Below is a listing of all fields in the Payments window.
Header Fields
To display a list of existing vendors, type ? in this field, or select the Lookup button. To add a new vendor, type + or double-click the field, which displays the Maintain Vendors window.
Enter the ID code of the customer you want to pay. If you do not have password privileges in this area, the drop-down list will be disabled.
To display a list of existing customers, type ? in this field, or select the Lookup button. To add a new customer, type + or double-click in this field to display the Maintain Customers/Prospects window.
When you edit a payment that's applied to an invoice, you will not be able to change the ID. The field will be disabled. To remove the record, select the Delete toolbar button.
If you do not have password privileges to A/R, you will not have access to this field, and the list will be disabled.
Check the box if you want the payment to be handled as an electronic one.
If the current vendor has been set up for default electronic payments in Maintain Vendors, the Electronic Payment box will automatically be checked for this payment, meaning it will be handled as electronically.
Tip: When this box is checked, the payment method field will automatically default to Electronic unless you have edited or deleted this payment method.
Leave the check number blank if you want to print a check.
Enter a number only if the check has already been written. This will ensure a second check is not written to the vendor, by printing the word "DUPLICATE" on the check. You can enter any number, using up to 20 alphanumeric characters.
Note: If you're not paying with a check, enter a reference number that you can use to identify the transaction. On the Payments screen, the field is called Check/Reference Number.
If the Electronic Payment box is selected for this payment, the Check Number box will read "Electronic" since there will be no check number for a payment handled electronically.
This is the system date if you are in the current accounting period. If you're not working in the current accounting period, then this defaults to the first day of the current accounting period. Enter the actual date of the disbursement; this is not necessarily today's date.
Pay On
For electronic payments, this is the date on which the payee must be paid. Sage 50 will calculate and display the Send By date based on this Pay On date.
Note: The payment must be transmitted electronically on or before the Send By date in order for the payee to receive it on time.
For electronic payments, this date is calculated based on the entered Pay On date. The Send By date is the date on or before which the payment must be transmitted electronically in order for the payee to received it on time. For payments to be made on time, they must be transmitted no later than midnight of the Send By date.
Enter the amount of the payment here.
If you are on the Payments screen:
If you enter an amount in this field, Sage 50 will apply the payment to invoices or expenses for you depending on the tab that has focus. You can change the way the amount is applied, if necessary.
If you don't enter an amount in this field, it will be calculated for you using the amounts you apply to invoices or expenses.
The Payment Amount must equal the total amount of the Apply to Invoices and Apply to Expenses tabs to save the payment.
Use this to enter the name of a vendor you don't want to store in the vendor list. If the vendor is entered, Sage 50 displays this field automatically. You can change it for this payment by selecting the arrow button and making your changes.
Use this field to designate the way the payment is being made. The payment methods in the drop-list come from the Pay Methods tab in Vendor Defaults. Click the Payment Method link to add, edit, or delete payment methods. Learn more.
The payment method is required.
Tip: If you always pay a particular vendor the same way, you can specify a payment method on the vendor record. That way you won't have to select the payment method each time you enter a payment to that vendor.
You can enter anything you want here. By default Sage 50 displays the vendor account number entered on the Purchases Info tab of the Maintain Vendors window. By default, Sage 50 does not print the Memo field on the check. If you want the memo printed on the actual check, you can customize a check form in the Forms Design editor.
Enter or select the general ledger account ID to which you want to apply the deposit. This would generally be a cash account.
If you have the Hide General Ledger Accounts global option activated, the Cash Account lookup list displays only names of cash accounts currently set up in the chart of accounts. Select the cash account name to apply to this deposit.
Note: If you want to apply an alternate G/L account (an account that uses an account type other than Cash) for this transaction, you must click Journal.
If you are using real-time posting, this displays the amount in the selected G/L account based on the displayed transaction date.
If you are using batch posting
If the word Uncalculated appears in this field, select 
to update the displayed cash balance. This button is not available if you selected the Recalculate cash balance automatically in Receipts and Payments global option.
If you select this check box, you can only apply the amount to expenses. This is useful for any expense for which you don't have an invoice, such as a down payment or the allocation of funds for a pending bill.
You must select a vendor ID to enter a prepayment.
Apply to Invoices Tab
The date due comes from the Purchases transaction and appears only if you are applying the amount to invoices. It is for viewing purposes only.
The amount due is calculated from Purchases/Receive Inventory and appears only if you are applying the amount to invoices. It is for viewing purposes only.
Optionally, you can enter a description of this transaction line, to include on the check and in reports. This appears only if you are applying the amount to invoices.
If you're waiting on a bill from a vendor, and you had selected that check box, the line will be gray, inaccessible, and display the words "Waiting on Bill from Vendor" in this field.
The discount is calculated based on the range of days for qualifying for a discount and the discount percentage stored in the Vendor's file. You can accept or change this amount; however, you need to completely enter the payment before you change the discount, or the discount will be automatically recalculated using default information, giving you an incorrect discount. The Discount field only appears if you are applying the amount to invoices.
Enter the amount you want to pay on this invoice. If you want to pay in full, check the Pay check box. This check box is only available if you are applying the amount to invoices.
Select this column to pay the invoice in full. Select the Pay check box for each invoice you want to pay. To partially pay, enter an amount in Amount Paid; this automatically selects the Pay check box.
Apply to Expenses Tab
Enter the amount purchased. The amount prints on the check. This column appears only if you are applying the amount to expenses.
Enter or select the inventory item, or enter a ? to select from a list of inventory items.
If you are applying the payment to expenses, Sage 50 displays the item description entered in Maintain Inventory Items.
- If you entered a Description for Purchases for the item, Sage 50 displays this value.
- If you didn't enter a Description for Purchases, then Sage 50 will display the Description for Sales value.
- If you didn't enter a Description for Purchases or a Description for Sales, then the short description appears.
You can change the description for this line item, if necessary. You enter up to 160 characters.
Enter the general ledger account number to use for this purchase. For example, if this check was written at an office supply store, you would enter the office supply expense account ID here. If you enter an item number, the G/L account defaults from the inventory account you entered for the item in the Inventory Items selection of the Maintain menu. If you do not select an inventory item, it defaults to the vendor's default G/L expense account.
To change the account ID, type ? in this field, or select the Lookup button. To add a new account, type + or double-click the field, which displays the Maintain Chart of Accounts window.
Note: If you have the Hide General Ledger Accounts global option activated, Sage 50 will not display G/L account fields in this window. To modify G/L accounts used for this transaction, you must click Journal.
Enter the unit price for the item. The default is the last unit price entered for this item. Sage 50 calculates the number in the Amount field using the Unit Price multiplied by the number you entered in the Quantity field.
Sage 50 calculates this for you by multiplying the Unit Price by the number you entered in the Quantity field.