Sage Intacct Dimension Design Worksheet
Sage Intacct replaces a long segmented chart of accounts with dimensions that tag every transaction, so design decisions made early shape every report. This worksheet helps finance teams list candidate dimensions, what each one answers, who owns the values and whether it is required on entry.
| Dimension | Kind | Reporting question it answers | Approx. number of values | Tagged on GL entries | Required on entry | Value owner | Example value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sage Intacct uses dimensions such as location, department, project, customer, vendor, employee, item and class to tag transactions, plus user-defined dimensions. Confirm availability of dimensions and limits for your subscription with your Sage representative. Each dimension you require on entry adds data entry effort, so keep the list short.
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How to use the worksheet
Start with the questions leadership asks of the numbers, such as profit by plant, spend by department or margin by product line. For each question, add a row and decide whether a standard dimension answers it or a user-defined dimension is needed. Estimate how many values will exist and name an owner who approves new values. The totals and averages show whether your design is balanced or has one dimension that will be hard to maintain.
Design principles
Keep the general ledger accounts about the nature of the transaction, such as materials or freight, and let dimensions carry the where, who and what. Do not recreate old account segments as dimensions by default. Use required fields only where reports truly depend on them, and rely on defaults and allocation rules to reduce keying. Plan how dimension values relate to each other, for example which departments belong to which location.
- Accounts say what, dimensions say where and for whom
- Few required dimensions, more optional ones
- One named owner per dimension
- Agree a naming standard for value IDs
Mistakes to avoid
Common problems include creating a dimension for every request, letting anyone add values, making too many fields mandatory so users enter placeholders, and mixing hierarchy levels in one list. Another is not testing reports on realistic data before go-live. Review the design with the accountants who will do the close and with the managers who read the reports.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are dimensions in Sage Intacct?
They are tags on transactions that let you slice financial and operational data, such as by location, department, project, customer, vendor, employee, item or class. You can also create user-defined dimensions for concepts specific to your business.
How many dimensions should I use?
As few as answer your real reporting questions. Many manufacturers start with location, department, project or job, and one or two custom ones such as product line. Add more only when a report needs it.
Should dimensions be required on every entry?
Only where reporting depends on them. Requiring a dimension on every account leads to meaningless values. Use account-level rules or defaults so the system asks only when the answer matters.
Can I change dimensions after go-live?
You can add values and often add new dimensions, but restructuring history is harder. Getting the core design right before conversion avoids reclassification projects later.
If you are mapping a legacy chart of accounts to dimensions, we can help build the mapping and validate balances after conversion.
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