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LinkTopia Introduction and Overview

Revised October 24, 2008

Description

LinkTopia allows the user to export Purchase Orders from BuildTopia in a format that will be recognized by your accounting system for import. Every user's accounting set up is unique, even within the most commonly used accounting software applications like Timberline or QuickBooks. We encourage the user new to BuildTopia to communicate with our Professional Services and Support staff early in your set up process to ensure both BuildTopia and your accounting software are configured to communicate easily and accurately.

NAHB Chart of Accounts

Where Should I Start?

QuickBooks:

If you are new to QuickBooks or would like an in-depth discussion on the BuildTopia-Quick Books interaction, we recommend you start with: BT Accounting QuickBooks User Guide:

• This document provides a detailed description of the interaction of BuildTopia and QuickBooks. It provides information on how BuildTopia can be set up to export purchase orders, how the purchase orders can be exported, and how QuickBooks can be setup to correctly receive the imported data. The User Guide also shows how certain QuickBooks reports can be run to show data imported from purchase orders and how closing entries can be done. For further information or questions on customer interfaces contact the BuildTopia Customer Support center.

If you are familiar with QuickBooks or have used it in the past; OR if you have already read and digested our BT Accounting QuickBooks User Guide, we recommend QuickBooks 101:

• This document provides a simplified step by step guide on how to setup and use the LinkTopia interface for exporting purchase orders from BuildTopia for import into QuickBooks.  We would recommend using this document if you are using the default BuildTopia-QuickBooks setup.  For more detail on the interaction between BuildTopia and QuickBooks refer to the BT Accounting QuickBooks User Guide.

For answers to a list of frequently asked QuickBooks questions (See QuickBooks FAQ below.)

Timberline:

Please consider these two questions if you are using, or intend to use Timberline Accounting Software.

Microsoft Dynamics (Solomon):

BT Accounting (Microsoft Dynamics / Solomon) BT Accounting MSDynamics (Solomon) User Guide

All Other Accounting Software applications:

For information or questions on any accounting application not specifically mentioned, contact the BuildTopia Customer Support center.

Notes

• BuildTopia can customize the data export format to meet the specific requirements of your company's accounting system.  There may be an additional cost.

LinkTopia:

• Setup
• New Export
• Re-Export

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QuickBooks FAQ

1. Can I breakdown my work in process costs by cost code, not put them in a single account?
1. Yes, this can be done through a custom LinkTopia interface.  The rationale for our recommendation of not doing it through multiple accounts is to simplify the balance sheet as this detail of job costs can be reported on through QuickBooks Job Profitability reporting using items, not GL accounts. 

2. I am brand new with QuickBooks, what is the best way to set it up?
1. Setup cost codes (items), vendors, lot accounting codes (customer:job) in BT and then via on demand reporting we can create import files into QuickBooks.  Classes need to be entered manually (project accounting code). We also have a sample NAHB chart of accounts if the user wants that. 

3. What is the difference between a Cost Code and a GL Account?
1. A cost code is a way of breaking down construction costs into a lower level of detail from GL Accounts.  In many accounting systems, it is typically recommended that cost codes are subsidiary GL accounts.  In QuickBooks, the items act as subsidiary accounts.  Our recommendation is to have a GL Account for Direct Construction Costs, and items as cost codes.

4. What is the process when a home is completed and settled from an accounting perspective and how is that performed?
1. The end user will enter a journal entry where they move costs from work in process to cost of sales.  This is generally part of a large multi line journal entry that includes deposits, revenue, loan payoffs, commissions, etc. 

5. Where do Activities get recorded in QuickBooks?
1. Activities are mapped to the memo field on line item transactions.  This allows activities to change in BT, without having to maintain them in QuickBooks as well.  These activities will NOT show up on the check.

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6. Why do we use Cost Code Accounting Code rather than just cost code?
1. The QuickBooks job profitability reports show just the item number, not description.  Its hard reading reports with just a list of numbers.  Its much better with "7200 Paving" rather than just "7200".  Thus our recommendation is to include the cost code and description in the QuickBooks Item Code and therefore, BuildTopia Accounting Code.

