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ACL for Windows Version 7 Workbook

1. Gd p E z B 4 0 5 D 10 305 00 6 420 430 0 16 625 40 7 870 670 0 12 846 90 Aa 8 130 140 400 6 110 00 g 612 450 0 11 016 00 alla 10 700 650 0 8 071 00 11 248 250 400 3 100 00 12 248 300 400 View Default_View Data File Inventory fil ij in r ASE DG oOo 4 O Adding Columns You can restore one many or all of the available fields to the View window WV Toadda column to the view 1 Click i Add Columns ACL displays the Add Columns dialog box ye Bl l 4 Fa Workbook 1 Scroll to the right of the view and click the last column title ACL highlights the entire column 2 CTRL CLICK the remaining column titles ACL highlights the columns you select Scroll the view to the left as required to select all the columns 3 Click Remove Columns ACL displays the message Remove Field from View 4 Click Remove ACL removes the columns from the view Module 2 ACL Fundamentals 69 View Window Add Columns x Available Fields Selected Fields Cost D ate Location Re Order Paint Marketyalue Add All Price D ate Product Class lear 4ll Froduct Description Product M umber Expr Product Status and The Available Fields list view displays all the fields defined in the input file definition Notice that the names of the data fields in the input file definition are different
2. elf Waianae aoeiten selon leash A hs ls ats oaks eae see a m Eo Control L ee ee are E he a A E ee handles EJ T Check box Ong ee iy oh ek ee ee ee ee ee ee i ee ee RR soo SOF Birin qitiyy oo 8 2 8 8 8 8 8 8 ee ee eB ee ee ee ee ee RENSN ERE AINE Rone Mone Nene Nene Re RE Rend Rens MenC ASAE Rene nens None hone RENO ReR ROR Sd Resize handle To change or delete a control do any of the following Click a control to display its handles Drag the handles to resize the control You can also click and drag the dialog box handle to resize the dialog box Click the control and drag it to another position Double click a control to edit the control specifications in the dialog box and then click OK to save the changes a Select a control and click Delete to remove a control 4 When your dialog box is complete close the window ACL displays the message Save changes to dialog 5 Click OK to save the changes ACL updates the Dialog Builder command line in the Batch window 6 Close the Batch window ACL prompts you to save changes to the batch Click OK 374 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Designing Batches Using the Dialog Builder Running the Dialog in a Batch V Torun the batch 1 Double click the name of the batch in the Overview window ACL asks you if you want to edit or run the batch 2 Click Run to execute the batch ACL displays the Dialog Builder for user input at the point in the batch in
3. ig Changing Dump Options 20202020 20203230 S2R29390D 0A323134 20 om You can choose to dump from a different starting byte and specify the column width direction and data formats you want to display The options you choose remain selected until you change them or exit ACL The Skip Bytes option lets you bypass a specified number of bytes before the dump of the file or record begins V To change dump options 1 In the Skip Bytes text box enter 5 as the number The default number of Skip Bytes 1S zero 2 Click Refresh The Offset column in the lower part of the window shows the new starting byte for that row of data Module 8 Troubleshooting Data Errors 355 Troubleshooting Data Errors Check the Horizontal check box to display hexadecimal ASCII and EBCDIC data one under another in the bottom half of the window Whether you are dumping a specified file or the current record you can dump horizontally or vertically as by default The Columns text box lets you change the width of the output Enter 20 as the number of data bytes you want ACL to display on each line in the Columns text box The default is 16 for vertical 64 for horizontal Leave the HEX ASCII or EBCDIC check boxes checked to display data in hexadecimal plain text and IBM EBCDIC format Click data in the bottom half of the window ACL displays the position number of the data byte that you clicked Click Refresh
4. Cancel Help Find Literal is selected by default 2 Enter 12433 in the Expr text box In this case the character string you specify in the text box cannot be surrounded by quotes 3 Click OK ACL applies the search to the view ACL positions the records for Vendor Number 12433 at the top of the view View Default_View Data File p_Trans fil Invoice Invoice Product Number Amount Number SS 6585673 17 11 2001 7 955 46 070104657 6585880 30 10 2001 225 00 030412753 Hg 6585951 30 10 2001 2 196 00 030414283 6586825 21 10 2001 3 066 88 090509981 tf 6588155 29 06 2001 1 050 00 030030323 6589355 30 05 2001 342 40 090599912 W 3690918 0771172001 303 12 024100312 3697107 07 11 2001 487 60 024133112 Aa 69465082 29 09 2001 1 173 90 030303413 69469398 31 07 2001 1 327 92 080435438 ils 232162 02 11 2001 46 08 090507851 232556 12 11 2001 2 064 48 030302903 237536 30 09 2001 131 04 010134420 Module 4 Manipulating Data 141 Sorting and Indexing The Find Literal and Seek Expression options of the Search command can only be performed on indexed files In addition the file must be indexed on at least one character field in ascending order To use the Seek Expression option you must specify a character type expression rather than a literal character string In the case of Seek Expression always enclose the c
5. 9 Click OK to execute the command ACL displays the command log and opens the Matched input file definition in the view Command Log iofs Last Result amp fx pren aged B JOIN PEEY Empno FIELDS Empno WorkDept Pay Per Period SEEY EmwpNo WITH Grossa_F Presorting data 4 records produced l records bypassed Extraction to file C ACL Data Data Matched FIL is complete Opening file Matched OPEN Matched 4 fields activated al You can see that ACL has produced 41 records and bypassed 1 record This means that one employee record in the Empmast file did not have a matching employee number in the Payroll file You will take a closer look at this unmatched record later in this lesson Module 4 Manipulating Data Joining Relating and Merging Data View Detault_View Data File Matched_FIL g Dept Fer Fay Period i joo0010 A00 4 395 83 4 395 83 mE joo0020 B01 3 pooooz0 co 348750 318750 i ME Jooooso E01 334792 3 34792 5 Jooooeo D11 2668750 2687 50 AA 6 jooooro D21 OTA O14 17 T poooioo E21 247947 247947 Aa 3 jooo11o Aoo BPSD 875 00 g jooo120 Aoo 249435 243750 ali 0 jooo1so eot 1 983 33 1 983 33 11 12 yyl O ale 169 The last column of the View window displays the gross pay for each employee You can rearrange the columns and format the view Joining Unmatched Records You can now
6. Export data fields to a complex presentation graphics package m Export specific fields to a software system with reporting functionality that is different from ACL Exporting All Fields V To export data to a new file 1 Select Data from the menu bar and choose Export ACL displays the Export dialog box 124 ACL for Windows 7 Exporting Data Workbook Main More Export Fields CstDte Loc Minty Mktal FrcDte FrodCls Export As Cost D ate PlainText Location Re Order Paint Market alue Frice D ate Product Class Cancel Help 2 Click Export Fields to open the Selected Fields dialog box 3 In the Selected Fields dialog box click Add All The list of Available Fields is copied to the Selected Fields box Selected Fields x Available Fields CstDte Loc Minty Mkial FrcDte ProdCls ProdDesc Frodo ProdStat Ce From Input File Inventory r Selected Fields Cost Date Location Re Order Paint Market alue Frice D ate Product Class Froduct Description Froduct umber Product Status Ohoseskite Fe H seed ProdDesc Frodo ProdStat Clear All Expr OF Cancel Help 4 Click OK to close the Selected Fields dialog box and return to the Export dialog box ACL highlights all the fields in the Export Fields list view 5 Click the drop down arrow in the Export As area 6 Select Delimited from the drop down list The Export command
7. Arsample2 OFEN Armonth STATISTICS ON Amount TO SCREEN NUMBER 5 SAMPLE ON Amount INTERVAL 25000 FIXED 234 FIELDS d4mount COUNT No TO Armont OPEN Armonthe WA e R EE e A ee 7 Close the Batch window ACL prompts you to save the changes to the batch 8 Click OK to save the edited batch under the same name In practice you would run the edited batch to analyze a new file perhaps one that contains the current month s transactions Here however you will re run the batch using the same file to illustrate another method of running a batch V To re run a batch using the menu bar 1 Select Tools from the menu bar and choose Do Batch Do Batch x Main Arsample 2 Click Arsample2 then click OK ACL asks if you want to overwrite the Armonth input file 3 Click Yes ACL runs the edited batch and displays the results in the command log Running a Batch There are several different methods you can use to run a batch You can only run one batch at a time although one batch can call or start other batches 248 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Using Batches W Torunabatch use any of the following Overview window Command log Menu bar V Torun the Arsample2 batch from the Overview window 1 Double click Arsample2 ACL prompts you to either edit or run the batch 2 Click Run ACL executes the commands in the batch and displays the results in the command log Click Yes V Tor
8. 6 The Character Set screen appears with the option button set to ASCII Notice that the Select Data step in the list at left has been checked off Click Next Data Definition Wizard Character Set The Wizard has determined the character set of your data Select Platform Select Data C IBM mainframe or minicomputer EBCDIC Identify Properties Define Fields Records Edit Field Properties Finish lt Back Cancel Help Module 2 ACL Fundamentals 37 Input File Definitions 7 The File Format screen appears with the option button set to Other file format Click Next Data Definition Wizard File Format v a Select Platform Select Data Identify Properties Define Fields Records Edit Field Properties Finish The Wizard has analyzed the file you selected and classified it as one of the file formats listed below dBASE compatible file C Delimited text file SAP private file format C A amp ccPac master file lt Back Cancel Help 8 The File Properties screen appears with the option button set to Fixed Length Click Next Data Definition Wizard File Properties Select Platform Select Data Identify Properties Define Fields Records Edit Field Properties Finish The Wizard has identified the file properties for you If the data is vertically aligned click Next to continue IF you wish to skip records at the top of this file enter a v
9. HISTOGRAM ON Value MINIMUM 0 MAXIMUM 100000 00 INTERVALS 10 TO GRAFH l STRATIFY ON Value ACCUMULATE MEktYal MINIMUM O MAXIMUM 1l100000 00 INTERVALS 3 jew co 20 Close the window ACL asks you to name and save the batch 21 Enter Invgrpl and click OK Note If you include the Statistics command in your batch and do not specify minimum and maximum values in subsequent commands the Command Log displays the minimum and maximum values generated by the Statistics command Running a Batch V Torun the Invgrp1 batch containing the group you have just created 1 In the Overview window select Invgrp1 in the list of batches 2 Click to open the dialog box that prompts you to edit or run the batch 3 Click Run ACL runs the batch and displays the results Command Log Oy x Last Result S fx zi A DO Inygrol GROUP lt 2 gt COUNT lt i gt STATISTICS ON Value TO SCREEN NUMBER 5 lt HISTOGRAM ON Value MINIMUM 0 MAXIMUM 100000 00 INTERYALS 10 TO GRAPH lt 5 gt STRATIFY OW Value ACCUMULATE MktV al MINIMUM 0 MAXIMUM 100000 00 INTERYALS lt 6 gt END gt gt gt COMMAND lt 1 gt gt gt gt COMMAND lt 2 gt 152 records counted gt gt gt COMMAND lt 3 gt Field Value Number Positive 145 Zeros z Negative 5 Totals 152 Abs Value Range Total 694 361 13 882 680 479 708 243 110 967 a4 oo a4 a4 60 Average 4 768 70 2 776 40 4 476 84 Highes
10. Why Use Batches Batches streamline processing by letting you perform tasks automatically and repeatedly Batches are very helpful if you repeat the same tasks on a regular basis Batches are especially useful for developing and sharing standard applications and for ensuring best practices are applied to data analysis They are also useful because they automate tasks for less experienced users Batches also allow you to process complex file structures and to undertake complex computations on data fields Using Batches for Various Applications An application is a set of procedures intended to achieve a task You create batches for applications An application may refer to either a specific task or a series of tasks For example one application could be performing accounts receivable testing See Appendix A Common Uses for ACL for a list of suggested audit and analysis plans for various common application areas 238 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Using Batches Creating a Batch There are four methods of creating batches You can create and edit a batch using the Batch window Batch Recorder a View window Command log If you have procedures you want to process on a monthly basis such as obtaining statistics sampling accounts receivable transactions and then stratifying you can create a batch file to quickly provide statistics on the receivables and sample the data each month When you create a batch you must
11. Workbook Workbook for Windows Version J Copyright 2002 ACL Services Ltd All rights reserved No part of this publication may be reproduced stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means photocopying electronic mechanical recording or otherwise without permission in writing from the publisher except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review This manual may contain dated information Use of these materials is based on the understanding that this manual may not contain all the information or the most current information relevant to situation or intended application Support and update services are available from ACL by separate written agreement Published May 2002 by ACL Services Ltd 1550 Alberni Street Vancouver BC Canada V6G 1A5 Telephone 1 604 669 4225 Fax 1 604 669 3562 E mail info acl com Web www acl com For use with ACL for Windows Version 7 0 Printed in Canada 987654321 ISBN 1 894497 17 ACL and Audit Command Language are registered trademarks of ACL or one of its subsidiaries or licensors Microsoft Windows the Windows logo and Windows NT are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation SAP is a trademark of SAP AG Other brands or products referenced in the software or associated with it are the trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders and should be treated as such Use of a term in this
12. 4 Select Value from the Histogram On drop down list Module 6 Communicating Results 311 Graphing Command Results ACL automatically fills in minimum and maximum values You can specify a different number of even intervals or any number of intervals of any size Select Free and in the list box enter 10 1000 5000 12000 20000 6 Click OK ACL displays the result in a 3 D bar graph like this Notice that the largest number is in the 1 000 00 to 4 999 99 interval AT Graph ojx Histogram Peo HA T S P 6 eee 666 D0000 L 666611 D00000 ooog oz oo 000 ZL oo oog oz nventory Value at Cost HISTOGRAM ON Value FREE 10 1000 5000 12000 20000 TO GRAPH When you adjust the intervals of the population with which you are working you can concentrate on a specific distribution of values Graphing Stratify Classify and Age Results For Stratify you should first execute the Profile command so that ACL will provide maximum and minimum values for you You can follow these instructions in order to graph the Stratify Classify or Age command results but for this example you use the Classify command results V To graph the Classify command results 1 Select Analyze from the menu bar and choose Classify to display the command dialog box 312 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Graphing Command Results 2 3 4 Select Loc from the Classify On drop down list Click the Output tab to display the o
13. Click OK to close the Classify dialog box ACL creates the Classven file that contains the classified data AO uu A W 7 Find Classven and drag it out of the Overview window to open it Notice that ACL lists the Count column after the Vendor Number followed by the Percent of Count and Percent of Field columns This is the same order as in the command log Remember that you can use the Overview window to quickly see all the files and views in your Project at any time Using the Summarize Command The Summarize command generates a record count and accumulates totals of numeric fields for each unique value of key character or date fields Summarize is particularly useful with large input files as it can report on a limitless number of unique key field values Summarize allows you to use date fields as key fields It also allows you to select multiple key fields in combinations of date and character fields Use Summarize for data files that contain more than 50 000 records Summarize also lets you include other character or numeric fields in the summary file This is useful when the field value of the other field is constant in the summarized group For example if you summarize on customer number and customer name the summary shows that there is a one to one relationship between these fields Summarize allows you to create a comprehensive report Module 4 Manipulating Data 147 Summarizing and Classifying The Summarize command
14. Click the right or left horizontal arrow button to move across one or more characters at a time Click to the right of the horizontal scroll button to move across one or more fields at a time Continue clicking until you have viewed all the fields The horizontal scroll button should now be at the far right end of the scroll bar You can also click to the left of the horizontal scroll button to move to the far left end of the scroll bar moving across one or more fields at a time Click the horizontal scroll button and drag it The scroll button lets you quickly access the first or last column or a column in between V To scroll the view vertically Click the bottom vertical arrow button to move down one record at a time Click the top vertical arrow button to move up one record at a time Click below the scroll button in the vertical scroll bar to move down one screen of records at a time Click above the scroll button to move up one screen of records at a time Click the vertical scroll button and drag it The scroll button lets you quickly access the first or last record or a record in between When you have reached the last record the message End of File is displayed below that record Using Text Boxes and List Boxes In most text boxes and list boxes in ACL the scroll bar function will become active if there is more data contained in the box than can be displayed You then use the scroll bars to view all the data as
15. Inventory Invoice Location05 Location5 Location5B Matched Payroll PreO101 Pre0102 PRE0201 PRE 01 Repart2 Sales_Reps Sampsize Sortvip Trans TETELU H A 0000 OE Oe Bon aonad Ba Somad Bn DEE Soh sen Bond sorn binn Sorn Birn Sorn H Pale Ea 152 Records Input File Inventory Yiew Default_View Data File Inventory fil e iz Product Product Location Product Product Number Class Description Status D 142 040240884 04 03 ADJ EDGE GUIDE A 2 ah 143 040224984 04 03 ROUTER BOX A 144 040240664 04 03 SHAPENER FOR 1 4 BITS A i 4 145 040241754 04 03 STEEL ROUTER TABLE A 46 040240284 04 03 FORMICA CUTTING BIT A Me 147 040241314 04 03 ROUT A FORM PANTOGRAPH A 148 040247034 04 03 SET OF 6 ROTARY CUTTERS A Aa 149 040276054 04 03 21 PC MONO CUTTER SET A 150 040270354 04 03 MOLDING HEAD GUARD A ula 151 040277154 04 03 ADJUSTABLE DADO A Ej 152 040270324 04 03 RADIAL ARM SAVY 10 HD A lt lt End of File gt rf Command Log _ OT x Last Result Y fx v E The total of ShipQty is 24 0 00 The total of Total is OPEN Inventory 15 fields activated Opening file name Inventory fil as supplied in the format 4L The total number of records corresponds to the record count displayed on the status bar ACL also indicates below the last rec
16. V To presort and summarize the Ar file 1 Select Data from the menu bar and choose Summarize The Summarize dialog box opens 2 Check the Presort check box 3 In the Summarize On list view click the No field 4 In the Accumulate Fields list view click the Amount field 202 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Generating Confirmation Letters You are interested in only outstanding balances so you will not click any fields in the Other Fields list view The Summarize dialog box now looks like this Summarize Eq Main More Output Summarize On Accumulate Fields Invoice Date Due D ate Cust Number Fet Ho Trans Amount Invoice Date Due D ate Cust Mumber iy Presort lia Cancel Help 5 Click the Output tab to display the Output options 6 Click File in the To box 7 In the Name text box enter Ar_summary Summarize x Main More Output To Screen C Print Le ce File As File Type ACL Data File x Name Ar_summary Cancel Help Module 4 Manipulating Data 203 Generating Confirmation Letters 8 Click OK to execute the command ACL displays the view View Default_View Data File Ar_summary FIL Humbe Amount F 56016 000 4 65003 81559 90398 97627 13236 76437 02028 4 4 an OO 4 Oo 0 Be 5 h s EAEg 07275 22006 1 30575 31494 E ea a a T e T O 00 0 i The
17. 070104377 030414313 030414283 030412553 030412753 030412903 JISCIIUUS RISPARKER PROPANE KIT Pep 3 Name Ids Records CHARACTERL d N6LATEX SEMI GLOSS ORANGE A 6 D6LATEX SEMI GLOSS CARAMELAI 6 N6LATEX SEMI GLOSS LILAC A 6 D6LATEX SEMI GLOSS APRICO N6LATEX SEMI GLOSS N6LATEX SEMI GLOSS YELLOW f N6LATEX SEMI GLOSS GREEN 6 D3METRIC TOOL SET 3 8 DR W 47 D3METRIC SOCKET SET 11 PC 18 036 PC OPEN END WRENCH SE A ll 036 PC BOX END WRENCH SET A 12 0368 PC METRIC HEX KEYS A 2 6 6 6 J H a Se Se DTAP DIE SET 41 PIECES 49 D3BCREW DRIVER 1 68 X 4 SL A 0 T Ignore this field NUMERICI Type ERIDATEL 87001010 87001010 87001010 87001010 87001010 87001010 87001010 00000930 00000930 53700930 50000930 46000930 40000330 60000330 73000330 i in D O O O O wo wo ERIDATE2 99001018 99001018 99001018 99001018 99001018 99001018 99001018 98001231 98001231 98001231 49001231 49001231 98000501 98000501 69000501 Column Title fProduct E Number 1S 870 460 1460 1290 1500 2420 1870 130 612 700 246 246 0 12 Value Decimal L NOTEY 980 985 750 780 420 430 1478 1500 The Wizard has identified the field properties Use this screen to modify the Wizard s recommendations Click on the column heading to select a field Numeric Unformatted 701 04347 0 ERICS NUMERI s5s00p00005976900 A Ssoopo00031
18. 7 03 09 2000 614 78 12 8 03 09 2000 1 030 43 52 Aa g 04 09 2000 662 11 56 10 04 09 2000 418 27 49 abe 3 10092000 25 62 25 12 14 09 2000 518 01 g 14ingiennn IATA AI The view of your output file contains an Order field in the last column on the right This column contains the order number of the selected records You can then select the first x number of items and if necessary go back and select the next x number of items In the above example record 2 is the second item selected record 12 is the ninth item selected and so on The command log describes the results of the sample 194 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Sample Size and Evaluate Sorting the Output File by Order You can sort the output file by the Order column to make it easier to see the selection order V To use the Sort command to sort the random record sample file 1 With Arrand fil still open in the view select Data from the menu bar and choose Sort ACL displays the Sort dialog box Select the field Order from the Sort On text box In the To text box enter the output file name Arrand3 Click OK ACL creates the input file Arrand3 fil and displays it in the view Note When performing random sampling it is important to check that both the sample and the population sizes match the ones you enter If an incorrect population for a record sample is entered ACL tells you that the supplied population total differs fro
19. 84604 3 3 678 68 Bully Industries gt 8 West Street gt Las Vegas NV 89109 101 44 319 60 f AccelEnterprises gt 1000 Strayer Rd Brookline MA 02167 18 14 691 12 f Blue Atlanta gt 301 E2NdSt gt StLouis MO 63131 1 335 55 Faxon Natural Resources 377 SanMarina Dr Braintree MA 02184 52 22 939 52 7 Second PowerCorp gt 71130 Sunrise Valley Dr NorthHollywood CA 91608 94 39 314 86 9 Mayban University gt 85 TrnityAve Sw Twinsburg OH 44087 34 27 266 97 9 Metropolitan Pharmaceutic 693 Delaware Ave Coming NY 14830 3 67 91 F Cheerson Media gt One Natco Plaza NewYork NY 10018 55 36 965 26 f Galaxy Company gt 744 W20Th St Harrisburg gt PA 17111 93 84 272 93 q O n 4 Page 1 Sec 1 fi at 2 9 in 13 Col 48 REC RK ExT ovr wey OK You can now use the ACL data with your word processor merge file to create confir mation letters or a table for a presentation Exiting ACL To exit ACL now select File from the menu bar and choose Exit Module 4 Manipulating Data 215 The Benford Command Lesson4 11 The Benford Command The Benford command lets you perform digital analysis Digital analysis is based on Benford s Law which predicts the distribution of digits in
20. ACL displays the Add a Condition and Value dialog box In the Condition text box enter INVOICENO pressing the spacebar six times between quotes In the Value text box enter 214236 358 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Troubleshooting Data Errors 8 Click OK to add the condition and value 9 Click again to add a second condition 10 In the Condition text box enter INVOICENO 014239 11 In the Value text box enter 214239 12 Click OK ACL displays the two conditions in the Condition list box and their corresponding values in the Value list box E Badfile C4ACL Data Data Badfile fil iof x Input File Options Edit Fields Expressions Add a New Data Filter Z Name Default Yalue x CinvNo ff invoiceNo 8 Format Suppress Totals Width E Static Date Alternate A Column Title M Control Total 4 of Default Filter If Condition Value L T Ba m a Ey i 13 Click Accept Entry 14 Close the Input File Definition window V To add the CInvNo field to the view 1 Click Add Columns in the View window 2 Double click CInvNo to move it to the Selected Fields column 3 Click OK ACL displays CInvNo as the last column in the view You determined previously that the value of InvoiceNo should be 214236 for record 12 and 214239 for record 19 If you look at records 12 and 19 in the CInvNo column you can see that ACL has recalculated the values as specified in t
21. Axis Scale tab Axis Style Axis Scale Font Scale values Auto Minimum 2 09 Iv Main 400000 00 a 100000 00 fy Test onentation Onentatiors fo Degrees MW Show values Major unit Module 6 Using the Axis Style Axis Scale and Font tabs you can change the appearance scale orientation and font of the axis Formatting Data To format the data 1 Click nln Format Data 2 Click the Data tab SS SS E Format Data x Data Options Font Data Series Available fields Selected fields Market Value Quantity On Hand Inventor Value at Co Up Down Add all Clear all Cancel Help Remove Count Market Value and Quantity on Hand from the Selected Fields list box Select the Options tab Change the orientation of the labels to 0 You can choose to change the font of the labels Select the Data Series tab Select Inventory Value at Cost from the Field drop down list Click the color bar next to the Solid option button to open the color palette Choose a new color for the Inventory Value at Cost field Click OK 10 Click OK again to accept all of the new settings ACL displays graphs on one page If there is a large amount of data it may take a long time to draw the graph on the screen or it may be difficult to read You can reduce the amount of data in the graph by displaying only some of the fields Try this using
22. Changing Column Width on page 73 Logical One byte containing either a T or F Numeric Length is determined by the maximum size number that can be contained in the field number of digits 1 for the sign 1 for the decimal point if decimals gt 0 V To export selected fields 1 With the Inventory file open select Data from the menu bar and choose Export ACL displays the Export dialog box Inthe Export Fields list view click ProdNo Then CTRL CLICK in this order ProdDesc QtyOH and Value When you export data fields select the fields in the order that you want them to appear in the new file For example to display address information in the correct order in a word processing merge file select the name first then the address 3 Select Excel from the Export As drop down list Click in the To text box and enter Invent2 Click OK ACL creates the file and displays the result The file is ready to use in the appropriate program Module 4 Manipulating Data 127 Exporting Data Exporting to Other Applications You can now export the data that you want to use in another software package The following table shows the different formats and programs to which you can export data Format type of file generated Plain Text ASCII dBase dBase Ill database Delimit comma delimit Excel Excel XLS worksheet Lotus Lotus 123 worksheet Word Microsoft Word mail merge
23. Expressions are text strings that you create to apply to data fields or records to perform a variety of tasks and to test for true or false conditions Expressions range from a simple field value multiplied by another field value to a complex string of calculations An expression can be a combination of data fields computed fields operators constants functions and variables Expressions can be logical numeric or conditional You can save expressions so that you can quickly use the filter or calculation again in the current session or in future sessions When you save an expression it becomes part of the input file definition and consequently part of the ACL Project An expression saved as a computed field can be added as a column to a view and appears in all field lists The results of calculations can be displayed in this column Expressions do not affect or change the original data Expressions can also be stored in a Workspace for use in other ACL applications For more information see Workspaces on page 332 of the ACL for Windows User Guide In this lesson you create an expression to perform a calculation You also create and apply filters to display only the records that meet the filter condition You then name and save filters and apply a global filter Creating Expressions Most of the time you will name the expressions you create so you can use them later An expression is saved as a field called a computed field A
24. Extension Comments txt dbf del XIS wks doc Also referred to as undelimited SDF by some software Each field is adjacent with no dividers There is a CR LF combination at the end of each line Fully compatible with dBase IV and most dBase compatible products this format correctly translates dates as well as character numeric and logical fields to their dBase equivalents Fields are separated by commas and character strings are enclosed in quotes Also referred to as CSV Fully compatible with all versions of Excel and other packages that read Excel files Excel exports are limited to 255 columns fields A version 1 WKS file that is fully compatible with all subsequent Lotus versions as well as any packages that read Lotus files Date fields are correctly converted to Lotus dates Numeric fields display with the correct number of decimals and character and logical fields are transferred as labels Column widths are automatically adjusted to reflect the width of the data in each field WIS files are limited to 2048 rows or records Although packages such as Excel can read WKS files they will only read in the first 2048 records To overcome this restriction you can export in dBase format or one of the other formats readable by your spreadsheet The file created by ACL can be used as the secondary file in a Word mail merge The file has a tab delimited format that can also be read by Excel 128
25. Join command about 164 Joining files procedure 206 Key fields break columns creating 297 Duplicates command 108 gaps testing 110 presorting 296 Summarize command 146 L Language option about 342 Last result print file history with last result preference 341 Line spacing changing 295 List views using 26 Local filters creating 229 Loop OFFSET function using 264 Loop command about 264 Lotus 1 2 3 files exporting 127 M Margin showing right 334 Margins changing 292 Memory requirements for ACL 5 Menu bar about 17 Merge command about 178 Microsoft Word merge files using 127 Modify Columns dialog box formatting views 290 Monetary unit sampling about 182 fixed interval 184 selection 183 Size command using 184 top stratum cutoff 189 Multiple record type files batch processing 285 defining 278 filters applying 268 Group command using 276 processing 276 report file 266 Multiple record type files processing 274 Negative values formatting 73 Nested groups creating 253 261 Notes copying and pasting 88 file history 341 input file definition 87 printing about 89 Project about 86 view about 88 Notify command 323 e mail generating 289 Numeric format 73 format default 340 Numeric fields defining 45 Numeric format changing 72 0 ODBC accessing 379 ODBC about 12 OFFSET about 264 Open View Window preference about 331 Opening index files 142 Operators summary 225 Other Fie
26. Met Pay Net Pay Net_Fap Net Pay Pay Date Pay Date Pay Date Pay Date Tas Amount T axable Amount Tas Amount Tasable Amount M Presort If l Duplicates Gaps f List Gap Ranges List Missing Items Maximum Missing tems Cancel Help 2 In the Sequence On list view select EmpNo 3 Click OK ACL reports no errors in the command log Some of the items in the Sequence dialog box appear faded ACL grays out options that do not apply to the task you are performing The fields in the List Fields list view are grayed out until you check the Duplicates check box The Gaps options List Gap Ranges and List Missing Items are grayed out until you check the Gaps check box Testing for Duplicates Use the Duplicates command to find out if key fields in the current file contain dupli cates in the sequence The Duplicates command is a variation of the Sequence command The next exercise tests to find out if duplicate paychecks have been issued to employees V Totestfor duplicate paychecks 1 Click Duplicates or select Analyze from the menu bar and choose Dupli cates ACL displays the Duplicates dialog box with the Duplicates check box selected Module 3 Understanding Data 109 Testing for Sequences Duplicates and Gaps 2 In the Sequence On list view click EmpNo Duplicates x Main More Output Sequence n List Fields Cheque Na Cheque Number Cheque_Mo Cheque Number Employee
27. V To define the two header fields 1 wn Aa Ww N At the top right of the Input File Definition window showing filter definition options there is a drop down list that displays all of the filters you have defined Select Header from the Filters drop down list to apply the Header filter to the records All other records are highlighted In record 8 click on position 19 ACL enters 19 in the Start box Click in the Len box and enter 2 Inthe Name text box type ProdCls Click Accept Entry A dialog box appears asking you to confirm if the infor mation from this record type relates to subsequent records ACL for Windows 7 x 2 Does the information from this record type relate to subsequent records You would normally answer YES only for header record types and MO for all other types of records Click Yes as the Product Class and Description information pertains to the subse quent detail records Still in record 8 click in position 25 ACL enters 25 in the Start box In the Len box enter 19 In the Name text box enter ClassDesc Module 5 Creating Applications Working with Multiple Record Type Files 271 10 Click Accept Entry The Input File Definition window now looks like this E Report C ACL Data Data Report tct Input File Options Edit Fields Expressions Add a New Data Filter ma Header d Gl E E AO 1 40 En Product Cla
28. Workbook 11 In the To text box enter the output file name Arrand2 The Sample dialog box now looks like this Sample x Main More Sample Wn sample Type MUS f Record amou rit if Sample Parameters i Fixed Interval Size Cell Seed f Random Population Io arrand2 e Local W Use Output File 12 Click More to display additional options 13 In the Output area select Fields 14 In the Extract Fields list view click Date and CTRL CLICK Amount Note The Report Selection Order check box is available only if your output choice is Fields rather than Records 15 Check the Report Selection Order check box to get the selection order number of the sampled items Module 4 Manipulating Data 193 Sample Size and Evaluate Sample x Main More Scope fe All t First i Next C Record f Fields at uE B ee aT Ho Cust N umber Ref Ref No W Report Selection Order Append To Existing File 16 Click OK ACL creates the output file and displays it in the view The new data file is Arrand2 fil The status bar of the ACL window shows the input file name Arrand2 View Default_View Data File Arrand2 FIL A Invoice Trans ORDER Date Amount RS 15 10 2000 _ 225 97 20 4 2 21 05 2000 12 23 2 ay e 28 07 2000 8 85 26 4 10 08 2000 76 01 23 ap i5 10 08 2000 74 97 42 6 02 09 2000 1 666 32 32 MA
29. and a cancellation for 143 00 would show up as duplications The field used in this lesson contains no negative values Although it is not required in this example another commonly used digital analysis option is to eliminate low value items before performing the analysis Mark Nigrini explains in Digital Analysis Using Benford s Law that you can filter out or delete low value items for example invoices under 10 00 prior to analysis without distorting the results Provided the items eliminated are from the range just below but not including some multiple of one such as 0 10 1 00 or 10 00 the remaining data 216 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook The Benford Command should still conform equally well to Benford s Law In most cases such low value items are insignificant to an accountant or auditor To eliminate low value items you can Delete the items from the file before performing the command Create a local filter suchas Amount gt 10 00 in the If text box of the Benford dialog box Comparing Digit Frequencies The Benford command offers analyses of 1 6 leading digits In each case the actual results are compared to the expected value according to Benford s formula A thorough analysis will often begin with one digit to assess the overall fit of the data to Benford and then move to two or even three digits to select specific targets for review You have the option of applying bounds to the result The bounds are calcul
30. choosing Regional Settings in your Windows Control Panel V To change the margins of all printed output 1 Select Edit from the menu bar and choose Preferences 2 Click the Print Options tab Module 6 Communicating Results 293 Formatting Reports To change the margins for your report enter a number in any of the Left Top Right and Bottom Margin text boxes Note If you consistently use margin settings that are different from the defaults you can create a batch that sets the margins for you by assigning the desired values to the variables Left Margin Top Margin Right Margin and Bottom Margin You can then execute the batch when you first open an ACL Project See Lesson 5 2 Using Batches on page 237 for details about creating and running batches Headers and Footers ACL automatically prints the date time and Global Page Title that you specify in Prefer ences at the top of your report To customize the headers and footers for your reports 1 In the View window click Report or select Data from the menu bar and choose Report to display the Report dialog box 2 In the Header text box enter ABC Company ACL automatically centers this infor mation at the top of each report page Headers and footers can be as long as you require and can contain multiple lines Use the Header and Footer scroll bars to move up or down in order to see each line of a header or footer of more than five lines If you do
31. eha A badfile RE customer demo Eee dept HF empmast Eee Inventory ES payroll E3 sales reps B trans GE vendor H B views A Workspaces Sor Hass OER A About the Overview Window Contents The Overview window displays a list of the Project format files Batches Input File Definitions Views Workspaces and Indexes Batches are a series of commands stored in a batch file in an ACL document Input File Definitions describe the various structures and contents that have been defined for a data file Views display in column form the data in an input file according to the way you define fields in their associated files Workspaces are separate areas in an ACL Project that contain field definitions Indexes contain pointers to the input file so that ACL can read and process the data file in sorted order Module 2 Collapse button Expand button ACL Fundamentals 59 Overview Window Icons in the Overview Window Icons represent the various file types referenced by a Project file The following table defines these icons Icon Represents B Batches Input File Definitions E Views EL Workspaces gt Indexes Using Expand Buttons The Expand buttons beside the icons indicate that a list of files of that type exists To see the list click Ek ACL displays the list and changes to a Collapse button Al Overview Iof x EO g o sEm E eg amp T E Bat
32. l2 gt gt gt Maximum encountered was 3 840 QtyvOH COUNT lt gt Quantity Sale Unit I On Hand Price Cost l 4 2 74 0 034 20 151 92 90 64 l0 gt 108 34 25 295 3 19 1 991 1 527 05 1 155 50 oa 109 gt 207 32 21 925 7 60 4 741 1 130 18 765 10 lll 206 5 306 15 10 275 5 69 3 677 297 43 201 08 45 T 26 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Getting Started with ACL Using List Views List views make it much easier to identify fields for analysis when field names are cryptic and when there are a number of similar fields to choose from This is particu larly common when ACL automatically creates input file definitions from relational databases or Enterprise Resource Planning ERP systems where encoded or hard to understand field names often have alternate titles that are more user friendly In addition to the field name list views have columns that show the alternate field title data type field type and other field characteristics The order of the columns can also be rearranged to suit the needs of the user List views support the following Windows behaviors Click column headings to change column sort order Click an item to select it and use an arrow button to move it to the accompanying list box Double click an item to select it and move it to the accompanying list box Press CTRL CLICK to select multiple individual items or press SHIFT CLICK to select a block of neighboring items Use the scr
33. the command mode syntax of the Open command that you used to open the Inventory file is OPEN Inventory You do not have to use command mode syntax You only need to recognize the command The syntax for a command includes the command name as the first word in the string therefore finding a given command is easy Module 2 ACL Fundamentals 85 Command Log Using the Results to Reissue Commands To reissue a command 1 In the command log click a command ACL copies that command to the text box at the top right of the window Click Accept Entry to reissue the command You can also enter new specifications in the command line and then click to issue the command with changes If the command has an associated dialog box you can click the desired command in the command log and then click EI Edit Command to display the dialog box enter changes and reissue the command Searching the Log The Find feature makes it easy to find things in the command log especially when it becomes very long You can search for any text item including command names and field names Finding Items in the Command Log To search for text in the command log YS Ss Click S to display the Find dialog box Enter the name of the item in the Find what text box Select Up or Down to choose a search direction Click Find Next ACL finds the next occurrence of the character string you are searching for and highlights it in the
34. to update the display after you change Dump options You can also press ENTER The Dump window now looks similar to this EJ Dump ioj C Record M Horizontal i File CAACL Data Data Badfile til wW HEX Skip Bytes Help i ASCII ee i a Ki Position 0 Find OFFSET a ERJ212432 SS3 330428 3042142031 20313 220 142330801 16 20202020 S2OS2020820 S02 ES5420 S0202 020 2 32 20202020 Z02002 EF 5303020 20202020 Oo bC 43 ZBOQRGS433 20202020 B2ORO2Z0S4 SES0R20E0 42 20202020 20203230 S2ESS39O0D GASR2 32134 tn V To search fora string using the Find text box 1 Click Find to display the Dump Find dialog box You can use the Find option to search for hexadecimal ASCII or EBCDIC strings in the file or record 356 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Troubleshooting Data Errors 7 Dump Find x i ASCII EBCDIC C HES Search Se owe coe Enter what you want to locate in the Find text box Leave the ASCII option button selected as it is by default or select the EBCDIC or HEX option button You can check the Ignore case check box to find either an uppercase or lowercase string specified in the Find text box Leave this option off as it is by default to find a string with the case you specify In the Search from area Top is selected by default to search from the start of the file Select Cursor to have ACL search from the cursor position If you selected Record instead
35. you would note the record count for MUS you would usually note the absolute value 182 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Sample Size and Evaluate Sampling Methods ACL offers two basic sampling methods record sampling and monetary unit sampling MUS also known as dollar unit sampling Both record sampling and MUS allow two types of interval sampling as well as random sampling You can also add options to further restrict or define the sample MUS and Record Sampling Options Random sampling Interval sampling Fixed interval selection after random start Cell sampling random selection within each interval a Additional options Conditional sampling with If While Next and First clauses Automatic or manual seed for repeatability MUS Only Sampling Options No repeats Subsampling Top stratum cutoff Choosing a Sampling Approach The sampling option you choose depends on your assessment of the characteristics of the population as well as your current needs and preferences If you choose a sampling approach it is useful to understand the impact that the sampling bias and selection method will have on the results Bias refers to the chance of selection for each item in the population The bias varies with the sampling option you choose a A MUS biases higher value items A record sample is unbiased a The Cutoff option biases classes of transactions such as the high value of key items over a certain
36. 07 06 LATEX SEMI GLOSS LILAC A ts 4 070104677 07 06 LATEX SEMI GLOSS APRICOT A 5 070104657 07 IDG LATEX SEMI GLOSS PINK A i al 6 070104327 07 06 LATEX SEMI GLOSS YELLOW A 7 070104377 07 IDG LATEX SEMI GLOSS GREEN A Aa 8 030414313 03 03 METRIC TOOL SET 3 8 DR A g 030414283 03 03 METRIC SOCKET SET 11 PC JA alla 10 030412553 03 03 6 PC OPEN END WRENCH SEJA 11 030412753 03 03 6 PC BOX END WRENCH SET A if 030412903 03 03 8 PC METRIC HEX KEYS A Fa 304 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Formatting Reports W Tohave ACL display zero values as blank 1 Double click the column title that contains zeros such as the Quantity On Order column in the Inventory input file 2 In the Modify Column dialog box check the Blank if zero check box 3 Click OK View Default_View Data File Inventory fil Ox O E a Frice Quantity Re Order Quantity Inventory l 2 Date OnHand Point On Order Value at Cost 18102000 5000 5 976 90 8 6 a BE 5 000 3 160 20 45 18102000 4480 760 10 167 60 14 7 enoo 4290 780 866230 12 8 Jeno 4500 420 10 305 00 14 9 J1eno2000 2420 430 24 1 fienozooo 4 870 Bro 18 6 Janan 1 130 140 400 TF 7 i I a A a OO Oe 4 en ee Pn oo 3112 2000 11 016 00 15 8 3112 2000 8 071 00 11 1 3141 2 2000 3 100 00 45 3112 2000 615 04 8 Notice that the records with a zero value now display blank Suppressing Blank Deta
37. 1 Click W Save Graph as Bitmap 2 In the Save Graph As dialog box select the location you want to save it to and name the bmp file Copying the Graph to the Clipboard You may want to use a copy of the graph in another application V To copy the graph to the clipboard 1 Click Copy Graph to Clipboard You can then paste the graph into a presen tation or another program For example the previous Classify graph may look like this when you paste it into Microsoft Word for Windows Module 6 Communicating Results 321 Graphing Command Results Microsoft Word Document BE EF File Edit View Insert Format Tools Table Window Help x jJOe 6a tresn ene eMM E A e lg Normal gt Times NewRoman 12 z B Z U BE BLS E L A i Classify E Market Value go Quantity On Hand _ Inventory Value at Cost 100000 00 lt CLASSIFY ON Loc ACCUMULATE MktVal QtyOH Value TO GRAPH B o z z ofjal 4 r Page 1 Sec 1 1 1 At 5 5 ini Coi REC RK ExT PvR weH Cf Using the Command Log to Graph You can use the results in the Command Log to create graphs of existing data or change the command specifications You can tell which ACL command results can output to a graph by the line lt lt lt Graphable Data gt gt gt which ACL displays under the command line V Toredrawa graph do one of the following Inthe command log double click the result of a graphable com
38. 20 20 36 2E 39 36 4l Invalid field data encountered in record 4 field Price 20 20 20 20 20 4E 4F 4E 45 Invalid field data encountered in record 10 field Shipdty 30 14 30 32 34 31 37 35 34 Invalid field data encountered in record 17 field Prodno Invalid data lt 30 38 30 31 Ce C4 O2 30 20 Invalid field data encountered in record 16 field Prodno 5 data validity errors detected Em V Toturn on the Display Invalid Data as Blanks or Zeros option to remove the invalid characters from the input file 1 Select Edit from menu bar and choose Preferences 2 Click the View Options tab 3 Check the Display Invalid Data as Blanks check box to turn on this option 4 Click OK to close the Preferences dialog box View Detault_View Data File Badfile fil REET Humber cn Price 214237 070104377 10 01 8011 IE 14237 010155150 Timma 76 214237 060102106 32 98 32 98 214238 _ 090508191 494 60 60 296 53 214238 0 _ 298 5 109 40 214238 080144 saa 2 2 11 98 014239 040232194 150 3 3 450 214239 _ 340240664 3898 1 1 38 98 End of File You can see that records 17 and 18 now display the valid data Note Although the characters A and A may appear to most users as invalid data they are recognizable ASCII characters and are therefore valid in ACL Module 8 Troubleshooting Data Errors 349 Troubleshooting Data Errors The invalid data and all data after that is disp
39. 4 Click OK to accept the setting and close the Edit ACL Preferences dialog box Verifying Control Totals You should also check the control totals to make sure they match the totals you obtained earlier for the inventory input file To confirm the control totals 1 Click Total or select Analyze from the menu bar and choose Total ACL displays the Total dialog box 2 Click Total Fields 3 Click Add All and then click OK 4 Click OK again to issue the Total command ACL displays the result in the command log The results should match the earlier Total results which you can view by scrolling up in your command log Extracting Fields to an Output File You can extract all the defined fields to a new file You might want to do this if the file is large but only a small number of fields have been defined Extracting All Fields V To create a file of all the defined fields 1 In the Overview window select Inventory and click Open to open the default view of the Inventory input file that uses the data file Inventory fil 120 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Extracting Data O uu A W Click Extract or select Data from the menu bar and choose Extract ACL displays the Extract dialog box Select Fields Click Extract Fields Click Add All and then click OK Click in the If text box and enter LOC05 This tells ACL to extract records for location 05 only using the local filter you d
40. 57 2 Drag the Ar input file definition from the Overview window and drop it onto the Open button to open the default view of the Ar input file definition that is linked to the data file Ar fil Aging Date Fields In your data analysis you may want to create summary reports or classifications based on aged dates For example you may want to view aged data to find out the age of invoices outstanding since the end of the fiscal year or since they were issued V Touse the Age command to create aged summaries on date fields 1 Click Age or select Analyze from the menu bar and choose Age ACL displays the Age dialog box Age Main More Output Age On Accumulate Fields Cutoff Date Amount Trans 4mourt January 11 2001 Aging Periods Cancel Help Module 4 Manipulating Data 157 Aging Data 2 Select Due from the Age On drop down list 3 Click the Cutoff Date drop down arrow to display the Date Selector The default is the current system date Select August 31 2000 4 Inthe Accumulate Fields list view click Amount The Age dialog box now looks like this Age x Main More Output Age On Accumulate Fields Due Cutoff Date 27 Amount Trang 4mount August 31 2000 I Aging Periods Cancel Help ACL provides the default values of 0 30 60 90 120 and 10 000 days for aging periods These numbers indicate the lower bounds of the ag
41. ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Documenting Your Work 4 Enter Input file definition for the Inventory data file 5 Close the Notes window to save the note 6 Close the Input File Definition window The button with the bottom half of the note darkened indicates that notes already exist and are available for viewing or editing Copying and Pasting Text to a Note You can use the Edit menu to copy individual sections of data in a view You cannot copy areas from a multiline view or an entire column V To copy data in the view 1 Highlight the area you want to copy 2 Select Edit from the menu bar and choose Copy ACL copies the data into your computer s clipboard View Default_View Data File Inventory fil Ox Yeo 5 Product Product Unit Cost Highlight the area you Description Status cost Date LE ne Ee Wanto COPY LATEK SEMI GLOSS ORANGE A 60r LER LATEX SEMI GLOSS CARAMEL A 687110102000 METRIC TOOL SET 3 8 DR GPC BOXEND WRENCH SETA 12 80 09 20 2000 BPC METRIC HEXKEYS JA 2 48 09 30 2000 _ Sea inl sk are es mo You can now paste the data into a note text box or different program V T paste data into the view note 1 Click in the View window to display the view note 2 Select Edit from the menu bar and choose Paste ACL places the copied data into the View Notes window Module 2 ACL Fundamentals 89 Documenting Your Work B View Default_View Notes ojx Inventory file sh
42. ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Processing Multiple Record Type Files COMMUNICATING RESULTS In Module 6 you will find out how to format reports and graph command results You will learn how to Use the View window to create a report Preview a report Save the formatted view Display a Histogram Create graphs of Histogram Stratify Classify and Age command results Use the Notify command to generate e mail from within a batch to notify you or others of the results of the batch 289 290 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Formatting Reports Lesson 6 1 Formatting Reports The presentation of your analysis is important You can use the ACL formatting features to make your reports easier to understand and review You can produce reports in print or for use on World Wide Web pages HTML HyperText Markup Language format All ACL reports are based on views To format a view you use a mixture of commands formatting options and occasionally functions Some formatting features apply only to a specific view others can be set globally for all views and reports You can define as many different views as you want Each of these can be used as the basis for a different report Not all ACL commands generate output that can be formatted or is subject to global formatting Commands that generate output that can be formatted include Report Summarize Histogram Sample Classify and Stratify Opening Your Project To prepare for this
43. ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Testing for Sequences Duplicates and Gaps Now that you have tested for duplicates you can see if there are any gaps in the sequence of check numbers Testing for Gaps Use the Gaps command to find out if key numeric fields in the current file contain gaps in the sequence V To test for gaps select Analyze from the menu bar and choose Gaps The Gaps dialog box opens Main More Output Sequence n List Fields Cheque_No Cheque Number Cheque _No Cheque Number Empo E mployee Number Empo E mployee Number Gross_Pay Gross Pay Gross_Pay Gross Fay Het Pay Net Pay Net Pay Net Pay Pay Date Pay Date Pay Date Pay D ate Tae_ Amount T atable Armour Tas_Amoaunt Tasable Amount W Presart l Duplicates W Gaps f List Gap Ranges List Missing Items Maximum Missing tems Note that the List Fields contents appear on a gray background as they do not apply to the Gaps command Reporting Gap Ranges and Missing Items You can select List Gap Ranges or List Missing Items if you want these additional items reported in the command log The default is to test for a gap range V Totestfora gap range 1 Make sure the Gaps dialog box is open 2 In the Sequence On list view click Check_No You can only select one key field for each gap test 3 List Gap Ranges is already selected 4 Ifyou are not sure if the Sequence On field is sorted check the Presort check box Modul
44. ACL for Windows contains a conversion utility that allows you to convert certain types of files for use in ACL This feature is located in the ACL for Windows Version 7 sublist of the Windows Start menu You can also convert some file types using the Data Definition Wizard For more information see Appendix A Using the ACL Utility in the ACL for Windows Reference Manual or online Help Types of Data ACL Reads ACL reads the following types of data a Flat sequential dBASE extension dbf a Text extension txt a Delimited Print a ODBC a Tape Flat Sequential Flat sequential data files contain rows of consecutive data arranged one after the other Like the lines of information that are divided into sections in a telephone book flat sequential files have rows of data divided into fields For example one field might be the last name another field the first name and so on 12 ACLfor Windows 7 Workbook Accessing and Downloading Data dBASE ACL automatically detects analyzes and then creates an input file definition for dBASE files This is also true for dBASE files created by dBASE compatible products such as FoxPro Visual FoxPro and Clipper ACL does not read associated files such as index or memo files When you select a dBASE file to define the Data Definition Wizard automatically deter mines the character set classifies the file format as a dBASE compatible file and defines the fi
45. Check the Std Deviation check box to have the standard deviation included in the results Module 3 Understanding Data 103 Obtaining Statistics Statistics x Main More Output Statistics On Invoice Amount Invoice Amount Invoce_Date Invoice Date Quantity Quantity Unit_Cost Unit Cost Ih P D Std Deviation Cancel Help 4 Click OK ACL displays the result in the command log ACL displays the number of positive zero and negative values in the file along with the totals and averages for each field The absolute value and range of the values are shown as are the field s standard deviation and the five maximum and five minimum values Command Log Oy x Last Result gt S fx I STATISTICS ON Invoice Amount STD TO SCREEN NUMBER 5 Field gt Invoice Amount Number Total Average Positive loz 270 641 353 2 al 7 Zeras 0 Negative 0 00 0 00 Totals gt loz 270 641 353 2 fal 7 Abs Value 278 641 33 E Range 56 752 32 Std Dew 6 609 23 Highest 56 767 20 20 386 19 16 683 34 16 642 56 15 444 90 Lowest 14 86 21 12 31 68 46 08 49 66 ie Exiting ACL If you want to exit ACL now select File from the menu bar and choose Exit 104 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Profiling Lesson3 5 Profiling The Profile command provides summary statistics on one or more numeric fields in an input file The Profile command provides Total value Absolute value
46. Click OK again to execute the Verify command The result of the verification appears in the command log In this case no errors were found If there are errors in the file ACL displays the details of the errors in the log Using Conditions with the Verify Command You can include conditions with the Verify command to check the contents of data fields of specific records according to the test you specify For example you can verify data by using a condition to check fields for records that contain a specific invoice number For more information see Lesson 5 1 Using Expres sions on page 224 Verifying Data Automatically Set the Verify Data preference to automatically check the validity of numeric data whenever you use an input file This option is turned off by default to increase processing speed For more information see Verify Data on page 303 of the ACL for Windows User Guide and online Help Using the VERIFY Function Another way to identify invalid data is to use the VERIFY function to detect errors in individual fields 96 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Verifying Data VERIFY determines whether a field contains valid data and returns a True or False value as appropriate Computed fields and expressions always return a True value because they cannot contain invalid data You can also use the VERIFY function as the condition portion of a computed field to test for invalid data and substitute a value f
47. Columns x Available Fields Selected Fields Vendor Vendor Aevi Yendo Review D 14 Yendor LastActry fo YendorZip Code S YendorState Add All Ci Vendor City Vendor S treet Clear All Vendor Vendor Name Yendor Name 5 Vendor vendor No Vendor umber Expr 7 Edit IE ne cel ee Vendor vendor No Vendor vendor Mame From Input File Vendor Select Inventory from the From Input File drop down list as your input file ACL changes the Available Fields list view to show the fields from the Inventory file Double click the Inventory ProdDesc field in the Available Fields list view to copy it to the Selected Fields list box To go back to the parent file click the From Input File drop down list and select the Ap_Trans file The Available Fields list view changes to show fields from Ap_Trans Module 4 Manipulating Data 177 Joining Relating and Merging Data 7 In the Available Fields list view double click the Invoice_Date and Invoice_Amount fields to copy them to the Selected Fields list box Your Add Columns dialog box now looks like this Add Columns x Available Fields Selected Fields F Unit_Cost Unit Cost Quantity Quantity Frodno Froduct Mumber Fields from Invoice Amount Invoice Amount fa Add All input file Invoice Date Invoice D ate Invoice Mo Invoice Number Clear All Vendor No Vendor A umber Expr Edit From I
48. Creating an Input File Definition Using the Data Definition LIA VA 1 rere AE I Creer rem tro Sette EN ah OP POE rer 34 Defining Data Fields Without the Wizard eeeeeeeeseeeteeeeeees 40 Denm Data Fields araeo nena E 42 Editing Input File DenMitIONs saisin esie tiee 47 PUNO ACL siai E ceatanl se etaisadcas 49 laterprenne Dales cshaisaciteceacteisnectsasadessycecaseauel A 50 Dering Date Pies aeien Ea E E N 50 iv Contents Le ere 88 foal BN ol eeepc ae arene eee re ern ara teas ter ener me erie eee 52 Dig play ine Dales xc icceatatetieaee cs here R 53 CNVCEVICW WV WIV O We sess resale pice ce ena Ea 57 Working with the Overview Window eeseeseeseeeseeeceeeeeeeeeeees 58 View WACO Wen scxseuinsabaiiescrinsasitetiannualseactaatiasaantaaanenduttediansetecanentealivaies 63 Working withthe V1CW lt s svevassesesiascesienslesndvandiaveteicetuvesturesecaraavcutenest 63 Customizing the View sorsas a AR 65 COMIN ANG OG sien aausucuate a A AA gies 79 Opening Y OUP Project cisiruori r arar neater auedaationns 79 Command Lo WINdOW syscteveetcetasavedeved peas these eaat E ah 79 Reissuing Command s ics cesses te sceese cas e E 84 NEETA OD E cena E E A SS ean 85 Documenting YourWork morana N 86 Makine No sensperte a a n a 86 Copying and Pasting Text to a Note catiiacnieccneniiiiienaeas 88 Printing Logs Historiesyand Notes semcsissisccassterenudisenveie 89 Module 3 Understanding Data 0 ccc cece eee ee eee eee 93 Nenne bye
49. CustFIL ojx Input File Options Edit Fields Expressions Add a New Data Filter M Media Type Disk File Type Fixed Record Length amp Character Type ASCII aps Record Length 194 ASCII ey Pere 20 07 becuse Sve lesex 4o 1 9 COPAR 60 al BOTIM Bottom Dollar Markets 23 Tsawassen Blvd Tsawassen 2 HUNGO Hungry Owl All Night Grocers 1001 West Pender Vancouver 3 LAUGE Laughing Bacchus Wine Cellars 2319 Oak St Vancouver 4 MERRG Merry Grape Wine Merchants 304 King Edward Pl East Vancouver Appendix C GLOSSARY This section contains an alphabetical list of ACL terms and their meanings More infor mation on each term along with practical examples of its use in ACL is included in the appropriate sections of this workbook ABSn Variable A special ACL variable created automatically by specific ACL commands such as the Statistics command that contains the absolute value of the field on which that command was previously issued Ad Hoc Field Expression An unnamed field or expression used for temporary calculations and not saved as part of an input file definition See also Expression on page 389 Age The number of days between two specified dates You can calculate the age of a trans action by subtracting one date from another date Append A process of adding the output records from a file created by an ACL command to the end of an existing file Append can be used to repl
50. Double click Newwork acl Select Input File Definitions in the Overview window Click B New ACL displays the Welcome screen of the Data Definition Wizard Click Next 6 Proceed to the Select File to Define dialog box and select Inventory fil uu FF Ww N Module 2 ACL Fundamentals Input File Definitions 7 On the File Properties screen of the Wizard choose Skip to Finish and click Next The Final screen of the Wizard appears Click Finish 8 Click OK to save the input file as Inventory The Input File Definition window appears with the first part of the data file shown in the lower half of the window Click the Input File Options tab ACL for Windows File Edit Data Analyze Sampling Tools Server Window Help Aohee ABO AAL HE Project Newwark ACL 152 Records E Inventory C ACL Data Data Inventory_fil Input File Options Edit Fields Expressions Add a New Data Filter Input File Inventory fan fields 07010434706LATEX SEMI GLOS5 ORANGE 6 87001010 9 99001015 870 O7O01L0439706LATEX SEMI GLOS5 CARAMELA 6 87001010 9 99001015 460 O7O10417706LATEX SEMI GLOS5 LILAC A 6 87001010 9 99001015 1460 O7010467706LATEX SEMI GLOS5 APRICOTA 6 87001010 9 99001015 1290 nanl 4ASTNALATEX SEMT GLASS PTNE ALATNNININ 9 99NN1N1A 15NN The status bar displays the name of the open Project the number of records the data file contains and the name of the input file The path and name of the d
51. File Options Edit Fields Expressions Add a New Data Filter Name Title Star Category Length Decimals An fields a Product Class 1 2 0 Loc Location 6 C 2 0 By ProdNo Product Num 6 9 0 _ ProdDesc Product Des 8 C 24 0 23 ProdStat Product Status 32 C 1 0 UntCst Unit Cost 33 N 6 2 CstDte Cost Date 50 D 6 0 SalePr Sale Price 50 N 6 2 QtyOH Quantity On 62 N 5 D H Snit Fieras Eg i Cancel Start Shifting Fields from position Shift fields by the following number of 0 bytes negative left positive right 0 E E 07010467706LATEX SEMI GL0SS APRICOTA 6 87001010 99001018 1290 07010465706LATEX SEMI GLOS5 PINK amp 6 87001010 99001018 1500 O701L0432706LATEX SEMI GLOS5 YELLOW A 6 87001010 99001018 2420 O701L04357706LATEX SEMI GLOS55 GREEN A 6 87001010 99001016 1570 03041431303MNETRIC TOOL SET 3 5 DR A 47 00000930 98001231 130 O3041428303METRIC SOCKET SET 11 PCA 16 00000930 98001231 612 030412553036 PC OPEN END WRENCH SETA 11 53000930 98001231 700 030412753036 PC BOX END WRENCH SET A 12 50000930 49001231 246 CAO ALAA OA AAO NO WETT to trotz A ee oe oe el A ANNANIN AAN AT Exiting ACL To exit ACL select File from the menu bar and choose Exit or in the application window click J Close ACL displays a dialog box asking if you want to save the changes made to the input file Click OK ACL will save the changes to the input file If you don t want to save
52. Format You can modify the format of a numeric column for displaying negative amounts using the Format box in the Modify Column dialog box Product Product Description Product Number l LATEX SEMI GLOSS ORANGE 070104347 f 2 OF LATEX SEMI GLOSS CARAMEL 070104397 3 07 LATEX SEMI GLOSS LILAC 070104177 H4 07 LATEX SEMI GLOSS APRICOT 070104677 5 07 LATEXSEMIFGLOSS PINK 070104657 6 OF LATEX SEMI GLOSS YELLOW 070104327 a OF LATEX SEMI GLOSS GREEN 070104377 8 03 METRIC TOOL SET 3 8 DR 030414313 g 03 METRIC SOCKET SET 11 PC 030414283 10 03 6 PC OPEN END WRENCH SET 030412553 11 03 6 PC BOX END WRENCH SET 030412753 2 03 8 PC METRIC HEX KEYS 030412903 034255003 e e a 3 Status of Product A Quantity On Hand 1 500 Module 2 ACL Fundamentals 73 View Window V To modify a numeric format 1 Double click a numeric column name to display the Modify Column dialog box The name of the highlighted column appears in the Column Contents text box and in the Alternate Column Title list box Select a format from the Format drop down list Click OK to accept the change and close the dialog box Note The Format drop down list is available only for numeric fields You cannot apply numeric formats to character fields containing numbers such as location codes or invoice numbers Defining a Numeric Format V To define a numeric format to display negative amounts in bracke
53. G IE METRIC SOCKET SET 11 PC A 4 Release the mouse button Adjust the column separator until the column is the exact width you want Using the Modify Column Dialog Box Y To change the column width in the Modify Column dialog box 1 Click the column title and then click a Modify Column to display the Modify Column text box The Width text box shows how many characters wide the field is 2 Click in the Width text box and enter a number smaller or larger than the number currently defined depending on whether you want to make the column narrower or wider Modifying Expressions You can create and modify expressions using the Modify Column dialog box For more information see Lesson 5 1 Using Expressions on page 224 Constructing Multiline Views The fields of one record can be distributed on two or more lines You can further refine the look of your views by adding deleting and hiding rows as well as moving columns to different rows Adding and Deleting Rows You can add or delete blank rows in the view to change the space between the column titles and the records and between record rows When you add or delete rows using the following procedure the space between every row including the column titles changes You cannot add or delete just one row between two specific records Module 2 ACL Fundamentals 75 View Window V To add rows to below the column titles and record rows 1 Place the pointer on the l
54. Global Audit Publications a division of ACL Services Ltd See the GAP book list at www acl com or e mail us at order_desk acl com 222 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook The Benford Command Exiting ACL If you want to exit ACL now select File from the menu bar and choose Exit CREATING APPLICATIONS In Module 5 you will find out how to create expressions filters and batches You will learn how to use Expressions and filters to create values perform calculations and specify test conditions Batches to enter and store multiple commands that can then be executed as a single command Group to perform different tasks on sets of defined records in one pass of a file Loop to test the same record multiple times The Data Definition window to define and process a multiple record type file with fixed record lengths 223 224 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Using Expressions Lesson 5 1 Using Expressions Use expressions to enhance the capability of ACL commands by performing calcula tions manipulating data and filtering data records with specific parameters Opening Your Project To prepare for this lesson 1 Open the Workbook acl Project For details on how to open an ACL Project and an input file definition see Lesson 2 4 Overview Window on page 57 2 Select Inventory and drag and drop it onto the Open button to open the of the Inventory input file that uses the data file Inventory fil What is an Expression
