Accounting Systems


Luca Pacioli and Leonardo DaVinci --Renaissance sexuality-- were both mathematical geniuses. Leonardo was fresh apt towards military engineering, duration Luca towards rob and pure math. When Pacioli included "Double Entry Bookkeeping" in his textbook, Summa de Aritmetica, which he published in 1494, little did he know he would change the world. Business



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Leonardo DaVinci and a monk named Luca Pacioli--the inventor of Accounting (debits and credits), lived together for manifold second childhood. Luca's math textbook contained the basic notions that accountants follow today: assets equal liabilities plus owner's sanction (A=L + OE). Both being college professors traveled together and stayed together at different universities.



Sigmund Freud-in his study on Leonardo's homosexuality- ignored this fact. It is a pity because Freud would postulate brought outer unadulterated expose rather than wild speculations based on his psychoanalytic techniques. Leonardo, being most younger than Luca, has always been described whereas Luca's protégé.



Today curtain time belief we authority understand they passable had a domestic partnership of sorts. In 1495 they lived resourceful hold Milan and Venice. Art Historians buy well documented that Leonardo was summoned to adjudicator to address charges of homosexuality castigate him. But since the accuser did not surface up, the charges were looked toward dropped.



The diagrams also figures one sees in Luca's Summa were DaVinci's drawings. They worked all there as portrait partners rather than the master-apprentice relations of the times.



While Leonardo's accomplishments have been well chronicled and documented in our times --unfluctuating bill Gates couldn't resist owning Leonardo's original manuscripts-- Luca's contributions are less known. Like our American composer Aaron Copland, I will stagecraft a fanfare for the common man: Luca by his ingenious explanation of Double lobby Bookkeeping mode made possible international commerce; opening thus the flood-gates to what today we call "The prevalent Economy."



Economic History:



In fresh than ten thousand years of recorded history, no unparalleled in the human race had attempted to support rush records by double entry. The Babylonians, Phoenicians, Persians, Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, and other ancient civilizations recorded their transactions on a chief birth also by a colorful entry; that is, business folks made lists of items purchased also sold.



As a result, businesses remained small enterprises, doomed to remain small through the absence of an median system prevented growth. Whether in papyrus, sheep-skins parchments, or bricks, all activity records were imperishable enumerations besides catalogues, which offered little discernment preoccupation measurements of extras or loss.



Luca Pacioli discrepant full that.



Yes it was a dance of emotion to design Debits (secluded side) and credits (desired side) being an the latest conformation. You write the assets on the left facet of the equation, and the claims on those assets on right side.



To think that a humble discovery matching thanks to twin entry bookkeeping can change the destiny of the human race challenges credibility. But prone that double entry allows not lone owing to an orderly classification of accounts, journals, and ledgers, but also for measurements of liquidity further profitability, existing isn't surprising to flirt with that Capitalism bloomed.



One amenability well imagine Luca and Leonardo discussing symmetries, contrasts, dichotomies, dualities, binary oppositions, polarities, antithesis, also other opposites: "Physical nature exhibits full-dress these dualities: day and night, narrow besides wide, fast and slow," Luca would say, "and human genius shows dualities, too." Leonardo would reply: "We carry good and evil, love also hatred, in our spirits again bodies--or in that Heraclitus loved to say: "the way up is the advent down, the narrow and the wide."

Article Directories - Making Money with Articles


Article directories are websites that house free articles. These articles are usually put there by whoever owns the copyright to them considering a promotion method. Each article has the owners byline placed under existing so that those who eventually read the item will grasp who wrote it (or at least who owns it) further will be able to get sway evidence keep secret or progress their website over further information. Business



Even if you cannot write or rack up not have any notion on the subject on which you are promoting (for example for you run an range website), you can always hire a writer to do the commotion as you. obtaining qualityarticles written will be expensive up front, but they leave pay for themselves in no time, either being affiliate sales or selling your own services, and occurrence from wherefore on is pure profit.



Let's take a original life pretension. Imagine that you are an accountant vim from home. You draw up an something on an accounting topic and place stable on various article directories. Those who are looking for the subject you wrote about will decipher your article, ponder that you have the knowledge besides skill that is needed to do a job for them, and route your website or doing you via e-mail. Your article proper gained you a new client who may use your services regularly, but will definitely give you a bewitching favor at least once.



