As summer starts, it is time for our third adventure exploring the mysteries of the Automatic journals. This time our journey leads us to the Journal type field. As I have cautioned before, it is safer to do our exploring in the test environment. It is too easy to accidently click Save and alter our auto journal.
I should explain what to do if you accidently alter the auto journal. If it is an out-of-the-box automatic journal, log into the X3 folder and use the Automatic journal comparison (CMPGAU) function under Setup, Financials, Accounting interface to compare the X3 folder’s auto journal to the production folder’s auto journal. In my example, I’m going to compare the STKEN auto journal on the X3 folder to my SEED folder. The generated log will highlight the differences.
I have the choice of manually fixing the production folder (in my case SEED) or copying the Automatic journal from the X3 folder to production. To copy, call up the automatic journal, click Copy.
Select the To Folder and click OK. Be careful! This will copy over the production folder’s automatic journal completely.
If it is a custom journal, this is where your change log will come in handy. This is the log where you record all your changes to the system and can use it to manually fix the auto journal. If you have it saved the custom automatic journal in another environment, see my blog on how to move the journal to production: Moving a custom auto journal to a new home.
Back to the Journal type. The Automatic journals (GESGAU) are located under Setup, Financials, Accounting interface. The Journal type is on the General tab.
What does the formula evalue(func SUBTFO.FC("WIG")) mean? Let’s start with the Online help. Searching there for SUBTFO.FC, brings us to the entry for Formulas per legislation and the following:
“When validating a document (for example, invoices or sales) the program reads the recorded formula in the Automatic journals function. This formula uses an expression in the form of value(fun.SUBTFO.fc("xxx")), where "xxx" (for example "BCG") is a code which is called in the 'Code' field.
“The program recovers each line corresponding to the recorded legislation(s) for a given company.”
Using the Online help as our journey map, we are going to travel to Setup Financials Accounting interface, Formulas per legislation (GESTFOLEG) and look for the Code WIG. Our journal type for USA Legislation is WIPCS.
Some of the Formula values are more complex such as Code MCG which is used with automatic journals MTC (Automatic Matching Entry) and MTP (Loss or gain on matching)
For the USA Legislation, the Formula is string$([F:MTU]LEDTYP=1,"MTCCV")+string$([F:MTU]LEDTYP=2,"MTCCV")+string$([F:MTU]LEDTYP=3,"LTTR3")
This means if for the MTCAUTO (Automatic matching) Table code, the Ledger type is 1 or 2 the Journal type is MTCCV and if the Ledger type is 3 the Journal type is LTTR3.
What if we have a Ledger type of 5? The formula can be modified to include this additional type. We will have the Journal type equal to LTTR5.
string$([F:MTU]LEDTYP=1,"MTCCV")+string$([F:MTU]LEDTYP=2,"MTCCV")+string$([F:MTU]LEDTYP=3,"LTTR3")+string$([F:MTU]LEDTYP=5,"LTTR5")
Don’t forget to add this change to your Change Log. No matter how small or large, all changes should be recorded there.
If this blog has sparked your interest in automatic journals, head over to Sage University. There is a great class on this topic and I recommend it to even the seasoned X3 users: X3 - Sage X3 - A deep dive into Auto Journals. After you complete the class, you will be able to:
- Explain the purpose and use of Auto Journals
- Understand the general flow of Auto Journals and how they work in the system
- Understand the layout and elements of an Auto Journal
- Demonstrate how to create and apply accounting codes with Auto Journals
- Explain the most commonly used Auto Journals
- Apply best practice guidelines to customize Auto Journals
I hope this information helps you as you explore the automatic journals.
Take care my X3 friends. Stay safe!
