Accounting Portal help
Not just clicks — each topic explains why the accounting concept exists, how Seamlyx implements it, and then the steps. Page titles also have a ? tip.
Accounting concepts (short)
A few ideas that explain why the portal behaves the way it does.
Why it matters
Company books are a double-entry ledger: every event that changes value posts equal debits and credits. Day-to-day documents (invoices, bills, receipts) create those journals; reports (trial balance, P&L, balance sheet) read only what has been posted.
In this portal
Seamlyx separates the operational document from the ledger. Saving a DRAFT invoice records the bill for ops, but does not change the books. SENT (or an equivalent “recorded” bill) posts a balanced journal via Posting Rules into the Chart of Accounts. Customer/Vendor Ledgers re-group those same posted lines by party so a disputed balance always matches the AR/AP control account.
How to
- Document → Journal → Ledger → Statements is the flow. If something is missing on the Trial Balance, ask whether it was posted (not just saved).
- Subsidiary (party) ledgers are not a second set of books — they are the AR/AP control lines sliced by customer or vendor.
- Periods freeze time: once CLOSED/LOCKED, you stop changing history and use correcting journals in open periods when needed.
- This portal owns the company’s primary books (company ↔ distributor / vendor). Secondary sales (distributor ↔ retailer/doctor, POB) stay in Sales.
Start here
Enable the portal, finish Accounting Setup, then day books will post to the ledger.
Why it matters
Without a chart of accounts and open periods, there is nowhere correct to post. Recording invoices without a CoA would create documents that never appear in financial statements — worse than posting to a template you can later rename.
In this portal
Accounting Setup is the readiness checklist. Create chart of accounts seeds a 25-account pharma template and maps every posting role (AR control, GST, inventory, schemes, provisions…). Until that exists, invoices and payments still save — they simply skip ledger posting. A banner reminds you on other pages.
How to
- Company Admin enables Accounting for the company and for your user (Admin → Team).
- Open Accounting Setup → Create chart of accounts.
- Generate periods; add GSTIN, bank account, and Print Settings.
- Masters → Products & Services: import or create items with HSN/SAC (and charge treatments).
- Set Sales / Procurement links only if you use those modules — they hide or show convenience screens, not posting rules.
Dashboard
AR/AP outstanding, aging buckets, and top parties.
Why it matters
Aging answers “how old is this money?” — not just “how much.” Collectors and credit controllers prioritise >90 day balances because recoverability drops with age; AP aging supports cash planning.
In this portal
Finance Overview pulls distributor and vendor payment aging. Guided Today (Premium) ranks drafts, unallocated receipts, uninvoiced GRNs (Sales already posted stock — bill to clear GRNI), and close risks. Tiles show outstanding, >90d overdue, and net position (AR − AP).
Accounting Setup
Until the chart of accounts exists, invoices still save but do not post.
Why it matters
Posting rules are the bridge from business events (“sales invoice”, “GST output”) to GL accounts. Wrong or missing mappings mean either silent non-posting or journals landing on the wrong account.
In this portal
Blocking steps stop ledger posting; optional steps (GSTIN, bank, letterhead) improve compliance and print quality. Module links (AUTO / ENABLED / DISABLED) only control whether Unbilled, PO/GRN, and CNF appear in the nav.
Products & Services
What you bill and are billed for — products, services, and charges — with HSN/SAC and GST rate on every line.
Why it matters
An invoice line needs a stable tax identity. Typing HSN free-hand per bill let the same product leave under different codes and quietly broke the GSTR-1 HSN summary. Services (contract mfg, testing, freight, C&F, fees) and charges (cylinder deposits, packing, freight inward) had no master at all — so SAC, rates, and posting treatment were inconsistent. Charges especially matter: a refundable deposit is an asset, freight inward often belongs in landed stock cost, and only the rest is plain P&L expense.
In this portal
Masters → Products & Services owns company_accounting_items. Three kinds: GOODS (products — may link to the ERP catalogue via Import products), SERVICE (SAC + service category), and CHARGE (must set charge treatment: EXPENSE, INVENTORY_COST, or REFUNDABLE_DEPOSIT). HSN/SAC and optional GST override live here; blank rate uses Tax Settings HSN master. List flags “Not set” codes because that omission is invisible until filing. Sales invoices pick catalogue products (with batch) and active item-master services/charges for non-stock lines. Standalone Accounting tenants maintain items here without needing Sales inventory.
