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Program Description:

A Departure estimate is an estimate of the amount due to a vendor (hotel or land operator) on the departure date of a tour. The departure date is the date that income is recognized for a tour, so this estimate is reflected in the financial statements as the cost of this tour.

Of course, the actual cost can change by the time it is paid, but these changes are usually not material, so they are recoginzed at the time the are realized.

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Program Operation:

When you enter this program, you have two choices. You can enter the entry number and have the finalization estimate come up, or you can enter the tour number and have all the departure and finalization estimates display. To enter a new departure estimate (no finalization estimate exists), enter a zero under the entry number and a new departure estimate will be created.

The departure estimate amount defaults to the amount entered in the finalization estimate. Then the system automatically displays the current exchange rate and the equivalent U.S. Dollar amount. You can change any of the values at the Any Change? prompt.

To delete a departure estimate, type DEL at the CHANGE ITEM prompt. a departure estimate can't be deleted if it has been posted to the General Ledger.

After entering the departure estimate, the cursor returns to the "Entry number" field.

To return to the A/P menu, hit return twice.

Note: The departure estimate can be changed at any time, until the invoice amountis entered. The estimate amount on the day the departure update is done is the amount posted as an estimate to the G/L program. This is also the amount that is used to calculate the over/under from estimate.

This program will hardly be used. The departure estimates will automatically be sent to the A/P system from the booking system on the night of departure.

Note: The departure estimate doesn't have to be entered on the departure date. The system will automatically post the entry to the G/L depending on the departure date, not the entry date.

A disadvantage of entering departure estimates too early is that if a change in service occurs after entering a departure estimate, the new vouchers will NOT be created. They must be manually done, then the new departure estimate should be entered in A/P.

The disadvantage of entering departure estimates too late is the estimate amount has to be in before the A/P G/L distribution is done. If it isn't in on time, it will be adjusted in a subsequent G/L posting, giving you untimely financial data.

The G/L entry is posted to the G/L distribution file. For example:

5/12/86 Cost of Tours - Group Series 925.00

Accounts Payable - Tours - Estimate 925.00

(Departure date estimate)

Remember: Manually entered departure estimates will override the computer generated estimates. This means that if you enter a departure estimate, the computer generated estimates will NOT be generated)