I have inherited a Manager File which has data for the first quarter of this financial year (1st Jul - 30Sep 2023) which I’d like to keep (and the chart of accounts with it). However it also has many years of data prior which I’d like to remove/delete. How to go about this … can the desktop manager import for a date range to a new manager setup OR should I delete the old many years of data and old accounts for the existing manager file etc. Thank You.
ps. A backup for archival purposes will be kept of course !
Manager is a perpetual accounting application. This means that as soon as you start entering data your balance sheet will be valued. Your Balance sheet reports therefore only allow you to set an end-date and not a start-date. The P&L and Cash-flow reports allow for start and ending dates. To delete data prior to your first quarter would thus affect the balance sheet and mess up your accounting. To know what went on you can produce the relevant reports.
not trying to fix anything, for private reasons, I don’t wish to go forward with that data in the file (all returns are done though with that data). However, the export function didn’t seem to work (just hung on down loading and creating a new file) so it may be best just to re-input 3 months worth of work. Thanks.
Business sold & want to start new COA / Freeze interface.
Hiding data from someone or another entity. Legal or not.
Old data had errors want to isolate.
The downside is
Loss of comparison reports
Another point to introduce errors
How to do it
Back up business, restore backup, then rename imported backup
Batch delete old / unwanted data. Leaving data in new period and bridging invoices.
Enter starting balances to set start of new accounting system.
Alernatively for a fully clean start
Create new COA with desired features going forwards
Enter (or import) customers / Suppliers / inventory items etc
Enter required invoices
Bank import transactions for last 3m, creating bank rules as applicable
Import bank statements
Either way it is significant work and results in a loss of functionality so would need good clear justification to be an appropriate business management decision.
I was after a technical approach to do it not a business decision or lecture and there does not seem to be an automated approach… Seems that everytime I come to the forum for a technical how to, I get a business lecture. This is not helpful to moving forward. And from numerous people here … please rethink your approach and let the business decision be. Sometimes it is not congusive to discuss in an open forum or appropriate or even within the posters control. Thank You for your understanding.
That’s a simple question and the simple answer is no.
The longer answer is that is NOT a feature which would enhance Managers functionality so is very unlikely to ever be supported directly by Manager. Manager is however very flexible so in the rare case it is appropriate business practice, it can be achieved two ways as described above.
If your aim is to only display your P&L for the current year on the summary page, this can be edited.
The Balance Sheet will not change, as it shouldn’t, only the Profit and Loss for the set period.
Otherwise you have no choice but to batch delete all transactions before that date in all acounts. This will give you an incorrect Balance Sheet though, as others have stated.
