GL Interface Processing Flow
The General Ledger Interface is normally run once a month by most companies,
but can be run daily with no difficulty. It is very similar to our Standard
Report Writer process except that it reads the Distribution, Accounts Payable
and Purchase Order Master files during the course of processing and can produce
a magnetic file for input to a general ledger system.
As in all our other processing flows, we take in online controls and apply
them against company, report (from the Vendor Master file) and Table file
records to arrive at the list of parameters that will control the process today
(please refer to Month-end Processing in the Processing chapter of the
Reference Documentation for a full treatment of the general ledger interface
options).
Note: Selection criteria is not allowed for the General Ledger Interface
reports (APR81), all records that meet the posting criteria will be posted.
The General Ledger Interface Module then reads the Distribution, Purchase
Order and Accounts Payable Master files and creates a debit and credit entry for
each un-posted distribution. In the case of invoice line items, where tax,
freight and discounts may be prorated to the line item accounts, several debit
and credit entries could be produced for each distribution.
These detail charges are sorted and printed on the General Ledger Interface
report. This serves as a detailed audit trail for any posting records sent to
the general ledger.
If you have instructed the General Ledger Interface Module to produce a file
for the general ledger (you could have selected a trial posting only), then an
interface file is produced. This file can include as much or as little detail as
you want. For instance, you may decide that all expense entries will show full
detail, Accounts Payable offset entries will be summarized by account and the
Cash Account entries will be summarized by cost center.
If you have elected to create an interface file, the Distribution, Purchase
Order and Accounts Payable Master files are updated with the posted information
to prevent postings on a subsequent run.
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