Support
There are many levels and types of user support for the models
- messages are shown in cells to indicate where there is missing or incorrect data
- message boxes give information at the commencement and completion of the macros
- there are demonstration videos (13-27min) for each model on this website
- the models are supplied on a CD with 12-18 page User Guide booklets for further reference
- there are FAQ’s to a few common questions about the models below
- there is an email address for support accountingmeasures@bigpond.com which is also shown on the Contact Details page
The following are answers to commonly asked general questions about the models
Topics
Protected Cells
New Business
Consolidating to a 2nd Model
Protected Cells
Question : I cannot enter data into a cell because it is protected – why is this the case and how can I get the cell unprotected?
Answer : Cells throughout the models are protected at only particular times or for various reasons to maintain the integrity of the models. The reasons why those cells are protected and the remedies in the instances when it is a data entry cell to which an entry is trying to be made are as follows:-
Profit and Loss Forecasts – Budgets
- the sheet is a non-data entry sheet – i.e. a Summary sheet or a Totals sheet
- the cell is on a row or column of Totals that makes it a Total cell or it is not on the data area or it is a cell on a Setup Page that requires a Change macro to be run first to unlock it or it is a non-data entry cell
- settings that affect the cell have not been entered or have been changed and/or Finalise Chart of Accounts Names and/or Finalise Each Yearly Setting has not subsequently been run
- the sheet is not set up – the Section Name for that sheet is not entered and/or Finalise Section Names has not subsequently been run
Weekly Business Analysis
- the sheet is a non-data entry sheet – i.e. a Summary sheet
- the cell is on a row or column of Totals that makes it a Total cell or it is not on the data area or it is a cell on the Setup Page that requires a Change macro to be run first to unlock it or it is a non-data entry cell
- settings that affect the cell have not been entered or have been changed and/or Finalise Current Settings has not subsequently been run
Employees & Resources Charge Allocations
- the sheet is a non-data entry sheet – i.e. a Summary sheet, a Totals sheet or a YTD sheet
- the cell is on a row or column of Totals that makes it a Total cell or it is not on the data area or it is a cell on a Setup Page that requires a Change macro to be run first to unlock it or it is a non-data entry cell
- settings that affect the cell have not been entered or have been changed and/or Finalise Current Settings has not subsequently been run
- it is not the monthly sheet for the Current Period
New Business
Question : If I have new business to incorporate into my model how do I do that?
Answer : If it is substantial new business then it is probably best to use a separate model. Otherwise incorporate the new business in the following ways:-
Profit & Loss Forecasts – Budgets
Make the New Business a separate Section of which there are 5 in total. It will also be necessary to use separate Chart of Accounts lines for this Section’s entries because the phasings will be different if the data is to start part way through the designated year. The additional entries column will also need to be used initially to project out the forecasts. Once the New Business has established trends for its data then the normal results columns will project out the forecasts and most if not all of the Chart of Accounts lines for the New Business will be able to be cleared as their data would then be able to be incorporated with the rest of the model’s data.
Weekly Business Analysis
Make the New Business either a separate Category of which there are 4 in total or a separate Sub-Category of which there are 3 in total.
Employees & Resources Charge Allocations
Make the New Business a separate Sub-Group. There are 3 of those in total.
Consolidating to a 2nd Model
Question : If I have my businesses on more than 1 of the same model is it possible to consolidate their figures?
Answer : Yes – There are 2 ways to do this. The conventional way is to have a separate model to consolidate the other models – which requires an extra model – or alternatively the total of a model can be carried into the next model which then also has the consolidated total as per the following ways:-
Carry Total Forward Method
Profit & Loss Forecasts – Budgets
Make a Section on the second model link to the Business Unit Totals on the first model for the data input columns as follows :-
- Month column
- Adjustment columns
- YTD column
- Last Year column
- Current Year Additional Entries column on the second model needs to link to the Current Year Final Forecast column from the first model and then subtract the Current Year Initial Forecast column on the second model (the column immediately to the left). This covers any differences in setups between the 2 models.
- Following Year Additional Entries column on the second model needs to link to the Following Year Final Forecast column from the first model and then subtract the Following Year Initial Forecast column on the second model (the column immediately to the left). This covers any differences in setups between the 2 models.
Also the Chart of Accounts Setups will need to have the same Chart of Accounts Names and Phasings.
The same would apply to a 3rd model in that it would pick up the totals from the 2nd model, etc.
Weekly Business Analysis
Make an Item ID on the second model link to the totals of the first model.
The Base Setups will need to be the same.
Employees & Resources Charge Allocations
Make an Employee on the second model link to the Employee totals of the first model and do likewise for Resources.
The Charge Areas Setups will need to be the same.
Separate Model for Consolidation Method
If in the case of a 2nd model also needing to have its own separate consolidation then a 3rd model would be required to link and add together the totals from both of the first 2 models in the same ways as above.
A separate worksheet should also be used with these formulas set up in the corresponding cells so they can be copied into the relevant sheet/s of the model for the next Period’s data. This is because in the case of the Profit & Loss Forecasts – Budgets and the Weekly Business Analysis models the previous Period’s data will get cleared.
This also means when rolling these two models to the next Period, the model at the highest level of consolidation has to be run first and so on to maintain the overall historical totals.