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Edit Financial Report Format

This option allows the creation, editing and deletion of report formats and can be found in the Nominal Ledger Report and Enquiries menu. It is these formats which are used to tailor the financial reports produced to your own particular requirements, taking into account company and department structure, special analysis levels and, within each report, such items as heading, totalling, columns and other presentation features. Producing summary reports is also a feature of the format language.

To Edit a financial report:

  1. From the Autoline master menu select the Nominal Ledger option and the company you require.

  2. Select the Reports & enquiries option.

  3. Select the Edit Financial report option.

    The Edit Financial Report form is displayed.

    Tip: In order to use the formatting language, specific training is required. Some users are happy to let their Software consultant produce the required formats on their behalf. Equally, other users, particularly where management reporting requirements are under on-going development, find it more convenient to learn the technique.

    The Format Language

    General: 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.

    Blank lines are ignored, but can be used to improve readability. Any characters following a '#' are assumed as comment only, i.e. a command can precede a '#' on a given line, but not follow it.

    "NEWLINE # This throws one line" is OK

    "NEWLINE # This throws one line NEWLINE"

    -the second NEWLINE would be ignored

    FUNCTIONS

    Cut

    : (using Ctrl + x keys]

    Paste

    :[using Ctrl + u to paste) These are used to manipulate sections of format. Cut and paste can operate across different formats.

    The editing keys are the same as within any Windows editor.

    A frequently used element of the format (e.g. the command FORMAT may be required to provide only two layouts, but they are switched between on several occasions) can be included as a sub-routine and "called" as required (see also CALL command. A sub-routine is set up thus:

    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.

    IF DEPT THEN QUIT

    IF NOT PRINTER THEN CALL FORMAT1

    GROUP ON/GROUP OFF

    GROUP ON causes the format to print detail lines sorted by group code (see Add/modify expense codes).

    The GROUP ON command automatically gives each group a heading of its description (e.g. 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/EDIT and a window will be presented 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, 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 after the image.

    Note: A default format is automatically provided if this command is not used.

    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.

    BANK: Only bank accounts.

    NOTBANK: All balance sheet codes except bank accounts.

    BS: Only balance sheet codes and balances.

    The range selection can then be further qualified by:

    SELECT NONZERO: Only items where B/F or current are non zero.

    POSITIVE: C/F is positive and non zero.

    NONPOSITIVE: C/F is zero or negative.

    NEGATIVE: C/F is non zero and negative.

    NONNEGATIVE: C/F is zero or positive.

    The range selection overrides previous selections, but no previous "sense" selection, (except SELECT ALL, which overrides all previous selects).

    Note: SELECT PL, etc. (i.e. the range selections), operate on the detail lines only. The format commands (e.g. PRINT, TOTAL, etc.) are executed across the whole format.

    DETAIL OFF: Stops printing of detail lines (i.e. expense codes and balances).

    DETAIL ON: Reinstates printing of detail lines.

    TOTAL "text" register: This command is used to print a total line, for example:

    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, e.g. 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, e.g. 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, e.g. IF DEPT THEN QUIT may be inserted before the balance sheet format commands.

    SIGN +:Prints detail lines (i.e. codes and balances) in their Nominal Ledger "sense" (i.e. sales will be shown as negative/credits). SIGN + is assumed if no SIGN command is given.

    SIGN -: Prints detail lines in opposite sense (i.e. sales shown as positive).

    SUBTOTAL: Contains the running balance since SUBTOTAL was last zeroed.

    CURRENT: Contains balances of detail line currently being printed.

    PROFIT: Balance of P and L items.

    REGISTERS and maths: Apart from the above 3 reserved register names, you can apply your own names to use as registers for retaining balances, carrying out mathematical functions, totals, etc. It can also be used as an "if" condition depending on the value being zero or non-zero. Some examples of registers:

    The above assigns SUBTOTAL to you register SALES, which is then printed with the TOTAL statement. Further down the format one may see, for example:

    The standard maths functions of + - * and / are available, and parentheses and "actual" values can be used.

    e.g. AVCOST = (COST1 + COST2)/2

    TITLE "text": This gives banner heading to each page.

    PAGE "text": Adds "text" to front of page heading, e.g. "text" for Bloggs Ltd Nominal Ledger for period 01/1997 "text" default to "Trial Balance" if PAGE command is not used.

    PRINT "text": Prints headings in body of report, e.g. SALES, COST OF SALES. Print starts at column 1.

    EPRINT "text": As per PRINT, but in expanded print.

    START "X": 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 will continue. "x" is the expense code. A BREAK command implies a START, and therefore would override a previous "illogical" START.

    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" (e.g. to print sub-totals, totals, etc.).

    BREAK END: Continue to end of chart of accounts.

    Note: BREAK command(s) are essential for printing to occur, i.e. minimum requirement is BREAK END.

    UNDER: Prints a single underline.

    DOUBLE: Prints a double underline.

    DO, ENDDO: These commands will normally be used in conjunction with IF, and allow a number of commands to be obeyed dependant on the IF condition.

    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 cost centre "x" only irrespective of the type of report (i.e. whether it is a company run, specific department, etc.).

    COSTCENTALL: Causes the format to select expense code balances and consolidate, irrespective of Cost Centre. (i.e. for Company, specific department, etc.).

    HEADER: Used to format free text column headings, e.g. "Current Period", "YTD", etc. The string of headings typed should be enclosed in quotes.

    DEPT: The DEPT command (see also IF THEN) 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:

    Also:

    Note: Will function for "all departments in turn", but not for consolidating "specific departments".

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