Allocation Structure Groupings Configuration

Allocations can be used to divide general ledger figures, such as expenses or income, among various structures within an organization automatically. You can configure an allocation method that will divide General Ledger amounts based on a flat value (such as the number of employees in each department) or based on a percentage entered for each structural entity.

To use allocations in Applied Epic, you will need to configure allocation methods and, in some cases, structure groupings. Click here for more information on the relationship between allocation methods and allocation structure groupings.

Click here for more information on how to use allocations in the General Ledger and for a list of the areas in which they can be applied.

1. From the Home screen, do one of the following:
     
   • Click Configure on the navigation panel.
   • Click Areas > Configure on the menubar.
   • Click the down arrow next to Home on the options bar and select Configure.

From any other area of the program, do one of the following:

1. • Click the down arrow to the right of the Home options bar button and select Configure.
   • Click Home > Configure on the menubar. The Configure screen displays

2. Click Accounting on the navigation panel or Areas > Accounting on the menubar.
3. Click Allocation Entries on the navigation panel.
4. A list of allocation entries in your system displays. Click Allocation Entries in the view filter and select Allocation Structure groupings.
   
   You can do the following from here:
   • Add an Allocation Structure Grouping
     1. Do one of the following:
        • Click the Add button to the left of the Allocation Structure Groupings list.
        • Click File > New > Allocation Entry on the menubar.
        • Click New > Allocation Entry on the options bar.
        • With focus on the Allocation Structure Groupings list, press [Insert] on your keyboard.
     2. The Detail frame is enabled. Enter a Description for this structure grouping.
     3. If desired, select a Default method from the dropdown menu. Only allocation methods whose values are not entered as percentages display in this menu. Click here for more information about using allocation methods with structure groupings.
        
        Note: Entering a default method will not prohibit you from selecting other applicable methods to use with this structure grouping. This is simply a time-saving step if you know which method will be used most often with this structure grouping.
     4. Click the Add button to the left of the Structure list. The Add Structure Combinations window displays.
     5. Make selections from the Agency, Branch, Department, and Profit Center dropdown menus. You may also leave the default selection of All, or select None to include structure combinations that are not defined at that particular level. If you are only allocating to the branch level, for example, you would select None for Department and Profit Center.
     6. Click Locate.
     7. The list populates with structure combinations that match your criteria. Check the appropriate structure combinations, or click Select All to check all search results.
     8. Click Add to continue adding structure combinations. When you are finished adding structures, click Finish.
     9. To remove an item from the Structure list, select the structure and click the Delete button or press [Delete] on your keyboard.
     10. Click Add to save this structure grouping and add another. Click Finish if this is the last structure grouping you are adding.
   • Delete an Allocation Structure Grouping
     1. Highlight the structure grouping and do one of the following:
        
        • Click the Delete button to the left of the Allocation Structure Groupings list.
        • Click File > Delete on the menubar.
        • Press [Delete] on your keyboard.
     2. You are prompted, "Do you wish to delete this record?" Click Yes.
        
        Note: If this allocation structure grouping has been used on a General Ledger item, its information continues to be stored on that item for viewing and reporting purposes, even after the structure grouping is deleted.
   • Edit an Allocation Structure Grouping

     Allocation structure groupings may be edited at any time. Editing an allocation structure grouping will not affect any rows that were previously created using the allocation. Because allocation structure groupings continue to be linked to the rows they create, however, making drastic changes to an allocation structure grouping is not recommended. If it is necessary to "repurpose" an allocation that has been used in the General Ledger, a better practice is to delete that structure grouping and create a new one. The information for the deleted allocation is still stored on the rows in the General Ledger.

     1. Highlight the structure grouping and do one of the following:
        • Click the Edit button to the left of the Allocation Structure Groupings list.
        • Double click the highlighted structure grouping.
        • Press [Ctrl] + O on your keyboard.
     2. Revise the Description and Default method if desired. If this structure grouping has been used in the General Ledger, you receive the message "Modifying the description will do so for all records it was previously used on." Click OK.
     3. To add rows to the Structure list, click the Add button to the left of the list. The Add Structure Combinations window displays.
        
        Make selections from the Agency, Branch, Department, and Profit Center dropdown menus. You may also leave the default selection of All.
        
        Click Locate. The list populates with structure combinations that match your criteria. Select the checkboxes for the appropriate structure combinations, or click Select All to check all search results.
        
        Click Add to continue adding structure combinations. When you are finished adding structures, click Finish.
     4. To remove an item from the Structure list, select the structure and click the Delete button .
     5. Click Finish to save changes to this structure grouping, or Cancel to discard your changes.
   • Export Allocation

     You can export an allocation method or allocation structure grouping and save it to your computer as a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet. You can use this spreadsheet for reference, or make revisions/additions and import the file into Applied Epic as a new or revised method/structure grouping.

