PeopleSoft Finance Tables: A Deep Dive

PeopleSoft Financials utilizes a robust relational database structure relying on numerous tables to store and manage financial data. Understanding these tables is crucial for anyone working with PeopleSoft finance, be it for reporting, integrations, or customizations. These tables are organized into modules, each responsible for a specific area of finance.

The General Ledger (GL) module is arguably the heart of the system. The LEDGER table is paramount, storing actual and budget amounts by account, business unit, and other key chartfield combinations. The LEDGER_KK table stores encumbrance amounts, while the GL_JOURNAL_HDR and GL_JOURNAL_LN tables record journal entries. Other important GL tables include ACCOUNT_TBL for account definitions and BUSINESS_UNIT_GL for business unit specific settings.

Accounts Payable (AP) centers around managing vendor invoices and payments. Key tables include VOUCHER, storing header-level invoice information, and VOUCHER_LINE, containing the details of each invoice line. The VNDR_ID table stores vendor information, while PYMNT_TBL manages payment processing. The AP_DISTRIB_TBL links vouchers to general ledger accounts via chartfield distribution.

Accounts Receivable (AR) manages customer invoices and payments. The core table is CUSTOMER, holding customer details. ITEM stores individual invoice information, while ITEM_ACTIVITY tracks the different stages of an invoice lifecycle (e.g., creation, payment, write-off). PAYMENT captures incoming customer payments. AR integrates closely with GL via tables like AR_DISTRIB_TBL for chartfield distribution.

Asset Management (AM) tracks the lifecycle of fixed assets. The ASSET table contains the core asset data, including cost, depreciation method, and location. ASSET_BOOK stores financial information for each asset book (e.g., tax, GAAP). DEPR_CALC_DTL stores depreciation calculations and postings. Understanding these tables is vital for asset accounting and reporting.

Purchasing (PO) focuses on the procurement process. PO_HDR and PO_LINE store purchase order header and line details, respectively. REQ_HDR and REQ_LINE manage purchase requisitions. This data integrates with AP once invoices are received against purchase orders.

Understanding the relationships between these tables is crucial. For example, a voucher in AP links to GL via the AP_DISTRIB_TBL, providing a clear audit trail. Many tables use shared key fields like BUSINESS_UNIT and ACCOUNT to facilitate data integration across modules. Proper use of PeopleSoft Query or SQL is necessary to extract and analyze the wealth of information contained within these tables.