Comparing Ledger Balances

This section provides an overview of the Variance Inquiry component and discusses how to:

Specify which data to compare.
View comparison results.

Pages Used to Compare Ledger Balances

Page Name	Definition Name	Navigation	Usage
Variance Inquiry - Selection	GC_LEDINQ_VAR_SEL	select Global Consolidations, then select Consolidation Analysis, then select Consolidation Inquiries, then select Variance Inquiry	Specify which ledger data to compare.
Variance Inquiry - Results	GC_LEDINQ_VAR	Click Go on the Variance Inquiry - Selection page.	Review differences between ledger data, either from different scenarios or different periods.
Variance Inquiry Results - Details	GC_LEDINQ_VAR_DET	Select a node at the lowest level of the tree.	View the details for the node's balances.
Get Preference	GC_LEDINQ_PREF_SEL	Click Get Preference on the Variance Inquiry - Selection page.	Select a preference to use for the ledger inquiry page. The field values defined for that preference load into the Variance Inquiry - Selection page.
Save Preference	GC_LEDINQ_PREF_SAV	Click Save Preference on the Variance Inquiry - Selection page.	Save the current settings to a named preference.
Detail Dimensions	GC_LEDINQ_DET_SEL	Click Select Detail Dimensions on the Ledger Inquiry page.	Select which dimensions to display when viewing details.

Understanding the Variance Inquiry Component

The Variance Inquiry pages show period over period net changes on balance sheet account types. Use these pages to compare two different scenarios or the same scenario over two different time frames and review the ledger balance differences between them.

Specifying Which Data to Compare

Use the Variance Inquiry - Selection page (GC_LEDINQ_VAR_SEL) to specify which ledger data to compare.

Navigation

select Global Consolidations, then select Consolidation Analysis, then select Consolidation Inquiries, then select Variance Inquiry

Image: Variance Inquiry - Selection page

This example illustrates the fields and controls on the Variance Inquiry - Selection page. You can find definitions for the fields and controls later on this page.

This page functions like the Ledger Inquiry page, except that you compare two different scenarios or two different time frames for the same scenario to view the differences between ledger balances. You must specify the inquiry scenario and its fiscal year and period, and the compare scenario and its fiscal year and period.

Complete the fields, and click Go to view the results.

Note: When using the Variance Inquiry page to compare two scenarios, both scenarios must use the same ledger format (financial statement or trial balance).

Preference

Displays the selected preference. If you want to use previously saved selection criteria, select Get Preference and select the preference. If you want to save the selection criteria that you enter on this page, select Save Preference.

Business Unit

Specify the common consolidation business unit.

Amount Type

Select how to summarize amounts for ledger balances. Options are:

End of Period / Period Activity:Select to view end of period balances for balance sheet accounts, and period activity for income statement accounts.

End of Period / Year to Date:Select to view end of period balances for balance sheet accounts, and YTD activity for income statement accounts.

Period Activity: Select to view period activity for all accounts. This option is available only for trial balance format ledgers.

Drill Type

The Drill Type field determines which tree level information appears in the grid. Select from these options:

Get All Lowest Level Nodes Displays the information for the children (direct or indirect) at the lowest level of the tree for the selected node.

Get Next Level Nodes Displays the information for the direct children of the selected node within the grid. When you select this option, you must navigate through the tree nodes to eventually view the lowest level details.

Inquiry Scenario, Year, Period

Select the scenario, fiscal year, and accounting period on which to inquire.

Compare Scenario, Year, Period

Select the scenario, fiscal, and accounting period to compare to the inquiry scenario, year, and period.

Book Code Group

Select the book code group by which you want to further filter the inquiry report data. This is an optional field and is only available if you turn on book code functionality on the General Options page and you create book code values with the Book Codes and Book Code Group pages. Book code is an additional dimension on which you can report. If book code functionality is available, you can select this option and the Ledger Inquiry report displays separate amounts by book code when drilling down from inquiries on the consolidation audit.

Reporting Tree

Select a reporting tree to use to group inquiry results. Select an account rollup tree based on the accounts in your consolidation ledger to view the totals broken down by account, or another tree depending on your requirements.

Specifying the Comparison Scenarios and Time Frames

You can either compare the same scenario for different time frames, or different scenarios. When comparing two different time frames, the Inquiry Scenario fields should be the most current fiscal year and period. (The Compare Scenario fields should contain a fiscal year and period prior to those of the inquiry scenario.)

Filtering Selection Criteria

As an option to further define which data to select, you can enter a dimension and specific values to display on the inquiry results page. You can select the specific values by either entering a value in the Detail Value field, or by selecting a Tree Name and Tree Node.

Dimension

Select a dimension from the consolidation tree on which to filter the data, then either enter a value in the Detail Value field, or select a Tree Name and Tree Node.

Detail Value

Specify a value to use to filter the data. For example, if the selected Dimension is Ledger Business Unit, enter a specific ledger business unit in this field. This field is not used if a value is entered in the Tree Name field.

Tree Name

Specify a tree to use to filter the data, then specify a Tree Node. This field is not used if a value is entered in the Detail Value field.

Tree Node

Specify a tree node from the filter tree by which you want to further filter the trial balance inquiry. This field is not used if a value is entered in the Detail Value field.

Viewing Results

Click Go to view the Ledger Inquiry - Results page.

Variance Inquiry - Results Page

Use the Variance Inquiry - Results page (GC_LEDINQ_VAR) to review differences between ledger data, either from different scenarios or different periods.

Navigation

Click Go on the Variance Inquiry - Selection page.

Image: Variance Inquiry - Results page

This example illustrates the fields and controls on the Variance Inquiry - Results page. You can find definitions for the fields and controls later on this page.

The results grid contains these fields:

Tree Node and Description

Displays the tree node for the row.

Inquiry Amount

Displays the balances in the ledger or period for the inquiry scenario.

Compare Amount

Displays the balance in the compared ledger or period.

Variance Amount

Displays the difference between the ledger or period balances. The calculation that the system uses to compute this amount is: (Variance Amount) = (Inquiry Amount) – (Compare Amount).

Variance Percentage

Displays the percentage difference between the ledger or period balances. The calculation that the system uses to compute this percentage is: (Variance Percent) = (Variance Amount) ÷ (Compare Amount).

See Ledger Inquiry - Results Page.