55. Groups and Loops in Batches Command Log iofs Last Result Y tf x wv j A DO Inygrp GROUP IF FRODCLS lt os lt 2 COUNT lt 3 STATISTICS ON Value TO SCREEN NUMBER 5 lt 4 gt HISTOGRAM ON Value MINIMUM 0 MAXIMUM 100000 00 INTERVALS 10 TO GRAFH lt 5 gt STRATIFY ON Value ACCUMULATE MEt al MINIMUM 0 MAXIMUM 100000 00 INTERVALS lt b gt END gt gt gt COMMAND l gt 73 of 152 met the test FRODCLS 05 gt gt gt COMMAND lt 2 gt FOR FRODCLS 05 73 records counted gt gt gt COMMAND lt 3 gt FOR FRODCLS lt 05 Field Value Number Total Average Positive 69 247 969 087 3 095 77 Zeros 2 Negative Z 749 25 374 64 Totals T3 agr 220 59 3 306 58 Abs Value 248 719 15 Range 25 333 20 Highest 24 736 00 15 760 00 12 516 00 11 436 00 11 016 00 Lowest 595 20 154 08 0 00 0 00 111 60 E gt COMMAND lt 4 gt FOR PRODCLS lt O05 Fage 1 2 01 2001 15 35 55 Produced with ACL by ACL Services Ltd ka EE ay Using the Else Command in a Conditional Group You can use the Else command whenever the Group command contains an If test The Else command instructs the group to perform an alternate task on records that do not meet the If test condition In this exercise the Else command tells the group what to do if a product class number is not less than 05 To add the Else command to the group in the Invgrp2 batch 1 In the Overview window double click Invgrp2 in th
56. Humber Empo Employee umber Goe Pay Gross Fay Gross_Pay Gross Fay Net Pay Net Pay Met Pay Net Pay Pay Date Pay Date Pay Date Pay Date Tas Amount Taxable Amount Tas Amount Taxable Amount i Presort I Duplicates Gaps f List Gap Ranges List Missing Items Maninun Missing Items In the List Fields list view click Gross_Pay Then CTRL CLICK Paydate and Check_No If you are not sure if the Sequence On field is sorted check the Presort check box Click OK ACL prompts you to enter the output file name Click OK Select Screen instead and click OK ACL reports the result El Command Log Last Result or x y z H DUPLICATES ON EwpNo OTHER Gross Pay Pay Date Cheque No ERRORLIMIT 10 TO SCREEN PRESORT Presorting data Fage 1 l1fOl 2001 10 46 32 Produced with ACL by ACL Services Ltd Enployee Gross Pay Cheque Number Pay Date Number 000320 1 662 50 15 09 2000 lz2376 000320 1 662 50 15 09 2000 l2377 0 data Sequence errors detected a l gaps and or duplicates detected al For each duplicate occurrence ACL reports the employee number gross pay amount and pay date in the command log The command log also shows the total number of duplicates and or gaps When you locate duplicates you may want to print a hard copy that lists the multiple pay check numbers dates and amounts The command log contains all the infor mation you need to report inaccuracies to the payroll department 110
57. Item List ITEM1 Text selected document item name Adding Text Messages The text control allows you to create messages or labels that prompt or inform V To create a text message 1 Click Text When you move into the definition area your cursor changes to a 2 Click in the Dialog Builder where you want ACL to position the upper left corner of the control ACL displays the Text dialog box Text Label Enter the Department Cancel Position and Size 24 m width fio Auto po Auto Alignment f Left Center i Right 3 Enter up to 63 characters including spaces in the Label text box For example enter Enter the Department ACL displays this text in the control Module 9 Using the Dialog Builder 365 Designing Batches Using the Dialog Builder 4 Click OK ACL adds the text control with the label to the Dialog Builder You can click and drag the control handles to resize the text control to the size you want Adding Text Boxes Text boxes capture text input and assign it to a character variable The contents of the variable then become parameters in ACL commands For example you can create a dialog box that prompts for a cutoff date in an Age command Or you can create a dialog box that prompts for the name of a file to which information will be extracted You can also create default text that prompts for infor mation such as a cutoff date in YYYYMMDD order V To create a
58. Log Ox Last Result SY xv INDEX ON Vendor_No Invoice_No Prodno TO Indvip OPEN 102 records produced Output to C ACL Data Data Indvip INX is done Opening file Indvip SET INDEX TO Indvip 4 Es Overview Eel E3 The Overview window displays the newly created index under Indexes and under the Ap_Trans input file definition Expand Ap_Trans or Indexes to see that an index for Ap_Trans now exists E Overview Iofx E Batches G E Input File Definitions EAE Ap Trans P Default View E adfile Customer Demo Dept Empmast Inventory LocationO amp Paprall l Sales_Reps H Trans Gl Vendor BE wok Depts H E views Ai Workspaces El gt Overview lists index file under Ap_ Trans and under Indexes over Paeoeteeauk 140 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Sorting and Indexing Searching for Key Values in an Indexed File When an index is active ACL can access the data in the input file in logical order You can use an index to quickly search for and locate specific records For example if you want to find the invoices for a specific vendor you can use the Find Literal option of the Search command Using the Find Literal Option W To find invoices for Vendor Number 12433 1 With the Indvip index open select Analyze from the menu bar and choose Search ACL displays the Search dialog box Main Indexed Sequential Locate Record f Locate If f Seek Expression
59. Margin Top Margin Right Margin and Bottom Margin text boxes set the margins for all printed output The values are in 1008 of an inch The default value of 50 specifies a half inch margin Note You can also adjust your Windows settings for metric measurements Application Font Options Click the Application Font Options tab to display the options Edit ACL Preferences EW Interface Options Input File Options View Options Command Options Date Options Numeric Options Print Options Application Font Options Fixed width Font Courier New a Proportional Font Arial nf Language Version Standard hd C Program Files ACL SoftwareSACL for Windows Client aclwin prf Fixed Width Font ACL uses fixed width fonts to display information in the Command Log Batch and Workspace windows You can change the fixed font used in these windows by clicking the Fixed Font drop down list and selecting one of the fonts By default ACL uses the Courier New font to display fixed ASCII text on screen Proportional Font The default is Arial Choose from the drop down list to change the font for data that appears in views notes and reports Language Version The default is Standard The options in this drop down list let ACL properly read and display local language characters To change the option select one of the options from the Language Version drop down list Module 8 TROUBLESHOOTING DATA ERRORS Module 8 s
60. Minimum value Maximum value When you issue the Profile command first ACL uses the results as the default values for the Stratify Histogram or Sample commands You do not need to calculate the above values for the Stratify Histogram or Sample commands Note The Statistics command will give you more complete information than the Profile command Opening Your Project V T prepare for this lesson 1 Open the Workbook acl Project For details on how to open an ACL Project and an input file definition see Lesson 2 4 Overview Window on page 57 2 Inthe Overview window select Ap_Trans from the list of input file definitions Click Open in the Overview button bar The View window opens and displays the records and columns for the input file definition Ap_Trans Profiling a Field V To profile a numeric field 1 Select Analyze from the menu bar and choose Profile ACL displays the Profile Fields dialog box Module 3 Understanding Data 105 Profiling Profile Fields x Main More Profile Fields Invoice Amount Invoice Amount Quantity Quantity Unit_Cost Unit Cost Cancel Help 2 In the Profile Fields list view click Invoice Amount 3 Click OK ACL displays the Total Absolute Value Minimum and Maximum amounts along with the field name in the command log Command Log Oy x Last Result S Hx B PROFILE Invoice Amount Total Ans Value Minimum Maximum Name 276 641 55 2
61. Options Module 7 Customizing ACL 329 Setting Preferences a Numeric Options a Print Options Application Font Options Turning Options On and Off To turn options on or off click the check box beside the preference name Some options require that you enter a setting or select an option from a drop down list An empty check box indicates the option is off A M checked check box indicates the option is on ACL stores your preferences in a file You can see the file name at the bottom of the Preferences dialog box When you have finished selecting options click one of the following OK to set the preference settings for the duration of the current session only a Cancel to cancel any changes made to preference settings a Save to save all of your current preferences to use in future ACL sessions a Factory to set all preferences to the default settings For more information you can click Help to display online Help To use command mode to set preferences see Set on page 309 of the ACL for Windows Reference Manual Restoring ACL Factory Default Preferences You can restore the settings to the factory defaults at any time To reset the ACL Preferences to the factory defaults 1 Select Edit from the menu bar and choose Preferences 2 Click Factory ACL asks if you want to set all preferences to their default settings 3 Click Yes Note When you click Factory ACL does not reset the button bar to its
62. Trans Trans Invoice Due Ref Amount Type Date Date No 051593 1 189 11 IN 23 09 2000 22 03 2000 213567 73 40 CN 22 10 2000 21 11 2000 213912 051593 1 115 71 056016 1 070 92 736 74 736 74 1 070 92 056016 0 00 065003 874 97 1 280 20 945 40 1 189 11 540 19 418 27 1 189 11 30 09 2000 30 09 2000 03 12 2000 03 12 2000 31 08 2000 02 09 2000 02 09 2000 04 09 2000 04 09 2000 04 09 2000 04 09 2000 30 10 2000 29 12 2000 29 12 2000 30 10 2000 29 11 2000 01 12 2000 01 12 2000 03 03 2000 03 12 2000 03 12 2000 03 03 2000 213674 213675 213675 213674 213248 213277 213296 213354 213385 213386 213387 4 Click Close to return to the view 5 Click Report to display the Report dialog box again 6 Check the Suppress blank detail lines check box 306 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Formatting Reports 7 Click Preview Your report now looks similar to this Page 1 Produced with ACL by ACL Services Ltd Cust Number Trans Trans Invoice Due Ref Amount Type Date Date No 051593 1 189 11 IN 23 09 2000 22 03 2000 213567 73 40 CN 22 10 2000 21 11 2000 213912 051593 1 115 71 056016 1 070 92 30 09 2000 30 10 2000 213674 736 74 30 09 2000 29 12 2000 213675 736 74 03 12 2000 29 12 2000 213675 1 070 92 03 12 2000 30 10 2000 213674 056016 Notice how much more concise and easy to read your report is when the blank lines are not displayed Suppress Blank Detail L
63. a portion of the log You can select the information to be displayed from the drop down list in the command log For more information see Changing the Log Display on page 80 Module 2 ACL Fundamentals 83 Command Log Printing the Full Log V To print all of the log 1 2 3 4 Select File from the menu bar and choose Print Documentation The Print Documentation dialog box appears Check the Log check box to turn on the option Print Documentation x Font Size E All input File Definitions All View Definitions Default view Default view Default View Badfile Default View Customer Default view Ap_Trans Ar Demo All Batch Definitions D All workspace Definitions Preferences Page Break after each Category ne Page Break after each ltem Click Print to close the Print Documentation dialog box ACL displays the Print dialog box Click Print again to begin printing ACL prints all the commands and their results as they appear in the log Printing a Section of the Log V T print only a portion of the log 1 In the command log point to the start of the section you want to print Press the left mouse button and drag to highlight the portion of the window you want to print Release the mouse button Select File from the menu bar and choose Print ACL displays the Print dialog box Click Print to print only the highlighted section of the log 84 ACL
64. also designate a break column by doing the following 1 Move the column that you want to designate as a break column to the far left of your view by clicking the column heading and dragging it to the far left 2 Drag the key field marker the bold black line at the far left of the columns in the view to the right of the column to specify it as a break column To create a report showing the sorted key fields as well as the break column 1 In the View click Report The Report dialog box appears 2 Check the Presort check box 3 Click the Output tab 4 Select Print 5 Click OK and then click Print Your report will now print You will notice that your report is sorted by the Vendor Number in ascending order The Invoice Amount has been sorted in descending order Once all invoices for a single vendor have been listed ACL prints a subtotal for that vendor This is because you desig nated the Vendor Number column as a break field 298 ACL for Windows 7 Formatting Reports Page 1 Produced with ACL by ACL Services Ltd Vendor Number 10025 n 10025 Detail lines 10025 10025 10025 10025 10101 10101 10101 Subtotal of break column 10101 10134 10134 10134 10134 10134 10134 Invoice Number 237936 232195 230592 234056 239215 4516050 4517604 4514742 Invoice Date 31 01 2000 14 11 2000 30 09 2000 30 09 2000 30 09 2000 31 07 2000 30 10 2000 15 10 2000 12 11 2000 30 09 2000 29
65. are highlighted V To define the fields Click a Add a New Data Field Notice that the If text box displays Header In the Start box enter 8 Inthe Len box enter 6 1 2 3 4 Verify that ASCII is the field type in the Type drop down list 5 In the Name box enter CustNo 6 Click Accept Entry 282 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Processing Multiple Record Type Files 7 ACL asks you if the information from this record type relates to subsequent records Click No ACL only asks you this the first time you define a field in a data filter For the next four header fields you enter you will not see this dialog box 8 Following steps 1 6 define the remaining Header fields as described in the following table Name Type Format Start Length PO ASCII 14 9 OrdD DATE YYMMDD 23 6 ShipD DATE YYMMDD 29 6 InvD DATE YYMMDD 35 6 You have now defined the customer number purchase order number order date shipping date and invoice date in the Header records Defining the Detail Fields You need to define the detail data filter in order to then define the fields for the detail records V To define the detail data filter Ve Ye eS Click the Add a New Data Filter tab Click D at position 7 in the second record Click Include Click Accept Entry A dialog box appears asking you to save the filter Enter Detail and click OK A dialog box appears asking if you want to keep the filter active Click
66. as pure numeric e g 10 31 00 or alphanu meric e g Oct 31 2000 An ASCII or EBCDIC field may be defined as a Date data type in the input file definition Module 2 ACL Fundamentals 51 Interpreting Dates Input Date Formats An input date format typically contains only numbers numeric or both letters and numbers alphanumeric Other characters are treated as formatting characters filler Common examples of filler are the in 11 30 00 MM DD YY or the blanks and comma in Nov 28 2000 MMM DD YYYY Any formatting characters used for input formats must match the characters in the field Standard Dates There are several valid date formats in common use Type Format Example using December 31 2000 American MM DD YY 12 31 00 European DD MM YY 3112 00 MMM DD DEC 31 Julian YYDDD 00365 The date format you specify must exactly match the data in the field Putting slashes in the format when they are not in the data file or vice versa causes ACL to incorrectly interpret the date This usually results in a zero value 01 01 00 for the field To view the input date format for the date fields 1 With the Ar file open select Edit from the menu bar and choose Input File Definition The Input File window appears 2 Click the Edit Fields Expressions tab 3 From the list of fields double click Date The Format text box shows the format YYYYMMDD 4 Click x Clear Entry to return to the list of fields scree
67. both operands 1000 and 177 are whole numbers In stage two 6 3 ACL again rounds to a whole number because the results of stage one 6 and the denominator 3 are both whole numbers L000 177 3 18 In the next example ACL again rounds to a whole number in stage one 1000 177 because both operands 1000 and 177 are whole numbers In stage two 6 3 00 ACL rounds to two decimals because the larger number of decimals of the two operands 6 and 3 00 is two 1000 177 3 00 18 00 In the next example ACL rounds to two places in stage one 1000 177 00 because 177 00 has the larger number of decimals of the two operands Then in stage two 5 65 3 ACL rounds to two decimals because the larger number of decimals of the two operands 5 65 and 3 is two 1000 177 00 3 16 95 In the next example ACL rounds to four places in stage one 1000 177 0000 because 177 0000 has the larger number of decimals of the two operands Then in stage two 5 6497 3 ACL again rounds to four decimals because the larger number of decimals of the two operands 5 6497 and 3 is four 1000 177 0000 3 16 9491 In the next example ACL rounds to a whole number in stage one 1000 3 because both operands are whole numbers Then in stage two 333 177 ACL again rounds to a whole number because both operands 333 and 177 are whole numbers L000 S717 7 In the last example ACL rounds to two decimal places in stage o
68. box displays the actual data in the data file Each row is a record The ruler located just above the data marks the byte positions in each record The scroll bars on the right and bottom sides of the dialog box let you scroll horizontally and vertically through the records If the record length is correct and it usually is the data is vertically aligned Defining Data Fields Next you will define the data fields for your input file definition without using the Wizard To define the data format for the input file definition you use the Input File Definition window By defining data fields you describe the layout and content of the file for ACL You can define one or all of the fields and then edit the field definitions later to add new fields or change existing ones You can also define overlapping fields Use the Input File Definition window to define filters and expressions also called computed fields For more information see Lesson 5 1 Using Expressions on page 224 You define a field by specifying the name length start position and type of the field For numeric fields you must also specify the number of decimal places For date fields Module 2 Delete Fields Add a New Data Field Add a New Expression gx Shift Fields Data area ACL Fundamentals 43 Input File Definitions specify the format in which the dates are stored You only need to define the data fields required for the tasks you want
69. button and click the left mouse button ACL displays a dialog box or window where you select change or enter information Module 1 Welcome to ACL 19 Getting Started with ACL Default Button Bar ACL provides a default button bar to give you fast access to the most commonly used commands and options The default button bar includes ASBSe BoE RRB FE aw You can add delete and rearrange all of these buttons to suit your individual needs If you customize your button bar it will not appear as shown above The following reference chart describes the actions performed by the buttons on the default button bar Button Quick Reference Chart Button ls amp Action Displays the Save New Project As dialog box allowing you to name and save a new ACL Project Displays the Locate Project File dialog box allowing you to open an existing ACL Project Option or Command Create a New Project Open an Existing Project El Saves the current ACL Project Save the Open Project Prints the contents of the active window Print Active Window Allows you to add notes about an ACL Project Edit Project Note e Allows you to undo the last operation performed Undo Last Operation E Displays the Overview window Overview Displays the command log Edit file definition Displays options for totaling numeric fields The result is stored Total in a variable a Displays options for analyzing numeric fields and dis
70. can view add comments to print or clear the log Computed Field A named algebraic expression that uses calculation results or an ACL command to create additional data A computed field exists only in the input file definition and is not actually a part of the data file It is a virtual field that lets you perform calculations based on information in the data file without affecting or changing the original data You can treat a computed field like an actual physical field See also Physical Field on page 395 Condition A test that returns a true or false value Conditional Field A field whose value depends on a condition 388 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook See also Conditional Computed Fields on page 144 of the ACL for Windows User Guide and Static Conditional Fields on page 155 of the ACL for Windows User Guide Constants Any date numeric string or logical value that does not change as ACL processes a record COUNTn A special ACL variable created automatically by specific ACL commands such as the Statistics command COUNTn contains the number of records in the file on which that command was previously issued CR File A file in which the end of a record is indicated by a carriage return CR This is the standard means of separating line files on Macintosh compatible computers CR LF File A variable record length file in which the end ofa record is indicated by a carriage return CR and a li
71. computed field is not actually part of the data file it exists only in the input file definition Although computed fields do not actually exist in data files you can treat them just as you would physical fields For example you can use commands on a computed field Module 5 Creating Applications 225 Using Expressions This lesson provides an example of an expression that performs calculations based on information in the Inventory input file You will find that when the gross margin percentages are set at a minimum to calculate the sale prices of items in each product class you can identify items that are selling with a margin lower than a minimum Using Operators In this lesson you will use operators to build an expression in the Expression text box The operator buttons and the functions they perform are as follows Operator ce Ana Ea m EE Ea E Tard or amp a or Evaluation parentheses unary minus as in 14 logical NOT exponentiation multiply divide and character concatenation add and subtract comparisons greater than less than equal greater than or equal less than or equal not equal logical AND logical OR Note ACL follows the standard rules of precedence when evaluating arithmetic expres sions To create an expression to identify items that are exceptions to the pricing policy 1 Click a Edit File Definition or select Edit from the file menu and choose Input File Defi
72. create an output file of unmatched records ACL includes only those records from the primary file which do not have a matching record in the secondary file For example to identify payroll records for which no employee records exist specify the Payroll file as the primary file To identify employee records that do not have matching payroll records specify the Empmast file as the primary file To create a file of employee records that do not have matching payroll records 1 2 Open the Empmast primary file again by dragging it out of the Overview window The output file Matched closes Select Data from the menu bar and choose Join to open the Join dialog box Notice that ACL retains the Payroll file as the secondary file In the Primary Keys list view click EmpNo This is the sort key field in the primary file In the Secondary Keys list view click EmpNo ACL for Windows 7 Joining Relating and Merging Data 5 Click More to switch to the additional options Join x Main More Scope Al C First fo C Next a While C Matched Records Unmatched Records P Eiman J IMS Grete Many AllSecondan I Append To Existing File Cancel Help 6 Click Unmatched Records 7 Click Main to return to the Main options 8 Enter Unmatched in the To text box to name the output file Workbook By default all fields in the Empmast file copies to Unmatched Since you want to inclu
73. default configu ration The sections that follow describe each of the preference options Factory default prefer ences are preselected with a M 330 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Setting Preferences Interface Options Click the Interface Options tab to display the options Edit ACL Preferences x Date Options Numeric Options Print Options Application Font Options Interface Options Input File Options View Options Command Options prerreereeseeneonesseesesseeseesoseessens IV Show Button Bar V Show Tooltips J Include Filters in Field Lists IV Warn Before Overwriting Files Beep s Upon Task Completion fo C Program Files ACL Softwares ACL for Windows Client aclwin prt Save Factory Cancel Help Show Button Bar This option displays the button bar at the top of the application screen If you turn this option off ACL does not display the button bar on your application screen Show Tooltips This option displays yellow pop up notes that describe the function of buttons The notes appear when you position the cursor over any of the buttons on the ACL button bars If you turn this option off the tooltips are not displayed Include Filters in Field Lists Filters are normally excluded from field lists Select this option when you want to include filters in field lists Because filters are actually implemented as logical fields you can use this option to have filters appear in field lis
74. end of a set of data As a parameter EOF executes the command one additional time after the end of file has been reached Expression A set of operators used to perform calculations specify conditions for a test or to create values that do not exist directly in the data An ACL expression can be a combination of data fields or computed fields operators constants functions and variables Named expressions are saved as part of the input file definition and consequently as part of the ACL Project Ad hoc unnamed expressions can be used only for a single calculation and are not saved as part of the input file definition See Computed Field on page 387 Extract on page 389 Filter on page 390 Global Filter on page 391 and Local Filter on page 393 Extract The process of creating a subset of a file that contains some or all of the records or fields in an input file Field The individual pieces of information that make up a record in a file A record can have many fields Each field has a name for reference See also Record on page 396 390 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Field Definition A field definition identifies and describes the format of the data in a file Computer files can have many fields for the same record Typically each record in a file contains the same fields Field Types The types of data readable by ACL Because data types usually apply to the fields of input data record
75. execute the Extract command you create an output file to hold the data you are extracting This output file in turn becomes an input file for further analysis Opening Your Project To prepare for this lesson 1 Open the Workbook acl Project For details on how to open an ACL Project and an input file definition see Lesson 2 4 Overview Window on page 57 2 Inthe Overview window select Inventory and drag and drop it onto the Open button to open the default view of the Inventory input file that uses the data file Inventory fil Working with the Extract Command To work with the Extract command Create a filter to choose the records you want to extract Obtain control totals by running the Total command before you extract the records Extract the records to a new input file pwn gt Run the Total command to compare the totals of the new input file with the control totals Creating a Filter You can use the Extract command to analyze records for products in a remote warehouse In the Inventory input file this warehouse is defined as location 05 V To define a local filter to make it easier to work only with the records for location 05 1 Select Analyze from the menu bar and choose Count to open the Count dialog box 2 Click If to open the Expression Builder Module 4 Manipulating Data 115 Extracting Data 3 In the Available Fields list view double click Loc The Loc field is copied to the Expres
76. executed repeatedly for the current record as long as the test specified is true When processing encounters a false value Loop stops and the Group processes the next sequential command or advances to the next sequential record Since you can only use Loop in a Group and Group can only be used in batches Loop is only available for use within batches Note The Loop While test must eventually yield a false value or the Loop will remain in an infinite loop Using the OFFSET Function with Loop Use the OFFSET function with Loop to adjust the starting position of a field being evaluated within the current record The syntax for the OFFSET function is OFFSET fieldname N Nis any valid ACL numeric expression variable or constant The combination of Loop and OFFSET is particularly useful when you are processing mainframe data files that contain repeated blocks of information COBOL data files that contain Occurs or Occurs Depending On clauses for example have a set of fields that occur either a fixed or varied number of times It is more effective to define one set of generic field definitions that you use to process all occurrences For more information see Loop on page 237 of the ACL for Windows Reference Manual and online Help Exiting ACL If you want to exit ACL now select File from the menu bar and choose Exit Module 5 Lesson 5 4 Creating Applications 265 Working with Multiple Record Type Files Working w
77. field separators to appropriately set the columns To CREATE afield separator click at the desired location To DELETE a field separator click on an existing line To MOVE a field separator click on a line and drag it xX 4 L W O 73000330 1 69000501 1478 1500 0000010789400024 Md d E Module 2 11 The Edit Field Properties screen appears You can use this screen of the Wizard to modify the field names and field properties as required For example a field containing dates was defined as an ASCII field for generating reports but you want to analyze the field for aging To use the field this way you need ACL Fundamentals Input File Definitions to change it from an ASCII field to a date field You can change field types by selecting the type that you need from the Type drop down list Similarly you can keep original field names for easier communication with the data provider But for report purposes you might prefer a more descriptive name You can make NUMERICI1 for example appear in your report as Product Number by entering the alternate title in the Column Title text box Edit each field in turn then click Next to continue Data Definition Wizard Edit Field Properties WOPpPorqyI Hira hpwlNere i BIO Select Platform Select Data Identify Properties Define Fie Edit Field Properties Finish NUMERIC1 07010434 070104397 070104177 070104677 070104657 070104327
78. file but is linked to it through the input file definition ACL Project files have the extension acl An ACL Project file contains one or more input file definitions views batches and workspaces Input file definitions IFDs describe the record layout of the data file and let you define the fields ACL will examine A Project can have several input file definitions linked to various source data files Views are used to display all or some of the data and to create ad hoc reports You can create multiple views of a source data file Batches ACL has numerous predefined commands that you can use to analyze data or to create new computed data fields Commands can be run individually or grouped together in a batch to run as a single application Workspaces make it easier to share complex calculations between different files The ACL Index command creates an index file containing pointers that allow ACL to read data in the sorted order even though the records in the orgininal input file are unsorted ACL Projects give you a way to organize your data analysis Each Project file stores the input file definitions views workspaces and batches you created for a specific Project You can reuse these items the next time you need to analyze the same kinds of data ACL even remembers the files you were working with and the arrangement of windows on your screen The next time you use the Project you can start at the exact point yo
79. for Windows 7 Workbook Command Log Displaying the File History Each time ACL creates a data file as output it also creates a record of the commands and options used to create the file This record is called the file history To view file history Select Tools from the menu bar and choose File History to display the command log Command Log Oy x Last Result gt v fx B A DISPLAY HISTORY sil ACL displays the time and date of each step you take to create the file ACL includes the file name in the title bar and creates input file notes to tell you how the file was created Whenever ACL creates a data file as output it adds a description of the process to the input file definition called the file history If you are using a data file that was not created in ACL there will be no file history to display as shown above The file history details the source file and the processes applied to produce the output file When you issue several commands in sequence such as Extract Sort Summarize and Sample each step adds another line to the history Reissuing Commands You can use the command log to change the output or edit the command specifications and reissue commands It is sometimes faster to edit a previous command than enter a new command Command Mode Syntax Commands are represented in the command log by their command mode syntax In command mode syntax the symbol precedes all commands For example
80. for Windows 7 Workbook Getting Started with ACL Using Menus to Select and Choose Options VY To select a menu choice from the menu bar 1 Click a menu choice such as File ACL displays a drop down menu of choices For example the File drop down menu looks like this New Project Chri h Open Project Ctrl O Close Project Save Project Chrl 5 Save Project As Page Setup Print Ctrl F Print Documentation Clear Log File Project Notes Ctri G Notify Exit Alt F4 Ho Previous Project As you move the mouse pointer down the menu each menu choice is highlighted V To choose a command or option from the list 1 Position your mouse pointer over one of the choices 2 Click the left mouse button ACL displays the command or option dialog box or window for you to select change or enter information V To close the drop down list without making a choice move the pointer off the menu and click the left mouse button Button Bar The button bar provides fast access to commonly used commands and options You can customize the number and order of icons in the button bar to suit your needs Pointing to a Button V To point to a button on the button bar use your mouse to position your pointer over one of the ACL buttons If you have the Show Tooltips preference selected as it is by default ACL displays a message showing the button s name V To use a button position the pointer over a
81. for Windows Version 7 0 Workbook The program starts and ACL displays the application screen You are now ready to use ACL for Windows Version 7 Workbook WELCOME TO ACL In Module 1 you are introduced to the basics of ACL and what you need to start using this workbook You find out a About data records fields and data files About fixed point arithmetic Howto start ACL and how to work with the application screen button bar and windows 8 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Accessing and Downloading Data Lesson 1 1 Accessing and Downloading Data You can use ACL to work with modern relational databases as well as traditional legacy data storage systems With legacy systems where the programs originally used to create and process the data are not current ACL gives you the ability to access the data ACL can access data in diverse formats and on various types of storage devices You can use ACL to verify the output from other applications if you do not have confidence in the data or suspect that an application is not functioning correctly Use ACL for Windows to view explore and analyze all data and report on the results Understanding How Computers Represent Data Data in its simplest form is stored with each character held in a byte The value of the byte determines the character it represents There are two main coding schemes that map the value of the byte to each specific character EBCDIC Extended Binary Cod
82. from the menu bar and choose Count Click If to open the Expression Builder In the Available Fields list view double click SalePr to copy it to the Expression text box Click Less Than to add it to the expression In the Available Fields list view double click UnCst Enter Loss in the Save As text box to name the filter The Expression Builder now looks like this Count If x Expression SalePr lt UnCst Ga Verity Cancel Save As a Available Fields Functions All K Minty Re Order Paint Mk al Market alue FrcDte Frice D ate FrodCls Product Class FrodD esc Froduct Descriptio Frodo Froduct Humber ABS number AGE date lt cutoff _ date _pyyymi ALLTRIM string ASCII character AT occurence_num search_fe BETWEEN value min max BITI byte location BLANKS count BYTE byte location COO date length CHRI number CLEAN sting lt extra_invalid_cl CTOD field lt date_forrmat_if_nc COUNT DATE lt date gt 1 a HIGHT d Low Paste Parameters ProdStat Product Status GOH Quantity On Hand GtyOO Quantity Orn Order SaleFr Sale Frice UnCst Unit Cost Variables Value Inventor alue at T AVERAGE From Input File Inventory bg 234 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Using Expressions Command Log _ oyx Last Result wy tf x vw l f COUNT IF Loss 3 o 152 met the test Loss al Three items have a selling p
83. gt Page Produced with ACL by ACL Services Ltd ae STRATIFY over 10 00 gt 11 400 00 gt gt gt gt Minimum encountered was 14 638 gt b Maximum encountered was 56 767 20 Invoice Amount 10 500 1 000 2 500 5 000 85 000 oo oo oo oo oo oo gt 11 400 00 You can see that the largest percentage of items is in the 10 00 to 499 99 interval Exiting ACL If you want to exit ACL now select File from the menu bar and choose Exit 499 999 2 499 4 999 7 999 11 400 39 39 39 39 39 oo COUNT lt 36 37 25 aa 2 l 5t al 20 59 a 7 644 6 5 604 a 1 964 5 4 904 102 100 004 ke im OF Wo om oo tn 10d 564 054 534 554 044 904 45 5554 oo Manipulating Data Stratifying Data 11 Ol 2001l 12 50 56 Quantity Unit Cost 2 100 475 3 203 167 6 170 261 3 043 192 3 200 aTa 1 519 45 16 912 105 37 107 1 522 155 156 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Aging Data Lesson 4 6 Aging Data The Age command produces aged summaries on unsorted data You can either specify a cutoff date or let ACL automatically base the aged summary on the current system date ACL creates a Count field to display the number of records in each age period Opening Your Project To prepare for this lesson 1 Open the Workbook acl Project For details on how to open an ACL Project and an input file definition see Lesson 2 4 Overview Window on page
84. incorrect for the field definition This might include characters in a numeric field or blank spaces in an ASCII field You can use the CLEAN function and Display Invalid Data as Blanks or Zeros to remove the invalid data from the file Verifying Data To check for data validity errors in the input file use the Verify command Verify ensures that data in a file conforms to the input file definitions and reports any errors encoun tered For example Verify uses the input file definition description to check that only character data is in character fields Y To verify all of the defined data fields 1 Select Analyze from the menu bar and choose Verify The Verify dialog box appears 2 Click Verify Fields to display the Selected Fields dialog box The Available Fields list view displays all defined fields for the Badfile input file 3 Click Add All to copy all the available fields to the Selected Fields list box 346 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Troubleshooting Data Errors 4 Click OK to close the Selected Fields dialog box The Verify dialog box now looks like this Verify Main More Output Verity Fields Invoice Number E Pie N 4 Pedo TP 3 5 Click OK again to execute the command The verification result appears in the command log Command Log ioj x Last Result lt x y E A VERIFY FIELDS InvoiceNo OrderQty Frice Prodno ShipQty Total ERRORLIMIT 10 To 20 20 20 20 2
85. lesson 1 Open the Workbook acl Project For details on how to open an ACL Project and an input file definition see Lesson 2 4 Overview Window on page 57 default view of the Ap_trans input file that is linked to the data file Ap_trans fil Using the View to Create a Report The Report command layout options include header footer line spacing font size presorting on key fields and creating a summary report You can also limit the data included in the report by setting local filters Formatting the View When you format fields in the view to create a report you can change number formats column widths and column titles You can also specify whether ACL should total amounts for numeric fields You can save the formatted view with a name that indicates that this is a report view The formatting you do affects only that view in the input file definition Note When you use the Modify Column dialog box to format the column title column width numeric format and totals suppression you only change the format in that particular view Other views of the same input file definition remain unchanged Module 6 Communicating Results 291 Formatting Reports Page Width Indicator The Page Width indicator displays by default a dotted line on the right side of the view to indicate the page width VY To turn off or on the display of the page width indicator 1 Select Edit from the menu bar and choose Preferences 2 Click the V
86. log Exiting ACL If you want to exit ACL now select File from the menu bar and choose Exit 86 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Documenting Your Work Lesson 2 7 Documenting Your Work Documenting your work is an essential part of most data analyses Using notes and printouts lets you keep a record of procedures and comments for future reference Anyone working with the Project can draw a wealth of information from notes and printouts ACL gives you flexibility and control in creating complete records that you can use for review and reference You can use notes in the Input File Definition View Data Definition Expression Document and Batch windows You can also print input file definitions and file histories Opening Your ACL Project To prepare for this lesson Select File from the menu bar and choose Open Project Double click the Workbook Data Files folder Double click Workbook acl Click Expand beside Input File Definitions in the Overview window E a E Drag and drop Inventory onto the Open button The view of the Inventory file that you worked in most recently opens Making Notes Aside from adding comments to the log another way to provide information about Projects files fields batches or views is to make notes Notes are extremely useful as online references Notes are different from comments in that they are not included in the command log You can print Project notes when you choose Print Documentati
87. met the test LOCOS al Verifying the Control Totals Before you extract records for location 05 you should verify the control totals for that location using the Total command 116 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Extracting Data VY o obtain control totals for numeric fields 1 Click Total or select Analyze from the menu bar and choose Total to open the Total dialog box Total Main More Total Fields Name _ Ss Tite si Re Order Point MEY al Market alue GhOH Guantity On Hand GhOO Guantity On Order SalePr Sale Price UrnCst Unit Cost Value Inventor aluecat cael He 2 Click Total Fields to display the Selected Fields dialog box 3 Click Add All Selected Fields x Available Fields Selected Fields Market alue Quantity On Hand Quantity Orn Order Sale Price Unit Cost Clear ll Inventor W alueat Expr Y Edit 4 ne From Input File OF Cancel Help Inventory hi Click OK to return to the Total dialog box All the fields will be highlighted Click If to open the Expression Builder The filter you created LOC05 is in the Filters box Double click LOC05 The filter is copied to the Expression text box Click OK to close the Expression Builder and return to the Total dialog box Ww OF Module 4 Manipulating Data Extracting Data 8 Click OK in the Total dialog box to issue the Total command 9 ACL
88. of File in the Dump window ACL will search only the record Click Find ACL highlights the first occurrence of the string in the Dump window ACL changes the default to Cursor Click Find again to jump to the next occur rence and so on ACL displays the message No match found when there are no more occurrences of the string Click Close when you have finished You will recall from the results of the Verify command that there is a problem with record 2 in the Total field To specify a dump of the invalid data you must first find out the field location V To determine the location of the Total field in the input file 1 2 Select Edit from the menu bar and choose Input File Definition In the defined fields list view you can see that Total starts at position 62 and is 14 bytes long From this you know that the invalid data is between positions 62 and 75 Double click Total When you have finished locating the Total field close the Data Definition window Module 8 Troubleshooting Data Errors 357 Troubleshooting Data Errors V Touse Dump to review the contents of the invalid record WwW Display the default view of Badfile Inthe Record number column click record 2 Select Tools from the menu bar and choose Dump ACL displays the Dump dialog box with Record selected Check the Horizontal check box This format is easier to view than a columnar vertical listing Notice that A
89. of balances or transactions Identify accounts with credit balances Prepare aged customer analysis Generate exception reports including balances over credit limits unusual terms or limits large balances and so on Select sample of accounts for confirmation Report transactions after period end Report duplicates in a sequence of invoices Report slow to pay accounts Report inter company transfers 375 376 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Creditors Accounts Payable Calculate total of creditor balances Summarize produce balances by creditor Select monetary unit samples of balances or transactions Identify accounts with debit balances Prepare aged payables analysis Generate exception reports including aged invoices large balances or amounts and so on Report transactions after period end Report duplicate payments Report missing check numbers Report unauthorized large purchases Report payments made to accounts or addresses other than those registered in the supplier s ledger Report payments made after the due date Wages and Salaries Payroll Calculate total of payroll files Summarize to produce totals by employee Report high value totals or transactions Select monetary unit samples of balances or transactions Recalculate gross and net pay Generate exception reports including duplicate names pay rates or hours that are too high or too low and so on Report former employees still on payroll Report master fi
90. or more parameters performs a calculation and then returns a value GAPDUPn A special ACL variable created automatically by specific ACL commands such as the Sequence Gaps or Duplicates command that contains the number of gaps and or duplicates in the file on which that command was previously issued Global Filter A filter that applies to all commands and views for an entire input file A global filter stays in place until it is removed See also Filter on page 390 Group A series of commands that is processed as a unit in a single pass of a file You can create a group in a batch then run the batch to execute the commands in the group Using groups increases processing speed because ACL performs all group commands in one pass of the file as opposed to one pass of the file for each command HIGHn A special ACL variable created automatically by specific ACL commands such as the Statistics command that contains the five by default highest values of the field on which that command was previously issued Histogram A horizontal bar graph created using the ACL Histogram command Histograms show the distribution of values in a field or expression A histogram is the graphical equivalent of stratifying data History A file specific log that records the commands and the source of the data you use The history is added to the input file definition whenever ACL creates a data file as output ACL time and date stamps
91. or the YYYYMMDD format To extract only the transactions in the Ar file that have a due date prior to January 2 2000 1 In the Overview window drag Ar from the input file definitions onto the application workspace 2 Click Extract or select Data from the menu bar and choose Extract ACL displays the Extract dialog box 3 Select Fields 4 Click Extract Fields click Add All and then click OK 5 Click in the If text box and enter DUE lt 000102 Use the back quote that is usually located on the key with the tilde upper left side on most keyboards Important When you use reverse quotes ACL treats the date given within the quotes as an integral data type The format must be YYMMDD or YYYYMMDD Any other format is invalid 6 Click in the To text box and enter PREO102 to name the output file definition ACL for Windows 7 Extracting Data Workbook 7 Click OK to execute the command ACL displays seven items that have a due date prior to January 2 2000 in the View window View Default_View Data File Pre0102 FIL 5 Trans Invoice Due fielda Cust Ref Amount Date Date Number No M 539 97 17 07 2000 01 01 2000 5 40 222006 rane z 303 81 29 10 2000 01 01 2000 3 04 516372 1306 Hg 3 66 06 25 11 2000 01 01 2000 0 66 516372 13452 4 880 82 02 12 2000 01701 2000 8 81 176437 21421 t il 5 24 37 02 12 2000 01 01 2000 0 24 925007 214
92. places quotes around date fields in addition to character strings when you export to a delimited file Manipulating Data 125 Module 4 Exporting Data Main More Export Fields Export As Delimited L Cancel Help 7 Click in the To text box and enter Invent ACL exports the data to this file 8 Click the More tab to display additional options Main More g Ak C First C Mest while Pe Append To Existing File Cancel Help The Append To Existing File check box gives you the option to append the output to an existing file This time however leave the check box unchecked 9 Click OK to close the dialog box and execute the command ACL also creates the Invent file with the appropriate extension in this case del for Delimited The result appears in the command log 126 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Exporting Data Command Log _joyx Last Result gt S fx A EXPORT FIELDS CatDte Loc Minty MktYal Frcbte FProdCls Frodbesc ProdNo Prodst 152 records produced Qutput to C A4CL Data Data Invent DEL is done af 7 The file is ready to use in any compatible program Exporting Selected Fields The following table shows how ACL field types are exported Field Type Output ASCII Character Same length as the original file ACL Computed Numeric Twelve bytes wide unless you have changed the default width using the Field Width preference See
93. profile the numeric fields 1 Select Analyze from the menu bar and choose Profile to display the Profile fields dialog box Module 4 Manipulating Data 151 Stratifying Data Main More Profile Fields Invoice_Amount Invoice Amount Quantity Quantity Unit_Cost Unit Cost Cancel Help 2 Click Invoice_ Amount in the Profile Fields list view 3 Click OK The total absolute value minimum and maximum amounts for the Invoice_Amount field appear in the command log Command Log Iof x Last Result Y tf x vw E PROFILE Invoice Amount Total bs Value Minimum Maximum Name 270 641 35 270 641 35 14 55 56 767 20 Invoice _amomt wE To obtain statistics on the numeric fields 1 Select Analyze from the menu bar and choose Statistics to display the Statistics dialog box 152 ACL for Windows 7 Stratifying Data Workbook Statistics x Main More Output Statistics On IL TEENE Quantity Quantity Unit_Cost Unit Cost Std Deviation Invoice Date Cancel Help 2 Click Invoice Amount in the Statistics On list view 3 Click OK The command log displays statistics for the Invoice_Amount field Command Log ioj x Last Result wy fx wv zj STATISTICS ON Invoice Amount TO SCREEN NUMBER 5 Field gt Invoice Amount Number Total Average Positive 102 270 641 335 2 731 76 Zeras 0 Negative 0 00 0 00 Totals loz 270 641 353 2 731 76 Abs Va
94. requires a sorted file However the Presort option is selected by default so you do not need to run the Sort command separately To summarize the input file on the key character fields 1 Select Data from the menu bar and choose Summarize to open the Summarize dialog box The Summarize On list view lists date and character fields as well as expressions In the Summarize On list view click Vendor_No In the Accumulate Fields list view click Invoice Amount Click the Output tab to display the output options Select File Click in the Name text box and enter Sumven Click the Main tab to return to the main options on A n A W N To ensure that the Summarize On field is sorted check the Presort check box The Summarize dialog box now looks like this Summarize x Main More Output Summarize On Accumulate Fields Name Title SY Name Title s Invoice Date Invoice Date 1 Invoice Amount Invoice Amount i Invoice Mo Invoice Number Quantity Quantity Prodna Froduct umber Unit_Cost Unit Cost Vendor No VendorNumber Invoice Amount Invoice Amount Invoice Date Invoice D ate Invoice Mo Invoice Number Prodno Product Nurnber 7 1 m i Frezort If Cancel Help 148 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Summarizing and Classifying 9 Click OK to close the Summarize dialog box and execute the command ACL opens and displays the result in the new Sumven fil view View Detault_
95. shows the LOC05 filter totals in the command log Command Log _joyx Last Result S fx Ej A TOTAL FIELDS MinQty MktV al QtyOH Qty 0 SalePr UnCst Value IF LOCOS wet the test LOCOS 13 The The The The The The The of 152 total total total total total total total of of of of of of of Minty is Mkt Yal is QtyOH is QtyoOo is SalePr is UnCst is Value is 5 915 52 752 62 69 466 a0 530 160 04 129 83 42 479 36 117 al Extracting Records to an Output File This exercise takes you through the process of creating an output file The output file once again is a new data file containing a copy of the extracted records and an input file definition You must enter a name for the output file V To extract selected records to an output file 1 With the Inventory file open click Extract or select Data from the menu bar and choose Extract The Extract dialog box appears Leave Record selected as it is by default to extract all the records for the location 05 warehouse Extract x Main More i Record Fields Name Title CetDte Cost D ate Extract Fields Loc Location Minty Re Order Paint Market Value Price D ate Product Class Mkt al PreDte ProdCls i Local W Use Output File Cancel Help 2 Click If to open the Expression Builder 118 ACL for Windows 7 Extracting Data 3 Workbook In the Filters list box do
96. text box using the Edit Box control 1 Click T Edit Box When you move into the definition area your cursor changes Click in the Dialog Builder where you want ACL to position the upper left corner of the control ACL displays the Edit Box dialog box Editbox x EDIT Cancel Default Text Pasition and Size width 120 W Auto Height 24 M Auto ACL grays out the options that do not apply In the Variable text box replace the default name EDIT1 with a meaningful variable name that you can remember and use later in the batch ACL increases the variable number of the selected option by one each time For example the Variable text box displays EDIT 1 for the first edit box EDIT for the second edit box and so on Note If you want any control to have default text enter it in the Default Text text box 366 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Designing Batches Using the Dialog Builder For more information see the Accept command under Interactive Batches on page 319 of the ACL for Windows User Guide and online Help 4 Click OK ACL adds the edit box control and any default text to the Dialog Builder Adding Check Boxes The check box control generates a logical variable When the person using the batch selects the check box the variable takes the value T for true Leaving the check box unselected generates the value F for false VW Toadda check box 1 Click Check
97. the Histogram command Communicating Results Graphing Command Results 318 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Graphing Command Results For more practice click Graph Type to change the graph type to a 3 D pie Change the graph properties Changing Graph Labels V To change graph labels 1 Select the label text at the bottom of the Graph window The Label Properties button is activated 2 Click Label Properties Label Properties x Orientation Font Attributes Label alignment Horizontal Vertical Top bid Onentatiors fo Degrees Cancel Help 3 You can change the orientation font and border appearance of the label Graphing Drill Down Graphing drill down works in 2 D and 3 D graphs featuring pie segments bar charts or line graphs By double clicking the mouse on a particular segment or bar you cause a new filter to be attached to the existing file view which is of the graph as a whole The new filter narrows the view down to only the data supporting that particular segment and brings the view to the top leaving the graph in the background You can view a different segment by clicking it To return to the top level view of the graph as a whole you must edit the filter directly Module 6 Multiple Drill Down Selections Communicating Results 319 Graphing Command Results Classify By Market Value E Quantity On Hand C Inventory Value at Cost CLASSIFY ON Loc ACCUMULATE Mkt al Qty
98. the changes click Discard 50 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Interpreting Dates Lesson 2 3 Interpreting Dates ACL offers flexibility in accessing displaying and calculating dates Dates are stored in data files in a variety of ways ACL displays dates using the date format you specify in the input file definition You can choose from ACLs predefined formats or create a date format that best suits your needs Opening Your Project For this lesson you will use the Workbook acl Project To prepare for this lesson 1 Select File on the menu bar and choose Open Project The Locate Project File dialog box opens The dialog box lists the Data directory that was installed with the Workbook Data Files Locate Project File x Look in E Workbook Data Files ES ce Pe Bee Workshop acl Files of type Files ACL Cancel Select Workbook acl from the Data folder listing Click Open The Workbook acl Project opens Click E Overview to open the Overview window if it is not open already Click Expand beside Input File Definitions Click the Input File Definition icon beside Ar in the list Drag the Default_View icon to the work area to open the Default_View of the Ar input file definition which uses the data file Ar fil Du PF wn Defining Date Fields When you select the Date data type you must define how the date field is stored in the data file The Date data type can be defined
99. the Detail Filter To define the five columns of detailed inventory information you need to identify a unique characteristic in the detail data lines If you find that there is no single charac teristic that uniquely identifies a record type you can use a combination of character Istics When you scanned through this file you may have noticed that all of the detail lines in the report have a decimal point in the Unit Cost column and the Total Cost column Either of these can be used as the characteristic of the filter Look at the product number information on the left of the screen Notice that the first ten spaces of the class total lines are blank This is because the phrase Class Totals is indented to the right Detail lines are only indented five spaces You can use this as an optional second characteristic To define a Detail filter Click the Add a New Data Filter tab to display the filter definition options In record 10 click the decimal in the Unit Cost field then click Include Click Accept Entry ACL asks you to save the filter Enter Detail and then click OK ACL asks if you want to keep the filter active Click No a Se oe a Defining the Header Fields You are now ready to define the fields you want to use from the Report txt file First you will define only fields from the header lines and ignore the other lines in the file 270 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Working with Multiple Record Type Files
100. those seeking more in depth advice on data analysis Global Audit Publications GAP offers a range of books A complete list of ACL user publications and GAP publications is available from our Head Office at 1 604 669 4225 or www acl com 2 ACL for Windows 7 Related Publications ACL for Windows User Guide The user guide will help you start using ACL for Windows Version 7 It shows you how to Read or import data from external source data files View analyze and report on data Automate custom analytical routines a Use ACL for Windows together with ACL for OS 390 in a client server environment The ACL for Windows User Guide is provided to licensed users of ACL To purchase additional copies visit www acl com ACL for Windows Reference Manual The reference manual is a companion document that provides detailed information on ACL field types ACL functions a ACL commands The ACL for Windows Reference Manual is provided to licensed users of ACL To purchase additional copies visit www acl com Need Help Resources For assistance in using ACL refer to these additional resources a ACL for Windows User Guide a ACL for Windows Reference Manual a ACL for Windows online Help Your company s internal ACL technical support center if available About this Workbook 3 Contacting Us If you can not find the solution to your problem and you are a supported user you can contact ACL for assistanc
101. to the button bar 1 Select Insert it is selected by default 2 Select Menu Item it is also selected by default 3 Click the command you want to add to the button bar from the appropriate drop down menu The icon associated with that command will be displayed 4 Click the spot in the button bar where you want to display the button Module 1 Welcome to ACL 21 Getting Started with ACL V Toadda blank space to the button bar 1 Select Insert option it is selected by default 2 Select Blank 3 Click the spot in the button bar where you want to add the blank V To exchange a button on the button bar 1 Select Replace 2 Select Menu Item Click the command you want to add to the button bar from the appropriate drop down menu The icon associated with that command will be displayed 3 Click the spot on the button bar you want to replace with the button or blank V To remove a button from the button bar 1 Select Delete 2 Click the button or blank you want to delete ACL removes the button or blank and adjusts the buttons accordingly 3 Click OK to save your changes For more information see Customizing the Button Bar on page 308 in the ACL for Windows User Guide or online Help Status Bar The status bar displays the name of the Project with which you are working the name of the currently open input file and the number of records in that file When you first start ACL you can see from the s
102. to use static conditional fields when working with multiple record type files Conditional Fields A conditional field is a field whose value is available only when a certain test is met Any conditional field can be static When an If test for a conditional field is true ACL reads uses the data from the file to create a value If the test returns false the field has no value and ACL supplies an empty value blanks for character fields and zeros for numeric fields Defining Static Conditional Fields A static conditional field is like a conditional field except that when an If test returns false rather than resetting the value to zero ACL uses the last valid value in the field until a new valid value is encountered Use the following criteria to determine when to make a conditional field static a Make a conditional field static if the field relates to a number of subsequent records such as header records in a report file Module 5 Creating Applications 275 Working with Multiple Record Type Files Do not make a conditional field static if is does not relate to subsequent records Then when an If test returns false the field is filled with blanks or zeros as appropriate To create a static conditional field 1 Click a Edit File Definition on the button bar or select Edit from the menu bar and choose Input File Definition 2 Click the Edit Fields Expressions tab ACL displays the input file definition w
103. working the name of the currently open input file and the number of records in that file Tainting In sampling the amount of error for a particular item UVELn A special ACL variable created automatically by specific ACL commands such as the Evaluate command that contains the upper error limit of the data set on which the command was previously performed Variables Temporary values that exist in memory for at most the length of an ACL session Variables can be used to retain and carry forward information from one ACL command to another The only exception is a variable whose name starts with an underscore _ These variables are stored as part of your ACL Project Some commands automatically create variables when they are executed You can use these ACL generated variables or variables you create yourself when processing other ACL commands A variable retains its value until it is changed deleted or until you quit ACL View The display of data in a file according to the way you have defined the file s fields An ACL view does not contain data It is only an on screen arrangement or presentation of the data Virtual Field See Computed Field on page 387 WHILE A scope parameter that terminates the processing of a file as soon as the associated test fails This is useful for limiting the scope of commands that otherwise process the whole file See also Scope Parameter on page 397 Appendix C
104. you turn this option off and the only changes to a view are column width changes ACL discards the changes Show Right Edge of Page ACL displays a dotted line in the View window to indicate the right margin The margin is based on a standard page width of eight and one half inches For more information see Page Width Indicator on page 291 Module 7 Customizing ACL 335 Setting Preferences Display Invalid Data as Blanks or Zeros When this option is off ACL accepts all invalid characters in a field If you turn this option on ACL replaces invalid character data with blanks and invalid numeric data with zeros from the first invalid character to the end of the field This option affects all fields except text fields ACL automatically replaces invalid data with blanks in text fields Redraw Seconds This option displays the maximum amount of time in seconds that ACL takes to redraw the view If redrawing takes longer than the specified amount of time ACL interrupts processing and displays a message The default is 10 seconds Global Page Title Whatever you enter in this text box displays below the page number at the top of each printed page By default ACL uses your company name but you can enter a different designation or leave it blank Note Authorized group licensed versions of ACL have customer specified text in the Global Page Title that cannot be modified Command Options Click the Command Options tab to di
105. 0 20 20 20 42 41 44 52 45 45 Invalid field data encountered in record field Total 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 36 2E 39 36 41 Invalid field data encountered in record 4 field Price 20 20 20 20 20 4E 4F 4E 45 Invalid field data encountered in record 10 field Shipdty 30 1A 30 32 34 31 37 35 34 Invalid field data encountered in record 17 field Prodno 30 38 30 31 Ce C4 O2 30 20 Invalid field data encountered in record 16 field Prodno 5 data validity errors detected ale aia i You can see that five validity errors were found ACL identifies the record numbers and field names You can use this information to analyze the file errors Module 8 Troubleshooting Data Errors 347 Troubleshooting Data Errors CLEAN Function The CLEAN function finds and removes the first invalid character in a string and replaces it and all characters to the right of it with blanks The syntax of CLEAN is CLEAN String lt extra_invalid_characters gt The optional second parameter extra_invalid_characters allows you to specify additional character values that are considered invalid for the purposes of the test The values for this parameter must be surrounded by matching single or double quotes For example if the Name field contains invalid data you could define a new computed field with the value CLEAN NAME Whenever you refer to this new field the invalid data is removed For further details on this function see
106. 010102840 PRESSURE COOKER 84T 1 92 02 DUTCH OVEN TEP ON CAN SHELF BREADBOX PC CANISTER SET APKIN amp RELISH HOLDER CAKE DECORATING SET MINCER PASTA NOODLE MAKER DIET SCALE 1 Housewares 010551340 DISH DRAINER ee eee ee ee ee eee eee eee eee ee co 274 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Working with Multiple Record Type Files You can now use any ACL command along with the Detail filter to process the data in the detail Applying an Automatic Filter You can also use the Default Filter option to process all records in a file each time you open it V To automatically format the default view each time you open it 1 Click al Edit File Definition select Edit from the menu bar and choose Input File Definition 2 Double click Detail in the list of defined fields and expressions 3 Check the Default Filter check box to make Detail the default filter ACL automati cally activates this filter each time you open the default view when you turn on this option 4 Click Accept Entry to accept the entry and return to the Input File Definition window The next time you open the Report input file the Detail filter will be active Processing Multiple Record Types with Static Conditional Fields When a field relates to a number of subsequent records you can create a static condi tional field to change the way the data is processed In ACL it is common
