What is ACL?

ACL, or Audit Command Language, is one of the firm’s audit tools, used to interrogate client data files. ACL can assist in efficiently performing audit procedures. ACL is available from the Audit Automation Library in Lotus Notes.

Opening ACL

Select Other Audit Tools from the Audit Automation Library on the Start Button menu. Select ACL for Windows from the sub-menu.

To open an existing file (.acl extension), select FileÔOpen.

To create a new ACL file:

1.       select FileÔNew. Enter the new file name.

2.       Select the input file for the new ACL file.

3.       To import a new file into ACL, select New.

4.       Locate the file and click OK. If the file is delimited, e.g., a comma separated value (CSV) file, respond Yes or No as appropriate.

5.       Verify the record length is appropriate.

6.       Define Data Fields as appropriate.

Views Available

ACL views can be changed under the Window menu. Views available include:

Browse View—displays a view of the data from the file you currently have open

Command Log—records all commands entered and their results

Last Result—displays the results of the last command executed. It automatically opens when a command is executed unless the Command Log window is open

Overview—provides you with another way to select input files instead of using ACL’s menu or ribbon bars

 

Defining Data Fields

1.        Select Edità Data Fields.

2.        Highlight the field in the record detail, by pointing to the beginning of the first data field and dragging the cursor to the end of the data field

-or-

If the start location, Start and the field length, Len, of the data fields are known, enter the appropriate values in the field definition area of the window.

3.        Enter the field name.

4.        The valid data types for the field selected will be displayed in the Valid Field Types section of the window. Select the data type by clicking on the downward arrow next to ASCII.

+     If a numeric value is selected, enter the number of decimal places in the Dec column.

5.        To modify how the field will appear in the Default View and on printed reports, select the Picture button, , and enter the desired values.

6.        Click on the green check mark button, , to accept the field. It will be added to the list of current fields.

 

+     This information can be revised later by selecting EditÔData Fields. Select the field to be edited and edit as appropriate.

 

Defining Computed Fields

1.        On the Edit menu, select Expressions.

2.        In the Expressions window, in the Field Name dialog box, enter the name for the new field.

3.        Click on the Default Value button.

4.        In the Expression Builder window, select the fields, operators etc., which will create the new field.

5.        Click on the OK button to accept the expression that has been entered.

 

 

Modifying the Browse View

Field shown in the browse view can be reorganized, hidden, or additional fields can be shown.

To Reorganize fields shown:

1.        Highlight the column that displays the field to be moved.

2.        While holding down the mouse, drag the field to it’s new location. The cursor will change to a hand to indicate that the column is being moved.

To hide a field that is currently visible:

1.       Highlight the column that displays the field to be hidden.

2.       Click on the Delete Columns button, . The field is not deleted, it is just not be shown in the current browse window.

To display fields that are currently not visible:

1.       Click on the Add Columns button, .

2.       Select the field(s) to be added to the current view.

3.       Click OK. The fields will be displayed at the end of the existing columns.

 

Getting On-Line Assistance

On-line help is available for ACL. Select Contents on the Help menu to open help.

Help is available by using the list of contents, or you can Search for a specific topic.

To Search for a topic:

1.       Click on the Search button.

2.       Enter the topic to search for.

3.       When the topic is highlighted in the topic window, click on the Go To button. The help topic will be displayed.

 

 

ACL Commands

Age—available on the toolbar, , or on the Analyze menu. produces aged summaries of the records from either the current date or a specified cut-off date. This command allows you to specify the aging “buckets” to be used for the accumulation: 0-30, 31-60, etc.

Classify—available on the Data menu. Returns the count the number of records relating to each unique value of a character field and to accumulate totals of specified numeric fields for each value.

Extract—available on the tool bar, , or on the Data menu. Copies the selected records or fields from the current file into a new ACL file.

Export— available on the Data menu. Creates a file which can be read into other software, e.g., Excel or Word, for further processing.

Histogram—available on the Data menu. Produces a graphical representation of the distribution of records over the values of a field or expression.

Join—available on the Data menu. Combines fields from one file with fields from another file, using key field(s) to match the records from the two files and creates a new ACL file. Data in both files should be sorted on the same fields before executing the Join command.

Merge—available on the Data menu. combines two records with identical record structures, i.e., the same fields and the same record length, into a third ACL file. For example, if one file has 10 records and the other file has 15 records, the merged file should have 25 records. Data in both files should be sorted on the same fields before executing the Merge command.

 

ACL Commands(cont.)

Sample—available on the toolbar, , or on the Analyze menu. Selects a sample from the records or the total value of a specific field in the records and creates a new ACL file with the results. Samples can be Random or Interval.

Sort—available on the toolbar, , or on the Data menu. Creates a new ACL file with the records sorted in ascending order on the field(s) selected.

Statistics—available on the tool bar, , or on the Analyze menu. Returns the statistics of the values of the field(s)/columns selected. Statistics include total, record counts, and averages for positive field values (debits), zero field values, negative field values (credits). Additionally absolute values, ranges and the five highest and the five lowest values are noted.

Stratify—available on the tool bar, , or on the Analyze menu. Returns the number of records falling into specified intervals of a field, as well as the accumulating one or more fields based on the intervals.

Summarize—available on the Data menu. Creates a new ACL file with the records accumulated on the field(s) selected. Data should be sorted before executing the Summarize command.

Total—available on the tool bar, , or on the Analyze menu. Returns the sum of the values of the field(s)/columns selected.

 

 

 

 

 

Using ACL

 

PC Version 4.03

 

 

 

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