Allocation Entry - Fields

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Allocation Entry

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Allocation No.

Enter the number of the allocation to add or modify or click the Lookup button to select an allocation number. You can also click the Next Number button to select the next available allocation number.

Allocations assigned a cycle of Period, Quarterly, and Annual are calculated in order of their allocation number in Allocation Selection. It is important to consider this when defining cascading allocations, where a destination account for an allocation later becomes a source account for a subsequent allocation.

 

Expand or collapse item Example - Cascading allocations

Allocation 0000100 distributes the current activity as follows:

 

Source Account

50600-00-000-000-000 Advertising:Corporate

 

Destination Accounts

50600-01-000-000-000 Advertising:West

50600-02-000-000-000 Advertising:East

 

Account number 50600-01-000-000-000 is also a source account in allocation 000999, which distributes the current activity as follows:

Source Account

50600-01-000-000-000 Advertising:West

 

Destination Accounts

50600-01-550-000-000 Advertising:West–California

50600-01-770-000-000 Advertising:West–Oregon

The amount allocated to the destination accounts in allocation 000999 will include the current activity from 50600-01-000-000-000 plus the amount allocated to 50600-01-000-000-000 in allocation number 000100.

 

Description

Type a description for the allocation.

 

1. Header

 

Source Account

Enter the general ledger account this allocation will be distributed from, or click the Lookup button to list all general ledger accounts. Press CTRL+F3, or right-click and select Account Entry to use the Account Entry window to select an account.

  • If Yes is selected in the Auto Create when all Segments are Valid field in the General Ledger Options window, when a valid combination of a main account and subaccounts is entered but the account does not exist, the new general ledger account is added automatically without any notification.

  • If No is selected in the Auto Create when all Segments are Valid field in the General Ledger Options window, the system will not automatically create accounts when a valid combination of a main account and subaccounts is entered. If No is selected, all accounts must be created in either Account Maintenance or in Copy Accounts accessed from Main Account Maintenance or Sub Account Maintenance.

  • If Prompt is selected in the Auto Create when all Segments are Valid field in the General Ledger Options window, when a valid combination of a main account and subaccounts is entered but the account does not exist, the Account Entry window appears and you can add the account. For more information, see Account Entry.

  • If the Add Main Accounts in General Ledger and Add Sub Accounts in General Ledger check boxes are selected in the General Ledger Options window, you can create new main and subaccounts on the fly in the Account Entry window. For more information, see Account Entry.

 

Description

This field displays the description of the selected source account.

 

Allocation Method

Select the method for calculating the distribution amount.

  • Select Percent to distribute a percentage of the source amount to each destination account. The total percentage cannot exceed 100 percent. If the total distribution does not add up to 100 percent, only the total percentages entered are allocated from the source account. It is possible to distribute only a portion of the allocation amount using the Percent method.

  • Select Quantity to distribute an amount to each destination account. The quantity entered for each destination account is divided by the total quantity of all accounts to determine the distribution. The entire allocation amount is always distributed to the destination accounts when using the Quantity method.

  • Select Basis to calculate the allocation distributions based on the current activity, prior activity, beginning balance, ending balance, prior year activity, or budget of the destination account. You can also link the allocation distribution to an account other than the destination account. If you select Basis, you must select the type of basis to use in the Allocation Basis field.

 

Allocation Basis

If Basis is selected in the Allocation Method field, select the value to use for calculating the distribution amounts for the allocation. By default, this value is based on the destination account for each distribution, unless it is linked to another account on the Lines tab. To link the basis calculation to another account, see Create and Maintain Allocations. This field is available only if Basis is selected in the Allocation Method field.

  • Select Current Activity to use the current activity of the account as the basis for the allocation. This value is calculated in terms of the cycle that is assigned to the allocation. For allocations with Period or Manual cycles, the current activity posted as of the allocation generation date is used. For allocations with Quarterly or Annual cycles, the total activity for the selected quarter or fiscal year is used.

  • Select Prior Activity to use the account activity of the cycle prior to the selected cycle as the basis for the allocation. This value is calculated in terms of the cycle that is assigned to the allocation. For allocations with Period or Manual cycles, the activity for the previous period is used. For allocations with Quarterly or Annual cycles, the total activity for the previous quarter or fiscal year is used.

  • Select Beginning Balance to use the beginning balance of the account as the basis of the allocation. For allocations with Period or Manual cycles, the balance of the selected period is used. For allocations with Quarterly or Annual cycles, the balance of the first period of the cycle is used. This allocation basis can be used to calculate an allocation using balance sheet or nonfinancial accounts.

