R12 “AGIS” : What makes “Advanced” in Oracle Apps

R12 “AGIS” : What makes “Advanced”

Since last fortnight,I was looking into R12 GIS Module, seems some of the old features and functionlity have been greatly enhanced with addition of some more new features introduced.The point which should be noted here is,R11i GIS get new name commonly known as "Advanced Global Intercompany System" in short 'AGIS'. The difference is the prefix 'A', therfore will take a close microscopic view on feature that makes 11i GIS into Advanced GIS of R12. Here are the candidate features :
Ability to create invoices (AR and AP)
Oracle Advanced Global Intercompany System can create invoices in payables and receivables sub ledger from intercompany transactions.
Using Oracle Advanced Global Intercompany System user can enter transactions for multiple recipients within a single batch. This allows user to submit intercompany transactions from one initiator to one or more recipients in a single batch.
Proration of transaction distribution amounts
When user allocates more than one distribution account in a batch that has multiple recipient transactions, Oracle Advanced Global Intercompany System can automatically prorate the distribution amounts based on the recipient transaction amounts. The proration of amounts is also used by Oracle Advanced Global Intercompany System to adjust the distribution amounts in the batch when a recipient transaction is deleted or it is rejected.
Upload Transaction Batches created in Excel
This was a missing link in the earlier version, as earlier product does not have capability to use direct upload functionality, rather than interfacing through Open GIS interface. In Release 12 ADI is heavily used in this module, which is replacement of external integration for AGIS System using by mean of Microsoft based Excel spreadsheet. Now flexibility is provided to user that can generate spreadsheet templates that have features of intercompany entry pages and using the templates the user can enter transactions in the spreadsheet and upload them into Oracle Advanced Global Intercompany System. The good thing has found the standard templates can be customized by removing or adding the entry fields from a list of available fields. This feature is used to create a template that contains only the entry fields that are important for the business. The required fields cannot be removed from the template. Once the templates are generated, user can save them in their local computer to reuse them in the future. This figure describe the options available in both the versions.

Multiple recipients Support
Reversal of batch/transaction
This changed feature enables a user to reverse a whole batch or an individual transaction in a batch. When the user reverses a batch or a transaction, a new reversal batch is created, which displays the references to the original transaction. One point to be noticed is that new batch is submitted automatically immediately after it is created. Not both the parties (Sender /receiver), its only users with access to the initiator organization can reverse its batches or transactions. The set up is there where a user can choose a reversal method determining if the new batch will be created with opposite signs, or with switched debits and credits.
Descriptive flexfield support
In AGIS descriptive flexfields is supported on the batch and also on individual transactions within the batch. Descriptive flexfields allow user to enter any additional information specific to the nature of business, in the batch and in the transactions. Important to note that these DFF can be used by sender. The user can enter descriptive flexfield information for the recipient in the Recipient Accounting section.
Flexible Approval Rules and Workflow Notifications
In R12, AGIS very similar to other module, home page displays notifications about approval or rejection statuses of intercompany transactions. You should note that notifications can be sent to the users via email. The rules for approvals and notifications can be customized using Oracle Approval Management Engine (AME), which allows the user to add extra approval rules and hierarchies to suit their business needs.
Document attachment
The user can attach the documents for the batch as well as for each of the transaction. When user submits the batch, the documents are transferred to respective recipients.
Transaction security
Intercompany transactions entry pages incorporate various security features. The user can enter transactions only for those intercompany organizations that are assigned to the user. Other security features include minimum transaction amount, control amount and function security.

For example:
Intercompany accountant processes intercompany transactions for many intercompany organizations in the enterprise.What is different between these two is :

• R11i - Each responsibility has only one subsidiary assigned, therefore a user can initiate intercompany transactions for one subsidiary from each responsibility
• R12 – the user can initiate intercompany transactions for many trading partners without changing responsibility

Intercompany Periods
The new Intercompany calendar gives the user the option to control intercompany transaction processing by periods status.
What is observed in this functionality can be best describe as:
If a user wants to control intercompany cut-off dates, then the user can choose which General Ledger calendar will be used to control transaction entry by intercompany period status. Intercompany Calendar prevents users from entering transactions in closed periods and from closing the period if open transactions exist for the period user wants to close. When the user tries to close General Ledger accounting period, or Oracle Payables period or Oracle Receivables period while Intercompany Period is still open, the warning message can be displayed informing user about the status of intercompany period.
Setup Profile Options
In AGIS there is no profile options that means these three as below intercompany profile options used in R11i are obsolete in this release.

• Intercompany: Protect Receiver Natural Account
• ntercompany: Subsidiary
• Intercompany: Use Automatic Transaction

Intercompany Reconciliation and Reporting
There are two new reports avaible in XML Publisher format

• Intercompany Transaction Summary report
• Intercompany Account Details report.

These reports replace reports that were available in the Global Intercompany System (GIS) in Release 11i.
The new reports offer all of the functionality of the obsolete reports plus additional benefits.

A bit on these 2 reports:
1)Intercompany Transaction Summary report replaces the Intercompany Transaction Detail report and Unapproved Transaction Listing report.
The purpsoe of this report is to give user a clear overview of intercompany transactions and their statuses, there so that day-to-day tasks and speeds up period close activities.
This report also provides supporting documentation for intercompany reconciliation and helps keep intercompany in balance by uncovering any potential discrepancies.
2) Intercompany Account Details report replaces the Transaction Activity Summary report
This new report provides a detailed listing of all accounting lines for intercompany batches, grouped by transaction.
The report is divided into two sections:

• one section for outbound batches
• one section inbound transactions.

The outbound section shows transactions initiated by the organizations to which the user has an access, the inbound section shows transactions received by these organizations. The user can choose whether to include inbound, outbound, or both sections in the report.
The user can run the report for one or many organizations to which the user is given the access.
User can select what parameters like initiator, Recipient, GL Date range, Batch Number range, Transaction Status, Currency, Batch Type, Invoice Number, and many more to run the report by. User can run the report by ranges of initiator and recipient accounts to see what transactions make up their balances