When you start IDL.KONSIS.FORECAST for the first time after it has been installed, a message will be issued to inform you that migration has not yet taken place. This message box includes the button <Start migration now>. Migration will start automatically if you press this button.
The migration program for Release 2021 performs the following transformations in the database for IDL.KONSIS. Additionally it has to be invoked once to satisfy the check for consistency of the release versions:
In addition some checks are performed for indication whether the migration to Release 2020 had been finished correctly with respect to the new nomenclature of consolidation functions and voucher numbers.
The following menu IDs are new or include new authorised actions in this release. If completely maintained customer-specific authorisation groups are used, you might need to enter access rights for these menu items (BENMEN). In most cases, the menu authorisations of the user group IDLKON can be used as a template.
The following menu IDs are deacivated with this release. They will be deleted in one of the following releases. Please remove all individual usages of these menu IDs (authorisations, menu structures) until then:
The Simplified Procedure for Administration of Customer Specific User Groups is recommended as an alternative to complete maintenance of authorisations for all menu items. For this functionality, the authorisation level '0' can also be specified for menu authorisation (BENMENE). This states that an authorisation available for a reference user group should not be issued for the user group that has been entered.
When modifying the authorisation group for data objects for a user in the application USEE now in case a warning massage is output pointing out that the authorisation parameters in the application VORADMIN have to be checked and perhaps adjusted.
The specification of a group companies fact in the user-specific startup data was dropped. Therefore now the definition of group companies facts (see below) is only yet possible independent from the user per fact (application FAC).
A new flag in the startup data allows for the setting that the monitor applications (EA, KTKGES) shall display the long descriptions of companies instead of the short descriptions exhibited up to now.
The start of IDL.KONSIS out of the IDL portal using IDL.LAUNCHER now can be provided with parameters, e.g.
Since IDL.KONSIS.FORECAST is displayed comparatively small on screens with very high resolution in case the setting of a larger font size in the <Options> dialogue is recommended. This font size now has an effect on all texts and icons displayed on the user interface.
The icon for reading of new IDL news now is only displayed on the user's screen if there exist news which have not yet been read and are not older than two weeks.
This icon can be closed clicking on an 'X' in the top right corner. Instead of another smaller icon appears in the status line which provides for the display of the original larger icon again. If there are no new and unread news, then only this smaller icon is displayed in the status line.
New and unread news are marked with a <New> label in the news feed window.
In complex master data applications where a set of dependent data (model) can be displayed and edited after mouse click on the <Open> button (eye icon) a lock is set when opening the model preventing that several users modify the model simultaneously and overwrite the modifications of other users when writing. In some cases these locks remained after a system abort providing that a subsequent processing of the data was no longer possible.
Therefore now the action "Remove lock" has been supplemented in the context menu of these applications. Using this action and after commitment of a security request a still existing lock can be reset. However, if a regularly existing lock is removed this way, then when saving the data the user who had set the original lock is informed about the time and the user who had overwritten this lock.
This enhancement applies for the applications REPDEF, SPIDEF, POSDEF, CTLDEF, PRFDEF, KTKDEF, SPADEF, KTODEF, UMS, OSV and BENDEF.
Beneath the IC details type ('B', 'I', 'V') now the validation of IC details ('-', 'A', 'X') of an account is displayed in the single record map for accounts (KTOE).
In the "Lieferbatch" file for transaction development definitions a posting key with usage tag 'L' (automatically generated changes in the current period) was missing for the transaction development 'S8' in the development area 'A'. This posting key was now supplemented. Please adopt this change of the "Lieferbatch" file is you use this transaction development!
Similar to the functionality for the ECB you can now automatically download exchange rates from the website of the Swiss National Bank (SNB) and import them into IDL.KONSIS.
This function can only be used if the group currency is CHF, otherwise the new menu is not active. Vice versa the menu for the transfer of exchange rates from ECB now is disabled if the group currency is not EUR.
However, a difference exists in the way of publication of the exchange rates by the banks: While the ECB offers all exchange rates within one big file, the SNB releases files with exchange rates for every day. Even though these files are significantly smaller a big number of files has to be downloaded for the determination of average exchange rates per year. Therefore the offline mode (download of the exchange rate files independent from IDL.KONSIS and storage in the file system) is not provided for the SNB data.
Since the internet connection is established by the server since Release 2020 but in many cases the server does not dispose of an own internet access, it is now possible to define a proxy for the server which establishes the internet connection for the server. The required data have to be specified in the configuration program of the IDL.KONSIS.FORECAST Application Server.