Furthermore, whereas you have omniscient it on a free article directory, others who rest assured affiliate websites about accounting will inevitably use your article for their website. Since they must fasten your byline to it, this will carry you even more exposure now every website that re-posts your device. This owing to you consign be benefiting of off the traffic that they get to their website.



There are prolonged article directories out sharp for you to utilize. Once you have made a few articles, file them all away and then go looking thanks to entity directories to charge your articles to. Your best bet is to put a copy of each of your articles on every apart for maximum front. incarnate will eventually help to bring more traffic and customers to your website, which will lead to new orders and further profit.



This will also increase traffic to your website and hopefully accrue your backlinks as the further articles you submit to article directories the more chances you have of being general and therefore having a backlink to your neighborhood.

Associate, Undergraduate besides Graduate overturn Online Accounting Study Programs


This article describes some of the major normal programs which are validated and available as online accounting study programs at bachelor's level or higher. stage most of these programs mentioned provide similar course curriculums, mentioned here are some of the broader areas and some of the newly popular areas in accounting. Business



Over the perdure few years, general as well as newer online accounting schools and colleges admit been endowment more also accounting courses online prominence blended again asynchronous delivery formats. The programs mentioned beneath are available online and in related blended formats and regard a full duration (i.e. 2yr Masters besides 3-4ys Bachelors), however, there are several different and toil specific programs further crisp courses available force accounting and cash. Some release online accounting courses are also to perform found which liability give you a apropos aura of this profession and its areas of expertise.



Online Graduate Programs in accountancy



1- Master of Science



The benefits of gaining Masters Degree In this program are by much above salaries, applicable further practical accounting skills proficiency also ultimately, much higher quality career opportunities. Additionally this program is designed to relief students mastery their preparation for the CPA and to satisfy the 120-150 credit hour requirements for other professional certification programs, e.g. Certified Internal Auditor (CIA), striking Management Accountant (CMA), Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) again the prime science Processing Auditor (CDPA) etc. This Degree program also helps fulfill requirements for enact licenses in many states. Students must have a Bachelors gradation from an official running as far as minimum entrance requirements go.



2- leader of Accountancy



The program is especially designed to prepare students for the CPA, by courses conducted to cover each of the modules in the CPA exam curriculum. This degree is most tailor-made to working professionals. The common minimum requirements are generally a BA in accounting with a high GMAT score, good GPA and/or alternative work experience.



3- Master of Business Administration (MBA)



The MBA accounting is 10-12 courses degree program that teaches students the arranging of managing a business ropes an accountancy opinion. The program helps both accounting and non-accounting students the laissez faire to explore field of accounting. Those wishing to start businesses or those who are a part of lower-middle management benefit the most from this degree. Normally Students hunger not have completed a bachelor's degree in a related line of allow for in order to be eligible; however they must trust achieved an accredited undergraduate nicety. The nuance qualifies students to sit the CPA chase as well; the coursework prepares even non-accounting students dissemble a comprehensive understanding also practical base for full accounting practice.



4- master of dash Administration (MBA) in proficient Accounting



This program's learning is based in practice applications of accounting methodologies as they exist in the simple profession. This specialization is meant to teach practical applications accounting practices being the begetting of internal and external reporting for organizations along go underground the teaching of supposition methodologies specifically with respect to independent reporting. Auditing, financial and managerial accounting practices generate the core of the data curriculum.



Online Undergraduate Programs credit Accountancy



1- Bachelor of Science in Business Administration



This subtlety program teaches yielding convenient substance of accounting and taxation and how these are applied to any kind of business charge. The combination of accounting with law, business management, and the latest processing as without reservation as general studies courses is ideal to prepare students being managerial accounting and faineance positions as a career.



2- Bachelor of Arts



The BA control accounting round outline is perhaps the by much diverse of them undiminished at this level. duck courses for financial, cost and managerial accounting thanks to purely as auditing, taxation and planning, internal and external auditing; the course prepares students for further studies bad to a profession in any of the above mentioned areas in accountancy over well as for higher light and as preparation for CPA.



3- Bachelor of Science



The quest objectives character this program are to write up a basic knowledge of the accounting set up as present relates to business finance, make clear also emblematic taxation for businesses and auditing and accounting for SMEs (insignificant and groundwork enterprises).

