Additional User Defined % Column
New MA Parameters for Default Budget Types
New COMMAND LISTING when Editing Report Formats
An "open page" is provided to type in the format commands. Each line allows up to 255 characters across the page, and more than one command can be typed on one line - leave space(s) between commands. Commands can be indented as required to enhance the "readability" and presentation of the format.
When editing report formats it is possible to get a list of all possible commands by choosing the option Commands .
This produces a Command dialog box detailing all available commands.
Selecting a command from the list and clicking the Copy button copies the command to the clipboard, so that it can be pasted into the open page (use Shift and Insert to paste).
Blank lines are ignored, but can be used to improve readability. Any characters following a # are assumed as comment only - e.g. a command can precede a # on a given line, but not follow it.
e.g.
"NEWLINE # This throws one line"
This example is correct.
"NEWLINE # This throws one line NEWLINE"
The second NEWLINE would be ignored.
Cut, paste and copy functions are available to manipulate sections of format. Cut and paste can operate across different formats.
Editing keys are available:
See Kerridge Help Topic Conventions
NEWLINE: Throws one print line
TITLE "text": Gives banner heading to each page.
NEWPAGE: Throws to top of next page
NEWPAGE x: Throws to top of next page unless at least x lines are free
PRINT "text": Prints headings in body of report for example SALES, COST OF SALES.
Print starts at column 1.
EPRINT "text": As per PRINT, but in expanded print.
PAGE "text": Add "text" to front of page heading. For example "text" for Bloggs Ltd nominal ledger for period 01/1998. "text" default to "Trial Balance" if PAGE command is not used.
START "X": In Revision 8, P & L and BS expense codes do not need to be in mutually exclusive ranges. The START command can be used throughout the format to change the point at which printing continues. "x" is the expense code. A BREAK command implies a START, and therefore it overrides a previous "illogical" START.
START "100": BREAK "200" TOTAL etc.
Functions correctly
START "500":
BREAK "200" TOTAL etc. Would not print codes up to 200, but then the BREAK command would imply a start at that point.
BREAK "x": Break printing before expense code "x" (for example to print sub-totals, totals, etc.).
BREAK END: Continue to end of chart of accounts. Note, BREAK commands (s) are essential for printing to occur. E.g. minimum requirement is BREAK END.
UNDER: Prints a single underline.
DOUBLE: Prints a double underline
SIGN +: Prints detail lines (e.g. codes and balances) in their nominal ledger sense (e.g. sales are shown as negative or credits). SIGN + is assumed if no SIGN command is given.
SIGN: Prints detail lines in opposite sense (e.g. sales shown as positive).
SUBTOTAL: Contains the running balance since SUBTOTAL was last zeroed. (Equivalent to register 2 in revision 6.)
CURRENT: Contains balances of detail line currently being printed.
PROFIT: Balance of P and L items
REGISTERS and maths: Apart from the above three reserved names, you can apply your own names to use as registers for retaining balances, carrying out mathematical functions, totals etc. For example:
BREAK "2000"
SALES = SUBTOTAL
SUBTOTAL = 0
TOTAL "Total Sales" SALES
The above assigns SUBTOTAL to you register SALES, which is then printed with the TOTAL statement (see later on in this section). Further down the format one may see, for example:
GROSS = SALES + COSTS
NET = GROSS + SUNDRIES etc.
The standard maths functions of + - */ are available, and parentheses and "actual" values can be used
e.g. AVCOST = (COST1 + COST2)/2
SELECT param: Used to establish general selection rules for a given report, or section of a report. If no SELECT statement is used, SELECT ALL (all expense codes and all balances) is assumed. There are two basic groups of select parameters - those which define a range of codes and those which define the "sense" of the balances required.
