Book Keeper by Return with Ease
User guide
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Contents Page
Page
5. Introduction to software …………………………………………………………………………5
6. Installation ………………………………………………………………………………………..6
6.1. Download ……………………………………………………………………………………6
6.2. Install ………………………………………………………………………………………...6
6.3. Terms and conditions ………………………………………………………………………6
7. Settings...............................................................................................................................7
7.1. Personal information ………………………………………………………………………..7
7.2. Bank Details………………………………………………………………………………….7
7.3. Company information ………………………………………………………………………8
7.4. Tax settings ………………………………………………………………………………….9
7.4.1. Tax settings ………………………………………………………………………….9
7.4.2. Mileage settings ……………………………………………………………………10
7.4.3. Business use of home…………………………………………………………..… 11
7.5. Options ……………………………………………………………………………………...12
7.6. Info …………………………………………………………………………………………...13
7.6.1. Activation …………………………………………………………………………...13
7.6.2. Back up ……………………………………………………………………………..13
7.6.3. Recovery….…………………………………………………………………………13
7.7. Get Code …………………………………………………………………………………...14
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Contents page continued
Page
8. Book Keeper ……………………………………………………………………………………….15
8.1. Overview ………………………………………………………………………………………15
8.2. Add ……………………………………………………………………………………………16
8.2.1. Adding Invoice ………………………………………………………………………16
8.2.2. Adding taxable expense with invoice reference ………………………………...17
8.2.3. Adding Invoice expense……………………………………………………………18
8.2.4. Adding mileage to invoice …………………………………………………………19
8.2.5. Adding PAYE………………………………………………………………………...20
8.2.6. Adding tax deductible expense…………………………………………………...21
8.2.6.1.
General expenses………………………………………………………….21
8.2.6.2.
Business use of home……………………………………………………..21
8.2.7. Adding tax deductible travel ………………………………………………………22
8.2.7.1.
Adding mileage ……………………………………………………………22
8.2.7.2.
Adding regular mileage …………………………………………………..22
8.2.7.3.
Adding train/taxi expense………………………………………………...22
9. Overview screens ………………………………………………………………………………..23
9.1. Freelance overview…………………………………………………………………………23
9.2. P45 overview………………………………………………………………………………...24
9.3. Expenses overview …………………………………………………………………………25
9.4. Travel overview…………………………………………………………………………......26
9.4.1. Mileage overview.…………………………………………………………………..26
9.4.2. Taxi/Train overview.....……………………………………………………………..26
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Contents page continued
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10. Editing ………………………………………………………………………………………………27
10.1.
Editing invoiced expense ………………………………..………………………….28
10.2.
Editing taxable expenses attached to invoice…………………..………………...29
10.3.
Add a new taxable expense to invoice …………………………………..………..30
10.4.
Updating invoice ……………………………………………………………………..31
10.5.
Deleting invoice……………………………………………………………………….32
10.6.
Declare invoice as being paid ……………………………………………………...32
10.7.
Print invoice …………………………………………………………………………..33
10.8.
Open PDF …………………………………………………………………………….34
11. Annual income …………………………………………………………………………………….35
11.1.
Annual overview………………………………………………………………………35
11.2.
PAYE …………………………………………………………………………………..36
11.3.
Mileage ………………………………………………………………………………..36
12. Monthly view ………………………………………………………………………………………..37
13. Annual report ……………………………………………………………………………………….39
14. Admin ………………………………………………………………………………………………..40
15. Errors…………………………………………………………………………………………………41
16. Update software ……………………………………………………………………………………42
17. Report a problem……………………………………………………………………………………43
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5. Introduction
Book keeper is a piece of software used to assist you with managing invoices. It is suitable for
all free lancers. This is not a replacement for a good accountant and the software should only
be used as a guide. It does however give you an easy to view logical way of seeing all of your
income in one place which makes it easy to see your incomings and out goings.
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6. Installation
Download 6.1
To download the latest version of Book keeper go to http://www.returnwithease.com this
user guide is for version starting 3.0.0.1. To activate your software you will need to
create an account which can be done on the home page of the website.