    NOTE    : Revenue and expense accounts normally have zero balances in the first period of a fiscal year; therefore, selecting Beginning Balance can produce undesirable results for allocations with Quarterly or Annual cycles.

  • Select Ending Balance to use the ending balance of the account as the basis of the allocation. For allocations with Period or Manual cycles, the ending balance of the selected period is used. For allocations with Quarterly or Annual cycles, the ending balance for the last period of the quarter or fiscal year is used. This allocation basis can be used to calculate an allocation using balance sheet or nonfinancial accounts.

  • Select Prior Year Activity to use the total account activity of the prior fiscal year as the basis of the allocation. This occurs without regard to the allocation cycle.

  • Select Budget to use the total budgeted amount of the account for the selected cycle. For allocations with Period or Manual cycles, the budget for the selected period is used. For allocations with Quarterly or Annual cycles, the total budget for the quarter or fiscal year is used. If you select Budget, you must select a budget category to use in the Budget field.

 

Budget

If Budget is selected in the Allocation Basis field, enter a budget for calculating the allocation or click the Lookup button to select a budget. This field is available only if Budget is selected in the Allocation Basis field.

By default this value is based on the destination account for each distribution, unless it is linked to another account on the Lines tab. To link the basis calculation to another account, see Create and Maintain Allocations.

 

Allocation Cycle

Select the cycle for posting the allocation. The allocation cycle determines when an allocation is selected and generated. Allocations with a cycle of Period, Quarterly, or Annual can be selected for generation using Allocation Selection on the Period End menu. Allocations with a Manual cycle can be selected for generation at any time using General Journal Entry.

  • Select Period to generate the allocation for every period of the fiscal year.

  • Select Quarterly to generate the allocation for periods 3, 6, 9, and the final period of the fiscal year.

  • Select Annual to generate the allocation at the final period of the fiscal year.

  • Select Manual to generate the allocation using General Journal Entry. For more information, see Manual Allocation Entry.

To generate allocations with a Manual cycle, see Perform a Manual Allocation. To generate allocations with a Period, Quarterly, or Annual cycle, see Allocation Selection.

 

Amount to Allocate

Select the type of amount to allocate to the destination accounts.

  • Select Activity to allocate the activity posted to the source account for the selected cycle. For allocations with a Quarterly cycle, the total activity for all three periods of this quarter is allocated. For allocations with an Annual cycle, the total activity for the fiscal year is allocated.

    NOTE    : The activity posted to the source account can be a different amount than the balance of the source account.

  • Select Balance to allocate the current ending balance of the source account for the selected cycle.

  • Select Manual to determine a fixed amount to allocate from the source account for the selected cycle.

 

Manual Amount

Enter the amount to allocate from the source account each time the allocation is generated. This amount appears in the Allocation Drill Down window when you select the allocation in the Allocation Selection window.

This field is available only if Manual Amount is selected in the Amount to Allocate field.

NOTE: Entering a manual amount that is greater than the balance of the source account will over-allocate the account.

 

Date

This field displays the last date that this allocation was posted.

 

Period Allocated

This field displays the last period number and fiscal year that this allocation was posted.

 

Journal Comment

Type a posting comment for the allocation. For manual cycle allocations, the comment entered appears in the Journal Comment field in the General Journal Entry window. For all other cycles, this journal comment appears automatically as the journal comment on the Allocation Journal. The journal comment can be changed when the allocation is selected in the Allocation Selection window.

 

2. Lines

 

Line Number

This field displays the line number in the grid and can only be viewed. The line number appears red for lines that are new or modified. After the Accept button is clicked, the line number changes from red to black.

 

Account No.

Enter a general ledger account number to use as the destination account for this allocation, or click the Lookup button to list all general ledger accounts. Press CTRL+F3, or right-click and select Account Entry to use the Account Entry window to select an account. If the source account entered on the Header tab is a financial account, all destination accounts must be financial accounts. If the source account is a nonfinancial account, all destination accounts for the allocation must be nonfinancial accounts.

  • If Yes is selected in the Auto Create when all Segments are Valid field in the General Ledger Options window, when a valid combination of a main account and subaccounts is entered but the account does not exist, the new general ledger account is added automatically without any notification.

  • If No is selected in the Auto Create when all Segments are Valid field in the General Ledger Options window, the system will not automatically create accounts when a valid combination of a main account and subaccounts is entered. If No is selected, all accounts must be created in either Account Maintenance or in Copy Accounts accessed from Main Account Maintenance or Sub Account Maintenance.