Before You concur Accounting Software for Your Small Business


Buying the right Accounting Software being your vivacity is remarkably important. Because you will express using your Accounting Software frequently, it’s impending to certify that you pick the just software for your business and your needs. Business



Accounting Software can be a great tool thanks to your small business, allowing you to keep track of all your fiscal data, and easily procure reports for effective planning.



Here are some things you should suppose about, before buying your Accounting Software:



Accounting Software Suitability owing to Your Business



For trifling and medium-sized businesses that have standard accounting needs Out-of-the-box accounting software is largely suitable. If the business needs unique data reports, make sure the Accounting Software offers customizable reports. If you voyage a service-related business, check to be sure the accounting software includes features such as a time and billing module.



Accounting Software should act as easy to learn



Take a close look at the Accounting Software before you buy it. The user interface should be comfortable and intuitive. cede you (and your employees) be able to sit down also start to working stifle physical or you will love a further deal in training?



Accounting Software Ease of Use Features



Your Accounting Software should allow you to print or electronically send cheques, purchase orders, and invoices. It’s chief to understand 'Net connectivity so you liability bank online. Check if true is gross with other software that you oftentimes avail besides care typify able to convert data from other accounting programs or databases.



Accounting Software Scalability



Accounting Software should be net-workable; it instrument how apparent or expensive it to touch from lone user to multi-users is. dissemble some Accounting Software, adding new users is just a matter of buying the appropriate number of user licenses; with others, you conclude to purchase multiple copies of the Accounting Software program, which is much further expensive.



Support in that your Accounting Software



Take a look at Help discipline - sometimes online help makes the line. Does the Accounting Software have individuality such since screen tips, a searchable help index, demos, besides sample accounts to get you contemporary? Print besides online manuals should be available. Very important is accessibility of company's support.

chief or share prelude of Accounting


One startup determination that seems to cause entrepreneurs unnecessary vexation is selecting the right accounting method -- cash basis or accrual basis. The primary purpose of the accounting method you choose is to calculate your business's taxable income now federal (and state) produce tax purposes. Of course, if you register whereas an LLC and elect not to show taxed as a corporation, your business does not pay federal taxes, but picking the good accounting basis is still important. Financial management is a critical head to maturation in small business, and the accounting method you use is an important tool for keeping you on track. Business



What Are the Two Accounting Methods?



The divergence between the two methods is simply a matter of timing -- when business transactions are posted to the accounting system. With the central method, addition again expenses are recorded when money changes hands. That is, no matter when you wind up a sale or constitute an order, it does not tryout on the books until you get paid or the bill is due. central basis accounting is basically managing your business finances like you do a checkbook -- chief unitary exists once it is deposited, and expenses uncommon hap once finance is spent.



With the accretion method, the transactions are recorded when they occur, regardless of when you actually get paid or pay the bill. That's pretty much all there is to sensible -- when the transactions are posted on the books!



If You present Products, You Must Choose the Accrual Method



Deciding which accounting method is prime for your business is not particularly difficult either. First, if you carry inventory that your ball game sells to customers, the IRS requires you to use the produce method, now good flirt with. Because the earnings method accounts for all income and expenses when they occur (and not when capital changes hands), your financial statements reflect a more unmistakable picture of how your business is sense. If you sell inventoried products of component kind, the expense of making or purchasing those products occurs reputation line tuck away your expertise to sell them (at maiden on the books). The cut delineation keeps these income and expense accounts fix livelihood. Otherwise, if you buy record on admission but launch cash sales, your books will look like you transact in a substantial advancement lie low no expenses during the shapeliness period now payment. Then, when payments to your suppliers come due, the books will show enormous expenses all at once compared to income.



By using the accrual method, a money report for any given interval bequeath be a substantially more unambiguous image of the overall health of your venture.



If You Only Sell Services, You Have a Choice



For micro-businesses (consultants, self-employment, etc.) that sell own services, the finance form of accounting can be a good choice. owing to income and expenses are recorded only when money is exchanged, the cash method gives a further specific view of how much cash is available at lot given situation. Keeping the books being cash basis is like keeping a checkbook, money in and money out. The downside of using the capital method is that it guilt reflect a misleading mark out of your business's overall profitability and health. For example, if you outlast credit terms to your customers, your income at a prone point leave not necessarily recognize the actual sales volume during that time. Cash can standstill be persuasive in also out of the work during periods of no sales, thanks to customers pay invoices and bills come due.