Installation 6.2
Once you have downloaded the software you will need to locate the zip folder within
your downloads folder, open this folder and locate the file named setup. Double click on
this and follow the instructions.
Likewise if you choose to just open direct from the website you just need to double click
on the setup file.
Click on the setup file and follow the instructions. The application should open when
installation is complete.
Terms and conditions 6.3
Once installation is complete the application will open. You will then be prompted to
read and accept the terms and conditions of the software. Only once this has happened
and been agreed will the software run. The software will only run when you have agreed
to the terms and conditions.
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7. Settings
Personal details 7.1
Please note the information
filled in on this page will
make up your contact details
on the invoices. To activate
your software you must have
filled in a valid email address
please use the same email
address you used when
registering your account.
Bank details 7.2
The information we collect
here is for use on the bottom
of your invoices. Use this for
when you want a company to
pay you directly into your
bank account.
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Company information 7.3
Company information is
where you store all the
information you need in order
to send invoices to a
company. You can add as
many companies as you
need. This information can
be easily used within the
software. To add company
information fill in all the boxes
then simply click the add
button. If you have made an
error simply click the edit
button. Select the company you wish to alter, change the relevant details and click update. If
you click the edit button from here you can also remove a company.
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Tax Settings 7.4.1
Tax settings. This tab is
dedicated to supplying
information given by you to
work out how much tax you
should pay. This can only
ever be an estimate as you
being the user will be
entering this information. We
suggest you consult your
accountant or HMRC for help
with this information. The tax
year runs from April 6th to
April 5th the software will tell
you if you are in the current tax year with a message at the top left of this screen. It will appear in
red and say “The tax year selected is not current ” if this happens simply use the drop down
box and select the tax year you need to. Your tax rate and tax allowance need to be completed
in order for the software to work properly. Your UTR (unique tax reference) is provided by
HMRC. Most companies require this. If you are freelance this will be shown at the bottom of your
invoice.
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Mileage Settings 7.4.2
You can set as many mileage
rates as you like. Due to
different rates for different
vehicles we have decided to
make this completely up to
you. Please consult either
your accountant or HMRC for
official rates. To add a new
mileage rate fill in the Rate
name and the Rate per mile
then simply click add. The
information will appear in the
box below. If you need to change this information click the edit button next to the name you wish
to edit, enter new details that need to be changed and click update. If you wish to delete a
mileage rate click edit and delete. The item will disappear.
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Business use of home 7.4.3
Business use of home can be
used to set an hourly rate if you
use a home office. This can then
be declared as a tax deductible
expenses. Please consult with
either your accountant or HMRC
for details of rates.
To add a rate fill in both boxes
and click add. If you wish to edit
a rate click the edit button and
adjust information as required. To
delete an item click the edit button, then click the delete button.
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Options 7.5
Here you can personalise the
software to meet your own
requirements. If you select to
remove your bank details then
your bank details will not be
given on any invoice. If you
select the pay by cheque
option then the invoice will add
the following line to the bottom
of the invoice.
Please make cheques payable
to: your name as filled in on the
bank details page. Selecting any of the following (Contact number, email, UTR, Invoice no, Job
no) items will remove that item from the invoice.
If the invoiced signed check box is selected then the invoice will not require a signature it will be
filled in with your name, if it is not selected then a space for a signature will appear.
Days till invoice should be paid is a timer. This calculates when an invoice is overdue and by
how many days old. If the number of days is greater than the number within this box, the invoice
will appear in red within the Freelance overview page. This can be changed to yellow by
clicking the paid button when editing an invoice. By default this is set to 21 days, this will also
appear at the bottom of the invoice.
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Info 7.6
This is where you will fill in the
activation code that will be
sent to you upon receiving
payment. Once the activation
code has been entered you
will then be able to add
invoices and expenses to the
software. From this page you
will be able to see when the
activation code will expire,
when this happens you will
have to enter the new code
that we send you deleting the previous code.
