Accounting CS Client Access features

Show expandable text

We moved!

Help articles have been migrated to the new Help and Support. You can find help for your products and accounts, discover FAQs, explore training, and contact us!

Accounting CS is the professional accounting application that your accountant uses to process your accounting and payroll data. When you enter data in Accounting CS via Virtual Client Office, you are entering data directly into the same database that your accountant uses. So any time you enter data, it is available to your accountant as soon as you save the data-entry record.

Your accountant will discuss the specific areas of Accounting CS Client Access that you will be using. In many of the help topics, you may see information that is written for your accountant. If you have any questions about whether or not a particular function applies to your company, please contact your accountant.

Terminology

Please keep in mind that Accounting CS was developed for professional accountants. Therefore, the terminology used throughout the interface and help topics are written for the accountant. Throughout Accounting CS and in the help topics, the following terms are used.

  • Firm refers to your accountant's firm.
  • Client refers to your company.
  • Staff refers to the staff members in your company who are authorized to use Accounting CS.
  • Employee refers to the employees who work for your company and independent contractors.
  • Vendor refers to the vendors from whom you purchase your supplies and services.
  • Customer refers to the customers who purchase your supplies and services. Customer setup is available only when the Accounts Receivable service has been enabled for you.

Top of page

Accounting CS features & benefits

The following is a list of some of the significant features included in Accounting CS. Please note that based on your security settings, some of these features may not be available.

  • Take advantage of the Client dashboard view to customize the workspace.
  • Take advantage of the multi-user capabilities to enable multiple staff in your firm to make changes to client data and see those updates in real time.
  • Use templates to quickly set up employee information.
  • Filter data in screens to save time and reduce the size of data lists.
  • Set up vendor records for 1099 and trade vendors whom you pay for services rendered (for example, lawn care, supplies, accounting services, and so forth).
  • View data within the Actions > Enter Transactions screen in either a checkbook register view (bank account based) or a General Ledger view (journal based).
  • Void, delete, or reverse multiple transactions at once.
  • Reconcile bank statements with the built-in bank account reconciliation features, including a bank statement import, the ability to unfinalize reconciliations to make corrections, and the ability to set the reconciling frequency.
  • Work efficiently using the application's multi-user functionality, which enables multiple staff to simultaneously work on data for the same client. For example, one staff member can enter data while another staff member is printing reports, or both staff members can enter data at the same time.
  • Choose when to make setup items in various screens "inactive" (for example, general ledger accounts, employees, and so forth).
  • Process a variety of standard reports and print them, save them to a file, store them in FileCabinet CS (if enabled by your accountant), and more.
  • Select from a variety of global printing options on the Reports tab of the Setup > User Preferences dialog.
  • Optionally define the printer tray to use based on the type of output and automatically insert separator pages for printed output.

Processing features

  • Automatically determine applicable tax jurisdictions based on employee work location and resident address information.
  • View and utilize workers' compensation descriptions and codes for each state.
  • Record handwritten payroll checks.
  • Process direct deposit payroll checks.
  • Edit hours or amounts after timesheets have been submitted anytime before payroll checks are printed.
  • Enter and report hours used for benefits like vacation, sick time, and personal time.
  • Take advantage of support for third-party sick pay.
  • Make changes to multiple employees at once.

Automatic calculations

  • Calculate an unlimited number of pay, deduction, and employer contribution items.
  • Calculate payroll checks for employees working in multiple states and multiple localities, honoring applicable state rules and reciprocal agreements.
  • Calculate per-check workers' compensation premiums.
  • Calculate garnishments - Creditor, Child Support, Bankruptcy, Federal Levy, Student, and Other.
  • Calculate amounts and generate checks for federal and state tax deposits.
  • Perform net-to-gross calculations.
  • Process cafeteria plan deductions, retirement plan deductions, and company matching amounts, including "safe harbor" employer contribution plans and employees' retirement plan catch-up contributions.
  • Set maximum limits on deductions for automatic turnoff.
  • Verify federal, state, and locality-specific minimum wage amounts for reported tip income.
  • Perform tip allocation calculations.
  • Use the MICR check-printing feature to avoid the need to maintain supplies of preprinted check stock.
  • Provide maximum convenience with the direct deposit features, including pre-noting and vendor and payroll agent payments (if enabled by your accountant).
  • Use the MICR check-printing feature to avoid maintaining supplies of preprinted check stock.
  • Provide maximum convenience with the direct deposit features, including pre-noting and employee payments (including partial allocations).

Employee Self-Service features available to individual employees in your company, via secure web-based portals, include the ability to do the following.

  • Handle time-entry tasks for payroll checks.
  • Edit W-4 information.
  • View and print payroll check stubs.
  • View and print W-2s.
  • Hide sensitive information.
  • Provide email notifications to you when payroll entry is complete.

Was this article helpful?

Thank you for the feedback!