06-16-2011, 03:36 AM
Definition from Wikipedia:
Chart of accounts (COA) is a list of the accounts used by an organization. The list can be numerical, alphabetic, or alpha-numeric. The structure and headings of accounts should assist in consistent posting of transactions. Each nominal ledger account is unique to allow its ledger to be located. The list is typically arranged in the order of the customary appearance of accounts in the financial statements, profit and loss accounts followed by balance sheet accounts.
Overview:
This post will introduce the process flow for creating a chart of accounts. The chart of Accounts defines the accounting structure of the organization. This structure includes every aspects of the business like business units, accounts, products, services, geographical locations etc. Further COA also tells us about how the elements of the structure combined to form the account combination.
Uses:
Basic Steps Involved in Implementation:
![[Image: COA+Steps.JPG]](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRLwX6_7UbQ/TBDvDTatriI/AAAAAAAAAXk/PgLlIozHSuU/s640/COA+Steps.JPG)
Steps in Detail:
1. Value Set Definition:
The value set is the group of values that determine the attributes of the segment. The definition of value set decides whether the value entered for the corresponding segment is acceptable or not. We have to define the value sets for each segment we planned to have in Account combination.
Navigation: General Ledger Super User Responsibility
Setup à Financials à Flexifeilds à Validation à Sets
![[Image: COA+Steps+1.JPG]](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRLwX6_7UbQ/TBDtzNyhGtI/AAAAAAAAAW0/yiE8rsBa-pY/s400/COA+Steps+1.JPG)
2. Defining Accounting Flexifield Structure
Define an accounting flexfield structure using the Key Flexfield Segments form.
[b]Caution 1:[/b]
Once we freeze our account structure in the Key Flexfield Segments window and begin using account numbers in data entry, we should not modify the flexfield definition. Changing the existing flexfield structure after flexfield data has been created can cause serious data inconsistencies. Modifying your existing structures may also adversely affect the behavior of cross–validation rules and shorthand aliases.
[b]Caution 2:[/b]
Once you are done entering the segment information, click on flexfield qualifier and designate one of your segments as the natural account segment and another as the balancing segment. You can optionally designate a cost center segment and/or intercompany segment. This is the most important step.
Navigation: General Ledger Super User Responsibility
Setup à Financials à Flexfield à Keyà Segments
![[Image: COA+Steps+2.JPG]](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRLwX6_7UbQ/TBDt5a3Xd_I/AAAAAAAAAW8/vaC0mAbd1c4/s400/COA+Steps+2.JPG)
3: Entering Segment Values
We enter segment values which is valid for our application or organization. The valid value can be a phrase, word, abbreviation or numeric code. The valid value must conform to the criteria defined for the respective valid set.
Caution :
If you plan on defining summary accounts or reporting hierarchies, you must define parent values as well as child or detail values.
You can set up hierarchy structures for your segment values. Define parent values that include child values. You can view a segment value’s hierarchy structure as well as move the child ranges from one parent value to another.
Navigation: General Ledger Super User Responsibility
Setup à Financials à Flexfield à Keyà Values
![[Image: COA+Steps+3.JPG]](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRLwX6_7UbQ/TBDt7K1mUII/AAAAAAAAAXE/e3Iea33ObcI/s400/COA+Steps+3.JPG)
4. Entering Account Combinations
This step is optional. Account combinations are part of Journal Transactions.
We can manually enter the new account combinations in a chart of accounts of a company using GL Accounts form. Anyhow, if we have checked the “Allow dynamic inserts” check box in segments for then we don’t need to worry about this step.
Navigation: General Ledger Super User Responsibility
Setup à Account à Combinations
![[Image: COA+Steps+4.JPG]](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRLwX6_7UbQ/TBDt8Zgo05I/AAAAAAAAAXM/KBs7l0PjY2M/s400/COA+Steps+4.JPG)
5. Creation of Account Alias:
This step is again optional. For input or Retrieve data about a transaction in Oracle General Ledger requires the complete Account Combination. But generally the account combination is large and very difficult to remember. Hence we define a short name (Alias) for the Account combination which we use widely.[b][/b]
6. Define Flexfield Security Rules
[b]This [/b]step is to prevent group of users from accessing specific segment values while data entry and in report parameters. This maintains the integrity of accounting data. The flexfield security rule is effective only when assigned to an appropriate responsibility.
However to restrict all the users from accessing the particular segment value we need to disable them in segment s form.
Navigation: General Ledger Super User Responsibility
Setup à Financials à Flexfield à Keyà Security à Define
![[Image: COA+Steps+6.JPG]](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRLwX6_7UbQ/TBDt-cXmRNI/AAAAAAAAAXU/itfzAzZDFBk/s400/COA+Steps+6.JPG)
7. Define Cross Validation Rules
This step is required to maintain a consistent and valid set of account combination based on our business requirements. Cross validation rule prevent users from entering invalid account combinations. Cross validation rules validate only new account combinations hence it needs to be implemented before entering the chart of accounts.
Navigation: General Ledger Super User Responsibility
Setup à Financials à Flexfield à Keyà Rules
![[Image: COA+Steps+7.JPG]](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRLwX6_7UbQ/TBDt_lI08wI/AAAAAAAAAXc/9yzskWkXQiU/s400/COA+Steps+7.JPG)
Chart of accounts (COA) is a list of the accounts used by an organization. The list can be numerical, alphabetic, or alpha-numeric. The structure and headings of accounts should assist in consistent posting of transactions. Each nominal ledger account is unique to allow its ledger to be located. The list is typically arranged in the order of the customary appearance of accounts in the financial statements, profit and loss accounts followed by balance sheet accounts.
