Changing GL Account categories for Financial Reports
Posted: January 30th, 2012, 7:14 pmHow do I change general ledger account categories so my financial reports look the way I want them to?
You cannot change the account categories in the COA - those categories are useful as categorizations for accounting purposes. But you can change the category (“caption”) names on financial reports.
To begin with, C21 is conceptually different from BPI in that the lines that print on a financial report are not based on the COA, they are based on a financial report template. There are four standard template types:
You can define as many templates of any type as you like, and C21 automatically provides two templates of each type.
Each financial report is based on a specific financial report template.
For example, to change the caption names on your trial balance reports, follow these steps:
1. Run the GL/Configure/Financial Report Templates command.
2. Double-click the Trial Balance folder.
3. Double-click the Trial Balance document.
4. Click the caption you want to change. You can open captions by clicking the ”+” to the left of the caption to see subcaptions. Once you've highlighted the caption you want to change, right-click on it to see your options. Choose “Modify” or F2.
5. In the Caption Properties dialog box, you can change the wording of the caption and/or its subtotal, and can change several print formatting attributes as well. Change the properties you want changed.
6. After changing all the captions you want changed, click the OK button in the Financial Report Templates window.
7. After changing all the templates you want changed, click the Save Changes button.
Your Trial Balance reports will now show the new caption values you entered in the template.
You cannot change the account categories in the COA - those categories are useful as categorizations for accounting purposes. But you can change the category (“caption”) names on financial reports.
To begin with, C21 is conceptually different from BPI in that the lines that print on a financial report are not based on the COA, they are based on a financial report template. There are four standard template types:
- Balance Sheet
- Income Statement
- Trial Balance
- Cash Flow
- one custom template type (“Other”)
You can define as many templates of any type as you like, and C21 automatically provides two templates of each type.
Each financial report is based on a specific financial report template.
- The financial report template specifies what the ROWS of a financial report are.
- A financial report definition specifies what the COLUMNS of the report will be.
- The CAPTION NAMES on the financial reports are specified in the financial report template that the report is based on, and they are easily modifiable.
For example, to change the caption names on your trial balance reports, follow these steps:
1. Run the GL/Configure/Financial Report Templates command.
2. Double-click the Trial Balance folder.
3. Double-click the Trial Balance document.
4. Click the caption you want to change. You can open captions by clicking the ”+” to the left of the caption to see subcaptions. Once you've highlighted the caption you want to change, right-click on it to see your options. Choose “Modify” or F2.
5. In the Caption Properties dialog box, you can change the wording of the caption and/or its subtotal, and can change several print formatting attributes as well. Change the properties you want changed.
6. After changing all the captions you want changed, click the OK button in the Financial Report Templates window.
7. After changing all the templates you want changed, click the Save Changes button.
Your Trial Balance reports will now show the new caption values you entered in the template.