Exception-Based Approvals for Manual Subledger Entries

Use the approvals workflow for manual subledger entries to improve governance of subledger accounting activities performed by users. With a simplified rule configuration experience, users can enable approvals for specific subledgers, journal sources, and ledgers to drive approvals based on configurable business attributes. By defining customizable approval rules based on business attributes, organizations can ensure that each manual subledger entry complies with their governance policies.

Business benefits include:

  • Spreadsheet-based definition of business rules and notifications enables the creation of a customized workflow tailored to an organization's unique operational needs and risk tolerance levels.

  • Identify and address exceptions early in the subledger accounting process to ensure complete accuracy of transactions before they progress to the General Ledger. 

  • Removes the need of makeshift solutions that leverage journal approvals through the General Ledger to address subledger adjustments.

  • Maintain the validity of transactions within Subledger Accounting as far upstream as possible to ensure accounting accuracy and avoid misrepresentation of subledger balances.

  • Ensure a robust level of control with granular governance on subledger attributes, such as supporting references, which General Ledger approvals do not support early in the accounting process.

Steps to Enable

  1. Navigate to Setup and Maintenance work area.
  2. Search and select the Specify Ledger Options page for the applicable ledger.
  3. Under the Journal Processing section, select Enable journal and manual subledger entry approval option.
  4. Save and Close.
  5. Search and select the Manage Journal Sources page.
  6. Select the Require Manual Subledger Entry Approval option for the journal sources for which you want to enable approvals.
  7. Save and Close.

Specify Ledger Options Enable journal and manual subledger entry approval view

Specify Ledger Options, Enable journal and manual subledger entry approval view

Manage Journal Sources, Require Manual Subledger Entry Approval View

Manage Journal Sources, Require Manual Subledger Entry Approval View

Tips And Considerations

  • Once you select the Require Manual Subledger Entry Approval option for a given journal source, you are unable to also require journal approval for General Ledger journals for that same journal source. You may only require approval for specified journal sources for either Subledger Accounting entries or General Ledger Accounting journals, but not both.

  • Each new successful rule file uploaded overwrites all the existing approval rules for the workflow.

  • Navigate to the Approvals tab on the View Subledger Entry page to understand comprehensive information about a subledger entry that has been submitted for approval.

  • Worklist notifications and email alerts inform users of approval tasks and events that require their attention. You may configure Manual Subledger Entry Approval worklist notifications in the Simplified Rule Configuration (SRC) Spreadsheet.

  • The approvals workflow only applies to manual subledger entries created from the Create Subledger Journal page and the Create Subledger Journal in Spreadsheet page.

Access Requirements

The privileges that control access to the user interfaces and functions for configuring Manual Subledger Entry Approvals are as follows.

Name: Manage Journal Sources

Code: GL_MANAGE_JOURNAL_SOURCES_PRIV

Description: Allows definition of journal sources.

Name: Specify Ledger Option

Code: GL_SET_UP_LEDGER_OPTION_PRIV

Description: Allows definition of the various additional attributes for the ledger.