ACL Product Pulse, January 2016

Source:- ACL Blog Author Phil Lim

In this edition of the ACL Product Pulse:

A patch release for Analytics 11.4, ACL Analysis Apps for SAP, Project Manager updates, and SOX reporting templates.

The Product Pulse is ACL’s regular blog series on product & ecosystem updates.

ACL engineers toiled away through Christmas to bring you a new version.

You might want to check that you’re on the latest version of ACL for Windows by opening the Launcher, clicking the ? icon > About:

We just released a patch 11.4.2: in addition to several bug fixes, the new version also has a performance boost to ODBC imports.

5 must-know things about the ACL Analysis Apps for SAP. Number 4 will shock you.

In our previous Product Pulse, we mentioned that the Analysis Apps for SAP have been released in ScriptHub. Here’s a slightly deeper dive into what you need to know about them:

1. They are free (included with an ACL Analytics subscription).
2. You need to have Direct Link, and having Analytics Exchange wouldn’t hurt.
3. You can get them here, and learn how to configure them here.
4. Reach out directly to phil_lim@acl.com if you need help.
5. There are scripts for automatically downloading all the SAP data you’ll need, as well as analyzing vendors, accounts payable transactions, and users.

One of the coolest analytics is the “Document/Baseline/Entry Date Comparison”. In this analytic, we look at the timing of invoices – sometimes invoices will sit on managers desks for a while, or be rushed through the purchasing process. Highlighting cases where there is an unusual pattern between the invoice’s document date, the date that the invoice is entered in the system, and the baseline date can be a great indicator of an attempt to circumvent controls.

But also, did you know you don’t have to use the analytics that have been built at all? The data import and preparation build nice tables for you to do your own analysis. We create a generic transactions table, a vendor table, and a users table.

Have you had success in implementing the Analysis Apps for SAP? If you’re having trouble, reach out to me directly @ phil_lim@acl.com and I’ll see what I can do to help. Also, I’d love to hear stories of how you’re using the scripts we’ve built!

Wow, sounds great, but I don’t know how to do ScriptHub! Do I need to download the internet to do it?

We’ve added to the ACL Analytics Scripting Online course in the Academy detailed instructions on how to download the internet do use ScriptHub.

The unit includes an interactive activity that takes you through creating a running-total using a ScriptHub script. It’s in the Academy under ACL Analytics Scripting Online > What’s ACL ScriptHub.

What about Project Manager & Launchpad?

• Light a fire under the owners of request and action items – using CCs to inform managers is now live.
• Enhancements to attachments – You can now download or delete all attachments on a page. Also, when you export/backup a project in Project Manager, the attachments in the zip file are automatically grouped into named sub folders.
• Improved activity logging – Admins now have visibility on login activity by users in the Launchpad, as well as a new user interface.

Hey, there seem to be new Reports Manager templates for SOX program managers!

First, we’d like to invite our audience to join us in a moment of respect for former US representative Mike Oxley who passed away recently – his legacy continues to live on.

We’ve also released a set of new Reports Manager templates to help with your SOX reporting needs:

• Testing Round Progress
• Walkthrough Progress
• Control Deficiencies by Process
• Key / Non-Key Control Testing Overview

You’ll find them in Reports Manager if you Browse > Projects > SOX Reports. Ignore the reports with “Detail” in the name – they’re used when you drill through the main report. Don’t forget that to modify them, you’ll need to copy them for your use.

Protip: Combine these reports together in a dashboard tab like I have to look like a Rockstar.