Intacct: Smart Rules

Now that basic Smart Rules are a breeze, someone is bound to ask about a more complicated situation. So let’s test some Smart Rule limits.

What if you have a situation where you need a Smart Rule to do one thing on a certain action, but another on a different set of actions? Is that even possible? Well let me tell you, that it is! Here’s a cool case that came up recently.

The Question:

Can a Smart Rule be created which required the Document field to be filled out during Journal Entry only for a certain account (ex: account 1110)?

The Problem:

If it was a dimensional field requirement, that could be easily managed in the Chart of Accounts in the General Ledger, but since Document Number is not a dimension that won’t work. To require dimensions for certain fields that can be found here:

What we’re going for here sounds like an “IF” Excel type of function, right? (If the Account No is 1110, then require the Document Number, if the Account No is anything else, then do nothing. If it was Excel you’d just write: =IF(A1=1110,”required”,”not required”)). Unlike a Smart Event, a Smart Rule isn’t a two step validation. Intacct gives you one box to write the condition under which the Smart Event will fire. So how exactly do you write a conditional Smart Rule? Well now that we know that’s what we’re looking for, let’s get on to writing the condition.

The Solution:

If you’re just looking for the rule here it is:

({!GLENTRY.ACCOUNTNO!}==”1110″)?({!GLENTRY.DOCUMENT!}!=” “):({!GLENTRY.DOCUMENT!}=={!GLENTRY.DOCUMENT!})

So let me explain what that means and how I got to that so you can write your own:

The Fields:

Only 2 fields we’re looking for (found in the Customization Services Catalog or by using the Inspect Element right click on your screen):

•  {!GLENTRY.ACCOUNTNO!} – the field holding the account number
•  {!GLENTRY.DOCUMENT!} – the field holding the information we want to require whenever account 1110 is selected

The Formula:

• ({!GLENTRY.ACCOUNTNO!}==”1110″)?

This is the “IF” portion of the rule. It tells Intacct to look at the first field (the account number) and evaluate whether the account number is 1110 or not.

• ?({!GLENTRY.DOCUMENT!}!=” “):({!GLENTRY.DOCUMENT!}=={!GLENTRY.DOCUMENT!})

This part tells Intacct what to do depending on what the account number is.

If the Account No was 1110, then Intacct will require a document number (the first part) : ({!GLENTRY.DOCUMENT!}!=” “)

If the Account No was not 1110, then Intacct will just require the Document Number field to equal the Document Number field (which will always be true no matter what). This pretty much makes it a free for all with no requirements if the account number is anything else. : ({!GLENTRY.DOCUMENT!}=={!GLENTRY.DOCUMENT!}) (this was the tricky part).

Smart Rule questions are my favorite – so if you have any feel free to shoot them my way! katherine.jastrzebski@gmail.com