## Following the Core Accounting Workflow from Draft Entries to Posted Records In **Sherkety ERP & Website Platform**, accounting work usually begins with a document in **Draft** status. This can be a **Customer Invoice**, a **Vendor Bill**, or a **Journal Entry** entered from the accounting area. In list views, you typically review these records by status before opening the full form. On the form itself, the status badge helps you see whether the document is still being prepared or has already been finalized. A typical flow looks like this: - **Draft** means the document is still editable - **Posted** means the transaction has been confirmed and added to the accounting records - **Paid** or **Reconciled** appears later when payment or bank matching is completed Different **Journals** keep transaction types separated so finance teams can review activity clearly. Common journal types include: - **Sales Journal** for customer invoices - **Purchase Journal** for vendor bills - **Bank Journal** for bank payments and receipts - **Miscellaneous Journal** for adjustments and special entries This separation matters because users can filter lists and reports by journal to review only sales, purchases, bank activity, or adjustments. It also makes month-end review easier when checking whether a transaction was entered in the right place. Once you click **Post**, the draft becomes part of the formal books. At that point, the entry is no longer just a working document. Behind the visible totals, the posted record is supported by detailed journal lines that balance the transaction. That means every posted record includes matching value on both sides of the entry, which helps keep the ledger accurate and reviewable. [SCREENSHOT: Draft and Posted status badges on an invoice or journal entry form] If you already reviewed pricing and package options, this workflow view adds the operational side of what those accounting features support. For that earlier comparison, see [Evaluating Accounting Capabilities and Pricing](doc:evaluating-accounting-capabilities-and-pricing). ## Managing Customer Invoicing and Payment Follow-Up From the **Invoices** menu, you create a customer invoice by clicking **New** and completing the invoice form. The most important fields are the **Customer**, **Invoice Date**, **Due Date**, **Payment Terms**, and the invoice lines that describe what you are billing for. Depending on your setup, you may also choose the **Currency** and confirm the correct **Taxes** on each line before posting. Before you click **Post**, review the form carefully. Finance teams usually check that: - the **Customer** record is complete - the invoice has the correct **Invoice Date** and **Due Date** - each line has the right amount and tax - the totals shown on the form are correct - the selected currency matches the customer agreement These checks matter because posting turns the invoice into an official accounting record. When you click **Post**, Sherkety ERP & Website Platform finalizes the invoice, assigns its invoice number, and records the amount as money owed by the customer. The invoice status changes from **Draft** to **Posted**, and the document becomes part of the receivables balance. When payment arrives, use **Register Payment** on the invoice. In that payment window, you choose where the payment was received, such as a **Bank Journal** or **Cash Journal**. After saving the payment, the invoice status moves forward, often to **In Payment** or **Paid**, depending on how the payment is recorded and matched. The invoice list becomes especially useful for follow-up work. You can review: - invoices by **Due Date** - overdue items - open balances - payment status [SCREENSHOT: Customer invoice form showing Customer, Invoice Date, Due Date, lines, totals, and Post button] This gives finance teams a clear view of what still needs collection and helps them focus on overdue invoices before they affect cash flow. ## Recording Vendor Bills, Expenses, and Day-to-Day Journal Entries Vendor costs usually begin in the **Vendor Bills** area. When you click **New**, the bill form lets you select the **Vendor** and enter details such as the **Bill Reference**, **Bill Date**, and **Accounting Date**. You then add the expense lines, confirm the **Taxes**, and review the total before posting. This workflow is used for supplier invoices, operating costs, and other payable amounts that need to be tracked accurately. Key fields on a vendor bill often include: - **Vendor** - **Bill Reference** - **Bill Date** - **Accounting Date** - expense or product lines - **Taxes** - notes or memo text A vendor bill is different from a manual **Journal Entry**. Use a vendor bill when you are recording an amount owed to a supplier. Use **Journal Entries** when you need to record adjustments that are not tied to a supplier invoice, such as accruals, corrections, reallocations, or period-end adjustments. In the **Journal Entries** view, users can create entries directly, choose the appropriate journal, and enter the needed lines for the adjustment. Dedicated journals help organize frequent