The ability to maintain multi-language descriptions for the following object types was supplemented in the text applications (dialogue application TXT, import application TXTTXT):
When selecting company financial statement data for several companies usually a group/sub-group can be specified. Since the definition of the group companies usually is specified only on the fact for consolidation a group companies fact is required for determination of the group companies. This is now exclusively determined from the specification in the fact master data (FAC). The former alternative specification in the user-specific startup data (VOR) has been dropped and is no longer evaluated.
Using a new flag in the user-specific startup data (VOR, see above) you can provide for the display of long company descriptions instead of the short descriptions.
If vouchers without postings exist then now the company financial statement monitor (EA) show the status [yellow] in the column for postings.
The status of detail data (intercompany balances, development transactions, controlling balances, etc.) is now persisted in the database per account. Even though this increases the runtime of checking the data after modifications a little bit, a significant acceleration is achieved for the display of account balances (KTOSAL, I-KTOSAL) with status display for the detail data performed much more frequently, especially if the detail data are still faulty.
Like it was realised already for other development transactions and shareholding transactions now the selection area of the application "Fixed asset transactions" (ANLBEW) offers a selection field "from period". When using this then in addition data from all yearly statements in the defined interval are displayed, however, carry-forward transactions only for the first period. Thus the list provides an overview about the initial state and all changes since the entered from-period.
The field "Contra fixed asset" displayed and enterable in the application ANLBEW had no meaning for IDL.KONSIS and therefore has been dropped.
The branch from the list of postings into the single record map BUCHE for entering a new posting now is only possible if the voucher number has been uniquely specified in the selection area before. Otherwise an error message is output when clicking on the start icon. Up to now the message was reported yet after filling the map when pressing the save button.
The modification of the remark e.g. of an intercompany account balance already cleared automatically was not possible up to now. An error message that the automatic clearing flag may not be set manually was output. This error message now was restricted to those cases where the intercompany, the IC business unit, the amount in local currency or the debit/credit flag had been changed. The import application was adjusted analogously.
The new currency conversion method 'MCF' (modified cash flow) was introduced for the currency conversion of company financial statement data. It has the following effect:
For messages with respect to missing currency conversion parameters (e.g. for companies with the group currency as local currency) now the button <Continue> is designated as default button. If this message appears within an automate control then the processing can be continued automatically without commitment of messages.
The application for maintenance of the posting key conversion rules (BSLUAW) was redesigned similar to other applications for maintenance of master and control data (e.g. Exchange rates - WKZWKA). Among others the single record map was replaced by a wizard.
For the record for the check point 'BUCH' now no coloured status display is provided since this record serves only for the storage of check sums and thus for the status display for the check of transition to a new fact.
In order to represent at-equity facts in a separate column of a consolidation report (see below) several new voucher classifications (KVA keys) have been introduced which provide for a distinction of at-equity vouchers from vouchers for full consolidation:
The new voucher classification key 'EF__L' was introduced for deferred taxes on 'EF' consolidation postings. Postings of this voucher continue to be carried forward into a voucher with the voucher classification key 'EK__LV'.
Using a new flag in the user-specific startup data (VOR, see above) you can provide for the display of long company descriptions instead of the short descriptions.
A flag for "Indirect minority interests on exchange rate effects for all balance sheet accounts", which provides for the calculation and posting of indirect minority interests on the exchange rate effects for all balance sheet accounts, was supplemented in the consolidation parameter for minority interests ('FK') (see below).
Different consolidation functions have been enhanced with respect to the new voucher classifications for at-equity consolidation (see above).
The consolidation parameter flag "Accumulate differences" now does not only work on factual differences but on exchange rate differences, too.
New actions in the group monitor (KTKGES) in the sub-menus "Consolidation D&C" and "Consolidation I&E" now allow for the processing of these functions including the processing in all sub-ordinate sub-groups. Within this the processing is performed from bottom to top so that dependencies existing in case can be considered. The functions are available as global actions (for all companies) as well as as line action (for one company each).
It is now optionally possible to calculate and post indirect minority interests on the exchange rate effects on all balance sheet accounts as far as the related new flag in the consolidation parameter 'FK' had been set to 'X'. Otherwise the consolidation is performed like before.
The branch off from the list of postings into the single record map KONBUCHE for entering a new posting now is only possible if the consolidation voucher number has been uniquely specified in the selection area before. Otherwise an error message is output when clicking on the start icon. Up to now the message was reported yet after filling the map when pressing the save button.
It is now possible to define check rules where accounts are restricted by IC details as well as by transaction development. Thus e.g. you can check whether the total of the intercompany balances agrees with the total of the development transactions per intercompany and account.
The check rule operater 'L<>R' (left side not equal right side) has been supplemented and can be used now.
