Posting Journal Batches Automatically (AutoPost)
You can automatically post journal batches that meet specific criteria you've defined in an AutoPost criteria set. You can define multiple criteria sets that include a range of journal effective dates and multiple AutoPost priorities. AutoPost priorities include combinations of journal source, journal category, balance type, and period.
Once you define an AutoPost criteria set, run the AutoPost program to select and post any journal batches that meet the criteria defined by the criteria set. You can also schedule the AutoPost program to run at specific times and submission intervals. You can submit the AutoPost program or schedule AutoPost runs directly from the AutoPost Criteria Sets window. Alternatively, you can use the Submit Request window.
When you enter the AutoPost priorities for a criteria set, you can enter All for one or more of the selection fields. Use this feature to select all journal sources or categories, all balance types, or all accounting periods. For example, suppose you enter journals every period that adjust your budget balances for subsequent periods. You can define a criteria set that selects all unposted journal batches with a source of Manual and a balance type of Budget for all periods. You can then schedule the AutoPost program to run at the beginning of every period, automatically post your budget adjustments, and update your budget balances.
If you use budgetary control, you can define a criteria set that posts the encumbrance journal batches that are created after the funds have been successfully reserved.
Additional Information: If you recently upgraded from a version of General Ledger earlier than Release 11, any AutoPost criteria you had previously defined will be grouped together and saved in a new criteria set named Standard.
Prerequisites
Define your journal sources and categories.
Define your calendar periods.
To define an AutoPost criteria set:
1. Navigate to the AutoPost Criteria Set window.
2. Enter a Criteria Set name and Description.
3. Mark the Enabled check box if you want to enable the criteria set now. Otherwise, leave the check box unmarked.
4. Set your Posting Submission Options. If you choose the Submit Only Priorities with Batches in Order option, be sure to also enter the Number of Priorities.
5. Enter the range of Journal Effective Dates:
From: starting effective date of the range, entered as the number of days before the AutoPost submission date. This must be a number from 0 to 1000.
To: ending effective date of the range, entered as the number of days after the AutoPost submission date. This must be a number from 0 to 999.
AutoPost will only select journals whose effective date is within the range of days before and after the AutoPost submission date.
6. Enter your AutoPost priorities for this criteria set. Each priority includes a Priority number, journal Source, journal Category, Balance Type, and Period.
Additional Information: The priority number must be a value from 1 to 99, where 1 is the highest priority and 99 is the lowest. Batches with higher priorities are posted first. You can use the same priority number more than once.
You can enter All in any field (except Priority number) to select all journal sources or categories, balance types, or accounting periods.
To run the AutoPost program:
1. Navigate to the AutoPost Criteria Set window.
Additional Information: Optionally, you can submit the AutoPost program from the Submit Request window. Enter the AutoPost criteria set name in the Parameters window.
2. Query the AutoPost criteria set for which you want to run the AutoPost program.
3. Choose the Submit AutoPost button.
4. Review the AutoPost Execution Report after the program completes successfully. Use this report to review the journal batches selected for posting.
To schedule an AutoPost run:
1. Navigate to the AutoPost Criteria Set window.
2. Query the AutoPost criteria set for which you want to schedule the AutoPost program.
3. Choose the Schedule AutoPost button. The Submit Request window will appear.
4. Set the scheduling options on the Submit Request window.
Posting Submission Options
Submit All Priorities in Order: Select this option to submit the batches for all of your AutoPost priorities in the same AutoPost run. Note that priorities are processed in order, based on the Priority number.
Submit Only Priorities with Batches in Order: Select this option to submit batches only from the specified Number of Priorities in the same AutoPost run. If a priority results in no selected batches it is not included in the count of the number of priorities whose batches are processed. For example, if the number of priorities is 2 and your first priority has no selected batches, AutoPost will process priorities 2 and 3. If you submit AutoPost again, it will process priorities 4 and 5, and so on for each priority that has selected batches.
Suggestion: Use this option when you need to balance the load on your concurrent manager. This may be necessary since a single AutoPost request that contains multiple priorities can result in numerous instances of the Posting program running concurrently. The load on the concurrent manager is increased further if a large number of journal batches are selected by your AutoPost priorities.
See Also
Defining Period Types
Defining Calendars
Defining Journal Sources
AutoPost Execution Report
Submitting a Request