7. How is job costing different in BT versus QuickBooks?
1. QuickBooks Job Costs represent a rear view mirror of job costs as it only reflects approved purchase orders.  BuildTopia, on the other hand, is a forward view, with full projected cost to complete.  When a job is complete, and all purchase orders are approved, the two job cost reports in both systems should be identical. 

8. Can you put budgets in QuickBooks?
1. The short answer is no.  Many people have tried as QuickBooks does in fact support budgets.  Unfortunately their budgets are at the GL account level and make it impractical to maintain and compare at the job level.  Additionally QuickBooks supports job estimates, but unfortunately there is no ability to maintain those through an electronic interface.

9. How does BT interact with the online version of QuickBooks?
1. It does not.  We use a QuickBooks data import convention that is not supported in the online version.

10. What QB version does BT work with?
1. BT works with all Windows based versions of QuickBooks and does not work with Mac versions nor the online version.  We recommend Premier - Contractor Edition ($399) or Enterprise Edition ($3,000 for 5 users).

11. How do you support multiple companies using QuickBooks?
1. Customers support multiple companies using QuickBooks in one of two ways.  First they can setup multiple QuickBooks companies/files - one for each project.  In this case, we would export a different LinkTopia file for each project - this is a LinkTopia setting.  Further, customers have found ways to aggregate data across multiple QuickBooks companies using third party tools.  Secondly, customers can use QuickBooks classes to represent different companies.  The downside of this is that QuickBooks does not provide an out of the box balance sheet that shows assets and liabilities by class.  Consult a QuickBooks pro for the correct approach as we are not adequately versed to give a recommendation on this.

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12. Does the recommended interface utilize the Pay Date Field in LinkTopia?
1. No.  While this is a standard field within LinkTopia used within many different accounting interfaces, the recommended QuickBooks interface (QB A 007) does not incorporate this field in any way.  We do this to differentiate hand entered bills and those coming in through LinkTopia.  QuickBooks does support this date coming in the data, so if a customer wants it, we could customize the interface to provide it.

13. If the vendor has pay terms assigned in QuickBooks, does it automatically assign a due date?
1. In cases where a vendor has assigned pay terms in QuickBooks, neither the terms, nor the due date, are automatically assigned on bills as they are imported from BT.  These must be manually added to each bill if the customer wants to utilize pay dates. 

14. If I import approved transactions in the same import file more than once, will it create duplicate transactions?
1. QuickBooks will warn the user that an import file has a duplicate PO number and will display which PO is duplicate.  The user will have a choice to cancel or continue.

15. If a check is being generated for multiple approved purchase orders across multiple lots, what detail is on the check stub?
1. The PO number, date, and amount is shown on the check stub.  The vendor would have to map the PO number to their own records (or BT) to determine what lot it applies to and what was on that purchase order. 

16. How is the audit number used to manage transaction files exported from LinkTopia?
1. Every file exported from LinkTopia is assigned an audit number.  This audit number is displayed in the log within BuildTopia and can be used to regenerate transactions based on that audit number.  Further, the audit number is in the file name of the exported file to be uploaded in QuickBooks.  Our recommendation is to not rename QuickBooks iif files as that would eliminate the audit number from the file name and make it difficult to cross reference actual files from the two systems.

17. What Happens if the Trade Partner accounting code in BT does not match to a Vendor Name in QuickBooks?
1. First, in cases where a Trade Partner Accounting does not exist in BuildTopia, it will export the Trade Partner Name and attempt to match to a corresponding QuickBooks vendor.  Second, in all cases where a transaction is unable to match to an existing vendor name in QuickBooks, it will automatically create a new vendor and put the imported transactions under that new vendor account.

18. What Happens if the Customer:Job in BT does not match to a Customer:Job in QuickBooks?
1. IMPORTANT: QuickBooks will automatically create a Vendor Account in QuickBooks with the customer job value based on what is being passed by BuildTopia in the Lot Accounting Code, or if blank, the lot number.  Thus it is important to have the lot accounting code in BT mapped correctly to Customer:Jobs in QuickBooks at all times.

19. What Happens if the Cost Code in BT does not match to an Item in QuickBooks?
1. A new item will be created in QuickBooks based on the value passed in the iif file.

20. What Happens if the Class in BT does not match to Class in QuickBooks?
1. A new Class will be created in QuickBooks based on the value passed in the iif file.

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