# Configure budgets, assets, and analytic accounting

## What these accounting tools are for

Use the **Accounting** menus to configure and troubleshoot analytic items and accounts,
analytic distribution models and plans, assets and asset categories, budgets and
budgetary positions, budget alerts and alert history, and generated asset entries.

Analytic accounting here means using analytic items, accounts, distribution models, and
plans to organize accounting information. An asset is a record with depreciation
information. A budget is a record with budget lines and state controls. A budget alert
defines threshold notifications, and generated entries post installment or depreciation
lines for a selected month.

Use the tools in this order when you are setting up a new area:

| If you need to… | Go to |
|---|---|
| Add or review analytic lines and their accounting references | [Understand the accounting screens](#understand-the-accounting-screens) |
| Set up analytic accounts, plans, or distribution rules | [Configure records and generate entries](#configure-records-and-generate-entries) |
| Define how an asset is accounted for | [Configure records and generate entries](#configure-records-and-generate-entries) |
| Create a budget, move it through its available states, or inspect its lines | [Configure records and generate entries](#configure-records-and-generate-entries) |
| Configure threshold notifications or inspect their history | [Handle state, role, and configuration branches](#handle-state-role-and-configuration-branches) |
| Continue to accounting activity and journal work | [Accounting dashboard, journals, and bank activity](doc:admin-accounting-dashboard-journals-and-bank-activity) |
| Continue to accounting reports and audit work | [Reports and audit work](doc:admin-reports-and-audit-work) |
| Prepare accounts and currencies used by these records | [Accounts, taxes, and currencies](doc:admin-accounts-taxes-and-currencies) |

The records connect through their accounting references. Analytic fields appear on
analytic lines, assets, asset categories, and budget lines. Assets carry a depreciation
board and can generate entries. Budgets carry budget lines and expose planned,
practical, and theoretical amounts. Alerts attach to budgets and record whether an
email or activity was created.

Start with [Before you start](#before-you-start) when you are ready to prepare the
records, access, and information for this work.

## Before you start

**Prerequisites**

| Have this ready | Why it matters here |
|---|---|
| Access to **Assets** and **Budgets** | The asset list is restricted to the accounting manager group, and the Budgets list is also restricted to that group. |
| Access to analytic accounting | Analytic accounts, analytic plans, analytic distribution models, analytic items, and analytic fields on other records use the analytic-accounting group. |
| The company and accounts to use | Asset categories restrict their account choices to the selected company. Budget and asset records also carry company context. |
| Budget dates and a budgetary position | A budget uses a date range and budget lines. A budgetary position supplies the accounts shown on its **Accounts** tab. |
| Analytic accounts and asset categories | Budget lines can use an analytic account, and assets use an **Asset Category** restricted to purchase categories. |
| Alert thresholds and recipients | A budget alert contains a threshold, an alert type, notification choices, and additional recipients. |

Check these prerequisites before changing a record. A missing role changes which menus
and fields you can reach; a missing company or account changes which accounting choices
are available.

When these items are ready, find the accounting surface that matches your job.

## Find the accounting surface

Use the menu choices below to reach the record or list that matches the job you defined
in the overview.

**Prerequisites**

- You have access to the accounting area.
- You know whether you are opening a list, a saved record, a report, or the generated-entry wizard.

**Steps**

1. Open the accounting area using the path that matches what is on screen.

   | If… | Do this |
   |---|---|
   | the application menu is open | Select **Accounting**. |
   | the accounting menu is already open | Choose the budget area or another accounting surface. |

2. Choose the surface that matches your job.

   | If you need to… | Choose |
   |---|---|
   | Review analytic lines | **Analytic Items** |
   | Set distribution rules | **Analytic Distribution Models** |
   | Manage analytic account records | **Analytic Accounts** |
   | Manage analytic plan records | **Analytic Plans** |
   | Review rounding setup | **Cash Roundings** |
   | Review assets | **Assets** |
   | Set asset accounting rules | **Asset Category** |
   | Post asset or revenue-recognition lines for a month | **Generate Assets Entries** |
   | Configure budget notifications | **Budget Alerts** |
   | Review notifications that were raised | **Alert History** |
   | Manage account groupings used by budgets | **Budgetary Positions** |
   | Manage budget records | **Budgets** |
   | Compare budget amounts | **Budgets Analysis** |

3. Select the view that answers your immediate question: list, kanban, form, search,
   pivot, graph, or wizard.

**Result:** The selected accounting list, record, report, or wizard is on screen.

Use the selected surface's layout to orient yourself before changing a record.

