GL> Reporting Tools> Visual Reporting

Visual Reporting in GL

 

Summary

 

This tool was created to aid in producing GASB 34 reports. It allows you to define where you want GL account information to be located within a pre-existing Microsoft Excel spreadsheet. Before this menu item can be used, you need an Excel spreadsheet that is already formatted.

 

To help you with this, Springbrook has a spreadsheet called Template that can be downloaded from the Springbrook Support website (https://help.sprbrk.com/seven_help/downloads/Template.xlsx). The spreadsheet contains the reports that are required under GASB 34. Those reports include the Statement of Net Assets and Statement of Activities (full-accrual reports), the Governmental Funds Balance Sheet, and Governmental Funds Statement of Revenues, Expenditures, and Changes in Fund Balances (modified accrual reports) and a Reconciliation worksheet.

 

The labeled columns and rows on these worksheets are examples. You will need to tailor them to your organization. For example, some governments will not have Business-type activities on their Statement of Net Assets or Statement of Activities. In addition, you may not have Cash with Fiscal Agent or Tax Increment Receivables.

 

The budgetary statements in this spreadsheet are also examples. You will need to decide which funds are major funds and which will need budget to actual statements. This spreadsheet was created simply as an example and you are welcome to use it as a starting point.

 

If you’ve already implemented GASB 34, or perhaps an auditor or other professional has given you an example spreadsheet, you are certainly welcome to use it.

 

You can also create a new spreadsheet. For VRI, it does not matter what the file is named or where it is stored. You will also want to tailor the spreadsheet to your needs before you start assigning account numbers to Groups and Groups to cells using the VRI. If you change a spreadsheet by deleting or inserting a row or column after a cell in that spreadsheet has been assigned to a Group, the new cell location will have to be updated on the VRI Maintenance window.

 

Related Links

 

Click here to download VRI templates from Springbrook.

Click here for information on the Print VRI Reports window.

Click here for information on Set Maintenance.

Click here for information on Group Maintenance.

 

Step by Step

 

1     View the VRI reports. 

 

  • Open the VRI Selection window (GL> Reporting Tools> Visual Reporting).
  • The VRI Selection window will display all of the VRI reports created in the application.
  • Highlight a report and click the Delete icon or press DELETE to delete a report.
  • Click the Create icon or press INSERT to create a new VRI report.

 

2     Create a VRI Report. 

 

  • Open the VRI Report Maintenance window (GL> Reporting Tools> Visual Reporting> Create new).
  • Enter a unique Report Name for the new report.
    • Because each VRI report will correspond to one primary Excel spreadsheet report form, you may find it worthwhile to give your VRI report the same name as the spreadsheet it is being associated with.
  • Enter a Report Set or click the field label to choose one from a list. Sets are created and maintained in the Set Maintenance window (GL> Maintenance> Set). Click here for information on Set Maintenance.
  • Enter a Report Template path or click the field icon to browse to the report template. A report template can be downloaded from the Springbrook Support web site at https://help.sprbrk.com/seven_help/downloads/Template.xlsx
  • Once a Report Template is attached to the new report, the Sheet Name drop-down menu will populate with the available report forms. Select a report form from the drop-down menu.
    • Once a VRI template is saved, the selected sheet cannot be changed. You will need to reselect the report template in order to change the selected sheet.

 

3     Generate a new period detail line. 

 

  • Click the Create icon to create a new period detail line.
    • This will open the Group Selection window. Choose a group and click the Confirm icon to return to the VRI Report window. Groups are collections of GL Accounts that are grouped together for reporting purposes. Groups are created and maintained on the Group Maintenance window (GL> Maintenance> Group). Click here for information on Group Maintenance.
    • The Flip toggle allows you to flip the sign of accounts. Asset and Expenditure accounts, which typically are debit accounts, are stored as positive numbers. Liabilities, Revenues and Fund Balance accounts are typically credit accounts and stored as negative amounts. These usually need to have their signs flipped.
    • Place the selected group on the report by specifying a spreadsheet cell for the group accounts.
    • The History field will display the beginning balance plus the year to date activity through the period specified.
    • The budgeting fields Original, Final, Period, Prior, Requested, Proposed, Approved, Adopted, and FTE (full time equivalences) are available so that you can use the Visual Reporting Tool to create budget reports.
      • The Original Budget field will display the original budget amount for the fiscal year specified.
      • The Final Budget field will display the original budget plus any budget adjustments for the fiscal year specified.
      • The Period Budget field will display the total budget through the period specified. This information is pulled from the period budgets if the Use Period Budgeting toggle is checked. If the toggle is not checked, the system divides the total budget by 12.
      • The Prior Budget field will display the final budget for the year prior to the year specified.
      • The Requested Budget field will display the requested budget amount for the year specified.
      • The Proposed Budget field will display the proposed budget amount for the year specified.
      • The Approved Budget field will display the approved budget amount for the year specified.
      • The Adopted Budget field will display the adopted budget amount for the year specified.
      • The FTE field will display the full time equivalencies for the year specified.
    • The 1, 2 and 3 Yr Prior Actuals fields will display the beginning balance plus YTD activity for each of the fiscal years prior to the year specified.
    • The 1, 2 and 3 Yr Prior Period Actuals will display all activity within the period specified for each of the fiscal years prior to the year specified.
    • The 1, 2 and 3 Yr Prior All Actuals fields will display all activity for each of the fiscal years prior to the year specified.
    • The Period Activity field will report all of the activity between the debit and credit accounts for the period range specified.
    • The YTD Activity field will report all of the activity through the fiscal year specified.
    • The Current Activity field will display activity for only the period specified in the Period To field.
    • The Encumbrance field will display the encumbrance on the account through the period specified in the Period To field.
  • Click the Save icon when complete.

 

4     Export the report.