Integrating and Transferring Information Among Applications

This chapter provides an overview of the General Ledger Integration Points, Flat File Import processes and discusses how to:

• Create journals from accounting entries using journal generator.

• Integrate General Ledger with PeopleSoft Applications.

• Integrate General Ledger with PeopleSoft Enterprise Performance Management Budgeting.

• Import journal entries.

• Transfer ledgers for consolidation.

Understanding Integration Points (IP) in General Ledger

General Ledger is often the repository of your accounting information. It receives data from other PeopleSoft applications, such as Accounts Payable, Project Costing, HCM Payroll, Learning Solutions, and Enterprise Learning Management, as well as third-party applications. These are referred to as feeder or subsystem applications. You can also load data such as journal and ledger file imports directly into General Ledger. General Ledger can also export data, such as ledgers, and publish and subscribe data for consolidation.

In additional to flat file imports, the General Ledger interface uses Integration Points (IPs), also known as data publish and subscribe, across applications. IPs simplify cross-product integration and automate data transport by providing a predefined structure of the data message among involved parties

This diagram displays how transactions are imported and processed in General Ledger:

General Ledger integration diagram

Note. Integration Point (IP) and Enterprise Integration Point (EIP) refer to the same functionality. You might see both used interchangeably.

See Also

Enterprise PeopleTools PeopleBook: Integration Broker

PeopleSoft Enterprise Components for Financials, Enterprise Service Automation and Supply Chain Management 8.9 PeopleBook. “Understanding Integration Points Integration”

Prerequisites

Several General Ledger file import processes allow you to submit the file from the web page and then run the import processes on a batch server. There are one time setup activities that you must perform to prepare your system for these tasks. These file import processes depend on the setup described in this table:

The storage location of the file attachment is defined by the URL definition GL_FILE_IMPORT. By default, it points to a database record. You may want to change the storage location of the file attachment to another location, such as an FTP server. This is optional. Please refer to the “File Attachment Architecture” PeopleBook for more details. To change this URL definition, navigate to:

PeopleTools, Utilities, Administrations, URLs, open GL_FILE_IMPORT

You are required to define an environmental variable, PS_FILEDIR. This variable defines the temporary flat file location on the process scheduler that runs the file import process. If you have a Unix or OS390 process scheduler, you define this in the psconfig.sh file. If you have an NT process scheduler, you define this in the control panel. Please refer to the GetFile PeopleCode reference for more details or contact your system administrator.

See Also

Enterprise PeopleTools PeopleBook: PeopleCode Developer's Guide, “Understanding File Attachments and PeopleCode”

Enterprise PeopleTools PeopleBook: PeopleCode Language Reference, “PeopleCode Built-in Functions”

Creating Journals from Accounting Entries Using Journal Generator

While you can load data directly into the General Ledger tables, it is more common to post journals to the General Ledger that are generated from a PeopleSoft application accounting entry table and from a generic accounting entry table, PS_JGEN_ACCT_ENTRY, reserved for third-party applications.

This section discusses how to:

• Use Journal Generator with PeopleSoft applications.

• Use Journal Generator with third-party applications.

Using Journal Generator with PeopleSoft Applications

PeopleSoft feeder applications typically generate accounting or voucher lines from transaction data that you enter in that particular application. PeopleSoft posts these accounting lines to an accounting entry table. Journal Generator processes data in the accounting entry table to create journals in General Ledger and optionally edit and post them to the ledgers.

You can create journal entries and optionally post them from any of these PeopleSoft applications:

Note. ELM, HCM and Learning Solutions are PeopleSoft products running in a different database from General Ledger. Accounting entries from these products are transferred using IPs (and then processed by Journal Generator.

See Also

Using Journal Generator

Using Journal Generator with Third-Party Applications

When you create accounting entries in non-PeopleSoft third-party application systems, you can use the Journal Generator to generate journal entries. This enables non-PeopleSoft applications to create journals from each application's business unit to different General Ledger business units, as well as to different ledger groups and ledgers for a General Ledger business unit.

You can use the Journal Generator to create journal entries from any table in a database as long as the table contains the required fields. If the field names are different but the attributes are the same, you can create a view and point the Journal Generator to it.

You load your third-party transactions to a generic PeopleSoft accounting entry table PS_JGEN_ACCT_ENTRY for further processing by the Journal Generator. This table works the same as the PeopleSoft accounting entry table used by PeopleSoft applications. You can use this table for your third-party applications, or you can clone it and make changes to the original table and the cloned table.

PeopleSoft delivers the Accounting Entry IP to populate your accounting entry table. The IP provides sample publish and subscribe code for you to clone and modify to meet your third-party journal generation requirements. It uses PeopleCode subscribe on the subscription side. Since PeopleSoft does not determine a publisher, the publisher is normally third-party software that generates XML messages directly to the PeopleSoft system. Therefore, the publish code presented in the IP serves as an example to illustrate the publishing logic.

