GL2 Implementation Guide (draft)

GL2 has been designed to be easy for GL2 system administrators to implement their own entities and ledgers. The recommended practice is to set up the chart of accounts in the Live environment first. Then switch to the Test environment, import the opening balances and do a month or more of processing (if switching from another accounting system). This will highlight any accounts that need creating and / or any special setup that may be required. Once you are satisfied that the setup and usage is correct, the process is repeated (more quickly and easily) in the Live environment.

Steps to complete

1. Create the Entity and Ledger in GL2 in the Live and Test environments.
2. Create users in the Test environment.
3. Set up the chart of accounts in the Live environment.
4. Link the Special Accounts in the Live environment, as required.
5. Export the chart of accounts and map the existing trial balance to the GL2 accounts.
6. Import the accounts, sub-accounts, legacy accounts and opening balances into the Test environment.
7. Set up bank accounts / cheques / receipts / tax in the Test environment.
8. Set up the statements and interest features in the Test environment, if using these features.
9. Import budgets into the Test environment, if required.
10. Training - train all users in the Test environment.
11. Testing - if required, process a month or more of data, testing all required features and functions.
12. Go live
    1. Set the correct Financial Year and Period Start in the Live environment.
    2. Redo the opening balances as at the go live date. Import into the Live environment.
    3. Set up bank accounts / cheques / receipts / tax in the Live environment.
    4. Set up the statements and interest features in the Live environment, if using these features.
    5. Redo and import the budgets into the Live environment, if using this feature. Can be done later though.
    6. Ensure all users created in Live.

Steps explained

Step 1 - Create the Entity and Ledger in GL2 in the Live and Test environments

Create the Entity in Live

1. Go to System and click Administration.
2. In the entity tree, click on the entity that you wish to add an entity below. E.g. click on ADRA South Pacific to add ADRA Samoa.
3. Click on the Add Entity button.
4. Complete all the fields, then click Save.
   1. Type - selecting the entity type determines the default chart of accounts that ledgers for this entity will have. Ensure that the right type is chosen as this setting should not be changed once entries have been processed in the ledger/s.

The entity has now been created and you will be able to see the chart of accounts it has.

Create the Ledger in Live

Follow these steps - 15732842

Repeat both steps to create the entity and ledger in Test. The financial year and period information may be different in Test, depending on what type of testing you will do.

Step 2 - Create users in the Test environment

At this stage, you may wish to only create users that will be assisting with testing, and set up the remainder of users when it is time for training.

1. Go to System > Administration.
2. Click on the Users button.
3. Click Add User.
4. In the Name field, search for the users name. Note that users must be already set up in Active Directory for them to appear on this list.
5. Complete the following fields/selections:
   1. Default Time Zone
   2. COA Administrator - ticking this box allows the user to modify the global chart of accounts for specific entities. Only users approved by the entity CFO should have COA Administrator ticked.
   3. Role - roles can be chosen at the entity level, which would give the chosen level of access to all ledgers below it. Alternatively, the role can be chosen at the Ledger level if different access is required for different ledgers. For an explanation of roles, see 15728706
6. Click Save when complete.
7. Repeat steps 3 - 6 to create more users.

Step 3 - Set up the chart of accounts in the Live environment

It is recommended that the chart of accounts is configured in the Live environment. It can then be exported and imported into Test. As testing reveals changes that need making, the changes should also be manually done in Live. This ensures the chart of accounts in Live is correct, and test accounts can be created and used in Test.

Note: this step assumes that no changes to the global chart of accounts are required. See XX section for information on the global chart of accounts.

Activate required accounts

1. Go to System > Administration.
2. Select the relevant ledger.
3. Tick the Show Inactive Accounts box to display the inactive accounts.
4. Select the first account to be made active, and un-tick the Prohibit Posting box.
5. Other changes can be made now if required, or they can be done in Excel as part of entering the opening balances.
6. Click Update. 
7. Repeat steps 3-6 for relevant accounts.

Create sub-accounts

Sub-accounts can be created in each ledger for the following categories: Allocated Equity, Appropriation, Asset Location, Church, Department, Entity, Location, Not Analysed, Project, Student, Trust Fund, Who. A coding convention should be determined for each category used.

Sub-accounts can be created individually in GL2 as explained below, or in bulk using the Excel account import template. Using the Excel import template is covered XX.

