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EXERCISE 4:

Computed Fields

Cross-Training

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YOUR COACH

Shane Grimm

20 years of experience with ACL

ACL Certified Data Analyst

ACL Certified Trainer

Experienced coach of 1000’s of ACL users

@shanegrimm

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Getting Back in Shape

ACL Bootcamp is a monthly webinar series designed to

help ACL users of all levels learn new skills

#aclbootcamp

*Poll Question # 1

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GUEST SPEAKER

Phil Lim Extensive experience working with clients in a range of

industries, including Healthcare, Manufacturing and

Engineering firms

Core expertise in continuous auditing and controls monitoring

methodologies and practices

ACL Certified in Technical Support, ACL Certified Data

Analyst (ACDA), ACL Certified CCM Implementation Specialist

(ACCIS)

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What are Computed Fields?

An expression

A calculation

A virtual field

Original data unchanged

*Poll Question # 2

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What are we using them for today?

Cleansing

Recalculating

Fuzzy matching

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Clean Your Data

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Creating Computed Fields

1. Edit Table Layout -> Add New Expression

2. Provide a name

• Best practice: Prefix name with a C_

3. Use the Expression Builder

• Build and verify your Expressions

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Let’s see a Demo

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Clean Your Data

ALLTRIM(First) + " " + ALLTRIM(Last)

Other useful functions

» ALLTRIM()

» INCLUDE()

» EXCLUDE()

» UPPER()

» REPLACE()

» ZONED()

» SUBSTRING()

» SPLIT()

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Recalculating Scenario

AP Transactions file contains only positive values

Credit Memos exist in this file

To get the true total, we need invert the sign of credit

memos

Strategy: Design a computed field that contains a

negative invoice amount if the invoice type is a credit

memo

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Let’s see a Demo

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Conditional Computed Fields

In creating a Conditional Computed Field, consider:

Conditions

Value

Default Value

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Signed Invoice Amount Computed Field

invoice_type = "C" then value is invoice_amount * -1

invoice_type = "V" then value is 0

otherwise, value is invoice_amount

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Let’s see a Demo

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Fuzzy Matching Scenario

Filters are exact and address fields are not

• "1234 Main Street" <> "1234 Main St."

Fuzzy matching examples

• Duplicate vendors/employees

• Vendor employee matching

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Fuzzy Matching Strategy

Common trick is numeric-only matchExample: create a computed field that contains only the numeric

digits of another field

How can we use ACL to create such a field?

1234 Main Street, San Francisco, CA, 94109

123494109

1234 Main St., San Fran, CA, 94109

123494109

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ACL Function Reference

Online Documentationdocs.acl.com > ACL Language Reference > ACL Function Reference

OR

ACL HelpCategorized list of functions

Includes details on usage and examples

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Let’s see a Demo

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Fuzzy Matching Examples

Numeric Address Matching just one strategy

Other examples

• Soundslike for matching similar sounding names

• Numeric invoice number matching

• Matching invoice number patterns

• Percentage Matching QGrams or distance algorithms

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Review

Computed Fields can be used for a variety of purposes,

including:

• Recalculations, simple to complex

• Cleaning data

• Complex filters

• Fuzzy Matching

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Review

Tools to assist in your computed fields cross training:

• Expression Builder

• Conditional Computed Fields

• ACL Function Reference

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Review

• Start simple

• Be adventurous. Remember, Computed Fields don’t

change your data

• Learn a new feature/function each time

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Q & A

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Additional Resources

New Quick Reference Guide

ACL Support Center

ACL Technical Support

ACL Training

• ACL 105, Foundations of ACL and 303, Functions and

Scripts

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Additional Resources

ACL Consulting

Team of subject matter experts and technical consultants

with access to thousands of analytic tests

Implementation methodology supports both onsite and

remote solution development

Expertise across a variety of industries

Next ACL Bootcamp

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Exercise 5: Power Lifting Report

Files

Register at acl.com/bootcamp