work. For example: - purchase activity stays in the **Purchase Journal** - bank-related movements stay in the **Bank Journal** - adjustments stay in a **Miscellaneous Journal** This reduces confusion and makes review easier because similar transactions appear together. Traceability also matters during review. On bills and journal entries, fields such as **Reference**, **Memo**, and file **Attachments** help explain why a record exists. If a reviewer opens a posted bill later, those details make it easier to connect the accounting record to the original supplier document or internal explanation. [SCREENSHOT: Vendor bill form with Vendor, Bill Reference, Bill Date, Accounting Date, line items, and attachment area] For buyers comparing accounting options, this is where day-to-day control becomes visible: routine bills stay organized, adjustments stay separated, and supporting details remain attached to the record. ## Reconciling Bank Activity and Keeping Ledgers Accurate Bank reconciliation is where posted accounting records are matched to actual money movement. In **Sherkety ERP & Website Platform**, bank activity is brought into a **Bank Journal**, where finance users review incoming and outgoing transactions and match them against open customer invoices, vendor bills, or existing journal items. The reconciliation screen is designed to help users decide whether a bank line already belongs to something recorded earlier. You typically see suggested matches based on amount, partner, or reference. From there, you can confirm the match or adjust it if needed. Common reconciliation actions include: - matching a payment to an open **Customer Invoice** - matching an outgoing payment to a **Vendor Bill** - reviewing a remaining balance if the amount does not fully match - selecting a write-off option when a small difference must be cleared - choosing a manual counterpart account for items that do not match an existing document This process does not replace the original posted records. Instead, it links the bank movement to those records and marks the open receivable or payable as settled. That means the original invoice or bill remains available for review, while its payment status becomes more accurate. Reconciliation improves several day-to-day finance tasks: - open balances become more reliable - overdue lists are cleaner - cash position is easier to understand - month-end closing takes less manual checking [SCREENSHOT: Bank reconciliation screen with suggested matches, residual amount, and confirmation controls] For buyers evaluating accounting value, this is one of the clearest workflow benefits. Faster matching means less time spent chasing unexplained balances. It also gives teams more confidence that the figures shown in receivables, payables, and cash reports reflect real bank activity rather than unreviewed transactions. ## Reviewing Financial Reports and Compliance-Ready Records A strong accounting workflow becomes most useful when finance teams can review results in clear reports. In Sherkety ERP & Website Platform, buyers usually expect access to reporting views such as: - **Profit and Loss** - **Balance Sheet** - **Aged Receivables** - **Aged Payables** - **General Ledger** - **Trial Balance** These reports help answer different questions. **Profit and Loss** shows operating performance over a selected period. **Balance Sheet** shows assets, liabilities, and equity. **Aged Receivables** and **Aged Payables** highlight overdue customer and vendor balances. **General Ledger** and **Trial Balance** help finance users validate whether postings are complete and balanced. Filters are essential when reviewing these reports. Common filters include: - **Date Range** - **Journal** - **Company** - comparison periods With these filters, a finance user can narrow the view to one month, one journal, or compare one period against another. That is especially useful during month-end review, tax review, or management reporting. Another important feature is drill-down. When a report line looks unusual, users should be able to open the detail behind it and move from the report into the underlying transaction records. That may include the related journal items, customer invoices, or vendor bills. This saves time during internal review because users do not need to search manually for the source of a number. [SCREENSHOT: Financial report with filters at the top and clickable report lines] Compliance value also depends on structure. Tax lines, tax settings, and clearly organized journal entries support VAT or sales-tax reporting and make records easier to explain. When reports connect cleanly to posted transactions, finance teams are better prepared for audits, tax filings, and management questions. ## Evaluating the Compliance Benefits Buyers Should Look For When buyers compare accounting options, compliance value often comes down to whether the workflow helps prevent mistakes and makes reviews easier. In Sherkety ERP & Website Platform, the most important warning signs to watch for are not abstract features but everyday record issues, such as: - transactions