  • If Prompt is selected in the Auto Create when all Segments are Valid field in the General Ledger Options window, when a valid combination of a main account and subaccounts is entered but the account does not exist, the Account Entry window appears and you can add the account. For more information, see Account Entry.

  • If the Add Main Accounts in General Ledger and Add Sub Accounts in General Ledger check boxes are selected in the General Ledger Options window, you can create new main and subaccounts on the fly in the Account Entry window. For more information, see Account Entry.

You can use masked account numbers to specify multiple destination account numbers for the allocation distribution. Enter an asterisk (*) for each character in the account number to mask (for example, 50200-**-000-010-000). The asterisk (*) functions as a wild card that can represent any number. When the allocation is generated, each asterisk (*) is matched against every possible matching account in the chart of accounts.

Expand or collapse item Example - Using Masking Characters

This example shows how an allocation can be distributed to multiple accounts using masking characters. The destination accounts are matched against the following chart of accounts.

 

Chart of Accounts

50600-10-010-000-000 Advertising Expense:Irvine–Location 01

50600-10-020-000-000 Advertising Expense:Irvine–Location 02

50600-99-010-000-000 Advertising Expense:New York–Location 01

50700-10-010-000-000 Operations Expense:Irvine–Location 01

50700-10-020-000-000 Operations Expense:Irvine–Location 02

50700-99-020-000-000 Operations Expense:New York–Location 02

Source Account: 50600-00-010-000-000 Advertising Expense:Corporate–Location 01

 

Destination Account: 50600-**-010-000-000

The following accounts receive the allocation:

50600-10-010-000-000

50600-99-010-000-000

Template characters can also be used in an account mask. Enter an at sign (@) for each template position in the account (for example, 50400-@@-000-010-000). Each at sign (@) represents a character in the same position of the source account. When the allocation is generated, the at signs (@) are replaced by the corresponding characters from the Source Account field on the Header tab.

Expand or collapse item Example - Using Template Characters

This example shows how an allocation can be distributed to destination accounts using template characters. The destination accounts are matched against the following chart of accounts.

 

Chart of Accounts

50600-10-010-000-000 Advertising Expense:Irvine–Location 01

50600-10-020-000-000 Advertising Expense:Irvine–Location 02

50600-99-010-000-000 Advertising Expense:New York–Location 01

50700-10-010-000-000 Operations Expense:Irvine–Location 01

50700-10-020-000-000 Operations Expense:Irvine–Location 02

50700-99-020-000-000 Operations Expense:New York–Location 02

Source Account: 50600-10-000-000-000 Advertising Expense:Irvine

 

Destination Account 1: 50600-@@-010-000-000

 

Destination Account 2: 50600-@@-020-000-000

The following accounts receive the allocation:

50600-10-010-000-000

50600-10-020-000-000

 

Expand or collapse item Example - Using Both Masking and Template Characters

This example shows how an allocation can be distributed to multiple accounts using both masking and template characters. The destination accounts are matched against the following chart of accounts.

 

Chart of Accounts

50600-10-010-000-000 Advertising Expense:Irvine–Location 01

50600-10-020-000-000 Advertising Expense:Irvine–Location 02

50600-99-010-000-000 Advertising Expense:New York–Location 01

50700-10-010-000-000 Operations Expense:Irvine–Location 01

50700-10-020-000-000 Operations Expense:Irvine–Location 02

50700-99-020-000-000 Operations Expense:New York–Location 02

Source Account: 50600-00-000-000-000 Advertising Expense:Corporate

 

Destination Account: @@*@@-**-010-000-000

The following accounts receive the allocation:

50600-10-010-000-000

50600-99-010-000-000

50700-10-010-000-000

 

Percent/Quantity

Enter the percent of the source amount to be allocated to the account, or the quantity to be used to calculate the allocation for the account. This field is labeled Percent or Quantity, depending on the selection in the Allocation Method field on the Allocation Entry Header tab.

NOTE:The total percentage allocated cannot exceed 100 percent. If less than 100 percent is entered, only the total percentage defined is allocated from the source account.

 

Link

Select this check box to link the basis calculation to a different account instead of the destination account. If this check box is selected, the value selected in the Allocation Basis field will use the linked account entered in the Link Acct No. field to calculate the allocation.

Clear this check box if you do not want to link the distribution amount to another account. If you clear this check box, the basis of the allocation distribution is calculated using the destination account.