107. 0886230000128 00001030500000149 00001662540000241 00001284690000186 4000000611000000077 00001101600000158 00000807100000111 4000000310000000045 4000000061504000008 2000000000000000000 1200000005952 000008 S50000000597690000086 F 00000107894000024 w T Hex gt lt Back Cancel Help 38 ACL for Windows 7 Input File Definitions Workbook 9 The File Type screen appears with the option button set to Data File Single Record Type Click Next a Select Platform Select Data Identify Properties Define Fields Records Edit Field Properties Finish Data Definition Wizard File Type x The Wizard has determined the type of file and indicated it below Click Next to continue or select the Skip Field Identification option to identify the fields on your own This option allows you to identify the fields on your own Data File Single Record Type Print Image File Report File C Multiple Record Type File Skip Field Identification lt Back Cancel Help 10 The Identify Fields screen appears The Wizard tries to identify all the fields You can create delete or move the field separators as needed Click Next Data Definition Wizard Identify Fields Select Platform Select Data Identify Properties Define Fields Records Edit Field Properties Finish TEPEN cn fawn ence ane SU n an Mele op Mahe n fan fe dUe a ofl en ne Gane Inne Pen afleen
108. 09 2000 14 02 2000 09 04 2000 Invoice Product Amount Number 56 767 20 965 77 850 58 486 00 278 04 59 347 59 486 64 154 00 50 40 691 04 18 883 34 1 823 68 883 00 561 20 467 40 22 618 62 Saving the Formatted View 080102618 080938998 010102710 010226620 010155160 080935428 093788411 010155150 030302303 010551340 030303343 052484405 090081001 Workbook Quantity 3 379 323 142 45 28 3 917 11 110 6 127 278 100 115 3 954 You can save formatted views with a new name so that it is easy to identify the view used to produce a report 1 Close the View window ACL asks you to save the changes to the view 2 Enter a new name such as Sorted_Report and click OK Creating a View Normally you create reports based on an existing view you formatted and saved under a new name However you can base a report on a completely new view V To create a new view either a Inthe Overview window click Views and then click New or a Select Window from the menu bar and choose Open View In the Select View dialog box click New ACL displays the Add Columns dialog box You can double click fields in the Available Fields list view to select and move them to the Selected Fields list box or click Add All to add columns to the view Fields appear in the view in the order that you select them Setting Page Breaks You can have ACL create a page break each time a break col
109. 1 Opening Your Project To prepare for this lesson 1 Open the Workbook acl Project For details on how to open an ACL Project and an input file definition see Lesson 2 4 Overview Window on page 57 2 Select Inventory and drag and drop it onto the Open button to open the default view of the Inventory input file that uses the data file Inventory fil Using the Verify Command The Verify command uses the input file definition to check the specified fields for errors V To verify all the defined data fields 1 Select Analyze from the menu bar and choose Verify The Verify dialog box appears Main More Output Verity Fields Cost D ate Location Re Order Paint Market alue Frice D ate Froduct Clazs FrodD esc Froduct Description Frodo Froduct Humber FrodStat Product Statue QtwOH Quantityv On Hand 7 F Module 3 Understanding Data 95 Verifying Data 2 Click Verify Fields to display the Selected Fields dialog box The Available Fields list view contains all defined fields for the Inventory input file definition Selected Fields x Available Fields Selected Fields Cost D ate Location Re Order Paint Market yalue Add All Price D ate Product Class lear 4ll Froduct Description Product Mumber Expr Product Status and 3 Click Add All to copy all the available fields to the Selected Fields box 4 Click OK to close the Selected Fields dialog box 5
110. 1 Setting Preferences ACL offers a variety of customization options In this lesson you learn how to set up ACL to match your skills level of experience and personal preferences Some preferences affect the options and commands available in the ACL menus the display of information on your screen or the appearance of the ACL application screen Other preferences control the display of dates and how documentation prints For example if you turn off the Show Button Bar preference ACL does not display the button bar at the top of the application screen Selecting Options V To display the Edit ACL Preferences dialog box 1 Select Edit from the menu bar and choose Preferences The first time you open the Preferences dialog box ACL displays the Interface Options tab Edit ACL Preferences x Preference file name C Program Files ACL Software ACL for Windows Client aclwin prf Date Options Numeric Options Print Options Application Font Options Interface Options Input File Options View Options Command Options prrereerseseeeeoneeseesesseeseeseneeesens IV Show Button Bar M Show Tooltips J Include Filters in Field Lists IV Warn Before Overwriting Files Beep s Upon Task Completion fo Save Factory Cancel Help 2 You can click any of the following eight tabs to display the associated preference settings Interface Options Input File Options View Options Command Options Date
111. 2 6 73 40 02 12 2000 01 01 2000 0 73 516372 2142 w T 66 06 08 12 2000 01 01 2000 0 66 516372 134452 lt lt End of File gt Aa ile The command log shows the details of the action Command Log Last Result Y f xv EXTRACT FIELDS Amount Date Due fielda No Ref Type IF due lt 000102 TO Pred 7 of 772 met the test due lt 000102 7 records produced Extraction to file C ACL Data Data Pre0102 FIL is complete Opening file PreOl02 OPEN PreOl02 7 fields activated mizi Exiting ACL If you want to exit ACL now select File from the menu bar and choose Fxit l Ea E gt zi 4 Module 4 Manipulating Data 123 Exporting Data Lesson4 2 Exporting Data You can export data from ACL for further processing in other software packages Opening Your Project Y To prepare for this lesson 1 Open the Workbook acl Project For details on how to open an ACL Project and an input file definition see Lesson 2 4 Overview Window on page 57 2 Drag and drop Inventory onto the Open button to open the default view of the Inventory input file that uses the data file Inventory fil What is Exporting Data When you use the Export command ACL converts data into a format that other software packages can read and saves it as an export file You can use the Export command to Produce a mail merge document to export to a word processor to prepare confir mation letters
112. 23 68 010551340 278 Subtotal of 10134 20 707 02 736 break column 10534 58724783 31 05 2000 4 324 00 030324883 460 10534 4 324 00 460 10787 594181 01 12 2000 2 429 64 052204515 Detail lines 10787 591533 31 05 2000 1 217 16 030321683 10787 10879 10879 11247 11247 11247 9515157 6572043 6571899 30 09 2000 15 10 2000 19 01 2000 3 646 80 1 440 00 1 440 00 1 847 10 1 315 68 3 162 78 010119040 060112356 024140032 Notice that data is only shown for invoice amounts over 1 000 00 Suppress Duplicates You can create more readable presentations of your analysis by choosing not to display duplicates in your reports You can only suppress duplicates on report break columns 302 ACL for Windows 7 Formatting Reports Workbook For more information see Specifying Break Columns on page 182 of the ACL for Windows User Guide and Formatting Columns in a View on page 183 of the ACL for Windows User Guide You can use the Suppress Duplicates feature so that only the first instance of a break field such as Vendor Number appears in the report V To see what the report looks like when the Suppress Duplicates check box is unchecked 1 Click Report to display the Report dialog box 2 Delete the filter you specified earlier on the Invoice Amount field 3 Click Preview Your report looks similar to the following Page 1 Produced with ACL by ACL Services Ltd Vendor Number 10025 100
113. 25 10025 10025 10025 10025 10101 10101 10101 10101 10134 10134 10134 10134 10134 10134 10448 10448 10448 Invoice Number 237936 232195 230592 234056 239215 4516050 4517604 4514742 2650620 2653864 2652609 Invoice Date 31 01 2000 14 11 2000 30 09 2000 30 09 2000 30 09 2000 31 07 2000 30 10 2000 15 10 2000 12 11 2000 30 09 2000 29 09 2000 14 02 2000 09 04 2000 14 02 2000 31 01 2000 30 09 2000 Invoice Product Amount Number 56 767 20 965 77 850 58 486 00 278 04 59 347 59 486 64 154 00 50 40 691 04 18 883 34 1 823 68 883 00 561 20 467 40 22 618 62 540 80 187 60 53 64 782 04 080102618 080938998 010102710 010226620 010155160 080935428 093788411 010155150 030302303 010551340 030303343 052484405 090081001 052484415 080123968 010311990 Quantity 3 379 323 142 45 28 3 917 11 110 6 127 You can see that the same Vendor Number is repeated with each detail line 4 Click Close V T Suppress Duplicates on Vendor Number field Ww N Check the Suppress Duplicates check box Click OK 4 Click Report to display the Report dialog box Double click on the Vendor Number column heading to display the Modify Column dialog box Module 6 Communicating Results 303 Formatting Reports 5 Click Preview Your report now looks similar to this Page 1 Produced with ACL by ACL Services Ltd
114. 2576 790 72 82 12636 2 901 82 334 12701 6 143 39 1 111 13136 127 18 37 13373 784 40 53 13411 12 176 20 1 094 13440 11 068 20 286 13808 6 705 12 976 13864 861 29 75 13928 1 218 89 14090 1 312 74 14299 115 74 18 14438 8 052 76 827 14599 932 40 14913 2 230 41 278 641 33 You can see that only the Invoice Amount subtotals for each Vendor Number are displayed The detail lines for every record associated with a given Vendor Number are not shown Module 6 Communicating Results 301 Formatting Reports Using a Filter in a Report As with other ACL commands you can use the If button in the Report dialog box to specify a condition or local filter for a report You can also apply a global filter to the view and then apply a local filter for a specific report As with all local filters the condition affects only the contents of the report It does not affect the view To use a filter to limit the records printed 1 Click Report to open the Report dialog box 2 Click the If text box 3 Enter the expression INVOICE_AMOUNT gt 1000 00 4 Click the Summarize check box to de select it 5 Click OK to execute the command Click Print to print the results Page 1 Produced with ACL by ACL Services Ltd Vendor Invoice Invoice Invoice Product Quantity Number Number Date Amount Number 10025 237936 31 01 2000 56 767 20 080102618 3 379 10025 56 767 20 3 379 10134 12 11 2000 18 883 34 030302303 458 10134 30 09 2000 1 8
115. 42001 105 327 60 27 1 1997 13167 01020722001 4 322 0412997 End of File The only duplicate invoice amount is 327 60 and the two duplicates relate to distinct product numbers prices quantities and dates There is nothing strange or suspicious about the result especially given that it falls within bounds Making the Most of Digital Analysis Digital analysis is not intended to replace older methods Digital analysis using Benford s Law is simply a powerful way to survey large amounts of data and identify targets for further investigation It works best in combination with other techniques As with any use of statistics it is important to exercise care and judgment in drawing conclusions This lesson does not cover the full range of digital analysis it focuses only on the proper use of the Benford command in ACL If your data does not closely follow Benford s Law it may be possible to perform a My Law type of analysis substituting your own obser vations of an historical pattern for the expected digit frequencies from Benford s formula Other related techniques such as ratio testing and subset testing are also recommended For further details on the Benford command see Benford on page 129 of the ACL for Windows Reference Manual For more information about digital analysis see Digital Analysis Using Benford s Law by Mark J Nigrini Ph D first published in May 2000 Both books are available from
116. 4347 070104397 070104177 070104677 070104657 070104327 070104377 030414313 030414283 07 07 07 07 07 07 LATEX SEMI GLOSS ORANGE A LATEX SEMI GLOSS CARAMEL A LATEX SEMI GLOSS LILAC A LATEX SEMI GLOSS APRICOT A LATEX SEMI GLOSS PINK A LATEX SEMI GLOSS YELLOW A LATEX SEMI GLOSS GREEN A 03 03 METRIC TOOL SET 3I8 DR_ JA METRIC SOCKET SET 11 PC JA 0 09 30 2000 10 10 2000 10 10 2000 10 10 2000 10 10 2000 10 10 2000 10 10 2000 10 10 2000 0930 2000 030412553 03 6 PC OPEN END WRENCH SE A 09 30 2000 030412753 03 6 PC BOX END WRENCH SET A 09 30 2000 030412903 03 8 PC METRIC HEX KEYS A 09 30 2000 034255003 Horizontal scroll button 03 PARKER PROPANE KIT 7PC U Scroll bar 03 30 2000 v b Vertical scroll button 64 ACL for Windows 7 View Window Rows represent records What is a Record Workbook A record is a complete set of data about a topic Each numbered line in the view repre sents a record in the data file A ACL for Windows File Edit Data Analyze Sampling Tools Server Window Help eASBhe BAR AALS BE wm amp BW Project Workbook acl Es Overview typ E Input File Definitions 42 Aged iY Ap Trans Ar Arand2 Badfile Customer Demo z LI
117. 5 HISTOGRAM ON Value MINIMUM 0O MAXIMUM 100000 00 INTERVAL 10 TO SCREEN STRATIFY ON Value ACCUMULATE MKTVAL MINIMUM 0 MAXIMUM 100000 00 INTERVAL 10 TO SCREEN ELSE IF ProdC1s 05 TOTAL Value ELSE IF ProdC1s 06 STRATIFY ON Value MINIMUM 0O MAXIMUM 100000 00 INTERVAL 10 ELSE IF ProdCls 07 TOTAL MktVal ELSE TOTAL Value END On records that have a product class between 01 and 04 ACL performs the Count Statistics Histogram and Stratify commands 260 ACL for Windows 7 Groups and Loops in Batches Ww The additional Else commands accomplish the following Workbook On records in which the product class is 05 ACL calculates only the inventory value On records in which the product class is 06 ACL Stratifies on Value On records in which the product class is 07 ACL totals the Mktval For all remaining records ACL totals the inventory value You can see that the group has evolved into a complex set of procedures Close the window ACL asks if you want to save the batch Enter Invgrp3 and click OK to save the group as Inverp3 VY Torun the edited version of Inverp3 NJ In the Overview window double click Invgrp3 Click Run to run the batch ACL reports the results Command Log Oy x Last Result Y tf x v Ej A DO Inygrp3 GROUP IF ProdCls lt os lt 2 gt COUNT lt 3 gt STATISTICS ON Value TO SCREEN NUMBER 5 lt 4 gt HISTOGRAM ON
118. 6020000045 DOOOLOLE 76 N001L4A7E DO00dss 6230N00128e DOO0LOS0S500000149e 000016625400002417 HO001284690000166E 40000006110000000775 DO0011LO1L6000001585 D000080710000111E 40p0000310000p00045E 4000000061504000006 E zonoo00000000p00000C 1200000005952 000008 2 00000107894p000245 gt 40 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Input File Definitions 12 The Final screen appears You can click Back to alter previous steps or click Finish to exit the Wizard Data Definition Wizard Final Inventory fil a Select Platform ASCII 97 0 Number of Fields 13 Field Name Field Type NUMERICI NUMERIC Select Data NUMERIC2 NUMERIC CHARACTER1 ASCII CHARACTER2 ASCII NUMERICS PRINT DATE1 DATE NUMERIC4 PRINT DATE2 DATE NUMERICS PRINT NUMERICE PRINT NUMERIC PRINT NUMERICS ZONED Identify Properties Define Fields Records NUMERICS NUMERIC Edit Field Properties Finish lt Back Cancel Help 13 ACL prompts you to save the input file as Inventory Click OK to return to the view which now displays the newly defined data ready for your analysis Defining Data Fields Without the Wizard It is possible to create new data fields without using the Data Definition Wizard In this example you will use the Newwork acl Project that you created in Lesson 2 1 Creating a Project Select File from the menu bar and choose Open Project Double click the Workbook Data Files folder to view the list of files
119. 67 Joining Relating and Merging Data Sorting Files Before Joining You must sort the secondary file in ascending sequence on the key character fields before using Join It is a good idea to also sort the primary file in ascending sequence on the key character fields Though it is not essential presorting the primary file will speed up the join Partially sorting the primary file on the key field for example when doing a join on an account code where the primary file is sorted by account code within each month moderately decreases processing time Instead of sorting the primary file you can index it To join two files the key fields must be character fields and their length must be the same in both the primary and secondary files If you are working with a large file the easiest way to check the sort order is to use the Sequence command If you open the Payroll input file definition you can see at a glance that it is sorted on the Employee Number field You will make the Work Dept field a key field to join to the Work Dept field in the Empmast file Joining Matched Records The Join command will create an output file of matching records ACL includes only the selected fields from those records in which a key field match is found from the primary and secondary files If there is more than one key field match in the secondary file ACL uses only data from the first matched record If there is no matching secondary file record AC
120. 76 641 55 14 55 56 767 20 Invoice Am F al bl 4 Automatic Profiling You can set a preference to automatically execute the Profile command when you open an ACL Project or change input files WV To set the automatic profiling preference 1 Select Edit from the menu bar and choose Preferences The Preferences window opens 2 Click the Input File Options tab The screen changes to show the available options for input files 3 Check the Automatically Profile on Open check box 4 Click OK to accept the setting and close the dialog box 106 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Profiling The next time you open an input file definition ACL will automatically profile all numeric fields and display the results in the command log Note If an input file has many numeric fields setting the Automatically Profile on Open preference may slow the opening of the file Exiting ACL If you want to exit ACL now select File from the menu bar and choose Exit Module 3 Lesson 3 6 Understanding Data 107 Testing for Sequences Duplicates and Gaps Testing for Sequences Duplicates and Gaps You can locate inaccuracies in the data file using the Sequence Duplicates and Gaps commands The Sequence Duplicates and Gaps commands share the same dialog box Duplicates and Gaps commands are variations of the Sequence command When you choose Sequence from the Analyze menu the dialog box opens with Sequence as its title When y
121. 8 DR JA 47 00 09 30 2000 g 030414283 03 03 METRIC SOCKET SET 11 PC A 18 00 09 30 2000 4 Inana nacca ma Ie A AMOR CRIMA AMTIA i ormin 44aen AMANNAN KiM Ta Each column represents a field Column Headings The titles shown at the top of each column in the View window are called column headings Although the column headings are for display only you can change their formatting ACL automatically names the column headings using the names from the data file unless you give them a different title For more information see Modifying Columns on page 70 Scrolling Through Fields When there are too many fields columns in the file to display at one time you can scroll to see non visible items with the scroll bars For details on scrolling to view non visible columns see Scrolling in Windows on page 24 Customizing the View You can create many different views for each input file Each view can be formatted without changing other views Selecting Multiple View Fonts You can apply different fonts to the header title data totals and footer areas of the view or you can apply the same font to all areas You cannot apply different fonts to single column titles single sections of the data or individual totals The default setting uses the same font for data headers and footers 66 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook View Window V To change the font 1 Click Change Font in the View window ACL displays the Select
122. ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Exporting Data Format type of file Extension Comments generated WordPerfect WordPerfect wp Can be directly merged with a WordPerfect secondary merge document Clipboard Copies the selected fields to the clipboard in a tab separated format that can be pasted directly into most spreadsheet and word processing applications Exiting ACL If you want to exit ACL now select File from the menu bar and choose Exit Module 4 Lesson 4 3 Manipulating Data 129 Sorting and Indexing Sorting and Indexing Use the Sort and Index commands to arrange records in physical or logical order for analysis or producing a report Sort organizes records in the current input file in ascending or descending order based on specified key fields It creates a new data file that has been reordered Index creates an index file also based on key fields that can be named saved and applied to an input file at any time Indexing reorders records in a view It does not create a new data file Saved indexes and sorted input files are listed in the Overview window Opening Your Project To prepare for this lesson 1 Open the Workbook acl Project For details on how to open an ACL Project and an input file definition see Lesson 2 4 Overview Window on page 57 2 From the Overview window drag and drop Ap_Trans onto the Open button to open the default view of the Ap_Trans input file that is linked to the data fil
123. ACL for Windows Reference Manual Creating Relationships Use Relations to establish relationships between fields in two or more files The fields do not necessarily have the same headings but the data in the fields must match Planning and Preparing Data Relationships Before you use Relations it is important to be familiar with the contents of the files You need to first decide which files and fields you want to relate and then plan how you want to relate them The time spent planning may save you a lot of time and effort later In this section Ap_Trans is the primary file and Vendor and Inventory are the child files Y T plan relationships between files 1 First find a common field for each pair of files you want to relate Look at the first two files you want to relate and make a note of the field they have in common Continue to do this for each set of files until you know the common field for each pair 172 ACL for Windows 7 Joining Relating and Merging Data Workbook 2 Next determine which file will be the parent file and which file s relate to it also called related or child files You may find it helpful to sketch a diagram of how you want to relate files and fields For example you may draw something that looks like the following Ap_Trans parent file INVOICE AMOUNT INVOICE DATE INVOICE NO PRODNO QUANTITY UNIT_COST VENDOR_NO Inventory related file CSTDATE LOC MINQTY MKTVAL PRCDTE PRO
124. ALLTRIM string ASCII character AT occurence_num search_fe BETWEEN value rin max BITI byte location BLANKS count BYTE byte_location COO date length CHRI number CLEAN sting estra_invalid_cl CTOD field lt date_format_it_ne DATE lt date gt 1 a F Variables From Input File Sortvip W Paste Parameters 7 Click OK to close the Expression Builder ACL displays the command in the Expr text box of the Search dialog box Main Indexed Find Literal Sequential Locate Record ir Locate lf D Seek Enpessian VENDOR NO 13373 Cancel Help 8 Click OK to issue the Search command Module 4 Manipulating Data 137 Sorting and Indexing The command log shows that the first record in the file that matches the Vendor Number is record number 80 If you know the record number you can select the Locate Record option button and enter the record number in the Expr text box The Locate Record and Locate If options in the Search dialog box work with sorted unsorted or indexed input files Using the Index Command You can use the Index command to sequence data in a logical rather than physical order Index creates a file containing pointers that allow ACL to read data in the sorted order even though the records in the original input file are not sorted As with Sort you can index any number of key fields ACL establishes relationships bet
125. AM MB 4 Buffer Size k 33 Sort Order s ystem Default x C Program Files ACL Software ACL for Windows Client aclwin prf Save Factory Cancel Help Automatically Profile on Open If you turn this option on and you open an ACL Project or change a filter ACL automat ically executes the Profile command on all numeric fields in your data file ACL retains the information and uses it to provide the minimum and maximum values for histograms and stratifications as well as for sample populations if required This option is turned off by default Turning it on may slow down ACL when you open a large file Open View Window This option automatically opens the View window when you select or create an input file If a default view exists ACL opens it Otherwise ACL opens another available view 332 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Setting Preferences or creates a default view if no others exist If you turn this option off you must open a View window each time you require one Delete Data File with Input File Definition If you turn this option on ACL automatically deletes the linked data file when you delete an input file definition You can use this option to quickly remove unwanted files from your hard disk but it will prevent you from accessing the data in the future therefore selecting this option is not recommended Don t Share Input File Layouts If you turn this option off ACL creates a new input fi
126. Add all buttons to change the selection to only those fields you want to convert 13 In the WHERE text box enter a condition if you want to limit the records converted This is a Structured Query Language SQL statement that lets you select the records to be imported For example enter Country Canada to select only those records with Canada in the Country field You must enter the condition in single quotes ACL displays an error message if you enter double quotes Note To see how much space is required for an ODBC file enter a condition in the WHERE text box and click Apply The Disk Space area shows the Available space on your local disk and the Required space for the file with the condition applied If you leave the WHERE text box blank and click Apply the Required line displays the required space for the whole file 14 Click Next A box reports the ODBC conversion progress The message flashes quickly for small ODBC files However the greater the size of the file the longer it takes to convert Note ODBC databases are read one record at a time The database is imported into ACL as a flat fixed length sequential file The data file does not change 15 ACL prompts you to save the input file Click OK When the conversion is complete ACL displays your data in the View window View Detault_View Data File Cust FIL Cust Company _ S O 304 King Edward Pl End of File gt You can now use th
127. B SHEATHING A lt lt End of File Last Result wy tx vw B a z Ye s 7 Click Input File Definitions in the Overview window to display the list The new definition Location05 is in the list Looking at the columns in the View window you can see that ACL has created an input file that contains field definitions identical to those in the original file including computed fields Because you extracted records not individual fields each extracted record is identical to the record in the original data file If you scroll the view to the right you can see that the fields you defined previously are included in the new view Module 4 Manipulating Data 119 Extracting Data Naming Output Files Automatically You can set a preference to automatically name output files Command options in the Edit ACL Preferences dialog box provide an Automatic Output Filenames option for output files When this option is turned on ACL suggests names for data files created by a command This name consists of the command name and an incremental number starting at 01 You can accept the name or enter a different name To set the Automatic Output Filenames preference 1 Select Edit from the menu bar and choose Preferences to open the Edit ACL Prefer ences dialog box 2 Click the Command Options tab The dialog box changes to show the available options for commands 3 Check the Automatic Output Filenames check box
128. Because sorting takes time and processing power you may want to avoid sorting large data files For example you can use the Classify and Stratify commands instead of Sort and Summarize to achieve the same results with unsorted data Specifying Sort Fields To sort a file specify the fields that you want ACL to sort You can sort character numeric date and computed fields ACL sorts fields in the order in which you select them For example the first field selected is the first sort field the second field is the second sort field and so on As is usual with sorting a second sort is performed within a first sort and a third sort within a second sort Sorting on a Single Field To sort a file in ascending order from the lowest to the highest number 1 Click Sort or select Data from the menu bar and choose Sort ACL displays the Sort dialog box Sart x Main More Sort n Invoice Amount Invoice Amount Invoice_Date Invoice Date Invoice Mo Invoice Number Prodno Product Nurnber Quantity Quantity Unit_Cost Unit Cost e Local W Use Output File Cancel Help 2 In the Sort On list view click Vendor _No 132 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Sorting and Indexing 3 Click in the To text box and enter the name Sortvend Sart x Main More Sort n Invoce_Date Invoce Date Invoice Mo Invoice Number Prodno Product Nurnber Quantity Quantity Unit_Cost Unit Cost 1 Yendo Mo Yendo Numb
129. Box When you move into the definition area your cursor 2 Click in the Dialog Builder where you want ACL to position the upper left corner of the control ACL displays the Check Box dialog box Pasition and Size x 312 i 108 Width es I Auto Height 24 M Auto Initial State Unchecked Checked 3 In the Variable text box enter a meaningful name ACL uses this variable name to create a logical variable when you run the batch 4 In the Label text box enter a label for the control This is the text that will be displayed next to the check box 5 If you want the check box to be checked by default select the Checked option When the user checks the check box ACL sets the variable to true When the check box is unchecked ACL sets it to false 6 Click OK ACL adds the check box control to the Dialog Builder Module 9 Using the Dialog Builder 367 Designing Batches Using the Dialog Builder Adding Option Buttons The radio button control allows you to create a set of option buttons in the dialog box The numeric radio button variable contains an integer corresponding to your button selection For example if you select the third in a set of option buttons then RADIO1 J V To adda radio button control 1 Click Radio Buttons When you move into the definition area your cursor Click in the Dialog Builder where you want ACL to position the upper left corner of the control ACL displ
130. CL If you want to exit ACL now select File from the menu bar and choose Exit Module 6 Lesson 6 3 Communicating Results 323 The Notify Command The Notify Command E mail can be generated within batch jobs to alert a user of results The e mail can include text generated strings based on expressions or attachments of analysis results The Notify command appears on the File menu Choosing it causes the Notify dialog box to appear Using the Notify Command Main Sender Poo Password Doo O O Mailbox Path o Browse To Po Ce Po Bec Po Subject Po Text Attachment Browse As Notify is primarily intended to be used in a batch mastering the command syntax is very important Notify supports cc bce and attachments The password in the command line is an encrypted sequence of up to 64 characters 324 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook The Notify Command The dialog box allows input for six different fields but depending on your system only four or five of these are required Sender required Password required for some systems a Mailbox path required To required a Subject a Text required Main Sender Joe Smith Password eo O Mailbox Path FAnetwork postoffice Browse To loe Pemice Ce Peter Cass Bec Brian Jones Subject Exceptions Found in Client s Data Text The test batches were run on the client s system Exceptions were found Attachme
131. CL changes the column width from 16 to 64 as this is the default width of a horizontal dump format Notice that all fields in record 2 are displayed in hexadecimal ASCII and EBCDIC formats The Offset rows mark the byte position in the record in the first row by increments of ten and in the second row by increments of one The ASCII row displays the data in each field in readable format You can reference the Offset and ASCII rows to locate the position of the field in the input file You know from using the Data Definition window that the Total field lies between positions 62 and 75 and in fact the character data BADREC appears within positions 69 to 74 Click the View window again to display the default view of Badfile Notice that in record 2 of the Extended Price column which represents the Total field ACL displays negative zeros Correcting Faulty Data Once you determine the correct values for the invalid improper incomplete or incon sistent data you can create computed fields to store the correct values V Tocreate a conditional expression to correct the invoice numbers 1 2 Select Edit from the menu bar and choose Input File Definition In the Input File Definition window click the Edit Fields Expressions tab and then click Add a New Expression to show the define expression options Inthe Name text box enter CInvNo In the Default Value text box enter InvoiceNo Click Insert a Condition
132. CLEAN on page 37 of the ACL for Windows Reference Manual Display Invalid Data as Blanks or Zeros Preference Use the Display Invalid Data as Blanks or Zeros option to correctly display data automatically without the use of CLEAN This is also useful for some variable length files When this option is turned on ACL replaces invalid character data with blanks and invalid numeric data with zeros from the first invalid character to the end of the field This option affects all fields except text fields ACL automatically replaces invalid data with blanks in text fields When this option is turned off as it is by default ACL accepts invalid characters The Display Invalid Data as Blanks option is most useful with variable length data files because it allows ACL to display them correctly For example if you have a variable length file in which the last field is a description that is 0 to 40 bytes long terminated by a CR LF or CRLF you can use this option to remove any irrelevant information when the actual length is less than 40 348 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Troubleshooting Data Errors You can see in the command log that records 17 and 18 in Badfile contain invalid data Command Log Oy x Last Result Sy tf x vw Ej A VERIFY FIELDS InvoiceNo OrderQty Price Prodno ShipQty Total ERRORLIMIT 10 To 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 42 41 44 52 45 43 Invalid field data encountered in record field Total 20 20 20 20 20 20 20
133. COUNT Name Cust Number State Zip Code From Input File HIGH1 Arcont LOW PACKED number lenath_of_re PMT rate periods amount PROPER string PVANNUITY rate periods pa P LUMPSUM rate periods a RAND number RATE periods payment amor RECLEN RECNOT REMOYVE string valid_charact REPEAT string count REPLACE string old_text nev REVERSE string RJUSTIFY strina of b zi J Paste Parameters jr Module 4 Manipulating Data 213 Generating Confirmation Letters 7 Click OK 8 Repeat steps 3 5 6 and 7 for the fields Address and City The fields State and Zip will use their existing formats Export the fields in the order in which you want them to appear in the confirmation letter Selected Fields x Available Fields Selected Fields PROPER M ame PROPER Address PROPER City Street Address Trang 4mount fe City COUNT Add All Hame Cust Number Clear ll State Cancel Help From Input File Arcont Y 9 In the Available Fields list view double click State Zip Count and Amount to add them to the Selected Fields list box 10 Click OK to close the Selected Fields dialog box 11 Click the Export As drop down list Notice that ACL allows you to export your data to different formats Select Word Merge File 12 In the To text box enter Arconf The Export dialog box now looks like thi
134. Cancel AT 372 12 DEFAULT 1 TEXT TITLE Enter the Department AT 36 16 command EDIT TO Batchl AT 180 12 CHECKBOX TITLE Check Box TO CHECKBOX AT 36 60 RADIOBUTTON TITLE Radiobutton 1 Radiobutton 2 Radiobutton3 TO RADIOBUTTON ITEM TITLE CDN TO ITEMI AT 336 108 Bony Wt Hs ge Note The Dialog Builder command must be one long line in the batch but to make it easier to view the string has been wrapped to multiple lines in the example on page 368 3 Close the batch window ACL asks if you want to save the changes to the batch 4 Enter a new name for the batch in the text box 5 Click OK to save the batch For more information see Dialog Builder on page 153 of the ACL for Windows Reference Manual Editing an Existing Dialog V To edit or delete the controls of an existing dialog box 1 In the Overview window double click an existing batch or drag the icon of an existing batch onto the application workspace ACL displays a dialog box asking if you want to edit or run the batch Module 9 Using the Dialog Builder 373 Designing Batches Using the Dialog Builder 2 Click Edit ACL displays the Batch window Batchi E x DIALOG DIALOG TITLE User Dialog WIDTH 493 HEIGHT 236 j BUTTONSET TITLE 3 Double click the Dialog Builder command the line beginning with DIALOG in the Batch window Then click EJ Edit Command ACL displays the Dialog Builder User Dialog
135. Column Title Vendor f Sort Secending Number Sort Descending Break Column Eamel Page Break Suppress Duplicates Suppress Totals Blank if zero OF Cancel 4 Click OK to close the Modify Column dialog box 5 Double click the Invoice Amount column heading The Modify Column dialog box appears 6 Check the Sort Key Column check box in order to designate the Invoice Amount as a key field 7 Select Sort Descending 8 Click OK to close the Modify Column dialog box Module 6 Communicating Results 297 Formatting Reports For more information see Using the Sort Command on page 130 Break Column When you define a sort key field you have the option of also formatting that field as a break column By defining a break column ACL prints a subtotal line for all numeric columns on the report each time there is a change in the contents of the break column For example if your location field is a break column each time your location changes ACL subtotals all numeric columns for that location Note Break columns cannot be numeric or date field type columns To format the Vendor Number column as a break column so that a subtotal line will print each time the value of the column changes 1 Double click the Vendor Number column title to display the Modify Column dialog box 2 Check the Break Column check box 3 Click OK to close the Modify Column dialog box You can
136. D ST ST LOUIS MO 63131 ai te a 22 939 52 501657 52 FAXON NATURAL RESOURCES 377 SAN MARINA DR BRAINTREE MA 02184 8 39 814 86 516372 94 SECOND POWER CORP 71130 SUNRISE VALLEY DR NORTH HOLLYW O CA 91608 Aa g 27 266 97 641464 34 MAYBAN UNIVERSITY 85 TRINITY AVE SW TWINSBURG OH 44087 10 67 91 795401 3 METROPOLITAN PHARMACEUT 693 DELAWARE AVE CORNING NY 14830 ah 77 36 965 26 811002 56 CHEERSON MEDIA ONE NATCO PLAZA NEWYORK NY 10018 T2 84 272 93 925007 93 GALAXY COMPANY 744 VV 20TH ST HARRISBURG PA 17111 lt lt End of File gt gt To check the successful joining of all records check the command log or scroll the View window Command Log Oy x Log File SY tf x vw ES A JOIN PEEY No FIELDS Amount No COUNT SEEY No WITH Name Address City State Zip Presorting data l records produced O records bypassed Extraction to file C ACL Data Data arcont FIL is complete Opening file Arcont A OPEN Aarcont 8 fields activated Opening file name Arcont FIL as supplied in the format sl Exporting Results to a Merge File You can now export the data you want to use in a word processor The file you export will be used as the secondary merge file in your word processor The letter will be the primary merge file When you export data fields select the fields in the same order in which you want them to appear in the confirmation letter For example ACL will display your address infor matio
137. DDESC PRODNO PRODSTAT QTYOH PRODCLS SALEPR Vendor related file VENDOR CITY VENDOR_LAST_ACTIVE VENDOR_NAME VENDOR_NO VENDOR_REVIEW_DATE VENDOR_STATE VENDOR_STREET VENDOR _ZIP The arrows in the diagram point to common fields 3 After determining the child files index the files on the key field There is no need to index the parent file Defining the Plan For this project a The primary file is Ap_Trans Vendor and Inventory are the child files Ap_Trans and Vendor can be related on the Vendor_No field Ap_Trans and Inventory can be related on the ProdNo field Index vendor on the key field Vendor_No and index Inventory on the ProdNo field Module 4 Manipulating Data 173 Joining Relating and Merging Data Indexing the Child Files To index the child files 1 Drag the Vendor input file definition from the Overview window and drop it onto the application workspace to open it Click Index or select Data from the menu bar and choose Index to open the Index dialog box Click Vendor_No in the Index On list view to select the key field to index on In the To box enter Vendorno to name the output file for the index Click OK to execute the Index command and close the dialog box The number of indexed records appears in the box in the center of the status line The command log reports the results To index Inventory drag the input file definition out of the Overview window and drop it
138. Excel file 127 EXCLUDE function about 349 Excluding characters from string 349 Export command 123 Exporting data about 127 Expression Field Width preference 340 Expressions changing 74 defined 224 deleting 235 field width setting 340 FIND function using 197 operators using 225 Extensions about 41 Extract command 114 F Faulty data correcting 357 Field definitions include in file history 341 Fields about 9 computed 224 defining for multiple record type files 280 282 283 numeric defining 45 overlapping defining 45 removing from view 67 shifting 48 File extensions about 41 File History Index 403 Print File History with Last Result preference 341 File history displaying 84 Include field definitions 341 File naming conventions 30 Files CR LF files 265 joining about 206 print about 12 variable length 265 Filters Agecommand 158 automatic in report files 274 creating 114 definition of 229 global applying 234 global compare to local 229 global removing 235 header records 269 local about 229 in reports using 301 working with 229 FIND function about 197 Finding character strings 197 Fixed point arithmetic about 14 Flat files defined 8 Flat sequential file defined 11 Floating point arithmetic about 14 Font changing size 91 dialog box 66 fixed changing 342 global changing 342 proportional 342 selecting in view 66 Format numeric changing 72 Formatting Blank Invalid Data pref
139. GRAM ON Value MINIMUM 0 MAXIMUM 100000 00 INTERVALS 10 TO GRAFH STRATIFY ON Value ACCUMULATE Mkt al MINIMUM 0 MAXIMUM 100000 00 INTERVALS ELSE TOTAL FIELDS Value END COMMAND lt li gt T3 of 152 met the test PRODCLS lt OST E gt COMMAND lt 2 gt FOR PRODCLS lt O05 T3 records counted gt gt gt COMMAND lt S3 gt FOR PRODCLS lt O05 Field Value Number Total Average Positive 69 247 969 087 3 095 77 Zeros Z Negative z 7 49 25 374 64 Totals F T3 agr 220 59 3 366 56 Abs Value 248 719 15 Range 25 333 20 Highest 24 736 00 15 760 00 12 516 00 11 436 00 11 016 00 im Lowest 595 20 154 08 0 00 0 00 111 60 gt gt gt COMMAND lt 4 gt FOR PRODCLS lt O05 r w Using Multiple Else Commands in Groups You can use multiple Else commands to perform various procedures provided If tests are included A group can only have one Else containing no If test and it must be the last Else in the group In this exercise you use Else to perform different tasks on different product class numbers Module 5 Creating Applications 259 Groups and Loops in Batches V To edit the batch to add Else instructions 1 In the Overview window double click Invgrp2 to display the batch dialog box 2 Click Edit to open the Invgrp2 batch window 3 Typing each command on one line change the batch to the following GROUP IF ProdCls lt 05 COUNT STATISTICS ON Value TO SCREEN NUMBER
140. Gaps Duplicates EW Main More Output Sequence On Cheque _No Cheque Number EmpNo Employee Number Gross_Pay Gross Pay Cheque_No Cheque Number EmpNo Employee Number Gross_Pay Gross Pay Net_Pay Net Pay Pay_Date Pay Date Tax_Amount Taxable Amount Net_Pay Net Pay Pay Date Pay Date Tax_Amount Taxable Amount fe E V Presort MV Duplicates MV Gaps List Gap Ranges List Missing Items Maximum Missing Items Cancel Help 5 Click OK ACL reports the total for both gaps and sequence errors Command Log OLX Last Result YY ff x v DUPLICATES ON Cheque No GAPS ERRORLIMIT 10 TO SCREEN PRESORT Presorting data Fage l 11 13 2000 11 35 51 Produced with ACL by ACL Services Ltd Gap detected between 12388 and 12393 0 data Sequence errors detected l gaps and or duplicates detected al The number of data sequence errors in this test is zero The total number of gaps is one indicating that there is one gap Since you left the List Gap Ranges option button selected the numbers on each side of the gap are reported to make identifying the missing checks simple In this case the gap includes four missing checks numbers 12389 to 12392 Exiting ACL If you want to exit ACL now select File from the menu bar and choose Fxit Module 4 MANIPULATING DATA In Module 4 you will learn how to manipulate data for various purposes You will use Extract to extract select
141. Glossary 399 White Space The white area surrounding text ACL uses the available white space in a report to ensure that your data is fully displayed Workspace A file that stores field definitions which are portable across a number of data files Usually these are computed fields that refer to the current environment but they can also be unique field names and descriptions Using a workspace file allows you to extend your current input file without having to define extra fields WRITEn A special ACL variable created automatically by specific ACL commands such as the Sequence Gaps or Duplicates commands that contains the number of data sequence errors encountered up to the maximum number specified in your preferences 400 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Index A Accept command about 249 ACL exiting 27 file name extensions 30 getting started with 16 Projects 30 versions compatibility 5 See also Installing ACL ACL application screen 6 17 27 ACL Client Server System about 332 ACL for OS 390 client server 332 ACL for Windows Reference Manual about 2 ACL for Windows User Guide about 2 Add Columns button 68 Age command about 156 filters using 158 graphing output 311 AGE function about 161 Aging Periods preference 157 Appending files about 125 Application Font Options preference 342 Application workspace 21 Applications batches 237 ASCII characters about 8 FIND function using to locate 197 in date fie
142. HES ccasuiccdtosnoyss aes eeeve aivdenesvovedeneuseeereaienstesaitcediaestoseed iver aeheds 237 Wphatisa Batchi isio ena a N 237 Cheanna BAIE cicnhiscsedmeeteten anae n aa a 238 Editing a Bate Emrine a a ata 246 Ranning a BaCi aneneen ene vaseuiace he etapa 247 Using Interactive Batches oucnn sue eae 249 Contents V vi Contents Groups and Loops in Batches ceescesseseeceseeeeeseceeeeeesecesseeseaeeeteeesaes 252 WSUS COURS anaE a eat cr sse ease 252 CLC ANN OG POU S nunning ai r E ashe crannies anaes 2352 Us me LOOP autotan A Eanes 264 Working with Multiple Record Type Files sssssesesseeseeseessesesessssssssesee 265 Readine Report Piles ssrnnnunuioisnncnninn enen 266 Processing Multiple Record Type Files ssessessesssseessessessssssssssesseseeee 276 Module 6 Communicating Results cc cee eee ee ween 289 POT ACUHITS REDONS errr E E AAA 290 Using the View to Create a REpOrt sinisiirniianisiisairsaias 290 Previewing the Report 2nstescerserensmeinertacarnea a teas eee oencanes 294 Saving the Formatted View ocjeni 298 Graphing Command Results lt cscs cesasetacecvsrsssesaas avebcaecauemassesunanenitones 307 Seina Grap Output asr n eat Ca arene aes 307 Displaying a Histogram ouutesencsececastssevGapsoavetcnesccsedenthayoeeneeseecdon es 307 The Noh Command soiien taastedecstaees tecvaeceencundee 323 Using the Notity Command saiga ea 323 Module 7 Customizing ACL sssssssssessosssessoessose 327 Seine Prele
143. Invoice Number Vendor Number 10025 237936 232195 230592 234056 239215 4516050 4517604 4514742 Invoice Date 31 01 2000 14 11 2000 30 09 2000 30 09 2000 30 09 2000 31 07 2000 30 10 2000 15 10 2000 12 11 2000 30 09 2000 29 09 2000 14 02 2000 09 04 2000 Invoice Amount 56 767 20 965 77 850 58 486 00 278 04 59 347 59 486 64 154 00 50 40 691 04 18 883 34 1 823 68 883 00 561 20 467 40 22 618 62 Product Number 080102618 080938998 010102710 010226620 010155160 080935428 093788411 010155150 030302303 010551340 030303343 052484405 090081001 Quantity 3 379 323 142 45 28 3 917 11 110 6 127 Notice how much easier it is to read your report when the vendor number is not repeated with each description line Blank if Zero In a numeric column you can have ACL display zero values as blank This option allows you to highlight only the relevant data in numeric fields For this exercise close the Ap_Trans input file and open the Inventory input file from the Overview window You can see many zeros in the Quantity On Order column of the Inventory input file View Default_View Data File Inventory fil 5 Product Product Location Product Product Number Class Description Status 070104347 LATEX SEMI GLOSS ORANGE A a fd 2 070104397 07 06 LATEX SEMI GLOSS CARAMEL A 3 070104177
144. L displays the Select Data Source screen and sets the Disk option button by default Data Definition Wizard Select Local Data Source as Select Platform Select Data Identify Properties Define Fields Records Edit Field Properties Finish Notice the blue box at left showing the five main steps of the Wizard process Completed steps are checked off Click Next 36 ACL for Windows 7 Input File Definitions Workbook 5 ACL searches for data on the computer hard drive or network disks The Select File to Define dialog box appears Select File to Define FEI Look in workbook Data Files e f et EE a Delimit Dat a Month3_Invnty fil ae Test FIL sa Dern fil Hl NewworkACL a Trane fil History a Dept fil 2 Newwork LOG fa Var_Clffil A Empmast fil Payrall cob sa War Oth fil kA Formats acl n Paproll fil sa Yar Rec fil aa Indvip IN Report tet a Wend 2433 INX 8 Invent2 4L5 2 REPORT2TXT a Venda fil Inventory fil REPORTS TXT a Work_Depte fil faa INVOICE FIL ka Sales _Repsfil fa Workbook AC a LocationOS FIL EH SAMPLE MDE ig workbook acl sa Monthe_Inyvntry fil sa Template mnu Workbook LOG E File name Jirvveritory i Files of type Data Files Cancel es Select the data file you want to use by clicking the file name For this exercise choose Inventory fil The file name appears in the File name text box Click Open
145. L does not produce an output record To join all records from the primary file that match records in the secondary file 1 Select Data from the menu bar and choose Join ACL displays the Join dialog box 2 Select Payroll from the Secondary File drop down list 3 Inthe Primary Keys list view click EmpNo This is the sort key field in the primary file 4 In the Secondary Keys list view click EmpNo This is the sort key field in the secondary file 5 In the Primary Fields list view CTRL CLICK EmpNo WorkDept and Pay_Per_Period to include these fields from the primary file in the new file Notice that ACL inserts a number beside each field name indicating the order of the join 6 In the Secondary Fields list view click Gross_Pay 7 Enter Matched in the To text box 168 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Joining Relating and Merging Data 8 To ensure that your primary field is sorted check the Presort check box The Join dialog box now looks like this Join x Main More Secondary File Fayroall r Primary Keps Secondary Keys Address Address Cheque_Mo Cheque umber Last Last N ame WarkDept Wark Dept First FirstName EmpNo Employee umber Empra Employee Number Primary File 3 Fap Per Ferod Pay Per Perod Net Pay Net Pay Comm Commission Tas Amount T axable Amount Bonus Bonus Gross_Pay Gross Fay Salary Salary Empo Employee Number M Presort A MW Local 2 I Use Output File To Mand
146. Number Total Average Positive 57 465 946 60 6 227 17 Zeros 6 Negative 1l 607 91 607 91 Totals 64 466 5660 69 7 926 26 Abs Value 469 016 51 Range 95 958 92 Highest 95 891 01 64 272 95 44 519 60 39 514 66 36 965 26 Lowest 67 91 0 00 0 00 0 00 0 00 al ia Module 4 Sampling the Summarized Data V To doa dollar unit sample using fixed intervals Manipulating Data 205 Generating Confirmation Letters 1 Select Sampling from the menu bar and choose Sample ACL displays the Sample oh gee OSes a dialog box In the Interval text box enter 23450 In the Start text box enter 154 Sample x Main More SE ie MUS Record Jamount H Sample Parameters f Fixed Interval Interval tf Cell Start i Random Cutoff If P e nmm e Local f Use Output File Cancel Help The Sample On drop down list displays the Amount field In the To text box enter Arsample The Sample dialog box now looks like this 6 Click OK ACL creates a file of sample balances for your confirmation letters and displays it in the View window 206 ACL for Windows 7 Generating Confirmation Letters View Default_View Data File Arsample FIL sve lt 4 Humbe Amount 51593 65003 07275 62001 grag 63451 01657 16372 41464 95401 11002 25007 End of File gt a 1 2 3 4 a a T a rR RE 4 amp en eee ee Ge ee ee e
147. OH Value TO GRAPH Note You can use the drill down feature to simultaneously retrieve data from a number of graph items such as bars or pie chart wedges You can use CTRL CLICK to select multiple individual items or SHIFT CLICK to select a range of adjacent items On a pie chart SHIFT CLICK selects wedges in a clockwise direction Exploding Pie Segments You can explode a pie graph by pulling individual pie segments away from the whole This can be done by selecting a segment and choosing Explode Pie from the graph pop up menu or the default pop up menu You can also click and drag the segment away from the rest of the pie AT Graph olx c Histogram Ez alo gt 1 000 00 F 0 00 gt 99 99 100 00 gt 199 99 m 900 00 gt 1 000 00 200 00 gt 299 99 N 800 00 gt 699 99 ti gece eae 700 00 gt 799 99 real 600 00 gt 699 99 t 400 00 gt 499 99 M0 00 gt 599 99 K Invoice Amount HISTOGRAM ON Invoice _Amount MINIMUM 0 MAXIMUM 1000 INTERVALS 10 TO GRAPH 320 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Graphing Command Results V To explode a pie graph 1 Right click a segment of the pie chart to select it 2 Choose Explode Pie from the pop up menu Alternately you can 1 Click the segment of the pie you want to separate and hold down the left mouse button 2 Drag the segment away from the pie Saving the Graph as a Bitmap You may want to use the graph as a bitmap in another program V To save the graph as a bitmap bmp file
148. OT MTOT TOTAL ELSE IF TRAILER ah MCUST INVNO TOTGOODS TAXES INVTOT IF MTOT lt gt TOTGOODS END Son we i 4 4 Close the Batch window ACL prompts you to save the changes 5 Enter Mul tirec to name the batch 6 Click OK to save the batch and close the dialog box Running the New Batch V Torun the batch to process the different record types 1 In the Overview window Click beside Batches to display the list of batches 2 Double click Mulitrec and click Run to run the batch The batch runs and ACL displays the results If ACL displays a dialog box that reports an error in the batch you can edit it Double click the batch name in the Overview window and click Edit on the dialog box Correct the error and then close and save the batch Try running the batch again Module 5 Creating Applications 287 Processing Multiple Record Type Files 3 The command log should now look like this Command Log ojx Last Result gt S fx al A DO Multirec A OPEN Invoice l fields activated Opening file name Invoice fil as supplied in the format A DEFINE REPORT Default View A ASSIGN MCUST CUSTNO A ASSIGN MTOT 0 00 A GROUP IF HEADER lt 2 gt ASSIGN MCUST CUSTNO lt a gt ASSIGN MTOT 0 00 lt dd gt ELSE IF DETAIL lt gt ASSIGN MTOT MTOT TOTAL lt 6 gt ELSE IF TRAILER st SEHE Exiting ACL If you want to exit ACL now select File from the menu bar and choose Exit 288
149. OUNT w o gt 2g 216 36 73 30 gt 59 113 19 22 6l gt Ba 30 5 10 90 gt 119 T 1 19 lz0 gt 10 000 224 37 76 558 100 00 588 of 772 met the test Type IN sl a z Module 4 Manipulating Data 161 Aging Data Using the AGE Function The AGE function calculates the number of days between two dates you specify If you do not specify a second date ACL selects the current system date For example you can use AGE to compare a receivable transaction date to a year end date in order to determine account ages at year end The dates you enter may be in the format of a character string in the format YYMMDD or YYYYMMDD or a valid ACL date field in any format Dates older than the cutoff date return a positive value whereas dates more recent than the cutoff date return a negative value In this exercise you extract the customer number transaction amount and invoice date for all items aged more than 180 days as of the fiscal year ended December 31 2000 V Touse the AGE function to perform the described task 1 Ifyou have closed the Workbook file open the Workbook acl file and drag the Ar default view from the Overview window 2 Click Extract or select Data from the menu bar and choose Extract The Extract dialog box opens Extract x Main More Record Fields Extract Fields Trang 4mount Trang ype RefNo Due D ate Invoice D ate Cust Number lF o T
150. Output tab to display the Output options Classify Eq Main More Output To Print t File Ale Tippee ace Data File z tame P Local Optional Header Footer Module 4 Manipulating Data 145 Summarizing and Classifying 5 Screen is selected by default This means the output will be displayed on the screen You can also send the output to a printer graph or file 6 Click OK to close the Classify dialog box and execute the command 7 ACL displays the result in the command log Command Log lea Last Result gt S fx B CLASSIFY ON Vendor No ACCUMULATE Invoice Amwomt TO SCREEN se Graphable Data gt gt gt Fage 1 l1fOl 2001l 12 16 56 Produced with ACL by ACL Services Ltd Vendor number Yendor No Invoice Amount No of records per classified field Lanea 59 347 10101 945 253 gl Percentage of items pipes Sd f 10448 per classified field o Percentage of total 10559 eae 10720 invoice amounts TEA Accumulated totals per 10787 classified field 10679 1100 ll 47 The Count field shows the number of records in each interval The fourth column tells you the percentage of the invoice amounts for each vendor ACL displays the accumulated totals for each vendor in the last column You can see at a glance which vendors have the greatest total value Classify provides the percentages of record counts and invoice amounts for each v
151. RANGE EER 070104397 07 06 LATEX SEMI GLOSS CARAMEL 6 5 070104177 07 06 LATEX SEMPFGLOSS LILAC 6 87 070104677 07 06 LATEX SEMI GLOSS APRICOT 6 87 2 E Drag down to add blank lines FE EEG DI ba 4 76 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook View Window V To delete the blank rows above the column titles and record rows click any short line in the record column and drag upward Moving Columns to Create Multiline Reports Once you have added blank rows to your view you can move columns so that they appear on separate rows in your report V To move a column to create a multiline report Add a blank row between records as described above Point to the Product Description column title Click and hold the left mouse button until it becomes a Hand icon Drag and position the amp to the left and below the Product Number column ACL moves the Product Description column so that it is positioned in a separate row Ea View Default_View Data File Inventory fil Product Location Unit Cost Status Class Cast Date of Product oroioesa7 o7 oe 07010417707 06 070104677 07 06 6 87 1002000 a O 6er 1002000 6 87 10 1 02000 Gar 1002000 A Click and drag the Sale Price column down and to the right of the Product Description column It now shows on the same row as Product Description ra RE 4 amp 4 als af Add another two
152. Suppress Duplicates Suppress Totals Blank if zero OF Cancel ACL grays out the options that are not applicable Changing Column Titles When you create and save an input file definition ACL automatically creates and displays a View window containing the fields you defined with the names you assigned to them In the view you can modify the column titles to make them more suitable for the report you are designing V T change the name of a column 1 In the Modify Column dialog box highlight the column title in the Alternate Column Title text box 2 Enter the title Status of Product in the Alternate Column Title text box 72 ACL for Windows 7 View Window Modify Column Eq Column Contents ProdStat Alternate Column Title Print Options D Sort Rey Column f Sort Secending Sort Descending Break Column Page Break Suppress Duplicates Suppress Totals Blank if zero Workbook 3 Click OK to close the Modify Column dialog box The new column title now appears in the View window View Default_View Data File Inventory fil PARKER PROPANE A Modifying Column Formats You can change the column formats using the Modify Column dialog box When you modify columns you are only changing the way ACL displays the columns in the View window You are not changing the actual data Modifying Numeric
153. UnCst Product Class 01 Housewares 010102710 ALUMINUM TEAPOT amp CUF Module 5 Creating Applications 273 Working with Multiple Record Type Files Saving the Input File Definition You have defined seven fields two header lines and five detail lines You are now ready to save the input file definition V To save the input file definition 1 Close the Input File Definition window ACL saves the input file as Report View Default_View Data File Report td x y El PrjClassDese Prodo ProdDese lt lt Oo S g li 4 OO 4 Oo Om Be bal i i Oo Oo SO ee LUMINUM TEAPOT 8 CUP RESSURE COOKER QT LANCHER Housewares 010134420 VEGETABLE STEAMER 1 Housewares M0125060 192 OZ DUTCH OVEN r AREL Ey ee ee ee ee ee ee ee ee ee ee ee 1 Honcowaros i i ssi An OTEP bhl Oo Akl Viewing Only Detail Records V To usea filter to display only Detail records 1 Click in the View window to make it active 2 Enter Detail in the Edit View Filter text box in the view 3 Click Set Filter All records except Detail records are hidden or highlighted depending on whether the Hide Filtered Records option is selected in ACL Prefer ences View Default_View Data File Report bc Of x a amp amp amp i PriclassDesc Prodo ProdDese 01 Housewares 010102710 ALUMINUM TEAPOT8 CUP 01 Housewares
154. Value MINIMUM 0 MAXIMUM 100000 00 INTERVALS 10 TO GRAPH lt 5 gt STRATIFY ON Value ACCUMULATE MktVYal MINIMUM O MAXIMUM 100000 00 INTERVALS lt 6 gt ELSE IF PRODCLS 05 lt 7 gt TOTAL Value lt 8 gt ELSE IF Prodtls 06 lt 9 gt STRATIFY ON Value MINIMUM O MAXIMUM 100000 00 INTERVAL 10 lt lO gt ELSE IF FrodCla 07 lt ll gt TOTAL METVAL al gt ELSE lt la gt TOTAL Value al END gt gt gt COMMAND l gt 73 of 152 met the test FrodCla lt o5 gt gt gt COMMAND lt 2 gt FOR FrodCls lt 05 73 records counted gt gt gt COMMAND lt 3 gt FOR FrodCls 05 Field Value Number Total Average B Positive 69 247 969 087 3 095 77 Zeras Z Negative zZ 749 25 374 64 Totals T3 247 240 59 3 306 58 Scroll through the window to view the complete results of the group First ACL displays all four commands for items in product classes below 05 Next ACL reports that 13 of 79 records met the test for command lt 6 gt Then ACL gives you a total for command lt 7 gt which is equal to the total value of all items that did not meet the first test ProdCls lt 05 The inventory value for product class 06 Module 5 Creating Applications 261 Groups and Loops in Batches command lt 9 gt has been stratified and the market value for product class 07 command lt 11 gt has been totalled The inventory value for the remaining product classes command lt 13 gt h
155. View Data File Sumwen FIL xygl Humber Amount 7 g 0025 0101 0134 5 0448 3 0534 2 0559 2 0720 2 0721 4 0787 OO 4 m On Be O54 i TARE amp 0879 1009 1247 1435 a SS SS G E E C G E E C C ACL creates one record for each Vendor Number and displays the totals for the accumulated field Invoice Amount ACL also summarizes the total number of records in each Vendor Number in the Count column Data Type ACL When you use the Summarize or Classify commands to create a new file ACL creates the Count field and assigns it and all the accumulated fields the data type ACL This type indicates how ACL stores summarized information V To view the data types 1 Ifitis not already open drag the Sumven input file definition out of the Overview window to open it 2 Click a Edit File Definition or select Edit from the menu bar and choose Input File Definition to open the Input File Definition window Make sure that the Edit Fields Expressions tab is selected The field names and data types for the current file are listed on the screen Manipulating Data 149 Module 4 Summarizing and Classifying Sumven CAACL Data Data Sumven_FIL Input File Options Edit Fields E spressione Add a New Data Filter All fields Hex In this example the Count field is an ACL type as is the Invoice_Amount field which also contains summarized informatio
156. View Fonts dialog box Select View Fonts x All Header Titles Data Totals Footer Footer d Cancel Preview of fonts that appear in the report 2 Click AIl Header Titles Data Totals or Footer to display the Font dialog box Font EI Font Font style Size m e Arial Black Eerie Ep Arial Marrow BakerSignet F Book Antiqua F Bookman Old Style F Century Gothic Effects I Strikeout AabbYyZz Preview of the font you select TC Underline Script Westem r Notice that when you select a font the Sample box displays a preview Note The available fonts are those installed on your computer 3 Select a font and click OK 4 Click OK again to apply your changes to the view Module 2 ACL Fundamentals 67 View Window Rearranging Columns A view allows you to look at the data in a file Ifyou modify a view the changes you make affect only the current view The data and the input file definition are not affected by the changes Moving Columns The default view displays the defined fields in the order that you define them You can easily rearrange the columns To move a column in the View window 1 Point to the column title Product Class Click and hold down the left mouse button The pointer becomes a Hand icon 2 Drag and position the at the left side of the first column 3 Release the mouse button to m
157. YY Start of Century 40 Aging Periods 0 30 60 90 1 20 10000 Abbreviations for month names no spaces an Feb MarApr May J C Program Files ACL SoftwareACL for Windows Client aclwin prf Save Factory Cancel Help Day Month Year You can change the D M or Y character in the Day Month or Year text boxes to characters that match your usual format ACL globally displays the characters you specify in every alpha date format representation Date Display Format ACL globally displays the format you specify in every date field This does not affect the date formats ACL can read only the way they are displayed To change the way ACL reads date information see Date on page 11 of the ACL for Windows Reference Manual You can Choose an option from the Date Display Format drop down list to control how ACL displays the date in views reports and other output Start of Century Date Many data files use two digits to represent the year and the year used to denote the earliest date in the last century may vary from one set of data files to the next The 338 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Setting Preferences two digit year that indicates the oldest record in the last century is often called the start of century date or the pivot date The start of century date applies to two digit year date fields only and does not affect data that uses four digits to represent the year ACL can read four digi
158. Yes The filter drop down list in the upper right of the window should display Detail In the data you will notice that the detail records are displayed normally and the rest of the records are highlighted Now you define five Detail fields unique to this record type One of the fields is ASCII and the other four are numeric data types The fields are product number unit price quantity ordered quantity shipped and total extended price Module 5 Creating Applications 283 Processing Multiple Record Type Files VW To define the Detail fields Click al Add a New Data Field The If text box shows Detail Add the following to the formatting text boxes Name Type Start Length ProdNo ASCII 8 9 Click Accept Entry ACL asks you if the information from this record type relates to subsequent records Click No Define the remaining fields as described in the following table Name Type Start Length Decimals Price NUMERIC 17 7 3 OrdQty NUMERIC 24 4 0 ShipQty NUMERIC 28 4 0 Total NUMERIC 32 9 2 You have now defined all the fields for the Detail records Defining the Trailer Fields You need to define the trailer data filter before defining the fields for the trailer records ae rom To define the trailer data filter Click the Add a New Data Filter tab Click T at position 7 in the fourth record Click Include Click Accept Entry A dialog box appears asking you to save the filter Enter Trailer
159. a file to the ACL Project and includes field names field definitions and field types ACL provides some information for you such as the file type character type media type the number of records and the record length Interactive Batch A batch that prompts you for information while the batch is running See also Batch on page 386 Appendix C Glossary 393 Invalid Data Data in a field that does not match the field type assigned to that field Joining Files A process that matches transaction data with master file records or compares the contents of two files The Join command lets you combine the fields of two files with different structures into a third file and can identify matched or unmatched records in one or both files Key Field A sort field When sorting a file the key field is the field s you tell ACL to use to create the sort order Legacy File Older data files generated primarily on mainframe computers that have no internal data definition You must create an input file definition for them See also Input File Definition on page 392 Local Filter An expression that limits the records processed to those that meet a certain logical condition For example you can create a local filter to focus on either a portion of the file or a specific type of transaction See also Filter on page 390 and Global Filter on page 391 Log File A cumulative record of all ACL commands issued followe
160. abytes MB is adequate for most purposes If you want to sort or classify very large files you can specify a larger number from 1 MB to 64 MB When you change this number you must save your preferences exit and restart ACL for the new setting to take effect If you specify too small a number commands such as Sort and Index execute more slowly than usual You must restart ACL for changes to take effect In general you should not exceed 25 of the amount of RAM installed on your system Buffer Size k This option specifies the size of the data block read The default is 33 kilobytes the recommended buffer size for most applications but you can enter a number from 5 to 255 Changing the buffer size may result in slight performance improvements in certain enviroments Change this setting on the advice of ACL technical support only The new buffer size takes effect the next time you open a new file Sort Order This option indicates the sort sequence for character fields The default is ASCII which ACL signifies with the System Default option Character sequences vary depending on the language used The Sort Order drop down list offers a variety of options including Custom which allows you to define your own sort order Characters you enter are sorted in the order they appear Characters that do not appear in the text box are sorted according to the default ASCII sort sequence For example typing AaBbCc causes uppercase and lo
