Adding a Center

New centers can be readily added to the existing system any time after the base Account/Center Master File is initialized.  Account numbers should be assigned to new centers so that data can be merged properly with existing accounts when reports are prepared.  (Refer to the Financial Reporting Structure key concept for more information.)  After the center and account numbers are defined, perform the following steps to load the new center onto the system. 

1.   Update the Reference File.  If required, add a center description record (category 112) to define the new center.  If the center will be defined to only one location, enter the company and location by key fields.  If the center will be defined to a company, enter only the company field.  For a global center, leave these key fields blank.

2.   Update the Account/Center Master File (Account/Center Master File Maintenance Conversation).  Add account records for the new center.  The mass maintenance functions provided in the Account/Center Master File Maintenance Conversation allow for the creation of a set of accounts for a new center, based on the accounts of an existing center.  This processing reduces data entry time when the accounts contained in the new center closely approximate the accounts in an existing center. 

3.   Update the Budget Master File (Budget Master File Maintenance Conversation).  Add budget records for the new center.  When the budget year and sequence are determined, the mass maintenance functions provided in the Budget Master File Maintenance Conversation can be used to create Budget Master File records for the new center.  Budget worksheets can be printed to be used for budget amount preparation.

4.   Update the Financial Statement Title File (Financial Statement Title File Maintenance Conversation).  Add heading and line description records for the newly-defined center for which financial statements will be prepared.  The mass maintenance functions provided in the Financial Statement Title File Maintenance Conversation allow for the creation of financial statement titles for a new center report based on the financial statement titles for an existing center report.  This processing reduces data entry time if the financial statement titles for the new center report closely approximate the financial statement titles for an existing center report.  If necessary, modify any line description records for existing reports to include the new accounts. 

5.   Update the Responsibility Report Title File  (Responsibility Report Title File Maintenance Conversation).  Add or modify the heading and line description records for the responsibility reports, if required.  It may be necessary to add line description records on lower-level responsibility reports to print new accounts at a detail level.  It may also be necessary to create new responsibility reports.  The mass maintenance functions provided in the Responsibility Report

Title File Maintenance Conversation allow for the creation of responsibility report titles for a new responsibility report based on the responsibility report titles for an existing responsibility report.  This processing reduces data entry time if the responsibility report titles for the new responsibility report closely approximate the responsibility report titles for an existing responsibility report.

6.   Update the Analysis Report Title and Specification Files (Analysis Title File and Specification File Maintenance Conversations).  Add or modify the report definition and specification records for the analysis reports, if required.  It may also be necessary to add additional analysis specification records to the Analysis Specification File to include new accounts on the analysis report.  The mass maintenance functions provided in the Analysis Title File and Specification File Maintenance Conversations allow for the creation of title and specification records for new analysis reports based on the title and specification records of an existing analysis report.  This processing reduces data entry time if the title and specification records for new analysis reports closely approximate the title and specification records for an existing analysis report.

7.   Verify title file contents.  All reports for which headings or line descriptions were altered should be prepared using the detail print option.  This check ensures that all accounts are extracted properly and appear on the correct report lines. 

8.   Verify Account/Center Master File contents.  Prepare the Account/Center Master File Listing to obtain a detailed listing of the new accounts and to verify that all accounts for any location having the new center are in balance for all processing periods.

9.         Verify Budget Master File content.  Prepare the Budget Master File Listing to obtain a detailed listing of the new budget records added to the Budget Master File.