Comparing Trial Balances across time periods

You are presented with two Trial Balance data files in a spreadsheet format.

 

The first file is for the previous year. The second for the current year.

 

Using 'Compare' within IDEA you can have the first file as the primary database and select the second file as the secondary database.

 

The 'Account Code' would be the common matching field between the two files and the numeric field to compare could be 'Closing Balance' in both files.

 

The resultant compare database will have the Account Code, Closing Balance for Previous Year, Closing Balance for Current Year, Difference in Closing Balances.

 

Now in the compare database append a virtual numeric field titled 'Difference Percent' with the criteria 'Difference/PrimaryTotal*100'

 

The 'Difference Percent' field added will allow you to identify specific head of accounts where the rate of change is unusually large - outliers.

 

At the same time from a pure analytical ratio play you can compare percentage change on linked heads of accounts like 'Power and Gas Charges' with 'Production Cost' or 'Sales' with 'Incentives', 'Returns' to see if they are aligned.

 

Kind Regards

 

Jairam