Analytical Accounting Dimension Relations and Validation

Let's have a look at the following chart which illustrates a relationship restriction between specific financial dimensions, doesn't represent more of an ambiguous cryptic writings!

Financial Dimensions - Relations and Restrictions

Well, this is basically a representation of how a business actually operates in terms of the various business functions such as their project which are allocated over various functions and related to many business departments. For instance, the representation above illustrates the following:

• Project A operates in both location; North and Center
• Project B operates in west
• Project C operates in both locations; South and East
• Project A,B,C are extended over all cost centers; Production, Administration,Information Systems, Sales and Marketing
• All Cost Centers are assigned to All locations as well

This is a very simple scenario, business with complex environment may have further complicated financial dimensions and restrictions, these rules and concepts must be built into the system, in order for the system to govern how the business operates and make sure that no violation of business rules would be allowed.

Dynamics GP - Analytical Accounting Dimensions and Restrictions

If you're using the analytical accounting module, then be aware that configuring AA dimensions include setting up the relation restriction and rules, which governs how assignment is made between every dimension and the other. For that, you need to consider the following steps:

1. Define all required dimensions (Cards > Financial > Analytical Accounting > Transaction Dimension)
2. Define all required dimension codes (Cards > Financial > Analytical Accounting > Transaction Dimension Code)
3. In order to define the dimension relation, Go to (Cards > Financial > Analytical Accounting > Transaction Dimension Relation)

            Financial Dimension Relations

On this window, you pick the dimensions one by one and define the assignment rules for this specific dimension as related to other financial dimensions. The assignment rules are; as derived from the Dynamics GP Help File:

• All combinations allowed: All code combinations between two transaction dimensions are permitted. For example, if the transaction dimensions profit center and cost center are set to a relationship of All Combinations Allowed then any profit center code can be used with any cost center code.
  
• Combination not allowed: Code combinations between two transaction dimensions are not permitted. For example, transaction dimension profit center and cost center set to a Combination relationship is not allowed; then code combination between these transaction dimensions is not allowed.
  
  If you set the relationship between two alphanumeric transaction dimensions to Combination not allowed, you cannot use both the transaction dimensions at the same time for analysis during transaction entry.
  
• Is owned by    Where the selected alphanumeric transaction dimension is owned by another alphanumeric transaction dimension. For example, cost center C1 is owned by profit center P1.
  
• Owns Trx Dimension    where the selected alphanumeric transaction dimension owns another alphanumeric transaction dimension. 
• Valid Subset: certain code combinations between two transaction dimensions are permitted. This relation allows you to restrict the code combination

As for our case study mentioned at the beginning of this article, the relation of the three dimensions are as follows:

• Project and Location: Valid Subset
• Project and Cost Center: All combination allowed 
• Location and Cost Center: All combination allowed

Now there is one missing point yet, which shall guide you on where and how to define the valid subset of dimension codes as illustrated in the initial graph. To do so, Go to (Cards > Financial > Analytical Accounting > Transaction Dimension Code Validation) 

Follow the steps below:

1. Choose the transaction dimension which has the valid subset relation on the left panel
2. Choose the other transaction dimension included in this valid subset relation from the other panel on the right
3. Choose a specific code from the left, and then check the codes to be assigned and allowed accordingly as shown below

Valid Subset - Restrictions

In summary, Analytical Accounting dimensions relations define the rules of how different financial dimensions shall relate and operate. Such configuration will restrict the user when distributing amounts on the predefined dimensions to allow or disallow specific dimension relation.

Best Regards, 

Mahmoud M. AlSaadi