Actors in Sapera are all persons who play a role in the accounting system. That is, users (employees), customers and suppliers as well as contact persons. Additional roles can be added as needed — such as sales reps.
A debtor is a person, company or entity that owes money to another person, company or entity. In a financial and accounting context, the term "debtor" refers to a party that has received goods, services or credit from another party but has not yet paid for them. In other words, a debtor is a party owing in a financial transaction.
Here are a few examples of how the term "debtor" is used:
Company to customer: If a company sells goods or services to a customer on credit, the customer becomes a debtor. The customer owes the company payment for the delivered goods or services.
Financial institution to individual: When a person takes out a loan from a bank or other financial institution, the person becomes a debtor towards the lender. The person owes the amount back according to the loan agreement.
Supplier to company: If a supplier delivers goods or services to a company with payment terms, the company becomes a debtor towards the supplier until payment is made.
In accounting terms, debtors appear as assets on the company's balance sheet, as they represent money expected to be received in the future. Managing debtors is an important part of a company's financial management, as it involves monitoring unpaid invoices, following up on outstanding payments and maintaining healthy liquidity.
In practical terms, debtor can be used as a synonym for customer.
A creditor is a person, company or entity to which another person, company or entity owes money. In a financial and accounting context, the term "creditor" refers to a party that has supplied goods, services or credit to another party but has not yet received payment for them. In other words, a creditor is a claimant in a financial transaction.
Here are a few examples of how the term "creditor" is used:
1. Company to supplier: When a company buys goods or services on credit from a supplier, the supplier becomes a creditor. The company owes the supplier payment for the received goods or services.
2. Individual to supplier: If a person receives goods or services and does not pay immediately, the person becomes a debtor towards the supplier. The supplier is waiting to receive payment.
3. Financial institution to individual: When a person has savings in a bank, the bank becomes a creditor towards the person, as the bank owes the person the money deposited in the account.
In accounting terms, creditors appear as liabilities on the company's balance sheet, as they represent money owed to other parties. Managing creditors involves maintaining good relationships with suppliers and ensuring that payments are made on time to avoid late fees or damage to the business relationship.
A system name is a unique designation used to identify and differentiate one entity from other entities of the same kind. This name is set at creation and cannot be changed later, as other parts of the system may have references to this specific name.
A display name does not have to be unique, unlike a system name. The display name is the name that is typically shown on printouts.
The contribution margin is a financial indicator that shows how much a company has left to cover its fixed costs after variable costs have been deducted from revenue. In other words, the contribution margin is the part of revenue left to cover the costs that do not vary with production or sales (e.g. rent, salaries of permanent staff, depreciation, etc.). The contribution margin can be calculated both per unit and in total:
- Contribution margin per unit = Sales price per unit
- Variable costs per unit
- Total contribution margin = Total revenue
- Total variable costs
The contribution margin is an important key figure, as it provides an indication of the company's profitability and its ability to cover its fixed costs and generate profit. It is often used in budgeting, pricing and decision-making around production and sales. The contribution margin is calculated excl. VAT. That is
CM = Sales price excl. VAT - cost price excl. VAT
The contribution margin ratio is a financial key figure that expresses what percentage of revenue or sales covers the fixed costs and contributes to profit. The contribution margin ratio is calculated as the ratio between the contribution margin and revenue, often expressed as a percentage. The formula for calculating the contribution margin ratio is:
Contribution margin ratio per unit = (Contribution margin / sales price excl. VAT) * 100
Total contribution margin ratio per unit = (total contribution margin / revenue excl. VAT) * 100
For example, if a company has a revenue of DKK 1,000,000 and a contribution margin of DKK 300,000, the contribution margin ratio will be:
Contribution margin ratio = (300,000 / 1,000,000) * 100 = 30 %
A high contribution margin ratio indicates that a large part of revenue goes towards covering fixed costs and generating profit, which is positive for the company's financial health. A low contribution margin ratio, on the other hand, can be a sign that the company is struggling to cover its fixed costs, which can lead to financial problems.
The contribution margin ratio is an important key figure for the company's management when it comes to making pricing decisions. It is often used in connection with budgeting and financial analysis.
Debit and credit are two central concepts within accounting and bookkeeping, used to record and track financial transactions in a company's accounting system. These concepts are used to indicate how cash flow affects different accounts in the accounts.
1. Debit: When an entry is recorded as a debit entry, it means that the amount is added to the left side of an account. Debit is often used to record where funds come from, or where assets increase. For example, when a company receives cash from a customer, this is normally recorded as a debit entry in accounts such as "Cash" or the "Debtor"'s account.
2. Credit: When an entry is recorded as a credit entry, it means that the amount is added to the right side of an account. Credit is often used to record where funds go, or where liabilities or obligations increase. For example, when a company pays a supplier, this is normally recorded as a credit entry in accounts such as "Bank" or "Creditor".