Back up 7.6.2
From this tab you can also back up all files recorded by the software on to an external drive.
Simply plug your drive into your computer then select the drive from the drop down menu and
click on backup. Please note this will create a folder on your USB called backup where all
sequential files will be uploaded. Tampering with these files may have an adverse effect on the
way the software works. Please make sure the USB has not already got a folder on the main
directory called back up as these files may be wiped.
Recovery 7.6.3
To recover a backed up folder simply insert the USB into the computer, select the USB disc
letter from the first drop down menu, then select the file you wish to back up to. Please note the
files will be time stamped so making a note of which file is the one you require. We would
recommend backing up before you recover as the existing library will be completely deleted.
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Get Code 7.7
To get an activation code all
you need to do is click the get
code button at the bottom of
the settings page. This will then
begin the activation process. It
is extremely important that
once you have started the
process of activation you follow
it through and activate your
software on the same day.
Once you press get code you
will be redirected to the
website http://www.returnwithease.com please login and click activation. From here you can
either proceed to Pay via Paypal or, if you have one, use a promotion code. Once the code or
payment has been confirmed you will be sent your activation code via email. If you do not
receive an email on the same day please get in touch using either the website or you can email
us direct at [email protected]
Once your code has been sent to you go to the info tab of the settings page and fill in the
activation code at the top of this tab.
Please note once all the details on the settings page are filled in correctly click the update
button. This will restart the program.
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Book Keeper Overview 8.0
After all settings are in, the software will load straight in the screen shown above. If you require
access to the information in settings, go to window at the top left and click on settings. If Tax
calculator is not shown you can also access this window from the windows page too. Other
features within the window dropdown are Annual report, Report a problem, Key and Update. All
of these features will be talked about in this user guide.
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Add Invoice 8.2.1
How to add an invoice into the software. Fill in
an event title (please note this must be unique).
Selecting the date of event will alter the dates
below in order. Select the date of invoice i.e.
the date in which you will be sending this to the
employer (note this will be where the 21 days
till paid will get its information from). Select who
you would like to send the invoice to. (Please
make sure you have entered the employer’s
details before you begin adding an invoice as
you cannot add them at the same time as this
process and any information up to this point
will be lost.) Job numbers are usually given out
by the employer (you can turn this feature off
within settings). Invoice number is a selfgenerating number. You can then select a
specific date of up to seven days per invoice.
Each date is independent. Add the fee and the
type of work that was completed on that day.
All this information will be used to generate the
invoice. Click the calculate button. All the information in the Boxes to the left should be filled in.
(if total Gross Tax and Grand total are empty please make sure you have something in tax rate
within the settings page), Finally if your happy with all the information click the add button and
all the information will be stored in to the database. If you wish to scrap the invoice click the
clear button and all boxes will be set back to default.
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Taxable Expense 8.2.2
To add a taxable invoice click on the Expenses
tab within invoice. Here you will find two
options: Taxable expense and invoiced
expense. Taxable expense will be things that
you will be claiming against tax. Invoiced
expenses will be things that you are billing your
employer for. Simply add in the information you
have on your receipts and click the add button.
There is one other way to add expenses, but
this way the information of the invoice number is
stored onto the taxable expenses and will allow
you to see what day and what job that expenses
is being claimed for,
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Invoiced Expenses 8.2.3
To add an invoiced expense just type in the
total amount in the relevant box for each day.
Once you have pressed the add button when
the invoice is complete all the information will
appear on the invoice.
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Invoiced Mileage 8.2.4
If you have used your own vehicle on a
job and the employer has said you can
claim your mileage you can add this
information to the invoice using this
section of the software.
First select which day to add the miles
to, you need to add each day
separately using the drop down
selection. Add the miles you travelled
into the miles box, then click the add
button.
Select the rate that you have
predetermined in the settings window.
(If you have not already set the rate
please do this before adding mileage),
finally click calculate and then once the
rest of the invoice is complete click
add.