How to
- Open Masters → Products & Services.
- Integrated tenants: Import products to pull the ERP catalogue, then fill HSN/SAC (import leaves HSN blank — products never stored one).
- New product / New service / New charge — set code, name, HSN or SAC, sellable/purchasable, default rates.
- For a CHARGE: choose treatment (Expense / Adds to stock cost / Refundable deposit). Deposits need a deposit GL account.
- Only products may use batch/expiry, DPCO, or drug schedule — the form and database refuse them on services and charges.
- On Sales Invoices, add stock lines from the product catalogue; add services and charges from this master.
Receivables (AR)
Money customers owe you — invoices out, cash in, claims and write-offs.
Why it matters
Accounts receivable is an asset: you have a legal claim on distributors for goods/services invoiced. The AR control account on the balance sheet should equal the sum of every customer’s open balance.
In this portal
Customers are distributors/channel partners. Sales Invoices create the claim; Payments In settle it; Claims/Credit Notes reduce it; Write-offs remove uncollectible amounts after maker-checker. Customer Ledger is the proof that matches AR control.
Sales invoices
The invoice is the AR accounting document. DRAFT does not post; SENT posts.
Why it matters
Revenue and the receivable are recognised when you bill (subject to your policy), not when stock moves or a sales order is raised. The tax invoice is also the GST outward supply document — so draft vs final matters for both books and compliance.
In this portal
New under Sales Invoices opens a full page for header + lines. Edit on a DRAFT opens the same full editor; Edit on an issued invoice only changes the header (line corrections use a credit note). Status DRAFT = editable, no journal. SENT = posts (Dr AR, Cr Revenue/GST per posting rules) and starts aging. Lifecycle continues to PARTIALLY_PAID → PAID. Print uses Settings → Print Settings: choose GST Standard or Pharma Classic, and Single A4 vs two copies per page. Stock lines pick from the product catalogue (batch/expiry); services and charges come from Masters → Products & Services. Unbilled bills what has gone out without retyping lines: a dispatch note where they are used, a delivered sales order where they are not.
How to
- Maintain HSN/SAC on Masters → Products & Services before heavy billing.
- New invoice → choose customer, dates; add product lines (catalogue + batch) and/or service/charge lines from the item master. Apply schemes so free goods land on the line.
- Save as DRAFT while editing; switch to SENT when ready to post.
- Print: Pharma Classic shows Unit (pack size) and Sch (scheme free qty); Standard shows Pack and Free columns.
- Unbilled → Raise invoice on a dispatch (dated to the dispatch), or Generate invoice on a delivered order (dated to the order).
Receipts & allocation
Record money in, then allocate to open invoices so aging clears.
Why it matters
Cash in the bank is not the same as clearing a specific invoice. Allocation links the receipt to the claim so outstanding and aging drop correctly. Unallocated cash leaves invoices looking overdue even though money arrived.
In this portal
Payments In records the receipt (and posts bank/AR journals when applicable). Allocate against open invoices. Cheques/PDC also sit under Banking until Clear or Bounce — bounce reverses the journal because the asset never truly arrived.
How to
- Payments In → Record → Allocate to invoices.
- Cheques stay under Banking until Clear or Bounce.
- Bounce reverses the journal and restores outstanding AR.
Payables (AP)
Money you owe vendors — bills in, payments out.
Why it matters
Accounts payable is a liability: the vendor has a claim on you. Matching bills to goods/services received (and optionally POs) prevents paying for what never arrived. TDS is withheld at payment time for certain Indian tax sections.
In this portal
Vendors hold GSTIN/TDS masters. Vendor Invoices post AP when recorded (not draft). Payments Out allocate to bills. With Procurement linked, Purchase Orders and Goods Receipts are browse-only — Sales creates and posts GRNs (physical stock + GRNI). Use Uninvoiced GRNs to Generate bill and clear GRNI (qty unchanged). Stock Valuation values on-hand after posted receipts. Vendor Ledger matches AP control.
How to
- Confirm Sales posted the GRN before expecting Uninvoiced GRNs or Stock Valuation changes.
- Uninvoiced GRNs → Generate bill when the vendor invoice arrives.