It is important to understand that debit and credit do not represent whether a transaction is "good" or "bad", but rather the direction in which the cash flow goes relative to the account in question. The accounting principle "debit is left, credit is right" refers to the traditional way of recording transactions in the double-entry bookkeeping system, where each transaction affects at least two accounts, one in debit and one in credit.
In double-entry bookkeeping, debit and credit are used to ensure that the accounts are in balance, which means that the total debit amounts must always equal the total credit amounts. This balance makes it possible to track how transactions affect different accounts in the accounts and ensures accuracy and reliability in the accounting information.
A debit entry affects the account positively (adds to it).
A credit entry affects the account negatively (subtracts from it)
An appendix number is a unique identifier assigned to each financial document (POS sale, purchase invoice, invoice or manually created appendix) that is part of the company's accounting system. The purpose of an appendix number is to provide a structured way to organize and track accounting transactions. Transactions under the same appendix thus logically belong together with the document the appendix number represents. This makes it easier to find, identify and reference specific transactions when needed, e.g. during an audit or reporting.
In Sapera, the appendix dialog provides a complete overview of entries on the appendix, attachments, related stock movements, etc. See appendix dialog.
A finance date normally refers to the date on which a financial event/transaction actually takes place. It is an important date, as it is used to determine when a particular transaction affects the company's financial situation and accounting results.
There are different types of dates that may be relevant in an accounting program:
Transaction date / Finance date. This is the date on which the financial event actually took place. For example, if a company buys goods on August 15, the finance date / transaction date will be August 15.
Finance date
In Sapera, Finance date is synonymous with transaction date.
For manual entries (created manually in a posting journal), the finance date is entered manually. See posting journal.
For automatically created entries, the following applies:
Invoice and purchase invoice: Invoice and purchase invoice have an invoice date. This field becomes the finance date in the generated entries.
POS sale: The sale's completion day (note, this means that for parked sales that are later resumed, it will be the completion date, not the creation date).
WebShop order: The WebShop creates a sales order in Sapera. The sales order becomes an invoice when it is invoiced. The same therefore applies to WebShop orders as to invoices. It is the date on which the WebShop sale was completed (invoice date).
Posted on (posting date): This is the date on which the transaction is actually recorded in the company's accounting system. It does not necessarily have to be the same as the transaction date. Sometimes there can be delays between when an event occurs and when it is recorded in the accounts.
Accounting period: This refers to the time period, for example a month or a quarter, in which the transaction is posted. It is used to organize and report the company's financial activities over time.
It is important to understand these different date types, as they affect how the company's accounting transactions are classified, reported and analyzed. Correct finance dates are crucial for maintaining accurate and reliable accounting information.
Overdue refers to a debt or payment that has not been paid within the agreed time frame or due date. For example, if an invoice has a payment term of 30 days, and payment is not received within those 30 days, the amount on the invoice is considered "overdue". It is thus an amount that should have been paid but has not yet been.
Your operating accounts (expenses and income) form the basis of your income statement. This statement reflects whether you have made a profit or loss during the current accounting year.
Balance accounts give you a complete overview of your company's value across all the years.
The reporting of VAT (value added tax) to the tax authorities. VAT is a tax imposed on the sale of goods and services. Companies that are VAT-registered in Denmark must regularly report and settle VAT to the Danish Tax Agency. The VAT report typically contains the following information:
Revenue: This is the total income the company has had in the relevant period.
Purchase VAT: This is the VAT the company has paid on purchases of goods and services.
Sales VAT: This is the VAT the company has charged on sales of goods and services.
VAT to settle: This is the total VAT the company must pay to the Danish Tax Agency. It is typically the difference between sales VAT and purchase VAT.
The VAT report must be submitted and settled to the Danish Tax Agency within a certain deadline, which can vary depending on the company's size and revenue. For example, some companies may be required to report and settle VAT monthly, while others only need to do so quarterly or annually.
All entries that are not linked to a debtor or creditor are finance entries
An entry that is linked to a specific debtor / customer is designated with entry type Debtor
An entry that is linked to a specific creditor / supplier is designated with entry type Creditor
The company can choose its own accounting year, as long as it is 12 months long. Many companies choose to follow the calendar year (January 1 to December 31), but this is not a requirement. A company can, for example, choose to have an accounting year that runs from May 1 to April 30 the following year.
When a company is newly started, the first accounting year can however be shorter or longer than 12 months, but it must not exceed 18 months.
The Danish standard chart of accounts is a predefined list of account numbers and account names used for bookkeeping and accounting in Denmark. It serves as a guiding framework for how a company or organization can structure its accounts. The standard chart of accounts makes it easier to compare accounts between different companies and ensures a certain consistency in bookkeeping.
The standard chart of accounts is divided into different categories, such as operating income, operating expenses, financial items, etc., and within these categories there will be specific accounts for different types of income and expenses.
