Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Getting Started
- Software Download and Install
- MERTS Menu Functions
- Setting Up a Committee
- MERTS File Extension
- Add New or Modify Names
- Importing Names
- Exporting Names
- Add New or Modify Reports
- Importing Transactions
- Exporting Transactions
- Add New or Modify Election Cycle
- Add New or Modify Fund Raiser
- Add New or Modify Direct Contributions
- Add New or Modify Other Receipts
- Add New or Modify In-Kind Contributions
- Add New or Modify Campaigns
- Add New or Modify Direct Expenditures
- Add New or Modify GOTV Expenditures
- Add New or Modify In-Kind Expenditures
- Add New or Modify Independent Expenditures
- Add New or Modify Disbursements
- Add New or Modify Loans Owed BY the Committee
- Add New or Modify Debts Owed TO the Committee
- Add New or Modify Debts Owed BY the Committee
- Add New or Modify Payments to Debts or Loans
- Contribution and Expenditure Limits
- View and Print Campaign Report
- All Transactions Tab
- Run, View and Print Validation Report
- Closing, Adding Treasurer and Uploading Report
- Amending a Campaign Report
- Backing up and Restoring Files
Election cycles are used by the software to determine the cumulatives as required by statute.
Note: To calculate the cumulative of transactions, the proper election cycle must be selected within a report.
For the proper election cycle dates follow the link “Get Election Cycle Dates here”. Please follow the steps below to create a new election cycle:
- Select View and Election Cycles.
- Select the Add New Item icon on the toolbar
or right click and select New to open the election cycle.
- Enter the requested information. Election cycle dates will calculate based on the Election Year and Office Sought selected. Name the election cycle entered. For example, a 2 year cycle for the November General election in 2010 would be 11/10 2YR.
- Select Ok.
Ballot Question Committe Module

Independent and Political (PAC) and Political Party Module

Functions
- Select Ok to save the entry and close out of the election cycle information window.
- Select Cancel to close out of the election cycle information window without saving new entry.
Additional Features
To Modify an election cycle record right click on the record and choose modify as shown below.
To Delete an existing record right click and choose delete. Please note if the election cycle is associated with a report the system will not allow this record to be deleted.