As part of a general review of the various functions in Online that interface to the General Ledger we have made a range of User Interface (UI) enhancements in the area of GL dissection posting where-ever users enter Account postings. The following improvements have been made:
- Full Account Posting entry
- Valid Branch/Division Combinations shown
- Account Searches
- Posting Type remembered
- Password Control
Full Account Posting entry
The most significant of the improvements made to the GL Posting input is the ability to enter the full GL Account Posting via the keyboard in one sequence. This means a user can enter a Chart of Account code, Branch Code and Division code as one number (e.g. 101023) where 1010 is the Chart, 2 is the Branch and 3 is the Division. Using this method the entry of all three prompts can be created/populated with one input to save the user moving through each prompt. This is particularly useful when the Branch and/or Division prompt is a drop-down list of available options.
Valid Branch/Division Combinations
When entering a posting now the system will determine where rules about “valid” branch and divisions exist and simply show you the options available to you as a combined list rather than two separate input prompts so that you can choose from what is valid. This saves time for the user as the invalid combinations just aren’t there to select in the first place as below:
It should be noted that the user can still input the full GL account details including branch and division code at the “Account” prompt and OA will choose and highlight the correct Branch & Division details assuming they are valid.
Account Searches
As part of this UI enhancement the search functions in Online have been improved so they will only show GL Chart of Account codes that are valid for a given function, assuming these have been set up prior. This is just another way of making the posting process easier for the users and saves them having to scroll through pages of GL accounts when the only ones they need to see are those valid for the function they are using.
Posting Type remembered
The “type” of Posting available to a user changes depending on the function and process. There are
several options available as seen on this screen sample. They are: GL Account, Shipment, Work Order and Job Costing. We have now improved the posting functions so that it remembers the last time used when making a posting. We’re basically assuming that the type you used last time will be the type you want to use next time you post. Of course, the next time you post might be a second or subsequent posting entry on the transaction you are currently performing, or a new transaction of the same type. It doesn’t matter, we will keep track of the last one you choose until you close the transaction process you are in. This just makes it easy to input a batch of transactions that you would post in a similar way i.e. a batch of invoices relating to Purchasing, or items expensed to projects in Job Costing.
Password Control
To give your Finance people the control they require over the postings made in the subsidiary ledgers, Online can be set up with lists of specific accounts that are valid for specific functions. You can even record what branches and divisions can be used, and what the valid combinations are. This is all designed to give you peace of mind that the postings that are made to an account by users are within your control and guidelines.
As part of this you can even set up password control for individual functions so that under supervision, a user can make a posting by “exception” to an account that is not normally valid. See a sample below of the password input required after an attempt to post to an account that is invalid for the process in question.
