Mini-Lesson on Defining the Accounting Key Flexfield

Andy Diamond DARC Corporation

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Agenda
What is a Key Flexfield? The Accounting Key flexfield. Steps to define a Flexfield. Critical Setup Options:
Value Sets, Segments, Qualifiers, Values.

Related Setup options. Terminology.

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Key Flexfields..
Share common information across many applications. Are used by the applications as identifiers. Are required by the application. Usually consist of multiple segments, each of which contains meaningful information. Appear as a regular field with concatenated values.
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The Accounting Key Flexfield..

Setup is the first step to EVERY implementation. Is used by every application within Oracle. Is the key driver for a companys financial reporting.

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Key Flexfields

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An Active Key Flexfield

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Steps to Define a Flexfield

Plan the Flexfield. value sets, segments, prompts, order. Define and set up the Value sets. check to see if there is already a value set defined that would meet your needs. Define and set up the Structure and the Segments. freeze and compile the flexfield. Define the Values for the Value Set if appropriate.
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Value Sets..
Are used throughout the applications. Require a Value Set Name and description. Ask for list type and security type. Allow you to choose Format Validation. Provide size and value limitations. Provide method for validation.

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Company Value Set

Setup > Financials > Flexfields > Validation > Sets

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Long List Enabled

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Defining the Flexfield Structure

Give your flexfield a code, title and a meaningful description.
Or use the existing code and title.

Select a view name if a view is desired. Make sure that the flexfield is enabled. Choose a segment separator.

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Defining the Flexfield Structure

Decide if Cross-Validation will be used on this flexfield. Decide if Dynamic Insertion will be used on this flexfield. If using Rollup Groups, specify whether to Freeze or not. Further define each of your segments.

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Key Flexfield Segments

Setup > Financials > Flexfields > Key > Segments

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Key Flexfield Setup

Company 01 Company 02 Company Account 1000 Cash 2000 Payables 4000 Revenue 5000 Payroll 6000 Expenses
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Cost Center 1000 CC 2000 CC Future 00000

Defining the Flexfield Segments

Designate the order of the segments. Provide a name and description for each segment. Click on Enabled and Displayed. Assign column name (segment number in table). Assign the appropriate Value set. Provide prompts for windows and lists.

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Key Flexfield Segments Summary

Setup > Financials > Flexfields > Key > Segments (Segments Button)

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Defining the Flexfield Segments

Choose whether this segment should be Indexed. Choose defaults, if applicable. Choose whether Security should be enabled for this segment. Choose Display and Description sizes. Assign Segment Qualifiers to the appropriate segments.

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Key Flexfield Segments

Setup > Financials > Flexfields > Key > Segments (Segments Button, Open Button)

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Key Flexfield Qualifiers

Key Flexfield Qualifiers Accounting Key Flexfield Cost Center Segment (Cost Center/Dept) Natural Account Segment (Account) Balancing Segment (Company) Intercompany Segment (Division)

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Defining Flexfield Qualifiers

Setup > Financials > Flexfields > Key > Segments (Segments Button, Flexfield Qualifiers Button)

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Defining the Values in the Value Set

Provide valid values and descriptions for each independent segment. Values are limited to validation set rules. Identify parents and related child ranges. Assign rollup groups and hierarchy level. Choose segment qualifiers:
Posting Allowed Options Account Type Reconciliation / Control
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Defining the Values in the Value Set

Setup > Financials > Flexfields > Key > Values

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Key Flexfield Values

Setup > Financials > Flexfields > Key > Values (Find Button)

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Defining the List of Values

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Cannot Change Values

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Length of Values is enforced

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Segment Qualifiers
Value Set value qualifiers.
Allow Budgeting:
Designate if a child value allows posting for budgets.

Allow Posting
Designate if a child value allows posting for actuals.

