Option 1Parameters

You can use this function to maintain the Parameters file, specifying fundamental information defining how the General Ledger application operates. This allows you to "customize" your General Ledger.

Only one record is required for the General Ledger Parameters file.

When you use this function, a record of all entries will be printed. For additions, all new field contents are printed; for deletions, the deleted record's contents are shown; for changes, both old field contents and new field contents are shown; and in all cases, the User ID, date, and time are printed.

At any time, you select the Direct Process 1 option to momentarily suspend this function in order to exit to the "installation-wide" direct menu, or the Direct Process 2 option to exit to the "application" direct menu. Also, you can review on-line ducumentation for any field at any time by positioning the cursor at that field and selecting the Help option.

The screen presents information about Parameters.

Data items are described below:

Current Fiscal Month

Positive number, up to 2 digits

Identify the first month of "live operation" of your accounting system.

Current Fiscal Year

Positive number, up to 2 digits

Identify the fiscal year.

Start Month of Fiscal Year

Positive number, up to 2 digits

Identify the first month of your fiscal year. For example, if your fiscal year runs from October 1 through September 30 enter '10'.

Number of Account Periods

Positive number, up to 2 digits

Indicate the number of months in your fiscal year. An entry of '12' means that you operate on a calendar month basis, and 'Start Fiscal Month' determines the first month of your fiscal year. An entry of 13 means that you operate on a 13-period basis.

Retained Earnings Account

Upper case, up to 12 characters Required

You can use Scan to search for an appropriate.

Supply the retained earnings account number. This account will be updated automatically during the Close Month process for the last month of the fiscal year, when the revenue and expense accounts are summed and zeroed. The system displays the description so that you can verify your entry.

You also have the option to keep retained earnings separately by account component; these parameters can be found on the next screen.

GL Report Required?

Y or N Default N Required

Enter 'Y' if you want printing of the General Ledger Report to be required before end-of-month processing can proceed.

GL Report Printed?

Y or N Default N

This indicates whether or not the General Ledger Report has been printed for this month.

Recurring Entries Generated?

Y or N Default N

The system indicates whethe or not recurring entries have been generated for the current month.

Futures Report Required?

Y or N Default N Required

This indicates whether or not the Future Postings Report has been printed for this month.

Allocation Entries Generated?

Y or N Default N

The system indicates whether or not allocations have been made for the current month.

Transaction Control Required?

Y or N Default N Required

Enter 'Y' if you want printing of the Transaction Control Report to be required before end-of-month processing can proceed.

Transaction Control Printed?

Y or N Default N

This indicates whether or not the Transaction Control Report has been printed for this month.

Added On

The system displays a date (YMD).

All master file records contain system maintained fields to identify the date each record was added to the file. The system uses "today's date" as the date of record.

Added By

The system displays an upper case alphanumeric field, up to 3 characters in length.

All master file records contain system maintained fields to identify the operator who added the record.

Changed On

The system displays a date (YMD).

Any change made to any field in a record will cause the change date to be updated.

Changed By

The system displays an upper case alphanumeric field, up to 3 characters in length.

Any change made to any field in a record will cause the change date to be updated along with the operator's ID.

The entered data is validated. During validation, including access to other files, conditions may be found which cause messages to be displayed. Errors (E), Warnings (W), and Messages (M) that may result are shown below:

• ECurrent Fiscal Month Cannot Exceed Number Accounting Periods

E Retained Earnings Account Cannot Be a Revenue or Expense Account

E Start Month Fiscal Year Cannot Exceed Number Accounting Periods

Press ENTER to display system-supplied information and then press ENTER again to continue to the next screen.

Data items are described below:

Ask for Operator ID?

Y or N Default Y Required

The system assumes that you prefer to ask for the operator's ID during transaction entry. This allows you to edit other operators' transactions. If you want to bypass all Control Group screens altogether, enter 'N'. An entry 'N' means that each operator can only enter or edit his or her own transactions. It also means that the system will not track Transaction Control information for you.

Use Transaction Control?

Y or N Default Y Required

The system assumes that you want to use the Transaction Control feature. This includes the ability to process transactions in a foreign currency; track and report on the Transaction Control file, which is an additional audit trail; and enter control and hash totals for your transactions. If you do not choose to use this feature, enter 'N'.

If you want to use this feature and also want to ensure that an operator has exclusive control of his or her own transactions, enter 'Y' in this field, and change the default value of the 'Operator Exclusive?' field on each Control Group record in Transaction Processing to 'Y'.

NOTE

If you enter 'Y' to this question, the system assumes that "Ask for Operator ID?" is also 'Y'.

Months of Transaction Control

Positive number, up to 2 digits

Specify the number of months to keep Transaction Control history records. Records older than this will be deleted during Close Month processing.

NOTE

This history is kept by actual date rather than accounting period or posting month.

Account Component Length

Positive number, up to 2 digits

Define the size of each component of your account number. Each account may be separated into as many as four components. Any component may be up to ten characters in length; the maximum length of the complete account number is 12 characters.

Account Component Title

Alphanumeric, up to 12 characters Required

Describe each component of your account number.

Separate Retained Earnings

Y or N Default N Required

Indicate whether or not retained earnings are to be posted separately by the account component designated in the 'Component to Separate Retained Earnings' field.

Y

Yes, maintain separate Retained Earnings accounts. N: No, post all Retained Earnings to one account total.

Component Level to Separate

Positive number, 1 digit

If you want to separate retained earnings by specific account component, supply the component level of the account number where you want to begin seprating retained earnings. For example, if the fourth component of the account structure is defined as 'Division' and you wish to maintain a separate Retained Earnings account for each 'division' then the proper entry would be '4' (for the fourth component). If the third component of your account structure is 'company' and the fourh component is 'branch' and you wish to maintain a separate Retained Earnings account for each 'company/branch' combination then the proper entry would be '3' (for the third component). If the second component of your account structure is 'company', the third component is 'division', and the fourth component is 'branch' and you wish t maintain a separate Retained Earnings account for each 'company/division/branch' combination then the proper entry would be '2' (for the second component).

OK Application Types

Upper case, up to 2 characters Letters only Valid: GL, AR, AP, PA, IC, Fa

Supply the application types from the list below that will be allowed for account numbers used in journal entry transactions. If there are no restrictions, leave this field blank. If there are to be any restrictions, all valid application types must be specified. Be sure to include a "blank" type if posting sare made to accounts without application types. During transaction entry, this table is checked to ensure that the application type of the account is valid. Your options are:

Blank Application Type AP: Accounts Payable AR: Accounts Receivable FA: Fixed Assets GL: General Ledger IC: Inventory Control PA: Payroll

Last Summarization Date

Date and time (YMDHMSH) Display only

The date and time 'Summarize Accounts' process is displayed. This field is displayed on the Monthly Status inquiry function, and is updated each time the Summarize Accounts process is run.

The entered data is validated. During validation, including access to other files, conditions may be found which cause messages to be displayed. Errors (E), Warnings (W), and Messages (M) that may result are shown below:

• ELength of Account Number Must Be Entered

E Non-Zero Component is Invalid if Retained Earnings by Comp = 'N'

E Specified Retained Earning Component Level Not Defined

E Total Length of Account Number Exceeds Maximum (12)

E Zero Component is Invalid if Retained Earnings by Comp = 'Y'

W Must Use Transaction Control Feature to Utilize Foreign Currency

Press ENTER to save the information on this screen.