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Configuring AP Company Parameters

AP Company Parameters is the main configuration form for Accounts Payable. Define it before any AP processing. It controls GL posting, default payable types, payment behavior, subledger options, invoice validation, compliance rules, audit targets, and payment report attachments.

:::caution Admin-only / change carefully Restrict security for this form. Changes are rare because they affect AP processing and data already stored against the company. Configure before live AP work. Incomplete interface companies or journals may warn and still save during staged setup, but they are not safe for production posting. :::

Before you start​

  • The HQ company already exists in HQ Company Setup.
  • Before live AP, set GL company, expense journal, and expense interface level, plus payments journal and payment interface level.
  • Have AP Payable Types ready for the default slots you will assign (Expense, Job, Subcontract, Retainage, SM Work Order).
  • Using Payable Category on this form is the prerequisite switch before AP Pay Categories can supply separate payable-type and discount defaults.
  • You have permission to change company parameters.

Steps​

GL expense and payment posting​

  1. Open AP Company Parameters.
  2. Set the GL company, expense journal, and expense interface level. Expense interface levels are Summary, Transaction, Line, and None. Description-field options on the expense interface control how description text flows into GL. If GL Chart of Accounts has Interface Detail enabled for an account, Vista can still force detail posting even when the company expense interface level is Summary.
  3. Set the payments journal and payment interface level. Payment interface levels are Summary, Payment, and None.

Subledgers (JC, EM, IN, CM)​

  1. On the subledgers section, set company and interface level for modules you post through AP:

    • JC and EM: Transaction, Line, or None
    • IN: Line or None
    • CM: Payment or None

    Gotcha: Changing CM Co# or CM Account# prompts Vista to update open AP check and EFT transactions that still reference the previous cash management company or account.

Default payable types, categories, discounts, ICR​

  1. Define default payable types for the system slots: Expense, Job, Subcontract, Retainage, and SM Work Order. The Retainage type is system-assigned and cannot be overridden at invoice entry. Use Allow Payable Type Override if other default types may be changed at entry.
  2. Configure Payable Categories when you need separate GL payable types and discount accounts by category. Company defaults can be overridden by F3 Properties / VA User Profile. Category setup detail lives on AP Pay Categories.
  3. Review net-discount posting options. Soft recommendation: avoid net-discount posting if you need to adjust discounts later; net posting limits those later adjustments.
  4. If you file Independent Contractor Reporting (ICR), complete company ICR settings and maintain vendor ICR reporting data on AP Vendors. Reporting thresholds often start around $600, but confirm the amount that applies in your jurisdiction (not a locked Vista default).

Audit, batch reports, subcontract and PO limits​

  1. On the Audit Options tab, enable the targets you need. Company-parameter and related master changes feed HQ Master Audit. Optional targets include vendors, compliance, transactions, recurring invoices, payment history, and unapproved invoices. Prefer listing the targets you enable rather than a blanket "enable all."
  2. Attach batch reports to HQ if you track posted batches that way.
  3. In the subcontracts section, set whether AP transactions may exceed the current subcontract total cost. This is the form control that limits over-invoicing against the subcontract.
  4. In the purchase order section, set whether AP transactions may exceed PO item line costs.

Invoice Options (compliance, validation, unique AP Reference)​

  1. Under Invoice Options, configure the invoice-entry and validation controls Trimble documents on this form:
    • Total-to-lines validation: require the invoice header total to match detail line amounts.
    • Default line description / units: set defaults that flow onto new invoice lines when operators do not override them.
    • Vendor compliance checks: compliance can warn at entry or block initialization into the payment workfile/batch. Blocking initialization does not prevent someone from manually adding the invoice to a payment batch. Day-to-day vendor compliance maintenance is covered in Managing AP Vendor Compliance.
    • Auto Ready for valid unapproved: when enabled, valid unapproved invoices can move to Ready without a separate manual status change (see Entering AP Unapproved Invoices).
    • Open PO / SL coding warnings: warn when coding against open purchase orders or subcontracts that need attention.
    • PR vendor add/update: control whether AP may add or update related PR vendor data from this company setup context.
    • Unique AP Reference: enable Prevent duplicate, choose the validation scope (vendor/company, vendor across companies, master vendor/company, or master across companies), set case-sensitivity as needed, and note that a vendor can override the company default on AP Vendors (Override Unique APRef Level).

Payment Reports / Services​

  1. Under Payment Reports / Services, configure the remittance outputs the company uses:

    • Check / cheque formats and overflow handling
    • EFT remittance reports
    • Credit-service remittance when that payment method is in use
    • Attachment paths used when remittance history or emailed payment info needs report attachments

    Keep this step to check/EFT (and credit-service remittance if used). Defer ePayments, Comdata/EFS, and related payment-service setup unless the company already runs those services. Vendor remittance email behavior is covered in Using AP Email Pay Info and vendor Payment Info Delivery on AP Vendors.

Notes​