Creating Analysis Codes
Do you ever wish you could capture additional information or add custom fields so you can report and examine specific areas of your business?
Most businesses have information that is specific to their industry that they want to record and report on. Sage 200 has a couple of ways in which you can add information to your accounts, records and transactions which can then be reported on.
These are called analysis codes.
Analysis codes must first be set up in Accounting System Manager and can then be added to the required modules.
Accounting System Manager > Settings > Maintain Analysis Codes
- In the Code section, enter the name of the new Analysis code in the Name column
- Enter free text – Tick Enter Free Text if you wish to be able to type your own values when using the analysis code later. These will not be stored as values for future users.
HINT: If you use free text values and want to be able to run reports based on this information later then be mindful that any difference at all in the value will be reported on separately. For example, if you were using Sales Region, the value Birmingham, Bham or B’ham will all group separately.
- Add new on Entry – When values are added in Accounting System Manager they will appear in a dropdown list for users to select from when using the analysis codes in the ledgers. Tick Add New on Entry if you wish users to be able to add values to the dropdown list from within the Modules. These will then be available for all users to select from the dropdown in the future. Do not tick this if you want tight control over the available values on the analysis code.
Next you can add some predetermined ‘Values’ in the lower section of the window:
- Highlight the relevant analysis code within the Codes section and then enter your desired values in the Values area. These will appear as a dropdown selection when using Analysis Codes within the modules. This is a good way to ensure that each entry matches exactly for reporting purposes.
HINT: The default value will only populate new orders / accounts moving forward, you must manually update existing orders / accounts (seek advice from your Sage support desk if you need help with this)
Set up in the analysis code within the required ledgers
Now that a list of Analysis Codes and their Values have been set up, you must now configure which Modules they are relevant to.
Available areas to add the Analysis Codes are:
- Sales Ledger > Utilities > Ledger Set Up > Maintain Analysis Codes
- Purchase Ledger > Utilities > Ledger Set Up > Maintain Analysis Codes
- Nominal Ledger > Utilities > Ledger Set Up > Maintain Analysis Codes
- Sales Order Processing > SOP Maintenance > Maintain Analysis Codes *
- Purchase Order Processing > POP Maintenance > Maintain Analysis Codes *
- Stock Control > Stock Maintenance > Maintain Analysis Codes
* PLEASE NOTE Sales Order Processing and Purchase Order Processing have additional options which are shown further down
Select a blank row in the Name column and select a code from the drop-down list (the options are from the list we set up in Accounting System Manager), then TAB.
If required, enter a different Field Label (This is the label you will see in the specific Module when using the Analysis Code, usually it would be the same to avoid confusion).HINT: Do not select Mandatory (one of Sages little quirks) – Although the name suggests that this will force the user to select an option in fact this is not the case. When you select mandatory you must select a default which then populates automatically and you are not forced to make a selection upon saving. However if you have existing orders created before the analysis code was created it Sage will error when trying to progress the order as there is no analysis selection.
Purchase and Sales Order Processing have the following extra settings held under the “Edit” button:
Allow analysis code to be amended for each order/return:
Select this to allow this analysis codes to be changed when entering an order.
HINT: To do this, you must have selected the “allow amendment of Analysis Codes” setting in the SOP/POP settings Order Entry tab. You can choose whether analysis codes can be amended on the order header, the order line, or both.
Get default value from supplier/customer code:
Select this to use the Value specified as the default in the relevant (supplier or customer) account.
Use the drop-down list to select the analysis code whose default value you want to use.
Use stock item history value for:
Select this to include the selected analysis code in the stock item history.
If you have any queries, or run into any difficulty, please contact the Sage Support Team.