left in **Draft** - bank items that remain unmatched - inconsistent **Taxes** on invoices or bills - missing **Attachments** or unclear references - overdue receivables without follow-up visibility Approval-friendly workflows matter because they reduce accidental changes. A record in **Draft** can still be reviewed and corrected, while a **Posted** record signals that the transaction has been finalized. Keeping sales, purchases, banks, and adjustments in separate journals also improves control because users can review each area independently instead of mixing everything together. A complete audit trail is another major buyer concern. During internal reviews or external audits, teams need to follow a transaction from the visible document to its supporting details. Useful records usually include: - a clear invoice or bill number - linked payment information - journal references - dates such as invoice date, due date, and accounting date - supporting attachments and memo text These details are not just for auditors. They also help managers and finance staff answer routine questions quickly when a balance looks wrong or a payment is disputed. [SCREENSHOT: Posted invoice or bill showing status, number, payment link, and attachment section] Practical compliance value shows up in daily work: due dates support collections, tax calculations support filing accuracy, reconciliation history supports cash review, and report drill-down supports investigation. When you compare ERP options, look for workflows that make these controls visible on the screen rather than relying on manual tracking outside the accounting area. ## Overview This document focuses on how accounting work is carried through visible screens and statuses in **Sherkety ERP & Website Platform**. Instead of only comparing features at a high level, it explains how finance users move through the main accounting flow: creating invoices and bills, posting records, registering payments, reconciling bank activity, and reviewing reports. The key workflow areas covered here are: - moving records from **Draft** to **Posted** - separating activity through **Sales**, **Purchase**, **Bank**, and **Miscellaneous** journals - managing **Customer Invoices** and payment follow-up - recording **Vendor Bills** and manual **Journal Entries** - reconciling bank lines against open items - reviewing reports such as **Profit and Loss**, **Balance Sheet**, and **General Ledger** - understanding what makes records more audit-ready and compliance-friendly This is especially useful if you have already reviewed the broader feature and pricing comparison in [Evaluating Accounting Capabilities and Pricing](doc:evaluating-accounting-capabilities-and-pricing). That earlier document helps you compare what is offered. This one helps you judge whether the accounting workflow supports reliable daily operations and cleaner financial control. As you read, pay attention to the visible checkpoints in the interface: - status labels such as **Draft**, **Posted**, **Paid**, and **Reconciled** - form fields like **Due Date**, **Taxes**, **Reference**, and **Memo** - action buttons such as **Post** and **Register Payment** - report filters and drill-down links These are the practical signs that an accounting module is built for review, follow-up, and compliance—not just data entry. ## Prerequisites You do not need accounting setup access or admin access to understand this document, but it helps if you are already familiar with how to browse Sherkety ERP & Website Platform and move between product pages. If you are still getting oriented, start with [Browsing the Sherkety Public Website](doc:browsing-the-sherkety-public-website) or [Using Header Menus and Footer Links](doc:using-header-menus-and-footer-links). Before using this guide, it is helpful to already understand: - how to reach the accounting-related pages from the public navigation - the difference between service information, ERP module pages, and pricing sections - basic terms shown on accounting pages, such as **Invoices**, **Vendor Bills**, **Journal Entries**, and **Reports** You will get the most value from this document if you have already read: - [Exploring the Accounting Services Page](doc:exploring-the-accounting-services-page) - [Using Comparison Sections to Evaluate Offerings](doc:using-comparison-sections-to-evaluate-offerings) - [Evaluating Accounting Capabilities and Pricing](doc:evaluating-accounting-capabilities-and-pricing) This guide is written for readers who are evaluating accounting workflows from a business point of view. You do not need to know how records are stored behind the scenes. Focus on the visible workflow questions: - Can users review records before posting? - Are payment and reconciliation statuses easy to follow? - Can reports be filtered and traced back to source documents? - Are tax, due date, and attachment details clearly shown on forms? If you want to continue the evaluation after this workflow-focused guide, the next document is [Reviewing Accounting Pricing and Package Fit](doc:reviewing-accounting-pricing-and-package-fit).