Settings & First Setup
Get your Gibir-Negari account configured and ready for daily operations. This guide walks you through essential settings and initial data setup.
🚀 First-Time Setup Checklist
Complete these steps in order to get your system ready for business operations.
✓ Step 1: Company Profile
Set up your business name, TIN, address, and contact information.
✓ Step 2: Chart of Accounts
Review and customize your chart of accounts for your business type.
✓ Step 3: Opening Balances
Enter your starting balances for assets, liabilities, and equity.
✓ Step 4: eTax Credentials
Connect your eTax portal credentials for automated filing.
Company Profile Setup
Navigate to Settings
Dashboard → Profile Icon (top-right) → Company Settings
Your company profile is the foundation of all tax filings and reports. Ensure all information is accurate.
Required Information
Legal Business Name
Must match your business registration certificate
TIN (Tax Identification Number)
Your 10-digit TIN from ERCA
Business Address
Physical location: Region, City, Subcity, Woreda, House Number
Contact Information
Phone number and email for official correspondence
Business Type
Sole Proprietorship, Partnership, Private Limited Company, Share Company, etc.
Fiscal Year Configuration
Setting up your fiscal year correctly is crucial for accurate tax reporting and financial statements. Gibir-Negari supports both the Ethiopian and Gregorian calendars.
Navigate to Fiscal Year Settings
Dashboard → Settings → Fiscal Year
You can configure your fiscal periods and calendar preference here. Note: You should set this before recording any transactions.
1. Choose Your Fiscal Calendar Type
The system supports 3 specific types of fiscal periods. Select the one that matches your business reporting requirements:
- Ethiopian Calendar (July - June): The standard Ethiopian fiscal year running from Hamle 1 to Sene 30.
- Gregorian Calendar (July - June): Follows the standard Ethiopian fiscal period but tracks dates using the Gregorian calendar (July 8 to July 7).
- Gregorian Calendar (Jan - Dec): The standard international calendar year running from January 1 to December 31.
2. Year-End Closing (Period Management)
At the end of your fiscal year, you can "close the books" for that period. This locks the past transactions from being edited or deleted, ensuring your submitted tax figures do not change accidentally.
⚠️ Warning: Changing Fiscal Year
Once transactions are recorded, changing your fiscal year start date requires regenerating your historical reports. It is highly recommended to finalize this setting during your initial setup.
Chart of Accounts Configuration
Gibir-Negari comes with a default Ethiopian chart of accounts that follows standard accounting practices. Most businesses can use it as-is, but you can customize it to match your specific needs.
📌 Default Structure
The system includes pre-configured accounts organized into 6 main categories:
1000-1999: Assets
2000-2999: Liabilities
3000-3999: Equity
4000-4999: Revenue
5000-5999: Cost of Sales
6000-6999: Expenses
For detailed explanations, customization guide, and examples, see the Chart of Accounts documentation.
💡 Quick Tips
- ✓Review the default accounts - most businesses can start using them immediately
- ✓Don't delete tax-related accounts (VAT Payable, WHT Payable) - they're required for compliance
- ✓You can add custom accounts later as your business needs evolve
Opening Balances
If you're migrating from another system or starting mid-year, you need to enter opening balances to reflect your current financial position.
⚠️ Important: Trial Balance Must Balance
Total debits must equal total credits. The system will warn you if your opening balances don't balance. This is a fundamental accounting principle—if they don't balance, your reports will be incorrect.
How to Enter Opening Balances
Navigate to Opening Balances
Dashboard → Accounting → Opening Balances
Enter Asset Balances
Cash in hand, bank balances, inventory value, fixed assets (at book value)
Enter Liability Balances
Outstanding loans, accounts payable, VAT payable, WHT payable
Balance with Equity
The difference (Assets - Liabilities) goes to Retained Earnings or Capital account
eTax Portal Credentials
Connect your eTax portal credentials to enable automated tax filing and period synchronization.
📌 Quick Setup
Navigate to Dashboard → Settings → eTax Credentials and enter your eTax portal username and password. Your credentials are encrypted and stored securely.
For detailed setup instructions, troubleshooting, and testing your connection, see the eTax & TASS Integration Guide.
🔒 Security Note
Your eTax credentials are encrypted using AES-256 encryption and stored securely. Gibir-Negari uses them only to automate filing on your behalf. You can revoke access at any time from the settings page.
User Management & Permissions
Add team members and control what they can access in the system.
User Roles
Owner / Admin
Full access to all features, settings, and financial data
Accountant
Can manage transactions, run reports, but cannot change company settings
Data Entry
Can enter sales and purchases, but cannot view financial reports
View Only
Can view reports and dashboards, but cannot make changes
Advanced Configuration
Once the basics are set up, you can tailor Gibir-Negari's deep accounting and reporting behavior to match your exact business requirements.
GL Mappings
General Ledger (GL) Mappings tell the system exactly which accounting buckets to use when transactions happen automatically.
- Sales Mappings: Define default revenue and cash/receivable accounts for sales transactions.
- Purchases Mappings: Set default expense and cash/payable accounts for vendor bills.
- Payroll Mappings: Link salary expense, pension payable, and income tax payable to specific GL accounts for automated payroll posting.
Tax Type Configuration
Configure the specific tax rates and rules applicable to your industry.
- VAT & TOT: Set default VAT rates (typically 15%) or Turn-Over Tax rates depending on your registration status.
- Withholding Tax (WHT): Configure threshold amounts (e.g., 10,000 ETB) and rates (2% or 3%) for automatic withholding on purchases.
Reporting Modules
Customize your dashboard by enabling or disabling specific reporting modules.
- Toggle Modules: Hide modules your business doesn't use (e.g., disable Dividend Tax if you are a sole proprietorship) to keep the interface clean.
- Feature Flags: Control access to beta or premium reporting features depending on your subscription tier.
✅ Setup Complete! What's Next?
Once you've completed the setup steps above, you're ready to start using Gibir-Negari for daily operations.