Argenta allows you to track all your business expenses in one place and designate them to the appropriate account in your Chart of Accounts. Expenses can be your phone bill, office supplies, or any other costs incurred as part of running your organization.
To get started, choose General Financials > Business Expenses - from the Main Argenta Menu on the left side of the screen.
The full list of all your Business Expenses will be displayed. To add a new business expense, click the "Add New" button:
This will open the Expense Workspace:
The expense workspace has 6 tabs: Expense Details, Receipt Items, Record Associations, Related Files, Expense Notes, and Record Permissions. We will go tab-by-tab and field-by field:
1. Expense Details tab:
On this tab is where you'll enter the expense details:
- Record Level Permissions - Set As View Only - Placing a checkmark in this box restricts this
record to view only access unless the user is the user who created the record,
the user is a master admin, or the user is given specific permission to modify
this record on the Record Permissions tab of this
record. Permissions also work by assigning a department, district and/or
precinct. If you have users in your system who are restricted by these
permissions, they will only be able to see records in the
departments/districts/precincts you have granted them access to.
- Record Level Permissions - Lock This Record - Placing a checkmark in this box locks this
record so that users cannot view or update the record unless the user is the
user who created the record, the user is a master admin, or the user is given
specific permission to access this record on the Record Permissions tab
of this record. Permissions also work by assigning a department, district
and/or precinct. If you have users in your system who are restricted by these
permissions, they will only be able to see records in the
departments/districts/precincts you have granted them access to.
- Add This Expense to General Financials - If you want to add the transaction to your financials, place a checkmark in this check box. This opens these fields;
-
Fund - Argenta uses nonprofit, fund accounting. Here you can choose which fund the expense is debited to.
- Deposit/Checking Account - Next, select a deposit or checking account. This is the account that your expense will be debited from.
- Account - Argenta is a double entry system, so next you must select an account from your chart of accounts to credit the expense. This is a required field.
- Is this a loan of credit card payment? - Select "Yes" if this expense is a loan or credit card payment or "No" if it is not.
- Is this expense approved? - Select "Yes" if this expense has been approved or "No" if it has not.
- Has this expense been refunded? - If this is a refundable expense and it has been refunded select "Yes" here. If it has not been refunded select "No" here.
- Expense Category - Select a category for your expense from the drop-down list here. If an applicable category is not listed you can add a new one by clicking the Add New
button. - Purchased Date - Enter the date the expense happened. You can manually enter a date or use the calendar selector. This is a required field.
- Total Cost - Enter the total cost of your expense here. This is a required field.
- Constituent Payee - The Constituent Payee is the person receiving payment for this expense.
Constituent Payees can be any constituent in your Argenta System. Anyone
can be a payee. Select the Lookup
button to search for and select the constituent payee. If a payee is not in your system you can add a new one by selecting the Add New 
button. This is a required field. - Payment Type - Select the payment type from the drop-down list. This is how you paid for the item ie. check, credit card, etc.
- Check/PO/Ref# - Enter the check number, PO or reference number for this expense here.
- Payer (Team Member) - The Constituent Payer is the person who made payment for this expense.
This must be one of your team members. Team members include board
members, staff members, Argenta users or volunteers designated as acting
team members. This is a required field.
- Expense Description - You may enter a description of your expense here.
- Is This Expense Recurring? If this is a recurring monthly expense select "Yes" if it is not select "No".
- Recurrence Frequency - If you selected yes to the above question you can set the recurrence frequency here. Your options are: n/a, Weekly, Bi-Weekly, Monthly or Annually.
- Auto-Input Subsequent Expenses? - If the expense is recurring and you selected yes, Argenta can automatically input all subsequent expenses for you. Choosing yes will add this expense to the auto-recurring scheduler. A
new expense will be added automatically based on the recurrence
frequency you choose. To view all recurring expenses, choose General
Financials > Recurring Expenses from the main menu.
- Is a reimbursement Needed? - If a reimbursement is needed for this expense select "Yes" if one is not needed select "No".
