how2perf05.htm
Performance: G/L runs slower at the end of the year than at the beginning
Caveat: Identifying performance issues on a computer and/or network is a very fickle and tricky thing to attempt because there are a virtual limitless number of issues that can affect performance in general. The ideas presented here are generic in their scope but may offer a glimpse into a possible solution at your facility and at least a direction you may follow to solve a problem.
To get a grasp on why this is, you need to understand a little about the architecture of Club Office's general ledger system. Here are some salient points:
- The G/L can be open for up to 24 consecutive accounting periods, although it will post and provide financial reports only for up to the first 14 consecutive periods.
- The system allows making journal entries to any of the available periods (1-24) at any time. (There is a setting that can prevent prior period entries, but administrators always have override capability.)
- Because of the openness of the system, when a journal "repost" occurs, the system always reverts back to period 1 and builds all the totals from that point forward. This picks up any journal entries that have been back-dated.
So, let's assume that you're in period 11 of your fiscal year and you hit the "repost" button. Then you go get a cup of coffee while you're waiting for the repost to finish. Here's what happens during that time:
- The period 1-12 balances for all G/L accounts are reset to zero.
- The journal entries for the current fiscal year are reset to "N" for not-posted.
- The journal entries for period 1 are gathered and posted to the period 1 fields in the G/L. As a journal entry is posted, it is reset to "P" for posted.
- The P/L for period 1 is calculated and posted to current year retained earnings. The balance sheet is updated starting with the prior period (period 1 uses the balances coming into the fiscal year from the close of the previous fiscal year).
- The system increments to the next period and repeats steps 3 and 4. This repeats through period 11 (the current period), when posting stops.
- The system then updates the balance sheet portion of the chart of accounts through period 11 (the current period).
- Posting is complete at this point and the G/L is up-to-date with every journal entry through the current working period, in this case, period 11.
It stands to reason that there is much more data to crunch when you're later in the fiscal year than when you're at the start of it, and more data generally means it takes more time to process it. Therefore, let's take a quick look at other elements that may affect performance.
Six Factors that affect the speed of reposting the journal to the chart of accounts:
- The number of accounts in your G/L; more accounts take more time.
- The number of journal entries in your system; more entries take more time.
- The speed of your computer's processor chip; faster is better.
- The amount of memory in your computer; more makes processing generally faster.
- The number of applications running simultaneously on your computer makes a difference; more applications mean that each one runs a bit slower.
- The speed of your network (if applicable); faster is better.
Suggestions:
- If you have a great deal of detail in your chart of accounts, you could speed up your system by eliminating accounts you don't need or use.
- The number of journal entries made is usually directly related to the combination of the level of detail in your chart of accounts and the amount of financial activity you have. Take payroll for example, if you issue payroll weekly, you'll have 52 sets of payroll journal entries. If you could change payroll processing to bi-weekly, you'd reduce the number of payroll journal entries by 50% right off the bat. And, if you don't need to track your job expenses in great detail, you could consolidate your employees to working a fewer number of jobs, which then results in fewer journal entries as well.
- Buy a faster computer that has gobs of RAM memory. You can purchase your way to a vastly faster working experience for only $500 these days. For example, golfers can buy added distance and accuracy to their drives simply by purchasing modern, high-tech golf equipment; why not follow that lead and do the same in your office?
- Reduce the number of applications running simultaneously on your computer. For example, if you have only one running, it gets 100% of the computer's attention. If you have two running, each gets only 50%; three and each gets only 33%; four and each gets only 25%. You get the idea...
- Investigate whether your network (if you use one) is running at top speed, or whether it can be adjusted to run faster. If any of your network equipment such as routers, switches, or hubs are more than 3 years old, there's a pretty good chance that a new one can rejuvenate your network. Another thing is wiring: you can buy the fastest network hardware on the planet but if you hook it up to bad or antiquated wiring, it's just like putting in a new 4-lane superhighway with speed bumps.