1. Excel-eration Webinar

2. Learning Outcomes Agenda
Data Preparation
What is “application agnostic”
Data formatting & validation techniques
Real-time data formatting
Things to consider when getting data from your clients
Additional tools available
1-on-1 session
Make sure to fill out our survey that will be distributed after the webinar!

3. Introductions Andrei Ghita Customer Success Associate
Alfred Markut Jr.
Data Solutions Manager

4. This call will be recorded

5. Data Preparation Data Preparation
Once data is collected, the process of analysis begins
Data has to be validated, and translated in an appropriate form
This process is known as
Data Preparation
Data Collection

6. Steps in Data Preparation
Validate Data
Clean the Data Set
Analyze the Data
READY
Validity exists when the data actually measures what it’s designed to measure
Invalid data may potentially conclude misleading results
One of the most serious concerns in data preparation are errors, inconsistent data, and missing data values
If required, transform the data set into rectangular form (ungrouped)
If required, build a tabular/graphical representation of data
When multiple data sets are involved, the review step is important

7. What is application agnostic?
Data Engine is not specific to one Financial Management System (ie., ERP)
Ledger can come from any number of systems on the market
As long as required/recommended columns exist, and is in the appropriate format (ie., ungrouped), the file can be loaded into MindBridge
Don’t focus on just getting the file from one specific ERP

8. Data Options for Analysis by Ai Auditor
Data Overview
Data Options for Analysis by Ai Auditor
Fiscal General Ledger
Interim General Ledger
Account Mapping (CCH, Caseware, etc.)
Accounts Payable
Accounts Receivable
Opening & Closing Trial Balances
Supported Files
Supported Data Formats:
.csv
.xlsx
Semi-Supported Data Formats:
.txt
Unsupported Data Formats:
.pdf
Supported Formats
Supported Formats:
Ungrouped Data:
(Single, unbroken data table)
Requires formatting:
Grouped files

9. General Ledger - Required & Recommended Columns Checklist
Account Number
Posted Date
Debit & Credit, or Amount (Credit denoted by negative symbol)
Recommended
Account Description
Memo
Source
User ID
Transaction Type
Optional
Entry Date

10. Types of Formats Grouped Format Ungrouped Format
Compartmentalized into sections, typically by Account Number
Every row represents every column requirement

11. Grouped Format

12. Ungrouped Data File

13. Questions?

14. Formatting Steps
Understand the data and determine where required &
recommended columns reside
Pivot off of anchor point
Create new columns for final resting place for data
Drag over data
(or write an Excel formula to get data)
Filter on Date
&
Copy data into new sheet
Save & get ready to upload into MindBridge 1 2 3 4 5 6

15. General Ledger Analysis
When exporting client data from an ERP, it generally comes in a ‘grouped’ format.
In this case, the transactions are all grouped by their respective account numbers.
This will require additional formatting.

16. General Ledger Formatting Tips
Find your anchor column and filter by it:
These columns generally have account number and account name information within it.

17. General Ledger Formatting Tips
In this case, column A has the necessary information that we need to filter by.
Filter tips:
Get rid of blanks, any totals, and any other information that isn’t an account number & account description

18. General Ledger Formatting Tips
You will now see a file that is starting to come together!
But, we now have to break up the account numbers and account descriptions into two separate columns.

19. General Ledger Formatting Tips
First, insert a column on column B
Next, you’ll have to break up the account numbers and account descriptions into separate columns.
This can be done with the Text to Columns feature in the Data tab.

20. General Ledger Formatting Tips
Step 1:
Press the Text to Columns button located in the Data tab.
Step 2:
Press the Delimited radio button and hit next.

21. General Ledger Formatting Tips
Step 3:
Check the ‘Other’ box, and type “-” in the box beside it.
Step 4:
Press the Finish button!

22. General Ledger Formatting Tips
Next, clear the filter from column A

23. General Ledger Formatting Tips
This is what you should now see!
Next, we’ll have to fill the blank cells in columns A and B.

24. =LEFT(text, [num chars])
the number of characters we extract
The cell reference
=LEFT(text, [num chars])

25. General Ledger Formatting Tips
=LEFT(A3, FIND(“-”, A3)-1)
Note: The reason we’re adding -1 is to ignore the “-” that the function picks up

26. =MID(text, [start num], [num chars])
the number of characters we extract
The cell reference
the starting point for where the formula will ‘look’
=MID(text, [start num], [num chars])

27. General Ledger Formatting Tips
=MID(A3, FIND(“-”, A3, 1)+1, 1000)
Note: The reason we’re adding +1 is to ignore the “-” that the function picks up

28. =TRIM(MID(A3, FIND(“-”, A3, 1)+1, 1000))
General Ledger Formatting Tips
=TRIM(MID(A3, FIND(“-”, A3, 1)+1, 1000))
Note: The reason we’re adding +1 is to ignore the “-” that the function picks up

29. Always copy & paste formulas as values.

30. Questions?

31. General Ledger Formatting Tips
To do this, click the Home tab, then press on the ‘Find & Select button, then hit ‘Go To Special…”

32. General Ledger Formatting Tips
Next, press the Blanks radio button and hit OK

33. General Ledger Formatting Tips
To fill down all of the blank cells, type “A1” in cell A2 and press “Ctrl + Enter”

34. General Ledger Formatting Tips
Next, we only want to show line items which have an associated date.
To do this, go to the filter on column C, and un-check the “Posted Date” box, then hit OK.

35. General Ledger Formatting Tips
Press the highlighted box to select all of the data, open a new sheet in the file, and paste as values.

36. General Ledger Formatting Tips

37. General Ledger Formatting Tips
We’ll now have to get the Date column in the proper format using the Text to Column function.
Step 1:
Make sure the Delimited radio button is toggled on and press Next.

38. General Ledger Formatting Tips
Step 2:
Make sure the ‘Other’ button isn’t checkmarked and press Next.

39. General Ledger Formatting Tips
Step 3:
Press the Date radio button, and from the drop-down menu, select ‘DMY’
Step 4:
Press Finish!

40. General Ledger Formatting Tips
Lastly, for MindBridge to ingest the data correctly, the Debit and Credit columns need to be absolute values.
To do this, insert a column beside the original credit column, type the formula “=ABS(H2)” into cell I2, and drop the formula down the column.

41. General Ledger Formatting Tips
Finally, copy the content in column I and paste it back as values to remove the formulas from the cell, and delete column H (the original Credit column with negative values).
Your file is now ready to be ingested into the tool!

42. LIVE DEMO

43. Additional Tools Jupyter Notebooks SQL Server Regular Expressions
VBA Scripts
Patent Pending Internal Processes (eg., Microgrouper)

44. Getting Data from Clients
Four general rules:
Get General Ledger file into either:
.xlsx, .xls, or .csv format
When in doubt, ask for as much data as possible
Additional fields can be imported into Ai Auditor
Provide Trial Balance file with Opening & Closing Balance Columns
Provide Account Mapping File

45. Next Steps
Please fill out the attached survey and register for a personalized data solution from our team!

46. Thanks for watching!