It is worth noting that while the standard chart of accounts serves as a general guide, companies can choose to adapt it to meet their specific needs.
Own accounts can be mapped to the standard chart of accounts.
Read more at the Danish Business Authority here. Standard chart of accounts
The word 'sales order' can be renamed to whatever suits the individual company best. Some companies use the term 'sales order', while others use 'work card'. In the documentation for Sapera, the word 'sales order' is used.
FIFO stands for "First In, First Out". It is an inventory management method where the goods that come into stock first are also the first to be taken out on sale or consumption. The method is often used in accounting and inventory management to calculate the value of stock and consumption of goods.
The FIFO method is especially relevant for products with limited shelf life, such as foodstuffs, but it is also widely used in other industries. The idea is that the oldest goods should be sold first to minimize the risk of obsolescence or deterioration. In accounting terms, FIFO ensures that the value of stock always represents the price of the newest goods.
A stock journal is used to temporarily record transactions related to stock, before they are posted and thereby affect the current stock.
Here are some key points regarding the purpose of a stock journal:
Temporary storage: It allows you to enter and save transactions temporarily, until they are ready to be posted. This is especially useful if you need to review or change transactions before they are finally recorded.
Error handling: It is easier to correct errors in a journal than in the final posting. You can edit, add or delete entries in the journal until you are sure that everything is correct.
Corrections of stock: By using a stock journal, you can record all changes in stock, such as shrinkage, miscounting, etc., which helps keep track of the current stock and its value. Changes such as purchases, sales, returns are best made directly from the POS, invoice, sales order, purchase invoice.
Compliance with control procedures: In some companies, transactions must be reviewed and approved by another person before they are posted. The stock journal makes it possible to follow these control procedures. Purchase invoices, sales invoices etc. also generate stock entries, which end up in a stock journal. These stock journals are however often set to automatic posting. This can be turned off if there is a person who must approve all stock adjustments.
Sapera uses several types of stock figure concepts.
Stock count: This shows the current number of items you have in stock. The calculation in the stock value report primarily takes this figure into account.
Reserved: A reserved item is one that has already been placed in the shopping cart online, in the POS, or listed on a sales order or invoice. Although these items are technically still part of your stock, they are not available for further sale.
Available: This figure is calculated as Stock count minus Reserved.
In addition, there are also "Total" versions of the above stock figures, such as "Total stock count." The difference is that while 'Stock count' indicates the quantity of items in the current stock in the specific organizational unit, "Total stock count" shows the quantity of items across all organizational units that you have access to view stock figures for.
A product location in a warehouse refers to the precise placement where a particular product is stored within the warehouse. This can include information such as warehouse hall, rack, shelf, bin or other specific placements within the warehouse. Having precise product locations helps optimize inventory management, makes it easier to find and retrieve products, and can help minimize errors and delays in order fulfillment.
A warehouse org. unit can be subdivided into product locations.
Composite items refer to items that consist of several individual parts.
An example could be an electric hedge trimmer including a battery. The hedge trimmer and the battery are sold individually under separate item numbers, but a composite item is created to sell them together under one item number.
There are two types of composite items:
Assembled: The item is assembled into a single package before it is put into stock. This means that stock movement only occurs on the item number for the composite item. ONE package is sold when it is sold, and the item is stored in the warehouse as an assembled unit.
Composite: The items are individual in the warehouse. When a composite package is sold, a stock movement occurs for each individual item in the package. The POS system supports that when all items in a package are scanned individually, they are automatically converted to the composite package, which can have a different price than the items sold individually.
A serial number item is a product that has a unique serial number associated with it. This serial number helps identify and track the specific product from production to sale and even after sale. Serial numbers are especially important for items such as bicycles, motorcycles, white goods, electronics, cars, machinery and other expensive or complex products, as they help manage warranties, returns, cost management as well as financial entries related to the serial number item.
In Sapera, you can set what serial number items should be called, depending on what makes sense for the given industry.
The frequently used replacements for serial number items are: Machines, individual items, bicycles, etc.
An organizational unit refers to a specific part or section of a larger organization, company or institution, defined for the purpose of achieving certain goals, performing specific tasks or administering specific areas of responsibility. Organizational units are used to divide a larger entity into smaller, more manageable units that can operate more efficiently and in a more specialized way.
Here are some examples of organizational units:
1. Department Within a company, different departments such as sales, marketing, finance, production and HR can be considered separate organizational units. Each department has its own area of responsibility and goals.
2. Branch A company with several physical locations, such as branches or departments in different cities or countries, can be considered separate organizational units, even though they are still part of the same overall company.
3. Warehouse You can also use org. units for each warehouse in the company
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Translated texts
Set up language-localized names for system types such as orders, serial number items and email categories
Creditor balance
The report shows what the company owes its suppliers as of a selected finance date, aged across due intervals.
General settings
General system settings in Sapera. Here you specify the time zone from which times on receipts, journals and reports are displayed and calculated.
