Complexity behind the scenes to simplify normal use is an apt description of how
the ICommander G/L Chart Structure works.
The ICommander G/L Chart Structure extends far beyond the components of the actual account numbers. Each component must first be defined in a Level Codes File before it may be used in an actual account number. The Level Codes are assigned to Standard Level Groups and the Standard Level Groups may then be assigned to Group Classification Codes. You may also setup Alternate Level Code Groups and Group Classification Codes and within those definitions may even cross-reference to an external coding scheme.
The ICommander approach to the G/L Account Structure provides amazing flexibility for reporting as any of the background codes and groups may be used for selection or sorting or for the level of detail printed. Producing a summary report is as simple as electing not to print the report in full account number detail. Picking the object account component, the object group background code, or any other applicable background code as the level of detail, will result in automatic summarization.
Some accounting packages force you to plan out your primary financial statements as you build your chart of accounts by assigning various codes and classifications and others provide a separate report writer to do the same. The ICommander reporting is automatic once the background codes are in place and you never need to worry about remembering to update report definitions as changes are made to your chart of accounts.
The failsafe approach used by ICommander was developed as a result of the experience of the primary ICommander designer with other approaches requiring constant maintenance and monitoring to assure that financial statements were accurate. The background codes also let you easily implement additional grouping as needed as you simply define a new set of alternate codes, assign to the standard codes or groups, and then you are ready to run a new report that uses them.
An example of this might be a decision to setup an income tax return reporting alternate group for the object account component of your account numbers. Once the codes that cross-reference to income tax return line items is setup, you assign each object account level code to the appropriate tax return line item code. Once that is done and you run the menu choice to validate your chart of accounts, you are ready to print a new report by income tax return line item. The new report may be a summary one line per line item or may be a detailed report that shows every account that is included in the tax return line item.
ICommander watches for any maintenance of the background codes, groups and
classifications files and will force you to validate your chart of accounts
whenever anything is changed. This assures that you never will have an orphan
account number that does not fit into the background groups.