## Understand the accounting screens

Each surface answers a different accounting question. Use the field and view tables
below to identify the information before you change it.

### Analytic surfaces

| Surface | What to look for |
|---|---|
| **Analytic Items** | Use the form fields and search fields shown on the screen for analytic-line review. The list also provides optional accounting-reference columns, and the pivot can group by partner. |
| **Analytic Distribution Models** | Use the list and form fields shown on the screen to define distribution conditions. Some list columns are optional. |
| **Analytic Accounts** | **Customer Invoices** and **Vendor Bills** are stat buttons. |
| **Analytic Plans** | Use the applicability area shown on the plan form. |

Work from the labels visible on your form when you need additional analytic-account,
distribution-model, or plan fields.

### Asset surfaces

The asset form has a header with **Confirm**, **Compute Depreciation**, **Sell or
Dispose**, **Set to Draft**, and **Modify Depreciation**. Its body includes **Asset
Category**, **Date**, first-depreciation fields, analytic accounting fields, value
fields, vendor and invoice fields, and **Analytic distribution**.

| Area | What to look for |
|---|---|
| **Depreciation Board** | Depreciation date, depreciation amount, depreciated value, residual value, and posting indicators. |
| **Depreciation Information** | Depreciation method, progress factor, **Time Method Based On**, prorata, number, period, and end fields. |
| **Asset Category** | **Journal Entries**, **Periodicity**, **Additional Options**, and **Depreciation Method** groups. |

### Budget and alert surfaces

| Surface | What to look for |
|---|---|
| **Budgetary Positions** | The **Accounts** tab contains account-code and account-name columns. |
| **Budgets** | The header contains the budget name, owner, **Period**, company, state, and **Budget Lines**. Lines contain budget, analytic, date, amount, percentage, and **Entries...** controls. |
| **Budgets Analysis** | List, form, pivot, and graph views expose planned, practical, theoretical, and percentage values. |
| **Budget Alerts** | **Notification Settings** and **Additional Recipients**, together with the budget, threshold, alert-type, and notification choices shown on the form. |
| **Alert History** | Budget and alert identifiers, alert date, threshold and actual percentages, amounts, notification status, activity, and **Message**. |

Use the matching screen description to choose the fields and controls for the
configuration procedure that follows.

## Configure records and generate entries

Use the field tables above to prepare analytic records, asset categories, assets,
budgetary positions, budgets, and alerts. The procedures below cover the actions
available for these records.

### Generate asset entries for a period

Generated entries post installment or depreciation lines for the selected month. The
wizard also states that related journal entries are generated for the period's asset or
revenue recognition lines.

**Prerequisites**

- You are in **Generate Assets Entries**.
- You know the month to process.

**Steps**

1. In the date field, select the month to process.
2. Read the wizard notice: `This wizard will post installment/depreciation lines for the selected month.`
3. Read the second notice: `This will generate journal entries for all related installment lines on this period of asset/revenue recognition as well.`
4. Select the action that matches your intention.

   | If you need to… | Select |
   |---|---|
   | Post the selected period's lines | **Generate Entries** |
   | Close the wizard without posting | **Cancel** |

**Result:** The generation action or the cancellation action has been selected from the
wizard.

### Confirm a draft asset

An asset in draft is the record on which you enter the category, dates, amounts, and
analytic distribution before confirming its accounting treatment.

**Prerequisites**

- You are editing an asset in draft.
- The asset has its **Asset Category**, date, value, and analytic information ready.

**Steps**

1. Select the action that matches the work you need to complete.

   | If you need to… | Select |
   |---|---|
   | Build the depreciation board | **Compute Depreciation** |
   | Confirm the draft asset | **Confirm** |

**Result:** The selected asset action has been selected from the draft asset header.

### Move a budget through its available states

A budget is a record with a state shown in its header. The available action depends on
that state.

**Prerequisites**

- You are editing a budget.
- The budget is in the state required by the action you need.

**Steps**

1. Select the action that matches the current budget state.

   | If the budget is… | Select |
   |---|---|
   | Draft | **Confirm** |
   | Confirmed | **Approve** |
   | Validated | **Done** |
   | Cancelled | **Reset to Draft** |
   | Confirmed or validated and you need to cancel it | **Cancel Budget** |

2. Select **Entries...** on a budget line when you need to open that line's entries.

**Result:** The budget action available for the current state has been selected, or the
budget-line entries view is open.