SELECT ALL: Includes all expense codes and balances
PL: Only profit and loss codes and balances
BS: Only balance sheet codes and balances
The range selection can then be further qualified by the following:
SELECT NONZERO: Only items where actual or budget is non zero
POSITIVE: Actual is positive and non zero
NONPOSITIVE: Actual is zero or negative
NEGATIVE: Actual is non zero and negative
NONNEGATIVE: Actual is zero or positive.
The range selection overrides previous selections, but not previous "sense" selection, (except SELECT ALL, which overrides all previous selects).
Note: SELECT PL etc. (E.g. the range selections) operate on the detail lines only - the format commands, (for example PRINT, TOTAL etc.) are executed across the whole format.
DETAIL OFF: Stops printing of detail lines (i.e. expense codes and balances).
DETAIL ON: Reinstate printing of detail lines.
TOTAL "text" register: This command is used to print a total line, for example:
BREAK "200"
NEWLINE UNDER
SALES = SUBTOTAL SUBTOTAL = 0
TOTAL "Total Sales" SALES
If the SIGN command has been used, the register may need to be preceded by a minus sign to print in the same "sense" as the detail lines, for example
TOTAL "Total Sales"- SALES
PERCENT "text" register
This command evaluates percentage value from the two registers and prints a line similar to the TOTAL command for example
PERCENT "G. P. %" GROSS SALES
QUIT: Stops all printing - detail lines and formats. Can be used as a command on its own, but may be more useful with the IF command, for example IF DEPT THEN QUIT may be inserted before the balance sheet format commands.
GROUP ON GROUP OFF: GROUP ON causes the format to print detail lines sorted by group code (see add or modify expense codes). The GROUP ON command automatically gives each group a heading of its description (for example Fixed Assets Group), and also subtotals each group.
GROUP OFF turns this function off.
FORMAT: The FORMAT command is used to define the column layout of the report (or a given section on the report). It is introduced as follows:
Key in the command FORMAT followed by "(quotes)" Now key CANCEL or EDIT, and a menu is displayed for selection of the next field in the required layout. Selection of a balance field also provides a window to present the default image, which can be edited. Note that one of the balance fields offered is "Credit". If this field is used as well as "period" then current period debits will go in the "period" column, and credits in the "credit" column. Complete the FORMAT parameters with "(closing quotes)" Balances default with an image providing brackets for negative amounts. If this is not required, the format can be edited to remove the brackets and place a minus sign before the image.
Note: A default format is automatically provided if this command is not used.
ROUTINE and RETURN: A frequently used element of the format (for example the command FORMAT may be required to provide only two layouts, but they are switched between on several occasions) can be included as a subroutine. This can then be "called" as required (see also CALL command). A subroutine is set up thus:
ROUTINE name
FORMAT -"-
RETURN
CALL name: This command is used to call a previously defined ROUTINE by name.
IF, NOT, THEN,DEPT SCREEN,PRINTER: The commands IF THEN and IF NOT THEN are available with the reserved words:
DEPT: This is true for TB's other than company reports.
SCREEN: This is true if view report is selected
PRINTER: This is true if print report is selected
Examples:
IF DEPT THEN QUIT
IF NOT PRINTER THEN CALL FORMAT1
Examples
IF DEPT THEN QUIT
IF NOT PRINTER THEN CALL FORMAT1
DO, ENDDO
These commands are normally used in conjunction with IF, and allow a number of commands to be obeyed dependent on the IF Examples:
IF DEPT THEN
DO START 1000
CALL FORMAT2
GROUP ON
ENDDO
IF NOT DEPT
THEN DO START BEGIN
CALL FORMAT 3
GROUP OFF
ENDDO
BEGIN: Used in conjunction with START to point to beginning of file i.e. START BEGIN.
SCALE x: This command multiplies the values of detail lines by the factor x, which can be negative or positive. (Totals and subtotals would need to have factors individually applied to keep them in line.) For example, to reverse the sign and express in thousands of pounds SCALE -0.001.
ERROR ON ERROR OFF: Used to switch on or off error messages if a divide by zero occurs.