- SERVICE/CHARGE lines bill via Vendor Invoices → Record bill (or extra lines) — never as GRN stock lines.
- Rent, electricity and retainers: Payables → Recurring Bills → Generate due (creates a recorded direct bill).
- Approved field claims: Payables → Field Expenses → Record payment (accrual already posted on approval).
Party vs account ledgers
Same posted lines — grouped by party or by GL account.
Why it matters
Auditors and customers ask different questions. “What do we owe Apex Pharma?” needs a party statement. “Does AR control agree with the subledger?” needs the same lines totalled at account level. If you built party balances from invoice tables instead of journals, the two could drift.
In this portal
Customer Ledger and Vendor Ledger read posted journal lines tagged with party_type/party_id (invoices, receipts, credit notes, write-offs, vendor bills/payments, CNF commission…). Account Ledger shows one GL account’s running balance. Drafts and reversals are excluded from both.
How to
- Customer/Vendor Ledger = one party’s running balance (send this on a dispute).
- Account Ledger = one GL account (e.g. whole AR control).
- Filter “with balance” to focus on open accounts; print from the party drill-down.
General ledger
Chart of accounts, journals, posting rules, trial balance, periods.
Why it matters
The general ledger is the system of record. Subledgers (AR, AP, bank) must tie to control accounts. A trial balance proves debits equal credits before you trust P&L or the balance sheet.
In this portal
Chart of Accounts holds Asset/Liability/Equity/Income/Expense codes. System journals auto-post from documents; manual journals handle openings, accruals, and corrections (draft → admin posts). Posting Rules map roles like AR_CONTROL or GST_OUTPUT to accounts. Trial Balance and Periods govern month integrity. Fixed Assets is the plant/vehicle/IT register — Run this month posts straight-line depreciation (Dr 5710 / Cr 1590).
Banking
Book bank balances vs the real bank statement.
Why it matters
The ledger’s bank account is the book balance. The bank statement is external truth. Reconciliation finds timing differences (cheques in transit), errors, and missing entries — required before cash-flow statements are trustworthy.
In this portal
Bank Accounts map to GL cash/bank assets. Cheques & PDC track instruments until Clear/Bounce. Reconciliation imports a CSV from net banking (Date + Debit/Credit, Withdrawal/Deposit, or Amount + Dr/Cr; Sample CSV on the screen) and suggests matches to Seamlyx payments (Match does not post). Unmatched lines can be categorised — customer receipt, vendor payment, expense, bank fee, interest, transfer — and Approve posts the journal. Ignore noise, and assign a bank to unassigned receipts/payments.
Cash & Treasury
What money moves next — without a second set of books.
Why it matters
Accounting records what happened. Finance decides what to pay. Those answers live on open bills, tax balances, payroll payables, and uncleared cheques — the same posted documents.
In this portal
Payment Calendar lists overdue and this-week dues. Vendor bills link to the invoice. GST/TDS amounts are posted payable balances with statutory due dates (20th / 7th). Salary and statutory payroll payables appear when HR has posted the run — remit them under Payroll Remittance. Petty cash posts a voucher to an expense account. Uncleared outgoing cheques sit until Clear or Bounce. Treasury Facilities hold OD, term loans, deposits and bank guarantees — Accrue this month posts interest, and facility end dates appear on the calendar. Premium adds a 13-week cash forecast from the same dues plus standing bills.
How to
- Start here on Monday: overdue first, then this week.
- Pay vendor bills under Payments Out and allocate so AP aging clears.
- Remit a posted HR payroll run under Payroll Remittance (net + PF/ESI/PT). Deposit GST/TDS from Tax.
- Record OD/loans/BGs under Treasury Facilities so expiry dates show on the calendar.
- Premium: open 13-Week Forecast when you need cash through the quarter, not just this week.
Financial statements
P&L, Balance Sheet, and Cash Flow from posted journals only.
Why it matters
P&L shows performance over a period (income − expense). Balance Sheet shows position at a date (assets = liabilities + equity). Cash Flow explains how cash moved — Seamlyx uses the indirect method (start from profit, adjust non-cash and working capital).