- If yes, has it been reimbursed yet? - If you answered yes to the previous question, you will next need to state if the reimbursement has already been done. If the reimbursement has already been reimbursed select "Yes" if it has not select "no".
- Date of Reimbursement - Enter the date of reimbursement if it has already been reimbursed. You can manually type in a date or use the calendar selector.
- Chapter - If this expense is related to a specific chapter within your organization you will want to select it from the drop-down list here. This will allow you to see all your expenses for this specific chapter. If you have users that are limited to chapter permissions this will allow them to see the expense if tied to the chapter selected.
- Division - If this expense is related to a specific division within your organization you will want to select it from the drop-down list here. This will allow you to see all of your expenses for this specific division. If you have users that are limited to specific division permissions this will allow them to see the expense if tied to the department selected.
- Department - If this expense is related to a specific department within your organization you will want to select it from the drop-down list here. This will allow you to see all of your expenses for this department. If you have users that are limited to specific department permissions this will allow them to see the expense if tied to the department selected.
- District - If this expense is related to a specific district you will want to select it from the drop-down list here. This will allow you to see all of your expenses for this district. If you have users that are limited to district permissions this will allow them to see the expense if tied to the district selected.
- Precinct - If this expense is related to a specific precinct you will want to select it from the drop-down list here. This will allow you to see all your expenses for this district. If you have users that are limited to precinct permissions this will allow them to see the expense if tied to the district selected.
- Receipt File Path - You can upload a receipt for the expense here. To add a receipt click the "Browse" button to search for and select the file from your computer.
Once these fields have been filled in click the "Save All Changes & Continue" button to save your work and continue editing the other tabs of information.
2. Receipt Items tab:
On this tab, you can itemize your expense. If your expense contained several purchases and you wish to itemize them you do so here. To add an itemization click the "Add New" button and an "Add Receipt Items" screen will appear where you can enter the details of your item. You can also delete a line item by clicking the corresponding Delete
button for the item you wish to delete. Make sure that your total itemized matches your total from expense. You can click into any field and make a change to an existing item if needed. If you make any changes click the "Save All Changes" button before moving on.
3. Recorded Associations tab:
On this tab, you will find all the related associations. That is if this expense is related to an Auction, Client/Customer, Campaign, Event, Grant, Program, or Project you can add those associations here. To add an association click the corresponding Lookup
button for the association you wish to add. Search for and select the association and it will now be displayed. You can clear an association by clicking the Clear Lookup
button.
4. Related Files tab:
On this tab, you can add all the related files you want to this expense. To add a file you can click the "Browse" button to search for and select a file from your computer, or you can drag and drop a file into the "Drag & Drop" box. Either way, if you have added a file be sure to complete the upload process by selecting the "Save The Selected File" button. This finalizes the upload and attaches it to this tab. You can also delete a file should you wish, by clicking on the corresponding Delete
button for the file you wish to delete.
5. Expense Notes tab:
On this tab, you can add an unlimited number of notes to the expense. To add a not simply click the "Add New" button. This opens the text panel where you can enter and format your note. Click the "Save & Add This Note" button to save your note to the expense. You can also view or edit an existing note by clicking the corresponding Edit Note
button. This opens the note text panel where you can make any changes necessary. You can also delete a note by clicking on the corresponding Delete Note
button.
6. Record Permissions tab:
This tab controls the record permissions for the expense.
6. A. View Only Access:
Sometimes you want users to be able to view a record but block them from modifying that record. Individual records can be set to View Only so only master admins and users who are listed here can edit them. To grant users permission to modify this record simply add them here. Select a user from the "Select A User To Add" drop-down menu then click the "Add Selected User" button to add the user to the view-only access permissions.
6. B. Locked Record Access:
Individual records can be locked so only master admins and users who are listed here can view or edit them. To grant users permission for this record simply add them here. Select a user from the "Select A User To Add" drop-down menu, then click the "Add Selected User" button to add a user to the locked record access permissions.
If you have made further changes to this Expense click back to the "Expenses Detail" tab and click the "Save All Changes & Exit" button to save all of your change and be returned to your list of business expenses.