Disclosure Studio - MDFM - Create a Local Rule

In Disclosure Studio, mapping local rules allows you to automate how specific financial data is categorized and presented in your financial statements. 

A local rule is a custom configuration you create to map your unique Account Codes or Object Codes to specific Financial Statement Lines. Think of it as a bridge that tells the system: "Whenever you see this specific local account, place its value in this specific section of the report."

There are a few steps to creating a new local rule. Select the step below to navigate directly to that section of the article.

• Navigate to Local Rules
• Create a Local Rule
  • Preview the Rule
• Useful Tips for Mapping Rules
  • Enter multiple objects in each type
  • Create a second rule for the same line item

Navigate to Local Rules

From the MDFM dashboard, navigate to the statement for which you want to create a new local rule. Learn how to navigate the dashboard here.

Inside the desired statement, select the Map button to enter the statement mapping. On the left-hand side, you will see the dimensions associated with governmental funds. You can filter through the data by select a statement line, reporting fund, or fiscal period.

Create a Local Rule

Use the chevron icons (🔽) to drill into statement columns. Once you've located the desired statement, follow these steps to create a local rule.

Pro-Tip: Every rule in your ACFR should start with a condition that the "Fiscal Period" equals the year you are reporting. This will ensure that the correct trial balance data is retrieved.

1. Navigate to the dimension from your dataset you'd like to automate.
2. Select the Local Rules tab to see existing local rules for that statement. These rules can be applied to any column from your dataset—like Fund Code, Object Code, etc. 
3. Select the blue plus sign icon in the top right corner of the local rules panel.
4. Enter a name for your new local rule.
5. Select the plus sign icon to the right of Rules.
6. Set the Field.
7. Set the Type also known as a condition. A few of the most common conditions you'll use are outlined below.
   • Equals - takes all values that exactly match the values. This option ensures precision if you know exactly which object will be mapped.
   • Not equals - excludes all values that exactly match the values. This option lets you exclude specific items without having to list everything else manually.
   • Starts with - captures all values that begin with certain letters or numbers. This condition is helpful when you want to map a group of similar objects without listing each one individually.
   • Not starts with - excludes all values that begin with certain letters or numbers. This condition lets you exclude a range of items efficiently, without having to specify each one.
8. Set the Value.
9. Select the floppy disk save icon to save your changes. If you'd like to add an additional rule, select the plus sign icon again and repeat steps 6 through 9 above.
10. Select the OK button to close the window.

Important Note! After creating or editing a rule, select the chain icon 🔗 in the top right-hand corner to relink all accounts.

Preview the Rule

Once a rule is created, you can select it to preview the result.

A preview box will appear below showing which rows from your dataset match the rule. This helps you quickly validate that the rule behaves as expected. If any rows are missing or incorrectly included, you can adjust the rule right away. Previewing helps prevent errors from propagating into your reports, reducing the need for corrections later.

Useful Tips for Mapping Rules

Enter multiple objects in each type

Instead of creating a separate rule for each object, you can list several objects together in one rule by separating them with commas. When you press the Enter/Return key on your keyboard, the system will automatically split them and treat each object as a separate entry. This helps you work faster and stay consistent, especially when you have many objects that follow the same rule. 

Create a second rule for the same line item

In real situations, not all departments or funds follow the same mapping logic. Some might have exceptions or unique requirements. This is the reason why the system allows you to add a second rule for the same line item. The second rule uses AND logic, meaning both conditions must be met for the mapping to apply.

For example, if you set:

Object 101 for Fund 100, and Object 110 for Fund 200: The system will map Object 101 only for Fund 100, and Object 110 only for Fund 200. 

In other words, each condition adds further restrictions to the rule. 

Prefer to See it Done?

Learn more with this video: Video: Disclosure Studio - Local Rules Menu Overview