In this portal
Profit & Loss shows the management bridge (GP → EBITDA → EBIT → PBT → PAT) from each account’s pl_class, plus the flat income/expense lists. All three screens read posted journals for your date filters. Drafts never appear. Cash Flow may warn if bank reconciliation is incomplete. Year-End Close (Admin) rolls net P&L into retained earnings, locks the year’s periods, and opens the next FY. Premium adds Working Capital (DSO/DIO/DPO/CCC) and Budget vs Actual.
Tax
GST returns, TDS register, and tax masters.
Why it matters
GST returns summarise outward/inward supplies for filing. TDS is tax deducted while paying certain vendors and remitted to the government.
In this portal
GST Returns builds GSTR-3B summary and GSTR-1 outward from billed documents; export GSTR-1 JSON. GSTR-2B Match compares a GSTN 2B download to booked vendor bills. e-Invoices generate an IRN through the GSP when configured, or record one from Print. After filing 3B, mark the period GST-filed so it cannot be reopened. TDS Register lists vendor TDS for the month (CSV for 26Q work). Tax Settings hold company GSTIN and HSN rates.
Print Settings & invoice templates
Letterhead, statutory IDs, and which tax-invoice layout to print.
Why it matters
Printed tax invoices must carry statutory particulars (GSTIN, HSN, drug licences for pharma). Trade partners often expect a Classic two-up voucher rather than a sparse A4.
In this portal
Settings → Print Settings (also linked from Settings hub). Choose GST Standard or Pharma Classic, and Single A4 vs TWO_PER_PAGE. Classic lays out From | GST meta | To on one row, then the product grid; long invoices paginate so both Original and Duplicate stay aligned. Unit resolves pack size from line → batch → product; Sch shows scheme free goods (including order-line fallback). Invoice/credit-note Notes print as Narration above Terms. Credit notes use the same Classic/Standard templates as invoices.
How to
- Fill legal name, address, GSTIN/PAN, D.L. Nos, bank remittance, declaration, and signatory.
- Pick template + copy mode → Save.
- Open any SENT sales invoice → Print to preview.
Settings hub
Personal preferences and company books policy in one place.
Why it matters
Without a Settings hub, date formats, list sizes, FY start, and print templates were scattered — users could not see what was company-wide vs personal.
In this portal
Settings → My preferences (any user): date format, page size, default date range, theme, notification poll. Company section (company admin or Accounting portal admin): FY start month, default payment terms, aging buckets, rounding, invoice prefixes. Related setup cards deep-link to Accounting Setup, Tax Settings, Print Settings, and Credit Control. Portal admin is a per-portal flag on the company user — distinct from company admin and from “accounting portal enabled.”
How to
- Open Settings from the sidebar.
- Save My preferences anytime.
- If you are Accounting portal admin / company admin, edit Company and FY start.
- Use Related setup for Tax, Print, Setup, Credit.
Pharma controls
Credit risk, provisions, DPCO pricing, channel, CNF consignment.
Why it matters
Pharma trade credit is large and slow-moving; limits and holds protect cash. Provisions recognise expected losses (bad debt, expiry) before write-off. DPCO/ceiling rules constrain pricing. CNF consignment separates stock at the agent from revenue recognised when secondary sales happen.
In this portal
Credit Control owns limits/days/holds and enforcement OFF/WARN/BLOCK. Provisions propose and post/release journals. Pricing & DPCO tracks MRP/PTR/PTS/ceilings. Channel & Returns set hierarchy and return disposition (restock increases available qty; destroy logs damaged qty + certificate — both post cost GL; not a GRN). CNF Consignment (Sales link) handles stock, recognition, and commissions. Sample Issuance lists Sales sample pools and posts Dr Sample Expense / Cr Inventory only at the batch landing rate — never an invented cost.
Period & year close
Freeze the month; roll the year into equity.
Why it matters
Closing a period says “these numbers are final enough to report.” Locking prevents silent history changes. Year-end moves temporary P&L balances into retained earnings so the next year starts with a clean income statement.
In this portal
Periods: OPEN → CLOSED → LOCKED (lock permanent). Mark GST filed after GSTR-3B — reopen is then blocked. Run the close checklist (allocations, TB, recon, tax). Year-End Close is Company Admin only, irreversible after confirm — preview the FY first.
How to
- Clear unallocated payments; post draft journals.
- Reconcile bank; check Trial Balance (debits = credits).
- Export GST / TDS if filing; match GSTR-2B; spot-check P&L and Balance Sheet.
