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Create Crosswalk Accounts

Contents

1 Crosswalks Overview

2 Account Descriptions

3 Account Codes & Grids

1 Crosswalks Overview

Key terms:

Crosswalk Account

Descriptions (dimensions)

Account Type

System Codes

Indicators

 

Many types of accounts are created by school districts to track their finances. Crosswalk Functionality is the method that allows districts to create their own set of accounts, compare district accounts with those required by the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), and ensure that each required state account has an equivalent district value. Crosswalks are necessary even if district accounts and descriptions are identical to those required by the state, and must be created before state reports can be run.

 

The Crosswalk Account in the WESPaC Finance System serves the same purpose as the SPI Reporting Account field in the WISE Fiscal Chart of Accounts. It enables district accounting offices to use, for internal accounting purposes, account codes that are not valid for state reporting and still be able to accurately report financial information to the state. Every account code used by a school district must be linked to a valid OSPI account code.

 

The crosswalk function includes all of the tables and processes that provide for system-generation and validation of crosswalk accounts, as well as for the ability to manually override a system-generated crosswalk account.  It also includes edit and verification processes to assure that all crosswalk accounts are valid for the reporting fund and fiscal year.

 

Three conditions must be met before crosswalk accounts and descriptions are considered compliant with OSPI standards, and before state reports may be created:  District accounts must have compliant Account Descriptions, compliant Account Codes, and compliant Account Grids. The process is complete when three validation fields, or "flags", have values of "Yes":

  1. Account Descriptions (FFXWVC-VALIDATION-CONTROL.FFXWVC-VALID-DESC-X)

  2. Account Codes (FFXWVC-VALIDATION-CONTROL.FFXWVC-VALID-ACCT-X)

  3. Account Grids (FFXWVC-VALIDATION-CONTROL.FFXWVC-VALID-GRID-X)

 

  1. Account Descriptions (dimensions)

Account descriptions, or dimensions, are the part of an account code used for a specific purpose, such as to associate the posted financial activity to a fund, to a location, or to a program. Account codes contain multiple dimensions, which provide a means to select and sort accounting data into meaningful groups for information purposes.

Accounts reportable to OSPI include nine specific dimensions:

  1. Fund is the first dimension of an account code; reportable funds must match those accepted by OSPI.

  2. Account type is the second dimension of each account code, following fund. Type refers to the account’s purpose. Every account defined in the district chart of accounts must fit into one of five types: Balance sheet types are Assets, Liabilities, and Equities. Operating types are Revenues and Expenses.

  3. The third dimension identifies the account as a General Ledger (GL) type.

Within the five account types (Assets, Liabilities, Equities, Revenues, and Expenses) are six dimensions whose makeup varies according to account type and fund type. Dimensions for account types are as follows:

  1. Consists of Program and Sub-Program for all five account types, with the addition of Club for Revenue accounts, and Club and Project for Expense accounts.

  2. Consists of User 1 for all five account types, with the addition of Revenue Source for Revenue accounts, and Activity Type for Expense accounts.

  3. Consists of User 2 for all five account types, with the addition of Object for Expense accounts.

  4. Consists of Location and User 3 for all five account types, with the addition of Use, User, and Year for Revenue; Expense includes the addition of Use and Year.

  5. Consists of User 4 for all five account types.

  6. Consists of User 5 for all five account types.

  1. Account Codes

In order to be reportable, district or local  Account Codes must be state reportable fund types as recognized by OSPI, and they must be valid for the selected fiscal year. Crosswalk Account Codes must have OSPI approved dimensions in use. Acceptable dimensions vary by fund.

  1. Account Grids

State grid tables define valid account dimensions beyond the first three of fund, account type, and General Ledger type. These most commonly refer to Program/Activity and Activity/Object. A Crosswalk Account Code must have valid combinations of these additional dimensions, as defined by OSPI, in order for the Account Grids validation to be considered complete.

Page Updated 7/03

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