receive emails from us. Accountant as agent allows the accountant managing the account to submit VAT returns using their own credentials. VAT return journals means that a journal will be generated when a VAT return is confirmed (instead of a bill).
1.3 Accounting
The Settings > Accounting > Account codes menu allows you to manage your nominal accounts. Click on the Create account code button to create a new nominal account.
Fill in the details of the account. Click on the Add new account type button to add a new account group for the account to sit under. Tick the show in sales/purchase list to make the account visible when explaining money in/out.
The Settings > Accounting > Periods menu allow you to manage your reporting periods. You can edit the date range of the first reporting period, all other reporting periods must be deleted and re-added if you want to make changes (deleting a reporting period does not delete any transactions). Use the Padlock icon to lock a period at the end of a tax year so that no transactions can be added to that year.
1.4 Opening balances
You can add opening balances for your bank accounts on the Settings > Opening balances > Cash menu. To adjust the amount just enter the correct figure in the Amount box and hit the Update button.
The Settings > Opening balances > Other balances menu allows you to enter opening balances for balance sheet accounts. Enter debits as positive numbers and credits as negative numbers. The total debit (+ve) amount should be the same as the total Credit (-ve).
1.5 Reset
If you have made a mistake and want to clear all transactions you can use the rest tool on the Settings > Reset menu.
2. Dashboard
The dashboard is the central control panel for the Clear Books Cashbook accounting system. The dashboard provides an overview of key financial data and links to the most commonly used features.
3. Money
3.1 Bank accounts
You can view all your bank accounts on the Money > Bank accounts menu. You can edit the bank details by clicking on the edit link beside the appropriate account.
To add new accounts, click on the Add account button.
Choose an appropriate type of account.
3.2 Payment methods
The Money > Payment methods menu allows you to add new global payment methods. You will need to edit each of your bank accounts and click on the Payment methods tab to apply a new global payment method to a specific bank account.
3.3 Bank statements
You can import a CSV copy of your bank statement on the Money > Bank statements > Import statements menu, or alternatively you can re-create a statement on this same menu.
Once a statement has been imported or created manually, the statement will appear in the Imported statements that need explaining list on the Money > Bank accounts menu.
You can view a history of all the statements you have imported on the Money > Bank statements > History menu.
If the layout of your CSV changes and you need to re-map the columns on the file to data fields in Clear Books correctly, then head to Money > Bank statement > Import mappings to delete the import mapping. When you import a new CSV file you will be able to update the mapping.
3.4 Bank Explain screen
To begin creating transactions, click on the Explain link beside the appropriate statement under the Imported statements that need explaining list on the Money > Bank accounts menu.
Fill in the detail of the transaction and hit the Add new transaction button.
Explaining a receipt on the transaction tab will generate a paid sales invoice prefixed REC - All REC invoices are listed under the Receipts > All menu.
Explaining a payment on the transaction tab will generate a paid bill prefixed PAY- All PAY bills are listed under the
Payments > All menu.
Switch to the Transfer to explain the payment/receipt as a transfer to another of your Clear Books accounts.
Switch to the Refund tab to explain the payment/receipt as a refund.
Explaining a receipt on the refund tab will generate a paid purchase refund prefixed PRF - All PRF invoices are listed under the Payments > All menu.
Explaining a payment on the refund tab will generate a paid sales refund prefixed SFR - All SRF invoices are listed under the Receipts > All menu.
3.5 Manage money
If you do not import a statement, you can reach the bank explain screen and begin explaining individual transactions from the Money > Bank accounts > Manage Money menu.
4. Receipts
The Receipts > All menu lists all the money received that you have either explained from your imported statements or from the money in section on the Money > Bank accounts > Manage money menu. To void a receipt click on the REC number and hit the Void button.
5. Payments
The Payments > All menu lists all the money out that you have either explained from your imported statements or from the money out section on the Money > Bank accounts > Manage money menu. To void a payment click on the PAY number and hit the Void button.
5.1 Dividends
You can create dividends on the Payments > Dividends > Create dividend by filling in the details of the dividend form and hitting the Confirm button. Each dividend will create a PAY invoice listed on the Payments > All menu.
All dividends are listed on the Payments > Dividends >List dividends menu.
The calculator on the Payments > Dividends >List dividends menu helps determine the profit available for dividends.
5.2 Expenses
Employee expenses can be created on the Payments > Expenses > Create expenses menu. An employee expense is prefixed EXP and once confirmed will link to a paid PAY.
All the expenses are listed on the Payments > Expenses > List expenses menu. Clicking on the expense item number will allow you to view the PAY this is linked to and will also allow you to Void the expense.
6. Reports
6.1 Financials
The Financials drop down list includes reports for Profit & Loss, Balance sheet, Trial balance and transactions.
6.2 VAT return
You can create VAT returns on the Reports > VAT return menu and submit these directly to HMRC. When you create a VAT return, you will be required to fill in the date range fields as shown below.
7. Journals
The Tools > Journals > Create journal menu allows you to move balances between nominal accounts.
All journals will be listed on the Tools > Journals > List journal menu.
