In an effort to explain the system design and resulting data flow, links are provided below for each of the following trial balances to a corresponding spreadsheet that details the columns on the trial balance, the data source (or sources) for each column, notes regarding where the column data flows and other notes regarding the data flow.
Governmental Funds and Activities:
Initial Year Governmental Fund Trial Balance (Restatement) Initial Year Governmental Consolidation Trial Balance(Restatement) Budgetary Worksheet Modified Accrual Trial Balance Governmental Restricted Net Assets Trial Balance Governmental Consolidation Trial Balance General Capital Assets Worksheet General Debt Consolidation Worksheet
Proprietary and Fiduciary Funds:
The system is designed so the journal names correspond to the trial balance names and columns correspond to the transaction types. The transaction types are discussed in the journal entry help screens. As a general rule one can assume data flows forward and not backward. For example, an adjustment recorded in the governmental restricted net assets journal that debited cash and credited intergovernmental revenue would have no effect on the budgetary statements or schedules or the governmental fund financial statements on the modified accrual basis of accounting. If the transaction affects the budgetary statements, it should be entered in the cash journal and then it will flow to the modified accrual trial balance (and resulting fund financial statements) and to the governmental restricted net assets trial balance (and resulting entity-wide statements).