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Adding P45 8.2.5
To add a P45 from an employer select
P45 from the tab menu. Then using the
relevant information from your P45 fill in
the relevant boxes.
Once all the data is in and correct click
the add button.
If you find you have made a mistake you
can use the clear button which will clear
all of the relevant fields.
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Adding tax deductible expense 8.2.6
General expense 8.0.6.1
To add a general expense click the
expenses tab at the top of the page. Fill in
all the boxes within general expenses and
click add. If you have made a mistake you
can click clear and all boxes will be erased.
If you use this area to add an expense it will
not be referenced to an invoice number.
(The invoice number will be referenced as
000)
Business use of home 8.0.6.2
To add information about business use of
your home select the date you wish to claim
for and then select the rate you wish to
claim for(please note that rates can be
added into the settings page and must be
added before using this feature)
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Adding tax deductible travel 8.2.7
Adding mileage 8.2.7.1
To add mileage to the software click on the
travel tab. Fill in all the relevant boxes (please
note that if you have not entered a mileage rate
in the settings page you will need to do this
before entering mileage.) Once the boxes are
filled in click calculate and then click add. If you
have made a mistake click the clear button.
Adding regular mileage 8.2.7.2
To add a regular mileage fill in all the boxes
within the mileage area and click the add button
inside the regular mileage section.
Adding train/ taxi 8.2.7.3
To add train or taxi receipts fill in the relevant
boxes on the travel tab. Once all the boxes are
complete click the add button. If you have
made a mistake click the clear button and the
boxes will reset.
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Freelance overview 9.1
This section of the software will show you all of the invoices that you have added into the
software. The colour of the invoice will change depending on whether the invoice should have
been paid or not. (This function can be changed in the settings window within options). By
default this will be set to 21 days, after the invoice is 21 days old the colour of the invoice will
change to red indicating that this invoice should have been paid. You can declare the invoice
as being paid from the edit/print section of the software.
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P45 overview 9.2
P45 overview is where you will be able to see any information you have stored about your P45.
From this window you will be able to click the edit button to enter into the editing section of the
software.
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Expenses overview 9.3
The expenses overview tab will show you all the general expenses which have either been
added via the expenses tab or the expenses tab within the invoice tab.
If you have added an expense via the invoice tab the edit button on this page will not work, you
will be prompted to go to that particular invoice and edit the expense within this section. This is
to ensure that the details are kept with the relevant invoice.
If you have added the expense via the Expense tab then the edit button will allow you to use this
function. (Please note if the invoice number is 000 then you will be able to edit this expense
without going through the freelance overview page).
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Travel overview 9.4
The travel overview displays two pieces of information.
Mileage 9.4.1
Within the mileage overview you will be able to see any information that you have added in from
the travel tab. From here you can chose to edit any mileage that you have already added.
Train / Taxi receipt 9.4.2
Once again within the train and taxi overview you will be able to see any information that you
have added from the travel tab. By clicking the edit button within the overview screen the
information will then be able to be edited.
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Editing invoice 10
Upon clicking the
Edit/Print button within the
Freelance overview page,
the information contained
within this invoice will
appear back in the
relevant boxes (shown
below).
Adjust the information that is incorrect and click the update button.
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Editing Invoiced expenses 10.1
To edit an invoiced expense click the expenses tab inside the invoice tab. All invoiced
expenses will appear here. Simply update any relevant information and click the update button.
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Editing Taxable expenses within invoice 10.2
To edit a taxable
expense that has been
attached to an invoice
click the edit button
found next to the
receipt you wish to
edit.
Once you click edit a box will appear in the middle of the screen, simply fill in the correct data
and click the update button within this box.
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Add a new taxable expense to an invoice 10.3
To add a receipt to an already existing invoice, simply click the add receipt button and fill in the
boxes that appear. Once complete click the add button.
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Updating invoice 10.4
Once you are happy with all of the information, click the update button in the centre of the
screen (Please be patient while the software locates all relevant files and updates them). You
will be prompted to ask if you are sure you want to update. When update is complete you will go
back to the main overview page.