General Ledger subscribes to the published message and populates the generic accounting entry table PS_JGEN_ACCT_ENTRY with the third-party transaction data. Once this table is populated, you use the Journal Generator to create journal entries for the General Ledger.

The message and channel name is JOURNAL_LOAD_TEMPLATE, which uses the PeopleCode Subscribe design pattern and the Message Subscription Name JournalLoadTemplate. Please see the message subscription for sample publish and subscribe logic.

Note. PeopleSoft software does not provide direct support to third-party products, although PeopleSoft customers and third parties may use these IPs as delivered or customize them based on their needs.

See Also

Understanding Journal Generator

Integrating General Ledger with PeopleSoft Applications

This section lists prerequisites and discusses how to:

• Activate integrations.

• Publish initial setup (fullsync) data.

• Publish incremental setup (sync) data.

• Use transactional and other messages.

Prerequisites

Before you attempt to set up integration between General Ledger and other PeopleSoft product applications that involve using IPs:

• If you are integrating with PeopleSoft HCM products, you must select the HCM product in Set Up Financials / Supply Chain, Install, Installation Options, Products page.

  See Setting Installation Options for PeopleSoft Applications.

• Read the Integration Broker Monitor chapter thoroughly.

  See Enterprise PeopleTools PeopleBook, Integration Broker, ”Using Integration Broker Monitor”

• Review the Integration Broker chapters to learn how to set up and manage the IB Gateway.

  See Enterprise PeopleTools PeopleBook: Integration Broker, “Managing Integration Gateways”

Activating Integrations

Follow these basic steps to activate integrations on your database. You should perform the setup tasks on both the publishing and subscribing databases, unless stated otherwise.

After you have setup your integration system, you are ready to use it by triggering IPs according to your requirements and business events. Here is the list of setup and transactional IPs for use with General Ledger:

Note. #1—GL subscribes to these accounting entries and writes them to their corresponding accounting table. When you run Journal Generator, it sends back the accounting message with the following updated fields. Please check with the individual products to see if they utilize this update message from GL.

Note. #2—Target node is typically an external node that accepts and handles XBRL documents.

See Also

Enterprise PeopleTools PeopleBook, Integration Broker, “Sending and Receiving Messages”

Understanding PeopleSoft Commitment Control

Using XBRL to Produce Balance Sheets and Income Statements

Publishing Initial Setup (FullSync) Data

This type of IP is used to initialize setup tables.

This is typically a one time setup using messages with the _FULLSYNC suffix and the FUND_LOAD message. Use the Full Table Publish utility to publish the entire setup table. The subscribing database erases its setup table and synchronizes itself by populating data from the message. Make sure you have activated the full publish rules before you run this process. Navigation to the Full Data Publish utility is:

Enterprise Components, Integration Definitions, Initiate Processes, Full Data Publish.

Publishing Incremental Setup (Sync) Data

This type of IP is used to synchronize incremental change of setup table.

Setup messages with a _SYNC suffix are associated with Setup pages. When you make changes to a corresponding setup data, such as ChartFields and Detail Calendars, a message is published automatically when you save the page.

Using Transactional and Other Messages

This section discusses:

• Accounting entry messages.

• Commitment control budget update messages.

• HCM account code integration.

Accounting Entry Messages

Accounting entries are generated in each PeopleSoft subsystem applications and then published to General Ledger. Some of them use the Batch Data Publish utility while others have their specific procedures to publish. Please refer to the application PeopleBooks on how to publish data from them.

After receiving the accounting entries, you will run Journal Generator to create journal entries into General Ledger. Journal Generator updates the accounting table and publish the updated data back to PeopleSoft sub-system applications over the same IP it receives accounting entries. Fields updated by Journal Generator includes Journal ID, Journal date, Journal line number, Fiscal year, Accounting period, GL_distrib_status.

Please check with the individual PeopleSoft sub-system products to see if they utilize this update message from General Ledger.

Commitment Control Budget Update Messages

These steps describe how commitment control budget update messaging works.

1. HCM Northern Payroll enters and generates commitment control budget data and sends them to General Ledger using the COMMIT_CNTRL_BUDGET_UPDATE message.

2. Upon receiving the message, the subscription process runs automatically and updates the budget journal tables, and then initiates the Budget Post process to update the commitment control ledgers.

HCM Account Code Integration

HCM maintains their account code table with data from the Financials ChartField combination data table and the Financials SpeedTypes. HCM uses account codes extensively in their systems to represent a combination of ChartField values. Do not confuse these account codes with the account ChartField in Financials.

Financial users access the Build Combination Data page to initiate the build process and to publish ChartField combination data to HCM and Learning Solutions over the HR_ACCT_CD_LOAD message. A message publishes data from a selected process group and sends it to HCM to convert it into their account codes. For further details please read the concerning Account Codes.

See PeopleSoft Enterprise Human Resources 8.9 PeopleBook: Manage Commitment Accounting, ”Setting Up Commitment Accounting Processing Control Tables"

When you add or update a user SpeedType and you selected the Publish check box, the ChartField combinations of that SpeedType publish to HCM and convert into their account code.

