GL : Journals Importing and Posting QnAs

1. What are the tables involved in the Transfer to GL and GL posting?

Subledger Tables

XLA_AE_HEADERS

XLA_AE_LINES

XLA_DISTRIBUTION_LINKS

 

Transfer Journal Entries to GL (XLAGLTRN) process takes the subledger journals and inserts records into the Interface Tables

 

Interface Tables 

GL_INTERFACE / XLA_GLT_<groupid>

 

Journal Import (GLLEZL) then reads from the interface table and creates records in the GL Tables

 

GL Tables

GL_JE_BATCHES

GL_JE_HEADERS

GL_JE_LINES

GL_IMPORT_REFERENCES

 

GL Posting process then posts to the GL_BALANCES table.

2. What are the different methods to transfer Subledger journals to GL?

a) ONLINE MODE

GL Transfer can be spawned during Online Accounting using the "Final Post" option for a specific document (Example: AP Invoice and AR Transaction).

Example: Navigation in Payables: Invoices/Entry/Invoices: Action: Create Accounting/Final Post. This  spawns the GL Transfer, the Journal Import, Data Manager and the GL Posting processes. This request transfers ALL the final accounted data for that document. This method of transfer uses the interface table GL_INTERFACE to move the journals to the general ledger. 

 

b) BATCH MODE

GL Transfer can also be spawned by the Create Accounting concurrent request when submitted with the "Transfer to GL" parameter set to Y.

Example:  Navigation in Payables: Other/Request/Run: Create Accounting

This spawns the journal import and the data manager processes. The GL Posting process is spawned if the Post to GL parameter is set to Yes when submitting the Create Accounting. This request transfers all the final accounting created by the Create Accounting request that spawned it. This method uses the interface table XLA_GLT_<groupid>.

 

c) CONCURRENT REQUEST

GL Transfer can be submitted in standalone mode using the concurrent request "Transfer Journal Entries to GL".

Example: Navigation in Payables: Other/Request/Run: Transfer Journal Entries to GL 

This spawns the Journal Import and the Data Manager programs. This request transfers all the final accounting that exists for the given ledger and end date. This method uses the interface table XLA_GLT_<groupid>.

3. What columns indicate the Transfer Status of accounting data in subledger?

The XLA_AE_HEADERS table shows the transfer status of the accounting data, after successful transfer to the GL and Journal Import:

XLA_AE_HEADERS.gl_transfer_status_code = Y

XLA_AE_HEADERS.gl_transfer_date is not null

XLA_AE_HEADERS.group_id is not null

For 11i data upgraded to R12, the transfer status can be determined using the following

XLA_AE_HEADERS.gl_transfer_status_code = Y

XLA_AE_HEADERS.gl_transfer_date is null

XLA_AE_HEADERS.group_id is null

XLA_AE_HEADERS.upg_batch_id is not null  --> indicates 11i data

4. What is the setup option that determines the level of detail in the accounting lines created for a specific transaction in XLA_AE_LINES?

Each Journal Line Type (JLT) can be setup as required to result in either detailed or merged lines in XLA_AE_LINES.

 

Navigation: Accounting Setups : Subledger Accounting Setup : Accounting Methods Builder : Journal Entry Setups

Form :"Define Journal Line Types"

Field : "Merge Matching Lines"

 

The different options are as follows: 

1) ALL - The matching lines in XLA_DISTRIBUTION_LINKS for the specific accounting header and specific journal line type (example: LIABILITY) are merged to create records in XLA_AE_LINES.

 

2) DR/CR - The matching lines in XLA_DISTRIBUTION_LINKS, for the specific accounting header and specific journal line type (example: LIABILITY) with debit side entries, are merged to create one debit entry in XLA_AE_LINES. The matching lines with credit side entries are merged to create one credit side entry in XLA_AE_LINES.

3) NO - Lines in XLA_DISTRIBUTION_LINKS for the specific accounting header and specific journal

line type (example: LIABILITY) are not merged and copied into XLA_AE_LINES.

 

NOTE: This setup applies to merging lines within a specific transaction.

5. What is the setup option that determines if transfer to GL is in detail or summarised mode?

There are two variables that determine how the data is transferred to GL from the subledger tables XLA_AE_HEADERS and XLA_AE_LINES. These setups determine whether accounting data from across multiple transactions in the subledger will be merged or not merged while inserting into rows in the GL_JE_HEADERS and GL_JE_LINES tables.

a) Subledger Accounting Options

 

Navigation: Accounting Setups : Ledger Setup : Define : Accounting Setups

Choose the ledger

Click on "Update Accounting Options"

Scroll to Subledger Accounting Options in the Primary Ledger section

Click on Update Icon

Click on Update Icon against the Application to be setup(Example: Payables)

 

i] Field: General Ledger Journal Entry Summarization

This can be set to ONE of the following:

·         Summarize by GL Period 

·         Summarize by GL Date 

·         No Summarization

This setup determines if the accounting header is summarized or not.

ii] Field: General Ledger Journal Entry Summarization:

'Group by GL Period' and 'Group by GL Date' (introduced by bug 8681466 fix).

b) Journal Line Types

Navigation: Accounting Setups : Subledger Accounting Setup : Accounting Methods Builder : Journal

Entry Setups

Form :"Define Journal Line Types"

Field: Transfer to GL

This can be set to Summary or Detail

 

This setup determines if the accounting lines in XLA_AE_LINES are summarized during transfer to GL.