161. ace Merge in many situations See Merging on page 394 Application Workspace Not to be confused with a Workspace which is a type of file the application workspace is the area where you work with your data This area is blank until you open a data file See also Workspace on page G 18 Argument An expression or field value of any type used in a test 385 386 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook ASCII An acronym for American Standard Code for Information Interchange ASCII is the most common character set used to facilitate data exchange and communication between microcomputers See also EBCDIC on page 389 AVERAGEn A special ACL variable created automatically by specific ACL commands such as the Statistics command that contains the average value of the field on which that command was previously issued Batch A series of ACL commands named and stored in an ACL Project You can design a batch to execute repeatedly and automatically or to prompt you for information Break Field or Column A sort key field or column that ACL uses to automatically print a subtotal line on a report each time the contents of the field or column changes Bucketed File In ACL a file whose records contain repeated blocks of similarly sized and structured fields Each block is called a bucket Buffer Temporary storage space for data transmitting from one computer component to another A buffer compensates for th
162. add the input file definition to the To Newwork acl list box 7 Click OK to close the Import dialog box 8 In the Overview window double click Ar in the input file definitions list ACL opens the default view of the accounts receivable file You can see that all the fields are defined just as they are in the Workbook acl Project Duplicating an Input File Definition To duplicate an input file definition 1 In the Overview window select the input file definition you want to duplicate 2 Click Duplicate in the Overview window Click Copy A message box appears advising that the input file has been duplicated 3 Click OK Linking an Input File Definition to a New Data File You can use the Link button in the Overview window to link an input file definition to a different data file You should only use this feature when the data file to be linked has a structure identical to the input file definition V Tolinkan input file definition to a new data file 1 Open the Project containing the input file definition to be linked 2 In the Overview window select the input file definition and click Link The Locate Data File dialog box appears 62 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Overview Window 3 Select a data file to link to your selected input file definition and click Open The input file definition is opened using the selected data file Refreshing From an ODBC Source File The Refresh from Source File but
163. age 57 2 Drag and drop the Ap_Trans input file definition from the Overview window onto the Open button to open the default view of Ap_Trans that is linked to the data file Ap_Trans fil Using the Classify Command You can use Classify to quickly scan and summarize records based on each unique class in a field You can use Classify on unsorted data The number of classes you can summarize depends on the Max RAM preference A practical limit for the default Max RAM setting is 10 000 classes For details on changing the Max RAM preference see Max RAM MB on page 333 Classify counts the number of records that fall into each stratum of a character field and accumulates totals for each stratum of a numeric field Classify can also be used to produce a new input file of classified data or view classified data in the command log V T classify data 1 Click Classify or select Analyze from the menu bar and choose Classify ACL displays the Classify dialog box 144 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Summarizing and Classifying Classify Eq Main More Output Classify On Accumulate Fields vendar_Mo Invoice Amount Invoice Amount Quantity Quantity Unit_Cost Unit Cost Cancel Help 2 Click the Classify On drop down list and select the Vendor_No field Note Only character fields appear in the Classify On drop down list 3 Select Invoice Amount in the Accumulate Fields list view 4 Click the
164. ake reference to other fields they are not affected V To shift fields using the Shift Fields button 1 Select Edit from the menu bar and choose Input File Definition to display the Input File Definition window From the list of fields on the Edit Fields Expressions tab select the name of the leftmost data field of the fields you want to shift Then click Shift Fields to open the Shift Fields dialog box Or you can click the Shift Fields button to open the Shift Fields dialog box and then enter the starting byte of the first data field that you want to shift in the Start Shifting Fields from position text box To display fields in order of their start positions from left to right click the heading titled Start in the list view on the Edit Fields Expressions tab In multiple record type files you can shift fields related to a particular record type by first selecting the name of the filter that identifies these fields from the drop down list on the Edit Fields Expressions tab Enter the number of bytes that you want the fields to shift in the Shift fields by the following number of bytes text box Enter a positive number to move the fields to the right or a negative number to move the fields to the left Module 2 ACL Fundamentals 49 Input File Definitions 4 Click OK and then click Yes to confirm the realignment E Inventory C ACL Data Sample Data Files Workbook Inventoryfil MEEI Input
165. al for standard applications You can simply respond to the prompts with the appropriate values Interactive batches also reduce batch maintenance by lowering the possibility of error caused by repeated editing Using the Accept Command The Accept command is a special command you can use to make a batch interactive The Accept command uses a prompt string to prompt you for a response When a batch is running and ACL encounters an Accept command it stops running and displays a prompt that you have defined In the following exercise you add the Accept command to specify the prompt that is displayed when the batch is run It also tells ACL the name of the variable in which to store your response The variables are SAM_INT and RAN_START ACL stores the values you enter in these variables V Toadd the Accept command to the batch 1 In the list of batches in the Overview window double click Arsample2 ACL asks you if you want to run or edit the batch 2 Click Edit 3 Edit the batch by typing the following additional information on two new lines below the line OPEN Armonth ACCEPT Enter sampling interval TO SAM_INT ACCEPT Enter random start TO RAN_START The Batch window now looks like this Arsample2 OPEN Armonth ACCEPT Enter sampling interval TO SamM_INT ACCEPT Enter random start TO RAW START STATISTICS ON Amount TO SCREEN NUMBER 5 f SAMPLE ON Amount INTERVAL 39044 FIXED 194 Amount Date Du
166. al number of line items produced is too great to view easily in the command log or to produce a meaningful graph Sorting and filtering are effective ways to identify targets from a file Selecting Targets for Review A target is simply a subset of data that seems to deserve further investigation A target in digital analysis is most often selected because it has exceeded the bounds or else it has remained within bounds but has noticeably spiked above the general trend of the graph Actual Count Expected Count 15 00 Lower Bound lt Upper Bound 5 00 0 00 218 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook The Benford Command Because this file is relatively small at 327 records the curves for the expected Benford value and the upper and lower bounds show a stepped pattern that reflects the integer values The lower bound reaches zero for digit combination 19 and remains unchanged for all subsequent values In this case the graph remains within bounds for all 90 digit combinations suggesting that there are no significant exceptions However these bounds are only approximate guides Good judgment is necessary to interpret the result especially if the file size is smaller than about 10 000 records Criteria for Targets There are five positive spikes in the two digit analysis that are large enough to be targets they deserve some further investigation The bars for 24 36 84 and 90 all exac
167. al to or greater than the interval These items are automatically selected and then added to by subjecting the remaining population the bottom stratum to the specified MUS interval sample ACL includes a Cutoff parameter for any interval sample command issued This allows you to override ACLs automatic use of the specified interval as the basis for Cutoff and instead substitute their own Cutoff typically some value smaller than the interval To include a Cutoff value larger than the specified interval would cause items larger than the interval to remain in the bottom stratum These items would then have a greater chance 190 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Sample Size and Evaluate of being selected more than once which may not be desirable unless the items reflect vouchered amounts for which testing of multiple supporting amounts is desired Note Modifications to the top stratum cutoff should be made only by specialists experi enced in the technical theories relating to statistical sampling No Repeats The No Repeats sampling method does not apply to random samples With a random sample you can use an If test to list the larger items and another If test to exclude them from the sample In MUS ACL can select the same record more than once as different dollars in the same amount may be selected The No Repeats option suppresses any additional selec tions of the same item This may result in undersampling where a specific number
168. all entries in a file history Various preferences in the Printing Options let you print a file history and other information when you print a report a view or the Last Result window See also File History on page 390 392 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook IF A scope parameter that selects only certain records from the whole file or limits the execution of ACL commands For example COUNT IF AMOUNT gt 0 See also Scope Parameter on page 397 Also a command that performs an action if a condition is true such as IF TOTAL gt 1000000 Improper Data Data that is technically valid but not correct For example negative amounts in a numeric field that should contain only positive amounts Incomplete Data Data that contains gaps or is not in the proper sequence Inconsistent Data Data for which comparable or matching data does not exist in another field or file Index A method of sequencing data The ACL Index command also creates an index file This file contains pointers that allow ACL to read data in the sorted order even though the records in the original input file are not sorted Creating an index file is called indexing Input File An inclusive term which refers to the data file and the input file definition taken together See Data File on page 388 and Input File Definition on page 392 Input File Definition Describes the structure contents and layout of a data file links the dat
169. alue in the Bytes to Skip edit box until these records are no longer visible If your data is not aligned change the Record Length value in the edit box until itis vertically aligned If you want to define this file manually select the Skip to Finish radio button If you want more information on file properties click on Help Fixed Length Bytes to Skip Do a Variable Length Skip to Finish Record Lenath 37 A O7010434706LATEX O7010439706LATEX O7010417706LATEX 07010467 706LATEX O7010465706LATEX O7010432706LATEX O7010437706LATEX SEMI GLOSS SEMI GLOSS SEMI GLOSS SEMI GLOSS SEMI GLOSS SEMI GLOSS SEMI GLOSS ORANGE A 6 CARAMELA 6 LILAC A 6 APRICOTA 6 PINK A YELLOW A 6 GREEN A 6 O03041431303METRIC TOOL SET 3 8 DR A 03041428303METRIC SOCKET SET 11 PCA 030412553036 PC OPEN END WRENCH SETA 030412753036 PC BOX END WRENCH SET A 030412903035 PC METRIC HEX KEYS A O03425500303PARKER PROPANE KIT 7PC U O03036416303TAP DIE SET 41 PIECESA 47 18 ll 12 87001010 87001010 87001010 87001010 6 87001010 87001010 87001010 00000930 00000930 53000930 50000930 2 48000930 8 49 030321663035CREW DRIVER 1 6 X 45L A 0 40000330 60000330 73000330 www OW WO WwW WO 99001018 99001018 99001018 99001018 99001018 99001018 99001018 98001231 98001231 98001231 49001231 49001231 98000501 98000501 69000501 50000000316020000045 0000101676 000147 0000
170. and click OK A dialog box appears asking if you want to keep the filter active Click Yes 284 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Processing Multiple Record Type Files VW To define Trailer fields 1 Click a Add a New Data Field The If text box shows Trailer 2 Add the following to the formatting text boxes Name Type Date Format Start Length DueD DATE YYMMDD 8 6 3 Click Accept Entry 4 ACL asks you if the information from this record type relates to subsequent records Click No 5 Define the remaining fields as described in the following table Name Type Start Length Decimals TotGoods NUMERIC 14 9 2 Taxes NUMERIC 23 9 2 InvTot NUMERIC 32 9 2 Saving the Input File Definition You have now defined all the fields for all the record types in the data file The next step is to save the input file definition V To save the input file definition close the Input File Definition window The input file definition is saved as Invoice You can see that the field names are also the column headings The columns are arranged according to the position of the fields in the input file There is a mixture of data in some of the fields because you are displaying data from various record types in the view Data from different record types appears together because ACL treats different record types as overlapping fields In fact much of the data in the view is incorrect If you were to start processing this input file without sp
171. ands entering 253 conditional 252 256 control totals obtaining 253 in batches 253 loops using 264 multiple record type files 276 nested creating 261 simple defined 252 variables automatic 262 variables using 262 Header fields defining 269 Header record type defining 276 Header records filters using 269 Headers customizing 293 Hide Filtered Records preference 334 Histogram command free intervals using 310 graph output 309 multiple histograms creating 310 Histogram command about 307 IBM variable length files about 265 Improper data 349 Improper data defined 349 Include Report History with Reports preference 341 Include View Note in Report History 341 INCLUDE function about 349 Incomplete data 350 defined 350 error messages 344 Inconsistent data defined 351 Index conditional creating 141 Index command about 137 Indexes opening 142 Overview window contents 58 Input file definitions create using Data Definition Wizard 34 dBASE files 34 defined 34 deleting 62 duplicating 61 editing 47 multiple record type files 278 new creating 62 notes using 87 Overview window contents 58 renaming 62 saving 273 Installing ACL custom option 6 system requirements 5 typical option 6 Workbook data files 5 Interactive batches creating 249 Invalid data 344 display as blanks or zeros 340 display blanks or zeros 335 error messages 344 remove using CLEAN 347 J
172. ariables are different in one very important way their value only changes when explicitly altered deleted or when you exit from ACL If you give a variable a value of seven that value is retained until you explicitly change it to something else or quit the current ACL session Automatic Variables ACL automatically creates variables when commands such as Count Total and Statistics are executed These variables are named COUNTn TOTALn ABSn and so on The n is equal to one unless the commands are issued within a group Module 5 Creating Applications 263 Groups and Loops in Batches c d For variables created by commands with a group n refers to the sequential line number Blank lines are not assigned a line number For example lt 1 gt GROUP IF ProdCls lt 05 lt 2 gt COUNT lt 3 gt STATISTICS InvOH lt 4 gt HISTOGRAM InvOH lt 5 gt END ACL uses the line numbers of each command to create a unique variable to store its result The outermost Group command is considered line 1 and each subsequent line containing a valid command or comment is given a sequential line number In the above example ACL would create the variables COUNT2 STATISTICS3 and HISTOGRAMA4 By comparison executing the Count command without using a group produces the variable COUNT1 because it is the only command being executed User Assigned Variables You can also assign values to variables of your choice using the Assign comma
173. as also been totalled Creating a Nested Group A group within a group is called a nested group Using a nested group lets you control which conditional tasks are performed on a record and further extends the power of groups In this exercise Commands lt 2 gt through lt 7 gt Count through Else are only executed if the product class is less than 05 Commands lt 4 gt and lt 5 gt are only executed if the value of the inventory is greater than 0 And because this second nested group is inside the first group commands lt 4 gt and lt 5 gt are also only executed for records in which ProdCls is under 05 and Value is greater than 0 Since command lt 5 gt also includes a test it is only executed if ProdCls lt 05 and Value gt 0 and ProdStat B a Finally for records in which the product class is 05 or higher commands lt 8 gt and lt 9 gt total the inventory value V To create a nested Group in the Inverp3 batch 1 Double click Invgrp3 Then click Edit to open the batch 2 Change the batch to the following making sure each command is on one line GROUP IF ProdCls lt 05 COUNT GROUP IF Value gt 0 STATISTICS ON Value HISTOGRAM ON Value MINIMUM 10167 60 MAXIMUM 100800 00 INTERVAL 10 IF ProdStat B END STRATIFY ON Value ACCUMULATE Value MktVal MINIMUM 10167 60 MAXIMUM 100800 00 INTERVAL 10 ELSE TOTAL VALUE END 3 Close the Batch window ACL asks you to save the changes 4 Clic
174. ast Result Sy tf x wv Ej A SEQUENCE ON No ERRORLIMIT 10 TO SCREEN Fage l l2r0lr2001 10 45 09 Produced with ACL by ACL Services Ltd ttt Keys out of Sequence at record 4 Key 269267 ttt Keys out of Sequence at record 3 Key 277097 ttt Keys out of Sequence at record ll Key 231494 ttt Keys out of Sequence at record 13 Key 081559 ttt Keys out of Sequence at record 15 Key 258024 ttt Keys out of Sequence at record l7 Key 284354 Keys out of Sequence at record 19 Key 065003 ttt Keys out of Sequence at record Zl Key 051593 ttt Keys out of Sequence at record 26 Key 513574 ttt Keys out of Sequence at record 27 Key 230575 Maximum error limit reached m 10 data sequence errors detected al You can see from the list of sequence errors in the command log that the file is not sorted on customer number V To sort the customer file on customer number 1 Click Sort or select Data from the menu bar and choose Sort ACL displays the Sort dialog box sort Eq Main More Sort n ShreetAddress City Credit Lirnit Mame Cust No Sales Rep Number Cancel Help 2 In the Sort On list view click the No field 208 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Generating Confirmation Letters 3 Click in the To text box and enter Custsort The Sort dialog box now looks like this Sart x Main More Sort n Address Street Address City City Limit Credit Limit Name Name No Cust No Sale
175. at are missing from the file or recorded at too small a value It may be that the larger amounts are least Module 4 Manipulating Data 191 Sample Size and Evaluate likely to be understated You want to find items such as a million dollar item that has been incorrectly recorded as a dollar Random Record Sampling To perform a random record sampling 1 2 Open the Ar file from the Overview window Select Sampling from the menu bar and choose Sample The Sample dialog box opens Note If performing a random sample or subsampling you can request the selection order number of the items drawn This is useful when you oversample 3 4 9 In the Sample Type area select Record In the Sample Parameters area select Random ACL automatically displays the Population in the text box The Population is the total number of records in the file Click Size ACL displays the Size dialog box In the Confidence text box enter 95 In the Upper Error Limit text box enter 5 Leave the Expected Error Rate text box blank Click Calculate to preview your results ACL displays the Sample Size Interval and Number of Tolerable Errors in the Results area of the Size dialog box Click OK ACL closes the Size dialog box and returns to the Sample dialog box 10 In the Sample Parameters area enter 234 in the Seed oversample text box Notice that ACL fills in the Size 192 ACL for Windows 7 Sample Size and Evaluate
176. ata file being defined is displayed in the title bar in the Input File Definition window The data files ACL creates have the default extension fil but the data files other software packages create may have different extensions For example dBASE files have a dbf extension 980 5000000059769000 985 5000000031602001 750 OO00101676 00 780 0000088623000 42n nnnn nansnnngi 42 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Input File Definitions When the Input File Definition dialog box is open and the Input File Options tab is chosen ACL displays the following information about the data file Media Type Data accessed as Disk Tape One Reel or Tape Multi Reel File Type Fixed Record Length IBM Variable Record Length or Text File CR or CRLF Character Type ASCII or EBCDIC Record Length The length of the record for fixed length files or the length of the longest record if the records are variable length Skip Length This value determines the number of bytes in the input file that ACL ignores or skips over before data analysis begins For example you can use Skip Length to have ACL ignore the header information and begin defining the file from the detail records The default is zero so ACL analyzes data from the beginning of the file You only create an input file definition for a data file once After that ACL automatically links the data file to the input file definition each time you open it The bottom section of the dialog
177. atabase file flat files are physically sequential in nature Although it is not essential that you use Flat files when working with ACL it is recom mended If your data is in a database you should extract the data into a flat file format before you download or copy to tape The exception is if you have ACL for OS 390 which can easily read common databases such as DB2 and IMS What is a Field Each record contains individual pieces of information called fields In the telephone directory example each entry record consists of details about a person such as their last name first name address and telephone number In ACL each of these data items is stored in a field All records in a file are described by the same set of fields Computer files can have many fields for each record Each field has a name for reference For example the field names might be LASTNAME FIRSTNAME ADDRESS and PHONE Accessing a Data File The first step in obtaining a data file is identifying the sources of data Identifying Sources of Data Files Data files stored on a minicomputer or a mainframe must be downloaded so that they can be accessed by a personal computer The most common methods of obtaining data stored on a mini or mainframe computer include linking from a personal computer or a local area network LAN to a mainframe or storing the information on tapes and cartridges Most mini and mainframe computer manufacturers offer a way to connec
178. ated based on the total number of records in the data set and the number of digit combinations to analyze one digit yields nine bars on the graph two digits yield 90 bars and so on The upper and lower bounds are placed so that on average no more than one of the resulting bars would lie outside of them purely by chance If several bars exceed the bounds this suggests a non random variation to be investigated V To perform a two digit digital analysis with bounds on a numeric field 1 With the Trans file open select Analyze from the menu bar and choose Benford ACL displays the Benford dialog box Select Amount from the Benford On drop down list In the Number of Leading Digits text box enter 2 Check the Include Upper and Lower Bounds check box Enter Amount gt 0 in the If text box Click OK O WI gt Ww N Command Log OLX Last Result axy 2l BENFORD ON mount LEADING 2 BOUNDS TO SCREEN l zero amounts bypassed Population may exhibit unacceptable variability If 30 reduce the leading dig lt lt lt Graphable Data gt gt gt Page l 1770172001 14 06 01 Produced with ACL by ACL Services Ltd Leading Actual Expected Zstat Lower Upper Digits Count Count Ratio Bound Bound 10 10 14 0 953 5 23 ll ll 13 0 363 4 22 12 18 12 1 706 3 20 13 7 LL 1 041 3 19 14 10 10 0 041 2 18 bd mimi Module 4 Manipulating Data 217 The Benford Command You can see that each count shows an actual an
179. ays the Radio Button dialog box In the Variable text box enter a meaningful name This creates a numeric variable when you run the batch ACL assigns the value 1 2 3 etc depending on whether you choose the first second or third radio button In the Label text box enter a label for the control Click Add to add the label to the bottom of the Label List text box Once you have clicked Add you can also click any of the following a Insert to place the label above the highlighted label in the Label List text box a Replace to replace the highlighted label in the Label List text box with the label you enter in the Label List text box m Delete to remove the highlighted label from the Label List 368 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Designing Batches Using the Dialog Builder a Set Default to make the label the default Radiobuttons x Variable Label Label List Insert Dre Position and Size Delete 3 peoo Set Default 120 Width p M Auto Height fo M Auto Alignment Horizontal i Vertical Cancel 7 Click OK ACL adds the Radio Button control with the label from the label list to the Dialog Builder Adding Drop down Lists The drop down list control generates a character variable containing the text of the selected drop down item Create drop down lists so that you can select from a restricted list of items Such items include file or field names or any other text that you want to
180. book Input File Definitions 2 Click row 1 position 1 in the data area in the lower part of the window as shown below The fields area in the top of the Edit Fields Expressions window changes to display a set of field definition boxes A list of field types appears in the Valid Field Types box Notice that the Start and Length Len text boxes each contain a 1 which corresponds to the highlighted position in the data area Note You can use any row when defining data fields Inventory C ACL Data Data Inventory fil Oy x Input File Options Edit Fields Expressions Add a New Data Filter y Name Type Start Len Dec Valid Field Types x ASCII ifi fi nA Format F Suppress Totals Width Static l Date Alternate a Column Title F Control Total 4 Fa Default Filter If 7010434706LATEX SEMI GLOSS ORANGE A 6 87001010 07010439706LATEX SEMI GLOS5 CARAMELA 6 87001010 99001018 870 9650 5000000059765 99001018 460 965 500000003160 9 9 O7OLO417706LATEX SEMI GLOS5 LILAC A 6 87001010 9 99001016 1460 750 OO0010167t 9 99001016 1290 780 o00008862 q 99nNINIA ISAN 42N anni nana gt 07010467706LATEX SEMI GLOS5 APRICOTA 6 87001010 NAFNAINAASTNALATFEX SEMT RLOSS PTNK A ATNNININ 4 qarje jpn r ex Click position 1 and drag to the right until the Len text box displays 11 and release the mouse button The cursor is blinking in the Name text box You are now read
181. box You also have the freedom to customize the size and placement of each control Module 5 Creating Applications 251 Using Batches For complete information on how to create dialog boxes see Dialog Builder on page 153 of the ACL for Windows Reference Manual and online Help The ACL for Windows Reference Manual and online Help contain complete information on the available options Exiting ACL If you want to exit ACL now select File from the menu bar and choose Exit 252 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Groups and Loops in Batches Lesson 5 3 Groups and Loops in Batches The Group command greatly increases the power and flexibility of a batch It executes a series of commands on each record in one pass of a data file You can use the Group command to perform different tasks on sets of defined records in one pass of a file The Loop command processes the same record many times Using Loop creatively can dramatically improve and simplify your ability to process complex file structures The Loop command operates only within a group Both the Group and Loop commands are only available in a batch Opening Your Project To prepare for this lesson 1 Open the Workbook acl Project For details on how to open an ACL Project and an input file definition see Lesson 2 4 Overview Window on page 57 2 In the Overview window drag and drop Inventory onto the Open button The Inventory input file default view opens Using Gr
182. c logical or date fields Character numeric logical or date variables Input file definitions Batches Views 370 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Designing Batches Using the Dialog Builder Workspaces Indexes V Toadda Project item list 1 definition area Click in the Dialog Builder where you want to position the upper left corner of the control ACL displays the Project Item List dialog box 2 Enter a meaningful name in the Variable text box 3 Select an item from the Category drop down list 4 Click Add to add the category to the bottom of the Category List 5 Once you have clicked Add you can also click a Insert to place the category above the highlighted category a Replace to replace the highlighted category in the Category List with the category you chose from the Category drop down list m Delete to delete the highlighted category Variable Default variable name Tem eatery Category List Numeric Fields Character Fields Date Fields ACL displays these items in the batch file Inger j Replace Delete Default Position and Size x 156 i 156 E Width fi z0 M Auto T Hegn ie Cancel 6 When you have added all of the categories you want to the Category List click OK ACL adds the Project Item List to the Dialog Builder Module 9 Using the Dialog Builder 371 Designing Batches Using the Dialog Builder The six controls look similar to the following Use
183. c reno S eion 328 DClECtENG CHONG esnean n a a 328 T ter aee OP HON S rossini n E O 330 putre Options maere TEA 331 VIEW DUONG saia uakon Memieeieaes nuatemaueioameayy 333 Command puns arnasa eai E a a 335 PACD POS sioa E E 337 N mernc ODHORS anrs a E E 339 Prnt DUONG sipsi r mua en asesnesuamiaeasaeest 341 Applicaton Fon Opinions aropin ea es 342 Module 8 Troubleshooting Data Errors 066 343 Troubleshootiig Data EO S eee eeidetnated te eeusd renenis 344 Data EIOS oan ecessameesasdoceeasueusereaeeeee sasases 344 Module 9 Using the Dialog Builder sssessssssssss 361 Designing Batches Using the Dialog Builder eee eeeeeneeeneeeeeees 362 Planning a Batch Dialog BOX isnssisirirosiisidniensrisiisrrrinoieiniirnisiiais 362 Creating a Batch Dialog BOX aan tity decstivateueeste aariat 362 Editine an Existuno Dialog eiieeii E 372 Running the Dialog in a Batch pccoecchveiwatenaiesaveatts cs eto eeeeowees 374 Appendix A Common Uses for ACL ccc ee eee ee eeee 375 Audit Data Analysis Applications ceeeesesseeseceseceseeeeeeeeeeeees 375 Parc hase Sannie n tees ta saierncawneedeaesstesstsaceescnet 377 Appendix Be ODBC Access iain iwi wasneeeansiwaekauen 379 Waris ODBC dunrniiionnaa ona a 379 ODBC ACC CSS paa a Da teec ue senantineg Saditgats ete 379 Converting an ODBC Bile veccavsccetevesancadetericcotensssvtalstemsatenanvnies 379 Updating an OD BG Pile ssnsti a E 384 Appendix C Glossary s
184. ch of the record types in the file and the fields contained in each record type For this lesson however the information is provided for you in the following table Header Records Record Type H Invoice Number Record Type Customer Number Purchase Order Number Order Date Shipping Date Invoice Date Located at the top of an invoice Detail Records Record Type D Invoice Number Record Type Product Number Unit Price Quantity Ordered Quantity Shipped Total Extended Price Each detail record represents one line in the body of an invoice and one product sold Trailer Records Record Type T Invoice Number Record Type Invoice Due Date Total Amount of the Invoice Before Taxes Sales Tax Payable Total invoice Amount Invoice Date Located at the bottom of an invoice In the first exercise of this lesson you define the common fields including the invoice number In the next three exercises you create filters for each of the three record types Finally you define data fields for each of the three record types Defining the Common Fields The Invoice Number and Record Type fields are common to all record types in the data file The other fields are different for each record type All records are the same length Module 5 Creating Applications 279 Processing Multiple Record Type Files WV To define the invoice number field 1 Click al Add a New Data Field on the Edit Fields Expressions tab The top
185. ches Input File Definitions fT ap_trans H E ar ME badfile orp customer ES demo Hi dept G empmast payroll Hi sales_reps B3 trans RE vendor H E Views ff Workspaces bee Indexes To close the list click the Collapse button If there is no next to the icon no list exists 60 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Overview Window Opening an Input File You can open an input file from the Overview window V T open an input file in the Overview window make sure the Input File Definitions list is expanded If it is not click F Expand beside Input File Definitions To open an input file use one of the three following methods a Click the Inventory input file to select it and then click Open to open it Double click the Inventory input file Click the Inventory input file and then drag and drop it onto your desktop H Overview x s m El Batches G E Input File Definitions AE ap_trans eB a aE badfile RE customer RE demo Eee dept AE empmast p RE payroll AE sales reps AE trans BE vendor H E views sve Workspaces BR R erAaaegs amp amp ACL automatically closes the open file if one is open and then opens the file you selected and displays it in the View window Closing an Input File V To close a view from the Overview window 1 From the list of input file definitions locate the Inventory input file The Inventory input file defi
186. choose Sample The Sample dialog box opens Leave the MUS and Fixed Interval options selected 6 In the Interval text box enter 25000 7 In the Start text box enter 234 8 Click the More tab to display additional options 9 Select Fields 10 Click Extract Fields ACL displays the Selected Fields dialog box 11 Click Add All Then click OK 12 Click the Main tab to return to the Main options 13 In the To text box enter Armonth2 Module 5 Creating Applications 245 Using Batches 14 Click OK ACL writes the Sample command to your batch and displays the default view of Armonth2 The results of the commands appear in the command log 15 Select Tools from the menu bar and choose Set Batch Recorder Off ACL now stops recording your actions The Save As dialog box appears prompting you to save the batch by entering a name 16 Enter Arsamp 1 e2 in the text box to name the batch 17 Click OK to save the batch and close the dialog box Run the Arsample2 Batch To run the batch To prepare open the Ar input file again Click 4 beside Batches in the Overview window to display a list of batches Double click Arsample2 ACL asks you if you want to run or edit the batch Se ae T Click Run ACL asks you if you want to overwrite the Armonth2 file that was created by the Sample command 5 Click Yes to overwrite the file ACL displays the result in the command log Creating a Batch from a View Y
187. columns to the left of the selected column Add Columns Hot Key Hot keys provide a valuable shortcut for adding columns V To adda new column to your view using the Add Columns hot key 1 Click the column heading immediately to the right of where you want to put the new column 2 Press INSERT while in the View window ACL displays the Add Columns dialog box Add the columns you want to your view ACL displays the new columns to the left of the highlighted column De selecting a Column If you accidentally highlight a column or change your mind about moving or deleting a column you can de select the column To do so click any record in any column Modifying Columns You can modify columns in the view to change their appearance When you format fields in the Input File Definition window you define default formats that always apply to that field in all views of that input file definition Changes that you make in the View Modify Column dialog box override the default formats so you can have different formats in different views You can save each of the modified views under individual names V To display the Modify Column dialog box 1 Double click the column or click the column to select it 2 Click Modify Column Module 2 ACL Fundamentals 71 View Window Modify Column Eq ProdStat Print Options PF Sort Rey Column f Sort Secending Sort Descending Break Column Page Break
188. ctions Jal CstDte Loc Markup Minty Mktal PreDte ProdCls FrodD esc Frodo FrodStat GtvOH too From Input File Cost Date Location Markup Re Order Paint Market alue Frice D ate Product Class Froduct Descriptio Froduct Humber Froduct Status Quantity On Hand Guantity On Order rt Inventory A LO ABS number AGE date lt cutoff date _pyyymi ALLTRIM string ASCII character AT occurence_num search_fe BETWEEN value min max BITI byte_location BLANKS count BYTE byte location COO date length CHRI number CLEAN string estra_invalid_cl CTOD field date _forrmat_if_nc DATE lt date gt 4 Paste Parameters 7 Click OK to return to the Count dialog box The Stockout filter is now shown in the If text box 8 Click OK again to execute the command with the filter applied In the command log ACL reports that four items are out of stock Module 5 Creating Applications Using Expressions Creating a Filter for a Sale Price Lower than the Unit Cost This last filter searches for items that have a sale price lower than the unit cost This would indicate that there may be incorrect data in the Inventory file To create the filter 7 Click OK to return to the Count dialog box The LOSS filter appears in the If text box 8 Click OK to execute the command ACL reports the result in the command log Select Analyze
189. ctions after period end Report duplicate items Report new contracts for review Report contracts in which balance exceeds authorized amount Report completed contracts and remaining work in progress 378 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Appendix B ODBC Access ACL gives you the ability to access ODBC databases What is ODBC ODBC open database connectivity is a standardized application programming interface API technology that allows applications to access multiple third party databases called heterogeneous databases ODBC includes the following ODBC Driver Manager A dynamic link library DLL provided by Microsoft that loads ODBC drivers on behalf of an application ODBC driver A dynamic link library DLL that implements ODBC function calls and interacts with a target data source ODBC enabled application An application that is inherently ODBC compliant ODBC compliance cannot be added to an existing application Also known as a front end or ODBC client application ODBC Access Use the ODBC option only after correctly loading the ODBC drivers If you can read ODBC data with another software package you know it is correctly installed and therefore ACL can access your ODBC data Before you start ACL make sure your ODBC data default directory is set correctly ODBC sets the default directory to where your driver looks for its data To set the default directory open your computer s Control Panel and d
190. d by their results from previous ACL sessions to the point the log was last cleared ACL automatically creates a log file specific to the Project created and time and date stamps each entry See also Command Log on page 387 LOWn A special ACL variable created automatically by specific ACL commands such as the Statistics command that contains the five by default lowest values of the field on which that command was previously issued 394 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Materiality Level In sampling the maximum extrapolated dollar value that is acceptable to confirm a hypothesis Maximum Tolerable Tainting In MUS sampling the dollar amounts may be only partially in error The amount of error for a specific item is called the error tainting For example a 100 item that is totally in error has a 100 tainting whereas a 100 item that should have a value of 93 has a 7 tainting The maximum tolerable tainting is the sum of all the individual error taintings As long as this sum is less than the reported value of the sample size the results are valid MAXn A special ACL variable created automatically by specific ACL commands such as the Statistics command that contains the highest value of the field on which that command was previously issued Merging A process that combines two sorted files with an identical record structure into a third file For example you can merge identically structured files from two different
191. d choose Count to open the Count dialog box Main More lle Poo Cancel Help 2 Click If to open the Expression Builder Any filters you have saved previously are listed in the Filters box 3 In the Available Fields list view double click UnCst to copy the field name to the Expression text box 4 Click Less Than or Equal To to add it to the expression 5 Enter 0 zero in the Expression text box in which the cursor is blinking The expression is now complete 6 In the Save As text box enter Negcost to name the filter Module 5 Creating Applications 231 Using Expressions Count If EW Expression O Hp Werity Cancel Save As Negcos Available Fields Functions All Minty Re Order Paint Mk al Market alue FrcDte Frice D ate FrodCls Froduct Class FrodD esc Froduct Descriptio Frodo Froduct Humber FrodStat Froduct Status GtyOH Guantity On Hand GOD Quantity On Order SalePr Sale Price l UnCst Unit Cost Variables Value Inventor alue at Y ABSI e AVERAGE ABS number AGE date lt cutoff date _pyyymi ALLTRIM string ASCII character AT occurence_num search_fr BETWEEN value min max BITI byte location BLANKS count BYTE byte location COO date length CHRI number CLEANI string lt extra_invalid_cl CTOD field lt date_forrmat_if_nc DATE lt date gt 1 a H LOW Paste Parameters From Input Fil
192. d expected value a Z statistic and upper and lower bounds Normally ACL tells you the number of records with zero amounts that are bypassed but in this case the added amount gt 0 filter removed them first Notice also that ACL warns you when the population may be too small for the test you are performing Typical formatting such as dollar signs commas and decimals are ignored and it is not necessary to sort the data Note also that the full range of leading digits produced from 10 through 99 appears in the command log The Z statistic measures how far a particular result is from the expected value It is expressed in standard deviations so that a Z statistic of 0 500 represents one half of a standard deviation which is a very common result and therefore not significant A Z statistic greater than 1 96 suggests that the actual result is likely to occur by random chance fewer than one time in 20 A Z statistic of 2 57 represents one chance in 100 So for a set of 90 digit combinations obtaining several Z statistics greater than 2 000 or even one above 2 500 would not be unusual For one digit or two digit analyses it can be very helpful to graph the results Graphing significantly speeds up selection of targets for review because deviations appear in context The graph of a two digit analysis may require some formatting to make it more readable For analyses using three digits or more we recommend that you send the output to file The tot
193. d fields from related files at any time Just click Add Columns in the View window and select field names Ifa record from the parent file finds a related record in a child file ACL moves to the next record and continues processing If there are duplicate fields in a related file ACL uses the first occurrence 178 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Joining Relating and Merging Data If there is no match between related files in other words no comparable information ACL displays a blank in the columns of the related file Note Only records in the parent file will be processed There may be records in the related file that do not appear in your view as they do not match records in the parent file Deleting Relationships You can delete relationships using the Relations dialog box If the active view references the relationship you want to delete you must close the view before deleting the relationship You cannot delete relationships that have dependent relations referenced fields computed fields or filters V Toremovea relationship 1 Close the view of Ap_Trans that you created in Working with Related Files on page 175 ACL prompts you to name the view 2 Name the view Ap_Trans2 and click OK 3 In the Overview window expand Ap_Trans to display the list of views Double click Default_View to open it 4 Click Relations or select Data from the menu bar and choose Relations The Relations dialog box opens Click t
194. d the expression to the input file definition ACL Name Default Value Markup f x I SalePr UnCst SalePr Format Suppress Totals Width Static Date Alternate Column Title Control Total fa Default Filter Condition Value 2 3 EE 8 0 a i displays MARKUP in the list of computed fields 10 Close the Input File Definition window and return to the view O Hp Verity Cancel AGE date lt cutoff date _pyyymi AT occurence_num search_fe BETWEEN value min max COO date length CLEAN sting lt extra_invalid_cl CTOD field lt date_forrmat_if_nc 227 228 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Using Expressions Adding a Computed Field to the View Once you have created the expression and added it to the list of fields you can add it to the view to see the gross margin percentage for each record V Toadd Markup to the view 1 In the View window click Add Columns to open the Add Columns dialog box Add Columns x Available Fields Selected Fields CstDte Cost D ate Loc Location Markup Markup Minty Re Order Paint Add All Meal Market value FrcDte Frice D ate Clear All ProdCls Product Class Pradit Etah ie ProdD esc Product Description Expt Froduct umber E 2 Double click Markup in the Available Fields list view to copy it to the Selected Fields box 3 Click OK to return to the view The field Markup appears as the far right colu
195. d type file Different commands are required for different header and detail records types To process data from more than one record type you use the Group command Group lets you provide one set of processes for header records and a different set of processes for detail records You can use Group to include as many record types as you require Opening Your Project To prepare for this lesson 1 Open the Workbook acl Project For details on how to open an ACL Project and an input file definition see Lesson 2 4 Overview Window on page 57 2 In the Overview window select Input File Definitions and then click New ACL displays the Welcome screen of the Data Definition Wizard 3 Advance to the Select Data Source screen and choose Disk Click Next to open the Select File to Define dialog box 4 Select the drive and subdirectory that contains the Workbook Data Files and then click Invoice fil Look irr E3 Data 83 Matched FIL BF Sortvend FIL aa Vendome E Payroll fil E Sortvip FIL E Wwork_Der is Prodno IN E Sumen FIL sa Workbook Report tet El Trans fil OF workbook El Sales_Reps fil E Unmatched FIL E Workbook El Sampsize FIL El Wendor fil File name JInvoice fi Files of type Data Files Cancel 5 Advance through the Wizard until you reach the File Properties screen 6 On the File Properties screen choose Skip to Finish and click Next to dis
196. de all the primary fields you do not need to select fields from the Primary Fields list view 9 Click OK to execute the command ACL displays the single record which has no matching record in the secondary file and bypasses the remaining 41 records Ea View Default_View Data File Unmatched FIL yxy E z Employee First Last Address Number Name Name 000090 STEFANO MELONI 11 IA CORTE D APF lt lt End of File gt p Module 4 Manipulating Data 171 Joining Relating and Merging Data You can see that employee number 90 is the cause of the unmatched record This employee is not present in the payroll file ACL reports the results in the command log Command Log ioj x Last Result Ss x oren Ar B A JOIN PEEY Enpno SEEY EmpNo UNMATCHED TO Unmatched OPEN FRESORT Presorting data l records produced 4 records bypassed Extraction to file C ACL Data Data Unmatched FIL is complete ka gig H Note The Unmatched Records option includes only unmatched records from the primary file To get the results you want you may need to change the primary and secondary files For example if you want a list of employees who are paid but have no employee records use the Payroll file as the primary file and Empmast as the secondary file The output file will contain all unmatched records from the Payroll file For more details on the other Join command options see Join on page 223 of the
197. described in Scrolling in Windows on page 24 Module 1 List view Welcome to ACL 25 Getting Started with ACL Edit view filter x Expression AMOUNT gt DAND LIMIT gt 5000 Hae x Werf Cancel ak Scroll bar Save As Text box Available Fields Functions Al M Address Street Address City City Limit Credit Limit ABS number AGE date lt cutoff date _pyyymi 7 7 ALLTRIM string o eat ASCII character List box z ust No ters ATL occurence_num search_fe Sales Rep No Sales Rep Number F BETWEEN value min max state state BIT byte_location Zip ZipCode BLANKS count BYTE byte location Le COO date length Variables CHR number Scroll bar CLEAN sting lt extra_invalid_cl CTOD field date forrmat_if_nc DATEI edate a F From Input File Customer El W Paste Parameters Scroll bar In some text boxes such as in the command log when you enter information in the command text box ACL expands the text box to display the entire entry Command Log _ Ox Last Result STRATIFY ON OQtyOH ACCUMULATE al ra ll a Command QtyOH SalePr UnCst Value STRATIFY ON Qty0H ACCUMULATE QtyOH SaleFr nC MINIMM 10 MAXIMUM looo text box lt lt lt Graphable Data gt gt gt INTERVALS 10 IF QtyOH lt 5000 TO SCREEN Page 1l Produced with ACL by ACL Services Ltd cel STRATIFY over lO gt 1 000 gt gt gt bee Minimum encountered was
198. dexing Workbook 7 Click in the To text box and enter the name Sortvip Sart Main More Sort n Invoice Amount Invoce_Date Invoice Date Invoce_Mo Invoice Number Frodrno Froduct Mumber Quantity Quantity Unit_Cost Unit Cost Io Sertvip Local W Use Output File 8 Click OK to issue the Sort command ACL displays the new sorted input file in the View window The command log displays the result View Default_View Data File Sortvip FIL a T maw E 4 amp Humber Number Date Amount Mumber 0025 7 0025 0025 23059232 3009 2001 850 58 010102710 0025 0025 0101 0101 30 0 2001 0101 0134 0134 0134 0134 0134 ee mom mom m om m aoe OA ue m 1m mm memamo FF E E E S D You can see that the file is now arranged in ascending order by Vendor Number and in descending order by Invoice Amount within each Vendor Number Module 4 Manipulating Data 135 Sorting and Indexing Rearranging Sorted Columns You can rearrange the columns in the view to reflect the new sort order of the file and to make the sort order more visually apparent V To move the Product Number column to the immediate right of the Invoice Number column 1 Point to the Product Number column heading Click and hold down the left mouse button The pointer becomes a amp Hand Drag and drop it on the right side of the Invoice Number column heading ACL moves the Product Number column to the right of the Inv
199. dollar amount Specifying a condition biases classes or records Examples of conditions include items in product class 05 or amounts over 10 000 in the month of April Module 4 Manipulating Data 183 Sample Size and Evaluate Selection Methods The Sample command has three parameters you can use to determine the specific method ACL applies to draw the sample Fixed Interval sampling is required before using the Evaluate command to determine the effect of errors on the population The sample sizes determined by the Size command are also designed for use with fixed interval sampling Fixed interval sampling requires that you specify an interval value and a random start number You can also specify a cutoff Cell sampling also referred to as a random interval sample chooses one random item from each group The population is broken into groups the size of the interval ACL automatically generates the required random numbers You specify an interval number a random seed number and optionally fora MUS a cutoff Random sampling generates the desired number of random numbers between 0 and the population specified These random numbers are then used to make selections You must specify the number of selections desired a random seed value and the size of the population For more information on the Sample command see Report on page 279 and Sample on page 284 of the ACL for Windows Reference Manual Monetary Unit Sa
200. dow select Ar and drag it out into the application workspace This opens the default view of the Ar input linking to the data file Ar fil Preparing Your File for Sampling Before you do a Sample use the Statistics command to determine useful information about the Amount field V To display statistics for sampling 1 Click 2a Statistics or select Analyze from the menu bar and choose Statistics The Statistics dialog box appears Module 4 Manipulating Data 181 Sample Size and Evaluate 2 In the Statistics On list view click Amount Statistics x Main More Output Statistics On tens TransAmount Date Invoice D ate Due Due D ate lle P D Std Deviation Cancel Help 3 Click OK to execute the command ACL displays the field statistics in the command log Command Log ioj x Last Result oy x y E STATISTICS ON Amount TO SCREEN NUMBER 5 Field Amount Total record count Number Total Average for record samples Positive 609 5AT 277 55 565 61 Zeros a Absolute value of Neqative 161 58 396 56 362 71 the amount field Totals TTA 466 5660 69 607 36 for MUS samples Abs Value 565 674 41 Range 9 132 17 Highest 5 549 19 4 954 64 4 426 14 3 856 05 3 633 40 Lowest 3 562 95 2 192 94 24 133 37 2 044 52 1 954 66 al Note You can note or retrieve Count and Statistics information from the log file for subse quent sampling For record samples
201. e Inventory 7 Click OK to close the Expression Builder and return to the Count dialog box The name of the filter expression appears now in the If text box Main More Cancel Help 8 Click OK to apply the filter to the input file and execute the command ACL reports the result in the command log Command Log OLX Last Result S fx Ll COUNT IF Negcost 3 of 152 met the test Negcost al 232 ACL for Windows 7 Using Expressions Workbook ACL advises that three items have a unit cost that is less than or equal to zero You can then investigate why the unit cost is less than or equal to zero Creating a Filter for a Negative or Zero Quantity on Hand Unless reorder points have been ignored or there is a problem with back orders this may also indicate a problem in the data file V To create a filter to search for a negative or zero quantity on hand 1 Select Analyze from the menu bar and choose Count to open the Count dialog box 2 Click If to open the Expression Builder 3 In the Available Fields list view double click QtyOH to copy the field name to the Expression text box Click _ Less Than or Equal To to add it to the expression Enter 0 zero where the cursor is in the Expression text box Enter Stockout in the Save As text box to name the filter Count If x Expression Hee Verity Cancel Save As Stockout Available Fields Fun
202. e Ap_Trans fil Control Totals When you use an ACL command that produces a file you can create control totals for the numeric fields Control totals allow you to check files that you use repeatedly for completeness and consistency V To create control totals for numeric fields 1 With the Ap_Trans input file definition open click E Total or select Analyze from the menu bar and choose Total to open the Total dialog box 130 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Sorting and Indexing Total x Main More Total Fields Invoice Amount Invoice Amount Quantity Quantity Unit_Cost Unit Cost OF Cancel Help 2 Select the Invoice_Amount field 3 Click OK to issue the Total command 4 The control total for Invoice_Amount appears in the command log Command Log Pl Ea Last Result gt S fx al TOTAL FIELDS Invoice Amount The total of Invoice _Amount is 276 641 53 a _ 4 Using the Sort Command When you perform a sort ACL physically reorders the records and creates a data file arranged in the sorted sequence Sorting requires both memory and disk space so you should ensure that your system has adequate resources before using the Sort command ACL will use as much extended or expanded memory as is available to Windows on your system As a general rule allow disk space of at least 2 5 times the size of the file you want to sort Module 4 Manipulating Data 131 Sorting and Indexing
203. e Before contacting ACL be sure you have the following infor mation Your ACL serial number You can find this on the back of your CD case or in ACL for Windows select Help from the menu bar and choose About ACL a The type of hardware you are using and whether it is connected to a Local Area Network LAN A description of what happened and what you were doing when the problem occurred The error message if any displayed by ACL Online Support Center If you have access to the World Wide Web go to www acl com and click the Online Support Center There you will find helpful tools and resources to enhance your use of ACL Global Help Desk The Americas Phone 1 604 669 4997 a Fax 1 604 689 4209 E mail support acl com Europe Middle East and Africa a Phone 32 2 642 22 90 m Fax 32 2 642 22 91 a E mail support_europe acl com Asia and Pacific Rim a Phone 65 299 3350 a Fax 65 299 5110 a E mail support_asia acl com 4 ACL for Windows 7 We d Like to Hear From You ACL is committed to providing you with quality products and services for data access analysis and reporting To ensure your continued satisfaction we welcome your sugges tions for improvements to ACL for Windows our user documentation and online Help Please send your comments to our Product Management team at Phone 1 604 669 4225 mw Fax 1 604 669 3557 E mail product_mgmt acl com You can also s
204. e 3 Understanding Data 111 Testing for Sequences Duplicates and Gaps 5 Click OK ACL reports that there is one gap in the check number sequence ACL lists the check numbers on either side of each gap range so you can see where the gaps exist Reporting Missing Items V To use the Gaps command to list each missing check number separately 1 Select Analyze from the menu bar and choose Gaps ACL displays the Gaps dialog box with the Gaps check box selected 2 In the Sequence On list view select Check_No 3 Click List Missing Items The Maximum Missing Items text box becomes available You can now specify a limit on the number of missing check numbers that ACL lists in each range 4 Click OK ACL reports all the missing check numbers in the command log ACL lists the check numbers inside the specified gap range Testing Duplicates and Gaps Together You can test for duplicates as well as gaps in the key field sequence at the same time V Totest for duplicates and gaps at the same time 1 Click Duplicates or select Analyze from the menu bar and choose Duplicates to open the Duplicates dialog box In the Sequence On list view click Check_No You can only test for sequence errors on a single key field Select both the Gaps and Duplicates check boxes To ensure that the Sequence On field is sorted check the Presort check box 112 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Testing for Sequences Duplicates and
205. e Break after each Itern 2 In the list box on the right click one of the view definitions 3 Check the Page Break after each Category check box to begin printing each category at the top of a page Check the Page Break after each Item check box to start each item at the top of a page 4 Click Print ACL displays the Print dialog box Make sure that your printer is connected and ready 5 Click Print again to print the view definition ACL prints a list of the fields in the view The list includes any options set for the field To print documentation for all input file definitions views or batches you simply check the check boxes at the top of each of the list boxes in the Print Documentation dialog box You can also print the command log from the Print Documentation dialog box by selecting the Log check box Similarly you can print any notes you have made for the Project by selecting the Project Notes check box For more information see Printing the Log on page 82 Module 2 ACLFundamentals 91 Documenting Your Work Changing the Font Size You can select a different font size from the drop down list at the top of the Print Documentation dialog box Increase the number to make the printed text larger or decrease the number to make the printed text smaller The default setting is 9 point font size Preferences Check the Preferences check box in the Print Documentation dialog box to include a list of the curren
206. e No Ref Type To il 9 EB 250 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Using Batches 4 5 Close the Batch window The dialog box prompts you to save the changes to the batch Click OK to replace the Arsample2 file with the new interactive version Running the Batch You will define variables as the batch is running V Torun the interactive batch 1 Double click Arsample2 in the list of batches in the Overview window ACL asks you if you want to run or edit the batch Click Run A dialog box prompts you to enter the sampling interval This is the first Accept command prompt Execution of the batch stops until you enter a response Fill in boxes and press OK x Enter sampling interval l Enter 25000 and click OK Another dialog box appears and this time prompts you to enter the random start Fill in boxes and press OK x Enter random start Cancet Enter 234 and click OK A dialog box asks if you want to overwrite the input file Click Yes to overwrite the Armonth2 file which is now the old version ACL reports the result in the command log Using Dialog Boxes in Interactive Batches The Dialog Builder is an additional more powerful option for building interactive batches It lets you design your own batch dialog boxes that prompt for user input to perform a wide range of functions You can select a full range of controls including radio buttons and check boxes to create a dialog
207. e Record Type File You process one record type at a time by creating a filter for a record type and then applying the filter to the file With the filter applied you define fields for the filtered records To begin you distinguish the lines that contain information you want from formatting and total lines To identify only data records you can define a filter that includes a characteristic that is unique to the data records For this example all data records have an amount field with a decimal point in a certain position Given that none of the page formatting records has Module 5 Creating Applications 269 Working with Multiple Record Type Files a decimal point character in the same position as the data records no page formatting records will appear in the view that you create Defining the Header Filter Notice that each of the header records has a title followed by a colon Since none of the other lines contains colons you can define a filter that tests for a colon to identify the header records To define a Header filter Click the Add a New Data Filter tab to display the filter definition options In record 8 click the colon after Product Class then click Include Click Accept Entry ACL asks you to save the filter Enter Header and then click OK ACL asks you if you want to keep the filter active 2 ee ee oe Click No because you still need to define a filter to identify the detail lines Defining
208. e batch Module 9 Using the Dialog Builder 363 Designing Batches Using the Dialog Builder ACL displays the Batch window Build New Dialog If you are creating a new batch design the batch first Before you use the Dialog Builder determine its most efficient use in your batch Then when you have an existing batch and know your objective open the Dialog Builder 3 In the Batch window click Ed Build New Dialog ACL displays the Dialog Builder which is called User Dialog until you save it with a new name User Dialog Text Edit Box Check Box Radio Buttons Drop down list Project item list 7 Delete Snap to grid gE Note You can change the size and position of the OK and Cancel buttons but you cannot delete them They are integral to the dialog box Dialog Controls and Variables Using Dialog Builder controls you can add text and check boxes option buttons drop down and Project item lists to dialog boxes 364 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Designing Batches Using the Dialog Builder The controls with the exception of Text generate variables that can replace command parameters such as file names field names and variables The table below lists the controls and their variables Control Default Variable Name Variable Content Edit Box EDIT1 Text entered Check Box CHECKBOX1 Tor F Radio Button RADIO1 1 2 n Drop down list DROPDOWN1 Text entered or selected Document
209. e batch list ACL asks you if you want to edit or run the batch Click Edit to open the Invgrp2 batch window Position the cursor at the beginning of the line containing the End command Click Else ACL displays the Else dialog box Click OK ACL adds the Else command to the batch Click Total or select Analyze from the menu bar and select Total to open the Total dialog box 7 Inthe Total Fields list view click Value 8 Click OK to add the command to the batch and close the Total dialog box 9 Close the Batch window ACL prompts you to save the changes to the batch O WM gt Ww N 258 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Groups and Loops in Batches 10 Click OK to save the changes to the Invgrp2 batch In this group if records have a product class number that is 05 or above the Else command instructs ACL to total their value V To see how the Else command affects the group run the batch 1 In the Overview window click Invgrp2 2 Click Open 3 Click Run ACL runs the batch and displays the results in the command log As you can see the group stratifies records with a product class number under 05 and then totals the Value field for records for the remaining class numbers Command Log Oy x Last Result S fx El A DO Invarpe2 A GROUP IF FRODCLS os cap o gt lt gt lt i gt lt b gt Cares lt b gt E gt COUNT STATISTICS ON Value TO SCREEN NUMBER 5 HISTO
210. e data as you would any other ACL data file For more information see Defining Data Fields on page 42 384 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Refresh from lt 4 Skip Length oe source file Any changes to the database after you import it are not included in the ACL file ACL does not refresh the data file every time you open it ACL takes a snapshot of the data If you need current information click Refresh from Source File in the Input File Definition window to refresh the file from the current ODBC database If ACL displays a column title with blank data fields it indicates that a field type was not converted You may also notice some numeric fields default to two decimal places For example ACL does not convert variable length and custom field types as there is no consistent way to properly convert them If an ODBC numeric field is set as a floating decimal field ACL sets a default of two decimal places Choose Edit from the menu bar and select Input File Definition to change the decimal setting in the Edit Fields Expressions options Updating an ODBC File To update an ODBC database table you do not need to import the database again Simply click Refresh from Source File in the Input File Options tab of the Input File Definition window ACL asks if you want to refresh the data from its source Click Yes to update the ODBC table to the current data from the source table E Cust C ACL Data Data
211. e differences in speed at which the components can process data being routed to them Button Bar The button bar provides fast access to commonly used commands and options You can customize the number and order of icons in the button bar to suit your needs Canned Applications When starting ACL you can include optional command line parameters to automati cally load a Project initialize variables or start a batch In this way you can create an icon in Windows which when double clicked automatically performs a complex routine task Appendix C Glossary 387 Character A letter digit or other symbol used to represent data Character data is normally used to represent text strings or date information Character String A sequence of characters See also Character on page 387 Column A column is a defined field or expression that is displayed vertically in the View window View columns display the fields you define and format from the data file Column Headings The titles shown at the top of each column in the View window are called column headings ACL automatically gives the column headings the same name as the fields in the data file until you give them a new title Command Log An electronic log that records each command you issue and its results from the time you open an ACL Project until you close the Project Each Project you create in ACL has its own log The information in the log is cumulative You
212. e eee eee eee oo on Oo co on Oo O71 Oo ee Re Ro Oo 1 Joining the Data Files Workbook i Before you export the sample balances to your word processor you must join this file with the file of names and addresses from the Customer Master file For more infor mation see Sorting Files Before Joining on page 167 To see if the Customer file is sorted on the customer number 1 In the Overview window click Customer in the list of input files and drag and drop it onto the Open button ACL displays the account number names and addresses of all the customers in the view 2 Select Analyze from the menu bar and choose Sequence ACL displays the Sequence dialog box Main More Output Sequence On List Fields Address City Limit Name No Sales_Rep_No V Preso M Duplicates Gaps f List Gap Ranges List Missing Items Street Address City Credit Limit Name Cust No Sales Rep Number Maximum Missing Iterns Address City City Limit Credit Limit Name No Cust No Sales_Rep_No StreetAddress Name Sales Rep Number Cancel Help Module 4 Manipulating Data 207 Generating Confirmation Letters 3 In the Sequence On list view click the No field Leave both the Gaps and Duplicates check boxes unchecked as they are by default 4 Click OK to execute the command ACL displays the results in the command log Command Log Oy x L
213. e first 50 or so records You can use this information as a reference when you define the data fields and create your input file definition Note ODBC and dBASE files contain information about the file structure that allows ACL to automatically create an input file definition The easiest way to create an input file definition is to use the Data Definition Wizard It is also possible to exit the Wizard and carry out all the steps yourself Later on you may need to edit your input file definition All three processes are covered in this lesson Creating an Input File Definition Using the Data Definition Wizard The Wizard can greatly simplify the process of creating an input file definition For this exercise use Inventory from the Workbook Data Files The Wizard defines most of the files that you work with as easily as it defines this one If you need more information than what the Wizard offers you can turn to online Help for further assistance This lesson presents a brief example of creating an input file definition using a single record type file V Tocreatean input file definition 1 Open the Workbook Project 2 Select Data from the menu bar and choose Select to display the Select Input File Definition dialog box Module 2 ACL Fundamentals 35 Input File Definitions 3 In the Select Input File Definition dialog box click New ACL displays the Welcome screen of the Wizard Click Next Data Definition Wizard 4 AC
