Summary

The format of the general ledger accounts, reference numbers associated with the GL accounts and sub ledger accounts are set up in the General Ledger Setup window. The window is also used to set up the fund balance account for all the funds in the general ledger.

Step by Step

1     Open the General Ledger Setup window (GL> Utilities> Setup General Ledger).

2     Complete the General tab.

• The General tab is used to set the GL account format and fund balance account.
• The Account Format field is used to set up the format of the general ledger accounts.
  • The standard, three-level account format, such as XXX-XXXX-XXXXX, includes the Fund, Department, and Account numbers. You can create an account format with up to seven levels. Additional levels are labeled on the Miscellaneous Field Label window (SS> Utilities> Miscellaneous Field Labels> GL Chart Acct fields 4-7).
• Click the Fund Balance Account field search icon to select a fund balance account from a list.
  • The fund balance account is the general ledger account that will be used to close out all revenue and expense accounts at the fiscal year end. The selected fund balance account must be set up in each fund of the general ledger.
  • GL accounts are set up as fund balance accounts by attaching an account type that is set up as a fund balance type to that GL account.
    • Select Fund Balance from the ALFRE drop-down menu in GL> Maintenance> Account Type> Select an account type to set up an account type as a fund balance. The account type is then attached to the GL account in GL> Maintenance> Chart of Accounts> General tab> Account Type field.
• The Extended Budgeting Reference field is used to specify which Extended Budgeting module budget type and revision will be displayed on the Extended Budgeting tab of the Chart of Account Maintenance window (GL> Maintenance> Chart of Accounts> Extended Budgeting tab). If the open account is included in an EB entry that is part of the selected revision, any budget activity associated with that account will be displayed. This field can be updated at any point if you would like to change the type of EB budget revision that is being displayed.
  • Revisions are created and maintained on the Revision Maintenance window (EB> Maintenance> Revisions).
• The OpenGov Recurrence Day field is used to specify the day of the month that the OpenGov recurring period export is generated. This field will only be enabled if your organization uses the OpenGov interface.
  • This value must fall between 1 and 31. If the value entered is greater than the number of days in a given month, the export will be generated on the last day of the month.
  • The OpenGov interface is premium feature. Please contact Springbrook Support for more information.
• Check the Uniform chart of accounts toggle if new funds will have a symmetrical chart of accounts. A majority of customers use this check box.
  • If you check this toggle, create GL account headers using the Section Maintenance window (GL> Maintenance> Section). The Section Maintenance window will not appear on the Maintenance palette if this toggle is not checked.
  • If you do not check this toggle, you will not be able to use Section types when creating account headers. Instead, you will need to create the GL account headers using the Account Header One, Account Header Two and Account Header Three windows (GL> Maintenance> Account Header 1, 2 or 3).
• Check the Unique reference numbers toggle to create a validation in the Chart of Accounts Maintenance window (GL> Maintenance> Chart of Accounts). This validation ensures that each reference number entered on the Chart of Accounts Maintenance window is unique.
  • If there are already duplicate reference numbers entered on GL accounts you will get an error message when you check this toggle. You can locate the duplicate reference numbers using the Chart of Accounts Selection window (GL> Maintenance> Chart of Accounts) if you sort the Reference column by reference number. You can also export the information in the grid to an MS Excel spreadsheet and use the sort and filter options in MS Excel to locate the duplicate reference numbers.
  • You should check this toggle if you are using GL account aliases.
• Check the Full Chart Budgeting toggle if you budget more than just revenue and expense ALFRE designated GL accounts. The selection in this toggle will affect many windows in the GL module including most of the windows in New Budget process.
• Check the Budget All Revenue and Expense Accounts toggle if only revenue and expense accounts are budgeted.
  • GL accounts are designated as revenue or expense based on the GL Account Type attached to the GL account in the Chart of Accounts (GL> Maintenance> Chart of Accounts> General tab> Account Type field).
  • Account Types are set up with specific ALFRE designations on the Account Type Maintenance window (GL> Maintenance> Account Type).
• Check the Use Deferred Revenue toggle to enable deferred revenue in the GL module. Deferred revenue can only be enabled by a Springbrook employee. Please contact your Springbrook Account Manager for more information.
  • Deferred revenue is used when organizations prefer to handle regularly-collected revenue, such as utility or tax payments, as deferred revenue at the time of billing as those payments have not yet been collected. At the time of collection, the deferred revenue account will be cleared and the revenue account will be credited.
• Check the Use Control Accounting toggle to enable control accounting in the GL module. Control accounting can only be enabled by a Springbrook employee. Please contact your Springbrook Account Manager for more information.
  • Checking this toggle will enable the Revenue Control Account, Revenue Control Subsidiary Account, Expense Control Account, and Expense Control Subsidiary Account fields below. Enter full or partial accounts in these fields to set up control accounting.
    • The Revenue Control Account and Expense Control Account must be fund balance accounts.
    • The Revenue Control Subsidiary Account must be a revenue account.
    • The Expense Control Subsidiary Account must be an expense account.

3     Complete the Default Formats tab.

• Open the Default Formats tab to view the reference number and sub-ledger account formats.
• The Reference Section 1 – Reference Section 9 fields are used to set up the format of the reference number that can be attached to GL accounts.
  • Reference numbers are attached to GL accounts using the Chart of Accounts field (GL> Maintenance> Chart of Accounts> General Tab> Reference Number field).
  • Reference numbers can be used to attach the old GL account numbers to the new GL accounts if the format of the Chart of Accounts has changed.
  • There are nine reference number sections in case the format of your GL accounts has nine sections.
  • Enter an X to add a digit to the reference format. A single section of the reference number is limited to 10 digits.
  • If you change the format of the reference numbers, the format will be applied to the reference numbers already entered on GL accounts. If you increase the size of a section, the current reference number will pad the current reference number with zeros to match the new reference number format.
• The Sub Ledger 1 and Sub Ledger 2 fields are used to set up the format of sub ledger accounts. These fields will only be enabled when the General Ledger module is initially set up.
  • Sub ledger accounts are created in GL> Maintenance> Sub Ledger and GL> Maintenance> Sub Ledger 2. The sub ledger format will restrict the number of digits that can be used when creating a new sub ledger account.
  • Enter an X to add a digit to the reference format.
• Click the Save button when the setup is complete.

4     Complete the Extended Budgeting Reference tab.

• The Extended Budgeting Reference tab is used to specify which Extended Budgeting module budget type and revision will be displayed on the Extended Budgeting tab of the Chart of Account Maintenance window (GL> Maintenance> Chart of Accounts> Extended Budgeting tab). If the open account is included in an EB entry that is part of the selected revision, any budget activity associated with that account will be displayed. This tab can be updated at any point if you would like to change the type of EB budget revision that is being displayed.
  • Revisions are created and maintained on the Revision Maintenance window (EB> Maintenance> Revisions).

5     Track any changes made to the GL Setup window.

• Click the Audit Trail icon to open the Audit Trail window.
• Use the search criteria fields at the top of the screen to sort the displayed audit trail.
• The data grid below will provide details about any changes made to the setup window including the date of the change, type of change made, user who made the change, and data table that was edited.