The Depreciation Methods Form is displayed when the Depreciation methods option is selected from the SYSTEM MAINTENANCE menu.
Warning: Extreme caution should be exercised when amending or deleting existing records. Kerridge Computer Company can take no responsibility for any accounting failures that occur as a result of amendment to depreciation methods.
The Depreciation Methods form consists of the following fields:
Depreciation method: Use the 
button to
select the depreciation method.
The following fields are displayed on the Details Tab:
Description: Displays a description about the Depreciation method.
The following fields display the logic expressed in valid KCML code.
When a code is selected in Create or Amend mode[blank for a completely new method to be created, copy radio button for a copy of an existing one], a button See Instructions becomes available. Click the See Instructions button to give information about how the methods should be set up.
Clicking the See Instructions button will display three pages of help text. On the first page are instructions regarding syntax and basic rules. On the second and third pages are the names of the data elements that can be built in to the depreciation calculation, together with a description of what they are.
Leave the help text by clicking the OK button.
When defining the depreciation method, three fields need to be set up as follows:
Description: This field should contain the description of the depreciation method (up to 30 characters long of user-definable text).
445 adjustment: This is related to 445 accounting, meaning that the dealership will effectively be running quarterly accounting, but still with 12 periods as it is not possible to have quarters as such in the NL. The setup is completed predominantly in the Nominal Ledger system parameters in the following manner; select Weekly as the Period type, and at this point an additional field will appear below the "Periods per year" field- this is called "First 5 week period". This must be populated with either 1,2 or 3. This is because the 445 accounting sees the system as having 4 periods of 4 weeks, another 4 periods of 4 weeks, and 4 periods of 5 weeks, adding up to 52 weeks, still with 12 periods . It could of course be arranged in a different permutation e.g 5,4,4. Hence the 1,2 or 3 refers to the first portion of the year that has 5 weeks. For depreciation, if the 445 adjustment box is checked, it means that the depreciation will be slightly different for the periods of 5 weeks to those of 4 weeks, and will be calculated and adjusted accordingly,to present as true a picture as possible.The sole Asset Register setup required is to tick the box entitled 445 Adjustment after setting up the Nominal Ledger.
Depreciation logic expressed in valid KCML code: Every new statement must begin with a colon (:). All local or user-defined variables must begin with x- to avoid clashes with the standard program variables. Spaces, indenting, upper and lower case are all valid.
The aim is to derive a figure that you consider the new net book value should be as at the end of the current period. That figure must be assigned to the variable called new-book-value.
On your behalf Autoline will ensure that the figure does not fall below any residual amount specified, will round it to the nearest whole number and, by looking at the original net book value, will finally derive the depreciation amount for this period.
All variables that begin ar- are part of the asset register system. They may be used, but not altered. All other variables have been pre-assigned by the system for use where appropriate.
When the necessary depreciation method has been entered , click the Save button (amending a previous record) or the Create button (if making a new record). This will transfer the changes to the file. Clicking the Cancel button will abort this process.The Help button will display help in your default browser, and the Ad-Hoc button allows a simple ad-hoc enquiry to be written on the depreciation method files.
The AR System Maintenance Menu options relate to the overall operation of the Asset Register. They should be used only by the System Manager or other authorized person with the appropriate access priority.
Use the Audit conditions option to set up, display or amend the Condition Codes Table on the Asset Register, which is used by the Enter audit details option. The two-character Condition Code is the field on an Asset Record that represents the audited state of the asset. When running Enter audit details, only a Condition Code that has been set up with Asset conditions may validly be input to the Condition Code field on the Asset Records.
Use the Asset defaults option to pre-define default values for the data fields on every Asset Record on the Register. You can pre-define values for as many data fields as you wish. The default entry that you input to any data field may be of any value, provided that it is one that may validly be input to that particular field.
As a result, when you create an Asset Record, those fields for which you have defined default values will already be 'filled', minimizing data entry. In the case of any particular Asset Record, however, you may overwrite the default value if it is not appropriate for that Record.
Use the System parameters option to control key parameters that govern the functioning of the Asset Register, for any one particular company. Decide whether the Asset Register module is to be integrated with the Nominal, whether an asset may depreciate within the period in which it was purchased; in what order the Depreciation Daybook lists financial information; and whether postings are made to the Nominal on exiting the Asset Register option or on the next run of the Print all daybooks program.
BUTTONS
When the option is taken from the menu a standard file edit screen is displayed allowing you to Create new records (subject to the limitation of 1 to 15), Amend, Display or Delete existing records.
Exit: Returns you to the SYSTEM MAINTENANCE menu.
Help: Displays help on the current application using the default browser.
Compile Logic: This is the final process required to set the depreciation method up prior to a depreciation run. Hence the user should click this button after saving changes.[this only applies to depreciation methods that have just been created, or after an upgrade/update to Autoline]
