Insert GL Wand Function
GL Wand includes many custom Excel functions that allow you to extract information from Oracle dynamically. You can enter a function into an Excel cell in a number of ways.
- Navigate to GL Wand | Insert Function and click the applicable function button or select one from the functions dropdown menu.
- Type the function name into the cell manually prefixed by an = sign e.g. =GLW_Get_Balance.
- You can select the function from the list that Excel provides when you choose the Insert Function menu item. The GL Wand functions are listed under the GL Wand category.
We recommend using our function wizards to create and edit existing functions rather than the Excel function arguments window (fx). Our wizards provide lists of values and the actual segment names for the function parameters while still allowing the parameters to be linked to Excel cells. See the Get Balance function for an example.
Function return values
The GL Wand functions will return a variety of results depending on a number of factors. If all the information is entered correctly and there are no data access restrictions, the result should be the General Ledger balance, segment value, segment description etc. However the following are also possible return values.
- NoAccess – When you log on you will be prompted for your applications user name and password and will then need to select a responsibility to log on to. Any security rules that have been linked to the selected responsibility will be enforced on the GL Wand data. If you attempt to access a balance on a general ledger account that you do not have access to, the function will return “NoAccess”. Please see the Audit Get Balance section for information on how to identify the security rule that is being contravened. Also, a new feature in version 5 of GL Wand allows you to configure the application to return the balances that you do have access to, rather than the error message. See the Show Error on Account Access Violation option under System Administrator Configuration Options for more detail.
- Error – If you enter invalid information in a parameter for a GL Wand function the GL Wand error value will be returned. This may happen when you, for example, enter an invalid budget name or period name in the Get Balance function or when you enter an invalid segment number in the next segment value function. This error value will also be returned when you are not logged on. The details of the return value will indicate where the problem exists e.g. Error (Logon), Error (Balance Type), Error (Translated Flag), Error (Actual Flag), Error (Period) etc.
- Pending – This value will be returned during the calculation process. Whenever a cell requires calculation and the process has not been completed yet, the cell will contain the value Pending.