Creating Queries to tie Job Cost and GL by Job

Transcription

1 Creating Queries to tie Job Cost and GL by Job This session will cover the creation of a multi-table query to create a report that may be used to quickly review Job Cost and General Ledger posting to verify everything that is being posted to job cost has an associated general ledger entry. We will start with crating a query against the v_job_history table. This query will include the following fields: Job_id Job_description Cost_class_id Cost_class_description And the SUM of Cost We will also attach criteria to this query to limit the date range using is between the [Start] and [End] of the date_booked field. Return the data to excel, and rename the tab to JOB_HIS.

2 Start a new query on sheet2. This query will access the General Ledger History. We will select the gl_history table and the accounts table: When selecting these tables, we will have to modify the links that are automatically created between the two tables in MS query. These tables are linked with the company_no field and the row_unique_id field. We can keep the link between the tables on the company_no field, but we will have to remove the row_unique_id field. Single click on the link between the row_unique_id field to highlight it, and press the delete key on your keyboard to remove the link.

3 We will now have to create a new link between dissimilar fields within the two tables. This is a unique situation. For the most part only LIKE field names should be linked between tables. Most tables within Foundation s database have distinct matching field names. In this case since the database stores divisionalized accounts in a unique manner, we will need to force a link between the two tables. We will create a link between the following fields with the following tables: Table.Field gl_history.basic_account_id and accounts.account_id Again, the field names are not the same in these two tables, but they house the same information (the 1-10 digit general ledger account id). Click and hold the basic_account_id field name on the gl_history table until it turns into a little grey box. Drag the grey box across and lay it on top of the account_id field in the accounts table. If you wish to test the link, you may pull the basic_account_id and account_id fields from the two tables into the query to make sure they match. If your query returns no data in the review window, the link has been improperly assigned. Delete the link by single clicking on the line and pressing the delete key on the keyboard and try again.

4 Now that the link is created between the two tables, we can pull the required information for our query. Pull the following fields from the associated tables: gl_history.job_id gl_history.basic_account_id accounts.description gl_history.amount_db gl_history.amount_cr We will also create a field that is the difference in the amount_db and amount_cr. Click on the last field heading and type in the following equation: amount_db-amount_cr Your query should look something like the example below:

5 We will need to enable a good amount of criteria on this query to limit the data returned for our requirements. We need to enable the date range for the gl history: gl_history.date_booked is between [Start] and [End] date. We want to see only g/l accounts that have been posted with a job number. If the G/L account has been setup in G/L Maintenance Accounts to do not allow job, guess what it will not show a job number in the g/l history. This may be a good time to re-assess your account setup and make sure all direct job expense accounts are set to require job costing. gl_history.job_id is not null This will show all activity in the gl_history table that has been posted with an associated job number (id). Lastly, we will need to enable criteria to show only expense accounts. Hopefully you will see your income account somewhere in the returned data on this query. If you don t, you may want to check that your income account is set up to Require Job. Since we are only looking to compare JOB COST, not JOB INCOME, we will only look for expenses that his in the first job-costed account number and higher. In my chart of accounts, the first job-cost related G/L account is account 5000 Field Labor. Depending on your setup, this may be account 50000, 500, 4000 etc. We need to choose and=y account that is greater than of equals our first direct labor expense account. gl_history.basic_account_id is > or = 5000

6 One final tweak will be to rename the amount_db-amount_cr field to COST. Double-click on the field name and enter the new clumn heading as COST. Return the data to Excel and rename the tab GL_HIS.

7 As if it wasn t fun already, here comes the fun part.. We are going to create a number of pivot tables that will compare the data side-by side. Access the JOB_HIS worksheet and from the INSERT ribbon, select pivot table. If your cursor is on a cell within the table, the table/range will be filled out. If your cursor is in a field outside the table/data. Restart the creation of the pivot table. Create the pivot table on a new worksheet. This is a very simple pivot table with the row label job_id and the values as sum of cost.

8 Right click within the pivot table to access the PIVOT TABLE OPTIONS DISPLAY TAB. Select the Classic Pivot Table Layout. Double Click the sum of sum of cost field heading to clean up the desctiption. In the Custom name field, simply type cost. Remember if you receive an error here that the Pivot Field name already exists, type in Cost with a space at the end. (tricky and unique). OK so we have a very simple repost that shows a single cell value for the total cost by JOB from the job history table. We will now create a pivot table to the right of this information that is sourced from the G/L history.

