tradon/notes/accounting/excel_api/README_GL_ACCOUNTS_POC.md

Excel API POC - GL Accounts

This POC covers only the PDF section GL ACCOUNTS FUNCTIONS.

Files

• gl_accounts_sql_poc.sql: PostgreSQL schema/view/functions.
• GLAccountsExcelApi.bas: VBA module exposing Excel formulas.
• GL_Accounts_POC.xlsx: sample workbook with formulas wired to the VBA UDFs.

SQL Objects

The SQL creates:

• excel_api.gl_account_lines
• excel_api.currency_rate_at(currency_id, value_date)
• excel_api.get_account_base_amount(company, account, currency, date)
• excel_api.get_account_real_base_amount(company, account, currency, date)
• excel_api.get_account_amount(company, account, currency, date)
• excel_api.get_account_abbr(company, account, currency, date)
• excel_api.get_account_name(company, account, currency, date)
• excel_api.get_account_contact(company, account, currency, date)

Excel Formulas

After importing the VBA module:

=GetAccountBaseAmount("COMPANY01","400000","USD",DATE(2026,5,31))
=GetAccountRealBaseAmount("COMPANY01","400000","USD",DATE(2026,5,31))
=GetAccountAmount("COMPANY01","400000","USD",DATE(2026,5,31))
=GetAccountAbbr("COMPANY01","400000","USD",DATE(2026,5,31))
=GetAccountName("COMPANY01","400000","USD",DATE(2026,5,31))
=GetAccountContact("COMPANY01","400000","USD",DATE(2026,5,31))

The sample workbook already contains these formulas in the GL Accounts POC sheet. Save it as .xlsm after importing the VBA module.

Current POC Assumptions

• The company parameter accepts either party_party.code of the company party or the company party name.
• Only posted moves are included.
• The currency parameter filters transaction currency. It accepts the internal currency id, currency_currency.code, name, symbol, or numeric_code.
• GetAccountAbbr returns account_account.code because no separate GL abbreviation field exists in the current schema.
• GetAccountContact returns a comma-separated list of parties found on posted GL lines for the account/currency/date.
• GetAccountBaseAmount revalues the transaction amount at value_date using currency_currency_rate.

Session Notes - 2026-05-26

Validated manually with Excel Desktop in safe mode after Excel initially hung while opening from the web flow.

What worked:

• Workbook saved as macro-enabled file: GL_Accounts_POC_with_formulas.xlsm.
• VBA module imported into a standard module after removing the raw Attribute VB_Name = ... line when pasted manually.
• #NOM? was resolved once macros/VBA compilation were correct.
• Temporary VBA error display (#ERR <number>: <message>) helped expose ODBC failures instead of generic #VALEUR!.
• ICT TRADING can be entered as the company value after SQL support for matching by company party name.
• Currency matching now supports values such as 1, EUR, and USD by checking currency id/code/name/symbol/numeric code.
• Verified live examples:
  • ICT TRADING, account 20011, currency 1/USD, date 2026-05-13 returns Debtors values and contact list.
  • ICT TRADING, account 30011, currency EUR, date 2026-05-13 returns Creditors values and contact 1741.

Important findings:

• In the tested database, currency_currency.code is not the ISO label: id=1 has code=1, name=USD, symbol=USD; id=2 has code=2, name=EUR, symbol=EUR.
• The currency parameter currently means transaction-currency filter, not output currency conversion. EUR and USD can legitimately return different subsets for the same account.
• The VBA cache can make testing confusing; run ClearGLApiCache and CloseGLApiConnection before comparing changed parameters.
• Excel/ODBC may return SQLExecDirectW unable due to the connection lost; the VBA now resets the ADODB connection and retries once.
• The @ shown before UDF names in modern Excel formulas is normal implicit intersection syntax and was not the issue.

Next session:

• Decide whether the currency parameter should remain a transaction-currency filter or become a requested output currency with conversion.
• Add an explicit workbook refresh button or visible refresh instructions for ClearGLApiCache / CloseGLApiConnection.
• Consider moving ODBC connection settings to a hidden/settings worksheet instead of hardcoding GL_API_CONNECTION_STRING.
• Review whether contact output should be party codes, names, or both.

Recommended Production Shape

For production, prefer a readonly DB user and an ODBC DSN. The VBA module is a minimal proof of concept; a production workbook should add:

• a settings sheet for connection parameters;
• refresh/cache controls;
• error messages visible to users;
• optional Power Query preload for large reports.