Flights

The flights screen contains summary information about all flights that have not been exported from the booking system. On this screen you are able to view details about each of the bookings that have been concluded, and can link through to the authorisation sheet and the invoice for each booking.

From these details you are able to capture the flight information into your accounts program, to generate final invoicing and/or general ledger details for flights and pilots.

Exporting to Pastel

It is possible to extract information about a flights into an interface file, for bulk import into your accounts package. To export invoice date to the accounts package, tick the box next to each of the flights you are wanting to transfer and then click on the button on the bottom of the page. The system will then generate in interface file and deliver it according to the option selected in the EXPORTPASTELTO configuration option in the system configuration screen.

Configuration / Setup

There are several aspects of the system that need to be correctly configured for Pastel integration to work. These are:

a) System Configuration Values:

• EXPORTPASTELTO - This is either an email address (in which case the export file is sent as an email attachment) or the word FILE, in which case the exported file is downloaded immediately to the computer of the person initiating the export.
• HOME_FIELD_LANDING_CODE - This is the Pastel code to use for landings at the home field.
• YEAR_START_MONTH - This is the month in the year that corresponds with your first financial month. It is used to allocate "Reporting Period" correctly within Pastel.
• EXPORT_FLIGHT_TYPE - YES or NO - This is used to indicate if the flight types should be included in the export. Including the flight types in the export requires that these be set up as commission entries in Pastel.

b) Pilot Codes: Each pilot must have a valid pastel code on their membership record. This is used to communicate back to Pastel which account to debit for the cost of the booking

c) Invoice Item Lists: There are three sets of codes that have to be set correctly in the Invoice Item Lists screen

• Maintain Invoice Items - this is a list of additional items that can be added to a flight invoice. You can add landing fees at specific other airfields, hire of headsets etc. to this list. Each item on this list needs to have a price, and the Pastel code to use when exporting this item on an invoice.
• Maintain Aircraft Prices and Account Codes - this section contains on entry for each aircraft, for each type of membership. Each entry in this table must have a Pastel Code and a price.
• Maintain Instruction Prices and Account Codes - this section contains an entry for each instructor, for each type of instruction. Each entry in this table must have a Pastel code and a price.

Import into Pastel

To import the invoice details into pastel

• Open your company accounts in Pastel
• Select Process -> Customers from the main menu
• Select document type "Tax Invoice"

• Click on the "batch" button
• Select "import"
• navigate to the file exported from the booking system
• click on the "Process" button.

The system will now import the booking sheet invoices from the interface file. Pastel will issue an error message if any of the codes sent from the Book A Flight system do not match codes in Pastel.