Introduction to Open Access - A Reference Guide.

1.0 Introduction

This guide is intended to supplement the Introduction to Open Access Course. The main themes of the course will be revisited in order to provide continued help in the work place.

1.1 In 1996 Warwickshire County Council adopted the Dodge financial system. In 1999 Dodge was taken over by Flexi and, although the name of the system has changed the basic functions remain the same. Open Access is a tool provided by the Flexi system in order to view financial information.

1.2 As mentioned above, the aim of this guide is to refresh and complement skills already learnt on the Introduction to Open Access course. The issues covered will include:

2.0 Open Access Structures

The most common area of confusion when working in Open Access is found in getting to grips with the Cost Centre structure and the Account Code Structure. This issue is complicated further by the fact that there are three departments that have also added a third structure to their ledgers.

2.1 The Cost Centre Structure

A Cost Centre is a department or section of a department that is in charge of it's own budget. The Cost Centre Structure displays how much money has been spent by, or allocated, to a particular Cost Centre within a given time period.

2.2 The Account Code Structure

The Account Code Structure Displays how money has been spent by a group of Cost Centres or an individual Cost Centre within a given time period.

2.3 Other Structures

The ledgers that have a third structure include:

3.0 How to find Open Access on your Computer

Log on to your computer as normal and then select 'start' which appears at the bottom of the screen.

1. 2. 3.

1. First select programs.

2. Secondly select Flexi FDW.

3. Then double click on Open Access.

The Select Data Source Box will then appear on the screen.

Select the Machine Data Source button by double clicking upon it.

3.1

Double click upon FDW32.

The computer will then ask for your user name and password for the Flexi system.

3.2 Provided you correctly enter your password and user name the computer will then ask you to select the schema. You do this by double clicking on OK.

Open Access Menu.

4.0 Having successfully logged on to Open Access the Open Access menu will appear.

4.1 At this point select The Management Summaries button by double clicking upon it. This button allows you to view pre-generated reports.

It is likely here that many users will only see the `Management Summaries' button. If this is the case follow the same process described above.

5.0 Filter Settings

Before you can look at the data held in your ledger, you need to specify which ledger, which set of data and how you want the information displayed, these are known as the filter settings.

3. 1. 2.

1. Click on the down arrow and a pick list of ledgers will be displayed. The amount of ledgers that are available for you to view depend on the access that you have been granted by your relevant responsible officer. Select your required ledger and click on it.

2. The next arrow again displays a pick list when clicked on. This pick list relates to the type of management summary you wish to view. This basically relates to the database that the information displayed on the screen will be gathered from. For more help surrounding this area contact your Finance Officer.

3. When you have selected both a ledger and a management summary double click on the OK button.

5.1

A grid will appear requesting that you select the Management Summary Format. Here select amounts for each segval. This displays the monetary amounts in the most readily understandable way.

5.2

1. 3. 4. 2

This screen sets the Management Summary Headings for the columns that will appear on the Open Access Screen. In other words you are selecting what type of information you would like to view.

1. This table represents the columns that will appear on the Open Access Screen. To enter a column heading double click where this arrow points.

2. The right hand side column relates to the different types of information available in the particular type of management summary selected. To choose a type of information double click where arrow 2 points. The column heading should then appear in the left hand side table representing the Open Access screen indicated by arrow one.

3. To add rows of columns to the left hand side table simply click to where arrow 3 points.

Saving Filter Settings is a relatively simple process. Simple click on save and give your Filter Settings a name to make them identifiable to you in the future. Then click on the green tick that appears besides the save box. Once these Filter Settings are saved they will be readily available to you in the future.

6.0 Management Summary Selection Screen

1. 3. 2. 4. 5.

After pressing the OK button the next screen that appears should look similar to the one above depending upon which management summary headings you have chosen and how many columns you have opted to have.

If this is the view of your data that you normally wish to use, you can save all of your filter settings meaning that the next time you access management summaries you will come directly to this 'Balance Selection Screen'. Select File, Save Filter Settings. To ensure that these settings will be used, select Options, Use Default Settings. There should be a tick next to this option denoting that the saved settings will be used. If at a later date you need to change your filter settings, select Options, Filters and you will be returned to the Filter Settings screen.