214. e is no decimal point character in the same position in any non data records you can define a filter using a decimal character to process only the data records 268 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Working with Multiple Record Type Files In this lesson you are only interested in the data in the header and detail record types You create a filter for each of these record types and then define the following fields for each record type Record Type Field Header Product Class Product Class Description Detail Product Number Product Description Quantity on Hand Unit Cost Extended Cost You can see that there is no data in record 1 Record 2 contains the date report title and page number Record 3 contains the time and the second line of the report title Records 5 and 6 contain column headings Record 7 is empty Record 8 is the first data record This is a header record that contains the product class and product class description information You will return to this record later as it contains some of the data you want to define Record 10 is the first detail line The detail lines contain the majority of the data with which you want to work Notice that the data in each of the detail records 10 through 26 is consistent in its position within the record and its length Record 28 is the total line for the first product class If you want scroll all the way to record 232 to see the report totals Defining Filters and Fields for a Multipl
215. eak Column on page 296 V To use Summarize to prevent the detail lines from being displayed 1 Double click the column heading for Vendor Number to display the Modify Column dialog box 2 Click the Page Break check box to de select the Page Break option so that all records appear continuously on the page 3 Click OK to close the Modify Column dialog box 300 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Formatting Reports 4 Double click the column heading for Invoice Amount to display the Modify column dialog box 5 Click the Suppress Totals check box to de select this option so that the totals will be displayed 6 Click OK to close the Modify Column dialog box 7 Click Report The Report dialog box appears 8 Check the Summarize check box Also ensure that the Presort check box is already checked 9 Click OK to execute the command Click Print to print the result Page 1 Produced with ACL by ACL Services Ltd Vendor Invoice Invoice Invoice Product Quantity Number Number Date Amount Number 10025 59 347 59 3 917 10101 691 04 127 10134 22 618 62 954 10448 782 04 192 10534 4 482 60 590 10559 708 99 471 10720 471 60 126 10721 2 212 86 373 10787 4 464 90 1 350 10879 1 440 00 180 11009 92 16 32 11247 3 162 78 179 11435 1 469 13 365 11475 35 968 34 9 731 11663 6 666 39 1 436 11837 12 454 88 824 11922 17 868 84 4 455 12130 30 858 17 3 107 12230 809 20 289 12248 1 885 60 57 12289 328 60 62 12433 14 835 74 2 123 1
216. ecide you do not want to include a field definition you can delete it from the input file definition at any time Use the Input File Definition window to delete a field definition You cannot delete a field definition if the current view is using that field Close the view first then delete the field definition 48 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Input File Definitions V To delete a field definition 1 2 3 4 Select Edit from the menu bar and choose Input File Definition ACL displays the Input File Definition window Select the field you want to delete Click Delete Fields ACL asks if you want to delete that field Click Delete The field definition disappears from the Fields list view To replace a field definition that has been deleted redefine it in the Input File Definition window follow the procedure on the previous page for Adding Field Definitions Shifting Multiple Fields with the Shift Fields Button The Shift Fields button allows you to shift the starting position of a data field For example if data fields are added to or removed from a source file at any position before the end data in previously defined fields often moves out of alignment You can use this feature to realign the data fields You can automatically shift the start position of that data field along with all those data fields to its right Note Shift Fields only shifts physical data fields Because computed fields are virtual fields that m
217. ecifying the record types you want to work with the results would be wrong When you work with multiple record type files you must always specify which record type you want ACL to process Module 5 Creating Applications 285 Processing Multiple Record Type Files Creating a Batch to Process the Three Record Types To ensure that the total value of goods in the Detail lines of the invoice agrees with the total of the invoice before taxes you need to check the totaling or footing of the invoices The following batch processes all three record types together It also lists the exceptions including the invoice number and the customer number for reference To create the group you must first define required variables and establish their initial values using the Assign command The MCUST variable stores the customer number The MTOT variable totals the detail lines and carries the total forward for comparison to the total in the Trailer record It is important to assign the desired number of decimal places to numeric variables to prevent rounding In this example if you designated MTOT with no decimal places every record would meet the condition IF MTOT lt gt TOTGOODS since MTOT would be rounded and TOTGOODS would have two decimal places ACL reads each record first testing to see if it is a Header record If it is ACL stores the customer number in the MCUST variable It also resets MTOT the invoice total counter to zero Each Header
218. ecords again Another example of incomplete data is in the Product Number Column A quick glance at the view shows you that there are two blank entries in the Product Number column for records 3 and 8 You can also use the Count command to count the number of records that contain blank values in a field To count records with blank values in the ProdNo field 1 Select Analyze from the menu bar and choose Count 2 In the If text box enter ProdNo matching quotes separated by a space 3 Click OK ACL displays the result showing that two of the records contain blank entries in the ProdNo field 4 If you now set a filter to find these two records as you did with InvoiceNo you will find that records 3 and 8 have blank fields What is Inconsistent Data Inconsistent data is data for which comparable or matching data does not exist in another field or file You often find inconsistent data by comparing data in two separate files For example a customer master file record may not exist for an invoice entry in a transaction file You can use the Join command and the Unmatched Records option to 352 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Troubleshooting Data Errors identify data that is inconsistent between files You can also create a relationship between the files to identify inconsistent data For more information on using the Join command the Unmatched Records option and the Relations command see Lesson 4 7 Joining Relating and Mer
219. ed Decimal Interchange Code This format is commonly found only on IBM mainframe and mid range computers ASCII American Standard Code for Information Interchange This format is typically found on most personal computers and some mid range and mainframe computers In addition to EBCDIC and ASCII ACL can read all numeric and date data types You do not have to translate the data In fact ACL eliminates the risk of errors that may occur during the translation process What is a Data File The data you want to analyze can come from a mainframe minicomputer or PC It can vary in record structure and data type and can be on tape disk or another storage device Computerized data is stored in units called data files What is a Record Data files contain smaller units called records Each record offers a complete set of data about a topic For example the name address and telephone number on one line ina telephone book could be combined to form a single record There can be a great number of records in a file just as there are possibly millions of records in a telephone directory What is a Flat File Each record in a data file may be either fixed or variable length and the file may contain either single or multiple record types These files are often referred to as flat files Flat file Module 1 Welcome to ACL 9 Accessing and Downloading Data is alay term for a file that does not have a complex file structure such as in a d
220. ed records or fields from the current file and copy them to a different file Export to create a file that can be used directly by other software programs such as Word or Excel for further processing Sort to actually sort the data in a file and create a new sorted input file Index to create an index that reorganizes the data in a view Stratify to count and total records in specified ranges Age to summarize date intervals Histogram to produce graphical overviews of the contents of an input file Join Relations and Merge to combine input file fields Sample to create record or monetary unit samples Size to determine the appropriate size for samples and Evaluate to determine the effect of errors detected in your sampling results 113 114 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Extracting Data Lesson 4 1 Extracting Data You can use the Extract command to select specific records from a large file in order to work with those records in a smaller file Extracting records or fields to a separate file can significantly reduce your processing time and disk space requirements You can also use the Extract command to extract data to a new file isolating unusual items for separate analysis Extract copies a subset of some or all of the records or fields in an input file and creates a data file of the extracted records Records in the original data file are unchanged ACL automatically creates an input file definition for the new data file When you
221. eds at any time When you apply a global filter ACL hides or changes to highlight all records that test false depending on the View Options settings in the Preferences Note The default preference hides filtered records For more information on setting Preferences see View Options on page 333 Local Filters You can apply a local filter with an ACL command to process only the records that match the filter condition The filter is only applied for the duration of that command All other records are excluded from processing For example you can use a local filter to extract items in inventory that have a high value belong to a certain product class or are located in a particular warehouse Viewing Exceptions with Local Filters You can use a local filter with the COUNT command to quickly test for conditions in the input file For example you can look for items that have a negative or zero unit cost negative or zero quantity on hand or selling price less than cost price When this type of data is present in an inventory input file it indicates a potential problem 230 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Using Expressions Creating a Filter for a Negative or Zero Unit Cost This is a local filter because it is applied for the single use of the command The filter is named and saved so that you can retrieve and use it again W To create a local filter to search for a zero or negative unit cost 1 Select Analyze from the menu bar an
222. efined earlier You will notice in the To text box that an output file name has automatically been suggested EXTRO1 has been chosen because this is the first 01 output file you have created with the Extract command Click in the To text box and enter Location5A to change the name of the new file Click OK ACL executes the command and opens the new input file definition in the View window 10 Notice that ACL changed the order of the fields for the 13 records and arranged the columns in alphabetical order by field name Note ACL converts computed fields to the appropriate field type ACL ASCII or LOGICAL Extracting Selected Fields You have complete control over the fields you extract ACL extracts only the fields you select in the order you select them to the new input file Extracting selected fields makes it easy to create smaller files that contain only the information with which you are inter ested in working V To extract some fields from the Inventory input file 1 Click the Input File box at the right end of the status bar The Select Input File Definition dialog box appears In the Select Input File Definition list box double click Inventory ACL opens the Inventory input file and its default view Click Extract or select Data from the menu bar and choose Extract ACL displays the Extract dialog box Select Fields Click Extract Fields In the Available Fields list view double c
223. elatively straightforward One slightly unusual result was obtained The next step would be to filter the entire Trans file for product 080126008 demonstrating in this example that the range of order quantities is relatively normal Module 4 Manipulating Data 219 The Benford Command There are many ways to narrow down the selection including the following Employing More Leading Digits The Benford command allows analyses of up to 6 digits If more digits are used more combinations are generated and therefore each subset is smaller If a data file of 10 000 records is analyzed using 3 leading digits the largest resulting bar on the graph should contain an average of 43 records Certain types of fraud are less likely to be caught as the number of digits is increased For example if the person attempting the fraud creates false invoices within a range that is just below some threshold such as 4 926 4 933 and 4 987 the three digit test will not reveal any significant duplication For this reason a full digital analysis usually involves testing several different digit combinations from the same data Note Note for analyses involving more than 3 digits the command is output to a file rather than the command log to avoid unreasonably long results in the log For example 4 leading digits will produce 9 000 lines of output and 6 leading digits will result in 900 000 lines Drilling Down and Setting a New Filter You can drill d
224. elds Text A text data file contains only printable characters such as the letters a through z the numbers 1 through 9 and punctuation Text files may or may not be print files Delimited Many data files contain fields that do not have a fixed position in a record Files in which each field is separated from the others by a field separator character are called delimited files When you select a delimited file the Wizard automatically determines the character set classifies the file format as Delimited and also determines the Field Separator and Text Qualifier The Wizard then prompts you to save the data file as a flat file and to also name the fields A carriage return and a line feed separate each record in a delimited file Fields are usually separated by commas and character strings are enclosed in quotes Print Files Print files are text files in the form of a printed report They may also contain non data lines such as headers subheaders blank lines and total lines that ACL can filter when reading the print file ODBC The term ODBC stands for open database connectivity a standardized application programming interface API technology that allows different applications to connect to and read each other s data files Developers can create ODBC enabled applications also known as ODBC compliant or ODBC client applications They can also write ODBC drivers for specific database mana
225. en a system may appear to have a particular field but in practice the field is not actually used Also there are often various codes and conventions that users must learn Examining file layouts reports and screen dumps should provide enough detail to easily identify what data is available in which files and what is required for a specific analysis Preparing the Data File Before downloading the data it is sometimes necessary to prepare the data If all the data in a specific file is required and the file is in a format that ACL can read directly then you can transfer the file of data in its native form to the PC All the data may not be required for a very large file In such cases it is best to request assistance from your computer department to create an extract program The extract program will create a smaller file with only those fields of data required for an analysis For database files such as DB2 IMS and IDMS you will again require your computer department to provide an appropriate flat file copy of the database Lastly you can always access output report files in electronic form because almost all computer software generates detailed transaction reports ACL can read information stored as a printed report This technique is useful when you want to access data stored in a complex database format rather than a flat file because it opens up almost any data for independent analysis using ACL The first step in processing a rep
226. end mail to ACL Services Ltd 1550 Alberni Street Vancouver BC Canada V6G 1A5 Installing ACL for Windows Workbook The ACL for Windows Version 7 Workbook is intended for use with ACL for Windows Version 7 0 Later versions of the software may contain functionality not addressed in this publication If you do not have ACL for Windows Version 7 installed on your system then you must install it and the ACL for Windows Version 7 Workbook software from the CD ROM included with this workbook System Requirements ACL for Windows Version 7 Workbook requires the following IBM 486 or higher personal computer Pentium recommended Eight megabytes of RAM minimum 32 megabytes recommended m Atleast seven megabytes of free space on a hard disk drive for storing the ACL program and all related files significantly more disk space is recommended for storing your working files a Windows 95 98 ME or Windows NT 4 0 2000 Note You must have administrator rights to install on a system running Windows NT or Windows 2000 Installing the Workbook Data Files Only If you already have ACL for Windows Version 7 loaded on your system you need to install only the Workbook data files VY To install or reinstall only the working files the sample data files used in the Workbook lessons on your personal computer 1 Close all programs 2 Insert the CD into the CD ROM drive The installation program informs you of the progress and prompts f
227. endix B ODBC Access for more details on accessing ODBC files Tape You can use ACL to easily access and read data from tape reels or cartridges Accessing a file on tape similar to processing the file with disk based files ACL quickly reads untranslated data do not use a back up copy and your data remains on tape ACL can read data from almost all types of tape including 2 inch 9 track tapes IBM 3480 cartridges 8mm tape and 4mm DAT For PC versions of ACL you must attach the appropriate tape drive to your personal computer to use this method 14 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Fixed Point Arithmetic Lesson 1 2 Fixed Point Arithmetic ACL uses fixed point arithmetic for its numeric operations for two reasons It improves processing speed It gives you control over decimal numbers and rounding Fixed Point Numbers ACL calculates fixed point numbers exactly as they are stored For example if you specify two decimals when you define a field ACL stores 1 11 as exactly 1 11 but it stores 1 1199 as 1 12 If you fix the number of decimals at four ACL stores 1 1111 as 1 1111 but it stores 1 11119999 as 1 1112 You specify the number of decimal places for a field when you define it And in a condi tional computed field the default value that you specify establishes the number of decimal places for the result Fixed Point Arithmetic Fixed point arithmetic affects your calculations in the following ways ACL prov
228. endor Printing the Result of the Classify Command If you want to print the classified data as it is shown in the command log 1 Click the drop down list in the command log and select Last Result 2 Select File from the menu bar and choose Print 3 Click Print to print the window You can also click the Output tab in the Classify dialog box and select the Print option button to send the output to the printer Creating an Input File of Summarized Data You can store the results of a Classify or Summarize command in an output file You may want to create a separate file so you can later process the classified or summarized infor mation 146 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Summarizing and Classifying When you store summarized or classified data to a file ACL creates a Count field This Count field and all the accumulated fields are stored in an ACL file type This does not affect how you work with the data in the file only how ACL stores the summarized infor mation V To create a file that contains the results of the Classify command 1 Click the Classify command line in the command log ACL copies the command line to the text box to the right of the command log 2 Click the Edit Command ACL displays the Classify dialog box with the same parameters specified in the command line Click the Output tab to display the Output options Click File to save the result to a file Click in the Name text box and enter Classven
229. ensions as the workbook has been created with file extensions displayed For more information on file extensions please consult your Windows user manual Once you have created and saved a Project you can quickly open it using the File menu ACL will list previously opened Projects to a maximum of eight Projects at the bottom of the File menu Click the name of the Project you want to open Module 2 ACLFundamentals 33 Understanding ACL Projects If the name of the Project you want to open is not displayed select File from the menu bar and choose Open Project To close a Project select File from the menu bar and choose Close Project To create an input file definition see Creating an Input File Definition Using the Data Definition Wizard on page 34 34 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Input File Definitions Lesson 2 2 Input File Definitions An input file definition is a format used to describe the structure and content of a data file ACL uses the input file definition to read the data in the file without changing the original data file The input file definition includes field names and data types along with information such as where each field starts and the length of each field The term input file describes the contents of a data file as viewed through its associated input file definition Before you create an input file definition it is a good idea to get a copy or printout of the file layout and a screen print of th
230. enter each command on a single line When you run the batch ACL processes the batch line by line consecutively If there are missing or incorrect parameters the batch will process up until the point at which it reaches the error ACL then prompts you to enter the information or display an error message Using the Batch Window to Create a Batch When a Batch window is open ACL enters commands you issue from the menu into the batch window After saving and naming the batch you can run it to execute the commands V To create a batch in the Batch window 1 Select Edit from the menu bar and choose Batches ACL displays the Batches dialog box Copy From mj Duplicate Cancel Rename Hore elete 2 Click New ACL displays a new untitled Batch window Notice that ACL displays BATCH MODE in the middle of the status bar Module 5 Creating Applications 239 Using Batches Untitled el Es Edit the command Find and replace Edit batch note Group Else End Loop Build New Dialog Like an input file definition a batch is called Untitled until you save it with a name You will name the batch when you close the Batch window Note If you make an error while editing you can undo your last edit by pressing CTRL Z or selecting Edit from the menu bar and choosing Undo Before you select commands to create the batch you can enter a comment to describe the purpose of the batch by doi
231. er ka Ih Poo To Setveng i Local W Use Output File Cancel Help 4 Click OK to issue the Sort command The dialog box closes and ACL opens the new sorted input file in the new default view for the new data file Sortvend fil The command log displays the results 5 Inthe View window use the scroll bar to scroll to the bottom of the view You can see that all the records are now sorted by vendor number Verifying the Sort Sequence Use the Sequence command to verify that the file is sorted on the field you specified V To verify the sort sequence 1 Select Analyze from the menu bar and choose Sequence The Sequence dialog box appears 2 In the Sequence On list view select Vendor_No 3 Make sure both the Gaps and Duplicates check boxes are unchecked 4 Click OK The command log displays a message informing you that there are no data sequence errors This proves that the file is sorted correctly by Vendor Number Verifying the Totals To verify the total for the new file issue the Total command for the Invoice_Amount field For more information see Lesson 3 3 Totaling Fields on page 99 for details on using the Total command Compare the total to the one you obtained earlier for the Ap_Trans input file The totals should be the same Module 4 Manipulating Data 133 Sorting and Indexing Sorting on Multiple Fields You can sort on multiple fields in the same file You can even sort one fie
232. ered the sample item amount minus the actual amount In other words if a sample item was recorded as 2150 but the correct value was 2100 then the error is 50 If the actual amount is greater than that recorded enter the error as a negative amount Click OK to execute the command ACL processes the errors recorded and displays the result in the command log Command Log iofs Last Result xY fx v E EVALUATE MONETARY CONFIDENCE 95 ERRORLIMIT 2150 50 2295 300 INTERVAL 4000 TO Confidence 95 Interval 4000 Item Error Most Likely Error Upper Error Limit Basic Precision 12 000 00 2 295 00 300 00 542 85 915 04 2 150 00 50 00 935 02 144 15 al rl 4 196 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Sample Size and Evaluate The report includes the effects of each error and shows the most likely amount of total error and the UEL expressed as a dollar amount This is the amount you are confident that total errors do not exceed For example while you can estimate that the most likely errors are 615 90 you can be 95 percent confident that the total errors do not exceed 13 059 22 You can also use the Evaluate command to measure the effective errors detected in the random record sample drawn earlier against the entire population Simply choose the Record option button and enter the required parameters For more information on the Evaluate command see Evaluate on page 179 of the ACL for Windows Reference Manual and online Help Exi
233. erence 340 blank lines suppressing in reports 304 break columns creating 297 column width changes saving 334 columns 70 display invalid data as blanks or zeros 347 404 Index duplicates suppressing in reports 301 filters using in reports 301 grid lines showing 334 headers 293 hide filtered records 334 invalid data display blanks or zeros 335 line spacing 295 margin values setting 292 margin right edge 334 margins changing 292 Modify Columns dialog box using 290 numeric 73 numeric default 340 page breaks creating 298 reports 290 saving view 298 subtotals displaying 297 summaries displaying 299 totals suppressing in reports 299 views 290 width expression fields 340 zeros display as blanks 303 Functions AGE about 161 CLEAN about 347 EXCLUDE about 349 INCLUDE about 349 OFFSET about 264 PROPER about 211 VERIFY about 95 G Global font changing 342 Global filter applying 234 Global filters compare to local 229 removing 235 Graph properties changing 314 Graphable Data command log 321 Graphs Age output option 311 Classify output option 311 command log output 321 Histogram command output 309 properties editing 312 saving as bitmap files 320 Stratify output option 311 Grid lines showing 334 Group command in batches using 254 multiple record type files 276 Group test results displaying 336 Groups command number displaying 256 comm
234. es this is a filtered conditional index Because a filter is in effect there are fewer records in the view Only the records meeting the condition are displayed Closing an Index File When you finish working with an index you may want to close the active index file V To close an index file 1 In the Overview window expand Indexes to display the list of Indexes ACL displays gt next to the active index 2 Click the name of the active index file and click Close ACL returns to the unsorted view of the file Exiting ACL If you want to exit ACL now select File from the menu bar and choose Exit Module 4 Lesson 4 4 Manipulating Data 143 Summarizing and Classifying Summarizing and Classifying There are two approaches to summarizing data with ACL Use the Classify command to count the number of records relating to a unique key character field value and to accumulate totals of specified numeric fields for each key value Use the Summarize command to generate a record count and numeric field value totals for each distinct key value for one or more character or date fields in a sorted file In this lesson you compare the results of the Classify and Summarize commands You also learn more about when to use each command Opening Your Project To prepare for this lesson 1 Open the Workbook acl Project For details on how to open an ACL Project and an input file definition see Lesson 2 4 Overview Window on p
235. evel and base the interval on this value Module 4 Manipulating Data 185 Sample Size and Evaluate V To use the Size command to determine the MUS Sample Size Interval and Maximum Tolerable Taintings 1 Select Sampling from the menu bar and choose Size ACL displays the Size dialog box Main Output Monetary Confidence Ce Record Population iT Materiality fT Expected Total Errors dl Results Calculate Sample Size Interval Masimum Tolerable T aintings 72 Cancel Help The Monetary option button is selected by default Note Ifyou intend to use the Evaluate command later to evaluate any errors detected in a MUS sample you must use fixed interval sampling 2 Enter 95 in the Confidence text box The confidence is the level of reliability entered as a percentage you would like the sample to generate The sample has a 95 percent confidence as it would likely be wrong only 1 time in 20 3 Enter 585674 41 in the Population text box The Population for a MUS is the absolute value of the field being sampled 4 Enter 12000 in the Materiality text box The materiality is the amount of total error where action must be taken In this example projected errors less than 12 000 are acceptable 186 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Sample Size and Evaluate 5 Leave the Expected Total Errors text box blank The expected total errors are the total dollar amount of errors anticipated in the populatio
236. ex ao uM Click OK ACL creates an index and links it to the input file In the Overview window Indvip is listed under Indexes The Use Output File option is selected by default so ACL immediately applies the index The command log and status bar both indicate that the index is open Note You do not have to immediately use the indexes you create You can uncheck the Use Output File check box in the Index command dialog box when you want to link an input file to an index later Module 4 Manipulating Data 139 Sorting and Indexing Status bar indicates File Edit Data Analyze Sampling Tools Server Window Help A eASBhe anom ADD aray 7 Project Workbook acl 102 Records Indexed View Default_View Data File Ap_Trans fil Number Number Date Amount Number 10025 230592 30 09 2001 850 58 010102710 232195 14 11 2001 965 77 080938998 10025 234056 30 09 2001 486 00 010226620 He ee 31 01 2001 56 767 20 080102618 10025 239215 30 09 2001 278 04 010155160 jono 4514742 15 10 2001 50 40 010155150 10101 4516050 31 07 2001 486 64 080935428 lt lt E gt HREJE 10101 4517604 30 1 0 2001 154 00 093788411 10134 70075 09 04 2001 467 40 090081001 10134 70936 14 02 2001 661 20 052484405 10134 71073 29 09 2001 883 00 030303343 10134 74841 12 11 2001 18 883 34 030302303 10134 FRNA aninar nn 1873 48 N1N55134N f Command
237. execute commands on the Data Analyze and Tools menus with the Batch window open Copy commands from the command log and paste them into the Batch window Creating a Simple Group You can issue the Count Statistics Histogram and Stratify commands individually to obtain control totals information for a large data file before beginning any specific data analysis project It is simpler and faster however to use a simple group to process all four commands as a unit Create a Group to Obtain Control Totals In this exercise you use the Batch window to create a group that uses the Count Statistics Histogram and Stratify commands To insert commands in the Batch window click command buttons or choose commands from menus and then set parameters in the command dialog boxes You can also enter the commands directly in the Batch window To create the group 1 Select Edit from the menu bar and choose Batches to open the Batches dialog box Options Hew Copy From Duplicate Cancel Bename Horne Delete 2 Click New to open an Untitled Batch window 254 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Groups and Loops in Batches 3 Click Group in the Batch window ACL displays the Group dialog box Main More OF Cancel Help Click OK to add the Group command in the Batch window Select Analyze from the menu bar and choose Count to open the Count dialog box Click OK to add the Count command to t
238. ferences This option affects the way ACL reads dates from an input file Numeric Options Click the Numeric Options tab to display the options Edit ACL Preferences x Interface Options Input File Options View Options Command Options Date Options Numeric Options Print Options Application Font Options prereeeseeseereeseeneenseseeseoseesenseesenresssesesseneeesesee M Stop on Numeric Overflow P Verify Data in Hank invalid Data Expression Field Width fi 2 Thousands Separator Decimal Place Symbol List Separator Default Numeric Format ba Cc Program Files ACL SoftwareXACL for Windows Client aclwin prt Save Factory Cancel Help Stop on Numeric Overflow This option terminates processing when a numeric overflow such as division by zero occurs Verify Data The Verify Data preference automatically checks the validity of data With this option turned off by default ACL does not test for data validity which improves processing speed If you turn Verify Data on ACL automatically verifies data when you use an input file You can choose to have ACL stop processing when it encounters invalid data or replace invalid data with blanks so that processing continues 340 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Setting Preferences E Blank Invalid Data This option is only available if the Verify Data option is turned on If you turn Blank Invalid Data on ACL automatically replaces invalid data wit
239. from the column titles in the view You will learn how to define column titles later in this lesson There are a number of ways to add and remove fields Click Add All ACL copies all fields to the Selected Fields list box Click Clear All ACL clears all fields from the Selected Fields list box Select the first field name in the Available Fields list view SHIFT CLICK the last field name ACL highlights all the fields in between Click gt ACL copies the fields to the Selected Fields list box Select a field name in the Selected Fields list box CTRL CLICK nonadjacent field names Click lt ACL removes the highlighted fields and displays only the field names that were not highlighted in the Selected Fields list box Double click the remaining field names to remove them Double click a field name in the Available Fields list view The field name is copied to the Selected Fields list box To apply the changes click OK ACL closes the Add Columns dialog box and displays the default view You will learn about the other buttons in the Add Columns dialog box in later lessons 70 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook View Window Notice that ACL automatically adds new columns to the far right side of the view unless you specify otherwise If you want to move the new column to the left of a column you can simply drag the column to the new position If you select one of the columns before adding columns ACL will insert the
240. function you can exclude specific characters from a character field EXCLUDE removes specified characters and replaces them with blanks maintaining the original record length EXCLUDE is the opposite of the INCLUDE function The syntax of EXCLUDE 1S EXCLUDE string characters_to_exclude For further details on this function see EXCLUDE on page 44 of the ACL for Windows Reference Manual and online Help 350 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Troubleshooting Data Errors To use the Count command to test for the presence of valid but inappropriate ASCII characters in the Product Number field 1 With the Badfile input file definition open select Analyze from the menu bar and choose Count 2 Click the If text box and enter the expression EXCLUDE CLEAN Prodno 0123456789 lt gt 3 Click OK The command log tells you that one of the records met the test In other words one record contains improper ASCII characters in the Product Number field Command Log Joj x Last Result gt S fx E A COUNT IF EXCLUDE CLEAN Frodnoj OL234567697 lt gt MoT l of 20 met the test EXCLUDE CLEAN Prodnoj 0lz34567097 lt gt 7 7 ETE What is Incomplete Data Incomplete data contains gaps or is missing some type of information You can use the Gaps command to test for gaps or missing items For more information on using the Gaps command to test for data errors see Lesson 3 6 Testing for Seq
241. g Command Results 4 To change the display again click Graph Type 5 In the Graph Type dialog box click the line graph button 6 Click OK ACL displays the same Classify result in a line graph M Graph Pile EG Classify 400000 00 Foe cy g 300000 00 Market Value _ Quantity On Hand Inventory Value at Cost 200000 00 100000 00 O COUNT o N 6 e eeEtnAAE Loc CLASSIFY ON Loc ACCUMULATE Mkt al QtyOH Value TO GRAPH Changing Graph Properties V T change the graph properties 1 Click Graph Properties 2 Click the Global Font tab Graph Properties x Global Font Background Frame Options Font Font style Peguir Script Size Defaut fi D Color Background Sample AA aaBBbbC ee Cancel Help 316 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Graphing Command Results 3 You can change the font font style color and background In the Options tab you can hide the gridlines axis and legend Changing Legend Properties V To change the legend properties 1 Click E Legend Properties 2 Click the Legend Attributes tab Legend Properties Legend Attributes Font Data Series Thickness IY Shadow Cancel Help 3 Using the Legend Attributes Font and Data Series tabs you can change the border style font and appearance of the data series Changing Axis Properties V To change the axis properties 1 Click Axis Properties 2 Click the
242. g the options Expression Builder If Or enter an expression directly in the text box Cancel Help Click to display online Help Click to execute Click to cancel the command the command and close the dialog box Dialog boxes can be moved using the same techniques used for windows V Toclosea dialog box Click a button that carries out the action you have begun for example Save Open or OK a Click Cancel to cancel the action a Click J to close the dialog box This will also cancel the action begun Exiting ACL When you finish working with ACL you should exit the program V Toexit ACL from the application window a Click XJ or select File from the menu bar and choose Exit 28 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Getting Started with ACL ACL FUNDAMENTALS In Module 2 you learn the fundamentals of ACL You learn how to Create an ACL Project and an input file definition Work with dates Manage the Overview and View windows Use the command log Make notes in the Project input file definition and view Print documentation and views 29 30 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Understanding ACL Projects Lesson 2 1 Understanding ACL Projects ACL for Windows keeps track of your work in a file called a Project The ACL Project is like a container or folder that contains items you create during data analysis It also maintains links to other related files The source data file is not part of the Project
243. gement systems data sources ODBC technology gives developers and users an important tool for heterogeneous data source access Prior to ODBC applications were limited to the proprietary interface specific to the data source Heterogeneous data source access was possible only by Module 1 Welcome to ACL 13 Accessing and Downloading Data hard coding applications to handle each specific data source Such applications were difficult to code burdensome to maintain and complicated to extend ODBC increases application portability by eliminating the need for data source specific calls ODBC enabled applications can simultaneously access view and modify data from data sources regardless of whether the source is object oriented ISAM or plain text Using ODBC proprietary databases are now open to third party applications and tools For example ODBC technology gives ACL for Windows complete access to Microsoft Access databases even though the two systems are products of two different vendors Although many ODBC supporters claim that ODBC enables better performance and faster data retrieval than SQL statements or the native database API this is not generally true The specific implementation of either technology as well as the compatibility between the ODBC enabled application implementation and the ODBC driver imple mentation determines how performance is affected See Lesson 2 2 Input File Definitions on page 34 and App
244. ging Data on page 164 You can also use computed fields to verify data For example in Badfile the Total field should equal the Price multiplied by OrderQty To test this relationship you can create an expression to perform this calculation You can then compare the result with the value in the Total field WV To check the Total field In the View window click Add Columns Click Expr to display the Expression Builder Inthe Available Fields list view double click the Price field Click Multiply In the Available Fields list view double click the OrderQty field Inthe Save As text box enter ConTotal Click OK to close the Expression Builder Click OK to close the Add Columns dialog box and execute the command ACL adds ConTotal to the far right of the view oN A A OW N By setting a filter you can now search the file for the first record if any in which the amount in the control total field differs from the amount in the Total field by more than 01 The 01 amount allows for any rounding of the values in the two fields W Toseta filter to determine which records contain inconsistent data 1 Inthe View filter text box in the View window enter ABS TOTAL CONTOTAL gt 0O1 Ea Yiew Default_View Data File Badfile fil ara il 4 ABS TOTAL CONTOTAL gt 01 AB S TOTAL CONTOTAL gt 01 Humber Mumber Price on 214233 040225014 10 98 214237 010155150 13 99 ate 76 End
245. h blanks or zeros as appro priate for the entire field that has any invalid data in it ACL adds an entry to the error log ACL displays the message Invalid data encountered in file values zeroed See file ERROR LOG The error log is stored in the ACL working directory You can view or print the error log in your text editor or word processor Expression Field Width This option indicates the default field width for numeric computed fields or ad hoc numeric expressions for which ACL cannot determine the maximum width The default is 12 characters based on the default application font in ACL Decimal Place Symbol ACL uses a period as the default decimal place character To change the default setting enter a new character in the text box Thousands Separator ACL uses a comma as the default thousands separator To change the default setting enter a new character in the text box List Separator ACL uses a comma as the default list separator which is used primarily to separate function parameters To change the default setting enter a new character in the text box Default Numeric Format Choose a default numeric format from the drop down list Note When you use dollar characters in the default numeric format ACL uses them globally formatting even ACL generated numeric columns such as Count or Classify with It is therefore not recommended that you select as the numeric format Module 7 C
246. half of the Input File Definition window displays the field definition options E Invoice C4ACL Data Data Invoice fil Oy x Input File Options Edit Fields Expressions Add a New Data Filter Name Tie Start Category Length Decimd An fields HR F a 214233H065003 817308961127961128961201 2142330080101018 0 500 42 42 20 99 214233D040225014 10 970 24 24 2635 52 214233T961231 284 51 14 23 297 74 2142340925007 929227961127961130961201 2142340090507811 16 970 34 34 577 32 214234D024195262 6 970 2 2 13 96 214234D080101015 0 465 6 6 2 79 2142347961231 594 07 29 70 623 77 214235H925007 659012961126961129961201 214235D024128932 3 650 28 107 80 214235D010155150 12 990 35 454 65 214235D060112296 14 970 20 299 60 214235D090501541 4 390 3 13 17 214235T9A1231 A75 22 A 7A 91 97 4 a In the Start text box enter 1 to specify the byte location in which the field starts In the Len text box enter 6 to set the length of the field Check that ASCII is the field type in the Type drop down list Ww gt Ww N In the Name text box enter InvNo 280 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Processing Multiple Record Type Files Invoice CAACL Data Data Invoice_fil Input File Options Edit Fields Expressions Add a New Data Filter Name Type stant Len Dec Yalid Field Types Format Suppress Totals Width Hl Static Date l Control Total ne M Default Filter Al
247. haracter string in quotes This allows you to include leading or trailing blanks in the search string Use the Search command with the Seek Expression option to search for the first match for Vendor Number 12701 1 With the Indvip file open select Analyze from the menu bar and choose Search to display the Search dialog box 2 Select Seek Expression 3 Enter 12701 note the matching double quotes in the Expr text box 4 Click OK The records containing Vendor No 12701 are moved to the top of the View window Creating a Conditional Index You can index a portion of a file instead of the whole file by specifying a condition If you create and use a conditional index you access only the records included in the condition This is a useful feature when you want to use only a subset of a large file For example you can work with just the records for a specific vendor The Ap_Trans view that you create in the following lesson lists six records using this index condition To create a conditional index for Vendor Number 12433 1 Select Data from the menu bar and choose Index ACL displays the Index dialog box In the Index On list view click on Vendor_No to select it In the If text box specify the condition by typing Vendor_No 12433 In the To text box name the index file by typing Vend12433 Bt gee See ee Click OK ACL creates the Vend12433 index and immediately applies it to the view Because ACL immediately a
248. he Batch window a a SS Click 2a Statistics or select Analyze from the menu bar and choose Statistics to display the Statistics dialog box The Statistics On list view displays the fields in the Inventory input file 8 In the Statistics On list view click the Value field 9 Click OK to add the Statistics command with the command parameters to the Batch window 10 Select Analyze from the menu bar and choose Histogram to open the Histogram dialog box 11 Select Value from the Histogram On drop down list 12 Enter 0 in the Minimum text box and 100000 00 in the Maximum text box Leave Intervals at the default of 10 13 Click OK to add the Histogram command with the command parameters to the Batch window 14 Click Stratify or select Analyze in the menu bar and choose Stratify to display the Stratify dialog box 15 Select Value from the Stratify On drop down list 16 In the Accumulate Fields list view click Mktval 17 Enter 0 in the Minimum text box and 100000 00 in the Maximum text box Leave Intervals at the default of 10 Module 5 Creating Applications 255 Groups and Loops in Batches 18 Click OK to add the Stratify command with the command parameters below the Group Count Statistics and Histogram commands in the Batch window 19 Click End in the Batch window The Batch window now looks like this Untitled 101 E cou r a a STATISTICS ON Value TO SCREEN NUMBER 5 lt
249. he Related File drop down list and select Inventory From the Relate On list box select Prodno From the Using Index list box select Prodno on A OW Click Delete relationship to remove the relationship ACL asks you if you want to delete the previous relationship 9 Click Yes to remove the relationship If you want to you can select the other relationship and click Delete relationship to remove it 10 Click Done to close the Relations dialog box Merging Data Files The Merge command is another multifile processing option Merge combines two files that have identical record structures into a third file Both files must be sorted in ascending sequence on the key fields before merging For example you can use Merge to combine files from two different time periods or company branches Module 4 Manipulating Data 179 Joining Relating and Merging Data V To Merge two data files with identical record structures into a third file 1 Open the primary file from the Overview window 2 Select Data from the menu bar and choose Merge ACL displays the Merge dialog box Select the secondary file from the Secondary File drop down list Inthe Primary Keys list view select the field you want to sort on In the Secondary Keys list view select a field with an identical record structure To ensure that your primary field is sorted check the Presort check box a OAA W Enter an output file name in the T
250. he conditional expression you defined You will now use the CInvNo column instead of the InvoiceNo column as your Invoice Number column Module 8 Troubleshooting Data Errors 359 Troubleshooting Data Errors V To use the Gaps command to check the CInvNo field for gaps 1 In the View window click the CInvNo column to select it 2 Select Analyze from the menu bar and choose Gaps ACL displays the results telling you that there are no data sequence errors You can use the techniques in this lesson to create similar computed fields to store the corrected values of any fields that contain faulty data Exiting ACL If you want to exit ACL now or change to a different file save your changes with a new name 360 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Troubleshooting Data Errors Module 9 USING THE DIALOG BUILDER Module 9 shows you how to create your own dialog boxes to use with the interactive batches you create in ACL You will learn how to Plan and create a batch dialog box Add controls Edit an existing dialog box Run a dialog box in a batch 361 362 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Designing Batches Using the Dialog Builder Lesson 9 1 Designing Batches Using the Dialog Builder The Dialog Builder lets you design custom dialog boxes that prompt for input and selec tions in interactive batches These dialog boxes allow for quick input of select or specific information and help streamline the batch process Use the Dialog Builde
251. hlights those records that have New York in any field The view shows the found record Click x Remove Filter to remove the FIND filter and restore the original view For a full list of ACL functions and how to use them see Functions on page 23 in the ACL for Windows Reference Manual Exiting ACL If you want to exit ACL now select File from the menu bar and choose Exit Module 4 Manipulating Data 201 Generating Confirmation Letters Lesson4 10 Generating Confirmation Letters ACL lets you use your own word processing package to produce confirmation letters using the data ACL analyzes In this lesson you will use the Summarize Sample and Join commands to generate and prepare data in ACL for export to a word processor Opening Your Project To prepare for this lesson 1 Open the Workbook acl Project For details on how to open an AC Project and an input file definition see Lesson 2 4 Overview Window on page 57 2 In the Overview window drag Ar out of the Overview window This opens the default view of the Ar input file definition linking to the data file Ar fil Generating Confirmation Letters Because you want to confirm balances you must summarize the file to include the outstanding balance for each customer The Summarize command requires sorted data so you must first presort the file Presorting and Summarizing a File You can presort the file when you execute the Summarize command
252. hoose Count ACL displays the Count dialog box Main More lF Cancel Help 98 ACL for Windows 7 Counting Records Workbook 2 Click OK ACL displays the command log with the number of records counted Command Log Oy x Last Result gt S fx E Command mode syntax p counT Result 102 records counted 4 7 ACL reports that there are 102 records in the file This number agrees with your control total so you know that you did not lose records while preparing the file or downloading data to your hard disk Use the Count command to record the number of records in the log file as part of your documentation Module 3 Understanding Data 99 Totaling Fields Lesson3 3 Totaling Fields The Total command displays the total of numeric fields or expressions in an input file Frequently you will want to check the totals of the numeric fields in the data Opening Your Project V To prepare for this lesson 1 Open the Workbook acl Project For details on how to open an ACL Project and an input file definition see Lesson 2 4 Overview Window on page 57 2 From the Overview window drag Ap_Trans onto the application workspace The View window opens and displays the records and columns for the input file definition Ap_ Trans Total the Numeric Fields VY To total the numeric fields in an input file 1 Click Total or select Analyze from the menu bar and choose Total ACL displa
253. hows you how to identify and use invalid data using ACL You will learn how to Recognize invalid data Verify and dump data Handle improper data Handle incomplete and inconsistent data Correct faulty data 343 344 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Troubleshooting Data Errors Lesson 8 1 Troubleshooting Data Errors ACL provides different commands functions and preferences for identifying and handling data errors Data Errors Files may contain data errors such as blanks missing numbers or inconsistent data that were not detected when the file was created What are Data Errors There are four common types of data errors Invalid data in the field This is data that is technically incorrect such as blanks in a Packed field Improper data is technically correct but not logically correct for the context Examples of improper data are incorrectly sorted data when the application requires that it be sorted or duplicate data Incomplete data is missing information such as missing invoice numbers in a file Inconsistent data is data that varies between fields or between files such as an invoice with no corresponding customer master file In this lesson you will use the Badfile input file as it contains examples of the above data errors Opening Your Project To prepare for this lesson 1 Open the Workbook acl Project For details on how to open an ACL Project and an input file definition see Lesso
254. ides exact results in calculations involving addition and subtraction but it rounds at every stage of calculations involving multiplication and division Results and intermediate calculations cannot exceed 22 digits including decimals a When you use two values in an arithmetical operation ACL rounds to the larger number of decimals of the two operands This method is applied at the lowest level in any calculation and is repeated until the expression is evaluated Consider the floating point result you obtain when you divide 1000 by 177 then multiply by 3 1000 177 3 onacalculator 16 949152 If you use ACL to perform the same calculation the fixed point result is 0 18 Rounding in Calculations ACL rounds at every stage of calculations involving multiplication and division To compensate for rounding you can increase the number of decimal places or you can rearrange the equation ACL uses the larger number of decimals in the first two values to determine rounding of the result You can control the number of decimals in the result by using the same number of decimals in the first two values of an equation as you want for the result By Module 1 Welcome to ACL 15 Fixed Point Arithmetic placing the values with the greatest number of decimal places first in your equation you obtain the correct number of decimals in your result Examples In the following example ACL rounds to a whole number in stage one 1000 177 because
255. iew Options tab Date Options Numeric Options Print Options Application Font Options Interface Options Input File Options View Options Command Options F Show Grid Lines W Test Column widths W Show Right Edge of Page l Display Invalid Data as Blanks or Zeros Redraw Seconds fi 0 Global Page Title Produced with ACL by ACL Software C Program FilesWACL Software for Windows Chenthachwin prf Save Factory Cancel Help 3 To turn this option off uncheck the Show Right Edge of Page check box 4 Click OK to accept the change for the current session View Default_View Data File Ap_Trans fil a E E Date Amount Number J i l o 17M0 618 30 070104397 0 BT 2 o jiFaeo00 670512 070104677 9r6 6l 3 o araon 7 955 46 0701046857 1156 6l d o araon 4870 63 070104327 rog 6 amp 6 5 o 1rAa000 10 531 71 070104377 1533 6l B o jsonoeooo 6 734 00 030414313 122 47 T 1 8 i g The title font can be changed to a different font from the data font 1 H we 14 amp 302000 2196 00 030414283 122 18 3002000 26519 1030412553 23 11 g 302000 225 00 030412753 18 12 10 ponozooo 14 88 1030412903 6l 2 alo 41 3062000 1 21716 030321683 828 1 12 E e __188 60 E 13 S171 05 2000 2 240 41 030324803 554 Page width indicator 292 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Formatting Reports When the Show Right Edge of Page check box is checked you can
256. il Lines When you do not want ACL to print blank lines in a report check the Suppress blank detail lines check box ACL will remove the excess white space For this exercise close the Inventory input file and open the Ar input file from the Overview window You must first specify your key field and break column and create a multiline view Double click the Cust No column heading to display the Modify Column dialog box Check the Sort Key Column check box to specify Cust No as a key field Check the Break Column check box to designate Cust No as a break column 1 2 3 4 Check the Suppress Duplicates check box to select this option 5 Click OK 6 Create a multiline view leaving the Cust No field on the first line and moving all other fields to the second line Module 6 Communicating Results 305 Formatting Reports This makes the report easier to read However because the Suppress Duplicates option is on ACL does not print the Cust No multiple times Instead it inserts a blank line where the Cust No should be For details on how to create a multiline view see Constructing Multiline Views on page 74 V To create the report without blank detail lines showing 1 Click Report to display the Report dialog box 2 Check the Presort check box 3 Click Preview to see what the report looks like before you turn on Suppress blank detail lines Page 1 Produced with ACL by ACL Services Ltd Cust Number
257. inaani apii 143 Using the Classify Command 2sccissssscctincpsccssccasasgetsansoccupsanecunpeevess 143 Using the Summarize Command nsssssssessesssssssssesresressesreseessessessese 146 Strating Dataren a E E 150 ERATE VATS Data seia a a 150 Apme B21 6 Ime ew ere ve rer earn ey Se Mn TO ear r om eene Ter anne emen vee er re oer TT 156 Agina Dae FUNG ses cy saan depat ct cect aN 156 Joining Relating and Merging Data 0 cee eeseeeeseseeeeeeteeeeeeeeeeeeaeens 164 Jonne Dara T eS ir tedteanseunntuldeetepunitaats 164 Creatine Relationship Senei a EREN 171 Meroe Data File serridnsooe uian iE 178 Sample Size and Evaluate aan a E A E 180 Preparing Your Bile for Sampling scissa 180 Sample Wet MOS ssc casucederinessibesdycaveecessaducna a a 182 Monetary Unit Sampling 4iiciaiinn patnniiieagomiuaaanaes 183 Recoitd Sampling siipra en Rerevnetaneoneeats 190 Usine Functions innan e E E A AT usu tas cansites 197 Usingthe Pind y FUNCHON grosseria rata te tate eraea es 197 Generating Confirmation letters 25 33 cio cies E 201 Generating Confirmation Letters 0 0 cee eeseeseeseeeeeceseeeeeeeeneees 201 The Bentord Command 1st science eile aan 215 Module 5 Creating Applications ee eee eee eeeeee 223 USING EXPrESSION S iiini iciae E E aR 224 W hat 1S ali EXPres arkai ece selon eet eede tess 224 Creating EX PLesSlONS ridend paiia a e Gaesiiseapsanes 224 Workine WiN PINETS nsoni aa r 229 Deleting a Named Expression scenica ae 235 Usine BaK
258. include as an option V Toadda drop down list control 2 Click in the T Builder where you want ACL to position the upper left corner of the control ACL displays the Drop down List dialog box Module 9 Dropdown list x Variable Using the Dialog Builder 369 Designing Batches Using the Dialog Builder Label T Add Insert l Replace Delete Set Detault Cancel Label List Position and Size x fiz y 108 width fizo W Auto Height fioo M Auto 3 In the Variable text box you can replace the DROPDOWN I variable with a meaningful name 4 Type a custom label in the Label text box then click Add to add the label to the drop down list that will appear in the custom dialog box 5 You can also click Insert to add the label above the highlighted label in the Label List Replace to replace the highlighted label in the Label List with the label you enter in the Label text box Delete to remove the highlighted label from the Label List Set Default to make the label the default 6 Click OK ACL adds a drop down list control to the Dialog Builder Adding Project Item Lists Use the Project Item List control to create lists of ACL Project items from which you can choose one This control generates a character variable named ITEM1 which contains the text of the item you select You can add various categories of items to the Category List including Character numeri
259. indow showing the fields expressions list 3 Double click a field name to display the data definition for that field 4 To make the field conditional enter a condition in the If text box or click If and use the expression builder 5 To make this conditional field static check the Static check box Note Instead of making individual fields conditional and static one at a time you can create and apply a filter in the input fie definition window to have ACL automatically make all fields conditional based on that filter After you have defined a filter you can apply it by selecting it in the field filters drop down list in the input file definition window Select a filter that you want to apply to the fields you subsequently define For more information about static conditional fields see Static Conditional Fields on page 155 of the ACL for Windows User Guide and online Help Exiting ACL If you want to exit ACL now select File from the menu bar and choose Fxit 276 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Processing Multiple Record Type Files Lesson 5 5 Processing Multiple Record Type Files The data file in this lesson contains three record types Header Detail and Trailer While each record has its own fields two of the fields are common to all of these record types In this lesson you define fields in each record type and then create a batch to simulta neously process more than one record type in the multiple recor
260. ine between any two rows in the record number column Your pointer now looks like this Click and hold down your left mouse button 2 Drag the horizontal line down two rows ACL adds two rows to the bottom of both the column title and the data area V To delete blank rows below the column titles and record rows 1 Point between record number one and two in the record number column Your pointer now looks like this 2 Click and drag upwards one row ACL deletes one of the rows that you just added from the bottom of both the column title and data area Only blank rows can be removed in this way View Detault_View Data File Inventory fil x y amp El Product Product Location Product Wri Humber Class Description Cos rectum 1070104347 07 oe LATEX SEMIGLOSS ORANGE 6 87 orr e LATEX SEMFGLOSE CARAMEL oorr e LATEX SEWFOLOSS LILAC 687 oaro e LATEX SEWFGLOSE APRICOT Drag to add or delete rows You can also add blank rows above column titles and record rows V Toadd blank rows above column titles and record rows click and hold the mouse button in the record number column on the line above the column title area The pointer changes to Drag the line down Blank rows are added above the column titles and the record rows Ea View Default_View Data File Inventory fil Product Product Location Product Wri Humber Class Description Cos 070104347 07 06 LATEX SEMI GLOSS O
261. ines is particularly useful a When there may be blank data lines such as extra address lines When there are many report fields and you want to save space by reducing the repetitive output of break fields Exiting ACL If you want to exit ACL now select File from the menu bar and choose Exit Module 6 Communicating Results 307 Graphing Command Results Lesson 6 2 Graphing Command Results You can create graphs from the results of the Histogram Stratify Classify and Age commands Setting Graph Output ACL displays character based output for all ACL commands by default except for the Histogram command When you execute the Histogram command the display automatically defaults to graph To display graphs of the results from the Stratify Classify and Age commands do either of the following Click the Output tab in the command dialog box and select Graph Double click the command result in the command log ACL stores your output setting for the duration of the session The next time you start ACL the output option for that command is returned to the default setting Displaying a Histogram Use the Histogram command to get a graphical overview of a file Histograms display a vertical bar graph representing the distribution of records over the values of a field or expression A histogram is the graphical equivalent of categorized data Profiling the Input File Open the inventory file 1 Inthe Overview
262. ing Periods 0 30 60 90 1 20 10000 Abbreviations for month names no spaces Jan Feb M arApr Mayd C Program FilesVACL Software ACL for Windows Cent hachwir prf Save Factory Cancel Help 3 Enter 60 in the Start of Century text box 4 Click OK to apply your settings for this session only For more information see Date Options on page 337 and online Help Exiting ACL If you want to exit ACL now select File from the menu bar and choose Fxit Module 2 ACL Fundamentals 57 Overview Window Lesson2 4 Overview Window The Overview window provides an easy way to manage all the components of your ACL Project You can use the buttons in the Overview window to execute various Project management commands 1 Select File from the menu bar and choose Open Project The Save New Project As dialog box opens Save New Project As x Save jni E Workbook Data Files t ce adyv_doc ACL BEE Advanced acl BE Derma Dialog acl Pe Formats acl GPE Workbook acl BE Workshop acl Save as type Files ACL Cancel 2 In the Workbook Data Files folder select Workbook acl 3 Click Open to open the Workbook acl Project 58 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Overview Window Working with the Overview Window If your Overview window is not already open click Overview on the button bar to display the Overview window E Overview iofs E Batches l E Input File Definitions an
263. ing Started with ACL The following picture shows samples of maximized resized and minimized windows E ACL for Windows Mie EF File Edit Data Analyze Sampling Tools Server Window Help VASA BE RBRR HE wae eR mm Project Workbook acl Maximized window ACL for Windows File Edit Data File Edit Data Analyze Sampling Tools Server Window Help 22 O gt Z Sampling Tools Server Window Help a VASAS HAE AMB AE 123 Bec 3a 3 a beara arer 152 Records Input File inventory Minimized window igs ACL for Win Note that the top right buttons of each window change to reflect whether they are resized or maximized Buttons in Windows When you resize a window containing buttons ACL rearranges these buttons to fit in the available space If the window becomes too small for the buttons to display vertically ACL wraps the buttons in multiple columns View Default_View Data File Ar fil Humber Date Date Mo Type Amount 795401 200g2000 18082000 205605 CN 474 70 795401 15102000 141172000 206300 225 87 795401 jo4in22000 06032000 207137 180 92 Buttons wrap to fit in the window 24 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Getting Started with ACL Scrolling in Windows When there are too many fields columns or records in the file to display on a single screen you can scroll the view to see additional fields or records V To scroll the view horizontally
264. ing period The last default period of 10 000 is intended to be large enough to include all overdue amounts Note You can change the aging periods to any values that suit your needs If you want to change the aging periods every time you use the Age command change the Aging Periods preference in the Date Options tab in the Preferences dialog box For further details on changing the aging periods see Date Options on page 337 5 Click OK In the command log ACL displays each transaction in the file that has a due date before the cutoff date and groups the transactions using the default aging periods 158 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Aging Data Command Log OT x Last Result YS xX y 4 AGE ON Date CUTOFF 20000831 INTERVAL 0 30 60 90 120 10000 ACCUMULATE Amount 7 lt lt lt Graphable Data gt gt gt Page 1 O1 12 2000 15 09 37 Produced with ACL by ACL Services Ltd lt lt lt AGE over O gt 10 000 gt gt gt gt gt gt Minimum encountered was 101 gt gt gt Maximum encountered was 209 Date COUNT lt gt Trans Amount lt 0 746 96 634 97 69 458 062 39 0 gt 29 17 2 20 1 61 7 563 82 30 gt 59 2 0 26 0 12 548 82 60 gt 59 2 0 26 0 32 1 487 17 90 gt 119 2 0 26 0 15 725 13 120 gt 10 000 3 0 39 0 11 493 36 772 100 00 100 00 468 850 69 You now have a complete picture of all the aged transactions as of the current date grouped according to the default agi