After definition of a new report the model for the report is automatically opened so that the required report lines can be allocated. Now this no longer applies for reports with specification of a reference version since no report lines are required for these reports.
The former application RPG for maintenance of report groups was replaced by a new application without selection area, with a wizard instead of a single record application and with display of all multilingual descriptions. This application shows two tables, the right hand table being a simple flat list of all defined report groups in alphabetical order.
Another new feature is the ability to arrange report groups hierarchically, i.e. several report groups can be displayed below the node of a superordinate report group. The table shown on the left hand side displays the corresponding tree structure. Allocations can be performed by simple drag-and-drop actions with the mouse. This representation is applied by the report lists (REP, REPK), too.
Another enhancement is the possibility to predefine for the tree representation whether a branch shall be displayed elapsed or collapsed. The corresponding flag can be set on page 2 of the wizard of the application RPG. However, for the time being this control only works if the flag "Show data immediately" is set in the Options dialogue (page "View").
It is now possible to create a report with the statement of account for all group companies in their own local currency. For the purpose to create this type of report a group report header has to be defined in the application REPK and provided with the new report option 'L' ("Local currency report").
The report option 'L' is not permitted for reports of one of the report types 'C', 'D', 'V' or 'W'. In addition, the restriction to one company is not allowed.
This report contains only the amounts in local currency and only one check sum for the local currency amounts, too, in the stored report result. Since this report contains data from companies consolidated at equity, too, these companies are considered in the check sum, too. However, no comprehensive totals for all companies are calculated.
A details option beginning with '1' should be used for the display of this report. As far as no such details option has been specified in the report header, an automatic transformation into the corresponding details option beginning with '1' is performed at display.
It is recommended to specify the column option for display the way, that the short description of the currency code is displayed in column headers of the companies. Therefore please mind to provide the short descriptions for all currencies in the application "Currency codes" (WKZ). You can use the standard column option '#SUMGE'.
When specifying a currency code in the selection area, then only those companies are displayed which have this currency as local currency.
It is now possible to exhibit consolidation postings from at-equity consolidation in separate columns of a consolidation report. For this purpose several new voucher classifications have been defined (see above). These KVA keys as well as the other already existing voucher classifications 'EK' and 'EF' can be allocated to a column to be newly defined (recommended base KVA: 'EK') column for at-equity consolidation.
As far as the KVA definitions are not modified the new voucher classifications are allocated to the former report column for capital consolidation and there is no differentiation. The "Lieferbatch" files for definition of a consolidation report continue to define a common column for full and at-equity consolidation for the time being, too.
The separate presentation of at-equity issues in consolidation reports is useful only for periods where all consolidation vouchers had been created with respect to the new nomenclature. However, historical facts of at-equity consolidation usually remain in 'KK___V' vouchers and thus are exhibited in the report column for full consolidation. In case a manual reposting into an 'EK___V' voucher is required.
The runtime of the import of positions was significantly reduced by several measures.
For the time being the import/export format of report groups (RPG, see above) is not extended. I.e. the new possibilities for definition of report group hierarchies as well as the demand for elapsing of nodes cannot be transported to another database via export and import.
The group-wide and the group/sub-group exchange of data have been modified to include various database enhancements. For this reason, they are not compatible with previous release versions.
The table for the headers for calculation of deferred taxes per company (LTK) was supplemented in the company and sub-group data exchange.
A report type is allocated to the reports allocated to an MIS parameter (only version '04) since Release 2020 for the purpose to distinguish between b/s p&l reports and controlling reports (function of expense method) at report generation in IDL.DESIGNER. Up to now this report type had been set automatically with respect to the usage of this report ID in IDL.KONSIS reports. However, this did not always lead to the desired result. Therefore this report type is no longer set automatically but rather has to be set (for function of expense method reports) in the MISPAR wizard on the new page 8.
Inventories IC-stocks (ICVOR) now can be loaded from IDL.KONSIS, too, and be displayed in IDL.DESIGNER reports. In this connection the defined products/product groups are read from IDL.KONSIS and saved in an own dimension.
When reading intercompany account balances now the clearing flag is read, too, and can be evaluated in IDL.DESIGNER.
For improvement of performance some database views have been persisted in the database.
Data entered for all (sub-)group companies now can be transferred to IDL.KONSIS within one job and imported there. This significantly reduces the total run time since IDL.KONSIS no longer has to be invoked once per company.
Inventories IC-stocks (ICVOR) now can be entered in IDL.DESIGNER and exported to IDL.KONSIS. Since these data are b/s data the entry of decumulated amounts (amount per month) is not supported.