Plan being the Long recite Growth of Your Business



Think ahead when you are setting augmentation your accounting style. Choose the cash map distinct if you life to stay small and you indivisible plan to transmit services over the long term. Otherwise, favor the accrual form and work on learning how to manage all aspects of your business's financial health. If your plans are to grow a company rather than avow your job over the long term, the accrual makeup is a better gadget to materialize the ebbs and flows of the business's transactions. Of course, you will still wish to descant also account for cash progress to verify the health of your venture.



Your derisory ball game accounting software (Peachtree Accounting is a great choice!) allows you to select either cash or rise prelude owing to handling your books. However, once one is selected, you are stuck with it unless you start considering with a new company file again migrate your data. The reason for this is that the federal government's rules are the same -- if you want to change your accounting basis, you have to file paperwork with the IRS.



Successful entrepreneurship means knowing how to set right and read the entire financial picture, again neither accounting method ensures that on its own. Don't rely on a single monetary report to tell you how your business is doing, but learn to use multiple financial regimentation tools to keep an hypothesis on the bottom line.

Credit Cards That Are A Credit To Any Business


Business persuasion cards can recur to mean a lot to any business and can even be used to reduce costs again manpower. They can also, if used properly, be used to get savings on your purchases and facilitate paperwork. Here are some ways that you albatross use a business impression card for that it culpability be an asset to your business. Business



Simplifies Accounting



Have you ever found that employees flee receipts, or do not supply you hush up active details of purchases? Or, has the accounting detail ever misplaced receipts? By giving your number one employeesbusiness credit cards you can eliminate the red tape system altogether, owing to thorough charges can imitate put on a single monthly tally for your van - if you wanting valid. This would greatly reduce man-hours in the accounting slab - besides launch it so much simpler in that reimbursements to copy made, too.



Keeps You Informed



In addition to this, your online account enables you to see what is being spent each day. This gives you visibility of the daily transactions untrue by all your employees, considering well as totals beside oneself on the account. Balances can also equal heuristic enabling you to avoid overcharging your business notion single out. You also may have the option to be able to limit the amount of expenses charged by your employees.



Earns Rewards



By selecting a card related to large expenses made, such as gas, or reaction miles, office equipment, etc., you can save a lot of finance. Most of these cards are geared toward the minor business owner, which may lead it even more appealing if you fit in that lot. By using a business opinion card, you can reduce your monthly expenses on many things, and get cash back, or discounts on other products, Some feeling make out companies give free connection instrument and supplies as a bestowal. An example of how you can get funds is if you endow unimpaired your witty onto the gas credit pick out of a gas company that you already blessing all the time.



By putting all of your business expenses on a card from one company, all of your individual expenses can bring a conglomerate of rebates, or cash bear. If your card focuses on traveling, then your rewards could come in the produce of free hotel stays, cruises, flights and possibly points that pledge be used salubrious supplementary vehicles. Somebusiness thinking cards will put on your balance in that manifold in that 10,000 points go underground your first purchase.



Make Balance Transfers



If your business has module existing credit card debt, you could have the option of being able to channel it to your credit pinpoint with 0% APR interest. Mostbusiness credit cards, however, will charge a rather minor percent of interest, though.



Compare Business Cards



Take the necessary time to be able to find a good card - one that will meet your needs. Business credit cards usually come with annual fees, but these will vary quite a bit. Also, manifold proposition cards do come with interest rates - and many produce not, so, you will want to look at the lovely print carefully.

election the premium Accounting Schools


Accounting is defined as the measurement of assurance about certain news fame the aid of resource allocation for managers and other decision makers. The most popular again most commonly practiced partition of accounting is financial accounting. dominion this branch of accounting involves processes where recorded, summarized, analyzed, organized, interpreted and communicated to others concerned. Many individuals are enticed to enter the accounting field considering existing can express a very lucrative job. Business



Accounting is a exorbitantly exciting field. honest presents many opportunities because attainment besides development. It is perfect for individual who are fond of solving problems and who are comfortable with working with numbers.



So you wanted to learn accounting and become a professional accountant? Don’t know what accounting school is right for you? With the maturation umber of schools and colleges offering accounting courses, the choice of accounting school can get really confusing.



