The software requirements are a Pentium 266 MHz system with 32 meg of RAM if using Windows 95/98 or 64 meg of RAM if using Windows ME/2000/XP. A VGA monitor and Windows supported printer is also required.

CASH OR ACCRUAL:

The software will operate in either a cash basis accounting mode or the fully accrual basis mode; depending on which system is selected during the installation process. The cash system is a simpler and easier to use, whereas the accrual system will handle more complex accrual accounting methods. The accrual system is capable of generating cash basis reports, dependent upon the method of inventory adjustment entries.

BANK, FUND ACCOUNTS:

PC Mars will enable the user to track up to 30 different bank, money market or other fund accounts and their balances. As in the vendor file, new accounts may be added from the data entry screen without exiting to the software setup procedures. As the user enters individual transactions, the data entry screen will display the accessed bank or fund account balance. Procedures are provided to rapidly reconcile information entered into PC MARS with monthly bank statement(s).

CHART OF ACCOUNTS:

The software, either cash or accrual, has several farm or small business charts of accounts that may be selected during the setup process. There are farm charts of accounts that conform to the categories used by the Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota (FinPack) Farm Business Farm Management systems. User may select a totally user defined system as well. The system provides up to 625 account codes.

VENDOR CAPABILITIES:

The software provides the user listing for commonly used vendors, both to facilitate entry time and check printing. There is a separate vendor listing for individual loan accounts. All vendors may be "flagged" for 1099 reporting, and specific reporting capabilities are available for the listing of potential 1099 recipients. New vendors can be added "on-the-fly" without having to enter the software setup procedures. All vendors may be assigned a default account code, easing the data entry routines. The vendor file capacity is limited only to the user's needs or hard drive capacity.

PAYROLL CAPABILITIES:

Users may set up payroll files for an unlimited number of employees; specifying the information necessary to generate the payroll check and the appropriate deductions for federal, state and FICA withholdings as well as a pension and three other potential withholdings. Payroll checks can be printed with a detailed stub. A full compliment of labor/payroll reports are available to users in both the case or accrual versions of the software.

LOAN TRACKING:

PC Mars users are able to track specific loan balances and interest paid on each specific loan. Loans will display in the vendor file, with the *L indicator denoting that this is a specific loan. As with the payroll capability, there is a full compliment of loan reports available for the users to select from. As with the vendor file, the loan list is limited to the users needs and/or hard drive capacity.

ENTERPRISING:

In the farm accounting area, or the small business structure, ability to segregate the business into enterprise segments is a necessity. PC Mars users can define an unlimited number of different enterprises within their business. The reporting capability of PC Mars allows the user to generate reports by enterprise. All account codes may also be defaulted to a specific enterprise, easing the data entry process.

DESCRIPTIONS:

PC Mars users can set up a "pick list" of an unlimited number of descriptions that may be used in either deposit or check transactions. The list insures that the descriptions are identical for search and selective reporting purposes. These descriptions may be added "on-the-fly" as in the case of vendors, and account codes, etc.

PROFIT CENTERS:

During the software setup, PC Mars users may opt to utilize profit center designations in their accounting. A profit center may be a separate segment of an enterprise, i.e. the finishing buildings in the hog enterprise, or a land lease unit. In the flexible "selective" reports capabilities of PC MARS, this allows excellent income/expense tracking abilities.

DETAILING ENTRIES:

Users may track income and expenses to many levels. From vendor, account code, enterprise, descriptions, to profit center. The selective reporting capabilities will support this "sort" level, plus date and bank/fund account selections.

CREDIT TRANSACTIONS:

Transactions involving revolving credit accounts or credit cards can be entered.

INVENTORY CAPABILITIES:

Inventory information can be entered to the level of detail desired by the user. For instance the user can enter total quantity of grain and livestock or detail it by bin or individual livestock group. This inventory information is used to compile a Net Worth Statement using either cash (basis) or market value numbers. In the accrual system, an accurate inventory can be derived at any time from information entered in transactions. Seven screens provided for entry of inventory information.

REPORTING CAPABILITIES:

PC Mars has the normal report capabilities, in either the cash or accrual mode, of any accounting software, but its payroll and loan tracking reports have been designed with versatility in mind. The "selective" reporting capability permit the user to generate reports based on any one of the data entry blocks or any combination.

CASH FLOW PLANNING:

Cash flow planning / budgeting features in PC Mars allows the user to build a annual, monthly or quarterly budget for the accounting year. The system will then generate "comparative" income statements that compare the budgeted amounts with the actual figures for the reporting month and the year-to-date figures.