Note. You use the Publish Data check box to control whether you want to send the ChartField values of the new or updated SpeedType to PeopleSoft HRMS, which uses the SpeedType to update its Account Code table. The checkbox is visible and available if the SpeedType is a user SpeedType and the HCM installation option is checked. If the checkbox is visible but grayed on the page, the message object HR_CHARTFIELD_COMBO_SYNC is not activated. When available, this check box always default to clear (not checked). This option is not part of the SpeedType data and thus not saved with your SpeedType definition.

See Also

PeopleSoft Enterprise Human Resources 8.9 PeopleBook: Manage Commitment Accounting, ”Setting Up Commitment Accounting Processing Control Tables"

Understanding ChartField Combination Editing

Understanding PeopleSoft Commitment Control

Integrating General Ledger with PeopleSoft Enterprise Performance Management (EPM) Budgeting

This section provides an overview of Integrating General Ledger with PeopleSoft Enterprise Performance Management (EPM) Budgeting and discusses how to import data from EPM Budgeting.

EPM defines and initiates the General Ledger to PeopleSoft Enterprise Management Budgeting integration using the ETL tool. This process initiates from the PeopleSoft Budgeting application.

Note. You must refer to the PeopleSoft Budgeting PeopleBook for details concerning how to use this feature.

See Also

PeopleSoft Budgeting PeopleBook, “Integrating with PeopleSoft Financial Management Applications,” Using Imformatica Powermart ETL and Data Loader Utility, and Importing Data Into General Ledger

Page Used to Import the Enterprise Performance Management Budgeting

Importing Data from Enterprise Performance Management Budgeting

Access the Importing Budgeting Data page.

Note. You must refer to the PeopleSoft Budgeting PeopleBook for details concerning how to use this feature.

See PeopleSoft Enterprise Planning and Budgeting 8.9 PeopleBook: Integrating With Other Applications

Importing Journal Entries

This section discusses how to:

• Import journals from flat files using GL_JRNL_IMP.

• Use Spreadsheet Journal Import (GL_EXCL_JRNL).

• Import Commitment Control budget journals using flat files.

Importing Journals from Flat Files Using GL_JRNL_IMP

Use the following references for details concerning how to use GL_JRNL_IMP.

See Also

Using the Flat File Journal Import Process

PeopleSoft PeopleTools PeopleBook, “Integration Tools and Utilities,” File Layouts and Data Interchange

Using Spreadsheet Journal Import (GL_EXCL_JRNL)

Use the Spreadsheet Journal Import process to streamline journal import and simplify journal data entry using Microsoft Excel. Spreadsheet Journal Import uses a front-end interface that provides you with an easy-to-follow menu for entering data, specifying defaults, and importing journals. With Spreadsheet Journal Import, you can enter foreign, base, and statistical journals as well as adjusting journal entries.

Once you have created you spreadsheet, the Spreadsheet Journal Import utility uses one of the two import methods:

• The online import method uses XML link technology and sends data over the internet, processes the import request, and then replies to the Excel interface.

• The batch import method requires that you write the data into a file, submit and upload one or more files through the browser, and then initiate the Spreadsheet Journal Batch Import process (GL_EXCL_JRNL) to process the import.

See Also

Using Spreadsheet Journal Import

Importing Commitment Control Budget Journals Using Flat Files

You import Commitment Control budget journals using flat files.

See Understanding PeopleSoft Commitment Control.

See Integrating General Ledger with PeopleSoft Applications.

Transferring Ledgers for Consolidation

The Ledger Load for Consolidation IP interfaces and transfers both detail and summary ledger data from one database to another.

This section discusses how to:

• Publish and subscribe ledger data.

• Import information to a ledger using the flat file ledger import process (GL_LED_IMP).

Publishing and Subscribing Ledger Data

General Ledger both publishes and subscribes using this IP on the application message LEDGER_LOAD. You can publish ledger data from a regional database to the corporate database for the purpose of consolidation. On the subscription side, summary ledger data is stored in the summary ledger tables directly, while detail ledger data is subscribed in a staging table for processing by the Ledger Load process (GL_LED_LOAD).

You initiate the ledger publish process (GL_LED_PUB) from General Ledger > Consolidate Financial Data > Publish Ledgers within the regional database. Ledgers are protected by the Allow Ledger Load Update option on the Ledgers For A Unit page.

See Also

Using the Ledger Interface Utility

Defining Ledgers for a Business Unit

Enterprise PeopleTools PeopleBook, Integration Broker, “Defining Message Channels and Messages”

Importing Information to a Ledger Using the Flat File Ledger Process (GL_LED_IMP)

In addition to using publish and subscribe to bring over ledgers, you can also import data using the Flat File Ledger Import process (GL_LED_IMP) to import standard detail ledgers and standard budgets ledgers.

See Also

Importing and Exporting Ledgers