### Create default budget alerts

Budget alerts define warning or critical thresholds and can notify people by email or
activity.

**Prerequisites**

- You are editing a budget.
- No alert exists on the budget when you use the default-alert action.

**Steps**

1. Open the budget's alert area.
2. Select **Create Default Alerts (75% Warning, 90% Critical)**.
3. Review the alert rows and their notification settings.

**Result:** Default warning and critical alert rows are requested for the budget.

Continue with the branch table when the same surface looks different from the one you
expect.

## Handle state, role, and configuration branches

The same screen changes with the record state, type, role, and company setup. Use the
following table before looking for a field or action.

| If you are working with… | The screen changes when… | What to use |
|---|---|---|
| Analytic Accounts | There are no customer invoices or vendor bills | **Customer Invoices** or **Vendor Bills** is hidden until its count allows it. |
| An asset | The state is not draft | Draft-only controls and fields become unavailable; open assets expose **Sell or Dispose** and **Modify Depreciation**. |
| An asset's first depreciation date | The first-depreciation mode is manual | The manual date field appears and is required. |
| A sale-type asset | The asset type is sale | Salvage value and purchase-only depreciation choices change. |
| An asset category | The type is purchase or sale | Asset and deferred-revenue labels and account fields change. |
| An asset category's periodicity | **Time Method Based On** is number or end | The matching number or end field appears and is required. |
| A budget alert | Alerts already exist | **Create Default Alerts (75% Warning, 90% Critical)** is hidden. |
| A budget | The budget is draft, confirmed, validated, or cancelled | The available state action changes. |
| Analytic or company-specific accounting | Your role or company setup does not include the relevant group | Analytic-accounting and multi-company fields are unavailable. |
| A list with optional columns | The list layout does not show optional columns | Use the columns available on that list; optional analytic columns are hidden by default in the declared views. |

Use the matching state, role, type, or company condition before continuing to the
troubleshooting table.

## Troubleshoot missing fields, messages, and entries

Start with the state and branch tables above. Then match the text on screen to the
message below.

| What you see | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| `This wizard will post installment/depreciation lines for the selected month.` | The generated-entry wizard is describing the month-level posting action. | Check the selected date, then select **Generate Entries**. |
| `This will generate journal entries for all related installment lines on this period of asset/revenue recognition as well.` | The wizard includes related recognition lines for the period. | Check the selected date and the related asset or revenue-recognition setup before selecting **Generate Entries**. |
| `Create a budget alert configuration` | The Budget Alerts list has its empty-state instruction. | Create the alert configuration using the fields in **Budget Alerts**. |
| `Set up alerts to be notified when budgets reach warning or critical thresholds.` | The Budget Alerts help text describes the threshold purpose. | Enter the threshold and alert type, then choose the notification settings. |
| `Alerts can be configured to send emails and create activities.` | Email and activity notifications are available alert settings. | Review the email, activity, and responsible-person notification choices. |
| `No alert history found` | The Alert History list has its empty-state message. | Check the budget thresholds and return to Alert History after a threshold event. |
| `Alert history will appear here when budget thresholds are reached.` | Alert history is tied to reached budget thresholds. | Review the budget and its alert configuration. |
| `Click to create a new budget.` | The Budgets list has no budget record selected for work. | Create the budget and complete its date range and budget lines. |
| `Use budgets to compare actual with expected revenues and costs` | The Budgets list help text describes the comparison purpose. | Use **Budgets Analysis** for planned, practical, theoretical, and percentage values. |

If a field is not visible, first check the role, company, record state, type, and branch
condition that controls it. If the accounting list does not open, return to **Accounting**
and choose the named menu item rather than continuing from the application menu.

After you match the message or condition, continue to the related accounting surface.

## Know what happens next

When you finish setting up or reviewing a record, continue with the surface that matches
the next accounting question:

| After you finish… | Continue with… |
|---|---|
| Reviewing entries, journals, or bank activity | [Accounting dashboard, journals, and bank activity](doc:admin-accounting-dashboard-journals-and-bank-activity) |
| Reviewing budget analysis, asset reports, or audit information | [Reports and audit work](doc:admin-reports-and-audit-work) |
| Correcting account or currency setup | [Accounts, taxes, and currencies](doc:admin-accounts-taxes-and-currencies) |

The budget and asset actions above identify the available next records and views. Use the
list, form, report, or wizard that opens after the selected
action, then continue with the related page when the next accounting question is about
journals, reports, or account setup.

**Result:** You have a defined next accounting surface for the work you just completed.