265. input file definition 2 Specify the records by creating a filter for each 3 Define fields for each record type Opening Your Project V To prepare for this lesson 1 Open the Workbook acl Project For details on how to open an ACL Project and an input file definition see Lesson 2 4 Overview Window on page 57 2 In the Overview window select Input File Definitions and then click New ACL displays the Welcome screen of the Data Definition Wizard Click Next 3 On the Select Data Source screen choose Disk Click Next to open the Select File to Define dialog box 266 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Working with Multiple Record Type Files 4 Select Report txt and advance through the Wizard to the File Format screen where Print Image Report File is automatically selected 5 Instead of Print Image Report File select Other file format then click Next to open the File Properties screen 6 On the File Properties screen choose Skip to Finish and then click Next to dismiss the Wizard In this lesson you use the Input File Definition window Click Finish 7 Click OK to save the input file as Report The Input File Definition window opens displaying the Report txt data file EJ Report C ACL Data Data Report bet OE X Input File Options Edit Fields Expressions Add a New Data Filter 3 a Name Tite Start Category Length Decima All fields ee ASCII iL 2 01 08 01 In
266. instantly see what portion of the data in the view ACL will print ACL does not print data that is outside the width of the page Page Orientation The Print Setup orientation is set to portrait by default If you have a wide report you may want to set the orientation to landscape You can see how much data is outside the width of the page by looking at the Page Width indicator in the view V To change the Print Setup orientation to landscape 1 In the View window click Report or select Data from the menu bar and choose Report ACL displays the Report dialog box Click Setup to display the Page Setup dialog box In the Orientation area select the Landscape Click OK Click OK again to close the Report dialog box The Print dialog box appears age See Click OK to print the report or Cancel to return to the view in landscape format The Page Width indicator moves to the right in the view and displays in the appro priate place for a landscape page width For more information see View Options on page 333 Editing Margin Variables Margin values can be set in either inches or centimeters For example 100 specifies a margin of one inch The default setting is 1 2 inch 0 5 on all sides of printed output The margins are measured from the edge of the print area which is typically 1 4 to 1 3 inch from the edge of the paper If you prefer to display measurements in metric you can change the system setting by
267. item contains 1 000 000 individual dollars any of the individual dollars may be selected and the corresponding record drawn You must specify an interval value and a random start number If you specify a random start of 611 and an interval of 900 ACL selects the 611th item and every 900th item thereafter You can also specify a cutoff You may be asked to draw a sample of a fixed size regardless of the monetary size of the population This is seldom appropriate statistically as it may result in oversampling or undersampling You can use a MUS with fixed intervals to sample for the overstatement of any dollar values If you choose an interval sample you cannot specify the sample size directly To get the desired number of selections divide the population by the desired sample size You can then use the result to specify the interval Using the Size Command for MUS The Size command allows you to determine the appropriate sample size and to evaluate any sample errors detected While ACL is an excellent tool for obtaining samples do not use ACL to calculate sample sizes if you Are sampling very small populations especially populations of less than 1000 Have in house sampling experts Have aanother tool mandated for sampling Want to perform variables or estimation sampling You can use the Size command to determine numeric or interval sample sizes The most common way to determine interval size is to decide on a materiality l
268. ith Multiple Record Type Files The data files used in previous lessons in this workbook have just one record type which means that all lines or records in the file contain the same type of information Some files however consist of more than one record type The records in a multiple record type file contain different types of data such as customer name invoice details and invoice summary records Multiple record type files may also be report files which contain titles column headings subtotals and totals and other types of records These multiple record type files can also have record lengths that are fixed or variable In fixed length files all records are the same length In variable length files line lengths vary in several ways There are three common types of variable length file CR LF files in which the end of each record is indicated by a carriage return a line feed or a carriage return line feed combination IBM variable length files Custom files in which the length of each record is either stored in a field in the record or is not stored in the record ACL recognizes CR LF files and IBM variable length files Custom files must be defined by the user For more information on variable length files see Chapter Variable length Files in the ACL for Windows User Guide and online Help Steps in Processing Multiple Record Types There are three main steps in processing multiple record types 1 Create an
269. k OK to save the batch and close the dialog box 262 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Groups and Loops in Batches V Torun Inverp3 1 In the Overview window double click Invgerp3 2 Click Run ACL displays the result in the command log Command Log OT x Last Result Y Xv aj DO Invgrp3 GROUP IF ProdCls lt 05 lt 2 gt COUNT lt 3 gt GROUP IF Value gt 0 lt 4 STATISTICS ON Value lt 5 gt HISTOGRAM ON Value MINIMUM 0 MAXIMUM 100000 00 INTERVALS 10 IF ProdStat lt 6 gt END lt 7 gt STRATIFY ON Value ACCUMULATE Mkt al MINIMUM 0 MAXIMUM 100000 00 INTERVALS lt B gt ELSE lt 9 gt TOTAL Value lt 10 gt END gt gt gt COMMAND lt 1 gt 73 of 152 met the test ProdCls lt 05 gt gt gt COMMAND lt 2 gt FOR ProdCls lt 05 73 records counted gt gt gt COMMAND lt 3 gt FOR ProdCls lt O05 69 of 73 met the test Value gt 0 gt gt gt COMMAND lt 4 gt FOR ProdCls lt 05 FOR Value gt 0 Field Value Number Total Average Positive 69 247 969 87 3 593 77 Zeros J 0 Negative 0 0 00 0 00 _ Totals 69 247 969 87 3 593 77 Abs Value 247 969 87 Range 24 626 40 Using Variables in Groups Variables are similar to fields in ACL Most fields are defined as having a certain position and field type or computed value in a record As the data is processed these fields take on a new value for each record in the file Although they act like fields for the most part v
270. ks you if you want to run or edit the batch 23 Click Edit to open the Arsample Batch window 24 Close the Batch window Run the Arsample Batch WV Torun the batch 1 Drag the Arsample batch icon from the Overview window to the application workspace ACL asks you if you want to run or edit the batch 2 Click Run ACL runs the Arsample batch The results appear in the command log Command Log Iofxi Last Result Y ff xv 2 G DO Arsample STATISTICS ON Amount TO SCREEN NUMBER 5 Field Amount Number Total Average Positive ll 371 291 21 33 753 75 Zeros 0 Negative 1l 67 91 67 91 Totals 12 371 223 30 30 935 28 Abs Value 371 359 12 Range 95 958 92 Highest 95 891 01 64 272 93 44 319 60 39 614 86 36 965 26 Lowest 67 91 335 55 1 115 71 3 676 68 14 691 12 SAMPLE ON Amount INTERVAL 25000 FIXED 234 FIELDS Amount COUNT No TO Armonth Sample size 8 6 top stratum out of 12 records sampled Population 371359 12 Top stratum 326530 63 Other The initial selection point was 234 00 The selection remainder is 7405 51 for sample reconciliation Extraction to file C ACL Data Data Armonth FIL is complete Opening file Armonth OPEN Armonth 3 fields activated Opening file name Armonth FIL as supplied in the format Execution of Arsample completed aimi 244 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Using Batches Using the Batch Recorder Use the Batch Recorder to create a batch while yo
271. layed as blanks If the Product Number field was a numeric field instead of a character field the invalid data would be displayed as zeros What is Improper Data Improper data is data that is technically valid but not correct for the context For example blanks or letters in a part number field that is defined as an ASCII field type Negative amounts in a numeric field that should contain only positive amounts are also considered improper In Badfile both InvoiceNo and ProdNo are defined as character fields but should contain only numbers If the data was not entered correctly when the file was created these fields might include characters other than numbers or blanks Handling Improper Data Now that you have determined that there is improper data you can use some ACL functions to fix the data INCLUDE Function The INCLUDE function allows you to include only the data you want in a character field The syntax of INCLUDE is INCLUDE string characters_to_include The INCLUDE function includes all proper data It includes all data that conforms to the characters_to_include string and shifts all valid characters to the left side of the field INCLUDE fills the rest of the field with blanks Remember when working with non numeric fields that ACL is case sensitive For further details on this function see INCLUDE on page 51 of the ACL for Windows Reference Manual EXCLUDE Function With the EXCLUDE
272. ld file ACL displays the the relation name Vendor along with index used Vendorno 5 Select the Vendorno index from the Using Index list box Relations x Parent File Related File child file Ap Trans Relate on Done Relation Name Vendor Product Number Invoice Number Using Index index file Module 4 Manipulating Data 175 Joining Relating and Merging Data Note Relation Name allows you to build more than one relation to the same file or to build self referencing relations By default the Relation Name text box displays the name of the related input file definition But you can enter a different unique name and then create a second relationship between the same files using a different key field 6 Click Relate ACL displays the relationship in the Relationships list box The Relations dialog box remains open so that you can create multiple relationships Relations EW Related File Belate Relation Name Done Using Index Froduct Mumber Invoice Mo Invoice Number Vendor Mo Vendor A umber Relationships Delete relationship Vendor related by Yendo _Mo using indes Yendomo Related file Key field Index file W To create the second relationship 1 Click the ProdNo field in the Relate On list view to select it 2 Click the Related File drop down list and select Inventory 3 Select the only index for the Inven
273. ld in ascending order and another field in descending order You could for example want to produce a report listing all vendors by Vendor Number and the Invoice Amount in descending order so that the largest amount for each vendor is displayed first To sort the Ap_Trans file by Vendor Number and within each Vendor Number by the Invoice Amount in descending order 1 In the Overview window drag and drop Ap_Trans onto the Open button to open the Ap_Trans input file 2 Click Sort or select Data from the menu bar and choose Sort ACL displays the Sort dialog box 3 Click Sort On to display the Selected Fields dialog box 4 In the Available Fields list view double click Vendor_No to copy it to the Selected Fields list box Notice that an ascending arrow appears next to the Vendor_No in the Selected Fields list box to indicate an ascending sort order 5 Double click the Invoice_Amount field to copy it to the Selected Fields list box and click the arrow next to Invoice_Amount so that it points downward indicating a descending sort order The Selected Fields dialog box should now look like this Selected Fields x Available Fields Selected Fields Invorce D ate be Invoice Number Froduct Mumber Add All 5 Quantity Unit Cost Clear ll Yendo Number Edit From Input File cores tee Ap Trans ng 6 Click OK to return to the Sort dialog box 134 ACL for Windows 7 Sorting and In
274. lds 50 Assign command using in groups 263 Automatic Profile on Open preference 105 Batch applications about 237 Batch Recorder 244 Batch window 238 372 Batches about 237 and Accept command 249 and Else command 257 258 avoiding interruptions while executing 331 creating 238 dialog boxes for user input 374 editing 246 generating reports 295 groups creating 253 interactive creating 250 loops using 264 multiple record type files 285 Overview window contents 58 printing 89 running 247 250 255 safety 331 within batches 248 Benford command 215 bounds calculating 216 digit frequencies comparing 216 leading digits 219 making the most of digital analysis 221 preparing data 215 selecting targets for review 217 Z statistic 217 Benford s Law 215 Bitmap files graphs 320 Blanks invalid data displaying 347 Bounds calculating in Benford command 216 Breaks page 298 Button bar customizing 20 default settings 19 displaying 330 overview 18 quick reference 19 401 tooltips displaying 330 C Case changing 211 Century setting the start of 55 Character fields exporting 126 Characters excluding from string 349 Check boxes creating 366 Classify command about 143 graphing output 311 CLEAN function about 347 Clear Log File dialog box 82 Client Server See ACL Client Server Clipboard exporting format 128 Columns about 64 add columns hot key 70 adding to view 68 break creating 297 changing column fo
275. lds option Summarize command 146 Output Automatic Output Filenames preference 336 Global Page Title preference 335 graphing 307 page orientation 292 previewing 294 print file history with last result preference 341 Use Output File check box 336 Overlapping fields defining 45 Oversampling selection order 191 Overview window description of 58 icons 59 Index 405 Overwriting files warning 330 Overwriting files warning 330 P Page breaks creating 298 Page orientation changing 292 Page width indicator turning on or off 291 Pivot date See Start of Century date 337 Preferences Application Font Options 342 autoexecuting commands 100 Automatic Output Filenames 336 Automatic Profile on Open 105 Command Options tab about 335 Date Options tab 337 Display Invalid Data as Blanks or Zeros 335 347 Enable Client Server 332 Expression Field Width 340 Global Page Title 335 Hide Filtered Records 334 Include Report History with Reports 341 Include View Note in Report History 341 Interface Options tab about 330 naming files automatically 119 Numeric Options tab about 339 Open View Window 331 options turning on and off 329 page width indicator turning on or off 291 Print Documentation dialog box option 91 restoring default 329 setting 328 Show Grid Lines 334 Show Group Tests in Log 336 Suppressing Blank Detail Lines 304 Test Column Width 334 Time Stamp Commands 336 Verify Data Automatically 95 406 Index Vie
276. le changes detected by comparison to prior period data Fixed Assets Calculate total of fixed asset ledger balances gross and depreciated Calculate total of tax categories Report fixed asset disposal for review Recalculate depreciation and report errors Select assets for physical inspection Appendix A Common UsesforACL 377 Generate exception reports including high values unusual depreciation rates or lives and so on Report fixed asset additions and disposals General Ledger Calculate total of general ledger accounts Select monetary unit samples of balances or transactions Report transactions after period end Prepare trial balance Compare opening balances to prior period closing balances Summarize accounts into financial statement headings Generate exception reports including unusual dates invalid accounts unusual journal entry sources unusual amounts for given sources and so on Purchases Summarize transactions by account debited Select monetary unit sample of transactions Generate exception reports including refunds high values and so on Report transactions after period end Report duplicate items Summarize transactions by account credited Select transactions for manual inspection Generate exception reports including credit notes high values and so on Report transactions after period end Report duplicate items Long Term Work in Progress Report accounts with credit balances Report transa
277. le click SalePr to copy the field name to the Expression text box above The field name appears inside the parentheses Click _ J Minus to add it to the expression after SalePr Double click UnCst in the Available Fields list view to copy to the Expression text box Move the cursor outside the parenthesis to the right Click Divide By to add it to the expression Double click SalePr Module 5 Creating Applications Using Expressions The expression is now complete and should look like this Inventory C ACL Data Data Inventory _tfil Default Value SalePr UnCst 7 SalePr From Input File Inventory 8 Click OK The Default Value text box shows the new expression Available Fields Minty Re Order Paint Mkt al Market alue FrcDte Frice D ate FrodCls Product Class FrodD esc Froduct Descriptio Frodo Froduct Humber FrodStat Froduct Status GtyOH Quantity Orn Hand GtyOO Quantity Orn Order SalePr Sale Price UnCst Unit Cost Variables Value Inventor alue at Y Save As Functions All ABS number ALLTRIM string ASCII character BITI byte location BLANES count BYTE byte_location CHRI number ABS AVERAGE DATE lt date gt LOW Paste Parameters E Inventory C ACL Data Data Inventory fil OT x Input File Options Edit Fields Expressions Add a New Data Filter Y x n 9 Click Accept Entry to ad
278. le definition when you execute a command that creates an ACL data file as output such as Sort or Extract ACL shares the same input file definition whenever possible if this option is turned on Note To prevent accidental deletion of field definitions the default setting for this option is Don t Share Input File Layouts Exact Character Comparisons With this option off by default ACL compares character fields or expressions that are not of equal length based on the shortest character field or expression For example AB is considered equal to both ABC and ABLMNOP If you turn this option on ACL compares character fields or expressions based on their full length Two strings must be the same length for ACL to deem that they are equal Display Format on Open If you turn this option on ACL automatically displays the current input file definition and computed field definitions when you open a new input file The results appear in the command log Enable Client Server If your organization also uses ACL for OS 390 Version 7 you can take advantage of ACLs powerful client server capabilities ACL for OS 390 Version 7 can be configured to run as a Server providing direct access to data residing on your OS 390 platform from the ACL for Windows user interface Module 7 Customizing ACL 333 Setting Preferences Max RAM MB This option specifies the maximum amount of memory you want ACL to use The default of 4 meg
279. lect targets for further investigation The three largest Z statistics belong to digit combinations that have already been investigated The next largest 2 111 for digit combination 15 has not however that combination is unusually low not a positive spike It is very difficult to discover any clues from records that are unexpectedly absent The highest Z statistic for a positive deviation that has not yet been examined is 1 689 for combination 32 Notice that this spike still falls within the upper and lower bounds To isolate this group of records you can use the LEADING function on the Trans file Module 4 Manipulating Data 221 The Benford Command V To isolate records with the digit combination 32 from the original transaction file 1 2 3 4 Click OK to apply the filter You will see eight records In the Overview window double click the Trans input file definition to open it Click Edit View Filter The Edit View Filter dialog box appears Enter LEADING AMOUNT 2 32 in the filter box Ea View Default_View e File TRANS FIL gt y y a mm OO Taw Ee 4 amp Humber Mumber Class Amount Date lk 2957 090501551 oa 178 325 7415041 997 12979 024128712 327 24 1005 1 997 12011 09001001109 758 326 37 17061997 13054 024128712 02 32 3232 0508 1997 13070 03425500303 39 327 60 2308 1997 13072 01020722001 1000 3220 00 25 08 1997 13159 010134
280. lick ProdNo ProdDesc QtyOH and Value to add the fields to the Selected Fields list box Module 4 Manipulating Data 121 Extracting Data 7 Click OK to close the Selected Fields dialog box If you scroll down you will see that the fields you selected are highlighted in the Extract Fields box 8 Inthe Extract dialog box click in the If text box and enter LOC05 This instructs ACL to extract fields for location 05 only using the local filter you defined earlier 9 Click in the To text box and enter Location5B to change the name of the output file ACL will create for the new information 10 Uncheck the Use Output File check box 11 Click OK ACL creates the input file and shows the result in the command log 12 In the Overview window expand Input File Definitions to view the list Click and drag the new input file name Locationb5B to the application workspace The new input file definition opens For more information on opening a file see Opening an Input File on page 60 Comparing Date Values You can also use Extract to compare a date field value in the data file to a date field constant For example you can list all of the transactions in the file that have a due date before January 2 2000 To do this you need to compare the value of the due date field to the value of January 2 2000 ACL treats dates as an integral data type therefore you can compare dates by enclosing them in reverse quotes using the YYMMDD
281. lue 278 641 33 Range 56 752 32 Highest 56 767 20 20 386 19 16 683 34 16 642 56 15 444 90 _ Lowest 14 56 421 12 31 68 46 08 49 66 K ay The Stratify command uses the minimum and maximum values Stratifying a Data File V To stratify a data file 1 Click Stratify or select Analyze from the menu bar and choose Stratify ACL displays the Stratify dialog box 2 Invoice_Amount is displayed in the Stratify On drop down list Note that the Minimum and Maximum values from the Profile result are entered in the appro priate text boxes Module 4 Number of items in each value interval Percentage of items in each value interval Percentage of total quantity Total quantity Total unit cost 3 Manipulating Data 153 Stratifying Data In the Accumulate Fields list view click Quantity and then SHIFT CLICK Unit_Cost The Stratify dialog box now looks like this Main More Output Stratify On Minimum 14 88 Invoice _Amount Maximum E Accumulate Fields Intervals Free Invoice Amount Invoice Amount Quantity Quantity Fl Cancel Help You can enter different minimum and maximum values if for example you do not want to perform the Stratify command on the entire population For now leave the default values The Intervals option button is selected Click OK ACL displays the result Command Log jal Ea Last Result YS xX y al STRATIFY ON Invoice_Amo
282. m the actual total and that the sample results may be invalid Using the Evaluate Command on Sampling Results The Evaluate command uses the sampling parameters and errors detected to calculate the effect on the upper error limit UEL The UEL is the amount you are confident the errors do not exceed For example you could estimate that there are 5 000 worth of errors but you are 95 percent confident they do not exceed 8 000 The UEL at 95 percent confidence would be 8 000 V To evaluate the Sampsize file 1 2 Drag Ar out of the Overview window to open the accounts receivable file again Select Sampling from the menu bar and choose Evaluate ACL displays the Evaluate dialog box Evaluate x Main Output Monetary Confidence C Record Interval ltem amount Error Errors Cancel Help Module 4 3 4 Manipulating Data 195 Sample Size and Evaluate Enter 95 in the Confidence text box Enter 4000 in the Interval text box This time the interval is the size of the Fixed sampling interval you are using for the sample In the Errors list box enter 2150 50 2295 300 Enter only one error on each line The Evaluate dialog box now looks like this Main Output Monetary Confidence 6 0 C Record Interval 4000 ltem amount Error Errors Cancel Help Each error contains the sample item amount that was selected followed by a comma and then the amount of the error ent
283. mand ACL immediately redraws the default graph for that command a Click the command line the line beginning with ACL displays the command in the command text box You can either modify the command in the text box and then click to accept it or click to display the command dialog box in which you can modify the command Graphing a View ACL lets you graph certain kinds of data directly from the view A single character or date column with one or more numeric columns Multiple numeric columns graphed against their record number This feature lets you quickly view your data without having to process it using an ACL command 322 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Graphing Command Results Y To graph data from a view 1 Click and drag the mouse to select a valid data range from the view 2 Then click Graph Selected Data When the graph appears you can modify the graph type appearance and properties using the buttons on the left side of the graph All valid graphing options are displayed with color buttons Invalid options are grayed out Because a view based graph is not based on data from ACL commands it does not have as many features as a graph produced from data output Character or date data is not sorted and appears in the same order as it does in the view Graph drill down is not available when graphing from a view When you need greater control over graphs create them from your data output instead Exiting A
284. mand to draw a sample 1 Select Sampling from the menu bar and choose Sample ACL displays the Sample dialog box Sample Eq Main More D e ie MUS Record Sample Parameters f Fixed Interval Interval tf Cell Start C Random Cutoff e Local f Use Output File Notice that you can click the More tab in the Sample dialog box to include scope parameters and other options 188 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Sample Size and Evaluate 2 In the Interval text box enter 4000 The interval is the value determined by the previous size calculation 3 In the Start text box enter 234 This can be any random number 4 In the To text box enter Sampsi ze The Sample dialog box now looks like this Sample m Main More o Smenn rem f MUS C Record farount H Sample Parameters Fixed Interval Interval 4000 Cell Start 234 C Random Cutoff Tiie S ampsize J Local V Use Output File Cancel Help 5 Click OK to execute the command ACL creates Sampsize fil with the items in your sample and displays it in the view View Default_View Data File sampsize FIL eto X a T 262001 0x092000 02122000 213299 IN__ 1 215 54 501657 O09000 0203 2000 213327 IN 3 633 40 1 2 3 4 5 ia T 8 501657 0092000 02032000 213325 IN 4 426 14 Module 4 Manipulating Data 189 Sample Size and Evaluate 6 The results of the calculation als
285. manual should not be regarded as affecting the validity of any trademark or service mark Contents ADOUL THIS Workbook 424 ont gia ea ads eet a RA i Installing ACL for Windows Workbook 00 eee e ee eee ees 5 Module 1 Welcome to ACL oicaaisg ances ane iene tien geewesee ae 7 Accessing and Downloading Data ccc ecicccestrescccseestseceeees nether ideseneidees 8 Understanding How Computers Represent Data eee eeeeeeeeee 8 ACCESSING a Data Pile sores sitecacctsteivealatecstactattuem AAA 9 Types or Data AGI Read Saa E E 11 Piede Pont ATOMCI arar a ead snenederenteunesonranens 14 Fixed Point NUmbDE S nrauceinannana i a i 14 Piked Point Artine nG morean aAA 14 Ronding m Cakul Gons e E 14 Getting Stared WIMAG LE Gipi cette siaeeanroemnae teats 16 ACLAPP UCAN S CIECIE aeria O 17 Workin with MenUS carpire 17 B tton Dat oers a ee ta at E 18 SATUS DAT sirrien a E se eeiondees 2l Applhcation Workspace semonsar enen i 21 Working with WINdOWS sisaan ie erap ai EAS 22 Working with Dialog Boxes sicicieceiasaausitenivcteevematerodeaicn aon 27 Module 2 ACL Fundamentals cece cece cece eevee 29 Understanding A Gl Projects lt usakasateesiaguecdneducseaeveen R 30 IN erry ACE CS sess pneu Naesiey sise wat sncee tenner ct ewcin san stensaaeeanaese ees wandeaness 30 Creating Opening and Closing Projects eeeeesseeeseeeseeeseeeeeees 32 lipat Pile eminitiOns iadasy caahertewndptirensndastestbat I 34
286. many kinds of data including financial reports inventories and other business records Deviations from this predicted distribution may signal the presence of error waste abuse or fraud in your data There are three steps in digital analysis 1 Preparing the data 2 Comparing digit frequencies 3 Selecting targets for further review The Benford command helps you complete all three of these steps Opening Your Project To prepare for this lesson 1 Open the Workbook acl Project For details on how to open an ACL Project and an input file definition see Lesson 2 4 Overview Window on page 57 2 Drag and drop Trans onto the Open button to open the default view of the Trans input file that uses the data file Trans fil Preparing Your Data When working with real data you must review the field definitions and ensure that the data file is complete and correct One type of error that may have a big impact on digital analysis results is accidental duplication For example if analyzing a file assembled from smaller separate files some transactions may duplicate during assembly In this lesson you perform analysis on the Amount field in the Trans input file If the field you want to analyze contains both positive and negative values it is usually a good idea to perform separate analyses for each range of values by filtering out the other range Otherwise matching transactions in the Trans file such as an entry for 143 00
287. me text box enter ABC Report to name the HTML output file Click OK to create the HTML file Su gee ee ie Note Since most ACL report output is in table format a Web browser that supports tables such as Netscape 3 or higher Internet Explorer 3 or higher etc is required to view the output Using Do Report to Generate Reports from a Batch You can also issue a Do Report command in command mode to generate a report For more information see Do Report on page 172 of the ACL for Windows Reference Manual and online Help Line Spacing Reports are single spaced by default 296 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Formatting Reports V T change the report spacing in the Report dialog box select Double Spaced or Triple Spaced from the drop down list The View window does not reflect the line space setting You can only see the spacing when you preview or print the report Key Fields If you want the report to be sorted it is a good idea to check the Presort check box in the Report dialog box even when the fields in the view appear to be sorted V To specify key fields in order to be able to perform a presort 1 Inthe View window double click the Vendor Number column heading The Modify Column dialog box appears 2 Check the Sort Key Column check box in order to designate the Vendor Number as a key field 3 Select Sort Ascending Modify Column x Vendor No Print Options D Sort Rey Column Alternate
288. miss the Wizard In this lesson you use the Input File Definition window Click Finish Module 5 Creating Applications 277 Processing Multiple Record Type Files 7 Click OK to save the input file as Invoice The Input File Definition window opens displaying the Invoice fil data file Invoice CAACL Data Data Invoice_fil Input File Options Edit FieldsExpressions Add a New Data Filter Name Title Start Category Length Decimd All fields Hee 2142350065003 GlLTS0R961L LAT abl lee96leol 2 214233D080101018 0 500 42 42 20 99 3 2l4233D0404225014 10 970 24 24 263 52 4 2142335T961231 264 51 14 243 297 74 5 al4 34H92 5007 g29247961ll27961150961201 6 2l42340090S507811 16 970 34 34 oii a2 Hex 4 The Invoice file contains the details from invoices for products sold Notice that the Invoice file contains three different record types The letter in position 7 indicates the type of record H is a header record D is a detail record and T is a trailer record The pattern of a header record followed by one or more detail records and a trailer record continues throughout the file as follows Header record Detail records Trailer record Header record Detail records Trailer record and so on ACL for Windows 7 Processing Multiple Record Type Files Creating an Input File Definition Workbook Usually you use the record layout for the data file to determine ea
289. mmand is an interactive command ACL displays the results only in the Dump window The results do not appear in the command log Choosing the Record Number to Dump The Record option button is selected by default to dump the contents of the current record V To display a different record in the Dump window 1 In the View window click the desired record number 354 ACL for Windows 7 Troubleshooting Data Errors Workbook 2 ACL should automatically update the information in the Dump window but to ensure that it does you may want to click Refresh ACL shows the results of the record dump Dumping an Input File The Record option button is selected by default to dump the contents of the current record however you can also dump an entire input file V To display an input file in the Dump window If you know the name of the file enter it directly in the File text box Otherwise select File to display the Select file to dump dialog box select a file in this case select Badfile fil and click Open ACL displays the results of the file dump EJ Dump Input file name Record l Horizontal File CAACL Data Data Badfile fil lw HEX M ASCII skip Bytes 0 a Help z M EBCDIC E Position 0 Find OFFSET D 33333038 30313031 30313820 142330801 16 ZO0Z0Z0Z20 20202020 302E2530 30202020 om 32 ZO0Z0Z0Z20 2020202E 35303020 20202020 0 56 48 20203432 20202020 20202034 32202020 42
290. mn in the view in which you can see the results of the calculations on each record View Detault_View Data File Inwentory fil Re Order Guantity Inventory Market Markup Point On Order Value Value at Cost 5 000 5 976 90 8 691 30 5 000 3 160 20 4 595 40 o 50 o 10 167 60 14 785 20 g 4 mw E 1 amp Module 5 Creating Applications 229 Using Expressions Working with Filters A filter is a special type of expression used to identify records meeting a certain set of criteria The criteria are defined by the logical expressions you create Filters may be temporary for the current session or named and saved in the input file definition as computed fields In the Expression Builder window expressions are listed as filters Global and Local Filters Filters can be used as local or global filters A global filter is applied to all views of an input file definition every time you execute a command from a menu or button A global filter stays in place until you remove it or close the input file A local filter is applied when a single command is executed for one occurrence only Global Filters When you apply a global filter it affects all processing in the input file The conditions that the global filter uses remain in effect until you turn off the filter apply another filter or use a different input file definition You can create and save a number of different filters and then apply one to suit your ne
291. more blank rows to your view by placing your pointer in the record number column and dragging the 4 down two rows Click and drag the Quantity on Hand column to the left below the Product Description column The Quantity on Hand column now appears in a separate row Module 2 Column title Column data View Default_View Data File Inventory fil aes det i ACL Fundamentals 77 View Window rA REDEG 070104657 07 06 LATEX SEMI GLOSS PINK 9 99 T D co J Product Product Location Product Unit Cost Number Class Status Cost Date Product ea Description Price Quantity On Hand OF 0104677 07 06 A 6 87 10 10 2000 187102012 LATEX SEMI GLOSS APRICOT 9 99 im 1 290 10 10 2000 18 1 0 206 1 500 V To print the view Printer that prints your report Printer VAcl2SHPo512NDFLA Print Range fe All f Pages From a All to print all of the view Pages to print one page Cancel Setup 070104327 07 06 10 10 2000 18710 7201 LATEX SEMI GLOSS YELLOW 9 99 gt e e e Printing the View In the Print Range you can select one of the following You can print a view of all the records in the input file that are displayed in the view You cannot however print only selected portions of a view 1 Select File from the menu bar and choose Print ACL displays the Print dialog box Yo
292. mpling A MUS is most likely to select records of greater value in the data file For example it is more likely to select a million dollar item than a hundred dollar item The chance of selection is directly proportional to the size of the item A MUS is useful for substantive or overstatement tests because it selects the greater value items These greater value items present the largest risk of containing a material error for substantive or overstatement tests By biasing greater value items a MUS provides a high level of assurance that ACL will test all significant items in the population The population for a MUS is the absolute value of the field being sampled However large transactions may be subject to extra controls not present for smaller amounts If you choose a method that biases large amounts you may miss a weakness relating to smaller transactions A MUS is not appropriate if testing for compliance or understatement You may choose to ignore negative items as they do not usually result in an overstatement To do this you can specify a local filter for example AMOUNT gt 0 if the field name is AMOUNT as part of the Sample command 184 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Sample Size and Evaluate Monetary Unit Sampling on a Fixed Interval When you apply the fixed interval method to a MUS you are selecting individual dollars from the population Given that a thousand dollar item contains 1 000 individual dollars and a million dollar
293. must be cleared regularly or it can become very large It is best to document your work as you go and clear the log if you have no further use for its contents You can choose to clear the entire log a section from the beginning of the log up to the cursor or a highlighted selection You cannot use the delete or backspace keys to delete entries from the log Module 2 ACL Fundamentals 81 Command Log While you progress through this workbook it is a good idea to retain a record of your activities in the log file You can display the log any time you want to review information about when a file was opened or the commands you issued and their results Important Log entries that have been cleared cannot be recovered Clearing the Log to the Cursor You can clear the oldest portion of the log by placing the cursor at the point where you want the clearing to stop V To cear the log to the cursor 1 Scroll through the log and place your cursor at the end of the information you want to clear 2 Select File from the menu bar and choose Clear Log File The Clear Log File dialog box appears 3 Select Clear Log to Cursor 4 Click OK to accept the entry and close the dialog box ACL inserts an entry in the log Log has been cleared to cursor Clearing a Section of the Log V To clear a section of the log 1 Scroll through the log and place your cursor at the start of the section you want to delete 2 To highlight the information y
294. n 3 Close the Input File Definition window and return to the view Exiting ACL If you want to exit ACL now select File from the menu bar and choose Exit 150 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Stratifying Data Lesson 4 5 Stratifying Data Use the Stratify command to summarize specified intervals of numeric data in a file Stratify counts and totals the number of records that fall into specified intervals or strata of numeric fields or expression values You can specify equally sized intervals using the Intervals option or you can specify varying sized intervals using the Free option You do not need to sort or index the data Opening Your Project To prepare for this lesson 1 Open the Workbook acl Project For details on how to open an ACL Project and an input file definition see Lesson 2 4 Overview Window on page 57 2 Drag the Ap_Trans input file definition from the Overview window and drop it onto the Open button to open the default view of the Ap_ Trans input file definition that is linked to the data file Ap_Trans fil Stratifying Data Stratifying data involves two operations 1 Obtaining maximum and minimum values 2 Stratifying the data Obtaining Maximum and Minimum Values First run either the Profile or the Statistics command to generate minimum and maximum values for the field to be analyzed These values then appear by default in the Maximum and Minimum text boxes of the Stratify dialog box To
295. n 5 From the list of fields double click Due The Format text box also shows the format YYYYMMDD 6 Click x Clear Entry to return to the list of fields screen You use the input date format to tell ACL how dates are stored in the data file You can display dates in a wide variety of ways depending on your preference For more infor mation see Selecting Dates on page 52 52 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Interpreting Dates V To edit the date format 1 Double click Date in the list of fields The Edit Fields Expressions tab now looks like this E Ar C ACL Data Data Ar fil ojx Input File Options Edit Fields Expressions Add a New Data Filter y Name Type Start Len Dec Yalid Field Types DATE 7 fe x haid z000 2o00 D Format YYYYMMDD Suppress Totals m 20 0 N 2000 M Date an Alternate Invoice 20001 Column Title Date F Control Total 4 Fa F Default Filter 474 70 225 87 180 92 20 1610 87 516372 20000318211206TR 1298 43 seoa A2 0000620212334CN_ 12 23 ia The data area in the bottom part of the window shows you how the date is stored in the data file The Valid Field Types area in the right side of the window shows you how the date appears in your view If the date format does not match the data in the field you can change it 2 Click the Format drop down list and select the correct format 3 Click Accept Entry ACL changes the date format and
296. n The greater the amount of expected total errors you specify the larger the sample size Main Output Monetary Confidence 6 Record Population Esser Materiality i 2000 Expected Total Errors fo Results Calculate Sample Size Interval Maximum Tolerable T aintings Cancel Help 6 Click Calculate to preview your results ACL displays the Sample Size Interval and Maximum Tolerable Taintings in the Results area of the Size dialog box The maximum tolerable taintings are the sum of the error percentages associated with each amount in a given sample The Size dialog box now looks like this Main Output Monetary Confidence 35 Record Population 58567441 Materiality Expected Total Errors Results Sample Size Interval 4 000 00 Maximum Tolerable T aintings 72 0 00 Module 4 Manipulating Data 187 Sample Size and Evaluate 7 Click OK to execute the command ACL records the calculations in the log file and displays the command log Command Log Oy x Last Result SY tf x wv Ej A SIZE MONETARY CONFIDENCE 95 POPULATION 585764 41 MATERIALITY 12000 TO SCREEN Population 585764 41 Confidence 954 Mat 12000 00 Errors 0 00 ample size 146 Interval size 4 000 00 Maximum tolerable taintings 0 005 al A al Drawing an MUS Fixed Interval Sample You can now use the results of the Size command to draw a sample V To use the results of the Size com
297. n 2 4 Overview Window on page 57 2 In the Overview window drag and drop Badfile onto the Open button The default view for the Badfile input file opens Module 8 Troubleshooting Data Errors 345 Troubleshooting Data Errors View Default_View Data File Badfile fil g K lt 4 PE Price 3 o Ln 0 Order a Ship al oa D al oa D 3 ee ee i Price Ny E 214233 080101018 050 42 42 20 99 T Incomplete data 2 214233 040225014 1098 24 24 000 Ty Pemes o eSa 34 SFT 4 j214234 024195262 698 2 2 13 98 TEn 214234 080101018 046 6 279 P21 4235 AN j2t4sss 010155150 1299 365 35 45465 EN 214235 Fe 498 20 20 29960 Aa jg N 2143s osn aa ao a aar d0 214236 210803760 699 20 0f 139 80 ae 214236 1010311800 12 IN 030321663 159 12 412 19 15 214237 or0io4arr 1001 8f f BT 14 214237 010155150 1399 24 24 31176 15 214237 060102106 3298 1 4 3298 16 j214238 ogoso8191 494 60 60 296 53 Invalid data Peteese soonest rS 2198 5 5 109 40 18 214238 osoiAaAgo 599 2 2 1198 Inconsistent data Ho14239 fos0z32194 150 3f 3 450 20 214239 340240664 3898 1 4 38498 End of File gt S Improper data At first glance you can see that there are data errors What is Invalid Data Invalid data is technically
298. n in the header of the letter The customer number number of transactions and outstanding balance will be in the body of the letter Export the data fields in the same order as the merge text appears in Word The exact format of the merge text depends on the version of Word you are using To make the data more presentable in the confir mation letter you can use the ACL function PROPER to convert uppercase data to mixed case 212 ACL for Windows 7 Generating Confirmation Letters V T export the data to a Word merge file Workbook 1 Select Data from the menu bar and choose Export The Export dialog box opens wp Ww N Main More Export Fields Nemes Title n mets Address StreetAddress Plain Text 7 Amount Trans Amount City City COUNT COUNT Name Name No Cust Number Cancel Help Click Export Fields to display the Selected Fields dialog box Click Expr to display the Expression Builder Uncheck the Paste Parameters check box In the Functions list box double click PROPER to copy it to the Expression text box In the Available Fields list view double click Name to place it inside the parentheses in the function This will convert the uppercase characters in the Name field to mixed case Selected Fields Add expression m Expression He Verify Cancel Save s Available Fields Functions Street Address Trans Amount City
299. nd The Assign command is most often used to carry information from one record to subse quent records or to retain cumulative totals for use during processing As with all variables they retain their value until you explicitly change or delete them or quit the ACL session Note Variables whose names begin with an underscore are not deleted when you quit ACL They are saved in the ACL Project and restored the next time you open that Project For example if there are only supposed to be two outstanding invoices per customer in a file you will need to extract details of any additional ones in order to follow up To keep track of the outstanding invoices in the file use variables as follows COUNT 1 OLD _CUST CustNo GROUP IF CustNo lt gt 0OLD_CUST COUNT 1 OLD _CUST CustNo ELSE COUNT COUNT 1 EXTRACT RECORD IF COUNT gt 2 TO Extra_Invoices END For more information see Variables on page 321 of the ACL for Windows User Guide and online Help 264 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Groups and Loops in Batches Using Loop You use Loop to process complex files A common example of a type of file Loop would be useful for is a COBOL data file that contains Occurs or Occurs Depending On clauses Use Loop within a Group to process individual records until its test encounters a record for which the test is false The syntax for the Loop command is GROUP LOOP WHILE test ACL commands END END The commands between Loop and End are
300. nd Log is like a flight recorder keeping a complete record of your work ACL Command Log LOG 32 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Understanding ACL Projects Creating Opening and Closing Projects When you first start ACL the status bar on the ACL application screen indicates that there is no Project open and no input file in use Before you can work with data in ACL you must open or create a Project To create a Project you need to name the Project specify where to store it on your hard disk identify a data file that contains the data you want to work with and create an input file definition that contains the format for the data V Tocreatea Project 1 Select File from the menu bar and choose New Project ACL displays the Save New Project As dialog box Save New Project As EAE Save int ace for Windows Client E mE workbook Data Files Save as Ippe Files ACL Cancel 2 Double click the Workbook Data Files folder to put your Project in the same folder as the data files 3 Enter Newwork in the File name text box You may also select a different drive or folder from the Save in drop down list 4 Click Save to create the new Project ACL automatically adds the extension acl to the file name and displays the Select Input File Definition dialog box Note The default setting in Windows is to hide file extensions While using this workbook we suggest changing the setting to display file ext
301. nditions using with Verify command 95 Confirmation letters generating 201 Contacting ACL 3 Control totals obtaining 253 Controls dialog box 363 Conventions file naming 30 Conversion utility 11 Converting data 11 Count command 97 CR LF files 265 Create Batch from File History command 245 creating from the view 290 Custom installation option about 6 Cutoff date 157 Data access 8 converting 11 downloading 11 dumping 353 exporting 127 faulty correcting 357 fields 9 file types 8 11 obtaining dBASE file 12 obtaining from tape 13 processing 10 relational database 8 sources identifying 9 types that ACL reads 11 verifying 345 Data Definition Wizard defining files 34 Data errors four types of 344 inconsistent data 344 351 Invalid data 344 345 Data errors types 344 Data files dBASE file 12 definition of 8 delimited 12 124 127 flat file 8 flat sequential file about 11 ODBC about 12 report 266 text file 12 Data source 380 Data Source dialog box 62 380 Date fields Day Month Year option 337 defining 46 50 displaying 52 53 preference 53 quotesin 124 Date format 51 changing 55 Day Month Year option 337 dBASE 12 exporting to 127 files defining 34 Decimal places setting 73 Default Numeric Format preference 340 Default settings restoring 329 defined 266 Defining data fields 34 40 42 data relations 171 Delete data file with input file preference 332 Delimited files 12 124 127 Detail li
302. ne 1000 3 00 because 3 00 has the larger number of decimals of the two operands Then in stage two 333 33 177 ACL again rounds to two decimals because the larger number of decimals of the two operands 333 33 and 177 is two 1000 3007 177 16 95 16 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Getting Started with ACL Lesson1 3 Getting Started with ACL To use this workbook you must first install ACL for Windows Version 7 Workbook which provides everything you need to understand the descriptions and complete the step by step procedures To install ACL follow the steps described in Installing ACL for Windows Workbook on page 5 As you work through the lessons you add to existing files and create new files Therefore be sure to reinstall the data files so each new user starts with the data in its original form See Installing the Workbook Data Files Only on page 5 V To start ACL for Windows Version 7 Workbook 1 Click Start and select Programs 2 From the Programs menu select ACL for Windows Version 7 Workbook Module 1 Welcome to ACL 17 Getting Started with ACL ACL Application Screen ACL displays the application screen below each time you start ACL Title bar AE ACL for Windows Menu bar Button bar OR SBe 0E hws B zank Status bar No Project No Input File File Edit Data Analyze Sampling Tools Server window Help Application Workspace J J Working with Men
303. ne feed LF character Data File A file in which computer based data and information is stored Also referred to as a source file The data file is not actually stored as part of an ACL Project but links to the Project by way of the input file definition ACL does not alter the data file in any way Data Types See Field Types on page 390 Default View A view that displays defined data fields in the order in which they appear in the data file Delimited File Files in which each field in a record is separated from the others by a field separator character The fields do not have a fixed position There are two major conventions for delimited files CSVs Comma Separated Values and TSVs Tab Separated Values In both cases a carriage return CR and a line feed LF usually separates each record in the file Appendix C Glossary 389 EBCDIC An acronym of Extended Binary Coded Decimal Interchange Code A character set used mainly by IBM mini and mainframe computers as opposed to the ASCII character set used by most microcomputers See also ASCII on page 386 ELSE An ACL command you can use in a group of commands to provide an alternative processing method if all previous tests are false Else can be used only in a group never on its own END An ACL command that closes or finalizes a group of commands End can be used only in a group never on its own End of File Abbreviated as EOF Indicates the
304. nes suppressing 299 Detail records filtering 273 Dialog boxes Batch user dialog 371 batches interactive 374 Clear Log File 82 creating 365 Data Source 380 Edit Graph Properties 314 Font 66 List 24 Modify Columns formatting views 290 Print Documentation about 89 Radio buttons creating 367 Save Graph As 320 Select View Fonts 66 Text 24 text box creating 364 User dialog box 371 Dialog Builder check box control 366 controls editing 372 controls resizing 373 text control adding 364 Digit frequencies comparing in Benford command 216 Digital analysis basis in Benford s Law 215 bounds calculating 216 making the most of 221 performing using Benford command 215 selecting targets for review 217 three steps of 215 Z statistic 217 Display Invalid Data as Blanks or Zeros preference 335 Do Batch command 247 Don t Share Input File Layouts option 332 Draw seconds option 335 Drop down lists creating 368 Dump command 353 Dumping data 353 Duplicates suppressing in reports 301 Duplicating input file definitions 61 EBCDIC characters about 8 FIND function using to locate 197 in date fields 50 Edit box control adding 365 Edit boxes creating 363 Editing batches 246 graph properties 312 input file definitions 47 margin values 292 Else command conditional groups 257 multiple in groups 258 E mail create using Notify command 289 Enable Client Server preference 332 Evaluate command 180 183 194 196
305. new view shows the customer number outstanding balance and a count of the number of transactions within each customer number You can also see the outcome in the command log Command Log ioj x Last Result wy tf x wv Ej SUMMARIZE ON No ACCUMULATE Amount TO Ar summary FIL OFEN PRESORT Presorting data 64 records produced Opening file Ar summary OPEN Ar summary im 3 fields activated Opening file name Ar summary FIL as supplied in the format ka E Note You can use the Classify command to output the same information to a separate data file It is best however to use the Summarize command if you are working with a large file of sorted transactions Obtaining Descriptive Statistics You can now use the Statistics command to get some descriptive statistics about the Amount field you are going to sample 204 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Generating Confirmation Letters VY o obtain statistics on the Amount field 1 Click 2a Statistics or select Analyze from the menu bar and choose Statistics ACL displays the Statistics dialog box Statistics x Main More Output Statistics On Amount TransAmount COUNT COUNT D Std Deviation Cancel Help 2 In the Statistics On list view click the Amount field 3 Click OK ACL displays the results in the command log Command Log Oy x Last Result S fx j STATISTICS ON Amount TO SCREEN NUMBER 5 Field Amount
306. ng periods There are two invoices with outstanding balances aged between 90 and 119 days and another two invoices are long overdue 120 days or greater ACL shows that 458 062 39 of the outstanding balance is not due as of the cutoff date To get more details on the aged records you may want to investigate the long overdue balances further For more information on how to work with dates see Lesson 2 3 Interpreting Dates on page 50 and Defining Data Fields on page 42 Adding a Filter Many of the items in the transaction file are credit notes payment notes or other trans action type fields If you want to view only aged invoices you can easily add a local filter to the Age command you just issued V To usea filter to Age a data file 1 Click Age to display the Age dialog box 2 Select Due from the Age On drop down list 3 Click the Cutoff Date drop down to display the Date Selector Select December 31 2000 Module 4 Manipulating Data Aging Data Age Eq Main More Output Age On Accumulate Fields Cutoff Date Amount TransAmount Januar 11 2001 Aging Periods Cancel Help Click If to open the Expression Builder In the Available Fields list view double click Type Click _ to copy the equals sign to the Expression text box Enter IN The Expression Builder now looks like this Expression Type IN Hep x erity Cancel Save As Available Fields Func
307. ng the following 3 Click Edit Batch Note to display the Batch Notes window 4 Enter This is an example of an AR sample batch EJ Batch Untitled Notes ojx This is an example of an AR sample batch 5 Close the Notes window 240 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Using Batches 6 Click 2a Statistics or select Analyze from the menu bar and choose Statistics to display the Statistics dialog box Statistics x Main More Output Statistics On Amount Trang 4mourt Date Invoice D ate Due Due D ate Ih D Std Deviation Cancel Help 7 Click the Amount field then click OK The Statistics command is now written in your batch Untitled MEE STATISTICS ON amount TO SCREEN NUMBER 5 Fon vw Wee B 8 Select Sampling from the menu bar and choose Sample ACL displays the Sample dialog box MUS and Fixed Interval are selected by default 9 In the Interval text box enter 25000 10 In the Start text box enter 234 Module 5 Creating Applications 241 Using Batches Sample B Main More p MUS C Record famout H Sample Parameters Fixed Interval Interval 25000 C Cell Start 234 C Random Cutoff Cancel Help 11 Click the More tab to display the additional options 12 Select Fields Sample x Main More Scope All First C Next while Output C Record Extract Fields Fields Trans A4mou
308. nition icon is highlighted indicating that it is in use 2 Click to select Inventory and click Close The Inventory input file closes The Overview window remains open so that you can access other files Importing an Input File Definition from Another Project Instead of creating a new input file definition in your current Project you can import one from an existing Project if it is already structured to fit your needs This is a fast way to create field definitions and format a Project Module 2 ACL Fundamentals 61 Overview Window To import an input file definition you open a Project from the File menu and choose a file from the Locate Project File window For example you can import one or more input file definitions from Workbook acl to the Newwork acl Project that you created in the exercise on Creating Opening and Closing Projects on page 32 To import an input file definition from Workbook acl into Newwork acl Open Newwork acl Click E Overview on the button bar to display the Overview window In the Overview window click Input File Definitions Click Copy from Another Project ACL displays the Locate Project File dialog box mo m 5 Select Workbook acl from the dialog box and click Open ACL displays the Import dialog box The From text box displays the names of input file definitions defined in the Workbook Project 6 In the From Workbook acl list box click Ar and then click gt to
309. nition to open the Input File Definition window 2 Click the Edit Fields Expressions tab Then click Add a New Expression The field list area changes to let you define expression options 3 In the Name text box enter Markup 4 Click t Default Value Expression to open the Expression Builder 226 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Using Expressions Inventory CA ACL Data Data Inventory _tfil Default Value Expression tee C Verity Cancel Available Fields Functions All CstDte Cost D ate Loc Location Minty Re Order Paint Mkt al Market alue FrcDte Frice D ate Filters ProdCls Product Class Locos T ABS number AGE date lt cutoff _ date _pyyymi ALLTRIM string ASCII character AT occurence_num search_fe BETWEEN value min max BITI byte location BLANKS count BYTE byte location COO date length CHRI number CLEAN sting lt extra_invalid_cl CTOD field lt date_forrmat_if_nc DATEL date gt From Input File b Inventory LOW gt Paste Parameters FrodD esc Froduct Descriptio Frodo Product N urnber ProdStat Product Status GOH Quantity On Hand l GtyOO Quantity Orn Order Variables SalePr Sale Price Y H V Tocreate the expression SALEPR UNCST SALEPR which is the unit markup on each inventory item 1 2 Click _t Parentheses to place parentheses in the Expression text box In the Available Fields list view doub
310. not specify a header ACL prints the information specified in the Global Title Page box in Preferences 3 In the Footer text box enter Accounts Payable Transactions ACL automati cally centers this information at the bottom of each report page You can highlight and change the Report header or footer information in the text boxes at any time you want Note All ACL command dialog boxes have an Output options tab One of the options allows you to add headers and footers If you click the Output tab in the Report dialog box you see the optional Header and Footer text boxes These text boxes are linked to the Header and Footer text boxes found in the Main Report options If you enter a header or footer in one location ACL automatically changes the header or footer in the other locations 294 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Formatting Reports Previewing the Report ACL lets you preview your report before you print it 1 In the View window click Report or select Data from the menu bar and choose Report to display the Report dialog box 2 Click Preview to show the preview of your report including what the header and footer will look like when printed Note If the Preview button is grayed out it is probably because a default printer has not been set up on your system Paget Prokee vib OCL by OCl Sarkad Le Sass rega ae RR Tee ns eee DIE enrere pS Proko hirter ser Hiti ede T j i z 33933 z n Hi E BE Pre
311. nput File Reston gees _ Hen input file t p Trans Vendor vendor No Vendor vendor Mame Inventory ProdDesc Invoice_D ate Invoice Amount Related fields 8 Click OK to close the Add Columns dialog box ACL adds the columns to the view and displays the View window View Untitled Data File Ap_Trans_fil Vendor Vendor Product 5 E 11663 More Power Industries LATEX SEMI GLOSS CARAMEL 1 71 1 2001 618 30 4 SS 2 13808 NOVATECH Wholesale LATEX SEMI GLOSS APRICOT 17 11 2001 6 705 12 3 12433 Koro International LATEX SEMI GLOSS PINK 17 11 2001 7 955 46 a 4 11663 More Power Industries LATEX SEMI GLOSS YELLOW 17 1 1 2001 4 870 83 5 12130 Stroud amp Sons LATEX SEMI GLOSS GREEN 17 11 2001 10 531 71 i 6 13411 United Equipment METRIC TOOL SET 3 8 DR 30 1 0 2001 5 734 00 i 12433 Koro International METRIC SOCKET SET 11 PC 30 10 2001 2 196 00 ss aj 8 10721 Witz amp Partners 6 PC OPEN END WRENCH SE 30 1 0 2001 265 19 g 12433 Koro International 6 PC BOX END WRENCH SET 30710 2001 225 00 Aa 10 13411 United Equipment 8 PC METRIC HEX KEYS 30 1 0 2001 14 88 11 10787 Herbie s Hardware SCREW DRIVER 114X 65L 31 05 2001 1 217 16 ally 1 10534 acer Induetries SORAA DRIVER NA 3 PHIL 34dimaronn 149 it gt ACL places the columns in the order that you select them in the Add Columns dialog box You can ad
312. nt Invoice D ate Due Date Cust Number Ref No M Subsample M Report Selection Order No Repeats I Append To Existing File Cancel Help 13 Click Extract Fields to open the Selected Fields dialog box 14 Click Add All to copy all the available fields to the Selected Fields list box Click OK 15 Click the Main tab to return to the Main options 242 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Using Batches 16 In the To text box enter Armonth The Sample dialog box now looks like this Sample Main More SEE MUS Record Sample Parameters Fixed Interval Interval 25000 C Cell Start 234 C Random Cutoff Iliz fF To Armonth J Local J Use Output File Cancel Help 17 Click OK to record this Sample command in the batch Untitled w STATISTICS ON amount TO SCREEN NUMBER 5 SAMPLE ON amount INTERVAL 25000 FIXED 234 FIELDS amount date Date_new due Due_m FOV ie We e 18 Close the Batch window ACL prompts you to save the changes to the batch 19 Enter in the text box to name the batch Arsample 20 Click OK to name the batch and close the dialog box Batch Untitled changed save as OF Cancel Jarsample Discard Creating Applications 243 Using Batches 21 In the Overview window click Expand next to the Batches icon to expand Batches Arsample is in the list 22 Drag the batch name to the application workspace ACL as
313. nt Je sample data gltrialbal fil Browse This is an example of a Notify message sent to an external e mail address It includes an attachment and is password protected NOTIFY USER jsmith acl com PASSWORD 8456B52AD40CC450D53DAAD521FD624F1D2CBCB089B9AB7 3753B B69475 E5F23 MAILBOX smtp internet com ADDRESS Dmarcus mpp com SUBJECT Exceptions were found in Client s data MESSAGE The Test batches were run on the client s system Exceptions were found ATTACHMENT C sample data gltrialbal fil There can be more than one recipient in the To field depending on the system Lotus cc Mail and Microsoft Exchange support multiple recipients separated by commas SMTP does not Module 6 Communicating Results 325 The Notify Command The subject field defaults to Notify if you leave it blank It is normally preferable to specify a subject Although the password you enter here is encrypted in the dialog box and in any batch jobs the Notify command should be used with caution It is possible to copy and paste the encrypted password from the batch job it appears in using it in another batch job to send unauthorized mail For this reason ACL strongly advises that any mail sent from within a batch job be sent from a separate account perhaps entitled ACL so that imper sonation is impossible and unauthorized use is made less attractive Note Notify is not intended for use as a full scale mail system It is a send
314. nter the numeric value of the month that you want For example if you enter 12 the month changes to December Change the numbers for the day and the year by selecting them individually and entering new numbers Displaying Dates ACL defines dates in the data file according to what you specify in the Format text box in the Input File Definition dialog box ACL displays dates in all views reports and other output according to the preferences you set for dates Displaying Dates in the View Window You can choose from the Date Options in the Preferences dialog box to control the appearance of dates to in views reports and other output For example if you had an invoice date of November 12 2000 The data file stores the date as 20001112 The default preferences format is MM DD YYYY The Input File date format specified by the user is YYYYMMDD 54 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Interpreting Dates The View window displays the data as 11 12 2000 The ACL default date format is mm dd yyyy Dates are set globally for all views and output files ACL interprets date formats as follows Year 1 99 YY Year 1900 9999 YYYY Month 1 12 MM Month Jan Dec MMM Day 1 31 DD Day 1 366 DDD Y To change the display of dates in both input and output files to month day year MMM DD YYYY format 1 Select Edit from the menu bar and choose Preferences 2 Click the Date Options tab in the Preferences dialog box to display the option
315. ntry Click 3 Close to close and save the Inventory input file definition The default view of Inventory appears Au Pw Editing Input File Definitions You can change an input file definition at any time For example you can add or delete field definitions and modify the definition or formatting for existing fields You can also modify the media type file type character type record length and skip length Adding Field Definitions You may want to add fields to the input file to produce a more complete representation of the records in the file You can use the Input File Definition window to create additional field definitions to add to the input file definition To add a field to the Inventory input file definition 1 With the Inventory input file definition open in the View select Edit from the menu bar and choose Input File Definition ACL displays the Input File Definition window Click position 61 in a record and drag to the right until the Len box displays 5 Enter QtyOH in the Field Name text box Select NUMERIC from the Type drop down list Enter 0 in the Dec text box as Quantity On Hand is in whole units Click Accept Entry Close the Input File Definition window a GH UW SS WV N The new field definition QtyOH does not automatically appear in your default view To add field definitions to your default view see Adding Columns on page 68 Deleting Field Definitions If you d
316. o Ee f Local W Use Output File Cancel Help 3 Select Fields to make the Extract Fields list view available 4 Select the No field hold down CTRL and select the Amount and Due fields as well ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Aging Data 5 In the If text box enter AGE DUE 001231 gt 180 This expression instructs ACL to compare the date in the due field to the date December 31 2000 which is stored in YYMMDD format 6 In the To text box enter Aged to name the new input file Since the Use Output File check box is checked ACL will open Aged in the view The Extract dialog box now looks like this Extract x Main More Record i Fields Extract Fields 2 Amount TransAmount Date Invoice D ate 3 Due Due D ate fielda Cust Number RefNo If JAGE DUE 001231 180 Io aged I Local f Use Output File Cancel Help 7 Click OK to execute the command The results appear in the command log Command Log Oy x Last Result v fx oren Aged E A EXTRACT FIELDS No Amount Due IF AGE DUE 001231 gt 180 TO Aged OPEN 262 o 772 met the test AGE DUE O01231 180 262 records produced Extraction to file C ACL Data Data Aged FIL is complete Opening file Aged A OPEN Aged 3 fields activated 4 alel The results show that 262 records met the test and three fields were activated Module 4 Manipulating Data 163 Aging Data View Defa
317. o appear in the command log Command Log Pel Ea Last Result gt S fx al A SAMPLE ON Amount INTERVAL 4000 FIXED 234 RECORD TO Sampsize OFEN Sample size 146 3 top stratum out of V72 records sampled Population 585674 41 Top stratum 14929 97 Other 570744 44 The initial selection point was 234 00 The selection remainder is 1489 56 for sample reconciliation Extraction to file C ACL Data Data Sampsize FIL is complete Opening file Sampsize G OPEN Sampsize 6 fields activated lal Notice that the selection remainder is also reported for reconciliation purposes and that there are three top stratum items The top stratum items are amounts greater than or equal to the interval size Printing the Sample Command Results If you want to produce a record of the sampling parameters you used for this sample you can print the information V To print the command log 1 Click the command log to activate it 2 Click the drop down list in the command log and choose Last Result 3 Select File from the menu bar and choose Print ACL displays the Print dialog box 4 Click Print MUS With Top Stratum Cutoff When performing Monetary Unit Sampling with either of the two interval sampling methods ACL automatically stratifies the population into a top stratum and bottom stratum based on the absolute value of the field being sampled The top stratum items are those items whose absolute value is equ
318. o text box 8 Click OK ACL displays the command log and opens the new input file definition in the view For further details on the Merge command see Merge on page 239 in the ACL for Windows Reference Manual Exiting ACL If you want to exit ACL now select File from the menu bar and choose Exit 180 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Sample Size and Evaluate Lesson 4 8 Sample Size and Evaluate In this lesson you will learn to use the Sample Size and Evaluate commands to determine sample sizes draw samples and evaluate sample errors The Sample command selects statistical record samples or monetary unit samples MUS also known as dollar unit samples from a population within an input file The Size command determines the appropriate sample size for record and monetary unit samples The Evaluate command determines the effects of errors detected in sampling results on the overall population Note The theory behind statistical sampling is complex and goes beyond the scope of this workbook If you are not familiar with the critical judgments required to perform statistical sampling we recommend consulting a statistics specialist before using the ACL Evaluate Sample and Size commands Opening Your Project To prepare for this lesson 1 Open the Workbook acl Project For details on how to open an ACL Project and an input file definition see Lesson 2 4 Overview Window on page 57 2 In the Overview win
