Understanding Document Sequencing
Statutory legal requirements in some countries require the classification of all financial transactions—generated by source documents, such as invoices or vouchers—into different transaction types. Within each transaction type, financial transactions must also be numbered sequentially. The document sequencing feature maintains these business practices by meeting both requirements.
Document sequencing is available for documents that are created either online or through background (batch) processing. When you activate document sequencing, the PeopleSoft system automatically assigns a sequence number to each document (invoice, voucher, journal, and so on) that you create. You can also enter sequence numbers manually. When the document is posted, the document sequence number is carried forward to the set of accounting transactions generated from the document. When you delete, change, or unpost a document, the document sequencing feature assigns a new sequence number to each set of accounting transactions generated from the delete, change, or unpost action for that document.
This graphic shows the hierarchy levels of Journal Type, Journal Code and Document Type as used in document sequencing.
Hierarchy of financial transactions
A financial transaction is categorized into three hierarchical levels:
Journal types—such as assets, sales, purchases, or financial journals—are the highest category level.
Journal codes subdivide journal types and are assigned to only one journal type, for example, subdividing the sales journal into domestic sales and export sales.
Document types, located within journal codes, are assigned to only one journal code.
Document sequencing occurs at either the journal code level or the document type level within a journal code. If sequencing occurs at the journal code level, all document types within a journal code share the same sequence number range. If sequencing occurs at the document type level, each document type has its own sequence number range. You can reset document sequence numbers at the schedule that you define for each journal code and document type within a journal code. Because you can derive journal type and journal code values from the document type, document type is the only required field of these three in financial transactions.
This section lists common elements and discusses:
How the system assigns sequence numbers.
Document sequencing scenarios.
Field or Control |
Description |
|---|---|
Sequence Range |
Predefined number series used to assign document sequence numbers. Determines the next available sequence number for journal codes and document types. |
Document Sequencing Type |
Specifies how document sequencing numbers are assigned: Automatic: Document Sequence Number field on the transaction record defaults to NEXT, and the system automatically assigns the next available sequence number when you save the transaction. Manual: Enter a number manually into the Document Sequence Number field. The system validates these transactions to avoid duplicate numbers. |
The system uses the following parameters to determine the next document sequence number:
Term |
Definition |
|---|---|
Installation Options |
Determines whether document sequencing is activated at the system level. |
Business Unit |
Determines whether document sequencing is activated for a specific business unit. |
Accounting Date |
Determines the prefix of the document sequence number range. |
Document Type |
Determines journal type, journal code, the level at which the sequence number is assigned, and whether the sequence number is automatically generated or entered manually. |
Ledger Group |
Determines the sequence range based on the ledgers within the ledger group. If Keep Ledgers in Sync (KLS) is selected for a given ledger group, the document type, date, status and sequence will be assigned based on the values associated with the primary ledger. If KLS is not selected for a ledger group, each ledger receives a unique sequence number and may have a different document type. |
If you create a document through background processing, the system assigns a sequence number based on the document that you predefined on the definition pages and SQR process request pages.
There are two scenarios for assigning document sequence numbers. A document can be assigned a sequence number when it is initiated. It can also be assigned a sequence number when its journals are created through the Journal Generator process. In either case, the system populates document sequencing fields—Document Sequence Number, Document Sequence Date, and Document Sequence Status—to PeopleSoft Journal Header and PeopleSoft Journal Line tables, using the document type of the source document.
The following table illustrates how the system assigns document sequencing field values, depending on how the journals are created:
|
If Journals Are Created |
Document Sequence Numbers |
Journal Header |
Journal Line |
|---|---|---|---|
|
From the general ledger. |
Are not yet assigned. |
Document sequence number is assigned at this level. |
Document sequencing field values are the same as those at the Journal Header level. |
|
Through the Journal Generator process from subsystem accounting entries *. |
Are already assigned, and the summarization option is selected to retain detail. |
New document sequence number is assigned at this level. |
Assigned document sequence numbers are carried forward to the journal lines. |
|
Through the Journal Generator process from subsystem accounting entries *. |
Are already assigned, but the summarization option is selected to summarize. |
Document sequence number is assigned at this level. |
Document sequencing field values are blank. |
|
Through the Journal Generator process from subsystem accounting entries**. |
Are not yet assigned. (The journals created are treated as if they were created from general ledger.) |
Document sequence number is assigned at this level. |
Document sequencing field values are the same as those at the Journal Header level. |
*Asset Management, Billing, Expenses, Payables, Receivables, and Treasury
** Cost Management, Inventory, Project Costing, and Purchasing
PeopleSoft applications use journal tables as the central repository for all document sequencing transactions. This is because all subsystems run their own posting processes and may create accounting entries from posting these financial transactions. If they create accounting entries, subsystems run the Journal Generator process to create journals from these accounting entries. Because all transaction records become journal lines in the Journal Line table, you can inquire on document sequencing values and generate a report.
After you create a journal, you can search by document sequence number on:
The Create Journal Entries - Find an Existing Value search criteria page.
The Review Journal Status - Find an Existing Value search criteria page.
The Open Item Maintenance page.
The Review Open Item Status page.
The Review Financial Information - Journals - Journal Inquiry Criteria page.
The document sequence number for a journal also appears on:
The Journal Entry Detail Report (FIN2001).
The General Ledger Journal Report (FIN2002).
The General Ledger Activity Report (GLS7002).
The General Ledger Transaction Detail Report (GLS7005).