OPTIONS AVAILABLE DURING DATA ENTRY

• Checks/Expenses
• Deposits/Income
• Paychecks with automatic calculation of gross pay and deductions
• Bank Account Transfers
• Credit Transactions (Revolving credit or credit card accounts)
• Journal entries (code transfers, items involving both income and expense, miscellaneous journal entries)
• Screens for "Special Transactions" (Sealed grain deposits/repayments, crop insurance, and Coop dividends)
• Browse transactions (with many sorting / selection options and with fast path to editing with a click of the mouse)
• Reconcile transactions (clear transactions and bank statement reconciliation)
• Writing checks and deposit slips as you go
• Using a vendor list
• Using enterprise list and/or profit center list
• Using "pick list" of descriptions
• Fast and easy search / edit / delete routine
• Add bank accounts, vendors, account codes, enterprises, descriptions, profit centers on the fly
• Ability to "reuse" recurring or similar type transactions.
• Audit trail of edited and deleted transactions

REPORTS AVAILABLE

• ENTRY JOURNAL - Your transactions in the order that they were entered
• YEAR-TO-DATE SUMMARY REPORT - Account code totals - month and year to date (with optional budget comparisons).
• CASH INCOME STATEMENT
• MONTHLY DETAIL REPORT - Amounts, enterprises, vendors, quantities, etc. (all the details) sorted by account code and sub-totaled. Optional code group totals.
• CHECK REGISTER - Reconcile your accuracy with bank statements
• BANK AND LOAN BALANCE REPORT - Summary of all bank and loan balances
• DETAILED REPORT SELECTED ITEMS -Very flexible report with the same format as Monthly Detail Report but prints a range of months and will print only the items you specify (any of the input items).
• ENTERPRISE REPORTS - Summary or details dealing with one or more enterprises (5 report formats)
• YEAR TO DATE CASH FLOW FORMAT - Actuals with/without budget comparisons, a column for each month and yearly total
• DETAILED LOAN REPORT - Details of one or more loan accounts with summary at the end
• LABOR REPORTS - Details or summary of labor activity for one or all employees with summary of federal and state withholding and deposits (9 report formats)
• YEAR END REPORT/TAX PREP - 12 months, all details, sorted by account code, with optional cover sheet information
• YEAR END CASH SUMMARY REPORT
• RESALE REPORT
• CODE GROUP TOTALS REPORT
• VENDOR SUMMARY REPORT
• PROFIT CENTER REPORT - Summary or details dealing with a profit center
• YTD - COMPARE WITH ANNUAL BUDGET
• NET WORTH STATEMENT - A snapshot of your farm's financial situation with or without supporting inventory detail
• AUDIT TRAIL REPORT
• MULTI-YEAR REPORTS - Compare with previous years (Summary Report, Income Statements, Balance Sheet)
• ACCRUED INCOME STATEMENT (Accrual Version)
• BALANCE SHEET REPORTS (Accrual Version)
• TRIAL BALANCE (Accrual Version)
• INVENTORY TRACKING REPORT (Accrual Version)
• INVENTORY SUMMARY REPORT (Accrual Version)

Summary of Other Features

• Select from 6 different chart of accounts (Iowa/Regular, MSD, Ill, Small Business, Church, and Generic)
• You select your individual account codes from 625 built in accounts codes, of which 400 are changeable
• You can divide your farm in separate enterprises and keep separate accounts on each -- 13 are built it, but you can add an unlimited number of your own
• Listing for an unlimited number of vendors
• Listing for an unlimited number of loans
• Listing for an unlimited number of profit centers
• Listing for an unlimited number of descriptions
• Listing for an unlimited number of employees
• Data entry facilitated by appropriate codes, enterprises, vendors, profit centers, descriptions. being chosen from pick lists
• It will handle an unlimited number of line items per check or deposit
• Will handle an unlimited number of "set of books" or business entities
• Automatic backup and restore
• Pop-up calculator (handier than that provided by windows)
• Handy print preview (fully WYSIWYG)
• Inventory can be entered to as much detail as you desire
• Fully windows compliant (all the features that you expect from any windows program, including adjustable window size and placement)
• Icon Bar (tool bar) for often used menu commands - user definable
• Hints for buttons and icons
• Fully compliant windows help system
• Simplified or Advanced file management
• Automatic or direct control of accounting period
• Flexible selection of individual report pages or multiple copies
• Export options to spreadsheets or FinPack software (Iowa and MSD)
• "Enterprise Locking" feature for Church/Small business application
• Notepad
• Calendar

For further information, E-Mail IFBA or E-Mail SoftShell.