319. of selections is required Therefore it is a good idea to intentionally oversample when No Repeats is turned on The No Repeats check box is found in the More tab of the Sample dialog box and is grayed out if the option does not apply to your sample Subsample The records you are sampling may represent multiple rather than individual transac tions For example an accounts payable sub system may have multiple transactions assigned to each record Subsampling lets you sample the supporting items When you choose the Subsample option in the More tab of the Sample dialog box ACL generates a random number for each selection This number can then be used to draw a subsample of the individual transactions that make up the selected record Record Sampling You can use Record Sampling to do compliance testing and to perform a random sample of records Record Sampling only samples based on the records themselves not the value of the numeric fields in the records When you perform a record sample each record in the file has an equal chance of being selected For example a hundred dollar item has the same chance of selection as a million dollar item Record sampling may overlook very large transactions Record sampling is most useful for compliance or understatement testing You can use record sampling to test the compliance or rate of errors in the total population Similarly with understatement tests you are more concerned with items th
320. of File 2 Click Set Filter Module 8 OFFSET column Troubleshooting Data Errors 353 Troubleshooting Data Errors 3 ACL displays the view of all records that meet the filter conditions records 2 and 14 For these two records the amount in the control field differs from the amount in the Total field by more than 01 Dumping Data When you encounter invalid data in the file the Dump command can give you useful information Dump displays the contents of a specified file or the current record in hexadecimal HEX ASCII and EBCDIC formats You can display the entire contents of a specified file or you can display only the selected record in your current view You can dump any file at any time the file does not need to be open Simply specify the full file name To use the Dump command Select Tools from the menu bar and choose Dump The currently selected record is displayed in the Dump window EJ Dump OLX Record M Horizontal File OO HEX Skip Bytes A Help i ASCII eae is m ees Position 0 Find OFFSET D 333332038 302142031 20313220 142330801 20202020 SOSERS530 320202020 2 20203202E 35303020 20202020 Oo bC 20202020 20202039 S220000 42 20203230 SE29290D OA This integrated window lets you specify Dump parameters in the top of the window ACL displays the results in the bottom of the window The default Vertical format displays each type of data side by side Because the Dump co
321. oice Number column 2 Click any record in any column to remove the highlighting Searching for Specific Records One of the benefits of sorting a file is that you can search for specific records very quickly The more records a file contains the more apparent the increase in search speed The Sortvip file you created in the last exercise has 102 records therefore the increase in search speed is only moderate VY To search for the first record with the vendor number 13373 1 Select Analyze from the menu bar and choose Search ACL displays the Search dialog box Mairi Sequential Indexed Aird Literal Locate lf l Seek Expessian Cancel Help 2 Select Locate If 136 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Sorting and Indexing 3 Click Expr ACL displays the Expression Builder 4 In the Available Fields list view double click Vendor_No ACL copies Vendor_No to the Expression box 5 Click _ to copy the equals sign to the Expression box beside Vendor_No 6 Enter 13373 The expression looks like this Vendor_No 13373 Search If x Expression VendorNo 133734 Help OK Verity Cancel Save As Available Fields Functions A z Invoice Amount Invoice Amount Invoce_Date Invoce Date Invoce_Mo Invoice Number Prodno Product Nurnber Quantity Quantity Filters Unrit_Cost Unit Cost Vendor Mo Vendor M umber ABS number AGE date lt cutoff date _pyyymi
322. oll bar to view all of the list Click column headings to change the order of the columns The changes apply to all subsequent list views Click and drag column borders to change column width Click and drag column titles to change order of columns Click item name to select a single item Press CTRL CLICK to select multiple individual items or press SHIFT CLICK to select a block of neighboring items Use the scroll bars to move through the list horizontally and vertically to see all of the field properties information Click and drag a column title to Click and drag to move it you can arrange the resize columns columns in any order Pian amount Transz4mount 31 NUMERIC 10 Amount Amountad 0 COMPUTED 12 date Invoice Date 7 DATE a due Due D ate 15 DATE a o ASCII TE pivot _60 pivot_60 0 COMPUTED amp amount Trans k nt 3 NUMERIC 10 Amount Amountad 0 COMPUTED 12 date Invoice Date 7 DATE 8 due Due D ate 15 DATE 8 i pivot GO pivot_60 0 COMPUTED ref RefNo 23 ASCII G tupe Trans T ype 29 ASCII 2 ref RefNo 23 ASCII G tupe Trans Type 29 ASCII 2 Module 1 Welcome to ACL 27 Getting Started with ACL Working with Dialog Boxes Dialog boxes open when you make choices on the application screen that require more information For example the Count command displays a typical dialog box Title bar Click to create an Main More Click to display additional expression usin
323. om the list of input file definitions 3 Click Open to open the Empmast file Joining Data Files With the Join command you can create a file that combines fields from two different files giving you access to fields from both files in a single input file definition You can join files of dissimilar data But key fields must be character type left justified and the same length Use functions to harmonize key fields Ifyou want to join more than two files first join one primary and one secondary file and then join the resulting output file to a third file What are Primary and Secondary Files After selecting the two files that you want to join decide which file to use as the primary file and which to use as the secondary file View the primary file usually the larger of the two as the core of the join and the secondary as its complement You open the primary file to begin the join then select the secondary file from the drop down list in the Join dialog box For example you may choose to join data in a transaction file with records in a master file such as matching invoice data in an accounts receivable file to a master customer Module 4 Manipulating Data 165 Joining Relating and Merging Data file If you join a transaction file and master file the transaction file is usually the primary file The master file is usually the secondary file Note Be sure to correctly identify your primary and secondary files The res
324. omputed field 1 In the Input File Definition window scroll to the computed field that you want to delete and select it 2 Click Delete Fields to delete the expression A dialog box asks you to confirm that you want to delete the field 3 Click Delete to delete the field and close the dialog box Exiting ACL If you want to exit ACL now select File from the menu bar and choose Exit Module 5 Lesson 5 2 Creating Applications 237 Using Batches Using Batches In this lesson you will learn how to use batches to enter and store multiple commands that can then be executed as a single command Opening Your Project To prepare for this lesson 1 Open the Workbook acl Project For details on how to open an ACL Project and an input file definition see Lesson 2 4 Overview Window on page 57 2 Select the Ar input file definition and drag it out of the Overview window to open the default view of the Ar input file definition that is linked to the data file Ar fil What is a Batch A batch is a series of ACL commands and prompts that you name and store in an ACL Project When you run the batch all of the commands in the batch are executed Using batches saves you the trouble of executing each command separately You can design a batch so that it executes automatically Alternatively you can design it to prompt you for information so that you can vary your responses to the prompts each time you run the batch
325. on from the File menu Project Notes Use Project Notes to record general information about a Project V Toaddanotetoa Project 1 Click Edit Project Note on the main button bar Module 2 ACL Fundamentals 87 Documenting Your Work 2 Enter ACL for Windows Workbook Project The Project Notes window now 3 looks like this E Project Workbook acl Notes ACL for Windows Workbook Project Close the Project Notes window ACL shades the bottom portion of the button to show that there are now Project notes View Notes The most obvious place to add notes is the View Notes can explain the reasons for creating a particular view and clarify its usage to other users V To create a note for the view 1 2 Click Edit View Note on the View window button bar Enter Inventory file showing product class location and product number Close the Notes window ACL shades the bottom portion of the Notes button to indicate that you added a note Input File Definition Notes You can use an input file definition note to describe why the input file definition was created V To make a note about an input file definition 1 Select Edit from the menu bar and choose Input File Definition The Input File Definition window opens Click the Input File Options tab Click Edit Input File Definition Note on the Input File Definition window button bar to display the Input File Inventory Notes window 88
326. only utility with avery limited range of adaptation and may not be able to deal with some mail formats It is advisable to test the precise message syntax and attachment types you will be using in the command log beforehand to verify that messages will arrive intact Also be aware that system responses concerning nondelivery of your messages may not reach you consistently Accessing Notify Using the Command Log and Batch Files You can create a Notify command in the command log as a single command of the form NOTIFY USER username lt PASSWORD xxxx gt MAILBOX pathname ADDRESS recipient MESSAGE message If your command does not include the required items above an error message appears noting the first missing item The dialog box then appears prompting you for the missing information You can also include Notify in batch files It executes just as it would from the Command Log as it is a standard batch command Note Some of the failure modes for Notify such as an invalid password or address cause an unattended batch to pause 326 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook The Notify Command CUSTOMIZING ACL In Module 7 you will find out how to customize ACL You will learn how to Select options and then turn them on and off Restore factory default preferences Set Interface Input File View Command Date Numeric Print and Application Font options 327 328 ACL for Windows 7 Setting Preferences Workbook Lesson7
327. onto the application workspace The default view for Inventory fil appears in the view Repeat steps 2 through 5 to index Inventory indexing on the key field ProdNo in step 3 and naming the index Prodno in step 4 Note If an index file becomes outdated ACL automatically recreates the index file using the same index file name Relating Files You are now ready to use the Relations dialog box to establish a relationship between Ap_Trans Vendor and Inventory 1 V Tocreatea relationship In the Overview window open the parent file by double clicking the Ap_Trans input file definition Your open input file is always your parent file 174 ACL for Windows 7 Joining Relating and Merging Data Workbook 2 Click Relations or select Data from the menu bar and choose Relations ACL displays the Relations dialog box Relations x m Parent File Related File Primary file Ap_Trans o Relation Name Using Index Product Number Invoice_No Vendor_No Invoice Number a Vendor Number Key fields Relationships Vendor related by VYendor_No using index Vendorno In the Relationships list box ACL reports that no known relations exist When you create a relation ACL displays a detailed description of it in the Relationships list box 3 In the Relate on list view select the Vendor_No field as your key field 4 Inthe Related File drop down list choose Vendor as the chi
328. op down list For numeric data fields that contain decimals or currency amounts you need to specify the number of decimal places Enter 2 in the Decimal Dec text box This formats the unit cost field to display two decimal places in views and reports Click Accept Entry AA Next to define the Sale Price field 1 Click row 1 position 49 Drag to the right until the Len text box displays 6 and release the mouse button 2 Enter SalePr in the Name text box 3 Double click NUMERIC in the Valid Field Types list box 4 5 Click Accept Entry Enter 2 in the Decimal Dec text box to set the number of decimal places to two Defining a Date Field The last field you will define is a date field The cost date field begins at position 55 on the byte ruler in the data area You need to specify the format in which the date is stored in the data file unless date fields are packed Packed fields are discussed in Lesson 2 3 Interpreting Dates on page 50 V To define a date field 1 Click row 1 position 55 drag to the right until the Len text box displays 6 and release the mouse button In the Name text box enter CstDte Since the Cstdte field is a date field you need to change the data type Module 2 ACLFundamentals 47 Input File Definitions In the Valid Field Types list box double click DATE Click the down arrow beside the Format drop down list Select YYMMDD Click Accept E
329. or further details V To see if the Autoexecute Commands preference is set 1 Select Edit from the menu bar and choose Preferences ACL opens the Preferences dialog box 2 Click the Command Options tab to show the Command Options Module 3 Understanding Data 101 Totaling Fields Edit ACL Preferences x Date Options Numeric Options Print Options Application Font Options Interface Options Input File Options View Options Command Options Automatic Output Filenames Time Starnp Commands W Use Output File IY Show Group Tests in Log Intervals 10 i 0 Error Limit C Program FilesVACL Software ACL for Windows Cent hachwir prt Save Factory Cancel Help 3 Make sure the Autoexecute Commands check box is selected 4 Click OK V To autoexecute a total CTRL CLICK the Invoice Amount Quantity and Unit_Cost headings to select them 2 Click or select Analyze from the menu bar and choose Total The result immediately appears in the command log Command Log Oy x Last Result gt v fx al TOTAL FIELDS Invoice Amount Quantity Unit Cost The total of Invoice_Amowunt is 276 641 95 The total of Quantity is 37 107 H The total of Unit Cost is 1 582 29 al Notice that the total is identical to that reported in the previous command result Exiting ACL If you want to exit ACL now select File from the menu bar and choose Exit 102 ACL for Windo
330. or required information 3 In the Setup Type dialog box select Custom 6 ACL for Windows 7 4 In the Select Components dialog box select only the Workbook Data Files check box Continue to follow the prompts to place the data folder in the desired location Installing the Complete Workbook VY To install the program 48K limited version and sample data files for ACL for Windows Version 7 Workbook on your personal computer 1 2 Typical Custom Close all programs Insert the CD into the CD ROM drive and follow the prompts for the type of instal lation you want Select either Typical or Custom installation The installation program informs you of the progress and prompts you for required information The Typical option is best for most users The Typical installation installs all the necessary files and options on your computer s hard disk Select the Typical option unless you have specific reasons to choose another option The Custom option is for advanced users who want to install only specific compo nents If you select the Custom option ACL displays an additional dialog box for you to select the components you want Starting the ACL for Windows Workbook Program After you install ACL for Windows Version 7 Workbook you can begin using the program V To start ACL for Windows Version 7 Workbook from the Windows desktop 1 2 Click Start and select Programs From the Programs menu select ACL
331. or the invalid data so that processing can continue For more information see VERIFY on page 85 of the ACL for Windows Reference Manual and online Help Module 3 Lesson 3 2 Understanding Data 97 Counting Records Counting Records When you first use an input file you should ensure that you are working with the correct data file and that the data is complete Always begin your analysis by checking that data has not been lost during file prepa ration or while downloading data to your hard disk You can confirm the number of records by looking at the status bar ACL automatically displays the number of records in a fixed record length file in the middle of the status bar Opening Your Project To prepare for this lesson 1 Open the Workbook acl Project For details on how to open an ACL Project and an input file definition see Lesson 2 4 Overview Window on page 57 2 In the Overview window drag Ap_Trans onto the application workspace The View window opens and displays the records and columns for the input file definition Ap_Trans Using the Count Command The Project status bar shows you there are 102 records in the data file It is good practice to make sure that your control totals are correct especially since you are often provided with more records than you need Use the Count command to test the number of records in the file V To Count the number of records 1 Select Analyze from the menu bar and c
332. ord The Find function is not case sensitive so it will find both uppercase and lowercase as well as both ASCII and EBCDIC characters The following example shows you how to access functions while building expressions Finding Characters in a Field Use the FIND function to find any string of characters within the field you specify VY o look in the State field for companies located in New York 1 Click Edit View Filter in the View window ACL displays the Expression Builder for you to define a view filter 198 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Using Functions Edit view filter x Expression l T Hep IOo o Verity Cancel Save As Available Fields Address ShreetAddress City City Limit Credit Lirnit Name Name Mo Cust No Filters Sales Rep No Sales Rep Number State State Zip ZipCode Functions BITI byte_locatior BLANKS count BYTE byte location COO date length CHRI number CLEANI sting lt extra_invalid_cl CTODI field lt date_format_it_ne D Y El sdate From Input File Customer Low W Paste Parameters Variables 2 Uncheck the Paste Parameters check box at the bottom right of the Expression Builder 3 Click the Functions drop down list on the right side of the dialog box and select Logical The functions list changes to show the group of Logical functions 4 Double click the FIND function to copy the function to the Expression text box The c
333. ord that you have reached the End of File Scrolling Through Records When there are too many records rows in the file to display at one time you can scan for non visible items using the scroll bars For more information see Scrolling in Windows on page 24 As you scroll the view to display additional records notice that the column headings are still displayed at the top of the view What is a Column A column is a defined field or expression that is displayed vertically in the View window View columns display the fields you have defined from the data file You can add delete or modify columns in a view Module 2 ACL Fundamentals 65 View Window View Default_View Data File Inventory_fil Column headings Ve are shown at the top z Product Product Location Product Product Unit Cost of the view Number Class Description Status Cost Date ma EE 070104347 07 06 LATEX SEMI GLOSS ORANGE A 6 87 10 10 2000 g 2 070104397 07 06 LATEX SEMI GLOSS CARAMEL A 6 87 10 10 2000 3 070104177 07 06 LATEX SEMI GLOSS LILAC A 6 87 10 10 2000 ap 4 070104677 07 06 LATEX SEMI GLOSS APRICOT JA 6 87 10 10 2000 5 070104657 07 06 LATEX SEMIF GLOSS PINK JA 6 87 10 10 2000 AA 6 070104327 07 06 LATEX SEMI GLOSS YELLOW JA 6 87 10 10 2000 7 070104377 07 06 LATEX SEMI GLOSS GREEN JA 6 87 10 10 2000 Aa 8 030414313 03 03 METRIC TOOLSET 3
334. ort as data is capturing the information in a disk file In most mini and mainframe computer environments this is straightforward because files are typically spooled before printing You do not have to print the file just copy the spool file before it is deleted You usually end up with a fixed length file that has a record length of 133 which ACL can process easily If you plan to download spooled report files ask your computer department to copy the required files to permanent disk files for you to download Module 1 Welcome to ACL 11 Accessing and Downloading Data Downloading the Data File to a PC Network Server or Tape When downloading data from a mini or mainframe computer via terminal emulation the PC emulates a terminal on the mainframe or minicomputer with special terminal emulation software Packages such as IBM s Personal Communications and PC3270 PC Support 400 IRMA and Rumba provide such terminal emulation for PCs as well as an appropriate file transfer component for downloading files Some downloading software will attempt to convert data from a mini or mainframe computer representation such as EBCDIC to one of those used on a PC such as ASCII Other packages often assume all data is text and as a consequence will corrupt any numbers In these cases it is best to download without any conversion options sometimes called binary transfers and to keep the original method of storing the data ACL Conversion Utility
335. ou can also create a batch from a view ACL keeps track of all the steps you take to create a view and can recreate the steps as a batch The data file must be one that was created using ACL If you want to produce a report that lists the inventory items at a particular location each month you can create a batch file from an existing view The batch automatically processes a report to arrange it the same way you created the view You can then run the batch each month to update the report To create a batch file from a view 1 Drag the Sampsize input file definition you created in lesson 4 8 into the application workspace to open it See Drawing an MUS Fixed Interval Sample on page 187 2 Select Tools from the menu bar and choose Create Batch from File History ACL asks if you want to save the default view under a different name Click Yes 3 ACL creates the batch and then prompts you to name it 4 Enter Sampsize2 in the text box 5 Click OK to close the dialog box 246 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Using Batches VW To see the new batch 1 2 3 Click F Expand beside Batches in the Overview window and drag Sampsize onto the application workspace ACL asks you if you want to run or edit the batch Click Edit The Sampsize2 batch window opens The window shows the list of commands that produced the Sampsize2 input file Close the Batch window VY Torun the batch 1 2 3 Double click Sampsi
336. ou choose Duplicates or Gaps from the Analyze menu the dialog box opens with the appropriate title The options in the dialog box are the same but depending on the command you have chosen different options are selected by default In this lesson you test for gaps in check numbers and duplicate employee numbers Opening Your Project To prepare for this lesson 1 Open the Workbook acl Project For details on how to open an ACL Project and an input file definition see Lesson 2 4 Overview Window on page 57 2 Select Payroll and drag and drop it onto the Open button in the Overview window to open the default view of the Payroll input file which uses the data file Payroll fil Testing the Field Sequence Use the Sequence command to test that an input file is sorted on a specific field If it is the command log will show no sequence errors If the input file is not sorted on the field you select the command log reports the number of records that are out of order and lists the records 108 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Testing for Sequences Duplicates and Gaps V To issue the Sequence command and find out if the data file is already sorted 1 Select Analyze from the menu bar and choose Sequence The Sequence dialog box opens Main More Output Sequence n List Fields Cheque_No Cheque Number Cheque_No Cheque N umber EmpNo Employee umber EmpNo Employee umber Gross_Pay Gross Fay Gross_Pay Gross Fap
337. ou want to clear Click and drag to select a section by pressing the left mouse button dragging the mouse to select the section you want and releasing the mouse button Click at the start of the section scroll down to the end of the section and press SHIFT CLICK placing your cursor at the end of the section 3 Select File from the menu bar and choose Clear Log File ACL displays the Clear Log File dialog box 82 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Command Log 4 Select Clear selection to clear only the highlighted selection Clear Log File x Clear entire Log OK Clear Log to Cursor Cancel 5 Click OK ACL clears the highlighted section and in place of the deleted selection records the message A range of the Log has been deleted Clearing the Full Log Important ACL does not verify your request when you clear the full log Look through the log first to make sure you want to delete everything in it V To clear the full log 1 Scroll through the log to make sure there is nothing you want to keep 2 Select File from the menu bar and choose Clear Log File ACL displays the Clear Log File dialog box Clear Log File x C Clear entire Log Clear Log to Cursor Cancel Clear selection 3 Select Clear entire Log 4 Click OK to accept the entry and close the dialog box Printing the Log Printing the log file is useful if you want permanent documentation of your work You can print the entire log or just
338. ouble click ODBC Select the data source directory from which you want to convert data If you need assistance with ODBC drivers contact your company s systems administrator Converting an ODBC File Open an ACL Project if you have not already done so V To convert an ODBC file 1 Click E Overview to display the Overview window 2 Click Input File Definitions 3 Click New ACL displays the Welcome screen of the Data Definition Wizard Click Next 379 380 ACL for Windows 7 4 Select ODBC Data Definition Wizard Select Data Source Select Platform Select Data Identify Properties Define Fields Records Edit Field Properties Specify how to get your data file C Disk C Tape C External Definition Your file is on a disk hard drive floppy or network server Your file is on a tape that is connected to your computer 9 Track 8mm 4mm DAT Select ODBC to import data from ODBC compliant databases such as Oracle or MS Access to name but two This will take you to the ACL ODBC Wizard Your file is either an 4 400 FDF PL 1 or a COBOL file definition lt Back Cancel Help 5 Click Next The Select Data Source dialog box appears Workbook 6 Choose the type of ODBC data source you are using from the File Data Source list box on the File Data Source tab The Server drop down list displays all possible sources of ODBC data for which you have ins
339. oups Using the Group command allows you to Improve processing speed and efficiency Perform programming actions spanning a number of records Perform complex operations on a file while referring to information in prior records Process multiple record type files Process data in complex variable length record structures Creating Groups In this lesson you use three types of groups A simple group consists of a Group command followed by a set of ACL commands terminating with an End command A simple group processes the commands sequentially on all records in one pass of the file A simple conditional group consists of the Group command a series of other commands and the End command Conditional statements issue each command only if the conditions specified in the group are true Otherwise ACL does not execute the command Adding conditions enables your batch to deal with differing circumstances Module 5 Creating Applications 253 Groups and Loops in Batches Nested groups are groups within groups that make it possible for additional groups of commands to be carried out while the original group is processing You can place most commands in groups as long as they do not depend on the output of a previous command in the group The Sort Accept Index and Do commands cannot be used in a group To build a group into a batch do any of the following Enter commands directly into a Batch window a Select and
340. ove the column to the new location The view now looks like this Ea View Default_View Data File Inventory fil x y amp _ mmia Product Location Product Product Class Humber Description Status ior 070104347 06 LATEX SEM GLOS ORANGE A Gu 070104397 06 LATEX SEMIGLOSS CARAMEL A Gi 07010417706 LATEX SEMI GLOSS LILAC A Ho 07 070104677 06 LATEX SEMI GLOSS APRICOT A 070104657 06 LATEX SEM GLOSSPINK__ A 070104327 06 LATEX SEMFGLOSS YELLOW A 070104377 06 LATEX SEMFGLOSSGREEN A PARKER PROPANE KIT 7PC F 2 E HEEJ t OO 4 m e 5 i ala 10 To move a column to the right side of another column click and drag the column positioning the hand icon on the right edge of the column title Removing Columns You may not want to use all the columns in the default view for your analysis If you want to work only with selected columns you can remove the remaining columns from your view The fields remain defined however and you can restore the columns to the view at any time Note If you want to delete a field definition from the input file definition you must first delete the column from the view 68 ACL for Windows 7 View Window V To remove columns from the view View Default_View Data File Inventory fil iz antity Re Order Quantity Inventory Point On Order
341. owing product class location and product number Note The data that you copy may be spaced slightly differently when you paste it Printing Logs Histories and Notes You can print the contents of any active window or any highlighted section of text by clicking Print Active Window To selectively print information about a file you can choose Print Documentation from the File menu Printing Documentation Whenever ACL creates a data file as output it also keeps a record of the printing documentation ACL offers a range of options for printing documentation including additional reference items such as input file definitions batch and view definitions and Project notes V To print the active window or any highlighted section 1 Click 5 Print Active Window on the button bar ACL displays the Print dialog box 2 Make sure that your printer is connected and ready Click Print To print the view see Printing the View on page 77 V T selectively print documentation 1 Select File from the menu bar and choose Print Documentation ACL displays the Print Documentation dialog box 90 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Documenting Your Work Print Documentation x Font Size E All Input File Definitions All View Definitions Default View 4p Trans Default View Ar Default View Badfile Default View Customer Default View Demo Page Break after each Category F p Pag
342. own by double clicking a specific bar on the chart See Graphing Command Results on page 307 for more details The new view has a filter limiting it to items with the relevant digit combination For digit combination 57 it will take this form LEADING Amount 4 57 You can add conditions to this filter to further limit which items appear in the view For example if your concerns involve only potential high value errors or frauds you may want to set the additional filter Amount gt 5000 Be sure to follow the precise order of the steps If you apply an additional filter criterion before running the Benford command the result may be strongly distorted In the above case numerous items with initial digits 1 4 would be deleted and the data set might wind up with massive variations from the expected Benford values for that reason alone However after you have run the Benford command and selected a subset for investi gation you can safely apply additional filters as necessary It may also make sense to filter by type of transaction or region or even to classify the subset for example by product or employee code ACL supports multiple drill down so you can graph the newly classified subset select one bar or pie slice from the new graph and drill down to view only the items it represents 220 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook The Benford Command Using Sorting amp Filtering This example repeats the steps from the previous e
343. oxes that create files When a command creates an output file ACL opens the output file so that you can use it right away If you turn this option off the Use Output File check box in command dialog boxes are not checked and ACL writes to the same file after executing the command You can always check or uncheck the Use Output File check box in any command dialog box Show Group Tests in Log When a batch has run this option displays the group results of If While For and Next tests beside the respective commands in the command log More than one test in a group can apply to each command If you turn this option off ACL does not display the group tests when you run a batch Intervals This option indicates the default number of intervals for a stratification or histogram Enter a number from 1 to 255 The default is 10 If you change the setting the new setting becomes the default until you change it or reset it Module 7 Customizing ACL 337 Setting Preferences Error Limit The Error Limit option specifies the default maximum number of sequence errors that ACL processes using the Sequence or Verify commands The default is 10 Date Options Click the Date Options tab to display its options Edit ACL Preferences x Interface Options Input File Options View Options Command Options Date Options Numeric Options Print Options Application Font Options Day Month MO Year e Default Date Format MM DD YY
344. perenne eres renee eee teem reer Mer eee rece ye eee ca ener 94 Using the Verity Command 2 cteccavsenldiusecvistedbsesucutemacivetepacoenntenies 94 COUNTING Records orroe ii e a a 97 Using the Count Command irasra E EE 97 Totalne Bields eea i NE 99 OBtainiNg Statistics naroierii png eR E E 102 Displaying Stati stieranie ia E Ea A 102 PPO FUMING e ete peudeunccamees cee aaeomecntaenet es ete haa aise 104 Pronmino UCN ge Riacecceeue ssn atce tte cucu tone st saate ces ecasa st sande ies 104 Testing for Sequences Duplicates and Gaps eeescesseeeeeeeeeeeeeeees 107 Testing the Field Seguen oe reran a 107 Testine FOL DUPCIE uier n a tae ee ae 108 Tesno Or GAPS on E e aT 110 Testing Duplicates and Gaps Together sssssssssssssssssssssssessresssseese 111 Module 4 Manipulating Data cece eee eee eee eee 113 CAC CN Da ae EE 114 DOU Dala yrna cabesttstosceasteatste AONA E 123 Whatis Exporting Data sccciscesscescteanavacnaaavonesaceeueomanpeocnseetseneuston 123 EXP OLIN S lll Pied S canot e naeneietdes 123 Exporting selected Fields icssat ssaetiidesk ainapesedeaiossanestentinatianaeastonet oust 126 Exporting to Other Applications cccavatees ieee aoiceetatgetdeneacenneteets 127 Sormena Adex so dest ett thi ence tee eases eee ate 129 Contool Totale sseni tater ashetutse oa torsea sar titealmaea seca denss 129 Using the Sort COMmMan de cave nal aE 130 Using the Index Command serons 137 S mm rizin and Classifying sssrinin a
345. playing a Statistics variety of statistical information The results are stored in variables i Displays options for extracting data Extract a Displays options for producing aged summaries of data Age 20 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Getting Started with ACL Action Option or Command Displays options for stratifying numeric data Stratify Displays options for classifying data based on the value of Classify character fields Displays options for testing for duplicate key field records Duplicates Displays options for rearranging a file into a new physical record Sort BD Elam lel sequence Displays options for customizing the default button bar Customize button bar Displays options for finding information Help Customizing the Default Button Bar You can customize the default button bar by including any of the buttons you can access from menus in any order and with alternate spacing until it best suits your needs You do not need to have an ACL Project open to customize the button bar To customize the button bar Click the Customize Button Bar button or select Tools from the menu bar and choose Customize Button Bar E ACL for Windows BEIEW File Edit Data Analyze Sampling Tools Server Window Help VASSAF FAA AWRBR WE wm amp m Insert Menu Item C Replace C Blank Select Menu Item to see icon Cancel C Delete C Separator Click on position to insert Help V To adda new button
346. plied only to a subsequent portion of the primary file See also Scope Parameter on page 397 ODBC ODBC Open database connectivity is a standardized API application programming interface technology that allows applications to access multiple third party databases also called heterogeneous databases Operators Mathematical and logical symbols used in building expressions The operators in ACL include lt gt NOT AND amp OR See also Expression on page 389 Overlapping Field The portion of an already defined field that is redefined as a different field Physical Field As opposed to a virtual or computed field a physical field refers to data that exists directly in the data file 396 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook See also Computed Field on page 387 Primary File The single file you are currently working with You can have only one primary file open at a time A primary and a secondary file are used in Join and Merge operations See also Secondary File on page 397 Project A file that contains all ACL file definitions views reports workspaces and batches The file containing the data to be analyzed is not part of the Project but is linked to the Project by way of the input file definition The Project file name uses the extension acl Temporary Projects use the extension ac See also Input File Definition on page 392 Random Seed The starting val
347. pplies this conditional index it displays only those records that meet the condition You see only the six records for vendor 12433 in the view The middle of the status bar tells you that a filtered index is in effect All the records are still in the file and once you remove the conditional index they will all be displayed 142 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Sorting and Indexing Opening an Index File You can have more than one index per file but you can only work with one index at a time V To open an index file 1 In the Overview window expand Input File Definitions to view the list of input file definitions 2 Expand the Ap_Trans file ACL uses the index icon D to show any indexes associated with that file The Ap_Trans file has two indexes one named Indvip which you created in the exercise on Creating an Index on page 138 and a condi tional index named Vend12433 which you created in the exercise on Creating a Conditional Index on page 141 3 Select the Indvip index and drag and drop it onto the application workspace ACL opens the default view of the Ap_Trans using the Indvip index Any previously opened index closes The center box on the status bar indicates the input file is indexed 4 Select the Vend12433 index again and drag and drop it onto the application workspace ACL closes the present index and opens the default view of Ap_Trans using the Vend12433 index The center box on the status bar indicat
348. process in most minicomputer and mainframe environ ments as these systems typically spool their output to a file before printing Make a copy of the spool file before it is deleted The resulting file is usually a CR LF file or in some cases a fixed record length file Both file types are simple to process In a PC environment capturing the data can be slightly more challenging If you are connected to a local area network LAN you can use the LAN print spooler the same way you would use a mainframe spooler In a stand alone environment there are a number of public domain shareware and utility programs that you can use to direct printer text to a disk file You usually obtain a CR LF file which ACL can read directly as illustrated in Steps in Processing Multiple Record Types on page 265 Understanding Record Types in a Report File Each line of the Report txt file is a record The record types are the different components of the report For example a page header a column heading and a total line are all record types To ignore all of the records that contain page formatting details report titles column headings subtotals and so on you define a filter that includes a characteristic unique to only the data records For example most of the records consist of a Product Number Description Quantity Unit and Amount These records also have an Amount field with a decimal point character in a specific position As long ther
349. r 2 Click Edit View Filter or select Tools from the menu bar and choose Set Global Filter Click None to turn off the currently applied filter Click OK to close the Set Global Filter dialog box Deleting a Named Expression Named expressions are computed fields V To see all the defined fields in the Input File Definition window click a Edit File Definition or select Edit from the menu bar and choose Input File Definition to open the Input File Definition window 236 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Using Expressions El Inventory CAACL Data Data Inventory fil Input File Options Edit FieldsExpressions Add a New Data Filter Mame Title Stat Categor Length Dec All fields CstDte Cost D ate 43 B Loc Location 10 LOCOS LOCOS 0 Logs Logs 0 Markup Markup 0 Minty Re Order Paint Mk al MarketValue Negcost Negcost 0 FrcDte Frice D ate 55 FrodCls Product Class 1 FrodD esc Froduct Description 12 YNN a ee ea ee m A A GA m ee m AA mn AA n 3 ASCII E Ue ire Bos ae al eee SO eee GO 70 1 l O7FO10434706LATEX SEMI CL SS ORANGE amp 6 87001010 99001015 870 980 song l 2 OFO1L0439706LATEX SEMNI GLOSS CARAMELA 6 87001010 99001015 460 985 soggu a O7FO1LO417706LATEX SEMI GLOSS LILAC amp 6 87001010 99001015 1450 750 oggi 4 OTOLO467706LATEX SEMI GLOSS APRICOTA 6 87001010 939001015 lz90 780 e Hex al J J J J V To delete a c
350. r Dialog ioj Edit box Text ae ee eater e a oe eee Check box Oe ae eee ae oe ae Oa Oe Oa Cone See eee ae Ses Ses Se See Se gees Project item list Stow Pe ilintijetgp il 2 oe ole 6 fee ee ee be ee A Re A aoe c Radiobutton 2 tbe nnnnnnnnnnnn c Radiobuttond e n nnns nnnnnnnnnnn Drop down list Saving the Dialog Builder in the Batch When the Dialog Builder has all of the elements required for your batch process save it with a meaningful name and then close the batch V Toname the Dialog Builder 1 Double click in the gray area of the Dialog Builder box ACL displays a User Dialog box User Dialog x Cancel You can change the width and height of the Dialog Builder as well as give it a new title 2 In the Title text box replace User Dialog by entering a meaningful name for the Dialog Builder 3 Click OK ACL renames the Dialog Builder Now that you have entered all of the controls you want and given the Dialog Builder a meaningful name save the Dialog Builder in the batch 1 Close the window ACL asks you if you want to save the dialog settings 372 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Designing Batches Using the Dialog Builder 2 Click OK ACL displays the Dialog Builder function string in the Batch window similar to this Untitled lolx E DIALOG DIALOG TITLE User Dialog WIDTH 493 HEIGHT 236 Dialog Builder BUTTONSET TITLE sO0K s
351. r ProdDesc in the Name text box 8 Click v ACL adds the field description to the data fields list Defining an Overlapping Field In this procedure you redefine a portion of the product number field that you have already defined This is called an overlapping field V To define an overlapping field 1 Click row 1 position 1 and drag to the right until the Len text box displays 2 Release the mouse button 2 Enter ProdC1s in the Name text box 3 Click v ACL adds the field description to the data fields list Notice that the overlapping field has the same start position as the Prodno field Defining a Numeric Field A numeric field contains printable numbers that have an explicit decimal point as well as an indicator such as a minus sign or parentheses for negative numbers Numeric fields may be coded in either ASCII or EBCDIC 46 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Input File Definitions When you define the next data field you will first skip a field and then start to define a unit cost field which you will name Uncst VW o define the next field as a numeric unit cost field 1 5 Click row 1 position 37 and drag to the right until the Len text box displays 6 Release the mouse button Enter UnCst in the Name text box The unit cost field is numeric not ASCII as indicated in the Type drop down list and in the Valid Field Types list box so you need to change the field type Select NUMERIC from the Type dr
352. r the twenty first century and do not need to use the Start of Century preference The Start of Century setting indicates the year separating this century and the next for dates with a two digit year You can use the Start of Century preference to set the first year of the 100 year period in which ACL will interpret data The default is set to zero in other words the year 00 is treated as 1900 For example you may choose to set 1960 as the separating year You would enter 60 in the Start of Century text box ACL then treats years 60 to 99 as 1960 to 1999 and years 00 to 59 as 2000 to 2059 The following table illustrates possible Start of Century dates Start of Century Date Years Display as Dates 00 00 to 99 1900 1999 cannot display after 2000 05 05 to 99 1905 1999 00 to 04 2000 2004 56 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Interpreting Dates Start of Century Date Years Display as Dates 60 60 to 99 1960 1999 00 to 59 2000 2059 77 77 to 99 1977 1999 00 to 76 2000 2076 WV To set the Start of Century for dates with a two digit year 1 Select Edit from the menu bar and choose Preferences 2 Click the Date Options tab in the Preferences dialog box Edit ACL Preferences x Interface Options Input File Options View Options Command Options Date Options Numeric Options Print Options Application Font Options Dap E Month Mo Tear Fo Default Date Format MM DDAYYYY Start of Century jo Ag
353. r to perform all of the functions of multiple Accept commands and in place of commands that limit what a user can enter Unlike the Accept command the Dialog Builder lets you select a full range of controls including radio buttons and check boxes You also have the freedom to customize the size and placement of each control The Dialog Builder offers you the flexibility and control to design highly sophisticated and personalized batches to suit your particular needs Planning a Batch Dialog Box The power of this feature makes it essential that you have a firm understanding of your files and that you take the necessary care to plan your batch before using it Think about creating a batch dialog that matches your objective The time you spend planning the batch may save you time and effort later Some of the issues you should consider before you create a batch dialog box are a What will the batch do a Willit contain custom dialog boxes and if so what information will they collect Where and how will the information be used a What errors can occur and how will they be handled Who will run the batch Creating a Batch Dialog Box V To usethe Dialog Builder in a batch 1 Click E Overview 2 Click the Batches icon and then either a Click New to create a batch or Double click the batch in which you want to use the Dialog Builder ACL asks you if you want to edit or run the batch Click Edit to change th
354. re for this lesson 1 Open the Workbook acl Project For details on how to open an ACL Project and an input file definition see Lesson 2 4 Overview Window on page 57 2 From the Overview window drag and drop the Default_View of the Inventory input file definition onto the Open button The default view for the Inventory input file opens Command Log Window The Command Log window referred to as the log records all commands you issue and their results from the time you open until the time you close an ACL Project The log is the most complete documentation tool in ACL The information in the log is cumulative when you open an existing Project the current activity for that Project is added to your previous activity The log file has the same name as the Project but with a log extension Displaying the Command Log When you perform some commands such as Total and Count ACL automatically displays the command log otherwise you must display the command log manually To display the command log click Command Log or select Window from the menu bar and choose Open Command Log Command Log Oy x Last Result S fx z Opening file name Ap Trans fil as supplied in the format OPEN Inventory 14 fields activated l Opening file name Inventory fil as supplied in the format ER H 4 ACL also displays the date and time the log was opened 80 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Command Log Take a few minutes to
355. record implies a new invoice to total If the record is a Detail type the total of the record is accumulated in the MTOT variable ACL adds the total of each consecutive Detail record to the MTOT variable until it encounters a Trailer record If a record is a Trailer record ACL compares the total in the MTOT variable with the TOTGOODS field in the Trailer record as part of the LIST command If the two amounts are different ACL lists them along with the customer number from the MCUST variable and the other specified fields The entire process begins again with the next record Summary of Batch Processing This batch accomplishes the following For each invoice ACL stores and carries forward the customer number from the header record a ACL sums the total of the TOTAL detail lines for the invoice ACL compares the resulting amount to the total in the TOTGOODS trailer record and reports any differences V Tocreatea group to process the Header Detail and Trailer records in the Invoice file 1 In the Overview window click Batches 2 Click Open to open an Untitled batch window 3 Using any of the methods that you prefer create the following batch 286 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Processing Multiple Record Type Files Untitled O ME DPEN Invoice DEFINE REPORT Default View ASSIGN MCUST CUSTNO ASSIGN MTOT 0 00 GROUP IF HEADER ASSIGN MCUST CUSTNO ASSIGN MTOT 0 00 ELSE IF DETAIL ASSIGN MT
356. returns to the fields list Selecting Dates The Date Selector simplifies calendar date selection Date fields are usually defined when you create an input file definition To access the Date Selector in the Input File Definition window double click any date type field listed on the Edit Fields Expressions tab and then press F8 You may also need to enter a date when creating expressions To access the Date Selector in the Expression Builder click the Date button Module 2 ACL Fundamentals 53 Interpreting Dates Clicking the drop down arrow in the Date Selector displays a monthly calendar with the current date circled Date Selector xj Friday April 28 2000 ere 2000 HE Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 27 28 299 32 HW 1G 3 4 5 E 7 8B 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 193 20 1 22 23 24 25 26 27 g 29 30 1 2 3 4 5X6 lt Today 4 26 00 Click to display Calendar Scroll to year Selected day Scroll to month oe urrent date Use the left or right arrows to scroll back or ahead to the month you want and then select a day You can quickly select a year by clicking the year on the calendar to display a spin box Click the up or down arrows to select a year You can also enter date information directly into the Date Selector text box Select the name of the month in the text box then move to the desired month using the up and down arrow keys on your keyboard Or again selecting the name of the month e
357. rice lower than unit cost Viewing Exceptions with a Global Filter To examine the items you identified in the last exercise as having a unit cost higher than the selling price apply the LOSS filter as a global filter A global filter stays in place until you remove it V To apply a filter globally 1 Drag the Inventory input file definition default view out of the Overview window to open it 2 Select Tools from the menu bar and choose Set Global Filter to open the Set Global Filter dialog box Named filters are displayed in the list box Set Global Filter x apy Eram Duplicate Cancel Bername Hane Delete 3 Select the LOSS filter you just created 4 Click OK to apply LOSS as a global filter LOSS is shown in the Default Filter drop down list in the view The middle box of the status bar also indicates that LOSS is the global filter in effect When you execute a command the filter is reapplied and the question mark beside the number of records shown in the status bar is replaced with the number of records found by the filter The command actions are applied to the filtered records Module 5 Creating Applications 235 Using Expressions Ea View Default_View Data File Inventory fil Re Order Guantity Inventory Market Markup Point On Order Value Value at Cost ae e 0 End of File Removing a Global Filter V To remove the global filter 1 In the View window click x Remove Filte
358. riting Files preference 330 Windows buttons displaying 23 Command Log 79 maximizing 22 minimizing 22 moving 22 resizing 22 scrolling 24 working with 22 Word merge files using 127 WordPerfect merge files using 128 Workbook data files installing 5 Workspaces Overview window contents 58 Zeroes invalid data 347 Z statistic 217 408 Index Global Help Desk The Americas 43 1 604 669 4997 1 604 689 4209 support acl com Europe Middle East and Africa 32 2 642 22 90 32 2 642 22 91 support_europe acl com Asia and Pacific Rim 7 65 6299 3365 1 604 689 4209 support acl com
359. rmat in view 72 changing column titles in view 71 changing width in view 73 deleting See removing from view de selecting in view 70 headings 65 modifying in view 70 modifying using Modify Column dialog box 74 moving in view 67 removing from view 67 width changes saving 334 width expressions 340 Command log about 79 changing display 80 402 Index clearing 80 comments 80 date and time stamp 336 displaying 79 file history displaying 84 Graphable Data option 321 printing 82 Show Group Tests in Log 336 Command mode syntax 84 for Loop command 264 in command log 80 Set Safety 331 Commands 257 Accept about 249 Age 156 311 Assign 263 Benford 215 Classify 143 311 Count 97 Create Batch from File History 245 Do Batch 247 Dump 353 Else 258 Evaluate 180 183 194 196 Export 123 Extract 114 Group in batches 254 Group multiple record type files 276 groups entering 253 Histogram about 307 Index about 137 issuing from command log 84 Join about 164 Loop about 264 Merge about 178 Notify 323 number displaying in group 256 Profile about 104 reissuing 84 Relations about 173 Sample 180 183 Search about 135 Size 180 184 185 Sort about 130 Statistics about 102 Stratify 311 Summarize about 146 Total about 99 Verify about 94 Computed fields about 224 adding to view 228 Conditional groups about 252 indexes creating 141 Conditional fields static 274 Co
360. rsedicecrociie terdre he eeebetniececsss 385 Contents vii viii Contents About this Workbook Welcome to the ACL for Windows Workbook your personal guide to the world s leading data analysis software The ACL for Windows Workbook is a self study guide Whether you are new to data analysis or already have some experience with ACL it will help you to master ACL for Windows and apply it to real world problems By applying ACLs powerful features you will be more efficient and confident in your analysis Here are a few features ACL offers Ease of use Built in audit and data analysis functionality Interactive interrogation capabilities Unlimited file size capability a Ability to read multiple data types High quality reporting features If you are new to ACL start at Lesson 1 1 Intermediate or advanced users can go directly to lessons for a specific application or function This book s hands on interactive approach makes it easy to quickly gain a working knowledge of the software To help you realize the potential of ACL software the CD ROM included with this workbook contains a fully functional educational version of ACL for Windows Version 7 that allows you to process up to 48 K of data You can also use the data in this workbook in conjunction with the commercial version of the software The ACL for Windows Workbook is provided to licensed users of ACL To purchase additional copies visit www acl com For
361. rts 299 zeros in reports 303 Suppressing Blank Detail Lines preference 304 System requirements installing ACL for Windows Version 7 5 T Tape files using 13 Test Column Width preference 334 Text box adding to dialog boxes 364 Text boxes creating 365 Text control adding to dialog boxes 364 Text file defined 12 Time Stamp Commands preference 336 Total command about 99 Totals suppressing in reports 299 Troubleshooting data errors 344 Typical installation option about 6 Uppercase converting to lower 211 Use Output File option about 336 User dialog box 371 Utility conversion 11 V Variable length files about 265 Variables automatic in groups 262 in groups using 262 Verify command about 94 Verify Data Automatically preference 95 VERIFY function about 95 Verifying data about 345 View adding and deleting rows 74 adding computed fields 228 automatic open preference 331 blanks or zeros invalid data 335 closing 78 columns defined 64 columns removing 67 customizing 65 Index 407 fonts selecting 66 format saving 298 global filters using 234 grid lines showing 334 invalid data display as blanks or zeros 347 local filters using 229 margin displaying 334 multiline constructing 74 notes about 88 records 64 View Options tab Edit ACL Preferences 291 Views column width changes 334 formatting 290 Overview window contents 58 printing 77 reports creating 290 W Warn Before Overw
362. s Main More Export Fields Export As word Merge File Cust Number PROPER Address PROPER City PROPER N ame Cancel Help 214 ACL for Windows 7 Generating Confirmation Letters Workbook 13 Click OK to execute the command ACL creates the file Arconf doc and displays the result Command Log _ oyx Last Result Y tf x vw Ej A EXPORT FIELDS PROPER Name PROFER Address PROPER City State Zip COUNT WORD l2 records produced Qutput to C ACL Data DatalaArcont DOC is done al Viewing the Exported File You can now use a text editor or word processor to view the file If you use Word to open the file it will look similar to the following after you have added tabs in the ruler to define the columns lal Microsoft Word Arconf DOC w File Edit View Insert Format Tools Table Window Help lOSE S6RY t PAaS o o S BEARS BD gg 0 Q gt Times NewRoman 10 B i u O 9 A EERE a SEE RRR EAA Ee Se 181x une Hl Hl ut mi u Plain Text n L ayy ye ee ame gt PROPER Address PROPER City State Zip COUNT Amount Connecticut Corp gt 600 Paragon Dr Brooklyn NY 11201 2 1 115 71 f University Electronics JO00 5 WabashAve Burlington NC 27215 115 935 891 01 f InterCompany Trading 2600 S Ulsterst Provo gt UT
363. s Network I Ec 382 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook The Select Table dialog box appears Select Table x Table Type Types M Tables M Views l System Tables T Synonyms T All DATABASE C Program Files 4CL Software4CL for Windows Client Wo Browse M Estimate File Size Cancel Help 9 Select the file you want to convert from the Select Table dialog box The Select Table dialog box lists all sets of data in the directory you selected Note By default the Select Table dialog box lists Tables and Views available however you can view other available types by checking the appropriate check boxes in the Types area of the dialog box 10 Click Next ACL displays the Save As dialog box 11 Select the directory and enter a name 12 Click Save ACL displays the Select Fields dialog box Select Fields x m WHERE Apply Fields Available Selected CustlD Company Address City Region PostalCode Country m ee gt ZE Add All l Clear All 50 Maximum Character Field Length 100 Maximum Memo Field Length m Disk Space Available 9029709312 bytes Required 12416 bytes 64 records of 194 bytes each lt Back Cancel Help Appendix B ODBCAccess 383 The default is to select all Available fields and list them in the Selected fields list box You can click gt lt Clear All or
364. s or last page of your report respectively If you are not happy with the way your report looks you can reformat it by returning to the Report dialog box Module 6 Communicating Results 295 Formatting Reports 3 Click Close when you are ready to return to the view Printing the Report If you are happy with the way your report looks you can print the report To make sure you are connected to the printer and that the print options are set correctly you can click the Setup button in the Report dialog box The Page Setup options you set are saved with the report The Page Setup options for setting up your printer are identical to those for any Windows application 1 Click OK to return to the Report dialog box 2 In the Report dialog box click OK ACL displays the Print dialog box 3 Specify all pages or a page range and click Print to print your report Saving the Report in HTML Format You can save a report in HTML HyperText Markup Language format for use in World Wide Web pages All Web browsers can read files in HTML format This allows you to prepare your ACL reports to be distributed or published on the Web ACL generates HTML files in HTML 3 2 format To produce a report in HTML format do the following In the Report dialog box click the Output tab to display output options Click File to specify output to a file Click the File Type drop down list and select HTML Text File as your output In the Na
365. s they are commonly called field types ACL supports most field types including those found in specific applications such as SAP File History A record of the process used when ACL creates a data file as output The file history includes each step used in creating the file along with a time and date stamp ACL also indicates the number of records in the output file plus the name of the file from which the output file was created and the number of records in that file See also History on page 391 Filter An expression that selects records based on whether a test or condition is true A filter is actually a type of expression A filter is also know as a logical type See also Global Filter on page 391 and Local Filter on page 393 First A scope parameter that selects a specified number of records starting from the first record in the file See also Scope Parameter on page 397 Fixed point Arithmetic A processing method used by ACL for all numeric operations as opposed to floating point arithmetic Fixed point arithmetic improves processing speed and lets you control decimals and rounding Fixed point numbers display and calculate values exactly as they are stored For example you can display a fixed point number stored as 1 11 only as 1 11 In other words if the stored value is 1 1111 ACL will display the number as 1 1111 Appendix C Glossary 391 Function A routine that accepts zero
366. s Rep No Sales Rep Number To Custsor Local W Use Output File ee Mo Address 051593 CONNECTICUT CORP BOO PARAGONDR BRO 080018 CITIZENS INTERNATIONAL E MOL BUR 081558 STAR TETIK COL NEW CLAF FOR STL PRO 322006 DYNAMIK INDUSTRIES 251 WEST STREET TOP 30575 SAN 31494 EMPLOYMENT MEDIA LTD ST NOETH ST ELK 241370 BALSAM INDUSTRIES 345 SUMMER ST PHIL EEEF D ha ha ha EEL Module 4 Manipulating Data 209 Generating Confirmation Letters The results appear in the command log Command Log iofs Last Result es x sort ON No TO Custsort OPEN 41 A SORT ON No TO Custsort OPEN 64 records produced Output to C A4CL Data Data Custsort FIL is done Opening file Custsort A OPEN Custsort 68 fields activated E Opening file name Custsort FIL as supplied in the format st Joining the Matching Records You can now join the sample balance file as the primary file with the file of customer names and addresses as the secondary file V To join the files In the Overview window double click the Arsample input file to open the file Select Data from the menu bar and choose Join ACL opens the Join dialog box Select Custsort from the Secondary File drop down list e We N In the Primary Keys list view click the No field This is the sort key field in the primary file 5 In the Secondary Keys li
367. s for setting dates Edit ACL Preferences E4 Intertace Options Input File Options View Options Command Options Date Options Numeric Options Print Options Application Font Options Dap o Month Mo Tear iy Default Date Format MM DDAYYYY Start of Century jac Aging Periods 0 30 60 90 1 20 10000 Abbreviations for month names no spaces Jan Feb M arApr Mayd C Program FilesVACL Software ACL for Windows Chenthachwin prf Save Factory Cancel Help Module 2 ACLFundamentals 55 Interpreting Dates 3 Click the Default Date Format drop down list and select the MMM DD YYYY format 4 Click OK to change the default date format for this ACL session Note If an alpha format is used in the data file to define months the same format must be used in Abbreviation for month names Alpha month formats are divided using list separators To change the existing date format to the European date format dd mm vy Select Edit from the menu bar and choose Preferences Click the Date Options tab in the Preferences dialog box Select DD MM YY from the Default Date Format drop down list Click OK to use the European date format for this session only ACL globally reformats all date fields A a If you wanted to save the new format for future ACL sessions you could click Save and then Yes Setting the Start of Century If all your dates contain four digit years you are set up fo
368. s in New York state only All others have been filtered out If you scroll to the right of the view you will see that the State field has been added View Default_View Data File Customer_fil X y FINDENY State City 4 269267 UNIVERSITY NATIONAL 9600 MARKET ST SCAR 8 815062 BANCO INC 4441 N 12TH ST BR 795401 METROPOLITAN PHARMACEUT 693 DELAWARE AVE CO 051593 CONNECTICUT CORP 600 PARAGON DR BRC 811002 CHEERSON MEDIA ONE NATCO PLAZA NEY lt lt End of File gt You can change the display of filtered records in the View by changing your Prefer ences See View Options on page 333 for more details 8 Click x Remove Filter to remove the filter and restore the original view 200 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Using Functions Finding Characters in a Record If you leave the field parameter blank the FIND function will look for that string of characters in the entire record V To search for the words New York anywhere in the record Aa WwW N Ww 7 In the View window click Edit View Filter to open the Expression Builder Uncheck the Paste Parameters check box From the Functions drop down list select Logical Double click the FIND function from the list of Logical functions to copy the function to the Expression text box Enter New York Click OK The Expression Builder closes ACL searches the input file and hig
369. scroll through the log ACL has compiled a complete record of all the commands and results since you started working with your Project Commands are prefixed by the symbol and are recorded using command mode syntax Each command is followed by its results You can see the date and time the log was first created at the beginning of the log At the bottom of the log you can see the last command issued Changing the Log Display V To change the display of information in the log file Select one of the following from the drop down list in the command log Log File to show both commands and results Commands to display only the commands Results to display only the results Last Result to show the last command issued and its result Adding Comments to the Log You can enhance the information in the log by including explanations or notations in the log file V To adda comment to the log 1 Select Tools from the menu bar and choose Comment The Comment dialog box appears 2 In the Comment text box enter Negative amounts should be discussed with the controller 3 Click OK ACL adds your comment to the Command Log at the end of the log file You can enter single or multiple lines of comments at any time to document your thoughts objectives and calculations and to insert explanations for future reference Note You can also enter a single line comment in the text box in the command log Clearing the Log The log file
370. se Gens pone 90 it 070104347 6ILATEX SEMI GLOSS ORANGE A 6 87001010 9 99p01018 870 980 soopoooos97690p00086 a 2 D7O1L04397N6LATEX SEMI GLOSS CARAMELA 6 87001010 9 99001018 460 985 50000000316020000045 a 3 O7O1L0417706LATEX SEMI GLOSS LILAC A 6 87001010 9 99001018 1480 750 N000101676 po00147 4 D7O10467706LATEX SEMI GLOSS APRICO A 6 87001010 9 99001018 l290 780 pooddss62z30p00128 5 D7O1L04657N6LATEX SEMI GLOS5 PINK A 6 87001010 9 99001018 1500 420 poooLOSOSo00p00149 6 O7010432706LATEX SEMI GLOS5 YELLOW A 6 87001010 9 99001018 2420 430 podd1662540p00241 7 D7O10437706LATEX SEMI GLOS5 GREEN A 6 87001010 9 99001018 1870 670 po001L2s4690000186 8 O3041431303METRIC TOOL SET 3 6 DR A 47 00000930 59 98001231 130 140 4000000611000000077 g 03041428303METRIC SOCKET SET 11 PCA 18 0000930 25 98001231 612 450 DO001101600000156 10 030412553036 PC OPEN END WRENCH E h 11 53000930 15 98001231 700 650 D0000807100p00111 IT 030412753036 PC BOX END WRENCH SET h 12 50000930 18 49001231 248 250 4000000310000000045 12 030412903036 PC METRIC HEX KEYS A 2 48000930 3 49001231 248 300 4000000061504000008 13 03425500303PARKER PROPANE KIT 7PC 8 40000330 14 9800501 0 75 z20p0o000000000p00000 14 030364163037TaP DIE SET 41 eben 49 60000330 69 98000501 12 650 1200000005952 p00008 alten 0303216630N36CREW DRIVER 178 Hex lt 4 The Wizard has tried to identify all the fields in your data file You can delete create or move any
371. sion text box 4 Click in the set of buttons in the center of the Expression Builder The equals sign is copied to the Expression text box beside Loc 5 Enter 05 for location code 05 beside the equals sign in the Expression text box 6 Click in the Save As text box and enter LOC05 to name the filter Count If x Expression O ohp Verity Cancel Save As Locos Available Fields Functions all r Cost D ate Location Re Order Paint hk al Market alue FrcDte Frice D ate Filters FrodCls Product Class ABS number AGE date lt cutoff date _pyyymi ALLTRIM string ASCII character AT occurence_num search_fr BETWEEN value min mas BITI byte location BLANES count BYTE byte_location COO date length CHRI number CLEAN sting lt extra_invalid_cl CTOD field lt date_forrmat_if_nc DATES date gt From Input File Inventor HIGH1 gt W Paste Parameters FrodD esc Froduct Descriptio Frodo Froduct umber FrodStat Froduct Status GtyOH Quantity On Hand l GOD Quantity Orn Order Variables SalePr Sale Price CI 7 Click OK to save the filter and close the Expression Builder The Count dialog box reappears 8 Click OK in the Count dialog box to issue the Count command The command log reports that 13 of the 152 records met the condition Command Log Oy x Last Result S fx Bj f COUNT IF Locos l3 of 152