 

Link Acct No.

Enter the general ledger account number to calculate a linked basis allocation, or click the Lookup button to select an account. Press CTRL+F3, or right-click and select Account Entry to use the Account Entry window to select an account. For each distribution, this account will be used as the basis of the allocation instead of the destination account. The linked account does not have to be the same type as the source account; either a financial or nonfinancial account can be entered. This field is available only if the Link check box is selected.

  • If Yes is selected in the Auto Create when all Segments are Valid field in the General Ledger Options window, when a valid combination of a main account and subaccounts is entered but the account does not exist, the new general ledger account is added automatically without any notification.

  • If No is selected in the Auto Create when all Segments are Valid field in the General Ledger Options window, the system will not automatically create accounts when a valid combination of a main account and subaccounts is entered. If No is selected, all accounts must be created in either Account Maintenance or in Copy Accounts accessed from Main Account Maintenance or Sub Account Maintenance.

  • If Prompt is selected in the Auto Create when all Segments are Valid field in the General Ledger Options window, when a valid combination of a main account and subaccounts is entered but the account does not exist, the Account Entry window appears and you can add the account. For more information, see Account Entry.

  • If the Add Main Accounts in General Ledger and Add Sub Accounts in General Ledger check boxes are selected in the General Ledger Options window, you can create new main and subaccounts on the fly in the Account Entry window. For more information, see Account Entry.

If account masks or templates are used to enter multiple destination accounts, the linked account is matched to every matching destination account.

Expand or collapse item Example - Matching Linked Account Numbers

In this example, the destination accounts are matched against the following chart of accounts:

Chart of Accounts

40500-10-010-000-000 Marketing Expense:Irvine–Location 01

40500-10-020-000-000 Marketing Expense:Irvine–Location 02

50600-00-000-000-000 Advertising Expense:Corporate

50600-10-010-000-000 Advertising Expense:Irvine–Location 01

50600-10-020-000-000 Advertising Expense:Irvine–Location 02

50600-99-010-000-000 Advertising Expense:New York–Location 01

 

Source Account Number: 50600-00-000-000-000 Advertising Expense:Corporate

 

Destination Account Number: 50600-10-***-000-000

 

Link Account Number: 40500-10-010-000-000

 

The same linked account is used to calculate the basis for each matching destination account:

  • 50600-10-010-000-000 is linked to 40500-10-010-000-000

  • 50600-10-020-000-000 is also linked to 40500-10-010-000-000

You can also use a template for a linked account number. Enter an at sign (@) for each template position in the account (for example, 50400-@@-010-000-000). Each at sign (@) represents a character in the same position of the destination account. When the destination account number is masked, using a template for the linked account number allows you to enter a different linked account number for each matching destination account number.

Expand or collapse item Example - Using Templates with Linked Account Numbers

In this example, the destination accounts are matched against the following chart of accounts:

Chart of Accounts

40500-10-010-000-000 Marketing Expense:Irvine–Location 01

40500-10-020-000-000 Marketing Expense:Irvine–Location 02

50600-00-000-000-000 Advertising Expense:Corporate

50600-10-010-000-000 Advertising Expense:Irvine–Location 01

50600-10-020-000-000 Advertising Expense:Irvine–Location 02

50600-99-010-000-000 Advertising Expense:New York–Location 01

 

Source Account Number: 50600-00-000-000-000 Advertising Expense:Corporate

 

Destination Account Number: 560-10-***-000-000

 

Link Account Number: 40500-10-@@@-000-000

 

A different linked account is used to calculate the basis for each matching destination account:

  • 50600-10-010-000-000 is linked to 40500-10-010-000-000

  • 50600-10-020-000-000 is linked to 40500-10-020-000-000

 

Comment

Enter a comment for the allocation distribution. Comments entered here print on the Allocation Journal and General Journal, and post to the General Ledger Detail file.

Note Press CTRL + ENTER to add a new line of text in the Comment field.

 

Description

This field displays the description of the selected destination account and can only be viewed.

 

Link Description

This field displays the description of the linked basis account selected in the Link Acct No. field and can only be viewed.

 

Quick Row

This field displays the number of the selected row in the primary grid. Additional fields for the selected row appear in the secondary grid. Enter a row number to view information for a different transaction, or click the Find Row button to search for a transaction in the Search Grid window.

 

Total Percent/Quantity

This field displays the total percent or quantity of all distributions for the allocation and can only be viewed.