- Periods → Close, then Mark filed after 3B. Prefer correcting journals in the next open period over reopening.
- Year-End Close only after the final month is locked and filings are ready.
Playbooks
Common tasks with the reason you run them, then the steps.
Why: Prove the full loop: document → posted journal → party ledger → statement, before entering real volume.
- Enable portal for company + users.
- Setup → Create chart of accounts → Generate periods.
- Tax Settings + Print Settings + one Bank Account.
- Masters → Products & Services: Import products (if you have ERP stock) and/or create services & charges with HSN/SAC.
- Create a SENT invoice and confirm Journal Entries + Customer Ledger moved.
Status cheatsheet
Status is not decoration — it usually means “has this hit the ledger yet?” Drafts generally have not; posted/sent/cleared generally have.
- Invoices
DRAFT → SENT → PARTIALLY_PAID → PAID (+ OVERDUE, CANCELLED) - Journals
DRAFT → POSTED → REVERSED - Periods
OPEN → CLOSED → LOCKED (permanent) - Claims
SUBMITTED → UNDER_REVIEW → APPROVED/REJECTED → SETTLED - Write-offs
PENDING → APPROVED → POSTED / REVERSED
FAQ
- Why don’t invoices show on Trial Balance / party ledger?
- Still DRAFT, or Setup incomplete (no CoA / periods / posting rules). Only posted journals feed the books — SENT is what posts a sales invoice.
- Why build Customer Ledger from journals instead of invoices?
- So the party statement cannot drift from AR control. They are the same posted lines, grouped by customer. If you totalled invoices separately, a missed journal or manual entry would create two “truths.”
- What is Products & Services for — don’t we already have products in Admin?
- Admin/ERP products cover stock and batches. Accounting’s item master adds authoritative HSN/SAC and GST, plus services and charges that never lived in the catalogue. Import products links the two; standalone tenants maintain items only here.
- Why must a charge pick Expense / Stock cost / Deposit?
- They post to different places. A cylinder deposit booked as expense overstates cost and understates assets. Freight inward often belongs in landed inventory cost, not P&L. The treatment field makes that explicit.
- I don’t see Unbilled / PO / CNF.
- Sales or Procurement module link is off — normal for standalone Accounting. Change under Setup. Links never change how posting works.
- Customer Ledger vs Account Ledger?
- Party ledger = one customer/vendor (subsidiary book). Account ledger = one GL account (e.g. whole AR control). Same posted lines, different grouping.
- Who posts journals and closes the year?
- Company Admins (and super admins). Others prepare drafts and day books. Dedicated finance roles are on the roadmap.
- Does this replace Sales for POB?
- No. Accounting owns company↔distributor books. POB, retailers, doctors, and secondary-sales statements stay in Sales.
- I can open Accounting but cannot edit Settings / FY / Print — why?
- Accounting portal enabled only grants access. Company settings and Print Settings need company admin or Accounting portal admin (a separate flag on the user in Admin → Team).
- On Pharma Classic print, what are Unit and Sch?
- Unit is pack size (invoice/order line, then batch, then product master). Sch is free goods from the applied scheme — if the invoice stored 0, print falls back to the order line’s scheme free quantity.
- Where do I create or post a goods receipt?
- In the Sales portal (Goods Receipts). Accounting only browses GRNs and bills from Uninvoiced GRNs — Generate bill clears GRNI without changing on-hand quantity again. Stock Valuation reflects qty after Sales posts the GRN.
- Why is 13-Week Forecast / Working Capital / Budget empty?
- Those are Premium. Subscription is Admin → Company Management → Manage Subscription (`premium_enabled`). Standard still has the payment calendar, P&L bridge, and all day books.
- Why won’t a sample issuance post to the ledger?
- Cost comes only from that batch’s landing rate on the issuance date. No batch or no rate → no journal. The portal will not invent a unit cost from a position table.
- Why can’t I reopen a closed period?
- If the period is marked GST-filed after GSTR-3B, reopen is blocked. Prefer a correcting journal in the next open period. Clear the filed flag only if you must amend that month.
- Why did e-Invoice Generate refuse?
- Generate needs a configured GSP. Without one the portal refuses rather than inventing an IRN. Use Record IRN from Print if you already have the number from the portal.