Overview:
This post will introduce the process flow for creating a chart of accounts. The chart of Accounts defines the accounting structure of the organization. This structure includes every aspects of the business like business units, accounts, products, services, geographical locations etc. Further COA also tells us about how the elements of the structure combined to form the account combination.
Uses:
- Accounting combinations defined in Chart of Accounts is used to various transactions happening in the organization.
- Helps in generating account balances.
- Helps in Reporting
- Helps in Analyzing financial information
- Many more …
Basic Steps Involved in Implementation:
![[Image: COA+Steps.JPG]](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRLwX6_7UbQ/TBDvDTatriI/AAAAAAAAAXk/PgLlIozHSuU/s1600/COA+Steps.JPG)
Steps in Detail:
1. Value Set Definition:
The value set is the group of values that determine the attributes of the segment. The definition of value set decides whether the value entered for the corresponding segment is acceptable or not. We have to define the value sets for each segment we planned to have in Account combination.
Navigation: General Ledger Super User Responsibility
Setup à Financials à Flexifeilds à Validation à Sets
![[Image: COA+Steps+1.JPG]](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRLwX6_7UbQ/TBDtzNyhGtI/AAAAAAAAAW0/yiE8rsBa-pY/s1600/COA+Steps+1.JPG)
2. Defining Accounting Flexifield Structure
Define an accounting flexfield structure using the Key Flexfield Segments form.
[b]Caution 1:[/b]
Once we freeze our account structure in the Key Flexfield Segments window and begin using account numbers in data entry, we should not modify the flexfield definition. Changing the existing flexfield structure after flexfield data has been created can cause serious data inconsistencies. Modifying your existing structures may also adversely affect the behavior of cross–validation rules and shorthand aliases.
[b]Caution 2:[/b]
Once you are done entering the segment information, click on flexfield qualifier and designate one of your segments as the natural account segment and another as the balancing segment. You can optionally designate a cost center segment and/or intercompany segment. This is the most important step.
Navigation: General Ledger Super User Responsibility
Setup à Financials à Flexfield à Keyà Segments
![[Image: COA+Steps+2.JPG]](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRLwX6_7UbQ/TBDt5a3Xd_I/AAAAAAAAAW8/vaC0mAbd1c4/s1600/COA+Steps+2.JPG)
3: Entering Segment Values
We enter segment values which is valid for our application or organization. The valid value can be a phrase, word, abbreviation or numeric code. The valid value must conform to the criteria defined for the respective valid set.
Caution :
If you plan on defining summary accounts or reporting hierarchies, you must define parent values as well as child or detail values.
You can set up hierarchy structures for your segment values. Define parent values that include child values. You can view a segment value’s hierarchy structure as well as move the child ranges from one parent value to another.
Navigation: General Ledger Super User Responsibility
Setup à Financials à Flexfield à Keyà Values
![[Image: COA+Steps+3.JPG]](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRLwX6_7UbQ/TBDt7K1mUII/AAAAAAAAAXE/e3Iea33ObcI/s1600/COA+Steps+3.JPG)
4. Entering Account Combinations
This step is optional. Account combinations are part of Journal Transactions.
We can manually enter the new account combinations in a chart of accounts of a company using GL Accounts form. Anyhow, if we have checked the “Allow dynamic inserts” check box in segments for then we don’t need to worry about this step.
Navigation: General Ledger Super User Responsibility
Setup à Account à Combinations
![[Image: COA+Steps+4.JPG]](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRLwX6_7UbQ/TBDt8Zgo05I/AAAAAAAAAXM/KBs7l0PjY2M/s1600/COA+Steps+4.JPG)
5. Creation of Account Alias:
This step is again optional. For input or Retrieve data about a transaction in Oracle General Ledger requires the complete Account Combination. But generally the account combination is large and very difficult to remember. Hence we define a short name (Alias) for the Account combination which we use widely.[b][/b]
6. Define Flexfield Security Rules
[b]This [/b]step is to prevent group of users from accessing specific segment values while data entry and in report parameters. This maintains the integrity of accounting data. The flexfield security rule is effective only when assigned to an appropriate responsibility.
However to restrict all the users from accessing the particular segment value we need to disable them in segment s form.
Navigation: General Ledger Super User Responsibility
Setup à Financials à Flexfield à Keyà Security à Define
![[Image: COA+Steps+6.JPG]](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRLwX6_7UbQ/TBDt-cXmRNI/AAAAAAAAAXU/itfzAzZDFBk/s1600/COA+Steps+6.JPG)
7. Define Cross Validation Rules
This step is required to maintain a consistent and valid set of account combination based on our business requirements. Cross validation rule prevent users from entering invalid account combinations. Cross validation rules validate only new account combinations hence it needs to be implemented before entering the chart of accounts.
Navigation: General Ledger Super User Responsibility
Setup à Financials à Flexfield à Keyà Rules
![[Image: COA+Steps+7.JPG]](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRLwX6_7UbQ/TBDt_lI08wI/AAAAAAAAAXc/9yzskWkXQiU/s1600/COA+Steps+7.JPG)