AR Payment Importer

The AR Importer provides you with the ability to import financial transactions into iMIS, also referred to as “lockbox processing.” The AR Importer is designed to import and process mass AR payment data from an external import file, allowing you to avoid entering this data manually, transaction by transaction. AR Importer helps you if your AR payments are received and recorded by an outside organization, such as a bank (lockbox) or an affiliated association, if this organization can supply the payment data in a usable electronic form.

Note: This module requires that you use the batch control feature for processing financial transactions.

This module requires at least two data elements to be resident in your import files: the customer ID (either the primary ID or the Major Key of each customer who has paid), and the payment amount. For example, if you will be receiving data from an affiliated organization, such as the national or state association, and the receiving organization does not know the customer ID, you can use an organization-wide common identifier (such as a certificate number). You must maintain this common identifier in the Major Key field.

In addition to the customer ID (primary ID or Major Key) and payment amount, the invoice number is also required if the Cash Application Auto Apply option is not enabled (from AR/Cash, select Set up module).

The benefits of using this interface instead of simply importing the data include the following:

  • Provides a single interface for iMIS AR payment transactions
  • Uses the payment records to create AR payment transactions, which debit cash and credit income or deferred income
  • Automatically applies each customer payment record amount to that customer's open AR balances until those balances are closed
  • Any residual payment amount creates open credit balances, which you can refund or apply to future sales

The payment data that is imported will only be applied to a line item that already exists on the customer AR/Cash tab and has an outstanding positive balance. Importing payment data will not create new line items or apply an amount against a line item that has a zero or negative balance. If the imported payment exceeds the balance, an overpayment will be applied to the line item. If the line item does not exist, an open AR credit invoice will be created for the payment amount.

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Using iMIS AR Importer