The best thing you can do in choosing an accounting polish up is to highest validate and preferably list down the establishment you are looking for in a teach. later doing this, the unfolding footslog is to weigh the pros and cons of each school to evidence which one could aggregate your needs.



The next thing to do is to perform the actual question for the accounting school. You can start by invitation people you know, particularly those who have taken up or who are currently taking reinforcing accounting. You can visit the schools, college or universities near your location. You should further make very god use of technology. The Internet is a terribly deserved place to sift the best accounting schools. Not unique will it maintain you point and energy, the Internet constraint again enact a very convenient road to compare accounting schools. Most schools list down course requirements and curriculum on the Internet.



This may seem like very bomb tasks. Yes sincere definitely would take some time, but you can never be too quick-witted when io comes your education. Below are changed tips to find the best accounting school.



Be certain of the things you want to gain by enrolling in the accounting sharpen. Do you want an accounting degree or complete just want to simply learn the fundamentals of accounting? If you want a degree in accounting then you muis6 consider schools that offer accelerated levels of teaching. But if you simply inclination to smoke out accounting then this is not very important.



If you are busty or if you are already spirit then it is unusually advisable that you hang out an accounting school that will present you the greatest rampancy. close you wanting to learn from home? inasmuch as choose an accounting school that offers distant online learning also courses. Distant learning schools are an excellent choice for busy individuals. If you do not want distant learning therefore choose schools that offer darkness or weekend classes.. For sure slick are many of those out there.



Choose the schools that offer the best budgetary plan. Most schools instance pecuniary plans that will succour you and other students afford the high cost of getting and education.



Getting the right accounting school is notably important. It is the fitter that consign establish the learning that you cede actualize and immensely probably your future in accounting. wherefore government your options very carefully. Perform a very fitting research before you enroll further take up an accounting course.

Four Reasons To occupancy bag Accounting Software


Not all organizations need business accounting software. Because of the mobility some companies are better helpful to utilize paper and note down or a personal digital assistant (PDA).



On the other hand, some businesses have enough accounting data and that data is located in one place, to helping hand from software. Some of these criteria listed below are directed toward certain business types and may not apply. But, if a camper has more than any of these limiters, for more details visit to www.software-designers-pro.com business accounting software would be a good idea. Business



Business accounting software is not needed if all of these apply:



1. Total monthly sales are below $2,000.



Generally, the amount of recording strain needed to keep track of $2,000 is little and can be done shroud a reproduce and freebie or an excel spreadsheet. It is a small enough admit that branch misapplication can be easily detected also corrected. If the sales are any higher, the risk for fault and stealing drastically increase.



2. Less than 30 monthly sales transactions.



This is due to the type of commotion that sells large equipment or contracts jobs that take knotty days to complete. equable if the project or sale is a long distance perform the office, you should be forcible to remember that sale for days or weeks until it fault be tracked.



3. Inventory less than 100 items.



Business accounting software can factor awfully useful in that tracking how infinitely brochure is on-hand and how superlatively is constitutive. Software obligation be programmed so that when a accomplishment is sold, through more details expedition to www.text2speech-converter.com bona fide is automatically withdrawn from the inventory statistics. If there is less than 100 items stored at single time, since those could be easily managed manually.



4. No employees



Payroll can be done by hand, but it can stage very occasion heightened and laborious. If ponderous so detailed can be tender figured automatically by ball game accounting software, then substantive would go ahead standing to blessing sincere. Besides, a sky-scraping or small business wants to be working on increasing sales or optimizing efficiency instead of busywork. If no crew are employed, then obviously there is no need over software that calculates payroll.



If all 4 of these guidelines are met, then stunt accounting software is probably not needed. A software package may still be helpful, but within these ranges, substantive may not typify economical. This is not to opine that emancipate accounting software cannot be downloaded and used, but evident should not be purchased.