The error messages are printed on the report as they occur.
COSTCENT "x": Causes the format to select balances for department "x" only irrespective of the type of report (i.e. whether it is a company run, specific department etc.).
COSTCENT ALL: Causes the format to run as initially selected (i.e. for company, specific department etc.)
HEADER1: Used to format free text column headings for example "Current Period", "YTD" etc. The string of headings typed should be enclosed in quotes.
HEADER2: Used to format column headings using $BUDGET, $ACTUAL to pick up short description from Budget types. The headings typed in should be enclosed in quotes.
DEPT: The DEPT command (see also IF THEN previously) can be used to set up a selection of different department formats within one format ID.(Or even to simply validate that the correct format has been chosen by you).
IF DEPT ("x", "y") THEN where x is start department and y is end department
Also allowed is:
IF DEPT (BEGIN, "y") THEN
IF DEPT ("x", END) THEN
For example:
IF DEPT ("1100", "1199") THEN CALL
ROUTINE NAME
IF DEPT (BEGIN, "1099") THEN DO
ENDDO
Also:
IF DEPT ("1", "1") THEN CALL name
QUIT
Note: Functions for "all departments in turn", but not for consolidating "specific departments".
BUDGET: These commands are used to change the ACTUAL budget type during a print run. They have a single parameter of budget type for example
BUDGET "TB"
ACTUAL "AC"
COMPARE
This command can incorporate an additional column for actuals and budgets that results in new percentage columns showing each item as a percentage of a declared register. Values can be for example sales or gross profit, the value of which must be calculated in the report before it is to be used.
The ability to report quarterly is available, in fact reports can be customised by totalling any concurrent periods to produce the required report.
This is achieved by entering the relevant range of periods on the initial report selection screen. The defaults are 'current period' to 'current period', the year to date figures are those of the final period entered. The current period figures are the sum of the start to final periods indicated.
For example At the end of period 6, the second quarter, a report showing a total for periods 4 to 6 can be produced with a year-to-date for periods 1 to 6.
For actuals and budgets an additional column can be defined which results in new percentage columns showing each item as a percentage of a declared register Compare. This can be given a value such as Sales or Gross profit the value of which must be calculated in the report before it is to be used.
|
E.g. |
Actual |
% |
Budget |
% |
Var. % |
|
Sales |
1000 |
100.0 |
1200 |
100.0 |
(16.7) |
|
Cost of Sales |
700 |
70.0 |
800 |
66.7 |
(12.5) |
|
Wages |
100 |
10.0 |
110 |
9.2 |
(9.1) |
Currently two budget types can be chosen when running reports, one goes into the 'actual' column the other into the 'budget' column. A third is available to show as a comparison for example with last year's actuals for printing in a column alongside the current year-to-date figures for visual comparison. Automatic printing of the column headings is available using the HEADER2 format command as with the actuals and budgets. i.e. $other
When printing reports the ability to produce up to three columns of full year total figures for any three budget type is available. When prompting for budget types to report on additional prompts for 'Full Year' budget types labelled 1, 2 and 3 offer the ability to position these in any column in the report format but only ever report final year-to-date figures. They are for visual comparison only so no variance analysis is provided. Automatic printing of the column headings is available using the HEADER2 format command as with the actuals and budgets, e.g. $YTD1 $YTD2 $YTD3.
When printing totalled reports related to the MA analysis code the description of the Sub-field found in the lookup file for that level in the hierarchy is used.
Five new MA parameters are available for defaults for the budget types used when running financial reports, the type for actuals is compulsory and already exists:
Main comparison (Default Budget)
Other comparison
First Full YTD
Second Full YTD
Third Full YTD
Any or all of these can be left blank (except actuals) and can be altered when running reports.
When editing report formats it is possible to get a list of all possible commands by selecting the option 'Commands' that produce a dialog box of details.
Ability to show on reports as many periods as required.
