Why the Execution Work File Differs from the Ledger Trial Balance [Quick Tip]

Why Does the Execution Work File Differ from the Ledger Trial Balance?

This is a brief explanation of the design of the Execution ID Work File (work file) and how the information in it may differ from the ledger trial balance information.

The work file is a tool designed to create a temporary work file for researching activity and balances.

Work file amounts may differ from ledger amounts in the following circumstances:

Changing of SJI Coding.
The work file is created based on current SJI coding. If coding is changed after ledger entries are created, the ledger will show what posted, while the work file will show what would post today for that time frame based on current SJI coding.
Example: CX-cancelled contracts posted to 4201-01 for 4-months, then the SJI coding was changed to post them to 5201-01. This means a work file built for the 4-months will show CX-Cancelled contracts hitting 5201-01 but when they were originally posted to ledger, they hit 4201-01.

Posting manual ledger entries to get backdated transactions in subsidiary packages into the ledger.
The work file reflects the backdated transactions AND the manual ledger entry. The ledger only reflects the manual transaction.
Example: A backdated bank withdrawal is posted in December AFTER the SJI Creation Process is run. To get these dollars into the ledger, a manual ledger entry must be made (since the SJI's cannot be re-run). The work file reflects the December entry from the bank AND the manual ledger entry in the ledger. The work file helps the find the amounts.

Zero-dollar grain settlements (the work file does not reflect them).
The work file does not include zero-dollar settlements, which have no dollars but do have quantity. Such settlements post to the ledger but are not reflected in the work file.

Out-of-balance entries (the work file does not reflect the ledger clearing balance amount).
When you create the SJI process, if a transaction does not balance (i.e., debits do not equal credits), then the SJI process creates an entry to a clearing account to make the debits and credits balance in the ledger. The work file reflects the out of balance entries (without any out of balance clearing entries).

Changing of inventory item types, such as regular to service, causes work file to no longer bring IV and CS codes over with invoices. Any inventory transactions, such as adjustments, still come over to the work file. But the IV and CS transaction codes on the work file will not be there.

I hope this better explains the background of the work file tool and how information in it may differ from what is in the ledger.