Lesson 30-- Chart of Accounts

In this lesson you will learn how to use the Chart of Accounts window in the Sample Company File.

Background

Goldenseal construction accounting software uses accounts to keep track of each person and company with whom you do business. The Chart of Accounts lets you see all of your business accounts in a convenient graphic format.

Getting Started

Before you start this lesson, open the Sample Company File. Choose Chart of Accounts from the View menu, then choose Show Window from the submenu.

Viewing Accounts

There are four basic groups of accounts-- Jobs, Assets, Liabilities and Costs. Each of the four columns in the Chart of Accounts shows one account group (for example, the Assets column shows cash, checking, equipment, inventory, investment, real estate and savings accounts). Goldenseal uses different icons for each class of accounts.

You can scroll each column individually to see the accounts in that column.

To move up in the list, click on the 'up' arrow.
To move down in the list, click on the 'down' arrow.
To move quickly to a different part of the account list, click on the movable 'thumb' box and drag it up or down.

Moving and Resizing the Window

To move the Chart of Accounts window to a different part of your screen, click in the title bar at the top of the window and drag to a new location. You'll use the same approach to move any window.

HINT: In newer Macintosh systems, you can also click on the window border and drag.

To change the size of the Chart of Accounts window (or any window), click in the resize box in the lower right corner and drag it to a new size.

HINT: In Windows, you can also click on the window border and drag.

Closing the Window

To close the Chart of Accounts window, choose Close Window from the File menu. This command also closes any other Goldenseal window.

You can also click in the Close box to close any window. On the Macintosh, the Close box is the square in the upper left corner. In Windows it is the X in the upper right corner.

Docking the Window

In Windows, click on the docking button at upper right to 'dock' any Goldenseal window. It will compress into a small rectangle at the bottom of the screen.

Double-click on a docked window to restore it to full size.

Opening the Window

To re-open the Chart of Accounts window, follow these steps:

Choose Chart of Accounts from the View menu.
A submenu will appear. Choose Show Window from the submenu, then lift up the mouse button.
The Chart of Accounts window will appear.

Sorting Order

To change the ordering of accounts in any column of the Chart of Accounts, follow these steps:

Click anywhere in the column you'd like to change. You can select an icon, or click on the column title.
Choose Chart of Accounts from the View menu, then choose Icon Order from the submenu.
Choose the sorting order that you'd like to use.

You can use any of the following sorting orders:

Reverse Order takes the current sorting order and reverses it. For example, reversing By Size puts the smallest accounts at the top.
Custom Order remembers the position of each account, even if you drag it to a new position in the list.
By Name puts the accounts into alphabetical order.
By Size puts the accounts with the largest balance at the top.
By Kind groups accounts by class.
By Times Used puts the most frequently used accounts at the top.
By Creation Date puts the newest accounts at the top.
By Last Revised Date puts recently changed accounts at the top.

Icon Size

Goldenseal lets you use large icons if a column doesn't include many accounts, or smaller icons if you'd like to see more accounts in the window.

To change the size of the icons in the Chart of Accounts window, follow these steps:

Click anywhere in the column you'd like to change. You can select an icon, or click on the column title.
Choose Chart of Accounts from the View menu, then choose Icon Size from the submenu.
Choose Large Icon, Small Icon or No Icon from the second submenu.

Finishing Up

This lesson has explained how to use the Chart of Accounts.

Coming up is more about the accounts that are behind those pretty pictures. But before you start on that, maybe it's time to take a shower and sing all the songs you know about accounting software and business management software.

HINT: If you play guitar, you probably shouldn't play it in the shower. Especially if it's an electric guitar.