The initial steps for setting up a company on Farmplan Business Cloud should be completed by the company owner.

Once the business has been created, an accountant (or other) can be added as a user and given permission to access the company, where the basic company details can be checked/added to/amended, as well as having the ability to add/edit data entry (if that level is required).

Similarly, additional users can be given read only access, or access to certain areas of the system, depending on individual requirements.

The following details, entered during business setup, cannot be amended once the business has been created:

All other details can be added or changed once the business has been created.

To be given access to a company on Farmplan Business Cloud, you will need to be set up as a User from Settings | Company Settings | Users.

Add a new user – fill in the user name, email address and permission group.

Permission groups define what access the new user is given, and these can be viewed within Settings | Company Settings | User Permissions. There are 3 groups by default, however new user permission groups can be created.

Accountants need full access to all reports i.e. Overview. New users will be sent an email inviting them to access this business.

For accountants who will be checking the information entered earlier full access to Company Settings is required.

When you have signed up to use Farmplan Business Cloud you will be sent a welcome email from Farmplan containing the link to the application and a temporary password.

Click on the link to activate your account, using the email address that the invitation was originally sent to. You will be able to change the password to something more memorable once you are in (see Settings | Your Profile).

To log in in the future use the link https://businesscloud.farmplanapps.com/users/sign_in

You will be asked to confirm the Licence Agreement before you can continue.

Select the option to ‘Set Up Your Company’.

The first time that you log into Farmplan Business Cloud you will be asked some basic details about your business. Do not worry if you are not sure of all the answers to start with as you or your accountant will able to review most of them and edit them later on in Settings > Company Settings.

This is your name rather than the business so that you can be set up as a user correctly.

Click on Get Started to continue.

Pick your business type from the drop down list. This will help determine some of the categories that you will require. Take care – this is one thing that cannot be edited at a later date so if you are not sure check with your accountant as it may be important at a later date when MTD self-assessment tax is introduced.

· The Business Name will appear at the top of any invoices that you generate.

· If you are not sure the date your business began trading just put a date in the past i.e. before any entries will be made.

· Your financial year start date will be used to calculate the default dates for any reports but you will get the chance to change date ranges at the time of preparing the report.

· If this business is a partnership you will be asked for the name of the partners. Similarly if this is a limited company, you will be asked for the directors' names.

This section will helping design a coding structure tailored to your business.

Add a tick to each relevant section. You will be able to edit or add additional categories (codes) later on. See Farming Activities and Categories - Overview for more details.

These are the contact details of the business so that they can be used on documents such as sales invoices.

· Do suppliers invoice the business? Do you want keep a record of who you owe money to? Do you wish to claim the VAT back on purchase invoices before they are paid.

· Does the business invoice customers? Do you want to keep a record of who owes you money. Do you need to declare the VAT on sales invoices? (You can still use this if you are on a Cash Accounting scheme for VAT – see VAT schemes below).

· Do you want Farmplan to create invoices? This option will allow you to design and generate sales invoices which can be emailed to your customers. The data entry screen will be a document layout. See Document Settings for more details.

· Service invoices - This will determine the layout of the entry screen i.e. it will just have a net and VAT line whereas product invoices will allow a quantity and price to be entered to calculate the net figure.

· Quotes – Do you wish to raise a quote or sales order which can be converted to a sales invoices when the goods have been delivered or the work carried out?

· Is the business VAT registered? It is important to tick this box if you wish Farmplan Business Cloud to create and submit your VAT figures to HMRC.

· VAT registration number – this will be required if you are VAT registered – enter without any spaces.

· VAT Registration Date – this date can be found on your business’s VAT certificate. If you are not sure enter a date in the past before any data is to be entered. It is important to enter it correctly if the business becomes newly VAT registered so that Farmplan Business Cloud knows when to start adding transactions to your VAT returns.

· VAT Period - Do you report your VAT figures monthly, quarterly or annually?

· Current VAT scheme – The vast majority of businesses using Farmplan Business Cloud will be on the standard Invoice Scheme even if you are only recording bank entries and not invoices. Do not change this option unless you are absolutely sure that you fall under one of the other schemes. You may wish to check with HMRC or your accountant if you are not sure.

· EU Trading - Did the business sell to or buy from EU VAT registered businesses before 1 January 2021?

· Employees/Motor Vehicles – these will add some default categories for you

· Multiple Currencies - if you issue or receive invoices in another currency and/or have a bank account in another currency then Farmplan Business Cloud will calculate the conversion rates for you automatically. See Multiple Currencies for more details.

· Receipt Uploads - to attach a scanned image of your invoices or any document to any transaction.

Enter the name of your main current account. Additional accounts can be added here or later as you need them.

Once you have finished these screens you are ready to go.

To give your accountant access to your data, set them up as a User from Settings > Company Settings >Users.

Add a new user – they will receive an email with the appropriate links.

If you are not sure what permissions you wish to give them have a look at Settings > Company Settings >User Permissions to see the levels currently available or to add some of your own.

Your accountant will need full access to all reports i.e. Overview. They will be sent an email that will invite them to access your data.

If you are wanting them to check the information entered earlier, ensure they have full access to Company Settings.