 

Note 1: Lines cannot be summarised if the headers are not summarised.

If "General Ledger Journal Entry Summarization" is set to No Summarization, the "Transfer to GL" setup in the Journal Line Types are irrelevant. The lines and headers are not summarized in this scenario.

 

Note 2: Irrespective of transfer in Detail or Summary, there is always a one-to-one correspondence between the XLA_AE_LINES and GL_IMPORT_REFERENCES tables.

6. What are the different combinations of the two setup options that determine if transfer to GL is in summary or detail and the corresponding outcome?

GL Journal Entry Summarization	JLT -Transfer to GL	Expected behavior
Summarize(By GL Date or Period)	Summary	Summarized at both GL_JE_HEADERS and GL_JE_LINES
Summarize(By GL Date or Period)	Detail	Summarized at GL_JE_HEADERS, detail GL_JE_LINES
No Summarization	Detail	Detailed at GL_JE_HEADERS and GL_JE_LINES
No Summarization	Summary	Summarized at GL_JE_HEADERS and GL_JE_LINES
Group by GL Period/GL Date	Detail/Summary	GL_JE_HEADERS within same journal category and GL Period/GL Date will be merged.  GL_JE_LINES will be detailed and gl_sl_link_id populated.

Note: The "No Summarzation" option causes the level of detail in the GL to be the same as in the Subledger i.e. the same number of headers and lines.  Please see Doc Id 1289618.1 for more details on the Group by GL Period/Gl Date option.

7. What columns associate GL data back to the SLA data?

Since there is always a one-to-one correspondence between XLA_AE_LINES and GL_IMPORT_REFERENCES, they are used to link GL and the subledgers.

 

GL_IMPORT_REFERENCES.gl_sl_link_id => XLA_AE_LINES.gl_sl_link_id

GL_JE_BATCHES.group_id => XLA_AE_HEADERS.group_id

8. Why are reference columns in GL_IMPORT_REFERENCES not populated by the R12 Transfer to GL process, which is unlike 11i?

In R12, until recently, the reference columns were not populated by the transfer process. With patch 7512923:R12.XLA.A (for R12.0.x), 6 reference columns REFERENCE5 to REFERENCE10 in GL_IMPORT_REFERENCES are now populated with entity_id, event_id, ae_header_id, ae_line_num, and either accounted_cr or accounted_dr.

 

This will help with troubleshooting when the link between subledger and GL is broken due to missing gl_sl_link_id.

9. What is the default value for the Transfer to GL in the seeded journal line types (JLT)?

There is no specific default value across the application.  Depending on the product, the JLTs may be seeded as Detail or Summary for the Transfer to GL option. See DocId 958394.1 for more information.

10. If a customer's business requires a different setup than the default, can the seeded JLT be updated?

The seeded JLT cannot be updated.  However, the seeded JLT can be copied and a new custom JLT can be created, where changes can be made on the custom JLT.

11. How many group_ids are created during the transfer process when there is a primary ledger and associated ALC/reporting ledger?

The primary ledger data and associated ALC/reporting ledger data goes into one group_id. Data from this one group_id can be split across multiple GL Batches based on other criteria, such as je_category/date/period. However, one GL Batch can only be associated to one group_id.

12. How many group_ids are created during transfer process when there is a primary ledger and a secondary ledger?

Two group IDs are created--One for the primary ledger and one for the secondary ledger. Two journal import processes are spawned in this case, one for each group_id. If there is failure in the journal import for either ledger, the transfer is rolled back for both ledgers.

13. Is there a setup to prevent spawning the Journal Import on instances where a third party (e.g., Peoplesoft) GL is used?

The profile option "Disable Journal Import" (when set to Yes) prevents the GL Transfer from invoking the Journal Import. The interface table used in this case is GL_INTERFACE. Setting this profile option is not recommended if you are using Oracle General Ledger. The profile option is hidden and disabled in the latest code.

14. Is there a diagnostics script available to detect issues with transfer process?

With the application of patch 8513940:R12.XLA.A (for R12.0.x), there is a diagnostics script that allows you to troubleshoot issues with the Transfer to GL.

Some of the issues this script detects are as follows:

·         Negative ledger_id in GL tables

·         SLA data marked as transferred but not in GL

·         GL data exists but SLA data marked as untransferred

·         SLA data transferred multiple times to GL.

The following two questions are specific to Payables Subledger.

15. When is data inserted into the XLA_TRIAL_BALANCES table?

The XLA_TRIAL_BALANCES table is populated after successful journal import.

Data from XLA_DISTRIBUTION_LINKS is used to populate the XLA_TRIAL_BALANCES table. It can also be repopulated during a trial balance rebuild using the "Open Account Balances Data Manager" process. See Note 553484.1 for details.

16. Why are the original encumbrance entries not transferred to GL before the reversal encumbrance journals?

This happens because of the mode used for Transfer to GL. When using the Online mode from a document to Final post to GL, all accounting entries including the encumbrance accounting created during validation, and the actual and reversal encumbrance created during accounting are transferred to GL.

 

However, when you run the batch Create Accounting with Transfer to GL parameter set to Yes, only the actual accounting and encumbrance reversals that are generated during that specific accounting process are transferred to GL.  This leaves the original encumbrance created during invoice validation to remain untransferred. This should then be transferred by submitting the "Transfer Journal Entries to GL" request.