9 Access the GL_HIS worksheet and select insert pivot table from the INSERT ribbon. Make sure to define the location where this pivot table will eb returned as an EXISTING WORKSHEET. Click on the selection button to the right of the Location: box to select the location of the new pivot table. Select the worksheet with the existing pivot table, and drop the new pivot table in an adjacent cell (remember to skip one or two columns to separate the two tables). It may take a couple of tries to get the pivot table to land in the correct place.

10 Although the values are sourced from different tables, we will select the same row labels (job_id) and Values (cost) for this pivot table. Again Right Click on the Pivot Table and select Pivot Table options Display and choose Classic Pivot Table Layout.

11 Finish by formatting the number in the desired number format. In the Pivot Table Field list, in the Values section, select the SUM OF COST field, Value Field Settings. Number format. Highlight the first 6 rows Right Clickand select insert to add 6 new rows above the pivot tables.

12 Format titles for the pivot tables by joining cells and entering the desired text. We will now create a couple of cells to reference the dates used for the report. Access the worksheets with the queries, right click on a cell within the table and select Table Parameters. We will want to get the value from the following cell for the dates on the query. Select this option and browse to the appropriate cell(s) on the worksheet that houses the two pivot tables.

13 !!!! Make sure to set the parameters for both the Job History AND General Ledger query. We want to look at the data for the same date range for both queries. Now that the parameters are set, we will enable a button that will fire off a macro to refresh the report when we enter a new date range. You will need to have the Developer Tab enabled in order to access the Macro and Form button functions. In Excel 2007: First we must enable a feature in Excel by accessing the office button in the upper left hand corner of Excel. In the Popular Section, select Show Developer tab in the Ribbon In Excel 2010: Click the File tab, click Options, and then click the Customize Ribbon category. In the Main Tabs list, select the Developer check box, and then click OK.

14 Once the Developer Tab is available, select the option to INSERT FORM CONTROL BUTTON. This will allow us to enable a button and assign a macro to refresh the data tables and the associated pivot tables all with one click of the mouse. When you have selected the form control button, move the cursor to the report : click and drag to shape the button on the report. When you release the mouse, you will be prompted to record the new macro associated with this button. The macro name will default, this is OK, leave it as is and click the RECORD button.

15 In the Record Macro Screen, we will store the macro in THIS WORKBOOK, so every time we open the workbook, it will be available to us for use. Click OK to continue. OK Time to REALLY pay attention. We are live and the macro is being recorded, any and all keystrokes that you perform will be recorded. Fir thhis macro, we will access the following: GL_HIS worksheet Cell A1 Right Click and Refresh JOB_HIS worksheet Cell A1 Right Click and Refresh Main sheet with the two pivot tables Right click and refresh on each pivot table separately. When complete, click on the STOP RECORDING button in the lower left hand corner of Excel. This will stop capturing keystrokes. Once you are finished, test the macro by entering a new date range and click the button to update the report. You may right click on the button to rename it (EDIT TEXT) to something more appropriate.

16 We will create a column adjacent to these tables to find the difference (if any) in the two tables. Start by tping the = sign in cell G11 (or whatever cell represents the first row of data in the pivot tables). After that, type in the cell reference for the first line containing data in the Total Cost column in the Job Cost Pivot Table. In this example it is B11. Then type the minus (-) sign and subtract the value from the same row in the G/L Pivot Table. In this case E11. Drag the formula down many rows as this list will increase and decrease based on the number of jobs you have active during a particular period.

17 We can edit the formula with an if/then statement to show nothing if the value in the first table is blank. Click on the first formula and edit in the formula bar. Enter =if(b11=,,b11-e11) This new formula will return a BLANK when there is no data in the associated Pivot Table. If you run the report for a particular date range, and there are values other than $0.00 in the total column, you have a discrepancy between GL and Job Cost.

18 We will create two more pivot tables to assess the inconsistencies between the data. Access the JOB_HIS worksheet, and insert a pivot Table. This Pivot Table will have the Rport Filter of JOB, Row Labels of Cost Class ID and Cost Class Description with the values as SUM OF COST. Format to the Classic Pivot Table View, and correct the Value settings:

19 Create a similar Pivot Table from the GL_HIS worksheet. We can now select the Specific job(s) that show inconsistent walues and look for the problem(s). Job Number 100 looks like we have a problem with the Union Fringes and OTHER posting to Job Cost, these items are flowing through Payroll, so they will post to Job cost regardless of the G/L Account Setting. I need to check my Maintenance setup to see that the G/L accounts that I have selected are set to Require Job Costing. This is an extremely powerful too to audit your Job Cost and G/L monthly balances. If you find differences, chances are they will be effecting ALL of your jobs, once the problem(s) is/are fixed, this report should take seconds to run and review.