Question 1

What is the Account Allocation (ACA) feature used for?

Accepted Answer

The Account Allocation (ACA) feature is a powerful tool for managing and reconciling your accounts. It allows you to match debit and credit transactions, allocate payments, amend details on posted journals (like due dates or analysis codes), and correct entries. This helps ensure your financial records are always accurate and up-to-date, providing a clear view of your account balances.

Question 2

How do I get started with allocating transactions?

Accepted Answer

Beginning the allocation process is straightforward. First, navigate to the Account Allocation (ACA) function in SunSystems. You will be prompted to enter the account code you wish to work on. After entering the code, click ‘Extract’ to load all relevant transactions. If prompted, you may need to select a display form, such as ‘FULL’ or ‘ALLOCS’, to view and manage the transaction details.

Question 3

What do the different 'Allocation Marker' statuses mean?

Accepted Answer

The ‘Allocation Marker’ provides a clear, at-a-glance status for each transaction, helping you track your reconciliation progress. The statuses change as you work:

Not Allocated: This is the default status for all new journal transactions before any matching has occurred.
To be Allocated: When you select and match equal debits and credits, the marker changes to ‘To be Allocated’. This indicates the transactions are ready for posting, but the allocation is not yet finalized. The ‘Out of Balance’ amount must be zero to proceed.
Allocated: After you successfully post the matched items (using ‘Post by Base’ or ‘Post by Transaction’), the marker automatically updates to ‘Allocated’, confirming the reconciliation is complete and the items are cleared.

Question 4

How can I allocate transactions as I'm entering a new journal?

Accepted Answer

You can save time by allocating transactions directly from the journal entry screen using the ‘;Online Allocation’ feature. As you enter a journal in ‘Ledger Entry’, you can match your new, unposted lines against existing posted transactions on the same account. To do this, simply go to the Actions menu and select Online Allocation. For even greater efficiency, you can configure this form to appear automatically for certain journal types via the Journal Presets Setup (JNP).

Question 5

How can I split a single transaction to allocate it partially?

Accepted Answer

If you need to allocate only part of a transaction, you can use the ‘Split Amount’ function. This is useful for situations like applying a partial payment to an invoice. In the Account Allocation screen, select the transaction line you want to split. Then, from the ‘Actions’ menu, choose ‘Split Amount’. This will create a new, unallocated line for the remaining balance, allowing you to allocate the partial amount as needed while keeping the rest open for future reconciliation.

Question 6

What is a 'Signed Split' and when should I use it?

Accepted Answer

A ‘Signed Split’; is a specialized function used to correct transactions by splitting a single entry into a larger debit and a corresponding credit (or vice versa), while maintaining the original transaction’s integrity. For example, if a debit of $24,500 was incorrectly posted, you could use a signed split to turn it into a debit of $26,500 and a credit of $2,000. To perform this, select the transaction in Account Allocation, choose the ‘Signed Split’ action, and then select the ‘MULTI’ form to enter the new debit and credit lines.

Question 7

Can I change the due date or analysis codes on a journal that has already been posted?

Accepted Answer

Yes, the Account Allocation (ACA) function provides the flexibility to amend certain details on posted journals without needing to reverse and re-enter them. This is particularly useful for correcting data entry errors or updating information.

To amend a Due Date: Navigate to ACA, use the selection criteria to find the transaction, and click ‘Extract’. When prompted, choose a form that includes the ‘Due Date’ column (e.g., ‘FULL’ or ‘PAYMENT’). You can then directly edit the date in the field.
To amend Ledger Analysis codes: This is possible only if the ‘Amend in Account Allocation’ option is enabled for that Analysis Dimension in your system setup. If it is, you can go to ACA, extract the transaction, and select a form like ‘ANALYSIS’ to view and modify the analysis codes

Question 8

How can I update the allocation status for many transactions at once

Accepted Answer

To efficiently update a group of transactions, use the ‘Range Allocate’ action. This allows you to apply a new allocation marker to multiple records simultaneously based on criteria you define. In the ACA screen, after extracting the account’s transactions, go to Actions > Range Allocate. A new window will appear where you can specify criteria (like a date range or reference) to select the transactions and then choose the new allocation marker to apply. After confirming, you must post the changes in the main ACA screen to finalize the update.

Question 9

What is the difference between 'Post by Base' and 'Post by Transaction'?

Accepted Answer

These options determine how the system handles allocations involving different currencies and potential exchange rate fluctuations.

Post by Base: Use this when the amounts in your base currency (e.g., USD) are balanced. If the transaction currency amounts are unbalanced due to exchange rate differences, the system will automatically generate a gain or loss entry to balance the transaction.
Post by Transaction: Use this when the amounts in the original transaction currency are balanced. If this results in an imbalance in the base currency, the system will post a gain or loss to reconcile the base currency amounts.

Question 10

I'm getting an error that says "No Transactions selected from this Account." How do I fix this?

Accepted Answer

This common message usually means your filter settings are too restrictive. To see all transactions for an account, you need to broaden your search criteria. On the ‘;Selection Criteria for Account Alloc’n’ screen, make the following adjustments and try again:

Set the Allocation Marker dropdown to ‘Include All Transactions’.
Set the Selection of Transactions dropdown to ‘Include All’.

This ensures the system retrieves all items for the account, regardless of their current allocation status.

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions