A deep dive into the Supporting References functionality in Oracle e-Business Suite R12

1. REMINDER
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Go Beyond Basic R12 Subledger Accounting
- A Deep Dive Into the Supporting References
Functionality
Prepared by:
Prithis Das
Dynamique Solutions LLC
Session ID#: 13950

2. Presenter’s background
■ Over 18 years in the Oracle EBS sphere
■ Over 22 years of business process improvement experience
■ Consulting experience with Big 5 and other major
organizations
■ Oracle Certified Specialist in General Ledger
■ Chartered Accountant and Management Accountant from
India
■ Authored and presented papers on SLA, Web ADI, Reports
Manager at several OAUG and local events
■ Currently on a major R12 upgrade
■ Contact:
▪ Cell: +1.630.3649457
▪ Email: prithis.das@dynamique.us
▪ Web: www.dynamique.us

3. Agenda
■ Introduction to Supporting References
■ Case Study
■ Building blocks
■ The Oracle process
■ View Supporting References
■ Key considerations
■ Limitations
■ References
■ Q&A

4. Introduction to
Supporting References

5. ■ What are Supporting References?
■ Powerful analytic feature
▪ In effect, extends the Accounting Flexfield without cluttering GL
with subledger detail
▪ Also known as Analytical Criteria in Fusion Apps
■ Supporting References are data items that:
▪ Store additional transaction information on “Subledger Journal
Entry (JE)” at header or line level to be used for analytical
purposes
— Note the use of Subledger JE, not General Ledger JE
▪ Maintain account balances for a specific Ledger at Period level
for every combination of “Supporting Reference + Code
Combination ID (CCID)”
Introduction

6. ■ Examples of Supporting References
▪ Product or Line of Service on Receivables invoices when
“Product” is not a segment available in the Accounting Flexfield
▪ Payee Name on Miscellaneous Receipts in Receivables
▪ Project number on Payables invoices when “Project” is not an
available AFF segment and Projects module is not used
▪ Project Manager, Salesperson information on invoices
▪ Employee and Deduction information on Payables invoices for
Payroll deductions
▪ Other examples are - Geographies, channel, industry,
investment type, fund manager or product category can be
tracked as Supporting References without including these key
business dimensions in the Accounting Flexfield
Introduction

7. Case Study

8. ■ Background information
▪ Our Accounting Flexfiled segments are Company, Account,
Department and Intercompany
— Note that there is no segment for
– Product
– Branch Office
– Project
■ Business Requirements
▪ Track revenues in Oracle AR lines by products, branches and
projects
▪ Tag AR invoices with Project Managers who have generated the
revenue
— Note that there is no field to capture the Project Manager
Case Study

9. Building Blocks

10. ■ Receivables Descriptive Flexfield configurations
▪ Invoice Line Information Descriptive Flexfield
▪ Value Sets to hold DFF values
■ Supporting References Headers, Details and Sources
■ Subledger Accounting configurations
▪ Subledger Accounting Method
▪ Application Accounting Definition
▪ Event Class “Invoice”
— Supporting Reference for PM will be attached as a Header
Assignment
▪ Journal Line Definition
▪ Journal Line Type
— Supporting Reference for Line Attributes will be attached to the JLT
Building Blocks

11. ■ Invoice Line
Information
Descriptive Flexfield
▪ To capture Revenue
Type or Product
▪ To capture Project
Number
▪ To capture Branch
Office
Building Blocks

12. ■ Value Sets to hold
values for:
▪ Revenue Types or
Products
▪ Project Numbers
▪ Branch Offices
■ Values:
▪ Products
▪ Projects
▪ Branch offices
Building Blocks

13. ■ Invoice Information Descriptive Flexfield
▪ To capture Project Manager
Building Blocks

14. ■ Value Set to hold values
for:
▪ Project Managers
■ Values:
▪ Project Managers
Building Blocks

15. ■ Supporting References
▪ Unlimited number of Supporting References can be
defined
▪ Navigation: Receivables Manager > Setup > Accounting >
Accounting Methods Builder > Journal Entry Setups >
Supporting References
Building Blocks

16. Building Blocks
Reference Detail
Reference Header
Source assignments
■ Supporting References
▪ Header
▪ Detail
▪ Source Assignments

17. ■ Supporting References: Header
▪ Owner is “User” for all custom Supporting References
▪ Code
— First character must be alphabetic
— Remaining characters may be either alphanumeric or
underscores
— Alphabetic characters must all be uppercase
— No spaces are permitted
■ Name and Description field
■ Enabled checkbox
Building Blocks

18. ■ Maintain Balances
▪ Supporting Reference without balances
— Mainly used as Subledger Journal Entry (JE) references
— Can be assigned at Subledger Journal Entry Header (JEH) or
Journal Entry Line (JEL) level
▪ Supporting Reference with balances
— Supporting Reference Balances are calculated
— Can only be assigned at line level
Building Blocks

19. ■ If Maintain Balances is checked, additional drop-down “Year End
Carry Forward” is displayed
▪ Always
— Supporting Reference Balances at the end of the fiscal year are always
carried forward to the next fiscal year
▪ Based on account
— Ending Supporting Reference Balances for balance sheet accounts
(accounts whose account type is Asset, Liability or Owner’s Equity) are
carried forward to the next fiscal year, while they are reset to zero for
income statement accounts (accounts whose account type is Expense or
Revenue)
▪ Never
— Supporting Reference Balances are reset to zero at the beginning of a new
fiscal year
Building Blocks

20. Building Blocks
■ In our example the first Supporting References Header is
Parameter Value
Code XXSL_AR_INVOICE_DETAILS
Name XXSL AR Invoice Line Details
Enabled Yes
Maintain Balances Checked
Year End Carry Forward Based on Account

21. Building Blocks
■ In our example the second Supporting References Header is
Parameter Value
Code XXSL_PROJECT_MANAGER
Name XXSL Project Manager
Enabled Yes
Maintain Balances Unchecked
Year End Carry Forward Field does not appear on screen

22. Building Blocks
■ Supporting References: Detail
▪ Each Supporting Reference can have maximum 5 “Supporting
Reference Details
▪ Detail Code
— First character must be alphabetic
— Remaining characters may be either alphanumeric or underscores
— Alphabetic characters must all be uppercase
— No spaces are permitted
■ Detail Name
■ Detail Description

23. Building Blocks
■ In our example, the Supporting References Details for the
Supporting Reference “XXSL AR Invoice Line Details” are:
Detail Code Detail Name
XXSL_REVENUE_TYPE Product
XXSL_PROJECT_NUMBER Project Number
XXSL_BRANCH_OFFICE Branch Office

24. Building Blocks
■ In our example, the Supporting References Details for the
Supporting Reference “XXSL Project Manager” are:
Detail Code Detail Name
XXSL_PROJECT_MANAGER XXSL Project Manager

25. Building Blocks
■ Supporting References: Source Assignments
▪ Each Supporting Reference Detail can have one or more
“Sources” assigned
▪ Only one source can be assigned for each Application and each
Event Class
▪ Tip: In this example we have used a DFF Attribute as a Source
for a Supporting Reference. Your Source could be one of
several hundred existing table columns.

26. Building Blocks
■ Source Assignments
▪ Each Supporting Reference Detail can have one or more
“Sources” assigned
▪ We have selected (for Detail “Product”)
— Application = Receivables
— Event Class Name = Invoice
— Source Name = Transaction Line Information Flexfield Attribute 1
▪ because Product will be stored in this attribute as per DFF setup

27. Building Blocks
■ Source Assignments
▪ Your Source could be one of several hundred existing table
columns.

28. Building Blocks
■ In our example, for the Supporting Reference “XXSL AR
Invoice Line Details”, our Source Assignments are:
Detail Application Event Class
Name
Source Name
Product Receivables Invoice Transaction Line Information
Flexfield Attribute 1
Project
Number
Receivables Invoice Transaction Line Information
Flexfield Attribute 3
Branch
Office
Receivables Invoice Transaction Line Information
Flexfield Attribute 4

29. Building Blocks
■ In our example, for the Supporting Reference “XXSL Project
Manager”, our Source Assignments are:
Detail Application Event
Class
Name
Source Name
Product Receivables Invoice Transaction Information Flexfield
Attribute 1

30. Building Blocks
■ Supporting References summary

31. Building Blocks
■ Custom Subledger Accounting Method (SLAM)
■ Within the custom SLAM
▪ Custom Application Accounting Definition (AAD) for
“Receivables”
■ Within the custom AAD
▪ For the Event Class Invoice, set the Supporting Reference for
Project Manager as a Header Assignment
■ Within the custom AAD
▪ Custom Journal Line Definition for Event Class “Invoice”
■ Within the custom Journal Line Definition (JLD)
▪ Attach the Supporting Reference to the custom Journal Line
Type
■ Validate the Application Accounting Definition (AAD)
■ Attach the custom SLAM to the Ledger

32. Building Blocks
■ Custom Subledger Accounting Method (SLAM)

33. Building Blocks
■ Within the custom SLAM
▪ Custom Application Accounting Definition (AAD) for
“Receivables”

34. Building Blocks
■ Within the custom AAD
▪ For the Event Class Invoice, set the Supporting Reference for
Project Manager as a Header Assignment

35. Building Blocks
■ Within the custom AAD
▪ Custom Journal Line Definition for Event Class “Invoice”

36. Building Blocks
■ Within the custom Journal Line Definition (JLD)
▪ Attach the Supporting Reference to the custom Journal Line Type

37. Building Blocks
■ Validate the Application Accounting Definition (AAD)

38. Building Blocks
■ Attach the Custom SLAM to the Ledger
▪ Accounting Setup Manager

39. The Oracle Process

40. The Oracle Process
■ Enter Receivables Invoices
▪ In the Transaction Information DFF enter the Project Manager

41. The Oracle Process
■ Enter Invoice Line
▪ In the DFF, enter Product, Project, Branch Office

42. The Oracle Process
■ Run Create Accounting in Final mode

43. The Oracle Process
■ Run Create Accounting in Final mode
▪ The Subledger Accounting Balances Update program
(XLABABUP) runs and updates the Supporting References
balances
▪ “Online Accounting” does not spawn Subledger Accounting
Balances Update concurrent program, but balances are
calculated
▪ Subledger Accounting Balances Update concurrent program can
also be run standalone via SRS form

