Make Sure Your Database Stays in Balance!

Jay Wright — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 14:59:00 GMT

To make sure your bank registers balance to your cash account in GL, there is a business rule that you have to understand so that reconciliations run smoothly. Business rules configure how the database is able to operate according to your business office policy.

This important business rule, located in GL, Configuration, Business Rules, Journal Entry, is called Allow journal entries to cash accounts without adjusting the bank register. When marked, a corresponding bank adjustment is not created in the bank register when the cash account is used in a manual journal entry. Using this option, the bank register has no record when the cash account balance is changed making reconciliation more difficult.

When this rule is unmarked, a corresponding bank adjustment is created in the bank register when the cash account is used in a manual journal entry. The rule makes it easy for the cash account and the bank register to communicate without any manual adjustments. No one wants to do manual adjustments; your day is too busy as it is!

Now you can make the decision on how you want to set this up. I suggest you don’t mark this rule so all parts of the database are in balance. Now you are armed with the knowledge to keep your reconciliations simple and in balance. And knowing is half the battle! Go Joe!

New Transaction Business Rules

Jennifer Maroney — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 21:40:00 GMT

I wanted to share another great new feature with you guys that will be implemented in FE 7.77! This one will help if you find inconsistencies in your data that could cause reconciliation issues, such as transaction dates not matching post dates or transactions posting to the incorrect accounts. When you update to the new version, due out later this year, you will see new Transaction Business Rules. These business rules will allow you to have more control over transactions and limit the potential for incorrect data entry.

The new Business Rules are located in General Ledger and subsidiary ledgers. Let's take a look at the each new rule:

General Ledger Business Rules:
- Do not allow post dates to be different than transaction dates in other Blackbaud Systems disables the Post Date field forcing the Post Date to equal the Transaction Date. This option prevents date inconsistencies and confusion when running reports.
- Do not allow journal codes to be edited when posting from other Blackbaud Systems ensures the same journal code is always used when posting from sub-ledgers. This option helps prevent transactions from one subsidiary ledger being grouped with another on GL reports. For example, an Accounts Payable invoice posting to the Student Billing journal code will show the invoice with SB transactions causing an out of balance for both AP and SB.
- Do not allow a default account to be edited or used as the primary account in other Blackbaud System transactions prevents users from using default summary accounts incorrectly. For example, the AP Summary account would be restricted so it can only be used on invoices as the credit account number.
- Allow adjusting journal entries to Blackbaud System default Summary Accounts prevents users from using default summary accounts in Journal Entry and on miscellaneous entries in sub-ledgers. This option prevents transactions from posting incorrectly to summary accounts causing it not to balance with subsidiary reports.
Subsidiary Ledger Business Rule:
- Do not allow a General Ledger account number to be used for more than one Configuration Default Account prevents the same default summary account from being used within a product. For example, the Accounts Payable liability account can’t be the same account number as the Accounts Payable encumbrance account.

I also wanted to mention that these new rules will not affect transactions already entered into your database; they will only apply to new transactions added.

Stay tuned for more 7.77 previews. Talk to you soon!

The Ledger : business rules

Make Sure Your Database Stays in Balance!

New Transaction Business Rules