General ledger account components

Some general ledger account components are required while other components are optional.

Table 1. Required and optional components
Type of component On-screen display
Required Unknown values not specific to required components contain placeholder characters.
Optional

Any unknown optional components do not display.

In the demo database, the fourth component is optional (most account codes consist of the first three components).

  • It does not require any characters.
  • No accounts have been assigned to it in chart of accounts, so it does not appear as part of the general ledger account.

Your general ledger system has rules regarding whether an account is acceptable when partially defined.

  • Fully defined (fully specified) accounts
    • Have no unknown values (placeholders) in required components
    • Example: 6100-350-SAF is fully defined
  • Partially defined (partially specified) accounts
    • Contain placeholders in some required components
    • Example: 6100-???-SAF (the required activity component is not specified and therefore contains placeholder characters)