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To create a new File, go to the File menu and click the New command.
This command opens the window for creating a new file. From the same window you can access all available templates. We recommend that you start from an existing template and customize it with your data. The window that appears offers the possibility to create a new file in three different ways:
Start with one of our templates
This will generate a new File based on one of the existing templates. There are multiple templates suitable for every legal form and business.
- File Menu, → New
- Select your country/language
- Select your category
- Select your Accounting template
- From the drop-down list of templates that will display in the dialog box, select the template that most closely matches your needs.
By clicking on the file, it opens automatically and can be saved with a name.
All the files with the VAT option have the VAT codes table adjusted to the new rates.
The Chart of Accounts can be adapted to your requirements (change of account description, insert or delete groups, sub-groups, etc.)
You can search for a template by entering a keyword in the search box.
Save the file with a name
Once you have opened the template with Banana you need to use the Save as command from the File menu
- Select the destination folder
It might prove useful to create a separate folder for each year, so you are able to store documents, other than the accounting file that are related to that year. - Select a file name containing the company name and the accounting year(for example smith_company_2018).
- The software will add the .ac2 extension, typical for the Banana files
Adapting a template
- Edit the File properties
- Adapt your Chart of accounts
- Enter your bank accounts.
- Enter or edit the accounts to fit it to your requirements.
While going along with your work, you will still be able to add or edit accounts, if new needs arise.
Start with a Tutorial
Start by using existing templates, which already contain example accounting data within them. Not for all models is a tutorial available.
The tutorial files are useful for understanding how to structure accounting within a certain template. The example data entered are for demonstration purposes only and can be changed, deleted or replaced with your own data at any time.
When you select a template and it has a tutorial file, the button Create from Tutorial automatically appears next to the template detail description.
Start from an existing File
Starting from an existing file or template, without modifying the existing file.
There are several possibilities to copy data:
- Open the File that is to be your template via the Browse button and indicate the path to locate your file.
- Create a copy of the open file, using the File → Save As command.
- Else, you may create a copy of the open file via the Tools → Create File Copy command. Choose which data to keep in the dialog window. If none of the three options are activated, a file is created with the Chart of Accounts only.
- Save the file in the folder where you wish to keep the data (normally in the documents folder). Enter the company name and the accounting year as file name, for example smith_company_2018.
- If you are taking over an existing accounting file, you will also need to enter the opening balances in the Opening column.
- If you are working in a multi-currency file, you need to update the opening exchange rates.
Starting from a New empty File
You will be starting from scratch, so you will need to set up the basic accounting data and the entire Chart of Accounts (not recommended).
- Menu File → New.
- Select your country/language
- Select your category
- Select your Accounting template
- On the bottom of the list click on New empty.
- Setup the Outline to create new file
- Setup the File and accounting properties
- Save with File Name.
- Create the Chart of Accounts structure
Related documents
- Income and expenses accounting and Cashbook
- Double-entry accounting
- Double-entry accounting with multi currency
- Utilities documents
Transferring to a new year
When transferring to a new year, there is a specific procedure to follow, in order to create a new year's file and automatically carry forward the opening balances.
New file settings
When the program creates a file with new characteristics, you need to setup the outline of the new file.