Assuming that the other end-of-month programs have run satisfactorily, the final stage for a normal period end, (not a financial year end), is to run this option. To do this, the Accounts modules (Sales-, Purchase-, and Nominal-,) need to be in stand-alone mode, and the system checks this. If other users are logged in to the Nominal Ledger, messages are displayed, such as:
Unable to lock module (NL/##), or
Access denied [to a particular file that is in use]
See also: Locking the Necessary Modules to Advance the Nominal Ledger Period.
If necessary, run the Reset in-use flags option in the NL SYSTEM MAINTENANCE MENU after it has been ascertained that there are no genuine users logged into the module.
To advance the Nominal Ledger period:
From the Autoline Master Menu, select the Nominal Ledger option and the company you require.
The NOMINAL LEDGER Main Menu is displayed.
Select Period end options.
The NL PERIOD END MENU is displayed.
Select the Advance nominal ledger period option.
The Nominal Ledger - End of Period form is displayed.
Warning: Read the form very carefully. If you are in any doubt that you have not carried out all the operations that are listed, click Exit.
Error messages may be displayed at this point - for example:
Unable to advance NL period - [reason]
After the program is able to lock the Nominal Ledger module in stand-alone mode, it checks the contents of the posting buffer NL.invbf, and, if transactions are found, displays a warning to check that none of the transactions therein relates to the period being closed. Click Override if you are satisfied that the postings do not relate to the period to be advanced.
Warning: If there is any doubt about this situation, click Exit, and use the View Posting Buffer program to determine which period the transaction relates to.
After this situation has been checked and found to be satisfactory, (it may necessitate the printing of day-books), the program can be re-selected.
Note: If foreign currency is being used in the system, two account history records (NL.ahist) are required for every account header record (NL.accts).
After these checks have been satisfactorily completed, a second warning form will be displayed, reminding you which tasks should have been carried out prior to proceeding. A list of operations that will be performed by the End-of-Period process will also be displayed. The system also checks to ensure that the Sales- and Purchase Ledger have been closed before proceeding, and, if the Autoline installation is divisional, that the Inter-Divisional Journals have been processed.
If the Sales- and Purchase Ledger have not already been advanced, the Nominal Ledger will not be permitted to be advanced. For example, if Nominal is in Period 6 and is to be advanced to Period 7, and the Sales and/or Purchase is in Period 6 as well, the Nominal- cannot be advanced. If this is the case, a grid is displayed illustrating ALL Sales/Purchase companies that have not been advanced, and which accounting year and period these companies are in, so you can determine which companies have to be advanced before the Nominal Ledger can be advanced.
The menu options will allow you to Quit the process at this stage in order to carry out any task that may have been overlooked, or Proceed.
The sorted Nominal Ledger report will depend on the system parameter setting in Period end options as to whether a listing in cost centre order only is produced, a listing in expense code order only is produced, or both reports are printed. The trial balance print format is also system-parameter dependent.
Assuming you click Proceed, the program commences. The first stage is to take a security copy of the files being updated, which can be used by the system to effect a Restore in the event of a failure to restore a partly carried forward situation. After this has been done, the Nominal Ledger is verified to ensure that it balances. If it does not, an error message is displayed, and the program terminates. If any data files are not sufficiently large, the program terminates.
This form is displayed when you select Period end options from the NOMINAL LEDGER Main Menu, then the Advance nominal ledger period option. It enables you to advance the Nominal Ledger period for a normal period end.
Warning: Read the form very carefully. If you are in any doubt that you have not carried out all the operations that are listed, click Exit.
PUSH BUTTONS:
Exit: Returns you to the NL PERIOD END MENU
Proceed: Autoline displays a form detailing the current Nominal Ledger period and the new Nominal Ledger period. It also displays a list of operations that will be carried out subject to system parameters. Assuming that the verification is successful, the system prints the transaction reports followed by the designated trial balance.
Help: Displays help on the current program in your default company browser
Carry-forward-Nominal-Ledger: The system proceeds to carry forward the balances and move the Nominal Ledger into the next accounting period. The Nominal Ledger account totals are automatically re-built, and you are returned to the NL PERIOD END MENU. This is the finish of the period-end process.
Note: Dependent upon a system parameter, it is possible to omit the final Cancel button. This allows an automatic carry-forward of balances.
Advancing the Nominal Ledger Period in the End of Day
Adding an Advance Nominal Ledger Period Option
Configuring a Schedule in Timed Operations
