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Use Direct Connectors or Upload & Share to ingest client data

You can use Direct Connectors or Upload & Share to ingest data. Direct Connectors is the recommended option, but you can use Share & Upload if your accounting system doesn't support it.
To ingest financial data from your client's accounting systems, you can select between 2 methods:
  1. Direct connectors
  2. Upload & Share
Refer to the following for the differences, benefits, and limitations of each option to make an informed decision based on your needs.

Direct Connectors
 (recommended)

Direct Connectors
 provide a live, single-use connection to the client's accounting application, automatically extracting General Ledger (GL), Trial Balance (TB), and subledger data.
Advantages
  • Reliability:
     The most reliable method of data extraction.
  • Comprehensive Data:
     They include accounts receivable (AR) and accounts payable (AP) subledger data, essential for AIA AR/AP analysis.
  • Error Reduction:
     They eliminate the risk of file manipulation errors.
  • Ease of Use:
     They require minimal effort from the user. Only a sign-in is required.
How they work
  1. The client selects their accounting package from the dropdown.
  2. They're redirected to the accounting application's sign in page.
  3. The client signs in with administrator credentials.
  4. Validis automatically extracts the data.
  5. The connection terminates after extraction, and both the client and auditor receive email confirmations.
Critical requirement
The client has to have administrator permissions to the accounting package. Without these permissions, the connection will fail.

Upload & Share

With
Upload & Share
, you upload Excel or CSV files that contain the GL and TB data.
Advantages
  • Compatibility:
     Available when the accounting package doesn't support the
    Direct Connector
    .
  • Access Flexibility:
     Suitable if the client doesn't have access to the accounting system.
  • Preference:
     Lets clients select a different method of extraction.
Critical limitations
  • Data Limitations:
     The extraction won't include AR/AP subledger data (AIA AR/AP modules aren't available).
  • Error Risks:
     There's a greater risk of file-format or schema errors.
  • Reliance on client:
     The extraction depends on the client correctly exporting and uploading files.
File requirements
  • Trial Balance:
    • Single sheets are required.
    • Multi-sheet TB files will fail.
  • General Ledger:
    • You can use Multi-sheet files.
    • All sheets need to have consistent schemas/headers.
    • Inconsistencies will cause errors.
Tips
  • Avoid manipulating standard GL/TB reports before you upload.
  • Export files directly from the accounting system.
  • Make sure the year-end date matches what was entered on the microsite.
  • Save files as UTF-8 if special characters are present.

This article applies to:

  • Product: audit-intelligence
  • Sub-Product: ai-analyze