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chrissiR

New Member

02/09/12 11:14am PST
Viewed by asker 02/09/12 12:57pm PST

Easiest way to handle a Boy Scout Troop with dues and scout account (trust) balances

US QuickBooks Pro for Windows : 2010

I have just setup our Boy Scout Troop on Quickbooks. Scout troops have a unique situation. The individual scouts are both Customers and Vendors. Here's how:

We charge our scouts monthly for their dues. Thus, they have an A/R and I have set each of them up as a customer to track their dues and payments received. Some of them pay monthly, some not as often so, we need to track this by individual scout.

We also hold funds for the scouts, in trust, that they have earned thru fundraisers, etc., that they can use towards their scout costs. They can use these funds to pay for their camping/outing fees and also, for their dues. So, I have also setup each scout as a vendor to track their funds that we are holding for them.

Here's the kicker - our troop has 125 scouts and is still growing.

I have having problems with the following transactions:

1. The scouts deposit funds into their scout (trust) accounts. This actually happens a lot and there are usually funds for more than one scout on each deposit. QB will only let me post ONE A/R or A/P transaction on a deposit (who's idea was that???) So, I'm currently having to deposit it all into a "transfer" account and then use a vendor invoice transaction to move the $$ out of the transfer account and into the individual scout's trust account. My other option would be to use a journal entry to make the move. Which also only allows one A/R or A/P account per transaction.

2. The scouts use their trust accounts to pay for their dues. There is no easy way to move $ from their vendor account to their customer account. I have to use the "transfer" account again, move the funds out of their vendor acct to the transfer account and then post a receipt to their customer account from the transfer account. I can't use a Journal Entry because it won't allow both an A/R and A/P account on the same transaction.

I am using class tracking to separate our outing/camping/activity costs. I'm wondering if I should use Class to track the individual scouts instead.

Another option would be to just keep each scout as a customer only and use class to separate their scout account (trust) activity. At each reporting period, I would need to do a JE to move the trust balance out of the A/R account and into a liability account so that the reports would be accurate.

Anyone have any advice?

Solved!

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3 Replies

qbteachmt

Allstar, Accountant Community AllStar

02/09/12 11:21am PST

The solution

"So, I have also setup each scout as a vendor to track their funds that we are holding for them."

That is wrong and unnecessary. The Customer Name is used for all transactions; the trust funds are Liability. This is the same as a law office. These are not BOTH customer and vendor names.

'1. The scouts deposit funds into their scout (trust) accounts. This actually happens a lot and there are usually funds for more than one scout on each deposit. QB will only let me post ONE A/R or A/P transaction on a deposit (who's idea was that???)"

"My other option would be to use a journal entry to make the move. Which also only allows one A/R or A/P account per transaction. "

Because you DO NOT post to AR or AP yourself; you do not use the Deposit screen; you do not make journal entries for this.

You are overlooking the Customer Center functions.

"2. The scouts use their trust accounts to pay for their dues. There is no easy way to move $ from their vendor account to their customer account."

Again, you really are complicating this extremely. Too much work in too many places.

"I am using class tracking to separate our outing/camping/activity costs. I'm wondering if I should use Class to track the individual scouts instead. "

No, that would be further complexity to something that really is much simpler than everything you are doing so far.

"Another option would be to just keep each scout as a customer only and use class to separate their scout account (trust) activity. At each reporting period, I would need to do a JE to move the trust balance out of the A/R account and into a liability account so that the reports would be accurate. "

No, you are missing why to use Class at all.

You need to use Liability tracking for this, with the scouts, as Customer, and the items, and the forms (sales receipts, invoices, and credit memos).

Search the Help system and search these forums. You want to search on Trust Account, Trust Liability, Retainers, Customer Prepayments, Items. Search the forum on "LauraD" as she has given good trust and liability accounting guidance.

Have you taken the video tutorials: Help menu > Learning Center?

Are you the same ChrissiR that brought this up last April?

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chrissiR

New Member

02/09/12 12:51pm PST

"Too much work in too many places" is EXACTLY what was going on.

It looks like I screwed myself up when I set the scout account liability up as an "Accounts Payable" rather than "Other Current Liability." That put all kinds of restrictions on it and I had to setup vendors.

Thank you.

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qbteachmt

Allstar, Accountant Community AllStar

02/09/12 2:18pm PST