Customize columns

User permission: Manage Custom Statements

Watch this Phocas demo video which shows custom column layouts: Customize statements

You can design your own version of a Profit and Loss statement and Balance Sheet statement by defining the columns that they contain, giving you much greater flexibility in the layout and analysis capabilities. You can use the custom measures option to insert additional columns into your financial statement, to enable the analysis of multiple measures from the same data stream within the financial statement. You can save your column configurations in the form of layouts, then when you switch to a different version of the Profit and Loss statement, you can apply the saved layout. So you can mix and match your column layouts to have lots of versions of each statement.

Currently, the Charts feature is unavailable with custom column layouts.

View the column configuration

Within a Profit and Loss or Balance Sheet statement, click the Columns > Customize Columns. The Customize Columns window displays a representation of the columns that are currently in the statement.

You can edit or delete the existing columns and add new columns, as outlined below.

Edit a column

In the Customize Columns window, you can change the name and setup of the existing columns. The available setup options depend on the type of column (expand the sections below) and might include a Measures setting if you opt to use custom measures (see the section below).

Use custom measures

In the Customize Columns window, select the Use custom measures checkbox in the top-left corner to enable the Measures setting for each of the Total columns, then proceed to select a measure from the list for each of those columns. Expand the sections below for more information.

Learn more about measures in financial statements

Measures are different types of numerical data values (such as Amount, Quantity, Local Value, Reporting Value, and so on) that display in the statement grid. You can use the Measures menu to change the measure, however, you can only view data for one measure at a time.

When you customize the columns in a financial statement, you have the option to use custom measures. This option allows you to insert additional columns into your financial statement to enable the analysis of multiple measures from the same data stream within the financial statement.

The measures that are available here are those that were mapped to the database in Designer. If you do not see the measures you want, talk to your administrator. They can map additional measures to the database or transform existing data.

Examples of how custom measures can be used in column layouts

Allocations:

Debits and credits:

Year end adjustments (such as Period 13):

Hide a column

In the Customize Columns window, select the Column is Hidden checkbox, if you want to hide the column in the statement. This option is useful if you are using a Variance column but do not want to display the two underlying columns.

Move a column

In the Customize Columns window, click and hold the column’s Move button on the left side of the name (a blue box displays around the row), then drag the item left or right to its new position.

Delete a column

In the Customize Columns window, click the column’s Delete button. The column is deleted immediately.

Add a new column

1. In the Customize Columns window, click the New Column button and select one of the following column types: Total, Variance or Sum (expand the sections below for more information).

2. Enter a name for the column.

3. Set up the column as required (expand the sections below for more information).

4. Move the column to another position (see above), if required.

5. Click OK to view your changes in the statement.

6. (Optional) Save your new column configuration as a layout (see below).

Total column

The Total column format is used by the standard Current, Previous and Budget columns in the Columns menu.

1. Select a stream (dataset) from the Column Contains list. The available streams are the same as those in the Current menu.

2. Select a period from the Period list or click the Custom option and proceed to create your own period.

3. Select a measure, if applicable (see the Use custom measures section above).

Variance column

The Variance column format is used by the standard Variance column in the Columns menu. It displays the difference between the values in two other columns, such as the Current and Previous columns. Whereas the standard setup displays both the value and percentage of the variance, when customizing this column you have the option to display the value only or the percentage only. You can also select the columns on which to calculate the variance.

1. Select the column you want to start with from the From list (this is the column from which you will subtract the other column).

2. Select the column you want to subtract from the Subtract list.

3. Select how you want to show the variance as: Value and percentage, Percentage only or Value only.

Sum column

The Sum column type allows you to add the values in two columns and display the sum in a new column. You can add any two of the Total columns together, and you can add a column to itself.

1. Select one of the columns you want to add from the Add list.

2. Select the other column you want to add from the To list.

3. Hide the other columns, if you only want to display the Sum column in the statement.

Manage layouts

Layouts are different configurations of the standard column options, such as variances, percentages and periods, along with any customized columns. Layouts give you a new way to get insights into the way your business is performing. You can configure and save multiple layouts for your Profit and Loss statements, to get different views of the same financial information. Your saved layouts remove the need for users to add and remove columns themselves, allowing them to view the information they need more quickly.

Your saved layouts display as options in the Columns > Layouts menu and are available for other users to apply to all versions of your Profit and Loss statements.

A layout acts like template that you can apply to different versions of your Profit and Loss statement. This is different from a favorite, which is a snapshot of one version of a financial statement.

A layout acts like template that you can apply to different versions of your Profit and Loss statement. This is different from a favorite, which is a snapshot of one version of a financial statement.

Save a layout

1. Set up the columns in a particular way - you might want to customize the columns if the standard column options do not meet your needs.

2. Click Columns > Layouts > Save as New Layout.

3. Enter a name for the layout and click Save.

4. Repeat the above steps to save additional layouts.

The following examples illustrate the types of layouts you can save based on customized columns.

Example 1: Looking Back

The following layout displays lots of previous periods and is suitable for gaining a historical view of performance. It contains the following customized columns: Current, Previous, Prior Previous, Prior Prior Previous and Current Month.

Example 2: Rolling 12 months window

The following layout displays a rolling 12-month window sliding backwards over time and is suitable for looking at emerging trends. It contains the following customized columns: FYTD (financial year to date), Current Month, Rolling 12 Months, Rolling 12 Months - 1 (prior month rolling 12 months) and Rolling 12 Months - 2 (prior prior month rolling 12 months).

Example 3: Quarter comparisons

The following layout displays information for the current quarter and is helpful for monitoring recent and current performance. It contains the following customized columns: Current Month, Current Quarter, Current Quarter Budget Variance to Budget and Current Quarter Forecast.

Make changes to a layout

When you apply a layout, if you then add or remove any columns, the layout is different. You have the option to revert to the original layout, update the original layout with the changes or create a new layout (and leave the original intact).

Other users can make changes to your layout but they cannot save those changes. Only users with permission to manage financial statements can save and update layouts.

• To undo your changes and revert to the original layout, click Columns > Layouts > Revert to [layout name]. The grid updates and reapplies your original layout.

• To save your changes and update the original layout, click Columns > Layouts > Save Changes to [layout name]. The grid remains in the updated layout.

• To save a new layout and leave the original as it was, click Columns > Layouts > Save as New Layout, then enter a name for the layout and click Save. The grid remains in the new layout and that layout is added to the list of layouts.

Delete a layout

If a layout is no longer useful, you can delete it. When you delete a layout it is removed from the list of layouts, so it is no longer available for other users to apply.

Apply the layout you want to delete, then click Columns > Layouts > Delete Layout > Delete.