You can easily enter new income, expenses, or contributions from your asset register screen. To add a new transaction, simply click the Add New dropdown in the top right corner and fill in the necessary information. Aplos handles the complex debit and credit entries on the backend, so you don't need to be an accounting expert to record your transactions accurately.
If you are entering transactions on a Liability register, there will be a slight difference in functionality. To learn more about utilizing a Liability register check out our resource on Using the Liability Register.
How to Track an Expense?
An expense is a transaction where your organization is paying for goods or services directly from a cash account (like a checking or savings account). Think of it as any time money leaves one of your bank accounts for a purchase or payment.
Common Examples of Expenses to Enter on the Register
You'll use the Register screen to record the following types of expenses:
- Checks Written: When you write a check to pay a vendor, like a utility company, a rent payment, or a supplier.
- Debit Card Purchases: Any time you use your organization's debit card for purchases, such as office supplies or event materials.
- Automated Payments: These are automatic withdrawals from your bank account for things like monthly software subscriptions, insurance premiums, or loan payments.
- Bank Fees: Any service charges, processing fees, or other fees your bank automatically deducts from your account.
- Transfers: Moving money from one cash account to another, for example, from your main checking account to your petty cash fund. This is recorded as an expense from the source account.
- Credit Card Payments: Recording the payment you make to your credit card company to pay down your balance.When entering an expense in your register, select the "add new" button at the top right and select the "payment" option
Adding the Expense to your register
When you are ready to enter in your expense, ensure you are on the desired asset or liability and select the Payment option in the "add new" dropdown
This will open up a page for you to fill out the information for your expense.
You must complete these required fields:
- Date: Date of the transaction - you can enter numbers in the format of MM/DD/YYYY and press your Tab key to proceed, or click in the box and select the date on the calendar that is shown
- Contact: Name of the Vendor - Typing the name will suggest existing contacts in your database. If it is a new contact, you can enter the name and the contact will be added to your contact list when the transaction is entered.
- Amount: Amount of the expense
- Account: Select the relevant expense account
- Fund: Select the fund for the expense
Optional fields for your expense transaction include:
- Check#: This is your check number if you paid the expense using a check
- Memo: Provide additional details of the expense so it is easier to identify later
- Tags (if enabled): Assign a tag such as 990 Tag, Fundraiser, Department, or Project to be able to produce filtered reports
Additional Actions available include:
- Add Attachment: Located at the top right of the transaction you are entering, you can add any file to your transaction before posting
- Create Split: Located next to the amount box, you can create a split transaction if the expense you are entering needs to be allocated across more than one expense account, fund, or tag.
Once you have filled out all of the information for your deposit you can select:
- Save & Add New Payment: This will save your transaction to the register and give you a new payment page to fill out another payment transaction
- Save Payment: This will save your payment and take you back to the main register screen
How to Track Income?
You'll categorize any money coming into your cash accounts as income on the Aplos Register screen. There are two primary types of income that you may wish to track. Donations income that you wish to also track for contribution statements for donors and general income. It's important to differentiate between these, as they are handled slightly differently.
General Income (Deposit)
Use the Register screen to directly add a deposit for any income that is not a donation. This income does not need to be tracked on a contribution statement for a specific person. Some examples of income you may have that is not donation related includes:
- Sales from merchandise, books, or other goods.
- Ticket sales or registration fees for events that don't require contribution statements
- Grant funding received from a foundation.
- Interest earned on your bank accounts.
- Rent from renting out your facilities.
Adding General Income
When you are ready to record your general income, click the Add New dropdown and select Deposit.
This will open up a page for you to fill out the information for your expense.
You must complete these required fields:
- Date: Date of the transaction - you can enter numbers in the format of MM/DD/YYYY and press enter or click in the box and select the date on the calendar that is shown
- Contact: Name of the Contact - Typing the name will suggest existing contacts in your database. If it is a new contact, you can enter the name and the contact will be added to your contact list when the transaction is entered.
- Amount: Amount of the income
- Account: Select the relevant income account
- Fund: Select the fund for the income
Optional fields for your income transaction include:
- Memo: Provide additional details of the expense so it is easier to identify it later
- Tags(if enabled): Assign a tag such as 990 Tag, Fundraiser, Department, Project to be able to produce filtered reports
Additional Actions available include:
- Add Attachment: Located at the top right of the transaction you are entering, you can add any file to your transaction before posting
- Create Split: Located next to the amount box, you can create a split transaction if the expense you are entering needs to be allocated across more than one expense account, fund, or tag.
Once you have filled out all of the information for your deposit you can select:
- Save & Add New Deposit: This will save your transaction to the register and give you a new deposit page to fill out another deposit transaction
- Save Deposit: This will save your deposit and take you back to the main register screen
Donation Income (Contribution)
When the income is a donation from a specific person or organization, and you wish to provide them with a contribution statement from Aplos, you should not use the "Deposit" option in the add new dropdown, but rather the "Contribution" option.
This will take you to the contribution > deposits screen on the donation side of the software to either:
- Enter a Quick Deposit for a single donation
- Create a Batch for multiple checks and cash donations.
Important: Before you save, double-check that the correct Bank Account is selected at the bottom left of the screen. This ensures the deposit posts to the right register.
For more in-depth details on entering in your deposit, you can see our guide on Contributions & Deposits.
The Register screen in Aplos is designed to be your central hub for managing the daily cash flow of your organization. By providing a clear and simple way to record expenses, general income, and contributions, it ensures that your financial records are accurate and up-to-date. The system handles the behind-the-scenes accounting, so you can focus on what's most important—efficiently managing your funds. By using the appropriate transaction type for each scenario, you'll maintain clean financial records that are ready for reporting and reconciliation.
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