Hi Next Gen'ers,

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Good News...the AFR files were finally released a few hours ago.

Bad News...that was also my first chance to have the files.

They added more data collection that they described in their email but we also have new file types and they reconfigured the security for the files.  In the old files we used to store the password for the files in the documents custom properties.  In these new files, I can't just lookup the password so it took me about 30 minutes to remove the passwords for my desktop version of Next Gen.  I'm racing with the programmers for the online version of Next Gen and their program already bypasses passwords so right off the bat I'm losing.  I should have the desktop version ready by this weekend...the online version might release faster than me.  If you end up running your AFR with the online version then we are still going to pull some of those down for testing so I can make sure the online and the desktop version are getting the same results.

Karin and I DID NOT run testing on these files and the AG's Office has already posted a file corrections file in anticipation of the formula errors that are going to be found so again...if you can hold off a few weeks then your AFR process is going to be a lot smoother.

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Straight to the Point

AFR File Update - Coming Soon but no draft was provided

Next Gen App - Online App will be updated as quickly as possible and you can email me your file in the meantime

No Longer a Member - You're always welcomed back but I will clean up the distribution list before the next email.

All the Details

About 4 or 5 years ago the AG's Office released the first "Accounting Data" AFRs as their response for automating AFRs after the first release of our Next Gen AFRs.  In that first year, I was included in the testing of the files and Karin Smith and I have been included ever since.  This year we were only able to see a screen share of some of the major changes and we haven't actually been given a copy of the files. As a recap, ADE is on a new system this year and it will be our first time submitting with an .xlsx or .xlsm file extension.  The COVID Form is getting moved into a Page 10 on the AFR and the Ending Fund Balance Summary is getting added in as a new page to request information that we have never been asked to provide or track before.  We are also running a few weeks behind the normal AFR release schedule.

My advice is to try to plan your AFR Meeting as close to October 15 as possible.  I'm anticipating that there will be a significant amount of post file release clean up.  We've had post file release clean up ever since we moved to Accounting Data AFRs and there hasn't been any testing on these files.  They also had to do a significant amount of rewriting on the formulas when they migrated over to the newer Excel version.  I know some of you are trying to have your AFR Meeting 3 weeks from today.  I will be able to update the desktop version of Next Gen faster than we can update the online version.  If you're ready to start running files (you've finished the coding clean up) then just email me your General Ledger.  I'm expecting the files to be out today or tomorrow so I will be running files over the weekend.

I have a few of you who are no longer sticking with Next Gen so I will edit you off of the distribution list.  If you want to shoot mesome feedback on what you would like to see added into Next Gen then I would appreciate it.  The goal is to continue to grow this program until we are literally just like the Jetson's walking into work and asking Rudy to fill out our AFR and submit it.  The only way we can overcome the administrative burdens placed on us by downtown is to increase the quality of our tools so we can handle them all efficiently.

Have a good week Next Gen'ers...it's time to sprint for the AFR the way the D'backs are trying to sprint to the playoffs!

Jeremy

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