How to create and use custom dimensions in Sage Intacct

By Cathy Harris 

Sage Intacct comes with eight built-in dimensions: location, department, vendor, customer, employee, project, item and class. However, sometimes you run into scenarios where you need an additional, user-defined dimension. 

Some reasons for needing a user-defined dimension include:

• You need to track a type of record that is unlike any of the eight built-in Sage Intacct dimensions
• You have already re-defined the class dimension (the most generic of the built-ins) but need another dimension similar to it

Having improved Intacct customization abilities, Sage now allows you to define your own custom dimensions. Here’s how to create dimensions.

1. Create a new Platform Application in Intacct at Platform Services > List > New Application

In this example, we’re creating an application to track people or organizations who have donated to us. We’re calling the application “Donors.”

2. Create a new Object within your platform application.

Make sure to check the “Enable this object as a user defined GL dimension” checkbox. That is the key to making this custom object a custom dimension.

In our example, we are calling the object “Donor” because that is what we intend to track.

3. Add additional fields to your object to track additional attributes about the dimension.

In our example, we added a donor Class field. It will allow us to categorize our donors. You can add any number of additional attributes to your custom dimension.

4. Add some records into your custom dimension.

In our example, we added some fictitious donors.

5. Now when you create a GL Transaction, AP Bill or any other type of transactional document, you also specify a record from your custom dimension.

6. Your custom dimension gets saved and treated just like one of the built-in dimensions now. You can use it anywhere you would typically use a built-in dimension — including reporting.

Questions about creating new Sage Intacct dimensions?

Custom Intacct dimensions give you the ability to define your own dimensions to suit your business domain. They are powerful and relatively easy to set up. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact us.

If you’re interested in more Sage Intacct articles or webinars, look no further! We frequently hold Sage Intacct webinars, including our quarterly “Elevate Your Sage Intacct” webinar series. Click here to view upcoming webinars, and click here to view past webinars.

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