1. & 2. Buttons one and two signify what structure you are viewing your information in. 'CC' being the Cost Centre structure and 'AC' being the account structure. To alternate between the two structures simply press on your desired structure button.

3. Button 3. effects the way the account details will be described. To get a narrative description press 'descr' to simply view the account code press 'code'.

4. These buttons affect the width of the viewing screen. This function helps the user to view all of the narrative description relating to an account or cost centre.

5. By pressing button 5 the screen will increase to it's full size.

6.1 The Management Summary Balance Selection screen is regarded as the main output screen for management summaries. From this starting point, more detailed information can be obtained about segment values. Firstly it is necessary to explain the different symbols found on the management summary balance selection screen.

2. 1. 3. 4.

1. The closed file symbol shows that there are additional segment values. It is a summary point. To open a file simply double click on it.

2. The open file shows that a summary point has been opened.

3. A piece of paper signifies that a posting level has been reached, this is the lowest level that can be reached.

In order to drill down to the transaction level of an amount of money it is necessary to be a the posting level of a segment.

7.0 Drilling Down

The 'Balance Selection Screen' shows you the financial balances against a cost centre and an account, however, the power of Open Access comes with 'drilling down' beyond the balances to look at trends of expenditure across financial periods and then displaying individual transactions within a period.

Drilling down is a relatively simple process. Arrow 4 on the screen print on the previous page indicates how to dill down. Double click on the amount that you want to drill down on. This takes you to the balance list level. Here all the accounts that make up the total amount on the Management Summary screen are displayed (see the screen print below).

7.1

If you want still more information double click again on the amount In question. This takes you to the Balance Grid Level. The Balance Grid describes how money has been used in each period of the financial year.

If the process is repeated you will arrive at the transaction grid level as above. Here it is possible view information relating to a particular transaction or journal. By clicking onto the 'Multiple' button you will have access to further information about the transaction e.g. if the feeder system is CHQ - Cheque production, you would find the invoice number which is being paid and the first 20 characters of the first line of the invoice to which the payment relates.

The process can be repeated again to arrive at the Source Transaction Grid, which shows all lines of the journal of which this transaction is merely one line.

8.0 Performing Calculations

Flexi FDW has the ability to perform calculations and then display them in an extra column on the management summary screen. To begin the process click on Maths at the top of the screen (arrow 2 on the screen print overleaf), from there click on Formulae. A box will appear on the screen that can be seen in the screen print overleaf at arrow 7. Arrow 4 points to the beginning point of the calculation. Here it is necessary to give your calculation column a name. When you have done this click in the box that arrow 6 is pointing to whereupon a picklist will appear. From this picklist it is possible to select the various functions that you wish to take place in your calculation. You select your required functions by double clicking upon them.

When you have completed these steps double click on calculate. If your attempt has been successful a new column should appear containing the calculated figures.

8.1 1. 2. 3.

4. 5. 6.

It is possible to save calculation columns in the same way as saving filter settings. When you have completed inputting all the functions into your calculation before you press calculate, press save. You willl then be asked to name what you are saving. After this press calculate and your calculation column will be saved. In order to retrieve it at a later date press load and double click the relevant saved calculation

9.0 Printing and Downloading Information.

It is possible to print information from the Flexi screen simply by clicking on File and the Print. However the quality of the reproduction is not as good as that that can be achieved by downloading the information from Flexi into Excel. To do this select Edit and then Copy at the top of the screen.

2. 1.

1. Firstly highlight the area you wish to copy then press Edit, then Copy (arrow 3)

2. When the box appears shown at arrow 2 double click on Yes.

9.1

1.

1. Once again double click on Yes

Now you have copied the screen and this can be downloaded into excel simply by selecting edit, then paste. When the information is first downloaded into Excel it is likely that it will need to be manipulated in order for it to be more understandable. Macro functions are available for this purpose. To find out more about macro's or to have the function installed in your department, contact Andy Rowe in the Treasurers Department on ext 2668.

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Open Access Reference Guide