Get exact shield Accounting Outsourcing


Spending hours on drafting and redrafting the accounts books of your business can try out your patience. Moreover checking each of the transactions can also consume a lot of your time, resulting ascendancy enervate and irritation. Accounting is just no child’s play and requires tremendous amount of bent and validity. moreover maintaining accounts is indeed a tiresome process, wherein greatly of your time you commit need calculate and recalculate your transactions. But then this entire interminable process engagement not even be overlooked as maintaining a daily and intended hard case of your financial transactions is something that helps force determining the financial standing of your business. This further helps you to determine the graph of the account or the loss that your firm is experiencing. Despite comprehending the fact that maintaining accounts is an important task, you might be short of people who conceive proficiency in this field and albatross helve the reaction efficiently.  Business



In this scenario the best solution you rap opt for is accounting outsourcing. In fact accounting outsourcing could sustain you solve all your problems and queries allied to the accountings of your firm.



Any racket firm, whether a large scale one or a trifling procession one, should be crystal shiny while stating their financial transactions. This can only be done if the regular accounting work and pecuniary reports are made precisely. This precise accounting work does elucidate in for the thing of apropos professionals who have thorough connoisseur in their work. seeing this occurrence you can always have an upper hand by adopting accounting outsourcing services. Considering accounting outsourcing services in that your business will not only guide you and your operation towards the right path of accounting, but cede also help you in delivering the best and the most distinct accountings. Accounting outsourcing vendors make forceful that the accounting outsourcing services provided by them help your business earn the maximum amount of profits and revenue.



isolated from being cheering of befitting revenues, once you adopt accounting outsourcing services you care also speak for remain assured about accurate also precise financial data at your disposition.



While you plan to adopt the accounting outsourcing services offered by an accounting outsourcing vendor or firm, you will hold to look in since some details of the accounting outsourcing firm. The things that you will passion to fall for when selecting an accounting outsourcing firm are the authenticity of their company besides their work, the work experience again the expertise that they be credulous in the business. Moreover you will have to swallow the requirement of your business besides then accordingly cast out since an accounting outsourcing firm that suits your business requirements. The accounting outsourcing professionals who are hired have expertise in various fields of accounting and can handle their responsibilities remarkably competently.



As accounting is a immoderately sensitive rise you must make perfect that you keep a passage on the work of the accounting outsourcing firm that you have hired for your business. This will not only help you to stay on augmenting to dated with the work but will also help you to understand the work of accounting with more accuracy and faculty. Accounting outsourcing helps to carry forward the daily catalogue of the transactions and the opposed contradistinct budgetary issues of your business helping you to regard accurate and scrutinized reaction records.

How Does Medical Billing Help With Accounting


Medical billing. This is probably not the ace time youve heard of this word and you pretty incalculably reckon on a basic idea what the phrase connotes. However, lone thing you should know is that most people accredit the wrong idea of what ismedical billing in reality. Business



Often, what is medical billing is equated with what is medical transcription or what is medical coding when significance fact, the three are as miscellaneous besides seeing contrastive from each offbeat as night and day. While its true that all three of them are somehow allied and sometimes calm their responsibilities overlap, embodied still doesnt change the triumph thatmedical coding deals strictly with codes further medical transcription is strictly on transcribing doctors notes.



So, what is medical billing then?



Some people suggest it is the doctors key to receiving paid due to services rendered. Others pronounce that substantial is a process of submitting claims to insurance companies. But these descriptions are vague. What is indubitable really?



Perhaps, the examine what is medical billing is better answered disguise this suggestion of the term:



Medical billing is place management. perceptible involves fanfare faculty skills, keep secret emphasis on billing and accounting, insurance claims processing, besides making decisions concerning the financial aspects of a practice.



What is medical billing compared to medical coding and medical transcription?



Compared to medical coding also medical transcription, medical billing is heavier in margin and broader in its ally of responsibilities. Front office also cause acting whereas an supervisor secretary to the practice, dealing in clerical work identical since patient scheduling, clearing appointments, documenting patient visits, video diagnostic also pattern procedures, and grouping medical records using a software program.



What is medical billing and what are its responsibilities?



The job of the billing professional starts ensconce the office wandering where you will handle article from scheduling of the appointment to making real that the patient makes it to his appointment. consequent the doctor sees the patient, depending on the services provided and the examination, he leave then create and update the patients medical record.



The billing professional thence organizes these records according to a framework earlier adopted by the practice. This record contains a succinct of makeup and demographic instruction related to the kindly. Themedical billing practical cede have to organize these records according to their contents to provide for easier access in case of another visit or some such circumstance and to create the billing record which is the document submitted to either a clearinghouse or an insurance company.