372. splay its options Edit ACL Preferences x Date Options Numeric Options Print Options Application Font Options Interface Options Input File Options View Options Command Options gosccseseeseccccecececeesososececeessosssssseeesssssssessg P Automatic Output Filenames I Time Stamp Commands V Use Output File I Show Group Tests in Lag Error Limit Intervals 10 fi 0 C Program Files ACL Software ACL for Windows Client aclwin prt Save Factory Cancel Help 336 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Setting Preferences Autoexecute Commands This option is turned on by default ACL immediately executes commands without showing the command dialog box Rather ACL uses the default settings to execute the command and display the result Some commands cannot be autoexecuted For this feature to work on commands that create output files the Automatic Output Filenames option must also be turned on Automatic Output Filenames If you turn this option on ACL suggests a name for any file a command creates The name contains the command name and an incremental number starting at 01 You can accept the default name or enter a more descriptive name Time Stamp Commands If you turn this option on ACL records in the command log the time and date of each command you issue Use Output File This option which is turned on by default causes ACL to automatically check the Use Output File check box in command dialog b
373. ss 01 Housewares Lb 010104710 ALUMINUM TEAFOT amp CUP 144 5 99 62 56 010102840 PRESSURE COOKER AQT 400 39 40 15760 00 Defining the Detail Fields You will now define fields for the detail lines and ignore the other lines in the report file To define five detail fields 1 Select Detail from the filters drop down list ACL applies the Detail filter All other record types are highlighted enters 6 in the Start box In the Len text box enter 9 In the Name text box enter ProdNo to name the field Click Accept Entry ACL asks you to confirm if the information from this record type relates to subsequent records be retained from one record to the next With the Detail filter active in record 10 the first detail line click in position 6 ACL Click No The information in detail lines constantly changes and does not need to 272 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Working with Multiple Record Type Files 7 Define the remaining four fields for the detail lines as follows Name Type Start Length Decimals ProdDesc ASCII 16 25 QtyOH NUMERIC 41 9 0 UnCst NUMERIC 50 12 2 ExtCst NUMERIC 62 12 2 8 The Input File Definition window now looks like this E Repor CAACL Data Data Report tet joy x Input File Options Edit Fields Expressions Add a New Data Filter Mame Title Stan Categor Length Decima Detail ExtCst FrodD esc FrodD esc Frodo Frodo GtyOH GtyOH UnCst
374. st view click the No field This is the sort key field in the secondary file 6 In the Primary Fields list view select all three fields 7 In the Secondary Fields list view click Name and then CTRL CLICK Address City State and Zip 210 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Generating Confirmation Letters 8 In the To text box enter Arconf The Join dialog box now looks like this asn ooo El a lw e _i aiii EN L a a ae Rep_No Sales Rep Number N ll ec es J p gt MS Grete Mery a Matched Records is selected by default Manipulating Data Generating Confirmation Letters 211 10 Click OK to execute the command and close the Join dialog box ACL creates the joined file and displays it in the view Yie These fields are from the Arsample file Default_View Data File Arconf FIL These fields are from the Custsort file y Y Amount Numbel Address 5 1 115 71 051593 27CONNECTICUT CORP 600 PARAGON DR BROOKLYN NY 11201 2 95 891 01 065003 115 UNIVERSITY ELECTRONICS 7000 WABASH AVE BURLINGTON NC 27215 aR 3 3 678 68 207275 3qINTER COMPANY TRADING 2600 S ULSTER ST PROVO UT 84604 4 44 319 60 262001 101 BULLY INDUSTRIES 8 WEST STREET LAS VEGAS INV 89109 ap 5 14 691 12 297397 8fJACCEL ENTERPRISES 1000 STRAYER RD BROOKLINE MA 02167 6 335 55 463451 BLUE ATLANTA 301 E 2N
375. t 100 800 00 37 100 00 25 545 60 24 736 00 23 136 00 Lowest 10 167 60 2 774 40 595 20 190 72 154 08 256 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Groups and Loops in Batches Scroll through the command log to examine the results of the commands Notice that the results are listed by command number in the form COMMAND lt 3 gt and so on The Group command itself is considered number 1 ACL numbers each command in the group sequentially starting at lt 2 gt You may want to refer to the command log or print a portion of it to document your work in this section Creating a Conditional Group You can edit the batch you have just created to include a conditional group that only processes commands for records with a product class number less than 05 V Toedit the Inverp1 batch to add the condition 1 In the Overview window double click Invgrp1 in the list of batches ACL asks you if you want to edit or run the batch 2 Click Edit The Invgrp1 Batch window opens 3 Position the cursor to the right of the Group command 4 Press the spacebar and enter IF PRODCLS lt 05 5 Close the window ACL asks you to save the changes 6 Enter Invgrp2 Click OK to save the conditional group with the new batch name V Torun the new group 1 In the Overview window double click Invgrp2 ACL asks you if you want to edit or run the batch 2 Click Run ACL runs the batch and displays the result Module 5 Creating Applications 257
376. t Edit View Note Add Columns Modify Column Delete Columns Change Font Graph Selected Data Record numbers ACL Fundamentals 63 View Window View Window The View window is one of the most useful windows in ACL The View window displays data in an input file according to the way you define its fields The data in a view is ina tabular format that looks like a spreadsheet You can easily scan through the records and fields in your file rearrange the view or print the view Opening Your ACL Project To prepare for this lesson 1 Select File from the menu bar and choose Workbook acl ACL opens the Workbook Project with the same view and windows as when you previously closed this Project 2 In the Overview window click Expand next to Input File Definitions 3 Double click the Inventory input file definition to open it Working with the View In an ACL view each row represents a record in the input file and each column repre sents a field Beside the column furthest to the left is the record number of that particular record the record number is not part of the record The highlighted record number is called the current record You can click any record number to make it the current record Ea View Default_View Data File Inventory fil _ O x Product Column title Description Product Product Location Number Class 07010
377. t Preference settings with your documentation Your current preference settings print at the beginning of the documentation Exiting ACL If you want to exit ACL now select File from the menu bar and choose Exit Module 2 ACLFundamentals 92 Documenting Your Work UNDERSTANDING DATA In Module 3 you will use ACL commands and functions to gain an understanding of your data and verify its validity and completeness Work through this module to learn how E Verify detects errors in data fields Dump helps you understand invalid data Count counts records Total totals fields and expressions Statistics displays information on numeric fields Profile shows summary statics on numeric fields Sequence Duplicates and Gaps identify duplicates gaps and missing records 93 94 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Verifying Data Lesson 3 1 Verifying Data Use the Verify command to validate data before working with a file for the first time Verify analyzes fields to ensure that the data is consistent with the specified field type For example in character fields you can check for unprintable characters In numeric fields you can check for items such as more than one preceding plus or minus sign or more than one decimal point You can check for alphabetic characters in a numeric field which is sometimes a sign of corrupted data In date fields you can check for invalid dates such as February 29 1999 or March 34 200
378. t a PC to their equipment thus allowing the transfer of data files If you are using a PC to access the mainframe then you likely have the means to download or transfer data files through this link As mentioned earlier you should not need to translate the data to ASCII on download as ACL is compatible with all major data types and is able to read your data Make sure that you have enough space on your PC s hard disk or network drive to store the file that you want to download In some cases you will need a significant amount of space Ask your computer department or equivalent what options are available to you For most installations downloading from mini or mainframe computers to PC or LAN will be the most common 10 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Accessing and Downloading Data Working with Your Computer Department Before downloading data from a mini or mainframe computer it is important to do some initial planning to identify where the data is available and in what format The first step is to speak with your computer department and request file layouts for the system These may be called record definitions data dictionaries schemas or a variety of other names but they simply list all the fields of data held in a file for a particular system The next step is to review the data with or without file layouts to determine all available fields in a system This can be done by examining the available data on screen and in reports Oft
379. t year dates to 9999 The default setting is 40 To change the start of century date enter a two digit number from 1 to 99 ACL does not accept a zero value For example if you choose to set 1940 as the separating year enter 40 in the Start of Century text box ACL then treats years 40 to 99 as 1940 to 1999 and years 00 to 39 as 2000 to 2039 The following table illustrates possible Start of Century dates Start of Century Date Years Display as dates 60 60 to 99 1960 to 1999 00 to 59 2000 to 2059 40 40 to 99 1940 to 1999 00 to 39 2000 to 2039 05 05 to 99 1905 to 1999 00 to 04 2000 to 2004 When working with data files that use a different pivot date you can use an expression to create a computed field that correctly interprets the two digit year or converts it to a four digit year Aging Periods You can change the default periods used for the Age command to match your chosen format You can always change the age periods in the Age command dialog box The default is 0 30 60 90 120 and 10000 Abbreviations for month names This option sets the default abbreviations for MMM format month names Month names must be three characters long in the correct order starting with January and separated by a comma Use this option when you want to read or display MMM format month names in a language other than English The months must be entered in the correct order starting with January Module 7 Customizing ACL 339 Setting Pre
380. talled drivers If you can not find the data source you are looking for check the options on the Machine Data Source tab If no options are shown ODBC may not be installed Contact your systems admin istrator for assistance Appendix B Select Data Source File Data Source Machine Data Source Look in Data Sources Z dBASE Files not sharable den Excel Files not sharable den FoxPro Files not sharable den MOIS not sharable den MS Access 97 Database not sharable den DSN Name Hew ODBC Access 381 Test Files not sharable den Select the file data source that describes the driver that you wish to connect to fou can Use any file data source that refers to an ODBC driver which ts installed on your machine Cancel Help Note If you want to read data from a dBASE compatible database for example dBASE FoxBase or Clipper select Disk as your data source rather than ODBC ACL processes dBASE and dBASE compatible files more efficiently from disk 7 Select the MS Access option and Click OK ACL displays the Select Database dialog box 8 Select Sample mdb to make it appear in the Database Name text box Click OK Select Database x Database Name SAMPLE MDB a List Files of Type Access Databases ru Directories Ok cohacl datadata Cancel fc a E gt ACL Data E gt Data Help Read Only j T Exclusive Drive
381. tatus bar that no Project is open and no input file is in use The Data Analyze Sampling and Window menus are grayed out because there is no current data to analyze Application Workspace The application workspace is the area where you work with your data This area is blank until you open a data file 22 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Getting Started with ACL Working with Windows This section describes how you can manage windows to work with ACL more quickly and effectively Moving Windows You can move windows on the screen to best suit your needs For example you can move a window that appears in front of text with which you are working V To move a window 1 Move the mouse pointer to the window s title bar 2 Press and hold down the left mouse button 3 Move the window by moving the mouse Resizing Windows ACL restores windows to the display settings you specified the last time you used an ACL Project W To maximize the size of a window a Click m Maximize at the top right corner of the window V To minimize the size of a window a Click E Minimize at the top right corner of the window V T adjust the size of a window 1 Move the pointer to the outer edge or a corner of the window The pointer becomes a double headed arrow 2 Press and hold the left mouse button and drag the window edge or corner in or out to the size you want 3 Release the mouse button Module 1 Welcome to ACL 23 Gett
382. ted data Changing the Intervals If you want to concentrate on the distribution of the values you can adjust the intervals on a numeric field to suit the population You can specify a different number of even intervals or any number of intervals of any size called free intervals You can also narrow the range to take a more specific look at the records clustered in the first two intervals The first stratification shows that these two ranges contain a dispro portionate number of items To evaluate the contents of these two ranges you can limit the upper range to 11 400 as the largest value included is 11 365 34 V To adjust the intervals 1 Inthe command log click the Stratify command line This copies the command into the text box on the right of the window 2 Click Edit Command to open the Stratify dialog box 3 Click Free and then enter the following in the text box 10 500 1000 2500 5000 8000 11400 Module 4 Main More Output Stratify On invoice_Amount Invoice Amount Quantity 2 Unit Cost Quantity Unit Cost Cancel Help Accumulate Fields Name sd Title SC si Invoice Amount Minimum Masimum Intervals Free 14 58 56767 20 10 4 Click OK ACL displays the result in the command log Command Log iofs Last Result wy tf x wv E STRATIFY ON Invoice Amount ACCUMULATE Quantity Unit Cost FREE 10 500 1000 25 sel Graphable Data gt gt
383. ternate Column Title 1 2142350065003 G1lTS08961 LAT 961128961201 2l42335D080101018 0 500 dz 42 20 99 3 2l4255D040225014 10 970 4 4 263 52 4 21423535T9612351 204 51 14 243 297 74 5 2142340925007 ge9227961127961150961201 6 2142540090507811 16 970 34 54 af 32 rd H 6 Click Accept Entry to add the InvNo field The screen changes displaying the Invno field at the top of a list view Defining the Header Fields You need to define the header data filter and then you define the fields for the header records You use group logic in a batch to determine whether to refer to fields in specific records VW To define the header data filter 1 Click the Add a New Data Filter tab Notice that all records are highlighted Module 5 Creating Applications 281 Processing Multiple Record Type Files Invoice C ACL Data Data Invoice fil 21 4233H065003 BLTSOS961127961126961201 2 0101018 0 500 42 4 5014 10 970 44 24 2 Click H at position 7 in the first record 3 Click Include 4 Click Accept Entry A dialog box appears asking you to save the filter 5 Enter Header and click OK A dialog box appears asking if you want to keep the filter active 6 Click Yes as you are now going to define the fields with the filter The filter drop down list in the upper right of the window should display Header In the data you will notice that the header records are displayed normally and the rest of the records
384. time periods or from two different company branches into a new file See Append on page 385 MINn A special ACL variable created automatically by specific ACL commands such as the Statistics command that contains the lowest value of the field on which that command was previously issued MLEn A special ACL variable created automatically by specific ACL commands such as the Evaluate command that contains the most likely error of the file on which that command was previously issued Monetary Unit Sampling MUS Abbreviated as MUS In sampling a method of selecting records in which the likelihood of selection is proportional to the value of a field The greater the value of the field the more likely that field will be selected Appendix C Glossary 395 Multiple Record Type File A data file that contains more than one record type For example a report file that has header detail and trailer records The record length may be fixed or variable Multi reel File A data file that spans more than one reel of magnetic tape or cartridge or that spans several data sets on one reel or cartridge that have the same field format Nested Group A group of commands embedded within another group of commands Nesting groups extends the power of groups by enabling control over which commands are executed for which record See also Group on page 391 NEXT A scope parameter that causes the current command to be ap
385. ting ACL If you want to exit ACL now select File from the menu bar and choose Exit Module 4 Lesson 4 9 Manipulating Data 197 Using Functions Using Functions Functions are predefined routines that perform standard computational tasks more easily You can specify them wherever you require fields or expressions Functions can even use other functions as parameters It is easy to identify a function All functions have parentheses immediately following the function name with no space between the function name and the parentheses The data to be manipulated is enclosed in the parentheses along with specific parameters You can abbreviate function names in the same manner as all other keywords in ACL They can be as short as desired as long as they are unique For example the VALUE function can be abbreviated as short as VAL For complete function descriptions including examples to show how each function operates see your ACL for Windows Reference Manual and online Help Opening Your Project To prepare for this lesson 1 Open the Workbook acl Project For details on how to open an ACL Project and an input file definition see Lesson 2 4 Overview Window on page 57 2 In the Overview window drag and drop the Customer input file onto the application workspace The default view for the Customer input file opens Using the Find Function You can use FIND to test for a string of characters in a field or rec
386. tions all hal TransAmount Invoce Date Due D ate Cust N umber Refa Filters Trans T ype al COO date length Variables CHRI number CLEAN sting estra_invalid_cl CTOD field lt date_forrnat_it_ ne DATEL date gt From Input File Ar E I Paste Parameters ABS number AGE date lt cutoff date _yyyymi ALLTRIM string ASCII character AT occurence_num search_fe BETWEEN value min max BITI byte location BLANKS count BYTE byte location 159 160 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Aging Data 8 Click OK to apply the filter and close the Expression Builder The Age dialog box appears again with the filter in the If text box Age Main More Output Age On Accumulate Fields Due Cutoff Date Amount TransAmount fielda fielda December 31 2000 Aging Periods IF type IN Cancel Help 9 Click OK again to execute the command and close the Age dialog box ACL displays only the invoices in the file grouped according to the specified aging periods Command Log Oy x Last Result gt v fx zj A AGE ON Due CUTOFF 20001231 INTERVAL 0 30 60 90 120 10000 IF Type IN TO C sel Graphable Data gt gt gt Fage l Olfla 2000 15 21 16 Produced with ACL by ACL Services Ltd se AGE over O gt 10 000 gt gt gt gt gt gt Minimum encountered was O gt b Maximum encountered was 365 Due C
387. tly equal the upper bound The bar for 12 does not quite reach the upper bound but it is very distinct from the trend of nearby values Product 080126008 appears five different times under digit combination 24 because the unit price for the product is 2 41 and purchases of 1 or 10 units are relatively frequent As Benford s Law itself tells us it is normal for purchases of lor 10 units to be frequent a Thesame thing happens three times under digit combination 12 for quantities of 5 51 and 513 This is somewhat more unusual It might be advisable to conduct some further testing for product 080126008 to see what the typical order quantities are Normally the same firm would not make frequent orders of 1 to 10 units plus similarly frequent orders of 50 and 500 a Product 052530155 appears three times under 12 for multiples of quantity 4 If quantities and product numbers are identical one way to test for duplicates has is to check invoice numbers and dates in each case they are consistently different a The spike at 36 apparently occurred because of two purchases each for two products which is not in itself unusual a The spike at 84 does not involve any kind of duplication a The spike at 90 involves a duplication of a product with a unit price of 3 cents which is insignificant and highly unlikely to be a fraud In this case with 327 records selection of targets for investigation was r
388. to perform When you enter a field definition the field formatting area of the window changes to display only the options you require Options that do not apply are grayed out You can create and edit fields and column formats and create expressions in the field formatting area When you are adding a field the fields area displays entry boxes for the field with which you are working When you have completed your definition a list of defined fields appears You do not need to define all the data in a file You can select only the fields you want to use The following procedure defines the Product Number Product Description Unit Cost Sale Price and Cost Date fields used in this lesson To define the data fields 1 Click the Edit Fields Expressions tab in the Input File Definition window E Inventory C ACL Data Data Inventory fil Pile EG Input File Options Edit Fields Expressions Add a New Data Filter Za Name Title Start Category Length Decimd All fields TIT Z 07010434706LATEX SEMI GLOS5 ORANGE 6 87001010 9 99001018 670 980 500000005976 O7O010439706LATEX SEMI GLOS5 CARAMELA 6 87001010 9 99001018 460 965 500000003160 O7O10417706LATEX SEMI GLOS5 LILAC A 6 87001010 9 99001018 1460 750 000010167t 07010467706LATEX SEMI GL0SS APRICOTA 6 87001010 9 99001018 1290 780 oO00008862 N7NIN4AAS IOALATEX SEMT GLASS PTNK A ATNNININ 9 99NN1N1A 15NN 42N anamen i 44 ACL for Windows 7 Work
389. ton in the Overview window lets you refresh the data in an imported ODBC database table W To refresh the data in an input file definition linked to an ODBC table 1 In the Overview window select the input file definition name 2 Click the Refresh Renaming an Input File Definition V Torenamean input file definition 1 In the Overview window select the input file definition you want to rename If it is open you must close it first 2 Click Rename The Rename dialog box appears with the original input file definition name 3 Enter a new name for the input file definition 4 Click OK to rename the input file definition and close the dialog box Deleting an Input File Definition V To delete an input file definition 1 In the Overview window select the input file definition you want to delete 2 Click Delete A dialog box appears asking Delete input file definition 3 Click Delete Creating an Input File Definition V To create an input file from the Overview window 1 In the Overview window select Input File Definitions 2 Click New ACL closes the current input file definition if one is open ACL displays the Data Definition Wizard 3 Follow the steps for creating an input file definition in Lesson 2 2 Input File Defini tions on page 34 Exiting ACL If you want to exit ACL now select File from the menu bar and choose Exit Module 2 Lesson 2 5 View name a o O Repor
390. tory file ProdNo in the Using Index list box 4 Click Relate to create the second relation The Relationships list box shows the second relationship 5 Click Done to close the Relations dialog box Working with Related Files All dialog boxes that include the Available Fields list view also contain a From Input File drop down list The From Input File drop down list displays all related files When you select a related file the Available Fields list view changes to display the fields from the related file This lets you work with the fields from related files 176 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Joining Relating and Merging Data Now that you have related three files create a view that displays fields from all three files V To adda column from a related file to the Ap_Trans file 1 In the Overview window drag and drop the Views icon onto Open to opena new blank view of the Ap_Trans file with the Add Columns dialog box on top Click the From Input File drop down list and select Vendor as your input file Notice that the Available Fields list view changes to display the field name from the Vendor file The field names precede the name of the related file This helps you to quickly see which field comes from which related file no matter how many related files you have In the Available Fields list view double click Vendor Vendor_No and Vendor Vendor_Name to copy them to the Selected Fields list box Add
391. ts 1 Double click the Unit Cost column title in the View window to display the Modify Column dialog box Click and enter 999 999 99 in the Format text box This number format prints numeric values with two decimal places and uses a comma as the thousands separator character Negative amounts are enclosed in parentheses but are not preceded by a minus sign Click OK ACL changes the number formatting in the Unit Cost column in the view Changing Column Width When you want to increase or decrease the width of columns you can do so easily in the View window or in the Modify Column Width text box Using the View Window Y To change the column width in the View window 1 Point to the column separator line between the column titles Your pointer now looks like this lt Hold down the mouse button Drag the column separator to the left to decrease or the right to increase the column width 74 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook View Window Drag to increase View Default_View Data File Inventory til or decrease the I He x E column width _ A Product Location Product Status nit Ci Class Description of A Cost D Product o7 06 LATEX SEMFGLOSS ORANGE A 6 87 o7 06 LATEX SEMFGLOSS CARAMEL A 687 o7 06 LATEX SEMI GLOSS LILAC A 687 o7 OG LATEX SEMI GLOSS APRICOT A 687 o7 06 LATEX SEMFGLOSSPINK A BF o7 06 LATEX SEMFGLOSS YELLOW A 687 C IE TARE
392. ts so that you can apply commands to them Note This preference was formerly called Include Logicals in Field Lists Warn Before Overwriting Files This option displays a warning before ACL overwrites an existing file If you turn this option off ACL overwrites files without prompting you for approval Note This preference was formerly called Set Safety On Module 7 Customizing ACL 331 Setting Preferences This option can also be set in batch mode By turning this option off you can avoid interruptions while executing a batch that is designed to overwrite existing files Command Mode Syntax SET SAFETY ON OFF Beep s Upon Task Completion This option indicates the number of beeps that sound when ACL completes a task This notification is especially useful when you expect a task to take a long time To change the number enter a number from 0 to 255 in the text box the default is 0 Input File Options Click the Input File Options tab to display the options Edit ACL Preferences x Date Options Numeric Options Print Options Application Font Options Interface Options Input File Options View Options Command Options prrereereesseneenenseeseeneenesseneesseseeneesseneesensseressessessenr F Automatically Profile on Operi IV Open View Window Delete Data File with Input File Definition MV Don t Share Input File Layouts Exact Character Comparisons I Display Format on Open T Enable Client Server Max R
393. ty On Hand E Inventory Value at Cost 100000 00 5 E EnAAE CLASSIFY ON Loc ACCUMULATE Mktv al GityOH Value TO GRAPH Changing Graph Types You can choose to display graphs in 2 D or 3 D bar 2 D or 3 D stacked 2 D or 3 D pie graph 3 D layered or line graph formats Only options that apply to the data in your graph are available Options that do not apply to the data in your graph are grayed out 314 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Graphing Command Results Y To change the graph format of the Histogram example above 1 In the graph window click Graph Type ACL displays the Graph Type dialog box Graph Type x 3 D bar graph nabe 2 D stacked graph 2 D bar grap 3 D stacked graph 2 D pie grap E fp K Line graph Cancel 3 D pie graph 3 D layered graph Note When your results contain a single item ACL grays out the stacked and 3 D layered options and enables the 2 D and 3 D pie charts When your results contain multiple items these options are available but the 2 D and 3 D pie charts are not 2 For example try clicking the 3 D layered graph button 3 Click OK ACL displays the Classify results in a 3 D layered graph M Graph Pile EG Classify 400000 00 Ee i 300000 00 E Market alue 200000 00 _ Quantity On Hand SF C Inventory Value at Cost 100000 00 ee AoA S P D j CLASSIFY ON Loc ACCUMULATE Mkt al QtyOH Value TO GRAPH Module 6 Communicating Results 315 Graphin
394. u left off the last time you used ACL Naming ACL Files When you name files in ACL for Windows you can use up to 255 characters including spaces This allows you to give the files descriptive names so they are easily recognizable Special characters such as spaces are converted to underscores These long names are visible when you are working in ACL You must always use an alpha character as the first character of a name Module 2 ACL Fundamentals 31 Understanding ACL Projects The output data file name has the extension fil For file management purposes 32 bit file names are retained Data files are outside the ACL Project ACL Project ACL ACL is read only and cannot change the source data Input file definitions Input file definitions describe the record layout Are 3 ource of the data and let you define linked to Data Files the fields ACL will work with DAT DBF TXT Views display data and act as FIL templates for printed reports Other Indexes Index files let you access data files as though they Are were physically sorted linked to ACL Index for Source Data Files INX Workspaces Workspaces let you share field definitions among input files and other ACL Projects Index files are outside the ACL Project Batches Batches let you automate repetitive queries perform complex analysis and create custom applications The Comma
395. u use ACL interactively When you set the Batch Recorder on ACL automatically records all commands and options as you select them and then issues the commands The advantage of using the Batch Recorder is that ACL may prompt you to correct any mistakes while you enter the batch If you enter the commands in a Batch window without using the Batch Recorder ACL will not show error messages until you run the batch When you set the Batch Recorder on ACL automatically creates a SET LEARN ON entry in the command log Similarly when you turn the Batch Recorder off a SET LEARN OFF entry appears in the command log In this exercise you create a batch that opens the Armonth input file produces a control total on the amount field and then samples all the fields To prepare for this exercise drag the icon beside the Ar input file definition onto the application workspace V To use the Batch Recorder to recreate the accounts receivable sample batch 1 Select Tools from the menu bar and choose Set Batch Recorder On ACL displays the Batch icon with a moving pen on the status bar The recorder now records all commands you enter in a batch until you choose Set Batch Recorder Off from the Tools menu In the Overview window double click Armonth to open the input file Click 2a to display the Statistics dialog box Select Amount then click OK ACL displays the result in the command log oe ee Select Sampling from the menu bar and
396. uble click LOC05 the filter that you created in the exercise on Creating a Filter on page 114 LOC05 is copied to the Expression text box Click OK The Expression Builder closes The expression LOC05 is now in the If text box In the To text box enter Location05 to name the output file Note that the Use Output File check box is checked When ACL executes the Extract command it will also open the new input file definition in the view Click OK The results of the extract appear in the command log The new input file definition opens automatically in the View window Command Log A EXTRACT RECORD IF Locos TO Locations OPEN 13 of 152 met the test LOCOS 13 records produced Extraction to file C ACL Data Data LocationOs FIL is complete EE View Detault_View Data File Locations FIL Murmber Class Description 1 052210545 05 05 2x328 PERLINEAL B m 2 052770015 05 05 2x8288 PERLNEAL A 3 052530155 05 05 _ _ CEDAR STRAPPING PERIFT A i gE 052720305 05 05 1x8 SHIPLAP_PER MFBM A 5 052720615 05 05 2X4 RANDOM PERMFBM A AA E 052204525 05 05 PANELLING ROSEWOOD 48u 7 052204515 05 05 PANELLING BIRCH 4x8 U Aa 3 jo52208805 05 05 PANELLING PINE 4x8 U g 052484405 05 05 PLYWOOD 4x6x 14 GIS JA JIET 052484415 05 05 PLYWOOD 4xEK12 GIS O A 11 052484425 05 05 PLYWOOD 4XEK 314 GIS A 12 052484436 05 05 PLYWOOD 4x8x 1 4 REJECT A 13 052504005 05 05 SM
397. ue for random record sampling See also Record Sampling on page 396 RANGEn A special ACL variable created automatically by specific ACL commands such as the Statistics command that contains the difference between the MAX n and MINn variables This gives the range between the highest and lowest value Record A unit of related items of information which makes up a file Each record contains individual pieces of information called fields See also Field on page 389 Record Sampling In sampling a method of selecting records in which each record has an equal chance of being selected Record sampling is also known as attribute sampling Report File A file that is usually an exact duplicate of a hard copy report in electronic format A report file is sometimes called a print spool file Appendix C Glossary 397 Ruler The ACL ruler is used as a guide to defining fields because it marks the byte position of each field in the data file SAMPINThn A special ACL variable created automatically by specific ACL commands such as the Size command that contains the sample interval based on data given to the command SAMPSIZEn A special ACL variable created automatically by specific ACL commands such as the Size command that contains the sample size based on data given to the command Scope Parameter A statement that can be included in an ACL command to limit how much of a file is processed or to limit the e
398. uences Duplicates and Gaps on page 107 You may recall that the Gaps command is valid for character or numeric fields V To check for gaps in the InvoiceNo field Select Analyze from the menu bar and choose Gaps In the Sequence On list view click InvoiceNo 1 2 3 Check the Presort check box 4 Click OK to execute the command ACL displays the result Command Log Oy x Last Result fx v E GAPS ON InvoiceNo ERRORLIMIT 10 TO SCREEN FRESORT Presorting data Fage l ls l2 2000 16 12 05 Produced with ACL by ACL Services Ltd Gap detected between O and 14239 Gap detected between 14239 and 2142353 O data Sequence errors detected 2 gaps and or duplicates detected la As you can see from the result two records have gaps Module 8 Troubleshooting Data Errors 351 Troubleshooting Data Errors To determine which records contain the gaps or duplicates you need to set a filter in the view V To seta filter to find which records contain gaps 1 Inthe View window click the filter text box and enter InvoiceNo witha space between the double matching quotes 2 Click Set Filter 3 ACL displays the view with only the record that meets the filter conditions Record 12 has a blank InvoiceNo field Ea View Default_View Data File Badfile fil X we weet Humber Mumber Price Price 030321663 19 15 End of File 4 Click Remove Filter to view all r
399. ult_View Data File Aged_FIL 4 Amount Date 1 610 87 4 Ss Cust oa T 95401 16372 6032000 R 87 18 03 2000 16372 a 03 2000 18008 36 20 06 2000 OF 01701 2000 34 01 03 2000 M0 3 2000 AMO 3 2000 OfOB 2000 B4b47 22006 62001 01657 OO 4 m Se O54 i es TR MEM e 01657 25007 2 03 2000 25007 3 03 2000 65003 3 03 2000 65003 3 03 2000 zj F E SS ee ee ee The new view shows the invoices aged by more than 180 days as of the fiscal year end December 31 2000 Exiting ACL If you want to exit ACL now select File from the menu bar and choose Exit 164 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Joining Relating and Merging Data Lesson4 7 Joining Relating and Merging Data Join Relations and Merge are commands you can use to combine information from two or more files a Use the Join command to combine fields from two sorted files into a third file Use the Relations command to establish a relationship between two or more files Most functions of the Join command can be done faster and more easily with Relations a Use the Merge command to combine two files with identical record structures to produce a third file Opening Your Project Y T prepare for this lesson 1 Open the Workbook acl Project For details on how to open an ACL Project and an input file definition see Lesson 2 4 Overview Window on page 57 2 Select Empmast fr
400. ults you obtain will differ if the files are reversed In this lesson Empmast is the primary file and Payroll is the secondary file Output Options The Join command has five output options The output option you choose determines which records are included in the third output file The five output options are 1 Matched Records Matching records from the primary and secondary files are included in the output file Primary File Secondary File Output file contains these records 2 Matched Records All Primary Matching records from the primary and secondary files and unmatched records from the primary file are included in the output file Primary File Secondary File Output file contains these records 166 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Joining Relating and Merging Data 3 Matched Records All Secondary Matched records from the primary and secondary files and unmatched records from the secondary file are included in the output file Primary File secondary File Output file contains these records 4 Matched Records All Primary and Secondary All records from both the primary and secondary files are included in the output file Primary File Secondary File Output file contains these records 5 Unmatched Records Only unmatched records in the primary file are included in the output file Primary File Secondary File Output file contains these records Module 4 Manipulating Data 1
401. um text boxes because you have already profiled the data You can change or accept the values The Histogram dialog box looks like this Histogram x Main More Output Histogram n amp Intervals E value Free E Kinin j 0167 60 Maimun i 00800 00 Cancel Help Module 6 Communicating Results 309 Graphing Command Results 3 Click OK By default ACL draws the result in a 3 D bar graph similar to this M Graph OLX Saree Histogram Graph Properties La Grid Legend Properties E lines Axis Properties Format Data gly Show Hide Legend E Show Hide Axis E Print Graobh amp Copy to bmp File yy Copy to Clipboard Hi Edit Command Rotate Pie Grapbh B ie Label Properties Lest PP GLEE w OE Sle St P a i i on Le SO ch Sl aoe S02 2 eos 13 BE aoe en Ose OO Oe OO Arenie mentagy Walge at Bost HISTOGRAM ON Value MINIMUM 10167 60 MAKSIMUM 100600 00 INTERVALS 10 TO GRAPH Command description You can see at a glance how the values are distributed in the file You can easily determine that most of the inventory value is in the first interval Graphing Character Data Using the Histogram Command You can use the Histogram command on a character field to get a graphic view of the distribution of inventory items by location 1 Select Analyze from the menu bar and choose Histogram ACL displa
402. umn changes value Module 6 Communicating Results 299 Formatting Reports V To print a subtotal for the break column and then print details for the next value on a new page 1 Open the Sorted_Report view of the Ap_trans input file 2 Double click the Vendor Number column title to display the Modify Column dialog box 3 Check the Page Break check box to turn on the option 4 Click OK to close the Modify Column dialog box 5 6 2 Report The Report dialog box appears Click OK Your report will print with each vendor number on a separate page The numeric fields for each vendor number will also be subtotaled and printed Suppressing Totals By default ACL prints totals for all numeric fields on reports To suppress the total for a numeric column when you print a report 1 Double click the Invoice Amount column heading to display the Modify Column dialog box or click the column title and then click Modify Column ACL displays the Modify Column dialog box 2 Check the Suppress Totals check box to suppress totals for the numeric field 3 Click OK Summarizing By default a report includes detail lines as well as subtotals for each key field you specify You can use the Summarize option to produce a summarized report that contains totals and subtotals for each key field but no detail lines With Summarize off the result output to your screen would be similar to the report shown under Br
403. un the Arsample2 batch in the command log 1 In the text box in the command log enter DO BATCH Arsample2 2 Click Accept Entry or press ENTER to run the batch Click Yes V Torun the Arsample2 batch from the menu bar 1 Select Tools from the menu bar and choose Do Batch to display the Do a batch dialog box 2 Select the Arsample2 batch and click OK to run the batch Click Yes V To interrupt batch processing m Press ESC a Click Yes to cancel the batch Running a Batch within a Batch ACL allows one batch to call another batch If a batch includes the lines DO BATCH_A DO BATCH_B DO BATCH_C As part of its commands the batch executes as usual until it reaches the command DO BATCH_A At that point it executes the commands stored in BATCH_A When this batch is complete it returns to the original batch and executes BATCH_B Similarly BATCH_C is executed when BATCH_B completes When BATCH_C is complete the original batch continues Module 5 Creating Applications 249 Using Batches Using Interactive Batches You can structure a batch so that ACL prompts for specific information when it is run so that you do not need to edit the batch each month or each time you run it For example if you want a batch to prompt for sampling intervals random starts department numbers or report headers and footers you can create an interactive batch that prompts for information while it is running Interactive batches are ide
404. unt ACCUMULATE Quantity Unit_Cost INTERVALS 10 TO SCRE lt lt lt Graphable Data gt gt gt Page 1 11 01 2001 12 44 35 Produced with ACL by ACL Services Ltd lt lt lt STRATIFY over 14 86 gt 56 767 20 gt gt gt gt gt gt Minimum encountered was 14 66 gt gt gt Maximum encountered was 56 767 20 Invoice_Amount COUNT Quantity 14 88 gt 5 690 11 89 5 690 12 gt 11 365 34 8 11 365 35 gt 17 040 57 2 17 040 58 gt 22 715 80 2 22 715 81 gt 28 391 03 o 28 391 04 gt 34 066 27 0 34 066 28 gt 39 741 50 0 39 741 51 gt 45 416 73 0 00 45 416 74 gt 51 091 96 re 51 091 97 gt 56 767 20 0 98 9 115 T 102 100 00 100 00 alu 154 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Stratifying Data The Invoice_Amount column lists the ten equal minimum and maximum value intervals ACL has created The Count column lists the number of items in each value interval You can see that the majority of the items are included in the first two ranges You can also see that there is one instance of a high Invoice Amount in the last range The next column lt tells you the percentage of the number of items in each value interval based on the total number Count The percentage of the total quantity on hand column gt is based on the column to its right in this case the Quantity column and is always performed for the first field to be accumulated Note ACL calculates the above on unsor
405. ur print dialog box will look similar Pages then enter start and end page numbers to print a range of pages 78 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook View Window 2 Click Setup ACL displays the Page Setup window Page Setup EEG Source Automatically Select Orientation Margins inches ett fos Right fos Top fos Botton fos Cancel Printer i Fortrait f Landscape 3 Make any changes you want and click OK or click Cancel to close the Page Setup dialog box 4 Click Print ACL automatically provides half inch margins on the top bottom left and right sides of all printed output Closing the View Window V To close a view from the View window 1 Close the view by clicking J Close in the View window ACL prompts you to save any changes to the default view Rather than saving to the default view it is a good idea to assign a new name that describes the contents of the changed view 2 Enter a new name in the text box to save the altered view under the new name 3 Click OK ACL saves and closes the view Exiting ACL If you want to exit ACL now select File from the menu bar and choose Exit Module 2 Lesson 2 6 ACLFundamentals 79 Command Log Command Log The command log keeps track of the tasks you have performed You can check the commands in a file look at command results add comments print or clear the command log Opening Your Project To prepa
406. ursor is blinking inside the parentheses Note If you want to copy the function with its parameters check the Paste Parameters check box in the bottom right of the Expression Builder If you double click the function to copy it to the Expression text box the parameters for the function are also copied and appear between the parentheses Replace the parameters with the appropriate fields or data 5 Enter NY comma Module 4 Manipulating Data 199 Using Functions 6 In the Available Fields list view double click State to copy it to the Expression text box to complete the expression The Expression Builder now looks like this Edit view filter x Expression FIND NY State Help ok Verity Cancel Save As Available Fields Functions Logical Add StreetAdd cures re BETWEEN value min max City City FINDI sti field bi Limit Credit init string lt field_to_search_t ane one ISBLAN KI string N Cust Fil MAPI string format z ust No ters MATCH comparison value te Sales Rep No Sales Rep Nurmber as SOUNDSLIKE name sounds_ state State TEST byte_position string Zip ZipCode VERIFY field Variables nie From Input File Customer LOW gt Paste Parameters 7 Click OK The Expression Builder closes The expression you created with FIND appears in the text box in the View window and is applied to the view immediately The view now lists customer
407. us The menu bar contains the nine menu choices in ACL New Project Ctrl File Edt Data Analyze Sampling Tools Serer window Help Content Open Project Ctrl O Contacting ACL meee ll About ACL Save Project Ctrl 5 Save Project As Page Setup Size Print Ctrl F Sample Cred Profiles Print Documentation Evaluate 7 Activity Log Eee Lea eile Standard Applications Project Notes Ctl G Count Ctrl 3 e ella l es Ee Total Cirle Bure reeds Notify iz Statistics 5 4 p About Client Server Cut Ctra Profle oe Exit oe Chie E e File History oR vious Fro Paste Biber Stratify Chie Create Batch from File History Ctrl 2 a ES eae coe Classify Do Batch Ctrl 1 Input File Definition Crl ern 2E Histogram Ctrl 8 Get Batch Recoder ln Filters Age ca Customize Button Bar Open View Ctrl Variables Sequence Chrl 6 Open Command Log CtrK Batches Gaps Set Global Filter Open Overview Ctrl Workspaces Select Ctrl H Duplicates Font Size See Relations z z a Report Ctrl F Verity ascade Greet Tile Horizontally ether a Tile Vertically E rot Arrange All Close Ctra Summarize Ctrl 0 Close Al Index 1 Command Log Sort Jain Ctrl Merge Each menu has a drop down list of commands and options A menu or menu item is grayed out if a command doesn t apply to the active window 18 ACL
408. ustomizing ACL 341 Setting Preferences Print Options Click the Print Options tab to display the options Edit ACL Preferences x Interface Options Input File Options View Options Command Options Date Options Numeric Options Print Options Application Font Options poceceeeesesccccccesecesosocooceecessssssocoesescooscsceessossoossescessssssg IV Include Report History with Reports T Include Field Definitions in File History T Include View Note in Report History 0 50 Left Margin OU a Inches Top Margin 050 Inches Right Margin oH Inches Bottom Margin 0 60 4 Inches Save Factory Cancel Help Print File History with Last Result This option includes the file history as the last page of output when you print the command log with the Last Result option selected Include Report History with Reports This option includes the report history as the last page of a printed report Note This option was formerly called Print File History with Reports gO Include Field Definitions in File History If you turn this option on ACL includes a description of the input file definition and computed fields as part of the file history C Include View Note in Report History Ifyou turn this option on ACL includes the notes associated with the view as well as the file history in printed reports 342 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Setting Preferences Left Top Right and Bottom Margins The Left
409. utput options To execute the command select Graph and click OK ACL displays the results in a graph as follows M Graph Pale EG Classify Heo gg ReBPAFABAA SE CLASSIFY ON Loc TO GRAPH Editing Graph Properties ACL provides numerous options to manipulate graphs containing your results You can change the graph format labels and grid display You must first create the default graph type before you can change its properties WV To select the fields to graph 1 2 a a OAU A Select Analyze from the menu bar and choose Classify In the Classify On drop down list select Loc In the Accumulate Fields list view select the Mktval Then CTRL CLICK the QtyOH and Value fields Click the Output tab and select the Graph Click OK to execute the command and display the graph Click ala Format Data to display the Format Data dialog box Double click Count in the Available Fields list view to add it to the Selected Fields list view The Format Data dialog box now looks like this Module 6 Communicating Results 313 Graphing Command Results Format Data x Data Options Font Data Series Available fields Selected fields Market Value Quantity On Hand Inventor Value at Co UNT Add all Clear all Cancel Help 8 Click OK to display the graph M Graph Classify 400000 00 Fl A ey g SO0000 00 sn E Market Value aaa Quanti
410. ventory Valuation Report Page 1 3 09 44 42 As At December 31 2000 4 5 Quantit Unit Total Cost 6 Cost ra 8 Product Class 0l Housewares g 10 010102710 ALUMINUM TEAPOT 8 CUP 144 3 99 662 56 11 010102840 PRESSURE COOKER SQT 400 39 40 15760 00 12 010119040 BLANCHER 190 8 00 1520 00 T3 010134420 VEGETABLE STEAMER 50 3 12 156 00 14 010135060 192 02 DUTCH OVEN 230 27 60 6346 00 ite N1015515N STEP NW Can 132 A gn 110A AN Mi T Hex gt o o Reading Report Files A report file is an example of a multiple record type file In this lesson you learn how to process report files by creating an input file definition and defining filters for the record types You then filter the records for each record type to define the fields Using the filters you process the data for one record type at a time ignoring the rest of the infor mation in the report such as headings and subtotals A report file sometimes called a print spool file is usually an electronic duplicate of a hard copy report Module 5 Creating Applications 267 Working with Multiple Record Type Files If the data you want to analyze is not available in its original format or you want to process data from a relational database you need to turn it into a flat sequential file The easiest way to obtain a flat sequential file for this type of data is to generate a report file which typically includes additional page formatting information Creating a report file is a simple
411. vious ereere _tostPoe_ oem oae e ar 2 E sattTt RARSSGSS 9S Se ge ve kd ee Lease 5 et REELS xa E3 Hun Last Page R Peer S Eie gin ahee 4 5 rid vy SSE SEe TE TE TE 2 EERE A Y gt eeerererererss YY L iis zis Zoom In z5 vE se Sy og SERE cee Print ci R ez22z22222222222222 E Tate 222222 o TAN i ited i 1 i as eis ni ac i ide TARIE eitkets HRS SER ES Close ee eee we on SPs Pry gt i wv RRR HEE HEE PEPE ett 7 feiss R ERER HER RA Pa EEDE cee say SBokb EPRI ES PEERS gat Fnays p3 wey oo FEH pee 3B ri Stisvss ct ae Re PG daw ene ne s d a 7 d V To change the display of the report preview do the following a Click Zoom In or pause your cursor over the preview page of your report your cursor changes to a magnifying glass with a plus sign inside and click the area of the page you want to enlarge The Zoom In button changes to Zoom Out Pause your cursor over the maximized preview section of your report ACL changes your cursor to a magnifying glass with a minus sign inside Click the preview or Zoom Out to minimize your report to one page on the screen The Zoom Out button changes to Zoom In a Click Next Previous and Last page to jump to the following previou
412. w Options tab about 291 333 Warn Before Overwriting Files 330 warn before overwriting files 330 Primary file defined 164 Print Documentation dialog box about 89 Print files 266 Print files about 12 Printing about 89 batches 89 Classify command results 145 Command Log 90 log files 82 notes about 89 print file history with last result preference 341 Projects 89 report history with reports 341 sample parameters 189 views 77 Profile command about 104 automatic execution 331 numeric fields 150 Project notes about 86 Projects about 30 PROPER function about 211 Proportional font changing 342 Q Quotes around date fields 124 Radio Button dialog box about 367 RAM default setting and Classify command 143 Record types about 267 Records definition of 8 filtered displaying 334 header type 276 multiple record types 276 view displaying 64 Relations command about 173 Removing 67 columns from view 67 Report files automatic filters 274 blank if zero 303 blank lines suppressing 304 break columns creating 297 detail fields defining 271 detail records in 273 duplicates suppressing 301 filters header records 269 filters using 301 header fields defining 269 header records using filters 269 line spacing 295 multiple record type 266 page breaks creating 298 page orientation 292 page title global 335 presorting 296 previewing 294 printing 295 record types about 267 subtotals displaying 297 summari
413. ween two or more files through indexing With Index you can conduct a much faster search Since a new data file is not created you save disk space Choosing Sort or Index The following table outlines and compares the Sort and Index commands Sort vs Index Item Sort Index Execution speed Slower Faster Resulting file size Larger Smaller Required disk space More Less Subsequent processing of an entire file Much faster Much slower Subsequent processing searching for a few records Much slower Much faster For comparison purposes you will index the file on the same fields you used in the previous sort 138 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Sorting and Indexing V To open the Ap_Trans input file select the Ap_Trans input file definition from the Overview window and drag it onto the application workspace Creating an Index V To create an index of the Ap_Trans input file 1 With the Ap_Trans file open click Indexes in the Overview window 2 Click New ACL displays the Index dialog box Main More Index On Invoice Amount Invoice Amount Invoice Date Invoice Date Invoice Mo Invoice Number Prodna Froduct Humber Quantity Quantity Unit_Cost Unit Cost Local W Use Output File Cancel Help 3 In the Index On list view click Vendor_No 4 CTRL CLICK Invoice_No and then ProdNo ACL indexes in the order you choose the fields Click in the To text box and enter the name Indvip to name and save the ind
414. wercase letters to sort together before any other characters Any remaining characters are sorted in the same order that they appear in the Windows Character Map View Options Click the View Options tab to display the options 334 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Setting Preferences Edit ACL Preferences x Date Options Numeric Options Print Options Application Font Options Interface Options Input File Options View Options Command Options IV Hide Filtered Records V Show Grid Lines IV Test Column Widths I Show Right Edge of Page I Display Invalid Data as Blanks or Zeros Redraw Seconds fi 0 Global Page Title Produced with ACL by ACL Software Ic Program Files ACL SoftwareACL for Windows Client aclwin prt Hide Filtered Records This option is on by default ACL displays only the records that match the filter condition in effect If you turn this option off all records in the current input file are shown Ifa filter is active the records that do not match the filter condition are highlighted If only a few records meet the filter condition it is best to turn this setting on Show Grid Lines This option displays grid lines in views If you are formatting a view for a report you may want to turn this preference off Test Column Widths Even if width of column s is the only thing you change in a view this option prompts you to save or discard your work when you close the View window If
415. which you created it For example during the running of a batch a dialog similar to the following could display for user input User Dialog x Enter the Department Cancel Check Box Radiobutton 1 Radiobutton Z Radiobutton3 With a dialog box like the one above you can enter a department name select a checkbox select items from a drop down list or select various option buttons Dialog boxes allow you to quickly input a wide range of information Appendix A COMMON USES FOR ACL This appendix offers a list of potential uses for ACL The following pages contain recom mended audit and analysis plans for various common application areas The list is not exhaustive but is designed to get you started Ultimately you are limited only by your imagination Audit Data Analysis Applications Stock Inventory Calculate total of stock balances Calculate totals by product category Select monetary unit samples of inventory Generate exception reports including negative values quantities or costs extension errors and so on Select items from perpetual stock records for test counts Report transactions after period end Prepare aged schedules of stock items Report months of stock on hand from usage history Report variations between test counts and perpetual records Debtors Accounts Receivable Calculate total of customer balances Summarize product balances by customer Select monetary unit samples
416. window click beside Inventory in the list of input file definitions to see all of the views with which this input file is associated 2 From the Overview window drag and drop Inventory onto Open This opens the default view of the Inventory input file that is linked to the data file Inventory fil Note If you open a view located under its associated input file definition ACL automati cally opens the associated input file If you open a view from the list whose corresponding input file is not currently open ACL warns you that the view may not match the current input file It is a good idea to execute the Statistics command before running a Histogram or Stratify command When you run Statistics first ACL automatically displays a maximum and minimum value for the data in the Histogram and Stratify text boxes 308 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Graphing Command Results V To execute the Profile command 1 Select Analyze from the menu bar and choose Profile ACL displays the Profile fields dialog box 2 In the Profile Fields list view click Value 3 Click OK ACL displays the result in the command log Graphing Numeric Data Using the Histogram Command V T display a graph of Histogram results 1 Select Analyze from the menu bar and choose Histogram 2 Select the Value field name from the Histogram On drop down list You can generate histograms for character or numeric fields ACL automatically fills in the Minimum and Maxim
417. ws 7 Workbook Obtaining Statistics Lesson 3 4 Obtaining Statistics The Statistics command provides statistics on numeric and date fields For example in numeric fields Statistics provides control totals that you can use to verify subsequent processes You can also use Statistics for bounds checking In date fields for example you can find maximums and minimums Statistics that highlight abnormalities in the data file can influence your subsequent analysis Opening Your Project To prepare for this lesson 1 Open the Workbook acl Project For details on how to open an ACL Project and an input file definition see Lesson 2 4 Overview Window on page 57 2 From the Overview window drag Ap_Trans from the list of input file definitions onto the application workspace The View window opens and displays the records and columns for the input file definition Ap_Trans Displaying Statistics Before doing any detailed processing you should look at some statistics The Statistics command provides Record counts Field totals a Average values Absolute values Range between the minimum and maximum values Standard deviations Highest field values Lowest field values To obtain statistics on a numeric or computed field 1 Click a Statistics or select Analyze from the menu bar and choose Statistics ACL displays the Statistics dialog box 2 In the Statistics On list view select Invoice Amount 3
418. xecution of a command or batch Examples are If While Next and First Scope parameters can be used separately or in conjunction with each other Secondary File The second file you open if you have two files open at once You can only have one secondary file open or set at a time A primary and a secondary file are used in Join and Merge operations The secondary file is the second file you use in Join and Merge opera tions See also Primary File on page 396 Seed The starting value for the sequence of random numbers ACL generates when random numbers are required Each unique seed value results in a different series of random numbers being generated but each series can be regenerated from its seed Sequential File A data file such as a tape file whose records must be accessed in a fixed order one after the other Static This term refers to a record whose field values you want to remain unchanged for all related records The static modifier is generally used in conjunction with multiple record type files in which the values in one record relate to subsequent records 398 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook A static conditional field is a conditional field that is processed differently When an expression returns false ACL uses the last valid value in the field until a new valid value is encountered rather than resetting the value to zero Status Bar The status bar displays the name of the ACL Project with which you are
419. xercise However this time you will send the output to a file and sort by Z statistic rather than graphing You will also omit items of value less than 1 00 V To perform a two digit digital analysis with bounds on a numeric field sending the output to a file 1 Select Analyze from the menu bar and choose Benford ACL displays the Benford dialog box Select Amount from the Benford On drop down list Inthe Number of Leading Digits text box enter 2 Check the Include Upper and Lower Bounds check box Enter amount gt 0 99999999 in the If text box Click Output to display output options Select File Enter Trans2 in the Name text box to name the file aon A UIT A W N Click OK to execute the command ACL will open the new Trans2 file once the command is complete Verify that the command was executed correctly there should be 90 records from 10 through 99 V The next step is to sort the new file by Z statistic Select Data from the menu bar and choose Sort ACL displays the Sort dialog box Select Zstat from the Sort On list view Enter the file name Trans2sorted in the To text box a ee oo a Click OK to execute the command ACL will again open the new Trans2sorted file The highest Z statistics are viewed by scrolling to the bottom of the sorted file Because some records from Trans were omitted the results are slightly different from the previous example Once more you can se
420. y to name the data field Enter ProdNo in the Name text box ASCII is displayed in the Type text box and also highlighted in the Valid Field Types list box You can accept the assigned field type or double click another type in the list The Valid Field Types list box can change Depending on the type of data you have highlighted in a record ACL displays the most appropriate list Module 2 ACL Fundamentals 45 Input File Definitions 5 Click Accept Entry to add the field description to the data fields list The Edit Fields Expressions tab now looks like this Inventory C ACL Data Data Inventory_fil Oy x Input File Options Edit Fields Expressions Add a New Data Filter Name Tite Start Category Length Decimd At fields 1 oe E E 07010434706LATEX SEMI GLOS5 ORANGE 6 87001010 99001018 870 950 500000005976900000869130 07010439706LATEX SEMI GLOS5 CARAMELA 6 87001010 99001018 460 965 500000003160200000459540 O7OLO417706LATEX SEMI GLOS5 LILAC A 6 867001010 99001018 1480 750 0000101676 0001478520 O7O01L0467706LATEX SEMI GLOS55 APRICOTA 6 87001010 99001018 1290 760 0000088662300001288710 NFO N4AASPOALATEX SEMT GLOASS PTNK A ATANININ 99NN1N1A ISHn 42N NNNNTNAANSNANNNANI SASANN Ifyou scroll to the right of the list view you will see that the field type for ProdNo has been entered as ASCII 6 Click row 1 position 12 and drag to the right until the Len text box displays 24 7 Ente
421. ys the Histogram dialog box 2 Select the character field Loc from the Histogram On drop down list 3 Click OK ACL clearly shows the distribution of items in each location 310 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Graphing Command Results At Graph Histogram AR amp g Location Ree FAeGBBA SB HISTOGRAM ON Loc TO GRAPH Multiple Histograms and Stratifications If you are working with a file that is sorted on a key field or break column you can generate a separate histogram or stratification for each key value in the file For example to produce histograms for each product class you first sort the file by product class Then in the Histogram dialog box click the More tab and click Break to specify the product class field as a break field ACL creates a graph for the first product class To create graphs of subsequent product classes go to the command log and double click each product class for which you want a graph For detailed information on how to use break fields see Break Column on page 297 Changing the Interval To focus on a particular range of data you can use free intervals in the Histogram or Stratify command V To display a graph of Histogram results with free intervals 1 Select Analyze from the menu bar and choose Profile 2 In the Profile Fields list view click Value and then click OK ACL displays the result in the command log 3 Select Analyze from the menu bar and choose Histogram
422. ys the Total dialog box Total x Main More Total Fields Invoice Amount Invoice Amount Quantity Quantity Unit_Cost Unit Cost Cancel Help As Total only operates on numeric fields ACL shows only numeric fields and excludes all other fields in the Total Fields list view 2 Click Total Fields to display the Selected Fields dialog box 100 ACL for Windows 7 Workbook Totaling Fields 3 Click Add All ACL copies all the fields to the Selected Fields list box Selected Fields x Available Fields Selected Fields Invoice Amount Quantity Unrit_Cost Invoice Amount Invoice Amount Quantity Quantity Unrit_Cost Unit Cost Clear All Expr Edit OF Cancel Help Ap Tran k From Input File 4 Click OK to return to the Total dialog box with the selected fields highlighted 5 Click OK again ACL displays the totals of all the numeric fields in the command log Command Log Oy x Last Result wy tf x wv EB TOTAL FIELDS Invoice Amount Quantity Unit Cost The total of Invoice_Amount is 276 641 53 The total of Quantity is 37 107 The total of Unit Cost is 1 582 29 _ H z Totaling Data Automatically ACL automatically executes commands when the Autoexecute Commands preference is set When you select a command from the menu bar the results are immediately shown and the dialog box is never displayed See Command Options on page 335 f
423. ze2 in the list of batches ACL prompts you to either edit or run the batch Click Run ACL asks if you want to overwrite the existing file Click Yes ACL displays all of the commands you used to create the input file and the view in the command log Using the Command Log to Create a Batch The final way to create a batch is to copy commands from the log and paste them in a new or existing batch file Once you have issued a command you can copy it from the command log and paste it into a Batch window either to create a new batch or to edit an existing one Editing a Batch You may want to change some of the commands or options the next time you run Arsample2 For example you may want to change the sampling interval and the random start based on the current month s population of accounts receivable transactions Y T change the interval and random start values in Arsample2 1 Drag and drop the batch Arsample2 onto the application workspace ACL asks you if you want to run or edit the batch Click Edit The Arsample2 batch window opens to display its contents Double click SAMPLE in the Batch window Then click Edit Command The Sample dialog box opens Enter 39044 in the Interval text box Enter 194 in the Start text box Since all other options remain the same click OK ACL changes the parameters of the Sample command in the Batch window Module 5 Creating Applications 247 Using Batches
424. zing 299 totals suppressing 299 Report files about 266 Reports 290 batch file 295 formatting 290 history printing 341 sorting 296 Resizing controls in Dialog Builder 373 windows 22 Rounding preventing unnecessary 14 S Sample command 180 183 selection methods 183 selection order 191 Sample selection methods about 183 Sampling oversampling 191 subsampling 191 Save Graph As dialog box 320 Search command about 135 Find Literal option 140 Secondary file defined 164 Select View Fonts dialog box 66 Separators numeric format 73 Set Safety syntax 331 Shift Fields button 48 Shifting fields 48 Show Grid Lines preference 334 Show Right Edge of Page preference 334 Simple group defined 252 Size command 180 184 185 about 184 Sort compare Index 137 multiple fields 133 order about 333 sequence verifying 132 single field ascending order 131 Sort command about 130 Sorting key fields 296 Spool file defined 266 Start of Century date about 337 Start of Century option 55 Starting position field adjust using OFFSET 264 Static conditional fields about 274 Statistics command about 102 Statistics obtaining descriptive 203 Status bar about 21 Stratify command graph output option 311 graphing output 311 intervals specifying 154 Subtotals suppressing 299 Summarize command about 146 Suppressing blank lines in reports 304 duplicates in reports 301 subtotals in reports 299 totals in repo

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