1. Go to System > Administration.
2. Select the relevant ledger.
3. Tick the Show Sub-Accounts Only box.
4. Click on the relevant category, then click Add Sub-Account.
5. Complete the relevant fields, then click Save.
   1. Code - 10 characters max. 
   2. Name - 50 characters max.
   3. Address - 
   4. Email - may be used in the future, e.g. for emailing statements.
   5. Analysis Category - if not already selected, choose the correct category.
   6. Allow Posting - Select the earliest period that posting will be allowed from. The To field can be left blank so that posting can occur indefinitely.
   7. Currency - select the currency of the sub-account (if using multi-currency)
6. Repeat steps 3-5 to create all sub-accounts.

Assign sub-accounts

Where accounts have the setting of Sub-Account Required = Required, but no Object Analysis assigned (e.g. Department, Project or Who), sub-accounts must be assigned to these accounts. Sub-accounts may also be assigned where Sub-Account Required = Optional.

Sub-accounts can be assigned individually as explained below, or in bulk using the Excel account import template. Using the Excel import template is covered XX.

1. Go to System > Administration.
2. Select the relevant ledger.
3. Select an account to have sub-accounts assigned.
4. Click on the Assign Sub-Accounts tab.
5. From the Sub-Accounts Available list, highlight one or more sub-accounts (use Shift and/or Ctrl to highlight multiple accounts) and click on the arrow to move them to the Sub-Accounts Assigned field.
6. Repeat steps 3-5 as required.

Step 4 - Link the Special Accounts in the Live environment, as required

Some functions in GL2 involve the system creating automatic journals. Special Accounts is where the accounts required to be used in these journals are specified.

1. Go to System > Administration.
2. Select the relevant ledger.
3. Click on the Special Accounts tab.
4. Enter accounts for all of the features you will be using (Retained Earnings is mandatory as this account is used in the end of year processing).
5. Click Save.

Step 5 - Export the chart of accounts and map the existing trial balance to the GL2 accounts

1. Go to System > Administration.
2. Select the relevant ledger.
3. Click Export. Save the file to the required location.
4. Open the export file in Excel.

There are four sheets in the export file: Accounts, Sub-Accounts, Legacy Accounts and Opening Balances. The main ones to be used in this step are Legacy Accounts and Opening Balances. But any changes required to accounts and sub-accounts can also be made on their respective tabs.

Legacy Accounts

Enter the codes from the existing accounting software in the Legacy_Code column. These codes can be searched on when entering journals in GL2, making data entry easier for your staff. More than one account code can be entered if required, using the | symbol to separate the codes.

Opening Balances

Notes

• Inactive accounts appear in grey italics. If an account should be made active as it has an opening balance, enter the balance as per the below instructions. During the import process, the account will be made active.
• If accounts or sub-accounts are missing, they can either be manually created in GL2 and a row inserted into the Opening Balances sheet in the Excel file. Or the details can be added to the Accounts and/or Sub-Accounts sheets to be imported, and a row inserted into the Opening Balances sheet.

1. Enter the base currency balances from your trial balance in the Base_Balance column. Where the account is in base currency, copy the values to the Account_Balance column also.
2. Enter foreign currency account balances in the Account_Balance column, where relevant. 

Once all changes have been made, save the file. 

Step 6 - Import the accounts, sub-accounts, legacy accounts and opening balances into the Test environment

If the copy Live to Test feature is done, this step will be different.

Step 7 - Set up bank accounts / cheques / receipts in the Test environment

The Bank tab in Accounts is where the bank account details are entered (account name, account number etc), the receipt clearing account is linked, and cheque and receipt details set.

1. Go to System > Administration.
2. Select the relevant ledger.
3. Select a bank account and click on the Bank tab.
4. Tick the "Is this a bank account" box to show the fields.
5. Complete the relevant fields, then click Save.
6. Repeat steps 3-5 for other bank accounts.

If receipts are going to be entered, complete the steps for setting up Receipting as per Set up Receipting

Step 8 - Set up the statements and interest features in the Test environment

1. Interest - 15728785
2. Statements - 15729289

Step 9 - Import budgets

Follow these steps - 15729315

Step 10 - Train all users

Conduct training sessions for all users. They need to be able to assist with User Acceptance Testing, as well as be able to do their job using GL2 when it goes live.

Step 11 - Complete User Acceptance Testing (UAT)

Determine what type of testing will be done, and who will participate in this important process. Will you re-process one or more month's of data in Test, or will you just complete the areas outlined in the User Acceptance Testing document?

Step 12 - Go live

a. Set the correct Financial Year and Period Start

In the Live ledger, go to System > Administration.