Adding an entity from an external client file to the consolidated file

1. From the Engagement menu, select Consolidate.
2. Click New to set up a new entity.

3. In the Name field, enter the name of the entity as it will appear in the consolidation structure. This description is displayed in the global and local context entity selectors and on all automatic documents that display the entity name. Names entered in this field can be up to 50 characters long.

   If the legal name of the entity is longer than 50 characters and must be displayed in full on your statements, click to enter the extended name for the entity. The extended name does not appear on Working Papers automatic documents, but can be linked to CaseView documents.

4. Working Papers automatically fills in the Abbreviation field for you with the first letter of each of the words in the child entity's name. If you prefer, you can manually enter a short identification code for this entity in the Abbreviation field. CaseView uses this code in many calculation formulas. A good choice for this abbreviation is the company or division number. The abbreviation may be up to 6 characters long.

   Note: When importing an ASCII file into a consolidated file, the ASCII import uses the entity abbreviation to identify the entities into which the accounts will be imported. If no abbreviation is specified for the entity, a unique abbreviation is assigned to it during the import. That abbreviation is then displayed in the Assign Entity dialog of the ASCII import as well as in this dialog.

5. In the External Source for Entity Detail area, click the Existing File option to indicate that this entity is linked to an externally maintained client file. The consolidated file will be updated by batch. Click the Browse button to locate the file and enter the file path in the path box. Note the following about file paths:

• Whenever a new entity is created for a consolidated file with the Existing File option selected, the path to the external file is stored as a relative path if a relative path can be determined. This allows consolidated files and their external entities to be moved as a group from one location to another, without having to relink all the consolidated files manually.
• Where a relative path cannot be determined and the external file is moved, the file path must be relinked manually.
• For existing entities, you can set relative paths by relinking all the files in the hierarchy.

6. Click any of the applicable buttons to include Prior year, Budget, Forecast, custom or Foreign Exchange balances that were entered in the individual client files. You can also exclude zero balance accounts and tell Working Papers whether to use map numbers from the external file or not.

   You can also choose to synchronize the account properties of the entity. When this option is selected, changes to account properties and account annotation between the external entity file and the consolidated file are merged during batch consolidation. If the same account was modified in both files, a conflict resolution dialog box opens where you can choose which file’s property to use.

External files are processed, one account at a time, and brought into the parent with the account number used as the unique key during the consolidation.

7. In the Fractional Contribution to Parent Entity area, enter the percentage of the current year balances to consolidate into the main file. You can enter the contribution as a fraction. Use a slash to denote the fraction as follows: 1/3, 2/7, etc.

   When you look at the Working Trial Balance setup of a file in a consolidation structure, you will see all balances at 100%. The contribution percentages are applied to the documents. Thus, to see the balances with contribution percentages applied, print or preview the documents.

8. If you are consolidating budget balances, enter in the Budget balances field the fractional or percentage contribution to consolidate into the main file.
9. If you are consolidating prior year balances, enter in the appropriate fields the fractional or percentage contribution to be consolidated into the main file.
10. Click OK to return to the Consolidation dialog.

Note:

• Changes to the entity structure of the external client file must be done in the external file itself.