44. The Oracle Process
Transaction
SLA Journal Entry
GL Journal Entry
GL Balances
Create Accounting
Journal Import
Posting
Supporting
Reference
BalancesBalance Calculation
Functional
perspective
SubledgerGeneralLedger

45. The Oracle Process
■ Technical perspective
▪ Run “Subledger Accounting Balances Update (XLABABUP)”
concurrent program
▪ Program picks up data from XLA_AE_LINE_ACS
▪ Stamps “ANALYTICAL_BALANCE_FLAG = P” in
XLA_AE_LINES to indicate balance calculation pending
▪ Populates balances in XLA_AC_BALANCES
▪ Updates “ANALYTICAL_BALANCE_FLAG = Y” in
XLA_AE_LINES to indicate balance calculation done

46. View Supporting References

47. View Supporting References
■ The Subledger Accounting Balances Update program runs
and updates the Supporting References balances
■ There are no standard reports for Supporting References
■ Oracle provides a browser-based form to view Supporting
Reference balances
▪ Query balances for Ledger, Supporting Reference and Period
▪ Click “Period Activity” to drill down to the journal lines
contributing to the Supporting Reference Balances
■ The Supporting References tagged to transactions can also
be viewed through Account Analysis and Drilldown.
■ You may need to clear the cache to see results immediately
▪ You can do this through the Functional Administrator
responsibility

48. View Supporting References
■ Oracle provides a browser-based form to view Supporting
Reference balances
▪ Navigation is Receivables Manager > Inquiry > Accounting >
Supporting Reference Balances

49. View Supporting References
■ Supporting References balances can be exported to Excel for
further analysis

50. View Supporting References
■ The Supporting References tagged to transactions can also
be viewed through Account Analysis and Drilldown.
▪ Navigation is General Ledger > Inquiry > Account Analysis and
Drilldown

51. View Supporting References
■ The Supporting References tagged to transactions can also
be viewed through by clicking on the Supporting References
icon.

52. View Supporting References
■ Supporting References balances can be viewed from
Subledger Journal Entries
▪ Drill down into SL JE from GL JE Line, using Line Drilldown
button

53. View Supporting References
■ Supporting References balances can be viewed from
Subledger Journal Entries
▪ Drill down into SL JE from GL JE Line, using Line Drilldown
button

54. View Supporting References
■ Supporting References balances can be viewed from
Subledger Journal Entries
▪ Drill down into SL JE from GL JE

55. Key Considerations

56. Key Considerations
■ Initial balances for Supporting References
■ Supporting References values can be imported from external
system through standard interfaces and used in SLA for
further analysis
■ Supporting References can be setup for several Subledgers
■ Custom reports may need to be developed to report on
balances

57. Key Considerations
■ Initial balances for Supporting References
▪ Starting balance for Supporting Reference in context of an
Application, Ledger and CCID
▪ Initial Balance will contribute to “Supporting Reference Source
Value” combination balance calculated on any day going
forward the date of Initial Balance
▪ Should be defined for a Supporting Reference only if
— Supporting Reference is “Enabled”
— “Maintain Balances” flag is set to “Yes”
— Initial Balance is in Ledger Currency for a particular “Period”
▪ No Journal Entry in SLA to support “Initial Balances”
▪ No balance should exist prior to date of Initial Balance

58. Key Considerations
■ Initial balances for Supporting References
▪ Define Initial Balances as “Net” of Debit (Dr) and Credit (Cr)
balance
▪ Not possible to define Initial Balances as separate balances for
Dr and Cr
▪ Can be defined for closed period
▪ Can be defined even after SLA has created balances and
entries for Supporting Reference Value
▪ Initial Balances can be modified as well as deleted
▪ Periods of Initial Balances can be modified

59. Key Considerations
■ Steps to upload Initial balances
■ Upload data into Interface Table -
■ XLA_AC_BALANCES_INT
■ Submit “Import Initial Balances for Supporting References
(XLAACSUPREF) concurrent program to import data from
Interface Table into Base Table –
■ XLA_AC_BALANCES
■ View Report generated from Concurrent Program
■ Report uses XLAACSUPREFTEM.rtf

60. Limitations

61. Limitations
■ No Average Daily Balances
■ No Entered Currency
■ No standard reports
■ Not possible to get Supporting Reference Balances to include
Journal Entries created before the Supporting References
were defined

62. References

63. References
■ References
■ Oracle Subledger Accounting User's Guide, Part No. B13984-
03, Note 748438.1
■ Oracle Whitepaper titled “Subledger Accounting Supporting
References”
■ Oracle Webcast on Supporting References
■ Note 790978.1 on My Support website: SLA FAQ

64. Q & A
• Contact
Email
prithis.das@dynamique.us
Cell
+1.630.3649457
Website
www.dynamique.us
Additional questions?

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