The Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) videos used below are also found on our YouTube FAQ Playlist.

1 Getting Started
- 1.1 How do I get started with IFS IDEAS hosting?
- 1.2 What install options should I use - reinstall, upgrade, server, workstation?
2 Overcoming Common Errors
3 Accounts Payable (AP)
4 Currency Conversion
- 4.1 How to create\amend account list?
- 4.2 How do I calculate gain loss at the end of the month?
5 General Ledger
6 Joint Interest Billing (JIB)
- 6.1 How to setup an AFE so that it is picked up by JIB?
- 6.2 Can IDEAS do Revenue Distribution?
7 System Security
8 Technical Details
9 Purchasing (PD)
- 9.1 How do I create a new Buyer in IDEAS and eventually define\Edit approval limits?
- 9.2 How do I create a new Location?
10 Hosting (IFS Cloud)
- 10.1 How to save a file to a folder in hosting?
11 iApprove
- 11.1 How to increase file size upload & download for documents to be attached in iApprove Website?

Getting Started

How do I get started with IFS IDEAS hosting?

Please go to the Get Started with IFS Hosting page for instructions.

What install options should I use - reinstall, upgrade, server, workstation?

The Upgrade option installs all of the exe and report files and also runs all the scripts necessary against the database. The Database Only option only runs the database scripts. The Database Only option is for clients that have multiple profiles using the same application files. For example, the business may have one set of application files that are used against 10 different databases (profiles). They run the upgrade once against one of the profiles to update all of the exe’s and reports. They then run the Database Only option against the other 9 databases to update them with the necessary table and stored procedure changes.

There is a difference in “Server” vs. “Workstation” upgrade, similar to how it worked in the pre-6.x versions. If you are running a “Server” upgrade, the application files as well as the database should be upgraded during the single process. However, if you run a “Workstation” upgrade, only the application files will be upgraded with the process, so in this scenario, you would additionally need to run a “Server” upgrade on the server or run a “Database Only” upgrade.

Overcoming Common Errors

How can I upload a backup of my database or other large file to the P2 Store?

Please follow the steps below to upload your database, or other large file, to the P2 Store.

Go to https://p2store.p2energysolutions.com
Select “Portal Login”
Enter your portal username and password
Select “Login”
On the landing page, select “My Files”
Select the “Add” button (or "Add Large File if your file is larger than 2GB in size)
Choose your file, and enter this case number in the field that says, “P2 Customer Portal case”
Describe the file in the “Notes” field; example: “Database backup”
Select “Upload”
The screen will refresh and you should now see that file in your list of files.

Please note in your case that your file has uploaded, and your note will notify the Support Consultant that your file is now available for review; you can now logout of the P2 Store.

How do I reset my column width for grids with very wide columns?"

Each module contains MISC settings to store the column width. You need to reset your column width MISC settings. Once you do that, go back to the screen and the width will "reset" to an appropriate size.

How do I overcome "Posting is locked by another process?"

Please see "How do I unlock journal posting?"

Accounts Payable (AP)

How do I process the invoice entry screen?

Please watch this video playlist to learn more about the invoice entry screen.

How can I set up a new AP offset account to use in invoice entry?

How do I make changes on an invoice that has been journalized?

Find your answer in this short video - Watch this video:

If you made a coding mistake after the invoice has been journalized, this set of steps will show you how to properly make an update.

In the Journalize menu, find the "Create Account Payable Journal" option and then use the "Reverse Invoice Posting" feature.

How do I write a check with an Arabic vendor name?

Enable the Alternate Language feature.
Store the Arabic name in the alternate name field in the vendor record.
Create a secondary check format that uses the alternate name for the payee.
Select the secondary check format when needing to print with an Arabic vendor name.

Why can I not reconcile AP to GL using the Aged Open Payables report and what I should do instead?

IDEAS is period-based system. AP is date-based, but GL is period-based. The Aged Open Payables report cannot be used for reconciliation because it is possible to enter a transaction in AP to the current period but with a transaction date for the next period.

Instead of using the Aged Open Payables report to reconcile, use the AP Reconciliation Reports (Reconciliation Report and Reconciliation Detail Report) found in the AP Reports menu option.

What is the best way to create 1099 forms?

An option popular with customers is to purchase a 1099 Express license, export the information from IDEAS and then import and generate the forms in 1099 Express.

Go to http://1099express.com
Purchase the appropriate license
Print a 1099 report from IDEAS that gives all of the pertinent information required
Send the IDEAS report to Excel
Import the Excel data into 1099 Express and print out the 1099s

In IFS IDEAS, you can designate in the vendor record that the vendor is a 1099 vendor. By doing this, the 1099 flag for each invoice that is raised for the vendor is automatically marked as 1099. If the vendor has services and goods on the same invoice, you have the option to mark the invoice as 1099 for the entire invoice or line by line. At the end of the year or at any point in the year you can run the 1099 report and it will list all vendors that have had invoices entered with a 1099 designation and what the 1099 amount is. You can export that to Excel and send that to 1099 Express for printing the 1099s. There is also a utility to allow you to mark on or off an invoice to correct the 1099 designation for the invoice.

You can find the 1099 information under the "IVA" tab in the Vendor screen.

If you want to change the tab name to read "1099," you can do that by adding the below "AP Miscellaneous" VAR code to 1099 - see the below picture:

In the Vendor Maintenance screen you will see a 1099 tab. If there is a tax ID in the field, then invoices for the vendor will default to 1099 in the Invoice Entry screen.

The Default tab of the Invoice Entry screen holds the 1099 options. With a tax ID in the 1099 tab of the Vendor record, the 1099 option is checked by default for the invoice. It also defaults to invoice level meaning the entire amount of the invoice will be recorded as a 1099 payment.

If you check the Line Level option, then on the Lines tab, there will be a cell to indicate if the line qualifies for 1099 or not.

How do I validate before posting checks?

At month end, ensure checks are journalized for posting to General Ledger. Use this report to help determine:

Has the check been journalized?
What is the accounting period for the check?
What is the accounting year for the check?

How do I ensure invoices are journalized prior to close (Invoice Journalization Revision)?

Ensure invoices are journalized prior to close by reviewing this report.

How to remove incorrect AP Offset Accounts?

If someone adds the wrong code to a currency by mistake, you may need to remove it.

How do I use the AP Invoices Lines report to understand how invoices are coded?

Gain an understanding of how invoices are coded by viewing the details of how the cost is coded.

How to upload Invoices via AP Auto Invoices?

Process Overview

Watch this video introduction to the AP Auto invoices Process

How to prepare the Auto invoices import template?

The following video provides details about how to prepare the template. Refer to the next case scenarios as well for additional details.

Here is a sample of the upload template