Deleting invoice 10.5
To delete an invoice click the red delete button. Please note deleting an invoice will remove all
information to do with this invoice. Please be aware that deleting is not reversible.
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Declare invoice as paid 10.6
To declare an invoice as being paid, simply click the paid button within the edit/print section.
This will change the colour of the invoice that appears in the Freelance overview page from Blue
to Yellow. If you wish to declare an invoice as unpaid, the same button will remove this
information.
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Print invoice 10.7
To print the invoice click the print button, once clicked the following window will appear.
From the print preview screen you
are able to assess whether all the
information is correct or not.
Clicking the print icon in the top left
hand corner will send the document
to your default printer.
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Open PDF 10.8
To open a PDF version click the open PDF button located underneath Print. From here you can
save a PDF copy of the invoice if you wish to send it to your employer via email.
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Annual overview 11.1
The annual tab located at the bottom of the screen will show you the most up to date current
version of what your finances look like. Please note that all figures should be confirmed that they
are correct by a qualified accountant. Net income shows you the total for all of your freelance
work, total expenses will show you the total of all your expenses, your gross is then worked out
by deducting your total expenses from your net income. Tax is worked out by deducting the tax
code from the total gross then dividing this number by 100 and multiplying this answer by the
tax rate you have predetermined in the settings page. (Please note that if you have not set a tax
rate then this and some other functions will not work). Tax code is a figure that is predetermined
by the HMRC. (Please ensure that you have filled in the relevant section within the settings
window). Taxable pay shows your tax code minus the total gross. Finally 20% shows 20% of
your total net income the idea being that if you save this amount it should cover your tax bill
entirely.
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PAYE 11.2
The PAYE section here shows you all of your P45’s calculated in one easy to view location; it
shows you the total for all employees not only for income but also for all of the tax you have paid
so far.
Mileage 11.3
Mileage is a way of seeing how many miles you have covered so far in the year and how much
you will be able to claim for.
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Monthly view 12
On the right hand side of the screen you are able to select a month to view.
Having selected a month the screen will change into the monthly view.
Toward the top you will see all of the freelance income for the selected
month, Bottom left will show you any relevant expense for this month and
finally the bottom right will show you any relevant mileage for this month.
If you want to get back to the main screen hit the overview button.
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This section shows you a monthly break down of all of your freelance net income. You can
select between four items, Selecting any of the other four selections (net, gross, to save,
expense) will change what the boxes display.
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Annual reports 13
To create an annual report click the generate PDF button. Once this is done PDF reader will
open with a breakdown of all invoices and expenses that you have entered over the year.
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Admin 14
The admin page can be accessed from the top left menu bar. This page can be used if there
are any updates with the database between software versions. If a vital file is missing a red
cross will appear next to the item alongside a button, simply press the button and the file will be
created. Please note you should restart the software after using these functions.
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Errors 15
This error will appear if there is a fatal error within the software. If this occurs we recommend
that you click the continue button and restart the program. If this keeps happening use the
system check within the admin page of the software. Check for any red X and follow the
instructions on page 40.
If the problem persists please get in touch via the website or email us at
[email protected]
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Update Software 16
If an update is available a button will appear in the top right of the screen. To update press this
button and follow the prompts that appear on the screen. For the software to check if the version
is current you must have access to the internet.
To update your software click on the
update button in the middle of the
screen. This will redirect you to the
website and search for the latest
version. The software will then
prompt you to remove the old
version which must be done
manually from the control panel. (Control panel will open for you when you have clicked ok on
the prompt) Within control panel find the program (Book Keeper) right click on book keeper and
uninstall the program. (All files that have been stored via the software will not be affected). Once
this is done follow the installation process on page 6.
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Report a Problem 17
Please note to use report a
problem you must be
connected to the internet.
This section of the software
can be found in the windows
drop down tab at the top left
of the page. Simply type in
the subject matter and any
information you wish to send
to us and we will try and
assist with any problem you
are experiencing.
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