In Allocate, we have made it as easy as possible to get to your data when you need it.


The Navigation Menu


On the left hand sidebar of Allocate is the Navigation Menu. It will always be present as you work within the system. The Navigation Menu hosts multiple tools at your disposal. 


Accessing Tables


In Allocate, a Table is a set of columns and rows, in which data can be entered by importing, or by manual input. There are two types of Tables in Allocate:

  • Structure Tables - Structure Tables are tables in which you enter the entities that will be allocated to and from. To be more explicit, these are the Organizations, Funds, Departments, and Divisions Tables. These tables are not dependent on a Fiscal Period.

  • Distribution Tables - Distribution Tables are the tables in which you enter the data which impacts the calculations of the cost plans. These are the Functions, Expenditures, Labor, Incoming, Allocations, Direct Billed and Reconciliation Tables. Distribution Tables are dependent on the Fiscal Period that has been chosen. For example, you will have one set of data on your Finance < Expenditures Table for 2016, and a different set of data for Finance < Expenditures Table for 2017.


The Tables are displayed in the Navigation Menu and are expandable and collapsable using the arrow icon to the left of the Table name. When you expand the menu you will see all of the menu items related to the expanded item. Each Table in the Navigation Menu also has Icons to the right of the label which appear when you hover over the menu item with your cursor.

  • Import Icon - Clicking on this icon will open the Importer Dialog in which you can import data from Excel into the related table. (For more information see our related article “Importing From Excel.”)

  • Eye Icon - Clicking on this icon will open the table in the Workspace where you can start to edit the data housed in that table.


For example, if I needed to edit the expenditure data for Finance, I would first expand the Departments Table, then I would expand the Finance Department. Next I would click on the eye icon next to the Expenditure Table, which will open the Expenditure Table in the Workspace. 


The Search Bar


The Search Bar at the top of the Navigation Menu allows you to quickly find Report Items by filtering the Report Item Name. For example, if you are looking for the Finance Department, you can type “Finance” into the Search Bar to narrow down the list of Report Items to just the Finance Department. The Search Bar will start to filter results as soon as you have entered at least three characters.


Cost Plan Filter


The Cost Plan Filter allows you to limit the Report Items in the Navigation Menu to just the Central Report Items in that Cost Plan. While you may have entered your entire Agency structure into the Structure Item Tables, you may only need to enter data into a couple of Report Items in order to complete your Cost Plan. The Cost Plan filter helps you quickly identify which Report Items need data.


Before you can apply the filter effectively you must create a Report Order for your Cost Plan (for more information see our Report Order article). Once you have a Report Order you can apply the filter to display only those Report Items for which you need to enter data in order to finish your Cost Plan.


Allocate Logo


If you ever need to quickly return to your Dashboard from the Workspace, you can click the Allocate Logo to bring you back to the starting Dashboard.