Using Attachments in General Ledger

Using Attachments in General Ledger

The Attachments feature allows users to link objects, such as images and spreadsheets, to General Ledger data. For example, you can attach spreadsheets to journal entries to support how the values for the journal entry were derived. The attachment will be linked to the journal entry, and can be referenced alongside the journal in the Enter Journals form.

Related Topics

General Ledger Windows with the Attachments Feature

Creating an Attachment

Deleting an Attachment

Types of Attachments

Attachments Security

General Ledger Windows with the Attachments Feature

The Attachments feature in General Ledger has already been pre-seeded to be available in windows detailed in the table below. When you bring up these windows, a Paper Clip icon on the menu bar will be highlighted. Each window is assigned at least one Attachment Category. Form Level Security and Attachment Category assignments determine the ability to share attachments created in different windows via the Attachment Catalog. The Method specifies whether the attachment associated with a certain window can be changed, or if it can only be queried.

You will also have the flexibility to enable this feature in other windows where Attachments can be useful. Your System Administrator can update the seed data table to activate Attachments for additional windows.

General Ledger Windows with Attachments
Name of Window Form Level Security Attachment Method
Define Budget Ledger Budget, Other, Organization Chart Change
Enter Journals (Batch) Ledger Journal, Other Change
Enter Journals (Header) Ledger Journal, Other Change
Enter Encumbrances (Batch) Ledger Journal, Other Change
Enter Encumbrances (Header) Ledger Journal, Other Change
Define Consolidation Ledger Consolidation, Other, Organization Chart Change
Define Recurring Journals Formula (Batch) Ledger Journal, Other Change
Define Recurring Journals Formula (Header) Ledger Journal, Other Change
Define Budget Formula (Batch) Ledger Budget, Other Change
Define Budget Formula (Header) Ledger Budget, Other Change
Define Budget Organization Ledger Budget, Other, Organization Chart Change
Freeze Budget Ledger Budget, Other, Organization Chart Query
Define MassAllocations (Batch) Ledger Journal, Other,
Allocation
Change
Define MassAllocations (Header) Ledger Journal, Other,
Allocation
Change
Define MassBudgets (Batch) Ledger Budget, Other,
Allocation
Change
Define MassBudgets (Header) Ledger Budget, Other,
Allocation
Change
Define Report Set Ledger Report, Other Change
Define Financial Report Ledger Report, Other Change
Row Set Ledger Report, Other Change
Column Set Ledger Report, Other Change
Enter Budget Amounts Budget Organization Budget Amounts Change
Enter Budget Journals Budget Organization Budget Amounts Change

Related Topics

Creating an Attachment

Deleting an Attachment

Types of Attachments

Attachments Security

Creating an Attachment

New Attachment

When you are working on a General Ledger window where the Attachments feature is enabled, you can choose the Paperclip icon to get to the Attachment window. Specify a document sequence number, a category, provide a description, and select an attachment type.

Document Catalog

The Document Catalog allows you to use existing documents as attachments. Whenever you create a new attachment, the Document Catalog will be updated. When you want to use an attachment from the Catalog, a list will come up that shows documents which are classified under categories that are compatible with the General Ledger window you are using. Use the find function in the Catalog to only bring up attachments that meet criteria you specify.

You can choose to attach one document, or select several by holding the control key down and attach multiple documents. Use the Preview button to view a document before attaching it.

Deleting an Attachment

Use the Delete button or the Edit >> Delete Record menu selection to delete an attachment. You can delete the attachment for the specific record or delete both the attachment and the associated document. Choose Cancel to close the Delete window without deleting any attachments.

Related Topics

General Ledger Windows with the Attachments Feature

Creating an Attachment

Types of Attachments

Attachments Security

Types of Attachments

There are three different types of attachments:

Text: Text stored in the database. For this attachment type, you can directly type information in the attachment viewing window.

File: A file of any type. Use the Browser window to select the file you want to match.

Web Page: A specified address (i.e., URL) used to refer to a document stored on a web page. Use the Web Browser profile option setting to specify the path and filename for the browser program you want to use for viewing web pages.

Related Topics

General Ledger Windows with the Attachments Feature

Creating an Attachment

Deleting an Attachment

Attachments Security

Attachment Security

Access to attachments is controlled by three types of security. These are security enabled at the window level, security based on category assignments and security based on the status of the record. In order for any attachment to be shared among the different windows, both conditions for window-based security and category-based security have to be passed. Record status security controls attachments update limitations for journals which have been posted and budgets which have been frozen.

Security enabled at window level

For a window to have access to attachments created in other windows, it needs to have the same security enabled.

Most the windows where the Attachments feature is enabled has security that is based on ledger. The exceptions are the Enter Budget Amounts and Enter Budget Journals windows, which security is based on budget organization, and the Ledger window, which has no security.

Ledger security is based on a singular value. All windows enabled with this security will be assigned the ledger that is associated with the record in which the attachment was created. All windows that share this ledger can access these attachments in the Document Catalog.

A budget organization is associated with each record in the Enter Budget Amount or Enter Budget Journal window. Budget organization security is based on this. Attachments that are created in these windows can be accessed in other Enter Budget Amount or Enter Budget Journal records with the same budget organization.

Security based on Categories

If a window has been assigned a certain Category, it can access attachments classified with that same category. All windows have one or more categories assigned to it. Different windows can use the same Category assignment.

To illustrate, attachments that are classified with the Category of Organization Chart can be accessed in the Document Catalog of the Define Budget, Define Consolidation, and Define Budget Organization windows.

All attachments are classified with a Category the creator selects. When you work with a new attachment with a particular window, your choices for Categories to classify your attachments are the ones that have been assigned to that window. For example, if you create an attachment in the Enter Journals window, you can classify your record with the Category of Journal or Other. You can use this classification to determine in what other windows your attachment can be accessed.

The seeded Category assignments for windows generally coincides with the window's context, such as that of working with budgets, journals or reports. Your System Administrator can revise these Category assignments for you to tailor to your environment. New categories can also be created for you.

A Category called Other has been assigned to all windows whose security is based on ledgers. This broad Category enables sharing attachments among windows based on this type of security, regardless of their functional context.

Security for posted journals and frozen budgets

When a journal has been posted or a budget has been frozen, that item is only available for viewing and updates to that record is not allowed. This same constraint applies to attachments that are associated with that journal or budget.

If you select either a posted journal or a frozen budget, you cannot add attachments to that record either through creating new ones or copying one from the Document Catalog. You also cannot delete any attachments. Additionally, for attachments of type Short Text or Long Text, the document itself is protected against changes.

Related Topics

General Ledger Windows with the Attachments Feature

Creating an Attachment

Deleting an Attachment

Types of Attachments