Account Type:
Specify Asset, Expense, Liability, Ownership / Stockholders' Equity or Revenue for each value.
Indicates whether an account balance should close out at the end of a year or roll forward.
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Segment Qualifiers
Setup > Financials > Flexfields > Key > Values

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Account Segment Qualifiers

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Parent Values
Assign child values to each parent value entered. Choose to assign values in ranges or individually. Assign ranges of Child Values or Parent Values. Child Values is most effective. View Hierarchies as required for validation.
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Parent Values

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Defining Child Ranges

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Viewing Value Hierarchies

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Defining Rollup Groups

Setup > Financials > Flexfields > Key > Groups

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Assigning Rollup Groups

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Security Rules
Apply to a responsibility. Includes all of the forms and reports assigned to that responsibility. Apply to one segment of your Flexfield Structure. Fields on the form: Name and Description of the Rule A Message for the user to see Range of Values to be included Range of Values to be excluded
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Enabling Security on the Value Set

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Enabling Security on the Segment

Setup > Financials > Flexfields > Key-> Segments (Segments Button, Open Button)

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Defining Security Rules

Setup > Financials > Flexfields > Key > Security > Define

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Assigning Security Rules

Assign a rule to a responsibility of an application. Fields on the Form: Application that owns the Responsibility Responsibility to be restricted Name of the rule to assign The description and message for the rule you have selected are displayed at the bottom of the form.

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Assigning Security Rules

Setup > Financials > Flexfields > Key > Security > Assign

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Security Rule Message

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Cross Validation Rules

Apply to every user. Cross multiple segments. Fields on the Form: Name and description of the rule Error Message for the user Error Segment for the cursor What to include or exclude

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Cross Validation Rules

Setup > Financials > Flexfields > Key > Rules

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Enabling Cross Validation

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Cross Validation Rule Message

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Using an Alias
Used to speed data entry. Used to minimize user mistakes. Fields on the Form: Title and Structure of the Flexfield Shorthand Enabled Box Max Alias Size Prompt Name of the Alias Template Description
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Defining an Alias

Setup > Financials > Flexfields > Key > Aliases

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Using an Alias

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Choosing an Alias

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Dynamic Insertion

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Dynamic Insertion Not Enabled

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Choosing an Existing Combination

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Watch out for this stuff:

Security Rules limit access to values.
Set of Books screen Define / look up Key Values

Cross Validation rules do not prevent use of existing combinations. With Dynamic Insertion, cross validation rules are imperative. Combinations are created on the fly. Without Dynamic Insertion, cross validation rules are not required. Combinations are created individually as required.
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Next Steps

Create your new set of books

Currency and Calendar Define Set of Books Assign specific accounts as required.

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Next Steps
In System Administrator:
Create a new responsibility Assign GL Set of Books Profile Option to new responsibility.

In new GL Responsibility:
Create new combinations if desired (and not using dynamic insertion) Start using GL. Begin setup of Multi Org.
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Profile Options
Flexfields:Shorthand Entry Flexfields:Show Full Value Flexfields:Open Key Window Flexfields:Autoskip Currency: Thousands Separator Currency: Negative Format Currency: Positive Format
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Terminology
Value Sets a group of values for a single segment. Value sets have validation rules for segments, such as size of segment, valid characters and the order. A value set contains all the valid values for a segment. Segment - a portion of the accounting flexfield that holds one dimension or reporting view of data. Segments should only hold one dimension, such as a company or account. Accounting Flexfield Oracles term for Chart of Accounts a flexible, user defined field to hold your account number. Segment Value a value within a segment that represents a data point. An individual Cost Center is an example of a segment value.
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Terminology
Combination or Account Combination the accounting flexfield with a single value populated in each segment. Also referred to generically as the Account. Cross Validation Rules user defined rules to prevent the use of certain combinations of accounts for any user within a set of books. Security Rules user defined rules to prevent the use of segment values by certain users or responsibilities. Alias a user defined, often alphanumeric, term that refers to an account combination. Simplifies data entry by allowing the selection of a name instead of typing an account combination. Set of Books Oracles term for a financial book. Made up of the three Cs (Currency, Calendar and Chart of Accounts).
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Questions????
Thank You! Andy Diamond adiamond@darc.com DARC Corporation http://www.darc.com/
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