Costs/revenues distribution Rules in Analityc accounts

[Agustín Montagna]

Hi everyone,

In the last time we have been working with different clients in Argentina that evidences the need of a improve or a new tool in the analytics modules. Specifically, a feature that allows distribute a cost/revenue line (in a sale/purchase) over diferents analytics accounts. I've found others post about this subjet [1].

I tried to list the main reasons of this need:

• Several Cost are Direct and easily assignable to a cost centre, in that cases there is no problem cause the complete line is related or imputed to a one cost-centre.
  
• Many Cost are indirects, i mean, it is no possible to assign completely to a cost-centre (machine, departament, employee, area...) but is neceesary to distribute it in a group of annalytics lines.
  
• Sometimes, the distribution is proportional, for example, 120$ in three annalytics acoounts corresponding 40$ each. Other times the distribution is no proportional and its based in diferents criteria. Other tipycal example is the distribution of the rent cost in relation with the space each cost centre is using.
  
• A typical example is the electricity tax. The tax is one ammount, and we need to distribute it beetween several areas or departaments, eache one with one %. 
• Sometime we need to allocate indirect revenues to one or more cost centers in diferents portions.
  

SAP uses three kink of distributions rules for example:

• Distribution rules that has a one-to-one relationship with the corresponding cost centers. (the one in Tryton)
  

• Distribution rules that you create as master data. This kind of distribution rule is the most common one. You create it to allocate direct and indirect expenses and revenues to one or more cost centers.

• Distribution rules that you create manually for individual transactions. This kind of distribution rule is defined for particular transactions and does not affect the distribution rule master data.

I wonder how can we create a blueprint or a path to design and develop (i imagine someone maybe could have the develop started...) this features for the next tryton releases.

Thanks for your opinions.

Regards

Agustín Montagna

[1] https://bugs.tryton.org/issue3620

[Cédric Krier]

On 2015-12-17 05:58, Agustín Montagna wrote:
> Hi everyone,
>
> In the last time we have been working with different clients in Argentina
> that evidences the need of a improve or a new tool in the analytics
> modules. Specifically, a feature that allows distribute a cost/revenue line
> (in a sale/purchase) over diferents analytics accounts. I've found others

> post about this subjet [1]. <https://bugs.tryton.org/issue3620>

>
> I tried to list the main reasons of this need:
>

> - Several Cost are Direct and easily assignable to a cost centre, in

> that cases there is no problem cause the complete line is related or
> imputed to a one cost-centre.

> - Many Cost are indirects, i mean, it is no possible to assign

> completely to a cost-centre (machine, departament, employee, area...) but
> is neceesary to distribute it in a group of annalytics lines.

> - Sometimes, the distribution is proportional, for example, 120$ in

> three annalytics acoounts corresponding 40$ each. Other times the
> distribution is no proportional and its based in diferents criteria. Other
> tipycal example is the distribution of the rent cost in relation with the
> space each cost centre is using.

> - A typical example is the electricity tax. The tax is one ammount, and

> we need to distribute it beetween several areas or departaments, eache one
> with one %.

> - Sometime we need to allocate indirect revenues to one or more cost

> centers in diferents portions.
>
> SAP uses three kink of distributions rules for example:
>
>

> -

>
> Distribution rules that has a one-to-one relationship with the
> corresponding cost centers. (the one in Tryton)

> -

>
> Distribution rules that you create as master data. This kind of
> distribution rule is the most common one. You create it to allocate direct
> and indirect expenses and revenues to one or more cost centers.

> -

>
> Distribution rules that you create manually for individual transactions.
> This kind of distribution rule is defined for particular transactions and
> does not affect the distribution rule master data.
>
> I wonder how can we create a blueprint or a path to design and develop (i
> imagine someone maybe could have the develop started...) this features for
> the next tryton releases.

Here is a copy of an answer I made recently about similar question:

"""
As you said the usual need for accounting is on the P&L and not on the
Balance.
So I think in the base module, we should only have support for this
usage and it is what we currently have with the analytic_* modules.
For me, the "mandatory" flag on analytic root is only for P&L (maybe we
should rename or add an help) (customize module could add on for
Balance). And it should be used to only enforce the data to fill on
higher document like the sale, purchase and invoice (maybe more if there
is need). But it should not prevent to create/post accounting moves.

Indeed I think we need a report/wizard (probably similar to the new
reconciliation) that search for accounting move lines (from P&L) which
doesn't respect the mandatory flag and which doesn't have a correct
amount (compared to the line debit/credit). The wizard will allow the
user to fix those error and so ensure that the analytic chart gives
correct values.
This wizard should be written to allow to extend the non-valid rule (for
example: add Balance check, make mandatory per journal etc.)
Finally for performance, we need to have a valid/checked flag on the
analytic line (similar to the account.move.line) to be able to check
only new/invalid lines. This flag should be reset if new rules are
append (those rule should have a date range and idem for mandatory
flags).

Finally, I'm not strictly against having a MatchMixin rule system to
fill the analytic of moves but I think it is a complex task to support
all cases.
Also I think analytic should be used to put more information in the
system while with a rule system no information is created and so it is
just most of the case a matter of writing the good report (which is less
expensive than a good rule system).
As you can see for the project_revenue where most of the other system
will use analytic, I really think we should use straight link when they
are clearly defined.
"""

I could add that for the case of electricity bill, we could imagine to
have one temporary analytic account per chart to use on document when
the repartition is too much complex. In this case the wizard, I told,
could also consider such line as non-valid and request for a correct
repartition.
Also we could have a wizard that stores repartition schema, a little bit
like the move template, that we could apply on any move line.

Long story short:

So I think the first step will be to clarify the do/module about the
required analytic root.
The second will to create the checking wizard.
And the third will be to create the repartition template wizard.

--
Cédric Krier - B2CK SPRL
Email/Jabber: cedric...@b2ck.com
Tel: +32 472 54 46 59
Website: http://www.b2ck.com/

[Agustín Montagna]

Thanks Cedrick for your answer.
It is good to know the feature is it being thought before its devolpment. My experience is short and i trust in yours recommendations (about how to face the feature).
Can I ask if is already open a blueprint or a issue for the development of this feature? How can i follow the subjet o contribute in any case??

Regards!
Agustín

[Cédric Krier]

On 2016-01-04 12:32, Agustín Montagna wrote:
> Thanks Cedrick for your answer.
> It is good to know the feature is it being thought before its devolpment.
> My experience is short and i trust in yours recommendations (about how to
> face the feature).
> Can I ask if is already open a blueprint or a issue for the development of
> this feature? How can i follow the subjet o contribute in any case??

No there are none of it.

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