Structure—Key Exercises

IMPORTANT
It is extremely important that you set up and work within your own company to maintain your data integrity. If you work within any other company, your exercises will not function as intended and the data of other students might be affected. Predictable exercise results require that your data be isolated in your own company.

The data used in this exercise comes from Company 10 in the RACE database.  Account descriptions have been added in case you are using a company with a different chart of accounts.

Basic Data Setup

Purpose: The purpose of these exercises is to show you how to set up the basic data for structure. The exercises are based on the example in the slide presentation.

Define Code Part 

Purpose: The purpose of this exercise is to show you how to define the code part values that will be used in the structure if they have not already been entered. In this example, Code Part B will be used and it represents the company's cost centers or departments.

Windows:
Code Part Values

  1. Click the Cost Cent tab.
  2. Enter the cost centers shown in the table below unless you have existing cost centers that you would like to use instead of those in the example.
Cost Center  Description
CHI Chicago
MIL Milwaukee
TUC Tucson
SAN San Jose
  1. Save your changes.

Define the Structure

Purpose: The purpose of this exercise is to show you how to define a structure. The exercises are based on the example in the slide presentation.

Windows:
Internal Elimination Structure

  1. Click the General tab.
  2. Create a new record, and enter the information from the table below.
Name Description Code Part Internal Elimination Structure
Region Region 1 B Not Checked
  1. Save your changes. 
  2. Click the Levels tab. You will see that a line for the cost center already exists in the tab.  Enter the information from the table below in the order shown.
Level Description Level Above
TOP Top Level
REGION Region Level TOP
  1. Save your changes.
  2. Click the Nodes tab, and enter the information from the table below in the order shown.
Node Description Level Node Above
TOP Top Node TOP
EAST EAST REGION TOP
WEST WEST REGION TOP
  1. Save your changes. 
  2. Click the Code Part Values tab, and enter the information from the table below in the order shown.
Code Part Value Node
CHI EAST
MIL EAST
TUC WEST
SAN WEST
  1. Save your changes. Your structure is now complete.
  2. Click the View Structure tab to view the structure and see the relationships between the nodes and code part values.  Double click on the Top level in order to expand or collapse the structure to see all of the connections that you set up. 

Required Data

Before you begin these exercises, you need to know how to enter manual vouchers and update the general ledger. This information is provided in the following lesson: 

Journal Entry/Manual Postings

Note: Because only one elimination structure can be used at a time, make sure that you are using your own company.

Main Exercises

Create and Report Transactions

Create Internal Transactions

Purpose: The purpose of this exercise is to show you how to create a manual voucher with transactions that will post to the cost centers. 

Windows:
Voucher Entry

  1. Enter a manual voucher with the information shown in the table below.
Account  Cost Center Debit Currency Amount Credit Currency Amount
1912 (Cash Account) 5,150
1913 (Cash Account) 7,000
3011 (Taxable Sales Account) CHI 3,000
3011 (Taxable Sales Account) MIL 4,000
3011 (Taxable Sales Account) SAN 2,150
3011 (Taxable Sales Account) TUC 3,000
  1. Save the voucher and note the voucher number.
  2. Click the Right Mouse Button (RMB) and select Instant Update General Ledger.
  3. When the voucher is presented for update to the GL, click OK.  A pop-up message will inform you of the journal that was created.  Click OK.

Query the Transactions

Purpose: The purpose of this exercise is to demonstrate using a structure in financial reporting.  Structure can be used in the report generator, but also in Crystal reports or any other external reporting tool.

Windows:
Order Reports

  1. Select the IFSR5 Report ID (Trial Balance) and then click Change in the Selection and Groupings box.
  2. The Selections and Groupings window will open.
  3. Create a new line in the Superior Grouping Level table.  Select Structure from the Object field drop down list.
  4. Select Region from the Object Name list, Region from the Structure Level list, and enter Total Grouping Text of "Total Company Balance".
  5. Click OK and the window will close.  You should see that in the Order Reports window Groupings Exist check box is now selected.
  6. Click OK and then click Preview in the Print Report window. w.
  7. View the report.  Use the red arrows just above the report to switch pages.
  8. Any transactions that have been previously entered into the database without a cost center will be shown first with a sub total.  These will be followed with one or more pages for transactions that have been entered for each region.  There will be a total of all company transactions at the end of the report.