19 Understand Flexible Format

This chapter contains these topics:

19.1 About Flexible Format Structure

Flexible account numbers for your chart of accounts can consist of up to 12 segments that total to 34 characters. To create a flexible format, you define each segment of the account number. The following is one example of a flexible format:

  • Business unit, in three segments:

    • Company number

    • Business unit category code, such as Engines

    • Business unit category code, such as Buffalo Plant

  • General ledger object account, in one segment, such as Interplant Sales

  • Subsidiary account (optional), in two segments:

    • Object account, such as Combustion Engines

    • Object account, such as Labor

  • Subledger and type (optional), in one segment. This can be used to track transactions at another level, such as Valves.

Figure 19-1 Flexible Number Format

Description of Figure 19-1 follows
Description of "Figure 19-1 Flexible Number Format"

The following forms illustrate the different ways in which flexible account numbers might appear:

  • Accounts by Business Unit

Figure 19-2 Accounts by Business Unit screen

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Description of "Figure 19-2 Accounts by Business Unit screen"

  • Account Ledger Inquiry

Figure 19-3 Account Ledger Inquiry screen

Description of Figure 19-3 follows
Description of "Figure 19-3 Account Ledger Inquiry screen"

19.1.1 What You Should Know About

Topic Description
Skip to Account field This field must contain the entire business unit segment of the flexible account number.

19.2 About Flexible Format Account Segments

To create a flexible chart of accounts, you need to define account segments for the following:

  • Business unit

  • Object account

  • Subsidiary account

You can sort and select on each segment of information. You can also define how you want to validate the account segments.

You need to understand the following rules about flexible format:

Rule Explanation
Total Length Create account numbers, including separator characters, not to exceed 34 characters.
Numeric/alphanumeric Define each segment of the account number as either numeric or alphanumeric.
Business Unit Use business units or business unit category codes to define business unit segments, up to 12 characters and 6 segments.
Object Use object accounts or object category codes to define object segments, up to 6 characters and 3 segments.
Subsidiary Use object accounts or object category codes to define subsidiary segments, up to 8 characters and 4 segments.
Subledger Define subledger segments for validation only, up to 8 characters and 6 segments. You cannot use separator characters in the subledger code.

19.2.1 Defining Business Unit Segments

The system stores up to 12 characters that are defined as the business unit in:

  • The Business Unit field

  • The fields in the Business Unit Master table that you have defined for the account segment

The following example shows:

  • Segment 1 (three characters) defined as the Company field

  • Segment 2 (three characters) defined as business unit category code 6

  • Segment 3 (three characters) defined as business unit category code 7.

The fields in the Business Unit Master table contain the following information:

Field Value
Business Unit 111BBB222
Company 111
RP06 (category code) BBB
RP07 (category code) 222

For business unit segments 111.BBB.222, the system validates 111 against the Company Numbers and Names table, BBB against the user defined codes list, and 222 against the user-defined codes list. The entire 9-character account number is stored in the Business Unit field.

19.2.2 Defining Object Account Segments

The system stores up to six characters that are defined as the object account in:

  • The Object field

  • The Account Master table you have defined for the segment

You can define the object account number with two category codes, or with an object, but not with a combination of the two.

The following example shows:

  • Segment 1 (three characters) defined as account category code R004

  • Segment 2 (two characters) defined as account category code R005

  • All six characters (three plus two plus a separator character) are stored in these two category codes

If the object account segments are 101.CD, the fields in the Account Master table contain the following information:

Segment Value
Object 101.CD
R004 101
R005 CD

19.2.3 Defining the Subsidiary Account Segments

The system stores up to eight characters for the subsidiary account in:

  • The Subsidiary field

  • The Account Master table that you have defined for the segment

The following example shows:

  • Segment 1 (five characters) defined as account category code 22

  • Segment 2 (two characters) defined as account category code 23

  • All eight characters (five plus two plus a separator character) are stored in the account category code fields

If the subsidiary account segments are CD1234, the fields in the Account Master table contain the following information:

Segment Value
Subsidiary CD12334
R0022 CD123
R0023 34