Create an Oracle Accounting Flexfield Structure

1. Create value sets
2. Create new accounting flexfield structure
3. Create segments
4. Add Segment Values
5. Freeze Flexfield Structure
6. Compile Flexfield Structure
7. Attach accounting flexfield structure to a set of books or Ledger

Note: Steps 1 through 4 MUST be performed in that order.

Step 1- Create Value Sets

Responsibility: General Ledger Super User
Navigation: Setup > Financials > Flexfields > Validation > Sets

·         Value Set Name - Enter a unique name.

·         Security Available - Check this if you want to use security rules. This can be changed at anytime.

·         Enable Longlist - Check this if your value set should provide the Longlist feature, where a user must enter a partial segment value before the list of values retrieves all available values.

·         Format Type - You MUST specify a format type of Char. If you want to use numbers, choose Char and allow alphanumerics. The Accounting Flexfield does not support format types other than Char.

·         Right-justify Zero-fill Numbers - Check this. If not checked, then this could cause problems with data entry later. This automatically adds zeroes on the left of a number to complete the field size; e.g. you enter "99" and it is stored as "00099".

·         Validation Type - This must be Independent, Table, or Dependent-type value sets. Do not use value sets with a validation type of None, Pair, or Special for the Accounting Flexfield.

If you are using a Table-validated value set:

o    Do not specify a hidden ID column.

o    Do not use a WHERE clause and/or ORDER BY clause.

Note: You should create all the value sets for the accounting flexfield structure prior to performing step 2. However, you should not define any values for your value sets until the structure has been defined.

Step 2- Creating Accounting Flexfield structure

Responsibility: General Ledger Super User
Navigation: Setup > Financials > Flexfields > Key > Segments

·         Application - Oracle General Ledger

·         Flexfield Title - Accounting Flexfield

·         Structure Title - enter the title for your new accounting flexfield structure.

·         Segment Separator - select the separator from the list of values. After setting this do not change it. It may cause inconsistencies.

·         Enabled - Check this flag to enable your accounting flexfield structure.

·         Notice this is where you enable the following:

o    - Cross Validation Rules with 'Cross-Validate Segments'

o    - Dynamic Insertion with 'Allow Dynamic Inserts'

Note: If you want to create code combinations automatically, check Allow Dynamic Inserts however, make sure you create cross validation rules to prevent incorrect combinations from being created.

Step 3- Create segments

Click the Segments button on the Key Flexfield Segments form.

You can define up to 30 segments for your account structure. You must define at least 2 segments, one for the balancing segment and one for the natural account segment (the two required flexfield qualifiers). Please note that some Oracle subledgers require a third qualifier, that being the cost center.

Enter all your segments in order.

·         Number - The Accounting Flexfield requires consecutive segment numbers beginning with 1 (such as 1, 2, 3, ...). Gaps in numbering like 10,20,30 ... will cause problems.

·         Name - Enter a unique name for the segment. The name should begin with a letter and use only letters, numbers, spaces or underscores. The name cannot be changed after saving.
Do not use SQL keywords or reserved words as it will cause errors.

·         Window Prompt - this is viewed by the end-user and can be changed.

·         Column - Do not use any columns other than those named SEGMENT1 through SEGMENT30.

·         Indexed - if the expect number of different segment values is small, do not select the Indexed option. If the number is high then select the Indexed option. This will determine if the GL Optimizer program will create separate index for this segment or not.

IMPORTANT: In Accounting Flexfield ALL segments must have the Enabled and Displayed checkbox checked.



Assign your flexfield qualifiers. With the cursor on the segment you are going to designate as your balancing segment, click on the Flexfield Qualifiers button. Check the Enabled checkbox on the Balancing Segment line.
Do the same for the natural account segment. With the cursor on the segment you are going to designate as your natural account segment, click on the Flexfield Qualifiers button. Check the Enabled checkbox on the Natural Account line.
Cost Center and Intercompany Segment are optional.
Be sure you create these segments and qualifiers carefully. You are not allowed to change them once they are defined. Changing them is unsupported and data inconsistency and corruption will occur.

Click on the Open button for each of the segments to create the segment and associated information.

Suggestion: If you have spare segments (for future use), enable and display them (this is mandatory for all segments in accounting flexfield). In the value sets for the spare segments, define only one segment value, which will be the default value.
On the Segments form, set the Default Type to Constant and Default Value to the value created in the segment values form (FNDFFMSV). This would typically be zeros.

Use the Flexfield Qualifiers button to assign the existing qualifiers to the segment:

Step 4 - Add Segment Values

Responsibility: General Ledger Super User
Navigation: Setup > Financials > Flexfields > Key > Values

Enter the following parameters:

·         Application - in 11i use "Oracle General Ledger" and in R12 use "General Ledger".

·         Title - "Accounting Flexfield". In R12 do not use the "GL Ledger Flexfield" as this is to be maintained by the system.

·         Structure - The name of the structure created in Step 2.

·         Segment - Defined in Step 3.

·         Click on Find button.

·         Enter segment values for each segment you created.

After entering the value, you cannot change or delete it. However, you can uncheck the Enable  button. Alternatively, you can put a start and end dates (from / to) on the value.

Note: If you disable a segment, the existing code combinations are not automatically disabled. To disable existing code combinations manually query the code combinations on the GL Accounts form and uncheck the Enabled box or end date the code combination.
You can use the Segment Value Inheritance program to do the same automatically.

Setup the required segment qualifier values.

 Note: Make sure you tab through to the segment qualifiers box even if you want to use the default qualifiers.

Below is the standard segment qualifier box for all segments except the natural segment.

Below is the standard segment qualifier box for the natural account segment.

Make sure you set the account type correctly. If not, you will experience problems in the first period of a new year with your retained earnings account. The account type determines whether an account's ending balance closes into retained earnings or becomes a beginning balance in the new year.

Note: If you discover that your account type is set incorrectly and you have already posted or already created code combinations, then reference your Oracle General Ledger User's Guide for the process to correct misclassified accounts (also see Document 1050920.6).

Note: The Reconciliation qualifier is setup differently in 11i and R12.
- For 11i please review Document 1041211.6.
- For R12 the Setup of Journal Reconciliation is standard functionality.

Step 5- Freeze Flexfield Structure

Responsibility: General Ledger Super User
Navigation: Setup > Financials > Flexfields > Key > Segments

Freeze your flexfield definition and save your changes. When you do, your flexfield compiles automatically.

Step 6 - Compile Flexfield Structure

Click on Compile button to compile flexfield. You must recompile your flexfield every time you make changes using this form, including enabling or disabling cross-validation rules. You must also recompile your flexfield after you enable or disable shorthand entry using the Shorthand Aliases window.
When the compilation completes please check the Concurrent Request output for any possible errors.

Step 7- Attach accounting structure to a Set of Books or to a Ledger

Responsibility: General Ledger Super User
Navigation 11i: Setup > Financials > Books > Define

Navigation R12: Setup > Financials > Accounting Setup Manager > Accounting Setups

·         Chart of Accounts - Enter the name of your accounting flexfield structure.

·         The first time you are using this chart of accounts, you must have Dynamic Insertion enabled for the accounting flexfield structure when you enter the required accounts for Retained Earnings, Suspense or Intercompany.