     1. Do one of the following:
        • Click Actions > Export Allocation on the menubar or options bar.
        • Right click an allocation method or allocation structure grouping and select Export Allocation.
     2. The Export Allocation window displays. The Method or Structure grouping radio button defaults as selected, depending on the list you were accessing, but you can change this selection if desired.
     3. Choose the method or structure grouping you would like to export from the dropdown menu.
     4. The File name defaults from the method or structure grouping selected. Change it if desired.
     5. Click Browse to navigate to the location on your computer where you would like to save the file. Click OK.
     6. Click Finish to export the file. When the export is complete, Windows prompts you to confirm the location before saving the file.
   • Import Allocation

     You can update an allocation method or allocation structure grouping or create a new one by importing a spreadsheet from your computer that has the figures already entered. Before you attempt to import your spreadsheet, you must ensure that it is in the correct format so that Applied Epic can interpret the data. It may be easier to start by exporting an existing allocation method or structure grouping so that you can use it as a template. Because you can enter large amounts of data more quickly in a spreadsheet than you can in Applied Epic, creating or updating allocations via import rather than manual entry can save you a great deal of time.

     In order for Applied Epic to recognize your allocation data, the imported file must be in this format:

     1. First column: Agency
        • This column can only contain agency codes defined in Applied Epic.
     2. Second column: Branch
        • This column can only contain branch codes defined in Applied Epic.
        • If you are not defining structures below the agency level, you may leave this field blank, but you still must include this column on the spreadsheet
        • If a branch is entered for this row, an agency must be entered as well.
     3. Third column: Department
        • This column can only contain department codes defined in Applied Epic.
        • If you are not defining structures below the branch level, you may leave this field blank, but you still must include this column on the spreadsheet.
        • If a department is entered for this row, an agency and branch must be entered as well.
     4. Fourth column: Profit Center
        • This column can only contain profit center codes defined in Applied Epic.
        • If you are not defining structures below the department level, you may leave this field blank, but you still must include this column on the spreadsheet.
        • If a profit center is entered for this row, an agency, branch, and department must be entered as well.
     5. Fifth column: Values (methods only)
        • You may enter percentages or another value (such as head count, revenue, or square footage). You will specify in the import process whether these values should be interpreted as percentages. If so, the system will verify that your values total 100.
        • Negative numbers and formulas are not permitted.

     In most cases, the first row in the spreadsheet will contain column headings, and your data will begin in the second row.

     If you are importing a method, Applied Epic will import only the first five columns. If you are importing a structure grouping, Applied Epic will import only the first four columns.

     Note: Applied Epic will import only the active sheet in an Excel workbook.

     1. To view allocation structure groupings instead, click Allocation in the view filter and select Allocation Structure Groupings.
     2. Do one of the following:
        
        • Click Actions > Import Allocation on the menubar or options bar.
        • Right click an allocation method or allocation structure grouping and select Import Allocation.
     3. The Import Allocation window displays. In the Import frame, select Existing method, Existing structure grouping, New method, or New structure grouping.
     4. If you opt to update an existing item, make the appropriate selection in the dropdown menu.
        
        If you opt to create a new method or structure grouping, enter its Description in the field to the right.
     5. If you are importing a new method and want your entries in the Values column to be interpreted as percentages, select Values as percentages. This means that the system will verify that the total of the values you entered is 100.
     6. If you are importing an existing method, the system will determine whether the values are percentages based on the option selected for that method.
     7. Click Browse to locate the file on your computer. Highlight the appropriate file and click Open.
     8. Start import from row defaults to 2, because the first row of a spreadsheet usually contains column headings and the data begins in the second row. If this is not the case (e.g. you did not use column headings in your spreadsheet, or you do not want to import the first few rows of data), you may enter a different value.
     9. Click the Preview button to ensure that your file will import correctly. A spreadsheet opens that allows you to see how your data will display in Applied Epic.
        • Two additional columns display to the right of your data: Import and Message.
        • The Import column indicates whether the row import was Successful or encountered an Error.
          
          Note: All of the rows must import successfully in order to create or update the allocation. A single error will cause the import to fail.
        • If Error displays in the Import column, the Message column indicates why the row could not be imported. The following error messages are possible:
          
          • Percentages not equal to 100. This error message only applies if you are importing a method and Values as percentages was selected.
          • Invalid amount. This error message only applies if you are importing a method. Negative numbers and values derived from formulas are considered invalid.
          • Invalid structure. This could mean that one of the structure values you entered does not match a structural entity configured in Applied Epic, or that the combination is invalid (e.g. a value is entered for department but not for branch, or a branch is entered that is not associated with a particular agency)
          • Duplicate structure. The structural combination in this row exists in a previous row on the spreadsheet.
        • Review the information displayed (you may save a copy to your computer if you wish) before closing the preview.
     10. Click Finish to finalize the import, or Cancel to close the Import Allocation screen.
   • Print a List of Allocation Structure Groupings
     1. Do one of the following:
        
        • Click the Print button to the left of the Allocation Structure Groupings list.
        • Click File > Print > Listview on the menubar.
        • Click Print > Listview on the options bar.
        • With focus on the list, press [Ctrl] + P on your keyboard.
     2. The Print window displays. Print this as you would any other document.