Defining G/L Allocations

The G/L allocation function allows users to calculate allocations and post them to specific general ledger accounts. You can define these allocations by branch, subledger, allocation percentage, whether the allocation is a fixed percentage, or whether the allocation is by a comparison or branch comparison method. You can also specify the amount to allocate and its frequency. You can name, save, reuse, and delete allocations as needed, or establish them as a regularly scheduled event. Use the G/L Allocation Maintenance window to name templates, and determine from where the allocations originate, and to where the allocations are delivered.

This topic describes how to do the following:

• Define a G/L allocation template.

• Enter the allocation from an account.

• Enter the allocation to an account.

To define a G/L allocation template:

1. From the G/L > G/L Allocation menu, select G/L Allocation Maintenance to display the G/L Allocation Maintenance window.

2. From the File menu, select New.

3. In the Description field, enter a descriptive name for this allocation template. This description is indexed and searchable.

To enter the allocation from an account:

1. Define the allocation template.

2. In the Start Date field, enter the start date you want to use when gathering money from a specified account.

3. In the End Date field, enter the end date you want to use when gathering money from a specified account.

4. In the Branch/Terr field, enter the branch or territory from which the allocation is drawn.

5. In the Account/Template(T) field, enter the G/L account or allocation template from which the allocation is drawn. Templates have the letter "T" as a prefix indicator.

6. In the % field, enter one of the following to determine the percentage of the total amount that should be allocated:

• Enter a number representing a percentage of the total. For example, if the amount to allocate is $10,000, and you enter 75, then $7,500 is allocated to the target accounts.

• Leave this field blank to allocate a default amount of 100 percent.

7. In the SubLedger field, enter the G/L subledger from which the allocation is drawn, if the account has subledgers. You can only specify a subledger that contains money within the specified date range.

8. In the Contra Account field, enter a different account to reduce by the allocation amount if you do not want the from G/L account to be reduced by that amount. The net effect is a perfect balance in those accounts, but the history in the from account remains rather than being reduced as a result of the allocation.

To enter the allocation to an account:

1. Enter the allocation from an account.

2. In the Post Date field, enter the date you want the allocation to post.

3. In the Allocate By field, select how to post the allocations.

   Options	Description
   Branch	Enables the Account/Template(T) field to the right of the Allocate By field. In the Account/Template (T) field, enter or select an account name. The system uses the account as the Allocate By account for each line entry in the Allocation To area of the window. The system bases its pooling decision on this account to determine how many of the funds it allocates to each G/L account in the Allocation To area. For example, you would allocate funds from a specific G/L account to each of your branches. You must apply these allocations to the same G/L account type. Note: When you use the Branch option, the Allocation By column is inaccessible because each G/L account line item is based on the same account, per branch.
   Comparison	Totals the accounts specified in the Allocate By column, calculates the percentage of the total from each account, then applies the percentage to the amount being allocated, and then allocates those amounts to the G/L accounts listed in the G/L Account field. You can apply these allocations to any G/L account type. Note: The difference between this allocation option and the Branch option is that under this option you can indicate different Allocate By accounts for each G/L account line item, whereas the Branch option provides for one Allocate By G/L account to use as a pooling basis.
   Fixed	Allows you to specify fixed percentages of a total pool of funds in the Allocate By column. Those percentages are then applied, or multiplied, towards the amount that is being allocated. The resulting amounts are allocated to the accounts specified in he G/L Account column. Note: The percentages in the Allocate By column must total 100 percent.

    

4. In the Branch column, enter the branch to which you want to make the allocation.

5. In the G/L Account column, enter the name of the G/L account to which you want to make the allocation.

6. In the SubLedger column, enter the name of the subledgers, if any, to which you want to make the allocation.

7. Do one of the following:

• If you selected Fixed in the Allocate By field, enter the percentage to allocate to that G/L account in the Allocate % column.

• If you selected Branch in the Allocate By field, the Allocate By column displays the account entered in the Account/Template(T) field. You cannot change this account or template.

• If you selected Comparison in the Allocate Byfield, select an account in the Allocate By column.

8. If you want to review the allocation in a report format, select Options>Preview. You can preview the results of the allocation before activating it in the G/L Allocation Maintenance window. If you used variable dating for the allocation, the preview displays real dates.

9. Use any of the following options to process the allocation:

10. Save your changes and exit the window.

More Options When Defining G/L Allocations

The G/L Allocation Maintenance window offers the following options to view information related to the allocation:

See Also:

G/L Journal Entry Overview

Posting Entries to G/L Accounts

Template Maintenance Overview

Creating G/L Accounts