Defining report column templates

In the Pillar application, you can use reports to create budgets. Each report includes columns from the dimensions that you established, and time periods such as months or quarters. When you import data from your Lawson Business Management System, the columns in the import file must match the columns in the Pillar application's budget report.

In Budget Architect, you can create templates to identify the report columns that you want in the Pillar application's budget report. When you create the report definition for the import file, you can attach a template to identify the report columns.

You can create as many templates as you require. A template can be used in multiple report definitions. Use this procedure to define a report column template:

  1. On Budget Architect (EB10.1), select the budget for which you want to create the report column template.
  2. Click Define Rpt. to display Line Item Reports (EB30.1).
  3. On Line Item Reports (EB30.1), click Template to display Report Column Template (EB20.1).
  4. Specify or select a Template Name and click Define. The Template Definition (EB20.2) form displays.
  5. Specify a description for the template in the field next to the Template Name.
    Note: On the next step, the time format determines the period columns that you can specify in the template, and should reflect the Time Periods that you plan to use in the Pillar application's budget report.
  6. Select one of these time formats:
    • You can select Fiscal year to specify an annual fiscal year column.
    • You can select Monthly to specify 12 fixed or variable period columns.
    • You can select Quarterly to specify four fixed or variable quarterly column.
  7. Add the template definition.
  8. Close Template Definition (EB20.2) to display Report Column Template (EB20.1).
  9. On Report Column Template (EB20.1), click Inquire to fill in the column information for the template.
  10. Specify or select the Column Headings to identify each report column. Select from these heading types:
    • You can use Dimension ID Columns to select column headings from your dimension metadata (such as cost center, revenue center, activity, employee, job code, etc.).
    • You can use Period Columns to select a fiscal year, up to 12 months, or up to 4 quarters as columns, depending on the time format specified in the template. Periods are determined by the General Ledger or Project Accounting calendars.
    • You can select a fiscal year using Variable Period Columns up to 12 months or up to 4 quarters, depending on the time format specified in the template. Variable periods are calculated as several months from Budget Architect's current year and period.

      See Setting the current year and period.

    • You can use Other Columns to select Line Item or Miscellaneous as column headings.
      Note: Ensure that the report template's column order matches the column order of the Pillar application's budget report. You can use the pillar application to a maximum of 40 columns in a single report. The Pillar application reports accommodate one year of data per report.
  11. When you have identified the report columns, add the report column template.